19th Century Astoria, Oregon--home to my series

 Over the past five years, I’ve built a multi-ethnic cast of characters (Swedish, Danish, German, Irish, Finnish, Russian, and Scottish) with my contributions to the Old-Timey Holiday Kitchen series. I set all five novellas in Astoria, Oregon, between 1876 and 1879. I like to think the hub of the community is the Riverside Bakery, where the first three heroines served as managers. The most recent addition is Kringla by Kelci, in which I gave cameos to as many past characters as I could fit into the story.

Kelci Odell yearns to be a newspaper reporter and is caught upstairs at a saloon, dressed as a man. Her wish was to interview the ladies and expose their plight in an article that would land her a job…instead of making cheese on the family dairy farm. But her conservative Norwegian family is scandalized. The solution: send Kelci to her cousin Ritter’s Astoria, Oregon hotel until the gossip dies down. Being in a new location doesn’t quash her curiosity.

Even though Hauk Stefanssen spends his days on a fishing trawler, he hears about the schemes of a new arrival in town from his chatty younger sisters. The woman’s spoken with Peder at the fire safety council and Eryk at the family’s cannery. Feeling ignored, he seeks her out and is bowled over by her assertive personality. After reading her articles, he sees through the brashness to the compassionate woman inside and vows to become better acquainted.  But what does an easy-going fisherman have to offer this dynamo?

Amazon link and in KU

The other titles are:

Ginger Cake by Glynna

Aebleskiver by Annika

Butter Pound Cake by Berdina

Escalope by Emma

Written as standalones, they are enjoyed read in the above order because subsequent stories include mentions of previous characters.

I have thoroughly enjoyed diving into the research to make the city come alive and have loved the tidbits I learned about ethnic customs.

If you had to pick one most important thing you want to see included in historical stories, what would it be?

The Surprisingly Un-American History of Apple Pie - by Jo-Ann Roberts

Happy Thanksgiving!!! Goodness, 2025 is flying by at warped speed! Today is Thanksgiving. Once you've enjoyed the turkey and fixings, and are anticipating dessert, here's a short history of that perennial favorite...apple pie!

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Everyone knows the phrase "as American as apple pie." It's a warm, golden, buttery badge of patriotism that's served up at July 4th picnics, Thanksgiving tables, and small-town diners across the country.

But did you know the star-spangled sweet isn't really American at all? In fact, if this pie had a passport, it would have stamps from England, France, the Netherlands, and a few centuries of travel under its crust.

The French had their Tarte Tatin, the Dutch had their streusel-topped pastries, and the Swedes had apple desserts that could rival anything cooling on an American windowsill.

Tarte Tatin

Swedish Apple Pie

The Apples

The crisp, juicy varieties that many hands across the country slice for pie aren't even native to North America. Early settlers brought seeds from Europe, and it took years of careful grafting and cultivating before America could even produce an apple fit for dessert. The only apples that grew here before colonists arrived were crabapples--tart little guys that definitely weren't meant for a lattice-topped legacy.

Crabapple Tree

The Spices

And what about those warm, cozy spices associated with homemade apple pie? Cinnamon, nutmeg, clove--all imported from Asia via European spice trade routes. So, even the flavor apple pie had to take a long journey to get here.

The Crust (in my opinion, the best part of the pie!)

The idea of encasing fruit in flaky pastry was happening centuries before Betsy Ross ever got to stitching the Stars and Stripes. The concept of wrapping fruit in dough dates back to medieval Europe. The first recorded apple pie receipt (recipe) in England around 1390. It included apples, figs, raisins, pears, and--oddly enough--no sugar! In the 14th century, sugar was a pricey commodity, so dried fruits pulled double duty as sweeteners.

Despite its international roots, apple pie slowly earned its place in American kitchens. By the end of the 18th century, the first American-published cookbook, American Cookery by Ameilia Simmons, included two apple pie recipes.

Cultural Significance

Apple pie's association with American culture came into its own in the early 20th century. It became a symbol of patriotism, especially during World War II, when soldiers would say they were fighting for "mom and apple pie." The phrase "as American as apple pie" began to appear in print around this time, reinforcing its status as a national symbol.

Today, apple pie is celebrated as a classic American dessert, often served at

holidays, family gatherings and, at least in our home, my husband's birthday request. Its significance extends beyond just being a dessert. It reflects the themes of home, comfort, and its deep-rooted connection to American identity despite its non-American origins.

Apple pie's journey from European kitchens and orchards to American tables illustrates the blending of cultures and culinary traditions make it a beloved symbol of American heritage.

"Wishing you a Thanksgiving filled with love, laughter, and

the warmth of cherished moments."

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CLICK HERE

CHRISTMAS BRIDES OF HARMONY

This anthology contains three standalone, yet inter-connected, books based in Harmony, Kansas. It’s nearing Christmas and the Circle of Friends Quilting group is planning the Annual Christmas Quilt Giveaway. Here, the quilts are stitched with love and where the quilter weaves dreams into reality, one thread at a time.

Noelle

A widow reluctant to love again…

A deputy determined to win her heart…

With Christmas looming, will the growing attraction between Noelle and the deputy reveal the gift of a second chance? Or could a stranger from the deputy's past threaten the man who captured her heart?

Hope

He was the most stubborn and prideful man she’d ever met.

She was a busybody who stuck her nose in his business at every turn!

As Christmas approaches, will they look beyond each other’s faults and see a future blossom from a special, once-in-a-lifetime friendship?

Ivy

He was the town bully.

She was his target.

Had anything changed?

Was Ivy Sutton willing and able to forgive the boy who made her childhood unbearable?

Can Grady Walsh make up for the reckless actions of his youth?

Or will another steal her away before they have a chance to discover a kind of love that might heal the pain from the past?

In Praise of Thanksgiving

Post (C) Doris McCraw

aka Angela Raines

As holidays go, there are Halloween and the Dia de Muertos. This is followed by Thanksgiving and then Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa. As the years have passed, we seem to jump from the end of October holidays to the end of December holidays, with Thanksgiving getting lost in the shuffle of candy and gifts.

It was not always this way. Those who know its history know it dates back to the early days of the Pilgrims' settlement on the eastern seaboard. By 1863, then-President Lincoln made it a national holiday, and in 1941, it was set nationwide as the fourth Thursday of November.

In her 1926 writing "An Outline for the Study of Early Rhode Island," she states: "Thanksgiving, to the New Englander, is a season of home thought, gratitude, and of home-turning, if that be possible. It is the supreme feast of the family, and the home, particularly to those born and bred under New England skies."

Image (C) Doris McCraw

In his 1936 publication, William B. Newell, "Indians at Work," states: "Careful study of the historical background of our present Thanksgiving Day shows that all of the early day Thanksgivings proclaimed since the first one in 1637 have been to thank God for some bloody military victory over the Indians, French, or the English. It was not until the time of Abraham Lincoln that we observed the real Indian Thanksgiving Day. When Lincoln issued his Thanksgiving Day proclamation, it was to thank the Great Spirit for the fruits of the earth. It was the first real Indian Thanksgiving and it had taken the Whites many years to learn what a real Thanksgiving Day should be like."

And finally, from the 1913 publication "The Improvement Era, Vol. 17," an entry by Lee A. Snow has this to say, "Though Thanksgiving ranks with the Fourth of July as an American institution, it touches a deeper chord in our feelings with its early three hundred years of historic associations. It combines the religious, social and festal enjoyments, and it fills a very unique place in our social and national life."

Of all the holidays that come at the end of the year, Thanksgiving has always been my favorite. I've always been so thankful for the blessings in my life, and as I age, it becomes even more evident,

May this look back at some of the early thoughts on Thanksgiving give a historic perspective on this fourth Thursday in November. 

Wishing everyone a day and year full of many things to be thankful for.

Until Next Time,

Doris

Angela Raines - Amazon

Doris A. McCraw - Amazon

Stagecoaches to Yosemite by Zina Abbott

Although rumors of a great valley with steep, granite walls in the Sierra Nevada Mountains existed by the 1840's, Americans of European descent did not enter Yosemite Valley prior to 1851. As word spread of unique and breathtaking beauty, in increasing numbers, adventurers traveled to the region to view and explore. Once the federal government,set apart Yosemite Valley and the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias as the Yosemite Grant and turned administration over to the State of California, interest in the region increased. At first, the only way in and out of either grant land was either on foot or on horseback.  

Rail lines and stagecoach routes connecting to Yosemite as of 1885

The completion of the Transcontinental Railroad coupled with Central Pacific Railroad's decision to build a north-south line from Sacramento south promised easier access to those wishing to visit the Yosemite Grant lands. As more tourists poured into California for the purpose of visiting these two preserves, merchants and businesses from Stockton down to Madera saw the benefit of investing in wagon roads that would encourage visitors to patronize their stores and hotels.  

Since the Yosemite Grant lands were surrounded by the gold mining regions, a multitude of stagecoach companies operated nearby. Before long, the process of obtaining permission to build toll roads that would allow stagecoach travel to and from the Yosemite area began.

The Coulterville Company was formed in 1859. After extending its road to Crane Flat not far from Yosemite, the owner, Dr. John T. McLean, arranged with the Yosemite commissioners in charge of the two grant lands for his company to build a road into Yosemite Valley from the north. He negotiated an agreement that his company would have exclusive rights for stagecoach travel for ten years.

 

Dr. McLean then formed the Coulterville and Yosemite Turnpike Company. As part of this  agreement, the road was projected in 1870 and completed to the Merced River in Yosemite Valley in June of 1874. The Coulterville Road holds the distinction of being the first to make the Yosemite Valley accessible to wheeled vehicles.

The Big Oak Flat Company, which also operated in the foothills near Yosemite, applied to extend their road to Yosemite Valley after the Yosemite Commissioners gave exclusive rights to the Coulterville Road. The commissioners refused to violate their agreement with McLean’s company. Unwilling to accept the refusal, the Big Oak Flat Company went over their heads to the state legislature, which passed an act that allowed them to build their road.

The "Zig-Zag" section of the talus slopes of Big Oak Flat Road

The Big Oak Flat and Yosemite Turnpike Road, which began in Chinese Camp (To read my recent post on Chinese Camp, click HERE), was completed to the floor of Yosemite in July, 1874, one month after the Coulterville Road reached the Valley. Because both sought to attract tourists arriving from the north and west, the operation of the Big Oak Flat Road worked as a detriment to the Coulterville Road.  

Galen Clark in front of his cabin

Galen Clark, an early resident of the Yosemite area was instrumental in having Yosemite Valley and the Mariposa Grove set aside as preserves. He was one of the original eight Yosemite Commissioners and was appointed as the Yosemite Grant's first guardian, with duties similar to those performed by today's park rangers. His cabin, to which he welcomed visitors, became known as Clark's Station.

Clark also saw the need for a road that would enter from the south and reach Mariposa Grove first. He worked at raising the money by going into debt with family and businesses. To cover payments, he ended up selling half his interest in all his holdings, including his cabin, which became known as Clark and Moore's Station. He and the Moores, his new partners, managed to get a road built to within twelve miles of Mariposa Grove before they ran out of money. They ended up selling everything to partners Washburn (a successful Mariposa merchant), Chapman, and Coffman, who, in the fall of 1874, applied to extend their newly-acquired Mariposa Road to Yosemite Valley. Washburn eventually bought his partners out.

The commissioners granted their request. The road, which connected the Mariposa Grove with Yosemite Valley in July 1875, was operated by the Yosemite Stage and Turnpike Company. It also connected the towns of Mariposa, Madera, and other towns to the south. 

This became important as the Central Pacific Railroad completed track, and tourists were able to travel by rail farther south before needing to catch a stagecoach to Yosemite. 

 

Even after the Yosemite Valley Railroad reached almost to Yosemite Valley, stagecoaches transported arriving train passengers from the railroad's station at El Portal to Yosemite Valley, often in a Stoddard Stage Lines Mahta, which was an eleven-passenger mud wagon built in the neighboring county of Merced, California, by McDonald. That did not change until after 1913, when automobiles were finally allowed within Yosemite National Park.

 

I featured the Yosemite Stage & Turnpike Company in my first book in the National Park Brides series, Anthelia Yosemite Bride. I will be featuring the Big Oak Flat and Turnpike Company stagecoach line in my next National Park Brides, book.

To find the book description and purchase options for Anthelia Yosemite Bride, please CLICK HERE 

 

 

Sources:

Sargent, Shirley. Yosemite's Historic Wawona. Yosemite, California: Flying Spur Press, 1979, 13-16.

Russell, Carl Parcher. One Hundred Years in Yosemite. Yosemite National Park, California: Yosemite Association, 1992, 60-63

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yosemite_Stage_and_Turnpike_Company 

Wikimedia Commons 

https://www.yosemite.ca.us/pioneer-yosemite-history-center/wagons.html