This recipe is adapted from one in Susan Branch’s book, Vineyard Seasons.  I made a note in my recipe binder:

“Made for Sunday dinner 8/22/93.  My daughters and I agreed it was one of the best things we have had in a long while.  I only made about 15 (instead of 24 as shown in recipe) but that was plenty.  Served with homemade French garlic bread and strawberry/kiwi drinks plus blackberry/apple pie.  A sumptuous repast.”

Note that making the ravioli is easy but time-consuming.  The ravioli can be made ahead and refrigerated  until time to steam or they can be steamed ahead of time and then warmed for about 3 minutes in a steamer.  Both versions can be frozen, allowed to come to room temperature and then steamed (8 minutes for raw ravioli, 3 minutes for steamed)..

WON TON RAVIOLI WITH WINE SAUCE

• ½ lb. ricotta cheese (or half of a 15 oz container)
• 2 Tbsp. basil pesto
• 24 won ton wrappers
• ¼ cup butter
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2/3 cup white wine
• ¼ cup fresh basil, minced
• 2 tsp. lemon juice
• Freshly ground pepper
• ¼ cup pine nuts, toasted

Mix together ricotta and pesto.

Lay out 6 won ton wrappers at a time on a piece of waxed paper and put a rounded tsp. of pesto mixture in the center of each won ton wrapper.

Dip your finger in a glass of water and moisten the edges of the wrappers.  Fold diagonally, press edges together.

Keep finished ravioli under damp cloth.  When all are done, place as many as can fit, without touching, into an oiled steamer basket.  Steam over boiling water, covered, for 8 minutes.

With a slotted spoon, remove ravioli one at a time and place on a plate.  Cover plate and keep in a warming oven (170 degrees F) until ready to serve.

While ravioli is steaming, make the sauce by melting butter in oil in a small skillet over medium low heat.  Saute garlic for 1-2 minutes, add wine and simmer gently for 2-3 minutes.  Remove from heat and stir in basil and lemon juice.  Place 6 ravioli on each of 4 serving plates and pour over sauce.  Top with a grating of black pepper and toasted pine nuts.

Servings:  4 – serve with some good bread for sopping up the sauce.

…my paternal grandfather…

…my paternal great-grandfather….

….my paternal great-great grandfather….

…and my maternal grandfather

Happy Father’s Day memories of all of the fathers and forefathers.

When I went to work as a secretary in Procter & Gamble’s corporate offices, they were located in the old Gwynne Building on Sixth and Main Streets in downtown Cincinnati.  The 12-story Gwynne Building was completed in 1914 and Alice Gwynne Vanderbilt (wife of Cornelius III) dedicated it to her father, prominent Cincinnati lawyer and Judge, Abraham Gwynne. Procter & Gamble leased the building and eventually purchased it in 1935. The building served as Procter & Gamble’s corporate headquarters until 1956.  When I went to work there in 1950, on the ground floor was a Dow drugstore and an Italian restaurant.   The drugstore was handy for a quick candy bar or soft drink and when the girls got together for drinks after work, they usually chose the Italian restaurant (whiskey sours were a favorite).

The Gwynne Building – P&G’s corporate offices from 1914-1956

On the 12th floor of the building was a huge employee dining room.  I liked to choose a one-person table near a window where I could have a gorgeous panoramic view of the city while I ate the wonderful food that was served.  Maybe because of the Crisco connection, they always offered an array of pies which was excellent.  I had my first taste of pecan pie here and it was memorable.  After I left the company to start my family (most women did not continue working after their first baby at that time), I tried several recipes, trying to duplicate the P&G cafeteria pecan pie.  In the 1970s, I found this recipe in Dear Abby’s column in the newspaper and I thought it came closest to what I was looking for.  It’s been a family favorite ever since – often included with our Thanksgiving pies.  This is an easy pie to make.

ABBY’S PECAN PIE

• 1 cup light corn syrup
• 1 cup dark brown sugar
• 3 whole eggs, slightly beaten
• 1/3 tsp salt
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/3 cup melted butter (cooled)
• 1 unbaked 9-inch pie shell (my favorite is here) 
• 1 cup pecan halves and pieces

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

In a medium bowl, mix together the light corn syrup and dark brown sugar.

Whisk in the eggs, salt, vanilla and cooled melted butter.

Pour into the unbaked pie shell and sprinkle pecans evenly over the top of the filling.

Place on a flat sheet to catch spills and bake @ 375 degrees F for approximately 45 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center of the pie comes out clean.

Cool on a wire rack.

“This is a specialty of the house recipe from the Phoenix Hotel in Lexington, Kentucky.  I begged this from the pastry chef to share with you.  Abigail Van Buren (Dear Abby)”

Servings:  6 to 8.  This is a very rich pie and a smaller piece might be just right for most people, but it’s my youngest daughter’s favorite and she likes a nice big slice.

Procter & Gamble’s current headquarters