Marion's column: Resurrect recipes and conjure up flavors, memories of the past

Originally published Feb. 25, 1999.

If you have been a home cook for a while, every now and then you probably go through old collections of recipes, as I did the other day. Leafing through a notebook full of recipes from the '60s and earlier was just like looking at an old photo album. Memories of dishes I had forgotten also reminded me of friends who had shared some of those early favorites.

It was a pleasant experience and inspired me to cook some of them again. Brown Scones and the very old-fashioned Strawberry Triumph Pie are as delicious today as they ever were.

The Brown Scones are nice with the bran added, especially when served split, buttered and warm.

The Strawberry Triumph Pie is an easy-to-make dessert with just four ingredients: strawberries, sugar, cornstarch and lemon juice (of course, you also need a baked pie shell and a whipped cream garnish).

Marion Cunningham is the author of many cookbooks, including the last two editions of "The Fannie Farmer Cookbook." She lives in California.

Strawberry Triumph Pie

- 4 c. strawberries, stems removed, divided

- 3 tbsp. cornstarch

- 1 c. sugar

- 2 tbsp. lemon juice

- 1 (9-in.) baked pie shell

Measure 2 cups of the strawberries and put them into a bowl.

Using a fork or potato masher, crush the berries (or you could puree them in a processor). Stir in the cornstarch, sugar and lemon juice. Stir to blend well.

Put the strawberry mixture into a heavy bottomed pan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture is thickened and the cornstarch becomes clear. This takes only a few minutes and requires your constant attention. Put the pan aside and let the strawberry mixture cool.

Slice the remaining 2 cups of strawberries in half (if they are very large cut them into thirds or quarters) and gently stir them into the cooled mixture. Spread the strawberry mixture into the baked pie shell. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Whip the cream and spread over the pie before serving.

Nutrition information per serving:

Carbohydrates 41 g

Protein 2 g

Fat 10 g

including sat. fat 4 g

Cholesterol 17 mg

Calcium 23 mg

Dietary fiber 2 g

Diabetic exchanges per serving: 1 fruit exch., 2 other carb. exch., and 2 fat exch.

Brown Scones

Serves 12.

- 1/2 c. bran

- 2 tsp. baking powder

- 1 1/2 tsp. salt

- 1 1/2 tbsp. sugar

- 4 tbsp. ( 1/2 stick) butter, chilled

- 1/2 c. milk

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Use an ungreased baking sheet.

Combine the flour, bran, baking powder, salt and sugar in a bowl and mix well (I stir the dry ingredients with a whisk to mix).

Cut the butter into bits and add to the flour mixture. Rub the butter into the flour, using your fingertips or a pastry blender, until the mixture looks like coarse bread crumbs.

In another bowl, beat the egg lightly, add the milk, and mix until well blended. Stir the milk mixture into the flour mixture, and stir only until just blended. Lightly dust a board with flour and turn the dough onto the board. Knead 12 times.

Nutrition information per serving:

Calories 110

Carbohydrates 16 g

Protein 3 g

Fat 5 g

Cholesterol 20 mg

Sodium 210 mg

Calcium 65 mg

Dietary fiber 2 g