I spoke last week to a group of parents of special-needs children, and the conversation turned to old cookbooks. Egads, I love them.

My favorite is one my late mother used, "Meta Given's Encyclopedia of Cooking," which seems to have been first published in 1947. I have the 1955 edition.

It's chock-a-block with anti quated stuff. I never, and you shouldn't, use the techniques for canning or preserving foods in these old books, and I am never going to make Muskrat Fricassee (calls for one dressed muskrat. If I could picture what a muskrat looked like I'd picture it dressed in top hat and tails. Carrying a cane).

But there's also a lot of useful stuff in this book, which is in two volumes and has 1,500 pages. Including index.

I've tried loosely over the years to find information about the author but to little avail. She was of some note in the 1940s through the early '60s, if the popularity of her cookbooks is any indication. Her first was the "The Modern Family Cookbook," published in 1942.

The encyclopedia's foreword says Ms. Given grew up on a "Missouri hill farm," learning to cook with the limited foodstuffs available to her.

She then studied home economics and became involved in developing and testing recipes, and in writing about nutrition, shopping and kitchen equipment.

Her foreword to my edition -- purchased on eBay and immediately chewed on by my golden retriever puppy, who smelled food -- was written from Orlando in 1955.

I've included the recipe for Walnut Bars at right. I made these over and over when I was a child.

Thanks, Meta.

And thanks to the gentlewomen of Mt. Lebanon's Southminster Presbyterian Church caregivers group, loyal Food & Flavor fans. For more information on the caregivers, who meet once a month, call Robie Bruesewitz via Southminster Church, 412- 343-8900.

More special-needs helpers

Achieva will hold its annual Promenade Auction on April 25 at the Westin Convention Center Hotel, Downtown. Tickets are $100 and include dinner and an evening of bidding, silent and live, on fabulous prizes. This year they include a Hawaii vacation and a Super Bowl football signed by Ben Roethlisberger. The evening is capped with a $10,000 raffle prize drawing. To purchase tickets, call Connie Reilsono at 412-995-5000, ext. 404, or e-mail creilsono@achieva.info.

One down

Food Network's "Last Cake Standing" competition bested Michelle Bommarito of Ferndale, Mich., whose life-story cake failed to make the grade. She was voted off by her com petitors in an emotional tally. Mary Maher, of Chicago, won with her cake, which melded her studies in Mexico and France. It's stunning, if not cakelike in appearance. Next week: Competitors create a wedding cake in eight hours. The winner is served that night at a reception.

Local cake

Saturday's "Let Them Eat Cake" fundraiser for The Midwife Center drew 250 people and raised $13,000, says Christine Haas, executive director.

Winners are:

Best Overall Taste-- White Lily, from Food Glorious Food

Best Overall Decorated -- Green Apples, Vanilla Pastry Studio

People's Choice for Best Taste -- Candy Caramel Apple Cake, Diana Hull

People's Choice For Best Decorated -- Save Our Seas, ChrissyCakes

Professional Taste -- White Lily

Professional Alternative Taste -- Apple Cake With Honey Butter Cream, Sweet Tammy's

Amateur Taste -- Berry-Berry Chocolate, Jan Williams

Professional Decorated -- Green Apples

Amateur Decorated -- tie, Go-Green-Recycle by Nancy Becker and Go Green by Debbie Vidorich.

Wine, whine

Animal Friends will host a wine-tasting from 7 to 9 p.m. April 24 at the shelter, 562 Camp Horne Road, Ohio Township. A $20 donation is requested. Register by calling 412-847-7055.

Attendees must be 21, with ID. Bring your dog, but on a leash. And dress in a mismatched outfit to support the idea that imperfect pets can be your best match.

Friends holds a BYODog Paws and Pours event each month. For more information, go to thinkingoutsidethecage.org.

It's ramp time

The 19th Mason-Dixon Ramp Festival will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. April 18 and 19 in Mount Morris. Ramps of every stripe, from beer-battered to kielbasa, will be available, along with sweets, music and crafts.

Call 304-879-5500 or visit masondixonpark.com for more information.

Walnut Sticks

PG tested

Sweet and chewy, these cookies are made in two parts: A separately baked base and a topping that is put on it before the whole thing is baked again. The recipe calls for mixing the base with a wooden spoon. You can use an electric mixer but I need the exercise. -- Margi Shrum

Part 1

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup butter or margarine
• 1/2 cup moist brown sugar, packed

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, 10 minutes before baking.

Grease a 131/2-by-91/2-by-3/4-inch jellyroll pan.

Sift flour and measure. Cream soft butter until shiny; add sugar, creaming well. Add flour in 3 or 4 portions and mix with a wooden spoon until dough is smooth and stiff.

Turn dough out into pan. Pat out and press into a thin, even layer. Smooth edges and top well with a spatula.

Bake 15 minutes. Cool in pan.

Meanwhile, make Part 2.

Part 2

• 1/4 cup shredded coconut, packed
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• 3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
• Confectioners' sugar
  
  

Chop or shear coconut with kitchen scissors into short shreds.

Stir brown sugar, flour and baking powder together to blend.

Beat in next 3 ingredients with electric mixer. Stir in coconut and nuts with a wooden spoon.

Spread mixture evenly over Part 1.

Return to oven and bake 15 to 18 minutes. Top appears slightly underbaked.

Cook slightly in pan on cake rack. Dust with confectioners' sugar.

-- "Meta Given's Modern Encyclopedia of Cooking" (J.G. Ferguson and Associates, 1955)

First Published: April 9, 2009, 4:00 a.m.