Note: This punch could have been served frozen in small glasses at multi-course Victorian meals as a palate cleanser, as sorbets sometimes are today. The cassis flavor comes from currant jelly. Black rum gives it depth, while sugar adds smoothness; the sweetness diminishes with cold. Made with 70- to 80- proof rum (35 to 40 percent alcohol), this becomes a smooth, soft sorbet, a delightful summer dessert. More alcohol and less sugar produce a daiquiri-like cocktail that semifreezes. Or still-freeze it to a slushy consistency and pour it without more ice into a punch bowl.

Unsweetened peach brandy is best, but a medium-priced regular French brandy will do.

Sally Lunn

1/4 c. (1/2 stick) butter plus more for greasing pan and top
4c. sifted flour
1 t. salt
2 c. whole milk or (better) half and half
3 eggs
2 T. homemade yeast *

Melt butter in milk.  Add salt, cool to lukewarm, and add yeast and beaten eggs. Stir in flour. Batter should resemble a thick pancake batter and will double in about 2 hours. Bake in a greased angel food cake pan in bottom third of oven preheated to 350° about 30 - 40 minutes. Makes one loaf. Do not serve cold.

Note: *For those who prefer commerical yeast, 2 cakes or packets, softened as instructed, equals 1/4 cup homemade. Count the liquid used to soften the yeast as part of the total liquid called for in the recipe.

Owendaw Cornbread (this recipe was marked as "very nice")

3 -3 1/2 c. hot cooked grits
2T. butter, plus more for the pan
4 eggs
2 - 21/4 c. milk or half and half
1 - 11/2 c. white water-ground cornmeal
21/2 t. baking powder and 1 t. salt may be added, if desired

Stir butter into hot, cooked grits. Grease a 10-cup or larger baking dish and put into an oven while it preheats to 400°. Stir salt and baking powder, if desired, into cornmeal. Beat eggs very light. Fold eggs into cooled grits, then milk, then meal. Carefully pour batter into hot pan; it should sizzle. Bake in lower third of oven about an hour, until well browned.

Tomato Concentrate

4 qts (8 lbs) ripe tomatoes, fresh or frozen whole at home
1 qt. (2 lbs) okra, stemmed and chopped
1qt. (2 lbs) onions, peeled and chopped
3 T. salt
11/2T. black pepper, or to taste

First, peel the tomatoes. If using fresh tomatoes, submerse a few at a time in boiling water 1-2 minutes, then slip off skins; frozen tomatoes peel easily while thawing. Chop roughly. Cook vegetables in enamel or stainless steel pan; otherwise okra turns black. Start cooking the tomatoes while chopping the onions. Add onions and simmer an hour before adding okra. Stir occasionally, then frequently, to prevent burning. Simmer 1 hour or more, add half to three-quarters of the salt and pepper. Simmer at least another hour, to desired thickness. Adjust seasoning. To reconstitute, add broth or water as needed.

Note: Zimmer indicates that daughter Mary Custis probably wrote up this recipe. She and Mildred both visited Louisana, where slaves brought okra, one of the notebook's few identifiably African touches, via the Caribbean. And, Mary writes that the Parisian family she served it to, raved about it.