It is always a great pleasure for John and M.E. to meet up with former students. It is especially nice when Susan McEowan and her husband David come back to Indiana from California and they include us in their invitation to meet and chat. Last fall another student John had not seen for ages, Nona Hodder, was there. That evening took years off us. It was SO enjoyable. A few days later, Nona e-mailed me this unusual recipe for a cake. She said that this comes from a deceased friend of hers, a Dorothy Hunter who was the wife of Rev. Barton Hunter of the Irvington, Indianapolis area. This is an old Hunter family recipe.

1 lb. raisins
2 lb. gumdrops
1 1/2 C. applesauce
1 C. nuts
4 C. flour
1/2 t. ground cloves
1/2 t. nutmeg
1 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. salt
1 t. vanilla
1 t. soda in 1 T. hot water
1 C. oleo
2 C. sugar
2 eggs

Cream oleo and sugar together.
Add eggs and vanilla and mix well.
Use 1 C. of flour and dredge the gumdrops, raisins and nuts.
Add rest of flour and spices, soda, hot water and applesauce.
Fold gumdrop, raisins, and nuts into batter.
Grease 2 large and 1 small bread pans then line with greased waxed paper. (One can use the relatively new Pam Baking spray that has flour included. It works!)
Bake at 325 for 1 hour, 15-20 minutes for the small pan and 1 hour 30-35 minutes for the large pans.

NOTE: There was a quotation written at the bottom of the copy of the recipe Dorothy gave to Nona. She must have been a VERY special person as this quotation will verify: We may live without friends, we may live without books, but civilized man cannot live without cooks! m.e.