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The Food Blog Is Good To Go

Photo by LYNN KESSEL

Whether these egg-shaped, fondant confections are decked in tinted coconut or chopped nuts — or dipped in luscious chocolate — kids can have a blast helping make them for Easter.

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By LYNN KESSEL

Columnist

Published: April 1, 2009

About 10 years ago, my Aunt Alice gave me a cookbook called "Neighboring on the Air, Cooking with the KMA Radio Homemakers." Sadly overlooked, it's one of many I'm determined to finally put to use.

So a few days ago, I pulled the book from the shelf and began flipping through its pages.

A note scribbled on a yellow post-it was stuck inside of the front cover. I recognized the handwriting. It was from her brother, my Uncle John.

It read, "Evocative, Sis, of our early days at Adams Street. Happy times. How our mom loved listening to these KMA homemakers!"

Born in Ewart, Iowa, in 1899, Grandma Kessel, or "Grandma Margie" as we called her, was a mid-Westerner all her life. She died in 1970, before I got to know her. I was 13.

In September 1925, KMA radio began broadcasting from Shenandoah, Iowa - the heart of the Corn Belt. The call letters were an acronym for the slogan "Keeps Millions Advised."

KMA founder Earl May believed his broadcasting station would provide information and entertainment to farmers and people like my grandmother in small mid-Western towns.

Venturing into this new medium of communication, women "radio homemakers" stepped up to the microphone. Serving as a support group, these unique women of broadcasting shared suggestions for beautifying the home, growing gardens, storing produce, developing menus and collecting recipes to make the home a more enjoyable place to live.

Sometimes they broadcasted directly from their homes, with daily programs that included topics such as "Domestic Science Talks," "Home Hour," or simply "Visit."

Filling a need in the lives of listeners, KMA airwave audiences came to trust these radio personalities as extended family and friends, much the same way close neighbors confide in one another.

A tradition goes on.

I think my dogs laughed when I first shared with them that I was going to write a food blog a year ago. It took me a while to get things rolling.

Ignoring the snickering Chihuahuas, I clicked the blog's "Publish" button in January but waited to announce it to my readers. I wanted to make sure my blog was good to go. Now it's ready, and so am I.

Expect to find shopping reports from around town, late-breaking dining news and maybe a few offbeat asides and home-cooking tips. Oh, and lots of photos.

Look for me at www.lynnkessel.blogspot.com, and find many of my past columns and photos archived and easy to access. There's a place for you to post your comments, questions or suggestions. I'd really love to hear from you.

This week's recipe came from the KMA cookbook. It's a perfect hands-on project for the kids to make some old-fashioned candy for Easter.

QUICK FONDANT EASTER EGGS

2/3 cup sweetened condensed milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

4 cups sifted confectioner's sugar

Optional:

Finely chopped nuts

Flaked coconut

Grated chocolate

Colored sugar

Semisweet chocolate, melted

Blend condensed milk and vanilla together, and then gradually add the confectioners' sugar while mixing until smooth and creamy. Flavor and color as desired and form into Easter eggs. Roll in the nuts, coconut, chocolate or colored sugar to make a colorful assortment of eggs or dip them into melted semisweet chocolate. To make tinted coconut, place 1/2 cup of coconut in a small plastic bag, add two or three drops of food coloring and shake well.

Source: "Neighboring on the Air, Cooking with the KMA Radio Homemakers," by Evelyn Birkby

Lynn Kessel can be reached at lkessel@mac.com. For more of her recipes, visit southshore.tbo.com and enter the search words Lynn Kessel or visit lynnkessel.blogspot.com. Readers are encouraged to send in their favorite recipes, comments and suggestions.

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