Country Kitchen:
Swimming Fun and Summer Foods
By Mary Emma Allen
As I watch my grandchildren frolic in the neighbor’s pool, I'm reminded
of the summer fun my brothers, sister and I had in our brook on the farm
or my daughter and her cousins did in the local river. Many of us have
swimming holes of childhood, where we learned to swim and gathered with
our friends.
These can vary from a pond on the farm to a neighborhood pool. They're
places full of memories as we look back on our early days.
Swimming Hole in a Pasture
Our swimming hole was in the pasture at the junction of two brooks. Here
Mother taught us four children to swim. Here we splashed upon the stones,
watched bugs skitter across the surface, stood still and let tiny trout
tickle our feet as they swam in the shallows.
The water wasn't too deep, only just above Mother’s waist. But it was
deep for us to learn to swim.
An Escape
As I grew older, I found the swimming hole an enjoyable place to escape
for reading, doing homework, and writing stories and poetry. Our school
end until late June, so during May and throughout June, the stream bank
was a
quiet place for studying on warm days, especially for final exams.
Even though I've swum in other places throughout the country, the
swimming hole on the farm remains in my memory with fondness. It’s a
place I sought out for recapturing memories when I visited the farm after
many
years of living away.
Swimming With One’s Children
When my daughter was young, I often took her and her cousins to the
nearby river, to a sandy beach which had become a community gathering
place.. Many summer afternoons I spent reading and writing on the beach
while the youngsters frolicked in the water with their friends.
Here they learned to swim in our community where there weren't many
opportunities. Here they, too, created memories of summer fun.
You, too, can create swimming memories with your children as you swim in
the backyard, neighboorhood pools, the beach, or lakes and streams as you
travel.
Foods For Summer
You need foods for quick and easy preparation when you spend days at the
beach or watching youngsters in your backyard.
MOM ALLEN’S STRAWBERRY PIE - Mix together 3 tablespoons cornstarch, 1/2
cup sugar, 1 cup water, 2 tablespoons white corn syrup; cook until clear
and thick. Add 2 tablespoons strawberry flavored gelatin.
Slice 1 quart strawberries into baked pie shell. Pour glaze over all and
chill. Serve with whipped cream, whipped topping, or ice cream.
QUICK BEEF STROGANOFF - Brown 1 pound ground beef, 1 can cream of
mushroom soup, 1/2 diced onion and simmer until meat is cooked well, at
least 10 minutes. Add 3/4 cup sour cream. Serve over rice, noodles,
mashed potatoes, biscuits, or toast.
(To make a low fat dish, use very learn ground beef or turkey, low fat
soup, and low fat sour cream.)
(C) 2002 Mary Emma Allen
About the Author
Mary Emma Allen has been writing her "Cooking Column" for newspapers
and online publications for 30 years and
has compiled a family cookbook. She’s currently compiling a
cookbook/story book,
"Tales From a Country Kitchen." Visit her web site for more cooking
articles. Contact her at me.allen@juno.com
