FROM " NOO YAWK" TO PALM BEACH...

 It was the 1950's...to this point I had lived my whole 9 years in a large Brooklyn apartment...summered at the sea shore...went joyfully to school, took ballet and tap at Sonia Stiller's Dance Studio, joined The Saturday Group to take teacher-escorted  excursions throughout New York City , played with the minions of children from school and the neighborhood and spent long, happy hours with beloved relatives.  I was in the third grade at P.S. 181, and  I was happy to be with so many of my friends in the classroom of a clever, talented and slightly whacky teacher whom we simply adored.  My life at this time was smooth and simple...I pretty much knew what each day would hold.  Not very exciting, but safe and secure.  Family and extended family and friends were close at hand and could be depended upon...life was, in a few words, comfortable and familiar.  In a single day all of that changed for me.  My father announced that he was being transferred to the Palm Beach location of his company for "The Season"...we would be living in Palm Beach, Florida from late October through early April.  My mother was just thrilled, my father was delighted, my sister was only four and did what she was told, my friends were envious...and I was devastated!   Florida!  So far away.  So unfamiliar. Florida was in THE SOUTH!

   Preparations for our departure were frenzied... and while my parents were connecting with Daddy's colleagues who were also heading south, I was saying farewell to beloved friends and classmates.  Huge trunk-loads of clothes were packed and two adjoining private Pullman compartments had been secured for the 2 day train journey.

   Admittedly, train travel was a new and thrilling adventure.  Four sleeping berths, two upper and two lower were hidden from view until the Pullman Porter arrived at our compartments to pull two berths from above the seats and two from the seats themselves.  A feat of pure magic to the two little girls who watched in amazement.  There were two tiny bathrooms connected, one each, to the suites, and a short walk through the cars brought us to the Dining Car.  Crisp, white cloths were spread on the tables.  Crystal and cutlery sparkled and white-jacketed waiters made their way with balance and skill, as they carried trays laden with surprisingly delicious food to the passengers.
   We played games, read books and marched back and forth with our parents through the coaches and dining cars to the Club Car and back.  We ate, napped, played games and watched the endless landscape  ...
...changing ...changing...changing...North...South...
 and finally...West Palm Beach!         

 It was breezy and warm...my mother called it "a velvet day"...  The sky was a cloudless, gorgeous blue and a "Washbucket Band" was playing alongside the tracks.  Five ancient black musicians with instruments, (one instrument was simply a washboard and another,  a broomstick in a upside-down washbucket strung with a taut string) played jazz as we stepped onto the platform.  This looked like it might not be so bad after all...the naieve little girl me totally missed the signs of segregation.  The "Colord Only" and "White Only" signs were on the benches, water fountains and rest-room doors.  Even if I saw them, I did not really  know what they meant...I was a child of New York City...but now, here it was, right at the train station, lest a traveler not know right off the bat just where toney Palm Beach stood..make no mistake...we were in THE SOUTH!

                                                              
We were greeted by my parents' friends (my dad's colleague and wife), who settled us into our temporary accomodations, gave us a quick tour and invited us back to their home for dinner.    We were treated to a wonderful meal...and something we had never before eaten...leg of lamb.  Lamb in our home was always served as lamb chops.  Here was an exciting new way to eat that delicious meat. Naturally, my mother copied the recipe immediately and in later years I took it from her.  We have both tweaked it a bit...so, mostly in tact, here is...

                                                             

MILDRED K'S LEG OF LAMB

1 leg of lamb, boned and rolled (make sure a butcher removes the gland)
caraway seeds
salt
pepper
garlic powder
white wine
2 large sprigs of rosemary
2-4 potatos peeled, cut in chunks and placed in large bowl of cold water
olive oil
paprika
Heat oven to 350 degrees
1- Place roast in a baking pan sprayed with PAM and liberally sprinkle with wine
2- Salt and pepper to taste and liberally sprinkle with garlic powder and caraway seeds
3-Place lg. sprig of rosemary underneath and on top of the roast and place pan in oven for 15 minutes to start roasting.
4- Drain water from potatos and pour 1/4 cup (more if needed) of olive oil over them...then add salt, pepper, garlic powder,to taste andliberal amouts of paprika and caraway seeds and toss all together
5-Place potatos all around the lamb roast and return to oven until meat reads just before Lamb/medium on a thermometer. Place meat on carving board and allow to "set".  Potatos should be golden and crispy...if not put oven up to 375 and put pan with potatoes back in while meat sets...about 15-20 minutes.  Pan dripping can be mixed with a little beef stock to make a natural gravy.

              (More tales of my Palm Beach Years will follow from time to time!!)