{"id":1599,"date":"2017-01-05T20:40:30","date_gmt":"2017-01-05T20:40:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thelittlecolonel.com\/index.php\/cooking-with-the-little-colonel\/"},"modified":"2024-04-19T15:03:41","modified_gmt":"2024-04-19T15:03:41","slug":"cooking-with-the-little-colonel","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/thelittlecolonel.com\/index.php\/cooking-with-the-little-colonel\/","title":{"rendered":"Cooking With The Little Colonel"},"content":{"rendered":"

Cooking with the Little Colonel<\/span>
\nSeven delicious recipes for you to try<\/strong><\/p>\n

As a young child, Hattie Cochran Dick was the inspiration for Annie Fellows Johnson\u2019s Little Colonel series of books for girls. Later in life, she also became a popular hostess, known for serving delicious, regional foods.<\/p>\n

The story below, copied from a newspaper article that appeared in the Louisville Times, date unknown, tells how the books got started and also provides four of the Little Colonel\u2019s favorite recipes. <\/p>\n

\n

\u2018The Little Colonel\u2019 Gives Old Family Recipes<\/span>
\nBy Helen Leopold, Louisville Times Women\u2019s Editor <\/strong><\/p>\n

            \u201cThis forlorn thing,\u201d said Mrs. Albert C. Dick, beloved as the original Little Colonel, as she thumbed through an old yellowed cookbook.  The paper was torn, pages stained with age, lots of pages loose and most writing very pale.  It belonged to her mother, Mrs. John Hoadley Cochran. <\/p>\n

            \u201cThis hasn\u2019t been used for years,\u201d said Mrs. Dick, \u201cand I hope I can find the recipes I\u2019m looking for.  We use most of them from memory.\u201d <\/p>\n

            Hattie Cochran Dick has for several decades been known throughout the English-speaking world as the child who inspired Mrs. Annie Fellows Johnston\u2019s series of books for girls. <\/p>\n

            To her friends now, she is a pretty, charming, witty, soft-spoken lady with two married sons.  She also sets \u201cone of the best tables in Louisville.\u201d <\/p>\n

Serves Regional Food<\/strong><\/p>\n

            Guests of Mr. and Mrs. Dick say that \u201cthere never was better food.\u201d  It is not pretentious.  It is regional and it is \u201cperfectly prepared.\u201d<\/p>\n

             As a friend explained, \u201cHattie has had several cooks in her married life, but her food always tastes the same.  You know she keeps her hand in somehow, though she\u2019s never really cooked \u2013 even if it\u2019s just to see that a pinch of this or that is added.\u201d <\/p>\n

            The other day when Mrs. Dick was hunting up recipes for us to use she realized that Mrs. Johnston got the idea for the first Little Colonel book when she, then Hattie Cochran, was five years old. <\/p>\n

            \u201cOur family was spending the summer at Pewee Valley, which used to be sort of a Louisville summer resort.  Mrs. Johnston\u2019s home was there.\u201d <\/p>\n

Was Like Old Colonel<\/strong><\/p>\n

            \u201cI was so much like my (maternal) grandfather, Colonel George Weissinger<\/a> (he was an imperious, peppery sort of man) that it amused Mrs. Johnston.  She always called me the Little Colonel, even before the book was started. <\/p>\n

            \u201cShe used to watch me ride in the saddle with my grandfather on his horse, Maggie Boy, and she\u2019d see me carry my polly parrot around on a broom handle and wheel Fritz, my dog, in a doll carriage.\u201d <\/p>\n

            The original book is true to life except for the fact that the Little Colonel\u2019s father and grandfather didn\u2019t speak until the happy ending.  Actually, Colonel Weissinger was very fond of his son-in-law, John Hoadley Cochran. <\/p>\n

            What inspired the book\u2019s tour de force is that Colonel Weissinger was an unreconstructed Rebel straight out of the Civil War and Mrs. Archie Cochran, the paternal grandmother, was a Yankee, born in Pittsfield, MA. <\/p>\n

            \u201cNeither grandparent ever changed views,\u201d said Mrs. Dick, \u201cand they couldn\u2019t even sit in the same room with each other.\u201d <\/p>\n

            Then she returned to the cookbook, murmuring, \u201cThis couldn\u2019t be the best recipe.  It\u2019s too easy to read.\u201d  She checked for a more crumpled page with pale handwriting. <\/p>\n

            \u201cThis veal loaf\u2019s really right good,\u201d she said modestly. <\/p>\n

\n

Veal Loaf<\/strong><\/p>\n

    \n
  • 1-1\/2 lbs. finely grained ground veal (cutlets work well)<\/li>\n
  • \u00bd finely chopped green pepper<\/li>\n
  • 1 finely chopped onion<\/li>\n
  • 2 egg yolks<\/li>\n
  • 2 T cream<\/li>\n
  • \u00bd C dry bread crumbs<\/li>\n
  • Salt and pepper to taste<\/li>\n
  • Butter for basting<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    Combine egg yolks, cream and bread crumbs. Blend with meat.  Add seasonings, green pepper and onion.  Mix well. <\/p>\n

    Bake in a mold or pan no more than 2 inches high as you don\u2019t want to cook the meat too long.  Dot and baste with butter.  Bake in a slow oven (300 degrees) for about an hour.  Serve with mushroom sauce or olive and tomato sauce.<\/p>\n

    \n

    Shrimp Cocktail Sauce<\/strong>
    \n(This is the only recipe not out of the old family album, but was adopted when a friend brought it back from Hollywood.) <\/p>\n

      \n
    • Juice of \u00bd lemon<\/li>\n
    • \u00bd bottle chili sauce<\/li>\n
    • \u00bd bottle ketchup<\/li>\n
    • 3 T Worcestershire sauce<\/li>\n
    • 1 t Tabasco sauce<\/li>\n
    • 1 t chopped chives<\/li>\n
    • Salt to taste<\/li>\n
    • Pinch of soda<\/li>\n
    • \u00bd cup thick cream<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

       Beat ingredients (except soda and cream) thoroughly , then let stand in refrigerator until chilled.  At last minute, add a pinch of soda and the thick cream.  Pour over shrimp cocktail.<\/p>\n

      \n

      Rice and Curry Croquettes<\/strong><\/p>\n

      Famous are Mrs. Dick\u2019s rice and curry croquettes.<\/p>\n

      Boil 2 cups rice (\u201cand it must be very dry and fluffy rice\u201d).  Prepare it a day ahead so it\u2019s really dry.  Keep in refrigerator.<\/p>\n

      Then put in a bowl and drop in the yolks of 3 eggs, 2 teaspoons chopped parsley, 2 tablespoons cream, salt and a dash of Tabasco sauce.  Add curry to taste, starting out with \u00bc spoonful.  Add more according to taste.<\/p>\n

      (\u201cThe reason some people don\u2019t like curry is that they use too much and it\u2019s also an inferior brand.  It must be the best brand you can get, else it tastes like cheap perfume.\u201d)<\/p>\n

                 Blend mixture with hands until it is very compact and firm.  Press down in bowl and put in refrigerator until chilled.<\/p>\n

                 Then form into croquettes and roll in bread crumbs.  Fry in deep fat. <\/p>\n

                 “We serve these with lamb chops, lamb roast, broiled chicken and broiled sweetbreads with mushroom sauce,\u201d says Mrs. Dick.<\/p>\n

      \n

      Corn Muffins<\/strong>
      \n            This simple fare is ambrosia at the Albert Dick table.<\/p>\n

                   To 1 rounded pint of sifted (pearl) corn meal, add 1 teaspoon salt, 1 pint boiling water.  Stir vigorously and allow to cool.<\/p>\n

                  Add 1 rounded teaspoon of lard, 1 egg, \u00bd pint milk, 1 heaping teaspoon baking powder.  Stir until ingredients are blended.  Just before baking, grease muffin pans with hot grease.  Bake about 20 minutes in a hot (400 degree) oven.<\/p>\n

      \n

      The following recipes are from \u201cOut of Kentucky Kitchens,\u201d a cookbook written in 1949 by Marion Flexner. The book, which also includes recipes for Benedictine, Hot Browns, burgoo,  and other traditional Kentucky fare,  is still available through the University Press of Kentucky in Lexington and can be ordered online athttp:\/\/www.kentuckypress.com\/ or by calling 800-839-6855.<\/span><\/p>\n

      \n

      Little Colonel\u2019s Christmas Crullers<\/strong>
      \n(Raggedy Britches)
      \n(6 1\/2 dozen crullers)<\/p>\n

       This is the recipe of the original Little Colonel \u2013 Hattie Cochran (Mrs. Albert Dick).  It is with her permission that I give it here, and I would add that it makes the most delicious crullers I\u2019ve ever eaten.  In my opinion, they are the perfect accompaniment for eggnog, and are equally good with hot chocolate or coffee for Sunday brunch or afternoon tea.  These crullers keep for a long time, too, if you put in a sealed tin box  — but who could keep them!<\/p>\n

      1 C. butter, softened but not melted<\/p>\n

      2 C. granulated sugar<\/p>\n

      6 egg yolks<\/p>\n

      6 C. flour, measured after sifting<\/p>\n

      6 egg whites<\/p>\n

      2 whole nutmegs, grated<\/p>\n

      Grated rind of 2 lemons (yellow part  only) or 1 t. vanilla if you prefer that<\/p>\n

      Powdered sugar for dusting<\/p>\n

       Cream butter and sugar.  Add slowly the egg yolks, grated nutmeg, grated lemon rind (or vanilla).  Stir the butter-egg mixture into the flour.  Fold in the well-beaten whites.  The dough is soft, but can be handled.  If too soft, put in a covered bowl in the icebox for several hours before using.  Roll small amounts at a time, although more flour may have to be added.  The cruller dough should be rolled thin \u2013 about \u00bc inch thick.  Cut into strips 1 inch wide by 6 inches long.  Use or knife, or a pastry wheel if you own one.  Fold these strips in half and twist together.  Fry until golden brown in deep hot melted lard or vegetable shortening (375 degrees).  As soon as the crullers are golden brown, lift out of the fat with a skimmer and drain on absorbent paper, and dust heavily with powdered sugar.<\/p>\n

       Another way to shape the crullers is to cut them into 1 \u00bd inch squares.  Make 3 gashes in the center and pinch each end gash with the center one.  This will make 2 slits to help fry the crullers evenly.  Cook as above.<\/p>\n

      \n

      Hattie Dick\u2019s Stuffed Cucumbers<\/strong>
      \n(4 servings)<\/p>\n

      2 medium-sized cucumbers, as fresh as possible<\/p>\n

      1 T green pepper, seeded<\/p>\n

      1 small onion, peeled<\/p>\n

      1 T chopped parsley<\/p>\n

      Salt and pepper to taste<\/p>\n

      Dash of nutmeg<\/p>\n

      4 T breadcrumbs for sprinkling on top of cucumbers<\/p>\n

      1 T butter<\/p>\n

       Cut the cucumbers in halves lengthwise, allowing a half to each person.  Do not peel.  Using a silver spoon, scoop out the centers of the cucumbers, leaving the shells.  Grind the scooped-out pulp with the green pepper, onion and parsley and add the seasonings.  Stuff this filling back into the cucumber shells.  Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of bread crumbs over each half.  Dot each half with 1 teaspoon or a little more of butter.  Set the cucumbers in a greased pyrex baking dish.  Put \u00bd cup water in the pan to keep the cucumber shells from sticking.  Bake in a moderate oven (350 degrees) for 35 minutes to 1 hour, or until cucumbers are tender and crumbs brown and crisp.  Serve with fried chicken, country ham or other meat.<\/p>\n

      \n

      Hattie Dick\u2019s Eggnog Sauce for Ice Cream or Puddings<\/strong><\/p>\n

      3 egg yolks<\/p>\n

      3 T sugar<\/p>\n

      1 C double cream<\/p>\n

      3 jiggers (3 oz. or 6 T) bourbon whiskey<\/p>\n

      F.G. salt<\/p>\n

      Nutmeg, if desired<\/p>\n

      Beat yolks lights.  Add sugar and salt and beat again.  Add whiskey and mix well.  Fold in whipped cream.  Dust with nutmeg, if desired.  This is also wonderful on steamed plum or fig pudding, gingerbread or, heated over steamed fruit cake.<\/p>\n

      \n

      page by Donna Russell<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

      Cooking with the Little Colonel Seven delicious recipes for you to try As a young child, Hattie Cochran Dick was the inspiration for Annie Fellows Johnson\u2019s Little Colonel series of books for girls. Later in life, she also became a popular hostess, known for serving delicious, regional foods. The story below, copied from a newspaper […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-1599","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thelittlecolonel.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1599","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thelittlecolonel.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thelittlecolonel.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thelittlecolonel.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thelittlecolonel.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1599"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/thelittlecolonel.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1599\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2103,"href":"https:\/\/thelittlecolonel.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1599\/revisions\/2103"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thelittlecolonel.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1599"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}