Tante Do-Do

My Mom showed up the other night with a special surprise for me. She passed along a few vintage aprons she had stashed away that she knew I would just love. I'm not sure why, but tying on a frilly vintage apron seems to transform my state of mind. I love to bake anyway, but baking in a pretty apron? It just makes me feel like I'm somehow a better Mom...

"Beaver, how was school today??"

My baking doesn't turn out any better, but getting things in and out of the oven seems much more, oh, stylish. It goes without saying that I'm generally in a fine mood while preparing to consume baked goods, but doing so in an apron makes it that much sweeter, and more cheerful. In fact, as I write, a thought occurs to me. Perhaps I need to tie aprons on my family members and just see what happens!

Anyway, frilly aprons do make my heart skip a beat, and these aprons in particular are very special to me. My Oma had two sisters, and all three of those life-loving German women lived right next door to each other. Can you imagine my poor Mom and her cousins growing up on that street? If their own Mom didn't catch them creating mischief, one of their Aunts probably did. I'm sure they got into lots of trouble. Especially my Mother. :)

Gertrude was the oldest of the three sisters, all of whom were called "Tante" in our family, because "Tante" is German for "Aunt". Gertrude was hard to pronounce, so someone in the family tree, I'm not sure who, shortened her name to "Do Do". I just know Gertrude was eternally grateful. So, in my family, the reigning matriarch was Tante Do Do. (Pronounced "ton-a-doo-doo.) Isn't that tops? Could there possibly be a family nickname to beat that one??

Do Do made the aprons. I wish I had the ability to scan photos so I could post a picture of her. She had eyes that danced, and an infectious, stellar smile. She was a firecracker of a woman with a lightning quick wit, a razor sharp tongue, and the biggest, kindest heart that God ever did give a Tante. She had an amazing talent for handcrafts. I have hand smocked dresses that she made for me when I was a baby, that Emma now wears. The Bambi quilt that is on Emma's crib at my Mom's house was cross stitched by Do Do for my crib when I was a baby. And now I can set to work in my kitchen with Tante Do Do's infamous white bread recipe while wearing my brand new, very old apron.

One apron is a simple gingham. Tante used the squares to cross stitch a delicate floral design, and she also trimmed all the edges with little white "x" stitches. The other apron is a very light fabric with lace inserts and a beautiful hand worked ruffle. Crocheting perhaps, or maybe tatting. I'm a firm believer in using beautiful things and not just saving them, so I will happily wear my new treasures, and bake my little beavers some white bread.

Tante Do-Do's White Bread Recipe

2 1/2 cups warm milk
3 T. sugar
1 T. salt
2 T. soft butter
2 cakes yeast, dissolved in 1/2 cup warm water
7 or 7 1/2 cups flour

Add sugar, salt and butter to warm milk. Add 1/2 of the four and yeast mixture. Mix with electric mixer until well blended. Add the rest of the flour and until able to knead. Knead until smooth. Let rise until doubled. Shape into loaves. Let rise again. Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes until golden brown. Dough can be made into dinner rolls, affectionately called "Tante Buns".