Double Double of 1921

It was about September or October of 1921 when my grandparents climbed aboard the train heading south into the United States from southern Saskatchewan. Harvest was in and now they could concentrate on some major family issues.

Four years earlier their oldest son and first child Robert was born. He was born a quadriplegic after a very difficult birth. Then came their second child, Dale. And in January 1921 their first daughter was born – Marion Nellie Kirkpatrick.

Their destination on the train was Rochester Minnesota and the Mayo Clinic. The Clinic was a marvelous addition to the Plains of the USA. The Mayo Brothers had continued the tradition of their father offering unique services to anyone that would come to Rochester with a need. The advances that the Hospital had made for the Medical Profession of their day was truly amazing. Along with the good things that were happening stories flowed across the plains region. If you had a problem that your doctor could not deal with or had no answer for – The Mayo Clinic would likely have help for you.

The words “Medical Mecca” make sense. In modern days it could be a Sick Children’s Hospital or some Cancer specialty center that has made a name for itself.

Some where between 1917 and 1921 Emma and Charlie Kirkpatrick had heard about the Mayo Clinic and directed their hope in that direction for their son Robert.

At one point they had been told that Robert would likely die before he was 12 years old. This was something that just happened. The obvious problems of looking after an invalid child in rural Saskatchewan in the 1920s were major.

From what I have gleaned from family stories – my Grandpa Kirk was a proud man. To have his first son born as a life long invalid must have been more than he could bear. To look for an alternative treatment was major for Grandpa. First it meant that he had to take his son out into an area where people might see him. Then the cost of travel to Minnesota was staggering for a poor farmer of that time. The fact that they actually did the trip was amazing.

Why not Toronto or maybe Montreal – Canadian cities and hospitals?

Well Grandpa Kirk was an American. They had all come from Iowa and settled in southern Saskatchewan. The USA was the place of roots. Everyone knew that you go home when you are in trouble.

As my grandparents left for this fairly long trip they had to find some one to look after young Dale and little “Nellie”. Their grandparents Benjamin and Lucinda were their help. So the kids went to Grandma Kirkpatrick’s place.

It was at Grandma Lucinda Kirkpatrick’s that my mother had her first “Double Double” – thought it was not called that in 1921.

Note…
“Double Double” is a very Canadian term developed in our Coffee Shops – particularly Time Hortons, Coffee Time and Country Style. It simply means that Black Coffee that has some additives – 2 creams (twice the cream) and 2 Sugars… yielding a rich drink that is simply delicious.

On the rural farm of 1921 the refrigerator and plastic bags were years to come. Cold storage was possible if you had an Ice House… or an Ice Box.

Fresh Bread was baked by the farmer’s wife – daily. And Fresh Bread was only fresh until the end piece was cut off. The crust on the bread always protected the loaf from drying. Fresh Bread was kept in a bread box where the flies and other bugs could not land on it… and only the occasional persistent mouse would get to it.

Every cut loaf had a “dry end piece”. The fresh bread was there after a few cuts. Someone would have to be left with the crusty – dried slices. These were saved until the end of the meal – or for a coffee break. But as the loaf neared its other end and was left for any time – there would be another 1/8 or ¼ of loaf that was dry.

Around the table my Grandpa Kirk always had his “Double Double” of that era.

Recipe for dry Crust and Coffee treat…
Make a pot of black coffee. Lay the dry bread on the dinner plate. Apply a thick layer of sugar to the surface and spread evenly. Depending on preference, you may also butter the bread surface before applying the sugar. Next, pour cream over this piece of prepared bread… finally adding the hot coffee making steam rise from the preparation.

The bread is not dry anymore… Mmmm mmm… it is so good!

In September – October of 1921, Nellie Kirkpatrick at 9 months old was weaned by eating the Bread and Coffee treat fed to her by her Grandmother. She had her first “Double Double”

Mom is quick to point out at that stage of the account that she started walking at 9 months old as well. I am not sure but it may have been the Double Double that made that action possible from the way that she tells it.

Mom told me that in Iowa eating the Bread and Coffee plate was a common practice long before the family moved to Saskatchewan in 1905. The whole family sat around the table savoring this mixture – dessert or coffee break – it was the original “Double Double” of farmers and rural folk.

Personally…
I have discovered only one other culture in Canada that enjoys this delight as much as “Iowa-ians”. That group live in Newfoundland on the east coast of Canada.

Their recipe is even better… fresh bread flat on the plate… buttered… then covered in golden molasses… spread over with Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk(a thick canned cream) and then hot coffee applied to the preparation.

Newfoundlanders know how to make it better!

As I prepared for this short posting I could not find any similar Bread and Coffee recipes. But one that was close was the Milk Toast that follows here.
MILK TOAST
Toast bread to a golden brown, having it dry all through. Keep hot in deep dish in oven. Make white sauce, using one and a half cups for six slices of toast. Pour between and over slices of toast and serve hot. If a softer toast is liked, quickly dip slices in hot water or milk before adding sauce.
WHITE SAUCE
2 tablespoons butter.2 tablespoons flour.1/4 teaspoon salt.1/8 teaspoon white pepper.1 cup milk.
Melt the butter, stir in the flour and seasoning and cook slowly without browning until the mixture bubbles. Remove from the high heat, add the milk gradually, beating and stirring constantly until the sauce thickens.

Oh my stomach is growling now… gotta run… and feed it. Yep – today I am going to have some Bread and Coffee – the original “Double Double”.

BTW – the Mayo Clinic couldn’t help my uncle or my grandparents – but the trip south after harvest likely did. My Uncle Bob lived until he was 69 years old and was the center of everyone’s love and attention…but that is another story.

~ Murray Lincoln ~
www.murraylincoln.com

Source:
http://www.mayoclinic.org/tradition-heritage/
http://www.mayoclinic.org/tradition-heritage/birth-ww-mayo.html
http://www.cooks.com/rec/story/128/