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FACTS, HEARSAY AND MEMORIES - Page 15 Gideon Gray kept the grocery store at Central Village. It was well stocked, and he also did a good business in grain. It was he who built the large barn now Mr. Cassidy's shop. It was considered topnotch. Most of our groceries were bought at Gray's. A man came and took orders and delivered. Some of the commonest of needs then are no longer seen. Every other week at least in winter the five gallon can of kerosene had to be replenished to supply fuel for the kerosene lamps which at best gave a puny light. Then there was an earthen jug for vinegar and another for molasses. The latter was used much more in cooking than now. It went in the weekly brownbread, and the batch of molasses cookies beside gingerbread and Indian meal puddings. It was often used to eat with bread. It was commonly eaten with steamed bread, something I have not seen anywhere in many years. If bread or biscuits were left over they were put in the steamer which fitted into the teakettle and thereby refreshed. The New Orleans molasses was best, but if we were obligated to get Porto Rican a little cream took away the strong taste. It is only a few weeks ago that I saw for the first time in print the name of a summer drink called "switchel." My father, who kept pretty clear of any cooking or household tasks, would occasionally on a hot night announce that he would make switchel. I do not know the proportions, but the ingredients were fresh well water, vinegar and molasses. It took the place of Pepsi Cola and the present bottled sodas. I see that I have strayed far away from the other grocers with which I was familiar. My mother liked to patronize more than one. Shorrock's team came from Head of Westport with a well laden team, and my favorite grocer was Ben Allen who had a small store at Handy's Corner. His groceries were probably of the same quality, but when he delivered he always brought a little striped bag of candy to me. Sometimes a few conversations lozengers, or the little lozengers wrapped in a long roll with the paper bearing a job which took the place of present day Funnies. The, to, they might have "My Old Kentucky Home" or "Way Down Upon the Swanee River". I think the little baked beans with a peanut inside were my favorite. These gratuities caused me to implore my mother to give Ben Allen our entire trade, but to no avail. My one regret at beginning school was that I would miss Ben Allen. Harriet's comment was, "Do you want to miss your education for that?" A few weeks ago a friend of mine met an elderly lady who had boarded one summer many years ago near Hix Bridge and hearing that I lived in the vicinity wondered if I had ever known Ben Allen. Did I? One incident of my acquaintance was one day when coming on the Wednesday morning for orders he invited me to go home with him for dinner and come back in the afternoon as his grandchild of about my age was there on a visit. Of course I was delighted, but going down Handy Hill sitting beside him in an express wagon, the seat of which had nothing to cling to I was as terrified as if on the top of Empire State Building. When that ordeal was safely over the rest of the day stood out memorably as, the day I went to Ben Allen's. He was a most genial, kindly man. Thursdays
Richmond's Bakery cart came from New Bedford. It was driven by a young
man who had lived in Central Village in his childhood, and he usually
spent a few minutes in discussing neighborhood happenings. My mother did
not buy much "baker'' food. There was one little round cake which she
thought good for lunch boxes. It was frosted half white and half chocolate.
It cost fifteen cents. I wonder if it would seem as delicious to me now
as it did then. The most wonderful thing they carried was box called Fort
Phoenix Lunch Cake. It was a square white box with a picture of the fort
in blue. It was lined with a paper lace edged napkin, and when opened
revealed the most mouth watering assortment. There was a piece each of
cherry nut, and white mountain cake, also two or three lady fingers and
macaroons. It cost fifty cents, and my mother bought it for each one of
us on our birthdays. It took the place of the nowadays birthday cake which
I never saw then. Boughten cookies were seldom to be found in our pantry.
The exception was when Dewey of Spanish War fame honored by having his
name on a cookie. 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 |
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