Farewell to a friend with a lifetime of food knowledge

Although the picture of me on my column is small, I occasionally get that look followed with the question, “Where do I know you from?”

I always answer with a statement that I am one of the food writers of our local paper and almost always I am immediately asked if I know someone at the paper. I explain that technology has changed the atmosphere of the newsroom in the last decade and it is rare that my presence is ever requested or needed there, so my coworkers and I don’t get to see one another much at all.

Through the years, there is one coworker that I get to see on an annual basis because we are often asked to judge food competitions together and this past Christmas we were both on a local community talk show together and the person I am referring to is the Practical Pot Watcher, Mary Ryder. Last week, when Mary announced that it would be her last column, a myriad of feelings came to mind and then a calming thought of all good things must come to an end. I cherished our little outings and the conversation — and yes, food dominated the majority of our conversations, but we didn’t mind.

Through our talks about food past and present, I would be reminded of an old recipe that was popular in a particular decade. Mary always had great insight and a funny story or two involving that particular recipe or food trend. Mary and her perspective always bought me a sense of nostalgia, and I would go to my cookbook collection and pull out one of my oldie but good cookbooks.

One recipe that I love is from my Betty Crocker cookbook that I found at an estate sale after my copy was lost in a move. I opened it to see the gift inscription to Dianna L. Brown on February 14th, 1980, and wondered about the occasion — and if Dianna is still cooking. If you know her, you can let her know that her cookbook is in good hands.

There is a recipe that I like from this cookbook that is perfect for summer and brings summer fruit to life. That recipe is called five fruit fruit salad with honey lime dressing.

It really is a simple salad that involves gathering five fruit — pineapple, banana, orange, grapes and melon — drizzling them with the honey lime dressing and serving in lettuce cups, if you so please, as stated in the recipe.

The honey lime dressing is just as simple and I am pleased to share Betty Crocker’s version.

And I want to say, here’s to The Practical Pot Watcher, Mary. Thank you for a lifetime of fabulous food knowledge and memories.

BETTY CROCKER HONEY LIME DRESSING

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup vegetable oil (I use olive oil)
• 1/4 teaspoon grated lime peel
• 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt (I use Lawry’s)
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika
• A dash of white pepper

Directions:

1. Shake all ingredients in a tightly covered jar and refrigerate.
2. Bring dressing to room temperature before serving and shake. Pour mixture over fruit right before serving.

Ze Carter is a food columnist for the Daily Commercial. Email her at zecarter12@gmail.com.