A Quilt By Any Other Name:  Patchwork Quilts

A trip to Grandmothers house when I was young I knew what to except in winter.  Grandmother had a coal heater so a night it would be cold.  No fear they would put 4 to 5 quilts on top of you and you could not move all night.  Quilts that my grandmother and her mother had made.  We had a few in our house but not like the array of beautiful colors and designs.  It fascinated me as a child. 

The history of quilting, the stitching together of layers of padding and fabric, may date back as far as 3400 BCE. For much of its history, quilting was primarily a practical technique to provide physical protection and insulation. However, decorative elements were often also present, and many quilts are now primarily art pieces.

Europe:

In Europe, quilting appears to have been introduced by Crusaders in the 12th century (Colby 1971) in the form of the aketon or gambeson, a quilted garment worn under armor which later developed into the doublet, which remained an essential part of fashionable men’s clothing for 300 years until the early 1600s.

One of the earliest existing decorative works is the Tristan Quilt, made around 1360 in Sicily. It is one of the earliest surviving quilts in the world and at least two sections survive, located at the V&A Museum (London) and in Bargello palace (Florence). Another of the Tristan and Isolde story is held in a private collection.

Russia: 

The oldest surviving example of a quilted piece is a linen carpet found in a Mongolian cave, dated to between 100 BCE and 200 CE. It is now kept at the Saint Petersburg department of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Archaeology Section.

United Kingdom (and colonial Australia):

The National Gallery of Australia has a 3-by-3-metre (9.8 by 9.8 ft) quilt known as the Rajah Quilt. It was created by about 30 convict women as they were transported from Woolwich, England to Hobart, Tasmania in 1841. The quilt was rediscovered in Scotland in 1989. It is a medallion quilt with Broderie perse at its centre.

UNITED STATES:

Quilt making was common in the late 17th century and early years of the 18th century. Colonial quilts were not made of leftover scraps or worn clothing as a humble bedcovering during this period but were decorative items that displayed the fine needlework of the maker, such as the Baltimore album quilts. Only the wealthy had the leisure time for quilt making, so such quilting was done by only a few. Commercial blankets or woven coverlets were a more economical bedcovering for most people.

Whole cloth quilts, broderie perse and medallion quilts were the styles of quilts made during the early 19th century, but from 1840 onward the use of piecework and blocks, often made from printed fabric, became much more common.

Quilting is now a popular hobby, with an estimated base of twenty-one million quilters.

WHOLECLOTH QUILTS:

Early wholecloth bed quilts which may appear to be a solid piece of fabric are actually composed of strips of fabric, since early looms could not produce widths of cloth large enough to cover an entire bed surface. Early quilts that feature the same fabric for the entire quilt top, whether that top is made of dyed wool or pieces of (the same) printed cotton fabric, are referred to as wholecloth quilts. Early wholecloth quilts have three layers: a quilt top, a filling (in early quilts the filler was often wool), and a backing. The three layers are held together via quilting stitches worked by hand, in an age before sewing machines were marketed. In wholecloth quilts, the quilting stitches themselves serve as the only decoration. The earliest whole cloth quilts found in America were brought from Europe. Initially, quilts were owned by the wealthy in America who had the means to purchase imported quilts.

The collection of the Lovely Lane Museum in Baltimore, Maryland contains a quilt believed to have been carried onshore by the Cogswell family who embarked from Bristol, England en route to Bristol, Maine in 1635. Once the passengers were safely on shore, the galleon “Angel Gabriel”, moored in Pemaquid Bay, was completely destroyed when the Great Colonial Hurricane of 1635 rushed up the coast from Naragansett, Rhode Island, leaving the ship as just a mass of floating debris after it was hit with the strongest winds ever recorded.

The Canton Historical Society in Canton, Massachusetts believes that a wholecloth quilt in their collection may be the oldest wholecloth quilt made in America. The wool wholecloth quilt was made in 1786 by Martha Crafts Howard.

The Buckingham Quilt surfaced in 2014. It was made by the wife of Reverend Thomas Buckingham, one of the founders of Yale University, and passed down through nine generations. It is among the oldest wholecloth quilts made in America (circa 1660s).

A more complete survey is needed to compare all of the wholecloth quilts held in the many museum locations who have collected such textiles. Many early quilts did not survive the test of time or were discarded, or if they survived, the name of the quilter was lost to history. For a time, the trend in wholecloth quilting was a preference for all-cotton white quilts.

Many of the beautiful surviving wholecloth quilts feature feather designs, outlines of flowers, or are based on other designs taken from nature motifs. Some were made even more exquisite by the use of stuffed and corded quilting, a method sometimes called trapunto. Trapunto is an Italian word used to describe the technique of slipping extra stuffing into certain areas of a quilt to create areas of raised motifs that stand in relief. For example, stuffing placed inside the quilted outline of a feather or flower makes the design stands out. Women were sometimes proud of their finely wrought and evenly spaced quilting stitches in their wholecloth quilts. This type of quilting seems to be experiencing a revival today and some quilt stores sell pre-marked quilt tops ready to be layered and quilted, either by hand or by machine.

Broderie Perse Quilts:

Broderie perse refers to the technique of cutting motifs from printed fabric and appliquéing them onto a solid background. This form of quilt making has been done since the 18th century. The popular printed fabric during this period was chintz imported from India.

Printed fabric was expensive even for those who were well off. By cutting out birds, flowers and other motifs from printed fabric and sewing them onto a large homespun cloth, a beautiful bedspread could be made. The technique was also used on some early medallion quilts as in the example.  Broderie perse bedcoverings were usually used on the best bed or sometimes only when guests were staying in the home.

Medallion Quilts:

Medallion quilts are made around a center. The center was sometimes a solid piece of large-scale fabric like a toile or a Tree of Life, an appliqued motif or a large pieced star or other pieced pattern. The central area was surrounded by two or more borders. Although some borders were solid, many were pieced or appliqued.

Mid-19th Century:

Changes came about as progress in technology deeply affected the number and styles of quilts made during the middle years of the 19th century.

The Industrial Revolution brought about the most dramatic change as textiles came to be manufactured on a broad scale. This meant women no longer had to spend time spinning and weaving to provide fabric for their family’s needs. By the 1840s the textile industry had grown to the point that commercial fabrics were affordable to almost every family. As a result, quilt making became widespread.

A great variety of cotton prints could be bought to make clothing and even specifically for making a quilt. Although scraps left over from dressmaking and other sewing projects were used in quilt making, it is a myth that quilts were always made from scraps and worn-out clothing. Examining pictures of quilts found in museums we quickly see that many quilts were made with fabric bought specifically for that quilt.

Another major shift was in the style of quilts made. Although a few earlier quilts were made in the block style, quilts made up of blocks were uncommon until around the 1840s. With so many fabrics being manufactured quilters could create their blocks with a delightful variety of fabrics.

Some block style quilts were made of a set of identical pieced blocks while others contained a variety of blocks made with different patterns. The blocks were sewn together and a border may or may not have been added.

During this period the invention and availability of the sewing machine contributed to quilt making. In 1856, the Singer company started an installment plan so that more families could afford a sewing machine. By the 1870s, many households owned a sewing machine.

This affected quilt making in two ways. First of all, women could make clothing for their family in much less time, which left more time for quilt making. Secondly, they could use their sewing machines to make all or part of their quilts. The sewing machine was usually used to piece quilts, but occasionally the quilting itself was done with the sewing machine.

Civil War Era:

Leading up to the American Civil War, quilts were made to raise funds to support the abolitionist movement then during the war, quilts were made to raise funds for the war effort and to give warmth and comfort to soldiers. The patterns were much like those made mid-century but the purpose was different. Quilts connected to the abolitionist movement and the Civil War were made for a cause, many representing the relevant flag.

Abolition and The Role of Quilts:

Even before 1830, abolitionists were working hard to end slavery. One way they did this was to hold grand fairs to raise both awareness and money for the abolitionist cause. Quilts were one of many craft pieces sold at these fairs. These quilts were usually fine quilts often with beautiful appliqué. Women sometimes put anti-slavery poems and sayings on the quilts they made for fairs as well as for friends and family. The goal was to show the terrible plight of the slaves.

Some abolitionists were active along the Underground Railroad and helped runaway slaves get to safety. There is a popular myth that maintains that certain quilts were used as signals to help slaves in their flight to freedom. For example, a log cabin quilt might be hung on the line of a safe house. However, historians dispute the accuracy of these stories. In fact, the only reference for these underground railroad quilts is a single book (Hidden in Plain View by JACQUELINE L. TOBIN and RAYMOND G. DOBARD) written over 120 years after the war. Nevertheless, the myth caught fire and can be found in children’s books, teacher’s lesson plans, and quilter’s pattern books; it seems loath to die.

For the troops:

Women on both sides were very active in raising money for the war effort and making quilts and other bed coverings for soldiers.

In the North, quilts were still made for fairs but now these fairs earned money to support needs that came about because of the war. In the South, “gunboat” quilts were made to pay for much-needed gunboats.

It wasn’t long before it was obvious that soldiers on both sides would need blankets and quilts for warmth. In the North, women either made quilts or remade quilts from bed coverings. Since the cots were narrow, two bedspreads could be made into three quilts for soldiers. The United States Sanitary Commission was in charge of collecting and distributing them.

In the South, quilt-making was more difficult because although cotton was grown in the south, it was manufactured into fabric in the north. Before long, fabric was almost impossible to obtain so women had to spin and weave before they could sew a bed covering together. Regardless of their construction, most of the quilts made for soldiers on either side were made with practical patterns and fabric. Due to heavy use, very few have survived to the 21st century.

Victorian Era America:

Quilt making continued to be a popular craft during the latter part of the 19th century. The English Victorian influence was slightly delayed in the United States because of the Civil War and its aftermath.

Amish Quilting:

Amish quilts are appreciated for their bold graphic designs, distinctive color combinations, and exceptional stitching. Quilting became a favored activity of the Anabaptist sect after emigrating to the United States and Canada from Germany and Switzerland over 250 years ago. The earliest known Amish quilts, dating from 1849, are whole-cloth works in solid colors. Pattern-pieced bed coverings didn’t appear until the 1870s. Particular patterns and fabrics are identified with specific Amish communities; for example, pre-1940s quilts from Lancaster County were almost always made of wool while those sewn in Ohio during the same period were commonly made of cotton.

Often these quilts provide the only decoration in a simply furnished home and they also were commonly used for company or to show wealth. Amish religion discourages individual expression but quilt making has allowed Amish women to express their creative natures without giving offence. The Amish communities have always encouraged activities that promote community and family closeness so quilting became a fundamental part of social life for the women of the community. Quilts are created for everyday use or to celebrate special occasions such as birthdays, weddings, raising funds for the church or community cause. Since the “English” (the name for non-Amish people) discovered Amish work in the late 1960s, quilting has become a source of income for many. Their quilts have become collectors’ items all over the world.

Crazy Quilting Fad:

In terms of quilts the latter years of the 19th century are best remembered for the “Crazy quilting” craze. Crazy quilts were made of abstract shapes sewn randomly together. Usually the quilt maker then used embroidery to embellish the quilt. Fancy stitches were sewn along the seams and often, embroidered motifs were added, including flowers, birds and sometimes a spider and web for good luck. Magazines encouraged making “crazies”. These simple, organic quilts were seldom used as bed-coverings, instead they were made smaller and without batting to be used as decorative throws.

Traditional Quilt Survival:

Because crazy quilting was so popular at the time, they tend to eclipse the fact that many traditional quilts were also made for bedding and commemoration. Utilitarian quilts were pieced and tied or simply quilted for everyday bed coverings while beautiful pieced and/or appliquéd quilts were created for special events like a wedding or when a beloved minister was transferred to a new location. These were more often elaborately quilted.

In the 1940s and 1950s many farm feeds were delivered in sacks. These sacks were printed with all sorts of designs. Feed sacks were used to make thousands of quilts.

Contemporary Quilts:

Contemporary quilting has evolved to include a broad range of functional, decorative and artistic styles that incorporate ever-expanding techniques and tools. Many quilters have experimented with creating or dyeing their own fabrics, incorporating experimental materials into their designs and conceptually challenging the notion of what quilting is or should be. Advances in technology such as long-arm quilting machines and computer programs for mapping quilt top patterns and color schemes has significantly widened the gap between contemporary and traditional quilting. There is currently a thriving resurgence in quilting. Thousands of videos of quilting techniques and tutorials have been made and shared online by people from around the world, continuing the tradition of quilting as a social and artistic space where people have connected over countless generations.

So you may be inspired to attend some quilting shows, exhibits or go hunting them like I do in flea markets or antique shops! Some of you may even pull out the needle and thread or sewing machine and give it a whirl.  Whatever you do Good Luck on your Quilting journey! 

These Boots are Made for Walking:  Mother Goose

 

If you’ve ever visited the Old Granary Burying Ground in Boston, Massachusetts, you may have stumbled upon the tombstone of Mary Goose, a woman believed by some to be the infamous author of countless cherished nursery rhymes: Mother Goose. Visitors toss coins at her tombstone, presumably to garner a bit of good luck, but the woman who was buried there in 1690 is undoubtedly not the original Mother Goose. According to local legend, it was the widowed Isaac Goose’s second wife, Elizabeth Foster Goose, who entertained her numerous grandchildren and other youngsters with songs and rhymes that were purportedly published by her son-in-law in 1719. Yet despite repeated searches for a copy of this collection, no evidence of its existence has ever been uncovered. Regardless, most historians agree that neither Mary nor Elizabeth created the stories that have passed on from generation to generation.

In fact, the etymology of the moniker “Mother Goose” may have evolved over centuries, originating as early as the 8th century with Bertrada II of Laon (mother of Charlemagne, the first emperor of the Holy Roman Empire) who was a patroness of children known as “Goose-foot Bertha” or “Queen Goosefoot” due to a malformation of her foot.

By the mid-17th century, “mere l’oye” or “mere oye” (Mother Goose) was a phrase commonly used in France to describe a woman who captivated children with delightful tales. In 1697, Charles Perrault published a collection of folktales with the subtitle “Contes de ma mère l’oye” (Tales from my Mother Goose), which became beloved throughout France and was translated into English in 1729. And in England, circa 1765, John Newbery published the wildly popular “Mother Goose’s Melody, or, Sonnets for the Cradle,” which indelibly shifted the association of Mother Goose from folktales to nursery rhymes and children’s poetry, and which influenced nearly every subsequent Mother Goose publication.

Mother Goose is often cited as the author of hundreds of children’s stories that have been passed down through oral tradition and published over centuries. Various chants, songs, and even games have been attributed to her, but she is most recognized for her nursery rhymes, which have been familiar with readers of all generations. Her work is often published as Mother Goose Rhymes.

Despite her celebrated place in children’s literature, the exact identity and origin of Mother Goose herself is still unknown. Some believe that the original Mother Goose was a real woman who lived in Boston during the later half of the 17th century. After being widowed by Isaac Goose, a woman named either Elizabeth Foster Goose or Mary Goose (depending on sources) moved in with her eldest daughter, entertaining her grandchildren with amusing jingles which quickly gained popularity with the neighborhood children. According to the legend, her son-in-law, a publisher, printed her rhymes, and thus the reputation of Mother Goose was born.

However, literary historians often dismiss the possibility of a Bostonian Mother Goose, as the existence of various French texts that refer to Mother Goose at a much earlier date make the American legend improbable.  These texts, dating as early as 1626, even show that the French terms “mère l’oye” or “mère oye” (Mother Goose) were already familiar to readers and could be referenced. The figure of Mother Goose may even date back as the 10th century, according to other sources.  In an ancient French legend, King Robert II had a wife who often told incredible tales that fascinated children.

Regardless of Mother Goose’s origins, Charles Perrault was the first to actually publish a Mother Goose collection of rhymes and other folk tales in 1697, essentially initiating the fairy tale genre. With the subtitle Les Contes de ma Mère l’Oie (Tales of my Mother Goose), the collection quickly gained popularity all over France. By 1729, Perrault’s collection had been translated into English, in the form of Robert Samber’s Histories or Tales of Past Times, Told by Mother Goose.  Samber’s volume was eventually republished in 1786 and brought to the U.S.

English publisher of children’s literature John Newbery later focused on the nursery rhymes, publishing Mother Goose’s

Melody, or, Sonnets for the Cradle, which helped Mother Goose become further associated with children’s poetry.

Do you have any favorite nursery rhymes? We do! We love “Hey Diddle Diddle” and “Hot Cross Buns.” Have you ever heard “Humpty Dumpty”? How about “Ring Around the Rosie”?  If so, you probably already know a bit about the Mother Goose!

Lots of kids think Mother Goose is pretty great. And why wouldn’t they? She’s an important part of many popular children’s poems. This leads some people to WONDER—is Mother Goose a fictional character? Or is she based on a real person?

If you ever visit Boston, Massachusetts, you may hear that Mother Goose was indeed a real person. Some believe she lived there in the 1660s. They say she was either named Elizabeth Goose or Mary Goose.

Legend has it that this woman cared for 16 children. She loved to sing songs and create rhyming stories for them. This was certainly a common practice at the time. Many women sang rhyming songs to their children to help them sleep. That’s why they’re called nursery rhymes!

However, there’s no proof that Mother Goose was a real person. Still, many fairy tales and nursery rhymes are credited to her. A few examples are “Jack and Jill,” “Little MissMuffet,” and “Hickory Dickory Dock.” She also appears as the title character in one rhyme:

“Old Mother Goose, When she wanted to wander, Would ride through the air On a very fine gander. Jack’s mother came in, And caught the goose soon, And mounting its back, Flew up to the moon.”

The first printed publication of Mother Goose stories came in 1695. It was a collection of fairy tales by Charles Perrault called Tales of my Mother Goose. The collection included classics such as “Sleeping Beauty,” “Little Red Riding Hood” and “Cinderella.”

Mother Goose was soon closely associated with nursery rhymes. This grew with the publication of John Newberry’s Sonnets for the Cradle around 1765. In 1781, Mother Goose’s Melody was published in England.

Today, Mother Goose even has her own holiday. Since 1987, many schools and libraries have celebrated Mother Goose Day on May 1. It’s a time to remember and enjoy the fairy tales and nursery rhymes of youth. How would you observe Mother Goose Day? Would you dress as your favorite nursery rhyme character? Recite a childhood poem for friends and family members? There are countless ways to celebrate!  This is an interesting fact I just uncovered.

 

I bet you are very surprised at the long list of just Nursey Rhymes.  How many do you know by heart?  Here we go with your List:

 

1

1 for Sorrow

1 Misty Moisty Morning

1 Potato, 2 Potato

1, 2 Buckle My Shoe

10 Little Indians

2

2 Little Dickie Birds

5

5 Fat Peas

5 Fingers

5 Little Pigs (This Little Pig)

A

A Candle

A Cat Came Fiddling

A Was an Apple Pie

A Week of Birthdays

A-Tisket A-Tasket

About the Bush

Are You Sleeping

As I Was Going to St Ives

B

Baa Baa Black Sheep

Bedtime

Billy, Billy

Birds of a Feather

Bunnies

C

Chop Chop Choppity Chop

Cock-A-Doodle-Doo

Coffee and Tea

Curly-Locks

D

Do Your Ears Hang Low?

Doctor Foster Went to Gloucester

Dreams

E

Eeny, Meeny

F

Fears and Tears

Frere Jacques

Friday Night’s Dream

G

Georgie Porgie

Go To Bed First

Go to Bed Late

Going on a Bear Hunt

Golden Slumbers

Good Advice

Goosey, Goosey, Gander

H

Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes

Hey Diddle Diddle

Hickory Dickory Dock

Higglety Pigglety Pop

Horsey, Horsey

Humpty Dumpty

Hush-a-bye Baby

I

I Had a Little Hen

I Had a Little Hobby Horse

I Had a Little Puppy

I Hear Thunder

If Wishes Were Horses

It’s Raining, It’s Pouring

J

Jack and Jill

Jack Be Nimble

L

Lavender’s Blue

Little Bo-Peep

Little Boy Blue

Little Jack Horner

Little Kitty

Little Miss Muffet

London Bridge Is Falling Down

M

Mary Had a Little Lamb

Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary

My Mother Said

N

Now the Day Is Over

O

Old King Cole

Old Mother Goose

Old Mother Hubbard

Once I Caught a Fish Alive

P

Pat-A-Cake

Pease Porridge

Peter Piper

Peter, Peter, Pumpkin-Eater

Pitter-Patter, Pitter-Pat

Pop Goes the Weasel

Pussy-Cat and Queen

Q

Queen of Hearts

R

Rain, Rain, Go Away

Ride a Cock Horse to Banbury Cross

Ride Away, Ride Away

Ring Around the Rosy

Robin Redbreast

Rock-A-Bye

Roses are Red, Violets are Blue

Round and Round the Garden

Row Your Boat

Rub-A-Dub-Dub

S

See-Saw, Margery Daw

Shoeing

Simple Simon

Sing a Song of Sixpence

Star Light Star Bright

T

Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear

The Clock

The Hobby Horse

The Man in the Moon Came Down Too Soon

The Man in the Moon Looked Down From the Moon

The Man in the Wilderness

The Man in the Wilderness

There Was A Crooked Man

There Was a Little Girl

There Was An Old Woman

Three Blind Mice

To Market, To Market

Tom, Tom, the Piper’s Son

Tommy Tittlemouse

Twinkle Twinkle Little Star with Actions

W

Wee Willy Winkie

Where is Thumbkin?

Who Killed Cock Robin?

Let’s Walk on the Wild Side: Your Escort is Mother Goose!

Yes, let’s walk on the dark or maybe some gray side of literature.  So may I introduce to you the one and only MOTHER GOOSE! You heard me the woman of the hour herself who was brought to you when you were a child!

In the tradition of great horror writing, Stephen King, Edgar Allan Poe, H.P. Lovecraft, Bram Stoker, and Mary Shelley tend to dominate the craft. But Mother Goose isn’t too far behind. Yes, that fictional grande dame of kiddie poems has got a bit of a dark streak, as evidenced by the unexpectedly sinister theories surrounding the origins of these 10 well-known nursery rhymes. Let’s start shall we.

1. Baa, Baa, Black Sheep // 1731

Though most scholars agree that “Baa, Baa, Black Sheep” is about the Great Custom, a tax on wool that was introduced in 1275, its use of the color black and the word master led some to wonder whether there was a racial message at its center. Its political correctness was called into question yet again in the latter part of the 20th century, with some schools banning it from being repeated in classrooms, and others simply switching out the word black for something deemed less offensive. In 2011, news outlets reported on the proliferation of “Baa, Baa, Rainbow Sheep” as an alternative. If that is true then we are still politically not correct.  We could just say Baa, Baa Sheep!

2. Goosey Goosey Gander // 1784

It’s hard to imagine that any rhyme with the phrase goosey goosey in its title could be described as anything but feel-good. But one popular version of the ditty is actually a tale of religious persecution. Some years after the song’s first appearance in the historical record, it was appended with some disturbing lines. “There I met an old man, who wouldn’t say his prayers, so I took him by his left leg and threw him down the stairs.” Ouch! Look out below!

According to noted English folklorists Iona and Peter Opie, “It is very probable that they had a separate origin. They are much the same as the lines which school-children address to the cranefly (‘Daddy-long-legs’), sometimes pulling off its legs as they repeat,

Old Father Long-Legs

/ Can’t say his prayers;

/ Take him by the left leg,

/ And throw him downstairs.”

3. Jack and Jill // 1765

One of the most common theories surrounding the story’s origin is that it’s about France’s Louis XVI and his wife, Marie Antoinette, who were both found guilty of treason and subsequently beheaded. The only problem is that those events occurred nearly 30 years after “Jack and Jill” was first written. The more likely story attributes the rhyme to the 17th-century king of England, Charles I. Apparently he attempted to increase taxes on alcohol, which were generally measured in units known as jacks and gills. After that failed, he instead reduced the of a jack (about one-eighth of a pint), and in turn, the gill, which is twice the size of a jack. So the gill’s increased price “came tumbling after.”

4. London Bridge Is Falling Down // 1744

In 2006, Fergie got saucy with some of this classic kid tune’s lyrics. But the original song wasn’t much better. Depending on whom you ask, “London Bridge is Falling Down” could be about a 1014 Viking attack or the normal deterioration of an old bridge. More specifically, many sources tie the nursery rhyme to the alleged destruction of London Bridge at the hands of Olaf II of Norway sometime in the early 1000s. (“Alleged” because some historians don’t believe that attack ever took place.) The song’s popularity around the world is often cited as further proof that it was the Vikings who created it, believing that they brought the tune to the many places they traveled.

There’s a pretty big problem with this explanation, though. It largely hinges on Samuel Laing’s 19th-century translation of an Old Norse poem that seems to mirror the well-known “London Bridge.” The translation begins, “London Bridge is broken down—Gold is won, and bright renown.” That apparently illustrative similarity is no accident, though. It’s quite likely that the translation was, in fact, intentionally mimicking the already well known nursery rhyme. A more accurate translation, from years later, renders the similarities between the skaldic verse and the children’s rhyme basically non-existent.

    5. Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary // 1744

“Contrary” is one way to describe a murderous psychopath. This popular English nursery rhyme, which reads like a solicitation for gardening advice, is actually—according to many—a recounting of the homicidal nature of Queen Mary I of England, a.k.a. Bloody Mary. A fierce believer in Catholicism, her reign as queen—from 1553 to 1558—was marked by the execution of hundreds of Protestants. (Silver bells and cockle shells, in this understanding, are actually torture devices, not garden accouterments.)

Side note:  I call my cats Contrary all the time.  I may have to use another adjective, for safety sake!

   6. Three Blind Mice // 1805

“Three Blind Mice” is supposedly yet another ode to Bloody Mary’s reign, with the trio in question believed to be a group of Protestant bishops—Hugh Latimer, Nicholas Radley, and The Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Cranmer—who (unsuccessfully) conspired to overthrow the queen and were burned at the stake for their heresy. Critics suggest that the blindness in the title refers to their religious beliefs.

     7. Eeny Meeny Miny Mo // Early 19th Century

No, there’s nothing particularly inflammatory about the lines “Eeny, Meeny, Miny, Mo, Catch a tiger by his toe.” Different versions of the tune popped up around the world, and most are appropriately innocent. The late 19th/early 20th century version in the United States was explicitly racist, though, with a racial slur in place of the tiger kids catch today. That version has, for good reason, fallen out of favor.

Even with the lyrical switch-out, a reference to the poem can still be offensive. In 2004, two Black passengers sued Southwest Airlines for intentional infliction of emotional distress and negligent infliction of emotional distress, following an incident where a flight attendant used the rhyme in a humorous fashion during takeoff when she told passengers: “Eeny meeny miny mo, Please, sit down it’s time to go.” (The court sided with the airline.) this poem may have to be gone away with for good.

    8. Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush // 1840

“Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush” is often sung as part of a children’s game. Historian R. S. Duncan, a former governor of England’s Wakefield Prison, suggested that the song originated with that 420-year-old institution’s female prisoners, who exercised around a mulberry tree. Which is probably not the connotation your 6-year-old self, had in mind.

    9. Rock-A-Bye Baby // 1765

One interpretation of this famous lullaby is that it is about the son of King James II of England and Mary of Modena. It’s widely believed that the boy was not their son at all, but a child who was brought into the birthing room and passed off as their own in order to ensure a Roman Catholic heir to the throne.

    10. Ring Around the Rosie // 1881

Considering that some of today’s classic nursery rhymes are more than two centuries old, there are often several theories surrounding their origins—and not a lot of sound proof about which argument is correct. But of all the alleged nursery rhyme backstories, “Ring Around the Rosie” is probably the most infamous. Though its lyrics and even its title have gone through some changes over the years, the most popular contention is that the sing-songy verse refers to the 1665 Great Plague of London. “The rosie” is the rash that covered the afflicted, the smell from which they attempted to cover up with “a pocket full of posies.” The plague killed nearly 15 percent of the country’s population, which makes the final verse—“Ashes! Ashes! We all fall down”—rather self-explanatory.

But Snopes labels this reading false, and quotes folklorist Philip Hiscock with a more likely suggestion: That the nursery rhyme probably has its origins “in the religious ban on dancing among many Protestants in the nineteenth century, in Britain as well as here in North America. Adolescents found a way around the dancing ban with what was called in the United States the ‘play-party.’ Play-parties consisted of ring games which differed from square dances only in their name and their lack of musical accompaniment. They were hugely popular, and younger children got into the act, too.”

So here you go ….. Walk on the wild side. Part 1 …..  more to come later!   

Summertime and the Living is Easy: Summer Food in the South, is Unique!

I guess as you have guessed it by now I am from Virginia.  I have family all over the state of North Carolina.  So I was raised on Southern and county food.  I would like to share with you a few STRANGE ALL TIME FAVORITES OF FOLKS IN THE South! I myself have in fact eaten and enjoyed everyone for years.

There are the usual suspects that frequent Southern meals during summertime, such as fresh succotash, squash casserole, peach cobbler, and deviled eggs. However, there are also plenty of unexpected and lesser-known dishes that Southerners can’t wait to eat all summer long. Not only is our favorite produce abundant at the farmers’ market, but family cookouts and warm-weather gatherings with friends fill the calendar, giving the perfect opportunity to make certain beloved Southern recipes that feel fit for the season.

Whether we’re talking about a fruit-studded casserole, leftover cornbread concoction, or controversial sandwich that many folks love to hate, the South has plenty of summer recipes with personality to spare. Here are 16 hilariously “weird” dishes that Southerners make during the summer.

Southern Tomato Sandwich….My Mothers and Grandmothers favorite! 

Let’s call out the elephant in the room. Tomato sandwiches get a lot of hate, but we won’t accept any slander here. It’s the most perfect use of those gorgeous summer tomatoes, and all you need is fluffy white bread and mayonnaise. I cannot wait till this time of year for fresh tomatoes!  YUMMMMMMM

Pineapple Casserole

Anyone who won’t at least try this sweet-and-savory casserole is missing out. Everything from the pineapple filling to the buttery cracker topping is completely balanced, and it goes well with saltier main dishes such as glazed ham and barbecue picked up from your favorite local joint.

Pear Salad……My Aunt Dap and my Mother’s favorite lunch!

Perhaps it’s the maraschino cherries paired with mayonnaise and shredded cheese, but this dish sure does rile folks up. You’ll likely see this unique pear salad anywhere from a baby shower to a summer cookout.

Old-Fashion Tomato Pie…….Please, give me a fork!

Tomatoes are Southerners’ most beloved summer produce, so it’s no surprise that we’ve tried out all different variations of ways to use them, including tomato pie. With cheese and herbs, it’s completely savory, so there’s no need to be scared.

Classic Macaroni Salad with Ham

It wouldn’t be summer without a creamy mayonnaise-based pasta salad, and this retro recipe has never been retired. To us, mayonnaise is never a bad idea, and the cubed ham and chopped vegetables bulk up this dish perfectly for a family cookout.  Ham is scared in the South, but any meat or seafood will work.  We do like shrimp if you are from the coastal part of the South and I make mine with shrimp a lot.

Creamy Cucumber Salad

Another mayonnaise-championing recipe, this cucumber salad fits in at almost any summer meal. It’s simple and surprisingly fresh.  Plus add onion dill and tomato is optional but we like out Duke’s and Blue Plate mayonnaise as the mayo of choice.

Strawberry-Pretzel Jello Salad

It might seem odd to some to refer to this fruity gelatin-infused creation as a side dish, but that’s how you’ll see it served at many Southern reunions, potlucks, and holidays. During the summer, it’s a welcome reprieve from the hot weather.

Heirloom Tomato-Cracker Salad

While it’s logical to assume that crunchy crackers on top of moist tomatoes could be a recipe for a soggy outcome, this salad will surprise you. Southerners do love to dress up saltine crackers, after all. Crackers goes on last.  Made on individual salad plates. Butter, garlic, mayo, fresh chives, Tbs of apple cider vinegar, fresh corn uncooked), fresh basil leaves and of course the beloved tomato.  Crackers on top and it is blissful!

Funeral Potatoes

Another name for hash-brown casserole, this creamy concoction is no stranger on a buffet table. And yes, it can often be seen on funeral spreads, but also at family holidays, cookouts, brunches, and showers. Just done the Southern way!

Homemade Baked Beans

It eludes us why folks find it odd that we like so much brown sugar in our baked beans, but all we can say? Southern recipes use sweet (sugar, molasses or Karo syrup), smoky flavored bacon, onions, a little extra ketchup and pork n beans! Southern version.

Cornbread & Sweet Milk…this is also taken with Butter Milk, or Pot Liquor (another blog) about the Sothern food!

In the South, particularly the Appalachian Mountains, people have long enjoyed Cornbread and Milk, a creation made by crumbling leftover cornbread into a tall drinking glass and topping it with milk. It’s usually buttermilk, although some people prefer “sweet milk”, a term for regular fresh milk and even pot liquor.  May be eaten in place of a meal or just a snack.

Corn Pudding….move over and save a seat for me!

The name might fool those who aren’t from the South, but the natural sweetness of the fresh corn makes for a sweet, buttery, savory side dish that’s even better in the summer when corn is in season.

Tennessee Onions

This simple casserole is lesser-known and packed with one of our favorite summer stars: sweet vidalia onions. These Georgia-grown onions come into season in late spring through the end of summer, so summertime is perfect for trying out this cheesy, buttery side dish.

Fried Green Tomatoes….which I have done another Blog on, so you know how I love them!

Those not well-versed in the South or Southern cuisine might not even know the magic of a green tomato, especially when it’s deep-fried and served with a tangy sauce, ranch dressing or even the beloved mayo.  Eating with nothing on them is just as delicious!

Crab Pie…..yes, please!

Those in Virginia and Maryland specifically can expect crab pie during the summer, but coast-residing Southerners also enjoy the unique dish. It’s akin to a quiche and can be easily added to a brunch lineup, main dish for dinner, lunch or breakfast (yes I said breakfast)!

Cucumber Sandwiches…may Granddaughter’s all-time favorite!

Another frequent dish at Southern luncheons and showers, cucumber tea sandwiches are fresh, crisp, and accented with a healthy dollop of mayonnaise, of course. Southern choice of bread is plain ole white sandwich bread.  Some will put fresh dill or basil from the garden on them.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper and there you have it!

Old-Fashioned Tomato Pie Recipe

Nothing says “summer”—or shows off summertime’s best produce—like a classic tomato pie.

Old-fashioned Tomato Pie is summer perfection thanks to garden fresh tomatoes and chopped herbs such as basil, thyme, parsley, or chives. When you serve Old-fashioned Tomato Pie, this plate of goodness is always a home run.

 

Ingredients

Piecrust

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup cold vegetable shortening, cut into pieces

4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

3 to 4 Tbsp. ice-cold water

 

Filling

2 1/4 pounds assorted heirloom tomatoes, thinly sliced

1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt, divided

 

1 sweet onion, chopped

1 1/4 teaspoons freshly ground pepper, divided

1 tablespoon canola oil

1/2 cup assorted chopped fresh herbs (such as chives, parsley, and basil)

1/2 cup freshly grated Gruyère cheese

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

1/4 cup mayonnaise

 

Directions

Prepare Piecrust: Process first 4 ingredients in a food processor until mixture resembles coarse meal. With processor running, gradually add 3 Tbsp. ice-cold water, 1 Tbsp. at a time, and process until dough forms a ball and leaves sides of bowl, adding up to 1 Tbsp. more water, if necessary. Shape dough into a disk, and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill 30 minutes.

 

Unwrap dough, and place on a lightly floured surface; sprinkle lightly with flour. Roll dough to 1/8-inch thickness.

 

Preheat oven to 425°F. Press dough into a 9-inch pie plate. Trim dough 1 inch larger than diameter of pie plate; fold overhanging dough under itself along rim of pie plate. Chill 30 minutes or until firm.

 

Line piecrust with aluminum foil; fill with pie weights or dried beans. (This will keep the crust from bubbling up.) Place on an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet.

 

Bake at 425°F for 20 minutes. Remove weights and foil. Bake 5 minutes or until browned. Cool completely on baking sheet on a wire rack (about 30 minutes). Reduce oven temperature to 350°F.

 

Prepare Filling: Place tomatoes in a single layer on paper towels; sprinkle with 1 tsp. salt. Let stand 10 minutes.

 

Meanwhile, sauté onion and 1/4 tsp. each salt and pepper in hot oil in a skillet over medium heat 3 minutes or until onion is tender.

 

Pat tomatoes dry with a paper towel. Layer tomatoes, onion, and herbs in prepared crust, seasoning each layer with pepper (1 tsp. total). Stir together cheeses and mayonnaise; spread over pie.

 

Bake at 350°F for 30 minutes or until lightly browned, shielding edges with foil to prevent excessive browning. Serve hot, warm, or at room temperature.

The Hatpin: Deadliest Fashion Accessory In History! 

Let me start with you know from one of pervious Blogs I have a small antique hat collection.  Well, one could simply not have a hat collection without a hat pin collection to go along with it.  Thank goodness the pins do not take up much space!

1400 As far back as the Middle Ages in Britain and Europe, pins were used as a device to securely hold the wimples and veils that proper ladies used to cover.

Production

The hatpin was invented to hold wimples and veils in place, and was handmade. In Britain, demand eventually outgrew the number that could be supplied by hand-making, and they began to be imported from France. In 1832 a machine was invented in America which could mass-produce the pins, and they became much more affordable. During the 1880s, bonnets gave way to hats, and the popularity of hatpins soared. They remained a standard women’s accessory through the 1910s and were produced in a vast range of materials and types. Hatpin holder boxes were also produced.

Use in self-defense and as a weapon

Hatpins were sometimes used by women to defend themselves against assault.

Laws were passed in 1908 in the United States that limited the length of hatpins, as there was a concern they might be used by suffragettes as weapons. Also by the 1910s, ordinances were passed requiring hatpin tips to be covered so as not to injure people accidentally. Various covers were made, but poorer women often had to make do with ersatz items like potato pieces and cork.

In January 1918, the Norwegian newspaper Morgenbladet reported that police in Kristiania advised that passengers with uncovered hatpins be told to leave the trams. No law however had been passed against boarding a tram with uncovered hatpins. The tram staff had also stopped selling hatpin covers on board the trams, as regulations on the subject appeared so confusing that the staff preferred not to interfere.

A Brief History of Hatpins

Prized by antique collectors today, hatpins were commonplace and controversial. They ranged in size between 6 and 12 inches long depending on the size of the hat they needed to secure to a woman’s head. They were fancy or practical, made from every available material ranging from precious metals to gemstones to plastics and paste. Hatpin makers marketed their products to the various levels of society, ranging from the extremely ornate and expensive to the simple and functional. The heyday of the hatpin was between the 1880’s and 1920’s, after which hair styles became short and the hats became smaller making the pins unnecessary.

Prized by antique collectors today, hatpins were commonplace and controversial. They ranged in size between 6 and 12 inches long depending on the size of the hat they needed to secure to a woman’s head. They were fancy or practical, made from every available material ranging from precious metals to gemstones to plastics and paste. Hatpin makers marketed their products to the various levels of society, ranging from the extremely ornate and expensive to the simple and functional. The heyday of the hatpin was between the 1880’s and 1920’s, after which hair styles became short and the hats became smaller making the pins unnecessary.

1400 As far back as the Middle Ages in Britain and Europe, pins were used as a device to securely hold the wimples and veils that proper ladies used to cover their hair in place. These small pins and wires were used for hundreds of years.

1800 The making of decorative and functional pins was a cottage industry that frequently employed an entire family. They were time consuming to make which resulted in small amounts of pins being available for the demanding public.

1820 Importing from France was one way of keeping up with demand. Alarmed at the effect the imports had on the balance of trade, Parliament passed an Act restricting the sale of pins to two days a year – January 1st and 2nd. Ladies saved their money all year to be able to spend it on pins in an early example of the “January Sales”! This is thought to be a source of the term “pin money.” However, as Queen Victoria taxed her subjects at the beginning of each year to pay for her pins, this could also be the source of the term.

1832 The pin making machine was patented in the United States and production of pins with long tapering points began, usurping the handmade pins. Within the next two years England and France also began producing the machine made pins.

1848 Head coverings were simply another piece of clothing which evolved and changed with fashion. As women’s bonnets evolved, they employed ribbons and strings tied under the chin to hold them on. As a result of the suffrage movement women were eager to free themselves of bonnet strings and declare their right for equality with men.

1900 The rise in the popularity of hatpins as a result of changing fashions in the late 19th and early 20th centuries saw the Charles Horner jewelry business becoming one of the British market leaders in good quality but mass produced hatpins. Some of the the high quality makers in the United States were the Unger Bros., the William Link Co., the Paye & Baker Mfg. Co. and Tiffany & Co.

1903 American Lillian Russell and English-woman Lillian Langtry, otherwise known as “Diamond Lil” and “Jersey Lil” were popular music hall actresses that fueled the popularity of large elaborate hats and the hatpins that were needed to hold them in place.

1908 An English judge, fearing that their pins could be used as weapons in his court, ordered a group of suffragettes on trial to remove their hatpins and hats, an insulting request. In 1909 a bill was introduced in the Arkansas legislature which copied an Illinois law limiting the length of pins to 9 inches or making ladies take out permits to possess longer ones. The pins were considered deadly weapons. As a result ladies had to cut their pins to the shorter length if they wanted to wear them in public.

1913 The Audubon Society was formed to prevent the wholesale slaughter of native birds for use in the millinery trade. Hunters had devastated more than 60 species of birds to supply feathers for hats. Popular fowl were the Egret, Peacock, Heron, Spoonbill and Ostrich. The Spoonbill feathers alone were worth $80 an ounce – three times their weight in gold.

1923 The opening of the tomb of King Tutankhamen started a craze for all things Egyptian. Hatpin designers were inspired by the newly found art and treasures.

1942 At the start of World War II women took over the jobs vacated by the men who had gone away to war. As they reported to work in the factories, shipyards and aircraft plants the wearing of hats fell out of fashion.

You May Leave Your Hat On!

 

I have a secret obsession with HATS!  Yes I have a small collection of antique hats, which I love!  The first thing I do when I go to an antiquing is I try on any hat I see.  Then I take a selfie or have whoever is unfortunate to be with me take pictures.  This is my ritual.

 

The history of hats extends back millennia, with possible evidence of hats appearing as early as 30,000 years ago. Many head coverings throughout history and around the world carry religious or ceremonial significance. Hats can convey social status or military rank, much like Napoléon Bonaparte’s signature bicorn hat.

A hat is a head covering which is worn for various reasons, including protection against weather conditions, ceremonial reasons such as university graduation, religious reasons, safety, or as a fashion accessory. Hats which incorporate mechanical features, such as visors, spikes, flaps, braces or beer holders shade into the broader category of headgear.

In the past, hats were an indicator of social status. In the military, hats may denote nationality, branch of service, rank or regiment. Police typically wear distinctive hats such as peaked caps or brimmed hats, such as those worn by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Some hats have a protective function. As examples, the hard hat protects construction workers’ heads from injury by falling objects, a British police Custodian helmet protects the officer’s head, a sun hat shades the face and shoulders from the sun, a cowboy hat protects against sun and rain and an ushanka fur hat with fold-down earflaps keeps the head and ears warm. Some hats are worn for ceremonial purposes, such as the mortarboard, which is worn (or carried) during university graduation ceremonies. Some hats are worn by members of a certain profession, such as the Toque worn by chefs, or the mitre worn by Christian bishops. Adherents of certain religions regularly wear hats, such as the turban worn by Sikhs, or the church hat that is worn as a head covering by Christian women during prayer and worship.

It is unknown how far back in humanity’s history the first hat was created, but experts speculate it was developed alongside other articles of clothing used to protect one from the elements. Throughout history, hats have served functional purposes and fulfilled practical needs i.e. sun, wind, and rain protection. Of equal historical importance, however, is the use of hats as status symbols within the social rankings of societies. Hats were even used as a revolutionary device to diminish the class systems they helped build.

History

While there are not many official records of hats before 3,000 BC, they probably were commonplace before that. The 27,000-to-30,000-year-old Venus of Willendorf figurine may depict a woman wearing a woven hat. One of the earliest known confirmed hats was worn by a Bronze Age man (nicknamed Ötzi) whose body (including his hat) was found frozen in a mountain between Austria and Italy, where he had been since around 3250 BC. He was found wearing a bearskin cap with a chin strap, made of several hides stitched together, essentially resembling a Russian fur hat without the flaps.

One of the first pictorial depictions of a hat appears in a tomb painting from Thebes, Egypt, which shows a man wearing a conical straw hat, dated to around 3200 BC. Hats were commonly worn in ancient Egypt. Many upper-class Egyptians shaved their heads, then covered it in a headdress intended to help them keep cool. Ancient Mesopotamians often wore conical hats or ones shaped somewhat like an inverted vase.

Other early hats include the Pileus, a simple skull-like cap; the Phrygian cap, worn by freed slaves in Greece and Rome (which became iconic in America during the Revolutionary War and the French Revolution, as a symbol of the struggle for liberty against the Monarchy); and the Greek petasos, the first known hat with a brim. Women wore veils, kerchiefs, hoods, caps and wimples.

Like Ötzi, the Tollund Man was preserved to the present day with a hat on, probably having died around 400 BC in a Danish bog, which mummified him. He wore a pointed cap made of sheepskin and wool, fastened under the chin by a hide thong.

 

St. Clement, the patron saint of felt hatmakers, is said to have discovered felt when he filled his sandals with flax fibers to protect his feet, around 800 AD.

In the Middle Ages, hats were a marker of social status and used to single out certain groups. The 1215 Fourth Council of the Lateran required that all Jews identify themselves by wearing the Judenhat (“Jewish hat”), marking them as targets for anti-Semitism. The hats were usually yellow and were either pointed or square.

In the Middle Ages, hats for women ranged from simple scarves to elaborate hennin, and denoted social status. Structured hats for women similar to those of male courtiers began to be worn in the late 16th century. The term ‘milliner’ comes from the Italian city of Milan, where the best quality hats were made in the 18th century. Millinery was traditionally a woman’s occupation, with the milliner not only creating hats and bonnets but also choosing lace, trimmings and accessories to complete an outfit

In the first half of the 19th century, women wore bonnets that gradually became larger, decorated with ribbons, flowers, feathers, and gauze trims. By the end of the century, many other styles were introduced, among them hats with wide brims and flat crowns, the flower pot and the toque. By the middle of the 1920s, when women began to cut their hair short, they chose hats that hugged the head like a helmet.

The tradition of wearing hats to horse racing events began at the Royal Ascot in Britain, which maintains a strict dress code. All guests in the Royal Enclosure must wear hats.[16] This tradition was adopted at other horse racing events, such as the Kentucky Derby in the United States.

Extravagant hats were popular in the 1980s, and in the early 21st century, flamboyant hats made a comeback, with a new wave of competitive young milliners designing creations that include turban caps, trompe-l’œil-effect felt hats and tall headpieces made of human hair. Some new hat collections have been described as “wearable sculpture”. Many pop stars, among them Lady Gaga, have commissioned hats as publicity stunts.

Famous Hatmakers

One of the most famous London hatters is James Lock & Co. of St James’s Street. The shop claims to be the oldest operating hat shop in the world. Another was Sharp & Davis of 6 Fish Street Hill. In the late 20th century, museums credited London-based David Shilling with reinventing hats worldwide. Notable Belgian hat designers are Elvis Pompilio and Fabienne Delvigne (Royal warrant of appointment holder), whose hats are worn by European royals. Philip Treacy OBE is an Irish milliner whose hats have been commissioned by top designers and worn at royal weddings. In North America, the well-known cowboy-hat manufacturer Stetson made the headgear for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and the Texas Rangers. John Cavanagh was one of the notable American hatters. Italian hat maker Borsalino has covered the heads of Hollywood stars and the world’s rich and famous.

 

Fashion and Function Throughout History

Women’s Hat History

Especially when worn by women, hats were used to imply wealth. At times, fashionable hats were so large they stretched beyond the shoulders. In such cases, it was not uncommon for a woman to lose her balance because of the size of her hat. Alternatively, the bonnet was loved for its function in the 19th century and used by women of all classes. Bonnets shaded and framed a woman’s face while keeping her profile protected from unwanted male attention.

Beginning in 1875, the Kentucky Derby has become the largest event for hat fashion in America. It is still considered a social faux pas if a woman is without a hat at the race.

 

Men’s Hat History

For men, the top hat has long been regarded as a status symbol. Many people are immediately reminded of the sixteenth president of the United States, Abraham Lincoln, as he was commonly photographed wearing one. Lincoln was, in fact, wearing a top hat on the night of his assassination. The height of the top hat evolved over time. It was shortened to appear more conservative until eventually becoming what is known as the bowler or derby. This served as a more functional choice for gentlemen in the working class.

 

Timeline of the American Ball Cap

Before the development of the baseball cap, there was no headwear uniformity within the sport. Players often wore straw hats or even nothing at all. In 1858, the Brooklyn Excelsiors became the first team to wear a version of the baseball cap we know and love. Though, this early version more closely resembled that of a jockey.

 

Baseball Hat History

 

The traditional ball cap design was no accident. The dome shape was adopted so the hat would stay in place through various activities, and the front visor was developed to keep sun and sweat off the player’s face.

Today, most Major League Baseball (MLB) hats are made of a polyester moisture wicking fabric to keep the player’s head dry, a black sweatband to hide stains, and a black under visor to reduce sun glare.

The dress code for spectators changed in the early 1900s. Previously, fans were expected to wear a shirt and tie, and yes, a hat. Although, not a ball cap, men were expected to adorn more formal headwear such as a derby, boater or porkpie. A gentleman of this era wouldn’t be in public with a bare head. When the dress code changed, spectators could wear their team’s ball cap to the game. In 1954, New Era released the 59Fifty cap style that is still worn today. Baseball caps were still not considered an acceptable accessory to be worn outside of the field until the late 1970s.

In the early 1990s, hat aficionados began slicing out the buckram so the crown would lie naturally relaxed against the head. Cap manufacturers took notice, and within a few years, the unstructured cap was released.

 

The 1996 World Series opened the door for headwear licensing used to make a statement or style choice. One can now purchase MLB licensed hats in all colors and styles.

In more recent years, the Hip Hop and Rap communities have developed their own style of hat wearing. The idea is to keep the hat as fresh, clean, and new looking as possible. This includes keeping the manufacturer and retailer stickers or tags on the hat and keeping the visor flat.

Other groups such as fishermen and fraternities have deeply embedded rituals to breaking in a cap. These can include anything from sandpaper to mud to dishwashers.

Hats have played a tremendous role in the history of not only the U.S. but also the world. The New York Times Magazine stated the following:

 “To wear a New York Yankees cap in the United States is to show support for the team, maybe, or to invest in the hegemony of an imperial city. To wear one abroad — the Yankees model is by far the best-selling Major League Baseball cap in Europe and Asia — is to invest in an idealized America, a phenomenon not unlike pulling on contraband blue jeans in the old Soviet Union.”

 

 

Green Is The Color of a Delicious Fried Green Tomato!

My mother and both my grandmothers were obsessed with these delicious round crispy orbs of goodness. During tomato season you see Fried Green Tomatoes on our meal table whether it was breakfast, lunch or dinner.  There was never any leftovers of this dish.  I LOVE FRIED GREEN TOMATOES!  I still make them.

Fried green tomatoes are a culinary dish usually found in the Southern United States, made from unripe (green) tomatoes coated with cornmeal and fried.

Fried green tomatoes are usually associated with the South, but if you were to look in Southern newspapers or cookbooks before the 1970s, you wouldn’t find mention of them anywhere. This dish was brought to the US in the 19th century by Jewish immigrants and later appeared in Northeastern and Midwestern cookbooks. I kid you not!

Traditional preparation

Traditional preparation of fried green tomatoes begins by cutting the tomatoes into approximately 1/4-inch (~0.6 cm) slices. They are then seasoned with salt and pepper, coated with plain, coarse cornmeal, and shallow fried in bacon fat for a few minutes each side, or until golden brown. Shallow frying is preferred, as the tomatoes do not float in the oil, which allows the weight of the tomato to press the cornmeal to the underside of the tomato.

Alternatives include using breadcrumbs or flour instead of cornmeal and frying in vegetable oil or other fat.

The sliced tomatoes may be dipped in a liquid before the cornmeal is added. This liquid is usually buttermilk or beaten egg; egg results in a slightly firmer texture than buttermilk. Liquids are used because cornmeal does not readily stick to tomato slices. Adding the liquid helps the cornmeal stay in place during the cooking process. It also results in the coating on the tomato becoming thicker and less crunchy when compared to tomatoes cooked without a liquid wash.

Pennsylvania Dutch version

While fried green tomatoes are usually considered a southern dish they can be found in northern Pennsylvania Dutch homes as well. The northern version is more likely to be made with white flour rather than corn meal.[2] Also, green tomatoes tend to be prepared at the end of the season in the north when the remaining fruit is harvested before the first frosts, whereas green tomatoes are picked throughout the season in the south.

Other preparations

Fried green tomatoes with shrimp remoulade is a southern and Creole combination served at many restaurants in New Orleans, Louisiana.

While fried green tomatoes have traditionally been a side dish, they are sometimes used in main dishes.

Every day seems like a celebration of fried green tomatoes when you’re dining in South and North Carolina. Served hot from the skillet, these crispy, spicy slices star as appetizers and in tantalizing entrees at restaurants across the state. Creamy gravies, dollops of soft, piquant cheeses, a scoop of creamy pimento cheese, fruity glazes and drizzles of balsamic syrup all make fine appointments to this beloved dish. Fresh, local shrimp and crabmeat can add a rich, crowning touch. Pair with a side of grits and you’ve got breakfast, lunch or dinner fit for Carolina royalty.

Now for some shocking news about this rousing Southern favorite: It’s a Northern invention. According to food writer and author, Robert F. Moss, recipes for the dish first appeared far above the Mason-Dixon Line, namely in cookbooks popular in the Northeast and Midwest in the early 1900s. Yep, that’s right—while we were swigging sweet tea, sweating and watching tomatoes ripen on the vine, farmers in Indiana, Ohio and other cold-prone places were furiously harvesting their unripen crops to save them from impending early frosts. Hence, it is theorized that fried green tomatoes were born out of frugality, the progeny of a dire thrift that frowned upon wastefulness.

Now to confuse you further: Fried green tomatoes are as embedded in Southern food culture as pimento cheese, and you can thank Hollywood for that. It all started with the 1991 release of the hit movie, “Fried Green Tomatoes.” The Southern setting and all those tantalizing fried green tomatoes served up at the Whistle Stop Cafe changed the way people think about them, leading almost everyone to believe that these beauties have always belonged to the South. Of course, a good many Southerners took a cue from their Northern brethren and had been cooking up green tomatoes for a long time before the big screen made everyone hungry for them. But the film’s success catapulted them squarely into our lap and we ran with it. To do otherwise would have been impolite, don’t you think?

Like with other dishes we’ve adopted, such as pimento cheese (read all about it here), Southern chefs and cooks have a knack for adding special touches to make them their own. When that hankering hits, you won’t find a more creative, mouthwatering lineup of fried green tomatoes than you will in South and North Carolina, where the dish is prepared as if it’s very roots are firmly planted in the state’s earliest farms, plantations and settlements. Whether you order them on a burger, as an elegant, seafood-topped entree, or just hot on a plate with a little gravy—or not, you’ll taste the South in every taste bud-titillating bite.

Ready to experience some ’mater magic? You can pull out your frying pan and give it a go, or try one of the many Southern recipes a few suggestions to get you started:

Betsy’s Round the Corner, Aiken

Big Mike’s Soul Food, Myrtle Beach

Cru Café, Charleston

Julia Belle’s, Florence

Lighthouse Lake Keowee, Seneca

Low Country Backyard, Hilton Head Island

Mr. Friendly’s New Southern Cafe, Columbia

Pump House, Rock Hill

Rivertown Bistro, Conway

Soby’s New South Cuisine, Greenville

Organize a coating station when making fried green tomatoes at home.

Classic Fried Green Tomatoes

2 large green tomatoes, cut into ½-inch thick slices

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 cups cornmeal or cracker crumbs

2 eggs

½ cup milk

Oil for frying

Salt and pepper to taste

Cayenne pepper (optional)

Pat dry tomato slices with a paper towel. Season both sides with salt and pepper and a sprinkle of cayenne if you like a little spice. Create a fried green tomato station by lining up a plate of flour, a wide bowl to whisk the eggs with milk, and a plate of cracker crumbs or cornmeal. Now, you are ready to coat the tomatoes. Dust each slice on both sides with flour. Using a fork, dip each floured slice into the egg mixture and hold up to drain over the bowl. Set them into the cracker crumbs or cornmeal, carefully coating each side. Place coated tomatoes on a cookie sheet lined with waxed paper. Once all the slices are coated, fry in an inch of hot vegetable oil over medium heat until both sides are golden brown. Drain on a brown paper grocery bag, flipping them over to drain both sides. Serve alone or with your favorite accompaniment like pimento cheese or gravy.

I hope you enjoy you some Fried Green Tomatoes.  I know I sure will!

John, Please, put that Pop Tart Back You Just Ate a Pack!  

I have a 68 year old friend.  He is obsessed with Pop Tarts.  Yes, you read that correct Pop Tarts.  This has been an obsession of his since he was a child.  His mother use to have to hide them from him as he would eat the whole box in one sitting.  

There is something incredibly strange about Pop-Tarts. They’re packaged like space food, they’re more dessert than breakfast (and, I would argue, more chemical than whole ingredient) and yet, they’re so freaking good.

S’mores is the best flavor. Don’t let anyone tell you different.

There is something so quintessentially American about Pop-Tarts. When Kellogg, the creator of the beloved pastry, released Pop-Tarts in the UK in 1990, sales never exploded to the level that America had reached. Why were we so enamored by it?

Let’s go back to 1963. Kellogg was experiencing overwhelming success in the cereal market: Fruit Loops were gracing shelves as a bright, colorful addition to breakfast, along with Mini-Wheats and Apple Jacks. Cereal had (and still does have) its merits: it can stay on shelves without spoiling for months on end. Post, Kellogg’s main competitor, hadn’t struck the same cereal-gold (we know them nowadays for Fruity Pebbles). But, they had something that would make them breakfast king over Kellogg: they found a way to keep fruit filling fresh without a refrigerator.

Post was about to revolutionize the way families had breakfast. Moms could send their kids off to school with handheld pastries full of fruit filling. Translation: a quick and healthy breakfast for the children. Think of all the time they could save, how much more efficient the family unit could be!

But Post spoke too soon. They announced their foodie invention before their product hit the shelves. What at first had been a sure-fire win for Post now turned into a business opportunity for its competitors.

Thus, the Kellogg Pop-Tart was born. With characters like Bugs Bunny, Yogi Bear and Woody Woodpecker gracing its cereal boxes, Kellogg had an “in” with kids. And they had the scoop on something big. In six months, Kellogg unveiled a new pastry that they insisted be put in the baking aisle, far away from the cereal aisle. They called it the Pop-Tart, a tip-of-the-hat to the Pop Art movement started by Andy Warhol and his neon cans of Campbell’s Soup.

The original fab four Pop-Tarts flavors were modest: strawberry, blueberry, apple-currant (a flavor that would later be changed to apple-berry, as no one could really describe what the hell a currant was) and brown sugar cinnamon (a close second, in my mind, to s’mores). I think we would recoil at these originals: they were unfrosted and…well…relatively healthy. There was a scientific reason to explain this blasphemy: frosting melted off the pastries when put in the toaster. It would take another three years for Kellogg to create a frosted Pop-Tart that wouldn’t pose a fire hazard when a kid tried to warm it up.

(The Pop-Tart-toaster relationship would prove to be a hot topic in years to come. In 1994, Patrick Michaud, a professor at Texas A&M, would show that Strawberry Toasted Pop-Tarts proved to be incredibly dangerous. Left in the toaster too long, they would flare up into foot-high flames.)

Kellogg’s competitors tried to match the Pop-Tarts smash hit, but never could quite get there. It took General Mills eighteen years to introduce the Toaster Strudel. But unlike the Pop-Tart, the Toaster Strudel needs to be frozen before dropping it into the toaster. (Though, to be fair, I haven’t heard of any toaster fires from Toaster Strudels.)

Since 1967, Kellogg has released 29 different frosted flavors of Pop-Tarts. Some, like Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, sound like a natural dessert-y transition for a pastry to make. Others, like Salt Water Taffy, do not.

And there are bakeries doing their own, homemade versions of Pop-Tarts. But they’re not the same. While homemade Pop-Tarts are buttery and flaky like a pie crust, original Pop-Tarts insist on staying bland and crumbly like a shortbread cookie. And yet, we love them anyways. 

Pop-Tarts is Kellogg’s most popular brand to date in the United States, with millions of units sold each year. They are distributed mainly in the United States, but are also available in Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand.

Seasonal flavors

Kellogg’s produces some flavors for a short time every year, to coincide with seasonal or holiday events. Some examples include Pumpkin Pie, released every Fall since 2011, and Red White and Blueberry, brought back every Summer since 2012.

Limited flavors

Limited flavors are produced for a short time, a few months or less, and usually have a “Limited Edition” banner on the box. They are sometimes made in cooperation with another food brand. Dunkin Donuts, Jolly Rancher, and A&W Root Beer have collaborated with Kellogg’s to create limited-edition branded Pop-Tart flavors. They have also worked with other Kellogg’s brands to make Froot Loops and Eggo flavored Pop-Tarts.

Occasionally a limited flavor will sell so well that Kellogg’s will keep producing it longer or make it a regular flavor. Red Velvet was initially released as a limited flavor in 2013, but sold so well that it was kept in production until 2017 and returned as a standard flavor in 2021.

At least one flavor, Mister-E, was discontinued shortly after its two-month marketing in Summer 2021 as Kellogg’s pulled the plug on the flavor after receiving numerous complaints. It was confirmed to be known as “Everything Bagel” on the Pop-Tart website prior to its conclusion.

Outside the United States

A much more limited number of flavors are available outside the US. This is due to local laws that may prohibit the use of specific food dyes, or the use of high fructose corn syrup.

Only three flavors are available in Europe:

Frosted Apple Blast

Frosted Chocotastic

Frosted Strawberry Sensation

1963

IN THE BEGINNING …

Kellogg chairman William E. LaMothe, a.k.a Bill, had a vision. A vision of transforming a delicious breakfast into a toaster-ready rectangle that could go anywhere. So he hit up “Doc” Joe Thompson, and his kitchen crew to create an ingenious hack on toast and jam.

It was called “Fruit Scone.” But that sounded terrible. So we took inspiration from the Pop Culture movement of the day and renamed it “Pop-Tarts.”

1964

THE OHIO PLAYERS

Cleveland, Ohio, hit the world with the orig Fab Four when we released our four original flavors: Strawberry, Blueberry, Brown Sugar Cinnamon & Apple-Currant.

Since literally no one has ever seen a currant, we dropped that flavor. Years later it came back as the fan favorite Apple Pop-Tarts.

1965

NATIONWIDE

Pop-Tarts were too big for one city to hold. So after a year at the center of the Pop-Tartsiverse, Cleveland shared the love with the rest of the country and went back to just being a dope Ohio spot.

1967

POP-TARTS GET ICY

The year we cracked how to deck Pop-Tarts toaster pastries out in frosting that kept its cool when toasted.

1968

TIME TO SHINE

The latest stop at innovation station was the introduction of “Sugar Sparkled Frosting.” You know ‘em better as sprinkles!

1971

THE SPOKESTOASTER

Kellogg was looking for the perfect mascot to rally our fans so they introduced Milton the Toaster! While his star shined bright, he didn’t last long

1973

SWEET 19

Over the years, our world-changing frosted poems to snacking, grew from four delicious flavors to the sweet addition of 19. The glow-up was real!

1980’S

BIG, BIGGER, BIGGEST

Our frosted icons became so popular that 8 in a box just wasn’t enough anymore. So what did we do? We hit ‘em with 12. Boom. Then 24. Boom.

1994

THE CEREAL THE WORLD DESERVED

Word on the street was people were breaking their Pop-Tarts toaster pastries into pieces and eating them with milk. So we decided to release a cereal toasted to perfection and true to its taste. Boom.

2004

THE TASTIEST TAGLINE

“Crazy Good” was developed as an ode to the new generation’s passion for Pop-Tarts. Before we knew it, everyone was using the phrase

2007

VORACIOUSLY DEVOURED VISUALS

From the logos of your favorite sports teams to copyrighted characters whose names we can no longer actually use, our next innovation of printed fun frosting Pop-Tarts really was a sight to behold

2014

50 AND FROSTIN’ FABULOUS

Half a century in the game and still shaking things up! It was an anniversary to remember, and a signal to our fans that we’re nowhere near slowing down.

2018

TINY BITES, MASSIVE TASTE

Pop-Tarts were already amazing, but what if you could hold more in your hand? Problem solved. Don’t be fooled by these snackable Pop-Tarts Bites. They may be tiny, but they’re packed with big-flavor energy.

So there you have it!  Pop Tarts yesterday, today and who knows what tomorrow will bring!