Cope with the Summer Heat

Erma, so it’s still hotter than blue blazes up there? Isn’t it terrible how hot it is this summer? Some national weather person was saying that this is the hottest summer in the last 20 years out in the West. Sure sign of Global Warming. So, it is a hotter than normal summer. Big deal. Someway I don’t think that having the hottest summer in 20 years is anything out of the normal. Some years are hotter and drier than others. With our advanced ages, I remember a lot of really hot and dry summers.

One of people’s problems with the heat and drought is that they have not learned how to live with heat. Both of us grew up without air conditioning, and we coped. Perhaps what some of our younger citizens need to learn is old-fashioned heat coping skills.

When I was growing up on the farm, Dinner was the middle of the day because men were out working hard in the fields. The kitchen stayed hot until noon with lots of cooking. But, Supper was a much lighter meal that involved only quick reheating or leftovers. All this method of coping with heat required was planning the entire day’s menu so that all cooking was over by noon.

Lunch, as a meal, was what women did for club meeting. No man wanted to eat Lunch.

One minor way to cope with heat was keeping plenty of snacks ready for anyone who came in hungry. There were always sweets and plenty of cookies for both working men and children.

This old Midwestern cookie was a staple. It used basic kitchen staples, was quick to put together, and it made 7 dozen cookies. This is one of those cookie doughs that you can keep made up in the refrigerator and make up quickly. One sign of the age of this recipe is that it calls for lard, and when did you last see a recipe calling for lard?

The top crinkles and it hardens as it cools. These are nice and crunchy and go well with ice cream, which is always good as a cooler.

Norwegian Molasses Cookies:

1 cup lard (or solid vegetable shortening)
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 cup dark molasses
5 cups flour
3 teaspoons baking soda
dash of salt
White sugar for topping

Cream together the lard and sugar until light and fluffy in a stand mixer. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the molasses. Use a spatula to completely clean out the Pyrex measuring cup of molasses.

Mix the flour, baking soda and salt. Gradually stir the flour into the creamed mixture. You will probably have to hand stir in the last of the flour unless you have a heavy-duty mixer. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill at least 1 hour in the refrigerator.

Taking about one heaping teaspoon of the dough, shape the dough into a flattened ball about an inch in diameter. Place 2 inches apart on a greased baking sheet like the Farberware Baking Sheet. Sprinkle tops well with white sugar, but do not press into dough. Bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes until golden brown. Tops should still be slightly soft as cookies set up as they cool. Allow to cool on sheet for at least 2 to 3 minutes. Complete cooling on mat.

These cookies harden and are mildly spicy.

Makes about 7 dozen.