Sunday, May 3, 2015

My Mother Liked Salt—Sugar, Too


A very warm welcome to our good friend, Janet Bolin. She was kind enough to join us during our Retro Recipe week honoring our mothers. Janet's latest Threadville Mystery, SEVEN THREADLY SINS releases on Tuesday! In addition to sharing a recipe that's hard to resist, Janet is giving away a copy of her book to one lucky person who leaves a comment today!


And now, heeeere's Janet!


My mother was about five when the black and white photo was taken. On the back, many years later, she wrote, “Me, tomato, and salt.”




When I was a kid, we often did what my mother must have done right before her picture was taken. We took a salt shaker and a knife and moseyed into the garden. We each picked a tomato, still warm from the sunshine, and cut out the spot where the stem had been. Passing the salt shaker back and forth, we sprinkled salt on the tomato, took a bite, sprinkled more salt, took another bite, more salt, another bite…


One day, I decided to avoid all this passing of the salt shaker. I simply poured salt into the little funnel-shaped hole at the top of the tomato. I filled the hole completely.


I took a big bite. There was probably a tiny bit of tomato in that bite…


That was the last time I salted a tomato.


However, I was (was?) fond of sugary things. Liking to please us, my mother devised gumdrop cookies. I don’t have her exact recipe, but it went something like this:


EDNA’S GUMDROP COOKIES


Set oven at 375

Cream
1 cup sugar
½ cup softened butter

Add
2 eggs, beaten
½ cup plain yogurt
1 tablespoon orange juice or ½ teaspoon extract in a flavor that enhances the flavor of the gumdrops you’re using.

Mix well. Sift together
2 cups flour
½ teaspoon baking soda

Add to first mixture. Blend. Stir in
1 heaping cup of gumdrops chopped to about the size of chocolate chips, in colors to suit the holiday, the team, or your whim (for spring and Mother’s Day, I opted for green, yellow, and orange.)

Drop by teaspoonfuls on a silicone baking mat or parchment paper about 1 inch apart.
Bake about 10 minutes.






I salute my late mother on Mothers’ Day and wish all mothers a very happy Mother’s Day!

In Janet Bolin’s Threadville Mysteries, Willow Vanderling teaches machine embroidery and solve mysteries in a village of textile arts shops. The fifth book in the series, Seven Threadly Sins, will be on store shelves May 5. Willow and six of her friends are accused of committing sins of fashion, and when their accuser ends up dead, Willow figures it would be a sin not to clear her name.

Seven Threadly Sins can be ordered from your favorite bookstore or from these booksellers.

Janet lives on the shore of Lake Erie with two dogs who resemble Sally-Forth and Tally-Ho in the Threadville Mystery series. 

Visit Janet at Threadville Mysteries, on facebook,  and twitter .


Janet is offering a copy of SEVEN THREADLY SINS to one person who comments below.

65 comments:

  1. My son and I do the same thing with tomatoes. Cucumbers too. Can't wait to try these cookies. :)

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  2. Thank you so much for sharing the black and white photo as well as the story behind it. Looking forward to reading this series. This is a new author for me.thanks for the giveaway!

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  3. Love the recipe, accompanying backstory; and the book sounds great! EMS591@aol.com

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  4. I never thought of using gumdrops in a cookie. Will have to try these.

    Thanks for the giveaway. Reading about it has made me want to embroider something again. I have never done machine embroidery but I still have an old pillowcase my mother taught me to embroider.
    sallycootie@gmail.com

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  5. Recipe sounds wonderful - but the book sounds even better! Love the series.

    kpbarnett1941[at]aol.com

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  6. Thank you for the recipe to the gumdrop cookies. They look yummy.

    As a child I also ate from the garden (mainly strawberries and tomato's) but I never thought of using salt.

    Seven Threadly Sins sounds like a great book. I am looking forward to reading it. Thank you for a chance to win.
    myrifraf(at)gmail(dot)com

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  7. The cookies look good! I never would have thought of putting gumdrops in cookies. Isn't it amazing what our mothers would do for us?

    ElaineE246 at msn dot com

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  8. The cookies look great! Never thought of using gumdrops in a cookie so thanks! The book looks great!!! Thanks for the giveaway!
    magicgirl2357@yahoo.com

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  9. I love both pictures! What a great and lovely memory caught with the tomato and salt shaker...and the cookie with a face!
    I wish you great success with all your work.

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  10. That's a lovely book cover, great sounding cookie recipe and terrific dog names, Tally-Ho and Sally-Forth. LOL!!

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  11. Lovely story and I still love tomato and salt! I look forward to reading Seven Threadly Sins. patucker54 (at aol dot com)

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  12. Oh my goodness! These look so yummy =)
    I am just starting to read mysteries and this book sounds like a good one!
    celticmajic @ hotmail (dot) com

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  13. I love the black and white photo. Thanks for the giveaway! dmskrug3 at hotmail dot com

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  14. Tomatoes and salt are delectable. Wonderful post and great photo. Thanks. elliotbencan(at)hotmail(dot)com

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  15. An interesting recipe. suefoster109@netzero.net

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  16. what a funny story Janet! I was hankering for that fresh tomato until you described the funnel of salt LOL. thanks for joining us to celebrate retro mother's day! xo Lucy

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  17. this recipe looks so good, I will have to make this for my great nieces. Thanks for the chance to win a copy of your book :) darholley1 (at) aol (dot) com

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  18. Darling picture of your mom!! Too much salt on a tomato, idk! Very funny! Can't wait for your new book. Love this series!

    Hugs, Daryl / Avery

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  20. What fun! I am looking forward to adding this series to my reading list. Thank you Daryl/Avery for sending me to this page!
    susan_carter@columbsacademy.org

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  21. I can't wait to try the cookies! Thanks for the chance to win what sounds like a good book.
    MarshaMysteryreader@yahoo.com

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  22. The book sounds wonderful and the recipe looks delicious! Thank you for this chance! areewekidding@yahoo.com

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  23. That is cuch a cute picture of you when you were a kid! Happy Mother's Day to everyone! Heatherbartley@hotmail.com

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  24. Thanks for the giveaway! Love the recipe for gumdrop cookies! smmolloy1105@yahoo.com

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  25. hadn't read any series about machine embroidery. had thought about getting a machine but never did it. Sounds like an interesting series. Would love to start it.
    The recipe sounds delicious. Mother was a good cook - have to brag and say I was too. Now that I'm along I don't cook much. Might try this recipe thought. Love sweets.
    txmlhl@yahoo.com

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  26. I know the book will be good. The cookies sound as if I should try them. Gumdrops are a favorite junk candy. Bobbipad@gmail.com

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  27. Cute story - thanks for sharing. My mother and grandmother also used salt on their tomatoes - I love tomatoes too but without the salt. Can't wait for this latest addition to a great series - sure wish there was a real Threadville.

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  28. Sounds like a good cookie recipe to use with my granddaughters.

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  29. Sounds like a good cookie recipe to use with my granddaughters.

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  30. Looking forward to reading this ASAP!

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  31. I think the book sounds great. Keeping my fingers crossed. Have a great day and thanks for the giveaway. kphans08 at gmail.com

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  32. The cookies sound delicious! I've never been a salt person. I remember my mom & grandmother salting watermelon. Never understood it when I was little. Can't wait for the new release! Scouts579 (at) aol (dot) com

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  33. We always, and sometimes, still do, eat a tomato out of hand with the salt shaker beside us. Except cherry tomatoes right off the vine. Granny used to let us pick and eat them right there. All the multitude of cousins thought this was our special secret. Later we found out, we ALL were allowed to eat the cherry tomatoes. ;)

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  34. My mother used to make gum drop cookies---I loved them. I'll have to look for her recipe. Thanks for the book drawing--I'd sure like to win.
    suefarrell.farrell@gmail.com

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  35. I love salt on tomatoes! Yummy recipe. Thanks for the opportunity!
    sharonbabyme@yahoo.com

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  36. Can't say that gumdrops are a favorite around here. I AM relieved to know that's what the colors are. I thought you might have made cookies with red and green peppers! Sweet and salty, but really?
    libbydodd at comcast dot net

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  37. Love the story and the recipe, Janet, and what a precious photo of your mom--reminds me of my dad's garden tomatoes, how I miss them! Thanks for joining us today in the kitchen and happy congrats on the upcoming release of SEVEN THREADLY SINS, cheers! ~ Cleo

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  38. I can understand why you don't salt tomatoes anymore! Lol. The cookies sound delicious. Thank you for the chance!
    angelhwk68@yahoo.com

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  39. Your recipes are so festive and fun I just had to follow you on Pinterest! My mom put sugar on her tomatoes so there was no danger of overdosing!

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  40. I love your books - my mother was a seamstress, and I used to get under her feet when she sat at her sewing machine. Out of self defense, she taught me how to sew when I was 5 years old. I was embroidering by the time I was 7, and doing it ever since. Just reading about all those lovely fabrics and threads makes me want to start a new project (which is difficult since I work two jobs). My mother is Japanese, and we rarely used table salt. When I grow tomatoes, I like to just pick 'em and eat just as they are.
    teenlibn at hotmail dot com

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  41. I have to put salt on my tomato, don't like sugar on them. Your recipe looks good! Thank you for the opportunity to win. crossxjo@hotmail.com

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  42. I planted my tomatoes almost two weeks ago. I know tomato plants aren't supposed to look pretty, but since these are the first I have undertaken on my own they are beautiful! There is nothing better than a garden fresh tomato sandwich with mayo and salt.

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  43. I never liked tomatoes much, so although my mom had a huge garden in our suburban yard, I never picked them off the vines - but carrots and peas yes! And fruit from the trees. And I must admit I had never heard of gumdrop cookies, despite all the old cookbooks I have. Fascinating.

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  44. I really enjoy this series. Great characters! lkleback@hotmail.com

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    1. I love this series and can't wait to read the new book. Thanks for the opportunity to win a copy. cking78503@aol.com

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  45. As a fiber-artist, I really enjoy this series. I'm looking forward to the newest book.

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  46. My Grandmother used to sew and I always think of her and the beautiful work she did. Thank you for the giveaway.
    Marilyn ewatvess@yahoo.com

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  47. This is a great series. Thanks for this giveaway. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

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  48. Ooohh, I'd love a ripe tomato right now! We won't even plant for another week or two (we had frost 2x last week still!) so it'll probably be late July or even August.. big sigh! Love your books those and look forward to the latest installment!

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  49. My mom used to bake gumdrop cookies too Janet! Thank you for sharing your story. I'm a dipper rather than a shaker...gotta have Ranch dressing with my veggies. Thanks for a chance to win!
    sxygrndma48{at}yahoo{dot}com

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  50. I've read the previous Threadville mysteries and looking forward to the newest book in the series.

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  51. Thanks for this opportunity. Look forward to checking out the series. dm_richards(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  52. I am looking forward to reading Seven Threadly Sins. Such a fun series. Thank you for your wonderful books! Doodlesink@hotmail.com

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  53. The book sounds delightful. The recipe is out of the world. Davisel1830@hotmail.com

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  55. I am thrilled to learn of your Threadville Mystery series, Janet Bolin, and would love to win. Plan B: check out my local library and see if they have your books. Thank you! brown (dot) k [at} centurytel (dot) net

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  56. I recently read one of your books in the series and loved it!! I will be reading more of them soon for sure!! I salute all moms our there(including moms of furry and pawed kids). Thanks for the opportunity to win.

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  57. Love this series, Not a fan of tomatos and salt.

    gibsonbk at hiwaay dot net

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  58. I like tomatoes - preferably sliced - but I don't put salt on them. I also do not salt watermelon, or cucumbers.
    I do like reading cozy mysteries! Haven't tried this series - yet.

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  59. My grandpa was taught that tomatoes was not for human consumption, that they was for hogs. So when he grew up and left home he tried them in many different ways. His favorite was nice fresh ripe tomato sliced , sprinkled with sugar and cream poured on it :) By the way he was a dairy farmer :) Thou may not sound good they really are :) Looking forward to reading the new Cozy Mystery.

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  60. Love the chance to read this. lady.janel@hotmail.com

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  61. What fun cookies! Thank you for the recipe and a chance to win Seven Threadly Sins. I cannot wait to read it. I would love to live in Threadville! Have a great week! Doodlesink@hotmail.com

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  62. I am very excited about this new release. My Mom used to make salted tomatoes. She grew them in her parents garden during WWII and they were a luxury to be eaten like a main dish at that time. I still believe tomatoes are a luxury food and give reverence when I enjoy them. I love the cookie recipe. Thank you Threadville is where I long to be. itsacatslife17@yahoo.com

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  63. This book sounds great. I eat tomatoes, cucumbers, and watermelon with salt. I've always liked them that way. Thank you.for the chance.
    Moonbay7399@gmail.com

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