A tragedy happened to our family and community this past month when my sister-in-law, Phyllis, and her 21-year-old son, Craig, were killed and nine-year-old Crystal was critically injured in Enid, Oklahoma. This was Ross and Phyllis’ sixth year of custom combining in the United States, and they usually started in the Enid district. Phyllis, Craig and Crystal were travelling in their van on a country road when it was struck by another vehicle at an unmarked intersection. What a painful loss.
Our niece recuperated for two weeks in hospital in Enid and was flown back to Canada by air ambulance this past week. Because of Crystal’s injuries the funerals for Phyllis and Craig have been on hold. It has been a sad three weeks, and we are extremely thankful for the loving kindness and support expressed by people in the Enid community and in Rosetown and area.
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Phyllis loved to share food with others and was a wonderful cook and entertainer. She enjoyed making this Friendship Cinnamon Bread that family and friends are making for her funeral. It seems fitting that so many people are involved in the baking of this bread. Each container makes two loaves. We made the first eight loaves, and now have 16 batters ready to be made into 32 loaves. It makes a tasty moist bread. I am told the batter can be kept in the freezer until one is ready to start another batch.
When a friend gives you a container, follow the directions below:
Quick bread batter
Day 1: Set aside on counter. Do not refrigerate.
Day 2: Stir only.
Day 3: Stir only.
Day 4: Stir only.
Day 5: Add 1 cup (250 mL) each of the following: flour, sugar and milk. Mix well.
Day 6: Stir only.
Day 7: Stir only.
Day 8: Do nothing.
Day 9: Do nothing.
Day 10: Add 1 cup (250 mL) each of the following: flour, sugar and milk. Mix well.
To pass the starter on to your friends, place 1/2 cup (125 mL) of this starter mixture into four containers of four-cup
(one L) size or larger. Keep one container to restart your batch. Give the other three containers away to friends.
With the remaining batter, make the following recipe for cinnamon bread.
Amish Cinnamon Bread
Place the remaining batter in a large bowl, and add the following:
1 cup white sugar 250 mL
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla 10 mL
1 teaspoon baking 5 mL
soda
1 cup vegetable oil 250 mL
1 teaspoon baking 5 mL
powder
2 cups flour 500 mL
1 small package vanilla
or butterscotch instant
pudding mix
In a small bowl combine three teaspoons (15 mL) vanilla and 1/2 cup (125 mL) brown sugar.
Grease two large loaf pans. Put one quarter of the batter in each. Sprinkle one quarter of the sugar mixture on top of each, then top with the remaining batter. Sprinkle with the remaining sugar mixture. Swirl with a knife to marble.
Bake at 325 F (160 C) for 45 to 60 minutes. It also works to use two 9-inch square (22 cm square) pans.
Alternate method: On Day 10, after adding the flour, sugar and milk, if you want to make four loaves of cinnamon bread instead of passing it on to friends, keep out only 1/2 cup (125 mL) of the starter for your new batch. Divide the rest of the starter into two bowls that each make two loaves. Using two recipes, make two batches for a total of four loaves.
Memory boxes
To help collect treasured memories of Phyllis and Craig, we have given Ross and his family memory boxes. Although we purchased these mahogany memory boxes at the Bombay Company in Saskatoon, they can sometimes be found in other gift shops or made by creative hands. A friend of the family gave us Creating Keepsakes magazines that have many different ideas for collecting these memoirs.
To learn more about memory boxes, I used the Sympatico search engine, typed in “memory box” and found many sites to explore. These boxes can be like an enlarged rectangular jewel box with velvet lining and compartments for different items, like a book that opens with one large compartment, or even a three-dimensional picture frame with different items that can be placed behind the glass frame and mounted on a wall.
Memory boxes can be created for many different occasions, such as family histories, birth of a baby, school memories, graduations, weddings, special birthdays, anniversaries or funerals.
In many ways they resemble memory albums or scrapbooks, but the box can hold larger items, perhaps more like a time capsule. It can contain items that symbolize what is important to the person or family and represent significant parts of their life.
Suggestions might include part of a baby blanket, a lock of hair, family photos, report card, special jewelry, favourite book or CD, favourite recipe, and other items special to that person.
In the case of a death, this can become a healing part of the grieving process as you honour and celebrate the life of the individual. At times of tragedy, we are reminded how important it is to spend time together, and to treasure and love one another. After all, it is the people in our lives who really matter.
