Coffee-Break Treats From The Old Days

Several years ago , this article was printed in the Seattle Post Intelligencer.  The P-I invited readers to send their favorite recipes passed down from their grandmothers.  This story by Elaine Montgomery Matheson (nee Kaloper) was chosen from numerous responses. 

Coffee-Break Treats From The Old Days

We called my grandmother Baba Matusha (Grandma Matilda B. Kaloper) and was she a great homemaker and cook!

Every day as 2 pm rolled around, preparations for coffee break would begin….the best part of the day.  The coffee was made by Dida (my grandfather) in a hand strainer over a coffee pot.  Then we would hear the click, click of high-heeled shoes coming up the walk.  As we peered over the window ledge, all we could see was fur.  One of my grandma’s friends always wore a long fur coat with a fur hat and the other wore a fur stole around her neck.

Everyone assumed their positions and Dida retreated to the living room.  The hermits were removed from the oven and it was time to enjoy. 

Baba’s Hermit Cookies

1 cup shortening

2 cups brown sugar

2 eggs beaten

3 ½ cups flour

½ teas salt

1 teas baking powder

1 teas baking soda

2 teas cinnamon

1 teas nutmeg

½ cup sour milk or buttermilk

2 cups raisins

1 cup broken nutmeats

Cream shortening and sugar.   Add eggs and beat well.  Add sifted dry ingredients, alternately with milk.  Add raisins and nutmeats.  Drop onto cookie sheet and bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes.  Makes 4 dozen.