are a limited number of two purchase options available. A Limited Edition Collector’s Box Set, with 1,000 copies printed, is valued at $495.00, while a 100-copy Artist Proof Special Edition is valued at $595.00. A limited-time pre-publication offer of both versions has them priced at $350.00 and $450.00 respec- tively. Go to
heritagearteditions.com, or call 888/365-5467 for more information.
A Recipe for Cold Smoked Fish “Dear Sir”: So began a recent letter from
Dan Martin, a reader in Montana. He went on, “My reason for writing is to ask (for) help in getting a recipe for Cold Smoked Fish, which was not actually smoked, but rath- er cured. I’ve lost the recipe.” As for why he wrote me, Dan went on to explain that he’d originally gotten the recipe out of a book of railroad dining car recipes, thinking it might have been from Chesapeake & Ohio Dining Car Recipes by E. Sterling “Tod” Hanger, Jr. “As you might imagine there are many lakes and fishing here is awesome. There are many varieties of fish to catch. I’m asked by friends and colleagues alike if I would cure or smoke their fish for them. A neighbor came to me re- cently, asking me to smoke some lake trout he’d caught. I’ve done everything but fish. I thought the cure would be faster, but couldn’t find the recipe.” Rather than disappoint them, he turned to me/us instead, closing thus: “Any assistance you might be able to give would be in finding this recipe or one close would be gratefully appreciated.” My response: “I checked both the C&O cookbook and William A. McKenzie’s Dining
Car Line to the Pacific, with its 150 recipes from the Northern Pacific. I’ve also looked through several other railroad cookbooks that match your description, including ones from the Union Pacific, Pennsylvania, Southern Pacific, and Milwaukee Road, all to no avail.” Unbeknownst to Dan, I even Googled “railroad recipe for cold smoked fish” with no results. Can that be? I also sent Dan the bibliography I offer
readers of this column, with its 60-some rail- road cookbooks, hoping it might bring to mind the book in which he saw the recipe original- ly. “Look through the titles,” I suggested, “and if one or two others ring a bell, let me know.” The Follow-Up: “I looked over the titles
you provided, but nothing came to mind —only that, if I remember, it was a smaller book like the C&O book. I do have your Dining by Rail and some others, but none have a recipe for curing. I’m told that technique was one of the ways they cured salmon. The whole fish was coated with a mixture of a curing salt from Morton, brown sugar, and liquid smoke, then placed in a sealed container and refrigerated for about a week. It was then rinsed with clear cold water until the fish was completely free of salt. At that point, as I recall, we’d split the salmon open and, with a filet knife, slice the fish paper-thin. We used it for lox and bagels.” Somewhere in our correspondence, Dan not-
ed, “I am aware of your background regarding food and railroads, so I figured if anyone could help, you would be that person.” Now who in their right mind could turn a deaf ear to that tribute? So it is I who turn to you, gentle read- er, to ask if you have — somewhere in your rec-
ipe stash or fishing gear — a railroad-inspired recipe for “cold smoked” or “cured” fish? And in closing, I echo Dan’s remark, “My sincerest thanks in advance for your time and help.”
Long-Lost Scene on the Wolfeboro Railroad Railroad artist Richard Symmes also wrote
recently with this request: “Way back in 1974 I created a painting of the Wolfeboro, N.H., train depot as it looked about 1920. It was for the late Donald Hallock, owner of the Wolfe- boro Railroad, which ran on the old Boston & Maine branch of the same name from 1973 to about 1981. Recently I tried in vain to locate the original painting from Hallock’s survi- vors, but was told everything their parents had was auctioned and there were no sales records.” Richard adds that, “I’d just like it back long enough to get a good copy made.” Two things. First, if you own, or know the whereabouts of this piece of railroad art, I wel- come hearing from you and, with your permis- sion, will pass any information you provide — your name and contact information or that of the person who has the work — on to Richard. Second, this is not the first time I’ve fielded
a request like this. My role as the Director of the American Society of Railway Artists no doubt accounts for that phenomenon. As the importance and popularity of railroad art grows, and as practitioners of the craft — or their descendants — seek out early or otherwise unrecorded works to capture on film or digitally, such requests are likely to grow. I am open to suggestions for how to set up a clearinghouse procedure to help in that situation.
PLEASE SEND QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS on railroad dining, art, and other trackside treats to Jim Porterfi eld at P.O. Box 3041, Elkins, WV 26241, or email
onthemenu@railfan.com.
Once again, it’s holiday greeting and gift giving time
Visit our website,
www.railmode.com, to see over 200 rail xmas cards, as well as four new ones added this year, commemorating the late 1940s and 1950s on the C&O, Union Pacific, New Haven and PRR lines at holiday time. Size 5.5 x 8.5, with envelope: 80 cents each • 25+: 72 cents each. Personalization a bit higher.
Peruse our website also for a huge inventory of railroads books and model trains (almost all gauges), all on sale for the holidays at 30% off the already low prices. And pick up an authentic Kromer railroad hat. In stock items as low as $26 plus s/h.
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in Original, Rancher, Flexible and Ida versions SPECIAL PRICING ON LAST YEAR’S INVENTORY!
KROMER CAPS See our website for HO
model train display cases, accessories and MORE.
PayPal (with email address) and checks accepted GOHMANN & ASSOCIATES • Railmode, Inc.
FEATURED ITEM!
Railroad Advertising During the Great Era Two HUGE Volumes–Nearly 1,100 Pages!
In an effort that has taken several years and several hundred hours, we have assembled the most comprehensive colletion ever of magazine, journal and newspaper ads placed by the railroads from the 1920s to the late 1980s—almost 1,100 of them. Some of the best adver- tising agencies of the time were retained to produce inviting ads for passenger trains, freight service, and locomotives and equipment of the Great Era. See color schemes and interior and exterior pictures and renderings of many trains of yeasteryear, which provided the mainstay of transportation during this era. The collection is divided into two volumes: Volume I: All Color and Volume II: Black and White. The all-color book is naturally more expensive, but the multi-color ads of the era are worth it. Each volume is perfectly bound with a heavy cover.
Set of both, at 30% off: $75 plus s/h
www.railmode.com •
rails@railmode.com • Call Toll Free: 888-489-2324 14047 Petronella Drive, Suite 201, Libertyville, IL 60048
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