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WHEN KENTUCKY’S MARION FLEXNER WROTE HER much-loved cookbook, Out of Kentucky Kitchens (1949), it wasn’t her first book, and yet it was her best. In this classic book, her detailed recipe organization, passion for cooking, and love of local foods gelled. I was able to study a copy of this book while researching Baking in the American South, and with school mornings back in swing, I wanted to share her story and recipe. Marion was the daughter of cookbook author Adele Kahn Weil, of Montgomery, Alabama, who co-wrote The Twentieth Century Cook Book (1898), a comprehensive book filled with Southern recipes and specifically, Southern Jewish recipes. Marion Flexner, whom her grandchildren called ‘’Gran-Gran,’’ took a page from her mother’s playbook and immersed herself in fine cooking. She flew to Paris for cooking classes at Le Cordon Bleu, summoned restaurant chefs out of the kitchen for their recipes and wrote about them in Louisville’s newspaper, The Courier-Journal. And she secretly hoped one grandchild would pursue cooking because she found such joy in it. But that didn’t happen. As was the case with many home cooks in the 1950s and ‘60s, she employed Black help in her Louisville kitchen, most notably Margaret and Louis Smith. Louis taught Marion’s grandson Morris Flexner to scramble eggs slowly over low heat. Morris, now an environmental scientist in Athens, Georgia, says those were ‘’the best scrambled eggs I have ever eaten. I inherited the small iron skillet that he used to teach me as a child, and I still scramble my eggs in it. Louis had a big smile that could light up a room and was a quiet, gentle person with a warm soul. I can still hear him saying, ‘Yes, Mrs. Flexner,’ when they worked together in the kitchen…I’ve never met another person that was as passionate about cooking and bringing people together at the dinner table to eat a home cooked meal than Gran-Gran.’’
Marion Flexner thought these were the best waffles she had ever eaten—‘’crisp on the outside, yet they have body.’’The dame of Kentucky cooking, Marion would use waffles as a bed for creamed oysters or chicken a la king. She would place them instead of biscuits in strawberry shortcake. And she would cook them for breakfast with Louis Smith’s help. Ever detail oriented, Marion, who tested recipes repeatedly until one was just right for publication, converting pinches and dashes into teaspoons and tablespoons, stored the leftover waffle batter in the refrigerator and used it the following day. But she notes that it needs 1/2 to 1 teaspoon baking powder dissolved in 1 to 2 tablespoons water to every cup of leftover batter to give it a boost so the waffles cook up light again. And if you add a little milk to thin out the batter, you’ve got pancakes. Marion’s son and Morris’ father, John M. Flexner, M.D., was professor of medicine emeritus at Vanderbilt University. After his mother died in 1992, he donated her papers, including recipe notes, revisions, personal cookbooks, and photographs, to Vanderbilt, where I spent hours in the archives learning about Marion Flexner.
Travel Notes from Book Tour!Here are some highlights and suggestions thus far should you travel to the South: (This morning I am in New Orleans and have a signing tonight at 6 pm at Octavia Books, New Orleans people. Tomorrow I will be at the Southern Food & Beverage Museum at 6 pm.)
What’s coming next Tuesday for Paid Subscribers? My visit to Eudora Welty’s house and gardens.
Have you been baking from my book? Shelf Awareness (a newsletter written by booksellers and librarians) gives it a starred review this week as one of the 25 Best Books This Week. You can also post a review on Amazon or Barnes & Noble! I appreciate your support so much. - xo, Anne
THE RECIPE: Marion Flexner’s Perfection WafflesThis recipe made about 8 to 10 waffles on my waffle iron, but the yield really depends on the size of your waffle iron. Make sure the iron is well heated and brushed with oil before pouring on batter. Cook as long as the waffle maker suggests, waiting for the light to turn green before opening. Makes 6 servings Prep: 20 to 25 minutes Cook: 2 to 4 minutes per waffle, depending on your waffle iron
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