4 of 17

Write now Article Tools

A 107 year old recipe titled "Honeyed Oatmeal Cookies" I inherited from my great-grandmother; she cooked for 19 of her own children; they knew food!

As I dig through my great grandmother's recipes I decided to convert them from French to English and talk about them with my grandmother and share them all with you. Please keep in mind some of the recipes I am going to submit are more than 100 years old, some are over 150 years old!

As I spoke with my grandmother she told me these were her favourite cookies, and she could still recall the first time she had one. I had to share this charming story of how this recipe came to be in the family.

One of her sisters and Alphonsine (granma Beaulieau) always had to go out to the garden to get potatoes, but today mother had sent them off to the neighbours to get some honey in exchange for eggs. Trading goods was the primary method at that time to purchase or obtain what you want or need, as money was hard to come by.

The girls raced off, this was an exciting assignment as their chores never extended beyond the field. For the first time they were going to the neighbours nearly three miles away. Strolling along in the sunlight finally they reached beyond the edge of the field, this was the farthest they had ever gone.

They noticed a small odd looking hill; loaded with energy they raced each other to the top. Just on the other side of the hill there was a hole with a ladder going down deep inside hill being curios they ventured in, slowly climbing down.

It was some type of old underground dirt home or dry storage place; it had been deserted for a long time as there were rays of light beaming through a few cracks in the dirt roof. There were some sticks from the roof that had fallen onto the dirt floor; the girls each picked up a stick and began poking around.

They seen a gray ball, and poked at it; suddenly a swarm of wasps came out and began to sting them. The girls were pushing and shoving each other as they both tried to race up the ladder at the same time. Finally they had escaped to the surface, and ran for about a half mile, where the wasps finally ended their pursuit of the stung swollen girls.

Sore, tired and crying, they arrived at the neighbours farm, chuckling at the girls as their encounter was quite obvious the mother exchanged their goods for the honey. She had also given them a piece of paper with the following recipe for their mom

107 year old Great Grandma Beaulieau

Honeyed Oatmeal Cookies:

1 cup of raisins

1 cup of honey

2 cups oatmeal

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 / 2 teaspoon nutmeg

1 cup sour cream

1 / 2 teaspoon salt

1 / 2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 / 2 teaspoon of vanilla

2 eggs

Mix all of the dry ingredients thoroughly, then gradually mix the cream, eggs, raisins, and melted honey. Mix very well. Spread lard out over pan (this stops sticking), use a spoon to drop cookie balls onto pan and bake for 30- 40 minutes.

Bon Appetit (French for: enjoy your meal)

Learn more about this author, Disillusioned1.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.

Add your voice

Know something about Recipes: Oatmeal cookies?
We want to hear your view. Write now!