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Chicago Tribune
28-03-2025
- General
- Chicago Tribune
From the Farm: Fascination of Titanic tragedy a survivor stage play and recipe recollection
When the Titanic set sail in 1912, the 'onboard storage pantry' had 40,000 eggs. Today, in 2025, we've had much murmuring about the price of eggs being as costly as $8 a dozen or more because of the avian bird flu. Of course, a dozen eggs in 1912 cost around 37 cents. Other amazing food supply figures for the Titanic to feed the 2,240 passengers, which includes about 900 crew members, were 36,000 apples in the galley as well as 1,000 bananas (very exotic for the time), 34,000 oranges, strawberries, and 'hot house-grown grapes.' To wash much of this down, the cargo inventory included 15,000 bottles of ale and 63 cases of fine champagne. Much of the 'behind the scenes' insight we know about the Titanic comes from the ship's manifest paperwork and inventory logs, and the information provided by the few crew members who survived, including first-class cabin maid Violet Jessop. Violet was a career woman rarity at the turn of the century, working as a female cabin maid crew member of luxury steamship ocean liners for the White Star Line for passage to cross the Atlantic Ocean. Before her death at age 83 in 1971, she found later life fame and was best known as having survived both the sinking of the HMHS Britannic and her sister ship the RMS Titanic. As a first-class maid, one just 23 years old, she was one of the few female staff members to secure a lifeboat seat. She wrote about her experience in great detail in a memoir, which was later published around the time of her death. I've spent much of my week with actress and historian Leslie Goddard, who has returned to the Theatre at the Center stage in Munster to share this true account of the twin nautical disasters Violet survived in vivid and fascinating detail with audiences in her one-woman play 'Violet Jessop: Titanic Survivor,' which concludes with weekend performance at The Center for Visual and Performing Arts, 1040 Ridge Road in Munster. Drawing from her theatrical background and experience as a researcher and historian, Goddard previously presented her one-woman performances at Theatre at the Center as Julia Child in September 2023 and Amelia Earhart last summer in July 2024, having earned standing ovations. Audiences of all ages have spent the past week learning the incredible accounts of Violet portrayed by Leslie as she tells the unforgettable stories of these terrifying disasters and gives a fascinating glimpse at life behind the scenes on the most glamorous luxury liners of their day. Tickets are $40 and available at the box office by calling 219-836-3255 or visit For an additional $30, guests can add a pre-show Titanic-themed meal inspired by the final dinner served on that fateful night, as presented by 10Forty Banquets and Catering Inc. before the 3 p.m. performance on Sunday and hosted under the chandeliers of the elegant ballroom at The Center for Visual and Performing Arts. Call for reservation and meal payment at 219-836-1930. For the 3 p.m. Sunday show, doors for dining open at 12:30 p.m., with lunch served at 1 p.m. This historic and delicious multi-course themed dinner includes Beef Barley Soup, Roast Chicken Breast Lyonnaise, Château Potatoes, Creamed Carrots, and an elegant dessert of French Custard Éclair with Berries. 'Of the 2,200 people on the Titanic, only 705 people survived the tragedy as the Carpathia arrived several hours later after responding to one of the last distress signals,' Leslie reminds. Also aboard the ship were 12 dogs, only three of which survived since they were small lapdogs of first-class passengers who brought their prized canines with them into the lifeboats. Millionaire John Jacob Astor, age 47, whose family built the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City and whose worth at the time was more than $2.2 billion in today's dollars, was aboard the ship. He opted not to board a lifeboat, staying behind on the ship with his purebred Airedale terrier 'Kitty.' But he assured that his pregnant second wife and new bride, Madeleine, just 18 years old, did find her way to a lifeboat, along with her private nurse and personal maid. Leslie said it is known that just before the Titanic sank, someone went below deck to open all the dog kennel cages to free the animals to make their way to the upper deck. She said it is widely believed that it was John Jacob Astor who freed the dogs. Passenger Ella Holmes White of New York brought four roosters paired with hens, likely housed in or near the first-class galley, with the fowl imported from France, to improve her poultry farm in the States. Elizabeth Ramel Nye brought her yellow canary, which required a 25-cent ticket for passage. Believed not to be aboard the Titanic? The ship's mascot and expert rat exterminator, Jenny, a tabby cat that lived in a basket near the stove area of the galley. Before the final fateful voyage of the Titanic, Jenny had a litter of kittens. In her published book, Violet says that before the ship left the dock in Southampton, England, crew members witnessed Jenny removing the kittens, one by one, from the ship and to the safety of the docks and 'dry land.' This was thought to be a foreboding omen, which caused some fears among the crew. It's not believed Jenny was on the ship the night it descended below the surface. Leslie's one-woman play at Theatre at the Center includes a stage recreation of the first-class deck and dining areas of the ship, as well as the crew areas and third-class steerage. Among the unique props showcased in this production are fresh orchids, white roses and fragrance 'bon voyage' floral sprays, and complete replica sets of the Titanic's elegant china and tea service sets. Among the decadent desserts served to first-class passengers on the Titanic was a baked Waldorf Pudding, not to be confused with Waldorf Salad, the latter recipe that later became popular in the 1920s. shares a tribute recipe for baked Waldorf Pudding that would be similar to what was likely served on the Titanic and as reimagined by John Weatherly, the executive pastry chef at Cullen's restaurant in Houston and as originally published in Hearst Publications' Houston Chronicle newspaper. Titanic Tribute Baked Waldorf Pudding Makes 8 servings 2 large apples, diced into 1/4-inch cubes (use a good-flavored baking apple, such as Granny Smith, MacIntosh or Braeburn) 2 tablespoons butter 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, plus 1 cup granulated sugar, divided use 4 large croissants, cut into 1/2-inch pieces 1-quart heavy cream 8 eggs 1 tablespoon vanilla extract 1 cup golden raisins Directions: Heat oven to 350 degrees and while the oven is heating, sauté the diced apples with the butter and 2 tablespoons sugar. Place apples in the refrigerator to chill. Cut croissants into 1/2-inch pieces. Heat cream slowly to a boil and mix eggs, remaining cup of sugar and vanilla in a bowl. Add hot cream slowly, while continuing to stir; set custard to the side. Spray 8 individual 8-ounce ramekins with cooking spray and fill ramekins half full with cut croissants, add apples and raisins. Cover with more croissants but do not pack bread tightly in ramekins or it will make the pudding too heavy and dense. Pour custard over croissants and let set for 10 minutes to let bread absorb custard. Finish filling remaining ramekins with croissants and custard. Place ramekins in a deep pan with 1/4-inch of hot water. Place in oven and bake for 45 minutes and stick a knife in custard to check doneness.
Chicago Tribune
14-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Chicago Tribune
From the Farm: A.R. Gurney's ‘Love Letters' play has a long and delicious history
I have the honor (and fun) as part of the two-person cast to take part in a two-performance Valentine's Day weekend run of playwright A.R. Gurney's play 'Love Letters.' I'm starring opposite stage artist Cara Schmitt, and proceeds from the performances benefit the Northwest Indiana Symphony Orchestra and the Women's Association Northwest Indiana Symphony Society's Edith Root Scholarship. Hosted at The Center for Visual and Performing Arts, 1040 Ridge Road in Munster, in addition to the 7:30 p.m. Valentine's Day Feb. 14 performance, the second opportunity for the curtain to rise is a 3 p.m. matinee on Sunday, Feb. 16, following the Sunday Champagne Brunch. Show tickets are $35 and available by calling 219-836-3255 or visit After A.R. Gurney penned 'Love Letters,' he opted to cast himself to read the male character lead of Andrew Makepeace Ladd III opposite Holland Taylor as Melissa for a test-out performance at The New York Public Library before sending the play on stage in 1988 in New Haven, Connecticut with Joanna Gleason cast with John Rubinstein. The play opened off-Broadway in March 1989, with Rubinstein returning to the role opposite Kathleen Turner. The 90-minute play reading details the relationship of childhood friends as Andrew Makepeace Ladd III and Melissa Gardner grow through their lifelong correspondence, starting with birthday party thank-you notes and summer camp postcards. Romantically attached, they continue to exchange letters through their college years and beyond, with life taking them in different directions. Eventually, the two reconnect, but only after each has followed very different paths in life. Gurney died at age 86 in 2014, and the rights, permission and licensing for 'Love Letters' is controlled by Dramatists Play Service of New York City. The last time I performed 'Love Letters' was in February 2022 opposite Jeannie Rapstad, directed by William Pullinsi in the ballroom of The Center for Visual and Performing Arts. Previously, I've been paired in performances of this play with my former editor Crista Zivanovic, Pillsbury Bake-Off Finalist Mary Beth Schultz and romance and mystery novelist Kate Collins. The first time I ever saw a performance of 'Love Letters' was in the auditorium of Munster High School starring Hollywood Hoosier claim-to-fame Betsy Palmer. Palmer, who died at age 88 in May 2015, returned to Northwest Indiana in April 2005 to do a charity performance of 'Love Letters.' In 1991, Betsy was cast in a national tour of 'Love Letters' opposite actor Robert Reed, known to most for his role as the father on 'The Brady Bunch.' The tour was completed just six months before his death at age 59 in May 1992. Of course, Palmer's early career success came from her trademark smile and pert personality in the spotlight from 1958 to 1967 as a witty panelist on the CBS game show 'I've Got a Secret,' sharing panel space alongside Jayne Meadows and Steve Allen before the couple married. Besides Palmer, I interviewed Hollywood husband and wife Jayne and Steve a few times before their passing, Jayne at age 95 in 2015 and Allen at age 78 in 2000. Just before his death, he joined wife Jayne 'on the road' starring in a touring production of 'Love Letters.' Many noted celebrity husband and wife pairings have also toured as popular name draws for 'Love Letters,' including Robert Wagner and Jill St. John, Charlton Heston and wife Lydia Clarke, and Shirley Jones and hubby Marty Ingels. A number of Jayne Meadows' recipes have appeared in my published cookbooks. She was a gal who loved to cook and entertain. Her recipe file card for her specialty she called Chicken Marengo Royal Oaks includes that added narrative: 'This recipe is perfect to serve at brunch or luncheon with eggs, salad and hot rolls. I love to host informal buffet dinners for 20 to 30 guests, as well as patio barbecues in the summer.' Columnist Philip Potempa has published four cookbooks and is the director of marketing at Theatre at the Center. He can be reached at pmpotempa@ or mail your questions: From the Farm, PO Box 68, San Pierre, Ind. 46374. Chicken Marengo Royal Oaks Serves 6 1/2 cup seasoned breadcrumbs 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1 roasting chicken (3 pounds) disjointed 1/4 cup olive oil 1/2 cup butter or margarine 1 cup dry white wine 2 cups freshly peeled and quartered tomatoes 1 clove garlic (finely chopped) 1 cup sliced mushrooms 1/2 cup chopped parsley Directions: 1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. 2. Take commercially seasoned breadcrumbs, pour into paper bag and shake chicken until well-coated while reserving remaining breadcrumbs. 3. In a large skillet, heat olive oil and butter, add the chicken and brown on all sides. 4. Remove chicken to a buttered casserole. 5. Add reserved crumbs to the oil remaining in the skillet and stir in the wine. 6. When the sauce is thickened and smooth, pour over the chicken, adding the garlic, tomatoes and mushrooms. 7. Cover the casserole and bake until chicken is tender, about 45 minutes.
