the recipe

Who out there remembers sisters Emily and Mamie Baldwin and their concoction of "the Recipe" from The Waltons?

As explained by Earl Hamner (creator and writer of the show), when talking about his inspiration for the Baldwin sisters: "Down on Route 6 between Esmont and Scottsville lived two ladies who made an elixir they referred to as their Papa's Recipe. They were proud of their product, and whenever anyone would sample it, they would lean over, watch them and wait anxiously for a reaction: Was it smooth enough?, Had it been a good batch? And was the recipe machine working? I wasn't old enough to sample the Recipe but my father and uncles stopped there quite often and they seemed to find the Recipe much to their satisfaction."

In my family, we drink the Recipe, too...only it is much different from what was created by the sisters. Basically it's our morning coffee drink, made from General Foods International Coffees. We just like the name 'the Recipe' because it gives it some personality. I personally like Viennese Chocolate Cafe and Suisse Mocha, but all the flavors are good. Directions are simple. Boil water in your teapot. Get out your favorite mug. Two scoops of the coffee, a packet of Sweet-N-Low, and two large marshmallows on top complete the drink. This is heaven in the morning. This drink is also good on a rainy or cold afternoon when you need something to ward off a chill or the blues. Enjoy!