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46 | SUN LAKES LIFESTYLES | SEPTEMBER 2022 | A recipe has no soul. You as the cook, must bring soul to the recipe. ~ Thomas Keller, the sophisticated gourmet. Wasn't that BBQ amazing? Thank you to our very own Mary Miller for doing the grillin' with some assistance from Jeannie Lloyd. These ladies grilled delicious hamburgers, hot dogs, and veggie burgers. A big thank you to our sponsor, Albertson's, who helped with the food as well as providing us with a huge basket full of BBQ related items. The Manager, Celia Ahumada, was our guest speaker and drew the winning ticket. Beverly Agner was the lucky winner. The two winners for the wine tasting certificates from last month's event were Jean Dobson and Duane Fink. Additional drawings were held for gift bags with BBQ related items. Thank you to our members for bringing the side dishes, which included the traditional deviled eggs and potato salad, and plenty of delicious desserts. This month's meeting is about celebrating apples with Oak Glen and will be our guest speaker's topic. Our meeting will be held on Sept. 23 at 11 am in the South Clubhouse; please come and join us. The most popular use of apples is apple pie. To my surprise, I discovered the most un-American history of apple pie. It originated in England, where it arose out of culinary influences from France, the Netherlands, and the Ottoman Empire as early as 1390, centuries before the Pilgrims set foot on Plymouth Rock. But when it comes to Americana, apple pie is right up there with Mickey Mouse, Coca-Cola, and Ford trucks. Arguably the country's most iconic dish, it's been showing up at Fourth of July barbecues and Thanksgiving feasts for generations. But don't let that fool you; apple pie isn't nearly as American as most people believe. In fact, apples aren't even native to North America, and didn't grow here until the arrival of European settlers. Eventually apple pie was brought to the colonies by European settlers, where the dish quickly caught on. America's first cookbook, American Cookery by Amelia Simmons, published in 1796, included two recipes for the fruit-based dessert. Easy and affordable, apple pie was in American cuisine by the 18th and 19th centuries. It didn't become associated with our cultural identity until the 20th century when advertising, news, and two world wars transformed the dish into a nationalist symbol. Though the exact origin of the phrase "as American as apple pie" is unclear, a 1928 New York Times article used it to describe the homemaking abilities of First Lady Lou Henry Hoover. By WWII, it was a symbol of feminine love associated with the warmth of home, and soldiers were proudly proclaiming that they were fighting for "mom and apple pie." No matter it's origin, I think we can all agree it is a delicious dessert. Cooking with love provides food for the soul… happy cooking. For membership information, call Barbara Elness at (407) 432-8363. ~ President, Raelene Kretchman (714) 815-6990 Happy Cookers Ceila Ahumada, Albertson's Manager, and Raelene Kretchman Beverly Agner

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