About Me

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Raising three sons, David, Daniel and Darren, in the Zionsville, Pennsylvania country- side, was not an easy task. In the 60’s and 70’s, women stayed at home and were looked down upon if they worked outside of the home. I managed the house and when my husband, Wally came home from work, a home-cooked meal was expected. My days were very busy cleaning, washing and ironing, cooking and baking, and taking care of three small boys. I was responsible for paying the bills and having enough money on hand to pay for any unexpected bills.

I had a new home with a dishwasher and self-cleaning oven. Microwave ovens were not a household appliance and neither were computers. A telephone was located in the center of the house and you ran to answer it before the party could hang up. I liked to listen to records on my hi-fi stereo. We had one television in the family room and you could watch one of three channels. The better shows broadcasted in color but most of the networks still produced black and white shows.

Cooking the old-fashion way was a way of life. My mother, Evelyn Cooper, taught me how to cook as I was growing up on the Eastside of Allentown, PA. She had a Pennsylvania Dutch background that explains why I have many ethnic recipes in this cookbook. My mother-in-law, Elsie Hieter, was a professional cook and worked in restaurants and for professional people. Her background was German as well. Both mothers shared their secrets and helped me become the cook I am today.

I started my recipe book in the early 60’s because I wanted a variety of dishes to serve my hungry family. At first I wrote them on recipe cards, then, practicing calligraphy, writing them in a notebook. With the invention of the computer, the boys set me up to transfer my recipes to what I have today. I hope you enjoy my cookbook as much as I enjoyed writing each and every recipe. I tried to give you all the tips my relatives passed on to me. As Julia Childs, a famous cook of my day would say, “Bon appetit”.

Jacqueline Wetherhold