November 16, 1990 - By Bill Ohmann
When Miriam was in high school it was required that all girls take a "Home Economics" class. She says she learned to make White Sauce.
She played little or no attention to what went on in her mother's kitchen. After all her mother and her big sister, Martha, were excellent cooks and neither needed, or I suspect, wanted her help. Consequently when we were married, cooking expertise was not her long suit.
In an effort to keep her husband (me) happy, she began collecting recipes and learned how to use them over time.
One of Miriam's strong classes in high school was French and, as you peruse this collection, you will find many French recipes; all of which she has tried on me (and I have survived).
Both Miriam and I enjoy entertaining dinner guests and we have always worked together planning and preparing our dinner parties. I am the "Honey do" guy and in charge of drinks and wine.
We remember what we believe was our first dinner party back in 1942. Spaghetti was the entree. The recipe was her sister Martha's recipe which she had gotten from an Italian Chef in Toledo. (The recipe is included in this collection.) We remember, also, that we had no wine glasses in which to serve the lovely red wine so we went to Woolworth's to buy our first wine glasses and we used them for years. Dinner was a big success.
We established a tradition of a "between the Holidays (in Clyde, Ohio) Open House" and many new recipes were developed for these events. I recall one such recipe being Pickled Rattlesnake - it is not included - it was not too popular.
Some of the yearly favorites of the yearly Ohio State - University of Michigan football game parties were Shrimp steamed in Beer; Hot German Potato Salad (both are included. There were always George's (Ritter) Onions and homemade Liver Pate' (recipe is included).
Later (after we retired?) Miriam, Glenda, (our daughter-in-law) and later, Penny, began a catering business (which was successful but not too profitable). We still get calls for catering parties but no longer accept them.
Miriam then decided to collect her favorite recipes, including those handed down from her family and mine as well as our friends and many original concoctions which we all have enjoyed and put them in cook book form.
We hope this collection will be enjoyed by you and your family and friends through the years to come.