Mother's Day memories of Bullock's

5/6/09 Chatterbox “Memories of Mother’s Day” Betty Kaiser Every year as Mother’s Day approaches, I find myself leafing through old photo albums and remembering what was, is and will never be again. The images of a lifetime that began in stark black and white trigger memories of people, places and traditions that are long gone. I am, however, deeply grateful for the ways in which they enriched my life. As you may know, I grew up in Los Angeles. This magnificent city and surrounding area is well known for its casual lifestyle and for being on the cutting edge of west coast business and culture. Being so large, it is less known for the local family and cultural traditions that shaped our lives in the mid 20th century. One of those traditions was an annual Mother’s Day tea in downtown Los Angeles. As a young girl, I eagerly looked forward to this extravagant girly-girl weekend of dressing up, shopping, lunch at a tea room, church with family and friends and … more dining out. It’s hard to describe what a big deal Mother’s Day was back in the 1950s. It was not just a pull on your jeans, go to the mall, browse the shops and grab a burger lunch experience with mom. Of course, we didn’t wear jeans and there were no malls, shopping centers or fast food joints … but we did make cards and purchase gifts at the dime store! Before shopping centers, Angelinos drove downtown and shopped in stores like Bullock’s department store. Located at seventh and Broadway, it was one of the city’s grandest stores. A towering building of magnificent architecture, it was all drama and art deco. Movie stars were a common sight as they arrived in chauffeured cars to shop for furs, jewelry, leather gloves or luggage. The rest of us parked our cars in nearby lots with attendants and walked around trying not to gawk like country bumpkins. The high ceilings, sparkling lights, beautiful people and racks of pricey clothes were mesmerizing to impressionable youngsters. A new dress or skirt and sweater from the store was a big event in our household. Much of what we wore was homemade by my grandmother who loved to sew. Our shopping expeditions were limited to the beginning of the school year and in the springtime. The Mother’s Day luncheon and tea at Bullock’s Tea Room was a sort of coming of age for young girls. The fifth floor dining room with its elegant décor, floral wallpaper, gilt framed mirrors and white tablecloths was the social hub of the city. Every day, but especially in May, the store would fill up with mothers and daughters and groups of ladies dressed in hats, furs and gloves. First they would shop and then patiently stand in line for lunch or tea. My sister and I eagerly looked forward to the annual ladies only Sat. luncheon. We would dress in our best outfits complimented by little white gloves and patent leather Mary Jane shoes. And we were always on our best behavior as the waitresses in pink aprons served us from the menu or we chose from the buffet. The celebration continued at home on Sunday. We girls dressed in our best outfits with gloves, hats and shiny shoes. Dad, grandpa and brother Jim all wore suits, shirts and ties. We pinned orchid corsages on mother and grandmother’s dresses and off we went to Sunday school church and brunch. In those days, our entire family rarely went out to eat. Pricey dinner houses were about the only places available. But Mother’s Day was different. Mom and grandmother got to choose the restaurant and we were all treated royally. Especially if we got to order a Shirley Temple drink with our meal. There are no recorded photos of those memorable Mother’s Day shopping excursions, luncheons, meals and tea times but they are forever etched on my heart and in the family annals. My mother died in 2004 at the age of 94. Bullock’s Department Stores and Tea Rooms closed in 1993. At the end of her life she was still talking about the wonderful memories that she and her mother (my grandmother) made while sipping tea with us girls a long, long time ago on memorable Mother’s Days. Love combined with tradition anchors a family. Life’s celebrations are important and some should become traditions. Just remember whom you’re celebrating. If you do, I guarantee that you’ll also be making memories that will last forever. Finally, whatever you and your mom and family do this Mother’s Day — don’t forget the camera! Someday, like me, you’ll be glad that you did, when you’re leafing through the pages of the times of your life. Happy Mother’s Day ladies! P.S. Next week we’ll discuss prices, expound on the menu and share a few recipes from Bullock’s tea room in Cook’s Corner. Betty Kaiser’s Chatterbox is about people, places, family, and other matters of the heart.

CoCoRaHS: Counting spring raindrops

4/22/09 Chatterbox
Betty Kaiser

My calendar says it’s springtime but it lies. The scene outside my window tells me otherwise. The birds may be singing and building nests while the tulips bloom but it is still winter when white puffy snowflakes pile up on the roof and icy pellets of hail pummel the ground.

Winter weather is a big subject of conversation at our house. I complain about it and my husband finds it fascinating. His observations start early each morning and end when he goes to bed at night. He loves the minutia of daily weather changes.

Oregon’s weather is pretty diverse and exciting in comparison to our life in balmy California. There you could pretty much predict the daily forecast before you heard it. Days would be sunny or sunny and breezy. Nights would be clear or clear and windy. Winter high temperatures would be 61 and summer highs would be 72. Ho-hum.

That is not to say that at times we didn’t have severe weather. Some years were one natural disaster after another. Our annual winter rainfall was in the range of 17” per year. And our most common problem was drought — not enough rain.

However, when it rained, it poured! The result of excessive rain would be an abundance of plant life in the springtime that would dry up in the summer sun, result in wild fires in the fall and floods the following winter. Danger lurked in every raindrop.

Transitioning to Oregon’s constantly changing weather conditions was not difficult. We enjoyed the spring showers, set up a couple of rain gauges and marveled at how quickly the numbers added up. That first Mar. we measured 11 inches of rain.

From the get-go we enjoyed the four seasons but discovered that surprises were always in store. One bright, sunny day in July, it hailed buckets of tiny white pellets. The force of the hail was so great that it killed a hummingbird sipping nectar from my roses!

This year, it seems to me that winter is hanging on a bit too long. I’m ready to thaw out my fingers and toes in some genuine sunshine. But the weather has been so erratic that this morning’s disjointed weather forecast was for “glorious but partly sunny skies with just a chance of snow.” Huh?

Our first complete winter here, the old-timers at the donut shop used to tell me that I was a wimp when I complained about the cold. I whined that out at the lake we were shoveling snow off the deck to get to the back door. The guys would then be quick to tell me about the 121 inches of snow recorded at Cottage Grove dam in Jan. 1950. That year, hundreds of motorists were stranded in the Columbia Gorge by the relentless sleet and freezing rain. They had to be rescued by trains struggling through deep snowdrifts.

For added perspective, Orville White would regale me with stories about lambing season during those snowstorms. He would go out in the middle of the night and bring the mama sheep into the barn and warm up the babies. Next thing he knew, they’d be scampering back out into the snowy fields. No wimps there!

According to NOAA, the winter of 1969 probably holds the record for the most extreme statewide snowfall. In Eugene, a depth of 34 inches was recorded — nearly 7 times normal! In Feb. 1996 we had to evacuate a family on the creek side of us as the rain relentlessly drove logs from the hills above us and dammed up the water below. This past Dec. the Portland Airport was hammered by snow and received nearly 19” for the month, breaking its all-time record.

The weather is a subject of conversation wherever you live. Some of us don’t pay much attention until we start getting severe weather warnings that affect us personally. Many hostesses on the 4th of July pray “Please, don’t rain on my barbecue!”

Chuck, however, finds weather details fascinating all year long. He not only knows where the jet stream is but where it’s going. I don’t even know (or care) what the jet stream is!

Last month his buddy Russell Hand invited him to join the CoCoRaHS. I know, it sounds like a cross between the Spanish entertainer Charo and a heavy metal rock band but it’s an acronym for ‘Community Collaborative Rain, Hail & Snow Network.’ This nationwide group is sponsored by NOAA, Colorado State Univ., USDA, BLM and similar organizations.

A grassroots volunteer network of backyard weather observers, they measure and map precipitation (rain, hail and snow) in their local communities across the U.S. The National Weather Service, meteorologists, hydrologists, ranchers and farmers use the information they provide.

The principal membership requirement is “an enthusiasm for watching and reporting weather conditions and a desire to learn more about how weather can effect and impact our lives.”

Well, those activities are right up our resident rain man’s alley. So he applied for a position as an official “rain watcher.” He was accepted and assigned a station name and number according to the proper longitude and latitude. After studying the online training manual he graduated, ordered his gauges and is ready to go.

A sturdy high capacity, 4-inch diameter CoCoRaHS gauge has been set up in the yard — according to the prescribed distance from house, trees and fences. It has been leveled and beveled 2 ft. off the ground to capture rain, hail or snow and the moisture amount is reported promptly every morning via email.

CoCoRaHS’ motto is “Because every drop counts.” Having lived in the land of perennial drought, I know that every drop does count and our resident weatherman is counting them. Now if he could just predict an end to winter and the beginning of summer sunshine!



Betty Kaiser’s Chatterbox is about people, places, family, and other matters of the heart. Contact her at 942-1317 or via e-mail — bchatty@bettykaiser.com

Growing & Eating your own spring lettuce salads

4/15/09 Cook’s Corner
Betty Kaiser

Last year at the end of a long hot summer and an even longer growing season we put down our hoes and said, “No more vegetable gardens!” With a sigh of relief we closed the garden gate on the end of an era. Sadly, homegrown lettuce and all other veggies were to be a thing of the past for us. Or so it seemed.

Deep into fall, as we headed into winter, I noticed that Chuck surreptitiously covered the beds with leaves and casually slipped statements about planting just a few tomatoes, potatoes and onion sets into our conversations. This year, during our annual spring flowerbed cleanup, he often disappeared just to pull a few weeds in the vegetable garden. Hmm.

One day he informed me that we had some lettuce volunteers from last year’s seed. But the pickings were sparse! So he decided to fill in the gaps and happily drove into town to purchase just one itty-bitty package of lettuce seed. Of course, he came home with much more than lettuce seeds but that is a subject for another day.

Lettuce is amazingly easy to grow and if you hurry, it’s not too late to get some seed in the ground. This cool weather crop loves temperatures of 55-60° F. and germinates easily. Be sure and get your soil all fluffed up with 1 pound of ammonium sulfate dug in and well watered for each 100 square feet of soil before you plant.

The average packet of seed only weighs about 0.1 ounce but contains hundreds of seeds. By conservatively sowing just a few seeds in a pot every two weeks and then transplanting them into the garden, you can stretch out your crop for months.

We have good results with loose leaf varieties (red and green) as well as Butter and Romaine. Our success rate is not as good with Iceberg types of lettuce. They take longer to germinate and can be fussy about temperature and all kinds of things. But try whatever suits your fancy. Remember, nothing ventured, nothing gained. The cost is miniscule and the reward is delicious.

If you’re new to this planting business, check out the OSU Extension Service for advice. They are great folks, very knowledgeable and have information galore for gardeners. You can visit them in Eugene at 950 W. 13th Ave.; call them at 541-682-4247 or check out the website at www.extension.oregonstate.edu.

Nothing beats the fresh taste and convenience of homegrown lettuce. Early in the morning, pick what you need, wash it well, wrap loosely in a clean towel and refrigerate. And if you’re bored with lettuce, tomato and Italian dressing salads, try one of the following recipes. Delicious!

Simple Spring Salad Recipe

Serves 4

Salad:
4 big handfuls of salad greens, washed and dried
1-2 oranges, separated into segments
1/2 cup walnut halves, toasted
1/3 cup black olives, (the wrinkly, oily ones), pitted

Dressing:
1/4 cup orange juice
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup vegetable oil
Dash of salt
1/2 small red onion, finely minced

In a medium bowl whisk together the orange and lemon juices, vegetable oil, most of the red onion and salt. Whisk together until emulsified, taste and adjust with more salt or lemon juice if needed.

When you're ready to serve, place the salad greens in a large bowl. Toss very gently with most of the dressing. Add the orange segments and walnuts. Toss again. Taste and decide if you need to add more dressing. If needed, add a bit more, tossing between additions. Evenly distribute nuts and oranges. Serve salad topped with the remaining red onion and olives.

Butter Lettuce and Radish Salad with Fresh Spring Herbs

Bon Appétit April 2005

Serves 2

Dressing:
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon Champagne vinegar
1 tablespoon minced shallot (chives or young green onions okay)
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

Whisk oil, vinegar, shallot, and mustard in medium bowl to blend. Add salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.


Salad:
2 small heads of butter lettuce, outer leaves removed
4 thinly sliced radishes
1 avocado, peeled, pitted, sliced 1/2 inch thick
1/2 cup assorted whole fresh herb leaves (such as tarragon, chervil, parsley, and cilantro)

Cut cores from heads of lettuce, keeping heads intact; rinse and dry. Arrange 1 head of lettuce on each of 2 plates, forming rose shape. Tuck radish and avocado slices between lettuce leaves. Scatter fresh herb leaves over lettuce on each plate. Drizzle salad with dressing

SPRING LETTUCE SALAD WITH ROASTED ASPARAGUS

Food and Wine

Serves 6

Salad:
5-6 cups mixed spring lettuces
Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, grated or shaved into curls

Asparagus
1 lb medium asparagus, washed and trimmed into bite-sized pieces
Olive oil
Finely grated lemon zest

Preheat oven to 450°F. On a rimmed baking sheet, sprinkle asparagus with lemon zest and olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Roast the asparagus for about 8 minutes, until just tender and the tips begin to turn brown. Meanwhile, prepare dressing.

Dressing:
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a small bowl, whisk the lemon juice with the mustard and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

In a large bowl, toss the lettuces with all but 2 Tbsp. of the dressing. Arrange the salad on plates and top with the roasted asparagus and cheese curls. Drizzle the remaining dressing over the asparagus and serve.

Keep it simple and keep it seasonal!

Betty Kaiser’s Cook’s Corner is dedicated to sharing a variety of recipes

that are delicious, family oriented and easy to prepare.

An Oregon money pit becomes home

4/8/09 Chatterbox         

Betty Kaiser

Twenty years ago when my husband and I discovered Cottage Grove, we decided to follow our dream and live by a lake. We impulsively left our hometown in California and moved to rural Oregon. We left behind grown children, a nearly paid for house, a thriving business, the relationships of a lifetime and our security blankets as we crossed the state line into the unknown.

We really didn’t think too much about our new lifestyle would play out on a day-by-day basis. We just had visions of a life in the country with green trees by a lake. We were chasing the outline of a dream and trusting God to fill in the details. Well, a detailed education lay just ahead.

If home is where the heart is, I suppose that deep down, we thought that California would always be home. After all, that’s where our kids live. We knew the lifestyle, the rhythm of the days, the best places to eat and shop. California was comfortable. It was home.

Would Oregon ever truly feel like home? We were about to find out.

We arrived March 3, 1989 and nearly left the next day after we inspected the house. This was back in the time before real estate disclosure laws. We knew that we were buying a fixer-upper but were totally unprepared for how much fixing had to be done.

Many things had been inspected but huge problems had slipped under the radar: Working hot water heater? Nope. Forced air heat working? Nope. Collapsed chimneys? Yep. Intact shower walls? Are you kidding? They were a pile of tiles in a heap on the floor. Dry rot and flies were everywhere.

In short, our potentially charming country home on six acres had turned into a buyer’s nightmare. We contemplated telling the moving van to turn around and drive back to Ventura. But we no longer had a home there. We were stuck — literally.

C.G. had 11-inches of rain that month. The moving van pulled up onto the field in front of the house and sank into the mud before it was unloaded. The next day the poor driver was absolutely humiliated when a lady tow truck driver arrived to pull him out!

Things went downhill from there as more ‘undisclosed’ facts emerged. We began to think that the house needed an exorcism. Contractors, salesmen, insurance agents, everyone had a different experience to share about ‘our’ house: tales of renters, a suicide, beer bottles lining the walls and methamphetamine.

During our initial tours we noticed rifles propped against exterior doors and split door casings. The answer? “Oh, didn’t you know? The police raided this place.”

One evening a couple up the hill invited us to dinner. We came home around midnight, turned out the lights and headed for bed when we noticed car lights coming down the driveway. A drunken driver got out, lurched up the deck and banged on the door. He was there to buy some drugs and wouldn’t take no for an answer.

Finally, Honey (our Doberman), had enough. Hackles on end, she rose up in a fury and chased the guy out to his car. We never saw him again.

The neighbors rallied round to encourage us. We joined a dinner group. Still, I became known as “the lady who couldn’t stop crying.” I had left my family behind for an adventure not for a challenge to my sanity.

We quickly put up a “Caution: Money Pit ahead” sign and went to work. The term “24/7” took on new meaning for us. We were soon on a first name basis with local plumbers, electricians and customer service at Witts’ and Jerry’s.  One night building materials were stolen off the property, right under our noses.

In the midst of tearing out walls and literally gutting the house, we purchased Merchant’s Donuts in the BiMart shopping center. Of course, it needed remodeling.

What were we thinking? Well, we were thinking that we were running out of money and needed an income. We knew the restaurant business. How hard could running a donut shop be? We found out.

We were attending Riverside Church at the time when Ken Wilson was pastor. He gathered a work party together for us and we were soon open and turning out hundreds of donuts, cookies and cakes.

In retrospect, it was probably the best move that we could have made. We did not know a soul when we moved to Cottage Grove but at the end of our donut tenure we knew the whole town!

Local residents gave us former city slickers quite an education. We learned to become comfortable with the occasional guy packing a sidearm; who was related to whom and how; and that raising the price of coffee from 45 to 50 cents a cup was unacceptable. Mostly we learned what big hearts our customers had.

And then I was robbed — alone and in broad daylight — the guy cased the place, came back, shoved a weapon in my neck, demanded money and that I lie down on the floor. We put the place up for sale the next day. That was 19 years ago.

God has been good and filled in the substance of our Oregon years in ways that we never imagined. Our horizons expanded as we hosted guests in our (now closed) bed and breakfast; Chuck’s Woodworking skills became well known across the county; we have volunteered in countless places; and through this column I made new friends and fulfilled a lifelong dream.

Now our hearts reside here just as naturally as the deer in the meadow and the Osprey across the creek. Our lives have purpose and our days have a joy and rhythm that we could previously only imagine.

Is Cottage Grove home? You betcha!

Betty Kaiser’s Chatterbox is about people, places, family, and other matters of the heart. Contact her at 942-1317 or via e-mail — bchatty@bettykaiser.com

Schaum Torte & Strawberry cream roll for Easter

4/1/09 Cook’s Corner

Betty Kaiser

Easter Sunday is just around the corner and dessert is already a subject of discussion at our house. I’m thinking of something light, tangy and lemony. My husband is already lobbying for his childhood favorite, a Schaum Torte.

“Schaum Torte,” in the Kaiser family, is always spoken of in almost reverential terms. Their sweet holiday tradition was brought to this country by Chuck’s German immigrant grandparents and is still very popular in his hometown of Milwaukee, Wis.

For 50 years, my husband has longingly remembered the sweet confection: “It would rise high above the spring form pan and then sink in the middle, leaving a crispy top. Mom would fill it with crushed pineapple and whipped cream and slice it like a cake.” He practically salivates with each narration.

Chuck’s grandmother and mother passed away without handing down this fabulous recipe and I have spent years unsuccessfully trying to track it down.

I have a Lemon Schaum Torte recipe that I think is quite good. But Chuck said that it’s just not the same as his mother’s. So I kept searching. I had just about despaired of ever finding what he was looking for when I found a discussion about Milwaukee Schaum Tortes on the Internet. Amazing!

Here’s what I learned. My torte, baked on a baking sheet, is the well known crispy meringue method. But, baked in a spring form pan, changes the texture, creates a chewy center and nest for a filling. This is what Chuck remembers.

So, thanks to modern technology, Chuck will get an old-fashioned pineapple schaum torte for his Easter dessert. Here are two torte recipes and one for a delicious strawberry cream roll. Make all of the recipes yours by substituting your family’s favorite fruits. Enjoy!

Milwaukee Schaum Torte

Torte shell:

6 egg whites

1-2 cups sugar

1 teaspoon cream of tartar

1 tablespoon vinegar

1 teaspoon vanilla or almond flavoring.

Preheat oven at 250° for one hour.

Butter a 9-inch spring form pan

In large mixing bowl, beat room temperature egg whites until foamy. Add cream of tartar and vinegar. Beat on medium speed until soft peaks form. Add sugar, 2 tablespoons at a time, beating on high speed until very stiff peaks form.

Pour into pan, place in oven and bake for one hour. Turn off oven, leave door shut and let stay in the oven for another hour. Remove from oven to cool.

Betty’s Pineapple filling:

½ cup sugar

3 tablespoons cornstarch’

3/4 cup pineapple juice

1 cup crushed pineapple, well drained

1 tablespoon butter

1 teaspoon lemon juice

Mix sugar and cornstarch in saucepan. Gradually stir in pineapple juice. Bring to boil, stirring constantly. Boil 1 min. Remove from heat, stir in butter and lemon juice. Cool thoroughly.

Whipped cream:

1 cup whipping cream

¼ cup powdered sugar, sifted

1 teaspoon vanilla

 Beat cream until nearly stiff, gradually add sugar and vanilla, beating until stiff.

To assemble:

Remove torte from pan. Spread filling across top and finish with whipped cream. Slice and serve 10 lucky guests.

Lemon Schaum Torte

(Serves 8)

Meringue:

4 large egg whites (reserve yolks for filling)

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

1 cup sugar

Preheat oven to 275° F. (low heat)

Line a baking sheet with parchment or plain brown paper.

Beat eggs until frothy. Gradually beat in the sugar, a little at a time, until very stiff and glossy. On baking sheet, shape meringue as desired into either a large heart or 8 individual meringue shells. Make an indentation with back of spoon to hold filling.

Bake 45 min. Turn off oven and leave inside until cool.

Lemon layer:

4 egg yolks

1/2 cup sugar

¼ cup lemon juice

2 teaspoon grated lemon rind (zest)

Beat egg yolks in small mixer bowl until thick and lemon-colored. Gradually beat in sugar. Blend in lemon juice and rind. Cook over hot water in a double boiler, stirring constantly until thick (5-8 min.). Cool.

To assemble: Spread meringue shells with cooled lemon torte filling. Top with about 1 cup sweetened whipping cream, stiffly whipped. Chill about 12 hours before serving.

Strawberry Cream Roll

(Serves 12)

Cake:

1 cup flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 large eggs

1 cup sugar

1/3 cup water

1 teaspoon vanilla

Filling:

1 cup whipping cream

¼ cup powdered sugar, sifted

1 teaspoon vanilla

A few drops red food coloring (if desired)

2 cups sliced fresh strawberries

Preheat oven to 375° F.

Grease a jelly roll pan (15-1/2x10-1/2”) and line with parchment baking paper or greased brown paper.

Sprinkle a clean tea towel with powdered sugar and set aside.

Cake: Sift together flour, baking powder and salt; set aside. Beat eggs in mixer bowl until very thick and lemon colored. On low speed, slowly mix in remaining ingredients just until batter is smooth. Pour into prepared pan. Bake until top springs back when lightly touched. Remove from oven and loosen edges with spatula. Immediately turn upside down on the prepared towel. Carefully remove paper. Trim off any stiff edges. While cake is still hot, roll cake and towel together from narrow end. Cool on wire rack.

Filling: Chill a deep bowl and beaters.

Beat whipping cream until nearly stiff. Slowly add sugar until stiff. Fold in flavoring and food coloring; chill until ready to assemble.

One hour before serving, unroll cake and remove towel. Spread with sweetened whipped cream and sprinkle with strawberries. Re-roll. Chill. Serve in thick slices. Garnish with additional whipped cream and a whole strawberry.

Keep it simple and keep it seasonal! Betty Kaiser’s Cook’s Corner is dedicated to sharing a variety of recipes that are delicious, family oriented and easy to prepare. Contact her at 942-1317 or email bchatty@bettykaiser.com

Hope and help for "Throwaway Children"

3/25/09 Chatterbox

Betty Kaiser

They are called “Throwaway Children” and their stories will tug at your heartstrings and bring you to tears. They are the children who live at the Dzegvi Children’s Home complex and the Telavi Children’s Home, a boarding house and school for orphans and abandoned children.

Area residents Chuck and Edythe Stromme are the children’s connection to Cottage Grove — a 9,000 mile circuitous route across continents and cultures.

The couple retired in 2001 — or so they thought – from the IRS. You may recall from a previous column that Chuck had a temporary position in the Republic of Georgia as an advisor to the ministers of finance. While there he discovered a population of abandoned children and the couple’s lives were changed forever.

Stromme tells stories of children who have arrived at the orphanage naked. No clothes at all.  Others have arrived shell-shocked into silence by the horrors of the Chechnya war. Some have been abandoned multiple times. Most don’t have visitors. One young girl married at 16 and happily left the orphanage to live with a husband who promised to love her.

One of the residents is a little boy whose parents came and asked for a pair of shoes. The family of three left with shoes for the boy but returned that night and knocked on the door. This time the adults ran away, leaving the little guy standing on the doorstep of his new home.

And so it goes in a country where 54-percent of the people live below the poverty line. The orphanages had no budgeted support. Chuck and Edythe set up the Caucasus Children’s Relief Fund Inc., a valid IRS non-profit. Food, medicine and heat were their goals.

The first medical donation was from a group in Alaska to the street children at Dzegvi near Tbilisi, Georgia. The Strommes were shocked to find that the doctor’s supply cabinet contained only two boxes of Band-Aids and a bottle of Miracle-Gro fertilizer. Go figure.

In 2004 journalist Seth Mydans told the children’s story in the NY Times. He wrote of bitterly cold winters in the Telavi buildings where metal bands held the cracked walls together; of how the children ate, lived and played in small, unheated rooms and slept on cots covered by a single wool blanket. He described moldy, primitive bathrooms without hot water.

His article piqued the curiosity of author Robert Sabuda who visited the orphanage and set up www.robertsabuda.com to help support the CCR Fund. annual rummage sale, Trinity Lutheran Church, Creswell Presbyterian Church and local individuals also contribute faithfully.

As a general rule it is logistically impossible to ship goods into Georgia. Everything must be purchased in country. Otherwise things have a habit of just disappearing. But one volunteer was determined to find a way around the system. She not only found companies to contribute beds, classroom and kitchen furniture but someone to ship them. Unfortunately, that shipping source is no longer available.

A wide variety of donations have greatly improved the living standards of the children, including a new well to supply clean drinking water. School supplies, shoes, soccer uniforms, computers, sleeping bags, Beanie Babies and building supplies have all been donated. The fund pays for an English teacher, coaches, a dance and arts instructor.

Last winter, British military officers stationed in the region stopped by for a visit. Later the Brits brought two truckloads of food, supplies and warm things for the kids; they installed a kitchen stove and generously left money for lean winter months. American soldiers have also helped out.

As more people have become involved, the general health of the kids has improved. The children now have clean, basic sanitation (think showers and toilets!) and renovated dorms. The government is providing more food but health concerns remain. Edythe notes that the children smile more now and are much less withdrawn than previously.

The most pressing need is training for the older kids’ futures. Living in an institutional environment is isolating. They are ill prepared to leave the home when they finish school. More field trips, apprentice opportunities and higher education are desperately needed.

The current budget is sparse. Last year the fund provided about $14,600 in assistance with a total overhead cost of $625 for state fees, printing and postage. If my math is correct, that amounts to only about $1217.00 per month.

If you’re interested in helping, check out their website at www.ccrfund.org. Consider donating goods to the annual summer rummage sale. Cash donations may be sent to CCRFund, Inc., 610 Holly Ave., C.G., OR 97424 or telephone 541-767-2659.

The Strommes would like you to know that ALL of the money raised goes directly to Georgia. They do not take any salary or compensation — not even for travel or lodging. The money is used only to improve the lives of the children and compensate local representatives  (who purchase supplies) for their time and gas.

Another resident, Andrea Hummel, is conducting a “Coats for Peace” drive for the children of Afghanistan. Jeanne Messner, a soldier stationed there, will distribute the coats, hats and gloves to children who desperately need them to survive the brutally cold winters.

So far Andrea has filled and sent 9 boxes of coats, hats and gloves for kids aged birth to middle school. (Kudos to Scott Varvel who has knitted 20 stocking caps!) The Kiwanis Club has been providing postage but checks for postage are also welcome.

This is the last month for donations to be left at the library or Better Bodies. You may call Andrea with questions at 942-4730.

No child should be a ‘throwaway.’ Caring for kids is a great way to show the world the loving and peaceful hearts of the American people. Cold, hungry and sick kids are foreign aid projects that we can all support.

Betty Kaiser’s Chatterbox is about people, places, family, and other matters of the heart. Contact her at 942-1317 or via e-mail — bchatty@bettykaiser.com

3/25/09 Chatterbox (amended)

Betty Kaiser

They are called “Throwaway Children” and their stories will tug at your heartstrings and bring you to tears. They are the children who live at the Dzegvi Children’s Home complex and the Telavi Children’s Home, a boarding house and school for orphans and abandoned children.

Area residents Chuck and Edythe Stromme are the children’s connection to Cottage Grove — a 9,000 mile circuitous route across continents and cultures. The connection has heightened our community's awareness and brought hope, heat and help to the kids in the another land.

The couple retired in 2001 — or so they thought – from the IRS. You may recall from a previous column that Chuck had a temporary position in the Republic of Georgia as an advisor to the ministers of finance. While there he discovered a population of abandoned children and the couple’s lives were changed forever.

Stromme tells stories of children who have arrived at the orphanage naked. No clothes at all.  Others have arrived shell-shocked into silence by the horrors of the Chechnya war. Some have been abandoned multiple times. Most don’t have visitors. One young girl married at 16 and happily left the orphanage to live with a husband who promised to love her.

One of the residents is a little boy whose parents came and asked for a pair of shoes. The family of three left with shoes for the boy but returned that night and knocked on the door. This time the adults ran away, leaving the little guy standing on the doorstep of his new home.

And so it goes in a country where 54-percent of the people live below the poverty line and the orphanages had no budgeted support. Chuck and Edythe swung into action and set up the Caucasus Children’s Relief Fund Inc., a valid IRS non-profit. Their goals were to supply food, medicine and heat.

The first medical donation was from a group in Alaska to the street children at Dzegvi near Tbilisi, Georgia. Upon arrival, the Strommes were shocked to find that the doctor’s supply cabinet contained only two boxes of Band-Aids and a bottle of Miracle-Gro fertilizer. Go figure.

In 2004 journalist Seth Mydans told the children’s story in the NY Times. He wrote of bitterly cold winters in the Telavi buildings where metal bands held the cracked walls together; of how the children ate, lived and played in small, unheated rooms and slept on cots covered by a single wool blanket. He described moldy, primitive bathrooms without hot water.

His article piqued the curiosity of author Robert Sabuda who visited the orphanage and set up www.robertsabuda.com to help support the CCR Fund. annual rummage sale, Trinity Lutheran Church, Creswell Presbyterian Church and local individuals also contribute faithfully.

As a general rule it is logistically impossible to ship goods into Georgia. Everything must be purchased in country. Otherwise things have a habit of just disappearing. But one volunteer was determined to find a way around the system. She not only found companies to contribute beds, classroom and kitchen furniture but someone to ship them. Unfortunately, that shipping source is no longer available.

A wide variety of donations have greatly improved the living standards of the children, including a new well to supply clean drinking water. School supplies, shoes, soccer uniforms, computers, sleeping bags, Beanie Babies and building supplies have all been donated. The fund pays for an English teacher, coaches, a dance and arts instructor.

Last winter, British military officers stationed in the region stopped by for a visit. Later the Brits brought two truckloads of food, supplies and warm things for the kids; they installed a kitchen stove and generously left money for lean winter months. American soldiers have also helped out.

As more people have become involved, the general health of the kids has improved. The children now have clean, basic sanitation (think showers and toilets!) and renovated dorms. The government is providing more food but health concerns remain. Edythe notes that the children smile more now and are much less withdrawn than previously.

The most pressing need is training for the older kids’ futures. Living in an institutional environment is isolating. They are ill prepared to leave the home when they finish school. More field trips, apprentice opportunities and higher education are desperately needed to prepare them for life on the outside.

The current budget is sparse. Last year the fund provided about $14,600 in assistance with a total overhead cost of $625 for state fees, printing and postage. If my math is correct, that amounts to only about $1217.00 per month to assist in helping over 100 kids and their caregivers.

If you’re interested in helping, check out their website at www.ccrfund.org. Consider donating goods to the annual summer rummage sale. Cash donations may be sent to CCRFund, Inc., 610 Holly Ave., C.G., OR 97424 or telephone 541-767-2659.

The Strommes would like you to know that ALL of the money raised goes directly to Georgia. They do not take any salary or compensation — not even for travel or lodging. The money is used only to improve the lives of the children and compensate local representatives  (who purchase supplies) for their time and gas.

Another local resident is also reaching out across the world to help kids. Andrea Hummel, is conducting a “Coats for Peace” drive for the children of Afghanistan. Jeanne Messner, a soldier stationed there, will distribute the coats, hats and gloves to children who desperately need them to survive the brutally cold winters. So far Andrea has filled and sent 9 boxes of coats, hats and gloves for kids aged birth to middle school. (Kudos to Scott Varvel who has knitted 20 stocking caps!) The Kiwanis Club has been providing postage but checks for postage are also welcome.

No child should be a ‘throwaway.’ Caring for kids is a great way to show the world the loving and peaceful hearts of the American people. Cold, hungry and sick kids are foreign aid projects that we can all support.

Betty Kaiser’s Chatterbox is about people, places, family, and other matters of the heart. Contact her via e-mail at bchatty@bettykaiser.com

'Impossible Pies' are easy and delicious

3/18/09 Cook’s Corner

Betty Kaiser

A few weeks ago I requested some favorite potluck dish recipes from readers. The result was resounding silence! I did not receive one phone call, email or snail mail recipe in response to that plea. That request, however, did initiate lots of culinary conversations in grocery store aisles, at meetings and on street corners about recipes in general.

Today’s column is an outgrowth of one of those conversations with Mary Seal. My husband and I first met Rex and Mary many years ago at a Boots and Sandals square dance and we always seem to have something to talk about — especially food.

One morning this month we met at the donut shop. I had just bought a coconut donut and said that I loved anything coconut. Mary asked if I had ever heard of the “Impossible Coconut Pie.” I had not. “I’ll send you the recipe,” she said.

Every so often there’s a resurgence of the ‘Impossible Pie’ recipes. I have read of them dating back to England during World War II when food was severely rationed. I learned to appreciate them in the late 1970s as I looked for ways to feed my growing family on a tight food budget.

The ‘Impossible Pie’ is so named because the pie does the impossible by making its own crust. The ingredients are inexpensive, tasty, quick to assemble and even the fussiest kid will usually eat them.

The basis for all of the ‘Impossible’ recipes is very similar. My original main dish recipes call for combining milk, eggs and Bisquick (or any baking mix) together in a blender.  After your other ingredients are placed in the baking or pie pan, you pour the batter over the mixture. The ingredients rise to the top and the batter makes a soft crust.

Until Mary’s recipe arrived, I was most familiar with the hearty main dish recipes that called for ground beef. I have recipes for several ‘Impossible’ pies: Bacon Pie (think quiche), Cheeseburger Pie, Lasagna Pie and Taco Pie that I’ll share another time.

Mary’s Impossible Coconut Pie recipe tastes like an incredibly yummy pastry. You mix all the ingredients together, pour them in the pan and bake. The batter rises as it bakes and the top gets a little crispy. Out of the oven the pie sinks slightly as it cools.

It’s a flexible recipe as I discovered when I reduced the amount of sugar and added pineapple with some chopped pecans to make a tropical variation. The recipe calls for nearly 2 cups of sugar so if you’re a diabetic I’ve added a low sugar version. And if fat or cholesterol is a concern try using two egg whites for each egg.

Now, a word of warning: fresh is best! Impossible pies are best made just before serving. They will keep for several days in the refrigerator but do not freeze well.

Finally, do not expect this to taste like a regular pastry-style piecrust with filling and topping. The texture is a cross between a custard pie and sponge cake. It’s best served slightly warm with a generous dollop of whipped cream.

Following are three variations on the Impossible Coconut Pie plus one for a sour cream-apple variation. Enjoy!

Mary’s Impossible Coconut Pie

(Serves 8)

4 eggs, beaten

¼ cup butter

2 cups milk

1-3/4 cups sugar

½ cup flour

¼ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon baking powder

¾ cup coconut

Preheat oven to 350° F.

Mix all of the above together and pour into a 9-inch pie pan. Bake about 45 min.

Betty’s Impossible Tropical Coconut Pie

(Serves 8)

4 eggs beaten

¼ cup butter, softened

1 cup milk (or cream of coconut milk)

1 cup sugar

2 teaspoons rum extract

½ cup flour

¼ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon baking powder

1 cup crushed pineapple with juice

¾ cup coconut

1/3 cup pecans, finely chopped

Mix the eggs, butter, milk, sugar, vanilla, flour, salt and baking powder together in mixer. Add pineapple and coconut. Pour into lightly greased 10-inch pie pan. Sprinkle pecans evenly over top. Bake about 50 min. Crust may crack but it will still be delicious.

Note: If you really like coconut, sprinkle extra on top before baking.

Diabetic Impossible Coconut Pie Recipe

Serves 8

½ cup baking mix

2 cups milk

1 cup flaked or shredded coconut

¾ cup Splenda

¼ cup butter

1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla

4 eggs

Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease 9-inch pie pan

Stir all ingredients until blended. Pour into pie plate. Bake 50-55 minutes or until golden brown and knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

Sour Cream-Apple Impossible Pie

(Serves 8)

4 cups thinly sliced pared apples

3/4 cup raisins

3/4 cup half-and-half (or whole milk)

1/2 cup baking mix

3/4 cup sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 cup margarine or butter, melted

1 cup dairy sour cream

Topping:

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon sugar

Preheat oven to 350° F. Generously grease 10-inch pie plate

Mix apples, raisins, sugar and 1 teaspoons cinnamon, turn into plate. Beat remaining ingredients (except cinnamon and sugar topping) until smooth — 15 seconds in blender on high or 1 minute with hand beater. Pour over apple mixture. Combine sugar and cinnamon topping. Sprinkle over pie. Bake until apples are tender and knife inserted in center comes out clean, 55-65 minutes. Serve warm.

Keep it simple and keep it seasonal!

Betty Kaiser’s Cook’s Corner is dedicated to sharing a variety of recipes 

that are delicious, family oriented and easy to prepare.