“Pecan & Julia Mania – a cooking school”
Building on two themes, the Smith College Club of Southeastern Connecticut sponsored a much enjoyed cooking school-dinner for 18 participants in mid-November to learn how to prepare a remarkable menu under the watchful eye of Alice Watson Houston ’59. Recipes, all but one requiring pecans, were drawn from, the Smith College Club of New York City’s book, More Cooking with Pecans (2003), and from club members Sara Gilman Mallari ’87 Kathleen Parker O’Beirne ’59 , Alice Watson Houston ’59, and her book The American Heritage Book of Fish Cookery (1980).
Aprons were required attire, so red aprons with the logo “Smith cooks!” brightened the scene. The Portuguese Holy Ghost Society Hall was the site – a lovely Greek Revival building in Stonington, CT, that is a neighbor to Alice Houston and Joanna Graf Frank ’59. The commercial kitchen provided the necessary space for participants to work in small groups on different segments of the menu. Each learned something new and enjoyed the bustling camaraderie and pride in the results.
The participants ranged across classes and included spouses and significant others. While the logistics were challenging (carrying in a lot of supplies to the second story hall), the delight was worth the effort. Where else…but a Smith club! To do your own version, contact club president, Kathleen O’Beirne, at Kathleenobeirne@aol.com or 860-536-7179.
Cooking School recipes:
Several of the recipes for this event came from The Smith College Club of New York City book, More Cooking with Pecans. It is a treasure trove of 132 recipes for appetizers, soups, salads, main course, vegetable/savory/side dishes, breads & rolls, desserts, and candy! Bon apetit! These are available for $10.00 + $3.00 postage from : Smith College Club of NYC, Ann Hilliard, 17 E. 89th Street, #82, New York, NY 10128
To enable you to replicate the cooking school with a booklet for each participant, we have a camera-ready copy (or an electronic version) available of the seven recipes originating with the Smith College Club of SE CT. To order, please send a check for $11.00 (includes postage) to: Smith College Club of SE CT, c/o Kathleen O’Beirne, 32 New London Road, Mystic, CT 06355
Photos by Sara Gilman Mallari ’59: Top: L to R – Alice Watson Houston ’59 and Adela Bartholomew Wilmerding Bottom: L to R – Mary Chrisman Anderson ’59 and Cay Anderson Barres ’55 (designer of the aprons)