Mother's Day Recipes Taken from Anne's Page

“Don’t eat it Miss Stacey!”
“Anne, what is wrong with you?”
“A mouse drowned in the sauce, Marilla.  I was working up the courage to tell you when Miss Stacey came and…”
“Anne, if you intend to go for a teacher, you are going to have to give up your feather-brained ways.  You are not interested in anything but your silly daydreams and nothing else.”
“I really am trying to overcome my faults, Marilla.  I chatter on far too much.  But if you only knew how many things I want to say and don’t, you’d give me some credit.”

The opportunities that Marilla gave Anne to play host and cook for her guests often ended in disaster, as was the case with the famous plum pudding scene.

Living under Marilla’s shadow as a great cook, who was also famous all over Prince Edward Island for her red current wine, would have been daunting for the easily-distracted Anne.  Some daughters never feel that they are as good in the kitchen as their mothers.  But the answer might lie in trying original recipes that your mom doesn't know about.  Here is a great Edwardian recipe, taken from the "Cooking with Anne of Green Gables" cookbook, that would work perfectly for a Mother’s Day barbecue.

Mom’s Potato Salad

1. 10 medium potatoes
2. 1 tablespoon and 1 pinch salt
3. ½ cup granulated sugar
4. 1 ½ teaspoons all-purpose flour
5. 1 teaspoon dry mustard
6. 1 egg
7. 1/3 cup cider vinegar
8. 3 tablespoons water
9. A pinch of pepper
10. 2 tablespoons butter
11. 1 onion, finely chopped
12. 8 radishes, thinly sliced
13. 2 stalks celery, finely chopped
14. ¼ green pepper, finely chopped
15. 3 hard boiled eggs
16. 3 sprigs fresh parsley

Boil the potatoes and peel them while warm.  Chop into cubes and sprinkle with salt before placing them in the refrigerator to cool. Combine the sugar, flour and mustard in the top part of a double boiler.  In a small bowl beat an egg slightly and add the vinegar and water.  Add the liquid to the dry ingredients very slowly and stir gently until blended.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Heat the mixture until it thickens then remove from heat before adding the butter.  Refrigerate right away.  When the potatoes have cooled, add the onion, radishes, celery, green pepper and two of the hard-boiled eggs that have been thinly sliced.  Gently mix all together while slowly adding the dressing.  Allow to sit in the refrigerator for further cooling and setting.  The longer you let it sit, the better it gets!  Garnish before serving with the sprigs of parsley and the third boiled egg, thinly sliced.  Serves 10-12.

Or, if you're hosting a brunch, here is an Edwardian recipe for a delicious hot drink that serves 30 at a time!

Hot Cranberry Punch

•  9 1/2 cups cranberry juice
•  Four 6-ounce cans frozen lemonade
•  ½ teaspoon salt
•  1 teaspoon allspice
•  4 cups water
•  30 cinnamon sticks

Combine ingredients, except cinnamon sticks, in a one gallon container.  Simmer gently 10 to 15 minutes.  Do not boil.  Serve hot in mugs, with cinnamon sticks to use as stirrers.  Makes 30 one-half cup servings.