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.

Many of our readers have commented favorably on the recipes from our old columns, which ran from December of 1977 through November of 2000. If perhaps you remember a particular recipe you would like to see repeated, just let us know. The recipes are all filed and, with a complete index, very little trouble to locate.

Incidentally the pen-line drawing of the kitchen in The Cypress House was done by the late Robbie Barrier, who was proofreader for the Post for many years. And other than adding a Viking stove and Sub Zero refrigerator, little has changed.

From The Kitchen of The Cypress House, Dec. 5, 1979:

Sweet Potatoes are a favorite for this time of year, and with the delayed cold weather the potatoes are just now getting plentiful and full-flavored.

At Thanksgiving and Christmas we fix a baked sweet potato casserole, but another favorite recipe is one the late Libby Horn shared with us some years ago. It’s easy and so good. Thought you might like to have it for this holiday season.

Candied Yams

4 medium sweet potatoes

1 cup sugar

Dash of salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Pinch of nutmeg

3/4 stick real butter

2 slices lemon

1 tablespoon flour

1/4 cup water

Peel and cut potatoes as for thick French fries. Place in a 9 x 2-inch baking dish. Cover potatoes with the sugar and salt. Sprinkle cinnamon and nutmeg over the sugar. More can be used.

Cover the pieces of butter. Twist slices of lemon over this and place the peel in with the potatoes. Sift the flour evenly over the potatoes. Add the water to the mixture so it may barely be seen.

Bake in a 400-degree oven for one hour, or until the potatoes are done and the sugar and butter have made a thick syrup about the consistency of molasses. Baste the potatoes frequently with the syrup. Serves 4 to 6.

 P.S. Jane D. Please check the ingredients list before baking Jeneva’s Fresh Beef Brisket again. And isn’t it delicious?