Rescued...

Well, I’ve done it this time. I decided to thin my collection of cookbooks. After all, any recipe I can possibly ever need, can be found on www.allrecipes.com.

I started the process a couple of weeks ago. Selecting the old AWP (Associated Women for Pepperdine) book because it had obviously had the most use, I checked its remaining pages carefully for anything of value. What surprised me was that in spite of it’s missing covers and the index being used in various pages as bookmarks, I only salvaged three recipes to be sure they are preserved in my computer “recipes” file.

That was the last time I touched that project. However, last night I found myself needing the recipe for leftover turkey – not just any recipe. Angie Long’s recipe. I knew exactly where to find it. It is on the lower right-hand page of the “Daybreak Camp Cookbook.” When Cindy Thorpe, Pepperdine secretary par excellent, was visiting us in Juneau umpteen years ago, she asked several people to contribute to a money-raiser cookbook. I have ALWAYS used Angie’s recipe for “Chicken Supreme.” Even on the next page, there are other, similar recipes; but Angie’s recipe has been proven in my own kitchen.

I took down all of my cookbooks, and Daybreak Camp was nowhere to be found. My first thought was to call someone – anyone – in Juneau to see if they had their copy still. However, everyone I could think to call is traveling. Then I thought of Jack and Carolyn. Jack is Cindy Thorpe’s grandson, and he and Carolyn actually lived on the premises of Daybreak Camp, in the Bay area of California, for awhile; they now reside in central California. By some weird coincidence, I actually had Jack’s phone number stored in my computer address file.

On the fourth ring, what I assumed was the answer machine picked up the phone saying, “Hello, you’ve reached Jack.” When the voice did not add “Leave a message,” I gathered my wits enough to ask if this was a real person. Indeed, it was.

“Jack. This is Betty. Do you have the “Daybreak Camp Cookbook”? I muttered as though we converse often.

“Sure do. Whatcha need?”

“Angie Long’s Chicken Surprise or Supreme or something like that.”

“Carolyn’s already getting it down.. Here it is…”

I love it when a plan falls together! Thanks Jack & Carolyn.