Retro-Style: Elsie and Charlie — A Love Story and Grandma Elsie's Baked Beans

The Memory Keepers by Linda

"If a story is not about the hearer, he [or she] will not listen... A great and lasting story is about everyone or it will not last. The strange and foreign is not interesting—only the deeply personal and familiar."  — John Steinbeck, East of Eden

Our Grandma Elsie was famous in Yucaipa, California for her
cooking—especially her summer backyard barbecues.

   This time of year always prompts me to think of one of my favorite childhood memories of summer. Among those memories are the backyard barbecues that were hosted by my paternal grandparents, Elsie and Charlie—they were legend. In the photo above, it appears that Grandma Elsie is grilling chickens on a rotisserie under a large sycamore tree in the backyard, and as a matter of pride for me, our grandma was the 'griller' in the household at a time when it was usually the man of the house who commanded the grill. I consider her early example the reason that I have always had an interest in grilling, and have become adept at it, because I never thought anything was strange about it.

Many hours of baking in a slow oven turn these beans a beautiful and rich brown.

   One of my favorite things that Grandma Elsie always made for these occasions was her famous baked bean dish that was made rich with pieces of salt pork and then intensely flavored by being cooked all day with molasses, brown sugar and other spices. Grandma's beans would bake all day in the oven in their small kitchen on Bryant Street in Yucaipa, California, and then just before dinner time, she would bring the heavy Dutch oven outside and set it on the top of the grill in the photo above, where the caramelized mass of legumes would stay piping hot until dinner was served.

Our Grandma Elsie as a young girl circa 1917 on the left, and her matchmaker sister, 
Florence, is on the far right. Their younger brother, Robert, is in the middle.

Left to Right: Sisters—Elsie and Florence circa 1922.

   This post is a perfect example of what our blog is about at the core. When I sat down to write about my dad's mother, although I have vivid memories of her, I came up short with solid details about where she was born, or how she and Grandpa Charlie met, and so on. I wrote to my dad for the answers, so that our family will have the details when they come looking for information. Hopefully those of you who follow we Salvation Sisters will find Elsie's story interesting, too, since all of you, no doubt, have similar stories in each of your own families. Here are the details of our grandma's birth, and her fateful chance encounter with our Grandpa Charlie, the dashing "older man" according to our father, Paul:

   "Elsie was born on December 8, 1907 in Los Angeles. The way my mom and dad met is an interesting story. Dad had an automotive electrical repair shop in Long Beach in the 1922—1924 time period. His only employee was Robert Ballenger, whom you all knew as Uncle Bob. He was to become the husband of my mom’s sister, Florence. Anyway, in the early 1920s, the Signal Hill oil boom was in full swing. Signal Hill was not all that far from my dad's business. One day, there was an oil fire on Signal Hill, and Bob wanted to make a cheap date out of going to the location to watch the fire-fighting effort. Bob wanted Charlie to go, too, but Charlie would have been the odd man out as Florence was going with Bob. So, my Aunt Florence had a solution—she would bring her kid sister, Elsie, along so Charlie would have a date, too. Elsie couldn’t have been more than 15 or 16 at the time, and my dad would have been seven years older—a mature 22 or 23.  Of course, we now know that Charlie and Elsie really hit it off, but they had to wait until Elsie turned 18 to get married. They were married on the second day following her 18th birthday in December of 1925."

Charlie and Elsie—a love story.

We feel so fortunate to have these photos of Grandma and Grandpa
together when they were young and in love.

Grandpa Charlie and Grandma Elsie as I remember them best.

   So I just discovered that if it hadn't been for the chance meeting of Elsie and Charlie on a blind date ninety-something years ago, we Salvation Sisters would never have been born. My grandparents were married for nearly sixty years, and were the parents of three boys (two of whom survived into adulthood), grandparents of nine and there are 19 great-grandchildren.

Our paternal great-grandfather, Miner R. Smith—artist and builder
of houses that would last a hundred years and more. His wife and the
mother of our Grandma Elsie, Elizabeth, is on the right.

   As a point of interest, our Grandma Elsie's father has become well-known posthumously, as a builder of vintage Craftsman Bungalows in the Long Beach area. His name was Miner Smith, and he even has a Facebook page dedicated to him and his beautifully-built houses that have interesting architectural and masonry details. They are highly prized by their current owners. Find out more about our great-grandfather and see photos of the houses he built in Long Beach, California by clicking here. Thanks to fellow blogger, Steffie Hands of Bungalow Girl for the interesting article and photo.

The Smith Family — our Great Grandfather, Miner, and our Grandma Elsie.

Our first cousin, Larry (on the right), sitting on the steps of one of Miner's
bungalows in Long Beach, California.

Linda's Slow Baked Beans—An Update on Grandma Elsie's

   As much as I loved Grandma Elsie's baked beans, the exact recipe has been lost to time. When I asked our mother, Dianne, to look for the recipe, and asked why she didn't make them at our house, she said that grandma's recipe had so much sugar, that she was reluctant to make them. She also couldn't find the recipe. This is a version of baked beans that I love, and I like to make when I have a day at home to let the beans cook slowly in the oven in my beautiful red Le Creuset enamel pot. They taste like Grandma Elsie's baked beans. If you have only had baked beans out of a can, you will find that these beans are completely different in taste and texture. They are well worth the time and effort involved in making them.

Equipment:
A large enamel cast iron dutch oven or heavy pot for baking

I cut the thickly sliced salt pork into cubes and then boil them to remove some of the excess salt.

Ingredients:
1 pound dried white beans such as Great Northern or Navy
1/4 pound salt pork, diced and boiled for 15 minutes or 1/4 pound good quality bacon chopped and browned with fat drained off
1 tsp. dried mustard
1/2 cup full-flavored molasses, not Blackstrap unless you like a very intense molasses flavor
1/2 cup coconut sugar
2 Tbsps grated fresh ginger
1/2 onion pierced with 2 whole cloves
2 cloves of garlic, smashed
sprinkle of red pepper flakes—optional
2 Tbsps dark rum
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup raw honey for drizzle if desired

Procedure:
Soak the beans overnight. When ready to cook the beans, preheat oven to 275 degrees. The beans will need 5 to 6 hours in a slow oven. You can use a crockpot if desired and cook on low for eight hours. The first steps are the same however.

1. Add the half and onion to the bean pot and bring the beans to a boil. Simmer on low for 45 minutes to an hour. Drain and reserve the liquid.

2. Add the rest of the ingredients to the pot with enough of the reserved liquid to cover the beans. The beans do not need extra salt. The salt pork adds enough salt to the mixture during the lengthy cooking.

3. Place the beans in the preheated oven and cook for roughly six hours, stirring every hour and adding liquid if the beans get too dry.
4. Allow beans to cook with the lid off in the oven during the last forty-five minutes of baking. They will get a lovely crust on the top. Drizzle with honey after they are removed from the oven if desired.

Elsie and Charlie at the right end of the top row.

DeGrazia Gallery and Mission In The Sun — Michelle's Creamy Pinto Beans

My Traveling Tales by Linda
Photos by Michelle and Linda

"Religion is within yourself and you don't have to go to church and you don't have to be one of those people who goes every Sunday." — Ted DeGrazia

   On a beautiful and very sunny afternoon in the first week of December this past year, Michelle and I along with my son, Jordan, set out for a trip to the edge of the Santa Catalina Mountains to visit the DeGrazia Gallery and Mission in the Sun. Michelle had been to the location before to see the talented dancers of the Ballet Folklórico Tapatío perform on the grounds, and she had wanted to show me the beautiful gallery and mission ever since. Jordan and I arrived in Tuscon in the last few days of November to celebrate a belated Thanksgiving, and Maddie's and Jordan's conjoined birthdays in the first week of December.

   I always forget in between trips to Arizona, just how warm it is most of the time. As usual I packed far too many winter clothes in my suitcase. It is December after all, I told myself stubbornly when I was selecting what I would bring with me. I remembered there being some cold days now and then when I lived there some years back. As it turned out, the sun shone brightly, and it was in the high seventies for most of the ten days that we spent in Arizona. My Northern California wardrobe was mostly too warm to wear, and I dragged it to Arizona and then back again for the most part unworn. This is exactly how our sister, Juliette, has made a business of purchasing the castoff woolen coats and sweaters from all the folks who move to Phoenix or Tuscon to retire from far colder climes, and suddenly realize that they may never need a coat again. Clearly, having lived in this city in Arizona before, I should have known better.

   We didn't arrive at the gallery until mid-afternoon, and I a little was disappointed that we didn't arrive during a time that is optimum for taking good photos. Internally chiding myself, I had to remind myself that we were on vacation, and I certainly had enjoyed my lunch out with my sister and my son with the accompanying margarita, which was suddenly making me feel like I might need a nap on a bench in the shade of the desert flora of the Cactus Corral. The sun was shining hard down upon us as we entered the grounds. Fortunately, the gallery is cool inside because of the thick adobe walls which naturally maintain a comfortable ambient temperature.

Etorre "Ted" DeGrazia—self-portrait.

   Etorre "Ted" DeGrazia is an interesting and inspiring individual in Arizona history and lore. He was the son of Italian immigrants and his father was a miner. DeGrazia lived and painted in the cities where my sisters currently reside—Bisbee and Tuscon. He once served an internship with the great painter Diego Rivera who was the husband of Frida Kahlo (while they lived, he was the better-known artist—to my personal delight—now she is).
   The gallery which was built by DeGrazia himself is housed in a beautiful adobe building designed to look like a mission. It is on North Swan Road in Tucson nestled at the foothills of the Santa Catalina mountains that rise up behind the property. DeGrazia was early to embrace and pay homage to life in the desert, and to paint the magic that he found there.

His images are well-known around the world, but particularly in Arizona, where there are prints and cards that feature his colorful, often whimsical and impressionistic-style paintings everywhere you turn. They abound in gift shops and malls across the state.

   The lethargic-feeling me perked up considerably once inside the gallery. The building is large and is worth seeing on its own. Although Ted's style of painting is not my personal favorite, I enjoyed the textures and bright colors of the collection of paintings and the sentiments expressed. I hadn't realized before my visit that he also made jewelry. Some of the pieces that he created are in the photos below—including a stunning bracelet set with turquoise cabs in a gold setting that DeGrazia himself wore. As a collector of turquoise jewelry it was an eye-poppingly amazing piece just fit for a king or queen.

   DeGrazia built a small chapel nearby that is dedicated to Our Lady of Guadalupe who is the patron saint of Mexico and who is beloved in the households of we sisters. We each have our own altars dedicated to Guadalupe. This tiny chapel has a beautiful feel to it, and it was a lovely and serene way to end the afternoon by spending time in this sacred space.

Michelle pauses for a photo in the Mission in the Sun.

   Over the years I have discovered that most people I encounter living in California generally do not understand the magic of the desert or the incredible variation in geography and wildlife contained within the borders of the state of Arizona. Unless they have spent time in the actual desert and other locations in Arizona (and I do not mean having visited a resort for a weekend in Phoenix or Tucson), they fail to have a full comprehension of the majesty and inherent drama contained within the natural landscape. Once Arizona gets in your blood, though, you will always return. You will be drawn back to the long and vibrant sunsets, wide open vistas, jagged mountains, monsoons with lightning illuminating the horizon, towering cumulonimbus clouds and the barren yet fecund majesty of the desert. Truly, Arizona does get deep into your blood, and I could feel this love of place exuding through the works of Ted DeGrazia. I understand that love, and I was deeply moved by it.
   We sisters all have artistic pursuits, or at least we try to maintain creative endeavors while we trudge through our daily lives making a living and put dinner on the table just like everyone else. Ted DeGrazia's spirit lives on through what he built and the art he created. Though he died in 1982, his soul is very much alive in this place, which is a very inspirational thing for a creative spirit to see and feel. It was time well-spent to contemplate artistic passions, and see how much lasting beauty can be created in a life that is committed to self-expression.

This is a painting of Michelle's favorite church in Tucson, San Xavier del Bac.

Michelle's Creamy Pinto Beans
by Michelle

The cooked pinto beans become creamy by lightly mashing a portion of the beans.

   This is my go-to bean dish that I make to accompany a Mexican fiesta menu. I made up a big batch of these beans for Maddie's recent graduation party. They are just as delicious, yet much easier to make than refried beans.
   The key to making soft beans is to avoid adding salt or any type of acidic flavoring, including citrus juices until the beans are fully cooked. It's also really important to soak the beans in filtered water overnight.
   To pick over and clean the pinto beans, grab a handful or two of beans directly from the bag and drop into a shallow bowl. Swirl the bowl which helps to detect a small rock or debris hidden among the beans. Once you are satisfied the beans in the bowl are clear of foreign matter, transfer the beans to a large colander and repeat the process until the entire bag of beans has been sorted. Then, give the beans a good rinse under cold running water. Place the washed beans in a soup pot and add enough fresh, filtered water to cover the pintos by a good two to three inches. The beans will soak up the water and expand considerably overnight.
   For a larger party, I like to make a double batch of beans and prepare a day ahead of time. Like most soups and stews, the flavor of the beans only gets better with a rest in the refrigerator. Simply reheat the beans over medium heat on the stove top.

Soak Overnight:
1 pound pinto beans, picked over to remove tiny stones
enough filtered water to cover beans by 2 to 3 inches

Ingredients:
ghee, olive oil, good quality lard or bacon fat
1 medium yellow onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 jalapeño, minced (I discard the seeds because I don't want the beans to be spicy)
1/4 tsp chili flakes

Add-In:
1 Tbsp fine sea salt

Equipment:
large soup pot
hand masher or immersion blender

The beans were soaked overnight and are now ready to be cooked.

Procedure:
1. Clean and then soak the beans overnight as described in the introduction.
2. Drain the beans in a large colander and discard soaking water.
3. Place a large soup pot over medium heat. Drizzle the bottom with olive oil, ghee, bacon fat or fat of your choice. Sauté the yellow onions for five minutes. Add the jalapeño, cook for two minutes, then add the minced garlic and the chili flakes, cooking for another two minutes.
4. Add the soaked and drained beans to the pot. Add enough cold, filtered water to cover beans by 1/2-inch. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to maintain a simmer. Stir the beans every half hour or so. Adjust the heat, as needed, to maintain a simmer. The beans should be soft in about 2 hours. The beans need to remain covered with water throughout the cooking process. Add additional water, if needed. Towards the end of cooking, pull a bean out of the pot and eat it. If it's soft, the beans are ready. If there is still resistance in the bean to your bite, continue to simmer the beans until tender.
5. Once the beans are soft, add 1 tablespoon of fine sea salt. Stir well.
6. For creamy beans, remove any excess cooking water until the liquid is just even with the top layer of beans. (Reserve the cooking water in case you need to thin the beans.) Use a hand masher and mash the beans until the desired consistency is reached. You can also use an immersion blender for this job, just make sure you don't over blend. A third option is to remove a cup of beans and whirl in a blender and then return the puréed beans to the pot. If the beans rewarm on the stove top for a significant amount of time, you may need to thin with a little of the cooking liquid or water, depending upon what you have on hand.

Jordan soaks up some desert sun. It has been a long winter in
Northern California where he makes his home.