Mom was always the hostess with the most-ess

It was Mom who taught me the basics of cooking. She taught my friends the basics of cooking as well. Mom was one of several community members who taught cooking through the local 4-H club.

Classes were held after school in our home and generally started sometime in the fall and ended sometime in the spring. At least that's the way I remember it. 

Each 4-H member in the class would take a turn demonstrating the preparation of a dish, cake, pie, cookie . . . whatever. Mom would fill in with ideas and demonstrations of her own. We learned how to stretch budgets, make desserts, serve tea and host a party.

In the spring of each year we would host a Mother's Tea for our mothers and Mom taught us to make finger sandwiches, tea cookies, punch and tea. We were taught how to set a table and serve correctly, how to present food and how to be genuine hostesses. Times have changed, but good manners are still good manners. 

Mom made it her mission in life to expand her horizons and look beyond the normal and mundane.

When my sister's high school German Club hosted a progressive dinner, Mom volunteered to provide the Hors d'oeuvres. I am eight years younger than my sister, so I don't remember the work involved, but I do remember the smoked oysters, the cheese platters, the fruit, fondue and punch. 

The dinning room table was stretched to the max and all different kinds of food covered its length. It was artfully displayed and I'm certain it was different fare than most expected. 

Mom also hosted Women's Teas for that conservative political party she campaigned for during election years. State representatives and senators would make campaign stops in Hamilton and Mom would open our home for them and serve the usual tea fare. It was all very formal and proper.

I was a small child the year we built our swimming pool. That summer Mom was preparing to host a tea for a state representative. Since the pool was in, Mom and Dad thought it would be a good idea to pour the cement for a patio area adjacent to the pool. If they planned correctly, the cement would dry and cure and the patio would be ready in time for the tea. Ahhh, the best laid plans . . .

The cement truck arrived on the designated day and backed in to the space where the cement was to be poured. Unfortunately it backed over the area where the drywell for the kitchen sink was located. (The greywater from the kitchen sink drained into this rather than into the regular septic tank). There was a loud groaning sound and the truck sank about six feet into the yard.

There was no way it could be fixed before the impending conservative political party tea. So Mom, ever the resourceful one, had Dad line the gaping hole with saw horses and hung potted geraniums from them. I think they may have covered the pit with large tarps.  

When Mom and Dad retired and moved to Glenn, Mom continued to host afternoon teas/coffee. The women of the community looked forward to the events. Mom would pull out all the stops and bring out her good china and her Fostoria and serve cakes and cookies. 

Playing hostess was something Mom truly enjoyed. She was good at it and taught her daughters to do the same. We may not have followed in her footsteps and played hostess the way she did, but we did learn the proper way to do things. Whether or not we decided to follow in her footsteps was our decision.

When company comes to my house we order pizza, serve it from the box and set out two-liters of pop for everyone to help themselves.  I definitely am not the hostess with the most-ess.