In early December of 1977, food editor Laurin Stamm began a weekly recipe column titled “From the Kitchen of The Cypress House.” The column ran continuously through November of 2000, featuring one or two recipes each week, and totaling more than 1,150 recipes over the 23 years.

Checkout, a current weekly column that features various food stories, events and recipes, looks back at some of the most popular recipes from The Kitchen of the Cypress House, and perhaps a newly discovered one every now and then.

From The Kitchen of The Cypress House, 1978:

 

The very best soup we make in the kitchen of The Cypress House — ask the KA chapter at Millsaps or the Ehrhardts or the Barksdales — is Cream of Mushroom Soup. And it bears little resemblance to the canned mixture by the same name. The recipe was given to me by my sister-in-law Dorothy Neill of Tallulah. It is truly delicious and not difficult at all. A quart of this, by the way, makes a good gift for the holidays ahead.

 

Cream of Mushroom Soup

1 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced

3 cups chicken broth, canned or homemade

1 bunch green onions thinly sliced, or 1 small onion, chopped

4 tablespoons flour

4 tablespoons butter

1 cup milk or cream

Salt and black pepper to taste

Dash of white pepper

1 tablespoon Worcestershire

Cayenne or Tabasco to taste

 

Sauté the onions and mushrooms in butter. Add flour and mix. Add broth and milk slowly, stirring constantly. Add seasonings to taste and let simmer until hot.

 

From The Kitchen  of The Cypress House, 1978

Cream of Tomato Soup

1 large can tomatoes

1 large can evaporated milk

1 can water

3 strips bacon

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 small onion chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

Chopped fresh parsley

 

Fry bacon until all grease is rendered; remove from pan, drain and crumble. Set bacon aside. Sauté onion in bacon drippings until clear; do not brown. Add tomatoes, breaking up as you stir. Cook over low flame with lid on until most of the juice is cooked down. Add soda, stirring constantly. Add milk and water. Bring to a boil, do not boil or soup will curdle. To serve, add bacon bits and chopped parsley.

(If you prefer soup a little thicker, cut down on the water; or you might try half water, half tomato juice.)

–recipe from Mrs. C.O. Ratelle