Ms. Lillian Langseth-Christensen, Part III of IV

So the patina of vacation wore off and upon returning we dove back into rehearsals for The Merdjanoff Summer Spectacular! (which, of course, you no doubt saw and by which were no doubt blow away). During the post-show schmooze time, a dear friend handed me a deftly wrapped package that weighed roughly 75 lbs.

"No need to open it now," she informed, "but please know that it's not new."

My curiosity roused, unwrapping it was my first action upon returning home that evening and imagine my surprise when there in my very own lap lay the first edition of Gourmet's Old Vienna Cookbook, a Viennese Memoir by Ms. Lillian Langseth-Christensen! More surprising still was that my friend had no knowledge of my already months old relationship with Ms. Christensen and only knew of my trip to Vienna, nothing more.

In the category of "They Don't Make 'Em Like They Used To", this book, published in 1959, not only contains more than 500 pages of recipes and suggested menus with occasional full-color photographs but also dozens of stories and historical explanations on food and the Viennese way of life, to say nothing of the charming sketches gracing every page.

Thank you, Catherine, for a gift beyond perfection. Thank you, Ms. Lillian Langseth-Christensen for sharing your knowledge. Now, with 500 pages of recipes from which to choose...what shall I make?

To be continued...someday!