Our team won! The Louisiana State University Tigers are the National Football Champions. This is something to celebrate. Before the game was over, today’s food page was being constructed — flashback to yesteryear — LSU 1976.

Not a great or memorable football year that I can recall, but it was the first year the LSU Alumni Federation, in cooperation with the LSU Home Economics Alumni Association, compiled a cookbook. “Tiger Bait Recipes” were contributed by alumni and friends of LSU and the A&M College.

A “Just In Case You Don’t Know …” comment on the inside front cover explained about LSU’s Bengal tiger, the Tiger Bait war-chant and the long awaited accomplishment of the first cookbook printed by LSU. The 10,000 copy first printing was released in October 1976, the year of the American Bicentennial. Significant for me personally as I was on campus. The introduction and personal inscription for my birthday and Christmas that year was from my roommate and sorority sister. The subject for today’s page seemed to be a poignant offering to the celebratory week that follows Monday night’s victory.

By Way of Introduction

The idea of Tiger Bait Recipes surfaced in 1972. The idea, credited in the introduction, belongs to Frances and Jay Jalenak. It was under their good-humored prodding that LSU alumni started that very year soliciting favorite recipes. The alumni responded with characteristic enthusiasm to the eventual extent of more than 1,500 recipes. Organizers felt with so many submissions, the recipes should be tested by a professional group with experience in the field of cookery — the LSU School of Home Economics Alumni Association subsequently became partners in the project.

Hundreds of recipe testers and workers contributed thousands of hours and thousands of dollars in the long, painstaking four-year process, the book said. A major challenge was to arrive at a uniform presentation of the recipes that would be understood by all. The committee felt they accomplished their goal with minimal revisions while still retaining the individuality of the contributor. A special feature in Tiger Bait was the inclusion of metric measurements with each recipe, omitted from today’s versions. At the time, the U.S. was on the verge of adopting the metric system as a standard, plus, LSU alumni thought the book would find its way to other parts of the world already using the metric system.

Metric Made Easy

To ease the cooks into the metric system, the cookbook committee included some instructions still informative today. Reviewing the comparisons gives reason for pause — to praise the continued use of the U.S. measurements.

LENGTH — a meter is about 3 inches longer than a yard.

WEIGHT — a kilogram equals 2.2 pounds.

VOLUME — a liter is a little largre than a quart.

The U.S. was changing to metric — and it has been more inclusive without demanding conformity.

“Our shrinking world demands a change if manufacturers are to service many nations,” the editors said. “In one industry, it is now official, the mandatory date for conversion to metric sizes for alcholic beverages is Jan. 1, 1980. It is permissible for beverage producers to start using new sizes on Oct. 1, 1976. Goodbye, ‘fifth.’ Hello, ‘750 milliliters!’ ”

The text went on to say that measuring cups manufactured by Foley Company, which were used to test the recipes, were marked in both metric and standard measures. The American Standard Association tolerance for household measuring cups allows a variance of plus or minus 5 percent of the total volume or at each marking, so it is possible for one cup to be 250 ml. and one-fourth cup to be 60 mil. Metric can be expressed in exact conversions or rounded converions. It is the rounded conversion which will eventually take over the marketplace.

Two student Tigers at the time expressed the comparison as follows.

NOTE TO ALUMNI IN FOREIGN LANDS — Some of the metric measures, especially those for canned goods, are not expressed in the standard measures likely to be used in foreign lands. This is because can sizes in the U.S. differ at the present time. The nearest rounded measures may be substituted without affecting the recipe.

Mary-Ann Liebenberg, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa

ABOUT THE USE OF THE METRIC SYSTEM — In many countries that use the metric system many of our volume measurements are expressed in weight measurements such as 200 grams of sugar instead of 2 cups of sugar. Most countries use the teaspoon and tablespoon like the U.S. For academic purposes in this publication, all measurements, even the teaspoon and tablespoon, have been converted into the metric sytem. It will probably seem strange to many of our alumni in foreign lands.

Do-la-Tuan-phuong, South Vietnam

Narrowing the Competition

Just like in the national championship, teams — or rather recipe categories — were eliminated before today’s featured recipes were selected — and only some of the soup recipes are reprinted. Due to limitations of cost and space in the original book, all submitted recipes also were not included. In cases where recipes were very similar or identical, the committee attempted to divide the credit, reflected herein as well. Final well wishes from the committee were a hope that Tiger Bait would become an invaluable aid to cooks whether a “beginner, or a cordon bleu chef.”

Let It Simmer

In the final moments of the Clemson versus LSU game when it seemed apparent, finally, the LSU lead would stand — this selection of unique recipes rose to the top, just like the Tigers. If the last two weeks have proven anything about winter in the kitchen, a good pot of soup is a delight to family and friends especially with so much sickness going around.

Hope you enjoy the offerings from the faculty, students, alumni and test subjects who compiled this “new” cookbook. Perhaps a good ole chicken soup might just do the trick to get your family back on the well side of life.

CHICKEN AND RICE SOUP 

3 pounds meaty fryer parts

6 cups water or more

2 cups chopped onions

1 cup chopped celery

2 chicken bouillon cubes

Salt and pepper to taste

1 4-ounce can mushrooms, chopped

1 Tablespoon parsley flakes

1/2 cup uncooked rice

1/2 cup chopped green onion

Kitchen Bouquet for coloring

Place the first six ingredients in a large Dutch oven and bring to a boil. Simmer until chicken is tender, about 45 minutes. Remove chicken; debone and chop meat. Return to soup. Add remaining ingredients. Adjust seasoning. Simmer about 30 minutes or until rice is tender. For chicken noodle soup, use noodles instead of rice. Serves 6 to 8. 

Mrs. Robert R.”Viola” Braud Philippe, Gonzales

COUSIN RUTH’S CHICKEN SOUP

1 whole chicken, skinned, salted and peppered

1 cabbage, shredded

3 carrots, diced

1 onion, minced

1 clove garlic, minced

2 chicken bouillon cubes

1 onion bouillon cube

Salt and pepper to taste

Skin chicken; boil in water to cover until tender. Remove from heat and cool. Debone chicken and cut into small pieces. Return meat to broth and add remaining ingredients and cook until vegetables are tender. 

Patt Foster Roberson, Baton Rouge

CRAWFISH OR LOBSTER BISQUE

1 pound uncooked crawfish tails or rock-lobster tails, chopped

1/2 cup minced onion

1 leek, white part only, minced

1/4 cup chopped carrots

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup flour

1 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

5 cups chicken broth

5 drops Tabasco

1 bay leaf

2 slightly beaten egg yolks

1 cup cream

Prepare lobster or crawfish; set aside in the refrigerator. Clean and prepare vegetables; set aside. In a 6-quart kettle or saucepan, melt butter; blend in a mixture of flour, salt and pepper. Heat until mixture bubbles. Remove from heat; gradually stir in chicken broth, Tabasco, vegetables and bay leaf. Return to heat; cover kettle with tight-fitting lid; simmer 10 minutes. Add chopped lobster or crawfish to the kettle, cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove bay leaf. Pour soup mixture through a food mill placed over a large bowl (or food processor), forcing through as much lobster or crawfish as possible. Return soup to kettle, reheat. Quickly stir in three tablespoons hot soup into egg yolks, then immediately return egg-yolk mixture to soup, stirring vigorously. Simmer soup; stir constantly until thoroughly heated, about 5 minutes. Do not boil. Stir in cream slowly. Add lobster or crawfish pieces remaining in the food mill to soup. Stir constantly; heat soup thoroughly. Serves 8. 

Sen. Russell B. Long, Washington D.C. 

GREEN ONION SOUP

1/4 cup butter

3 cups chopped green onions

2 10.75-ounce cans potato soup

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

2 Tablespoons sherry, if desired

Melt butter in a large heavy pot. Heat onion in butter until limp, but do not brown. Prepare potato soup according to label directions. Add soup, salt and pepper to onions; heat thoroughly. Sherry may be added just before serving. Serve with a choice of garnishes such as cheese croutons or bacon bits. Serves 6.

Adopted from Berea College, Kentucky by

Dr. and Mrs. John L. Kuehn, Baton Rouge

MURIEL’S BEEF SOUP 

1 1/2 pounds stew meat or chuck & soupbone

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

2 bay leaves

1 cup chopped celery

1/2 cup chopped onion

4 or 5 medium carrots, sliced

1 cup chopped cabbage

1 28-ounce can Italian-style tomatoes

1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 beef bouillon cube

Pinch of oregano or preferred spice

Cover meat with cold water in a heavy 3-quart kettle. Add salt, pepper and bay leaves. Bring to bubble state while preparing vegetables and cabbage. Simmer at least 2 ½ hours or until meat is very tender. Remove bone and bay leaves. Cut meat into bite-sized pieces. Add tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce and bouillon cube. Simmer for ½ hour longer and serve. This recipe is especially good for a light supper meal with fruit salad, a glass of milk, lots of crackers and dessert. It is low in calories, but high in food value.

Sen. and Mrs. Hubert H. “Muriel” Humphrey

SPLIT PEA SOUP

2 1/2 cups dried green split peas

2 1/4 quarts water

3 sliced carrots

2 celery stalks, sliced

3/4 cup diced onion

Pinch of cayenne pepper

2 teaspoons salt

2 bay leaves

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon Tabasco

Ham bone or bits of leftover ham or smoked turkey carcass, optional

Wash and drain peas. Combine all ingredients in a Dutch oven or large saucepan. Bring to a boil; cook over medium heat for 15 minutes. Cover and cook over low heat 55 minutes longer. Discard bay leaves. Force mixture except meat through a food mill or blend in an electric blender. Serve hot for 12. 

John Lowe, Metairie

VARIATION: Add 1 cup stewed tomatoes

Mrs. Larmon Salmon, Houston

VARIATION: Add 1 sliced potato

Mrs. C.W. “Jeanne” Oehmichen Johnson, Dallas

TRADD STREET CUCUMBER SOUP

2 cucumbers

Salted water

1/2 cup butter

1/4 cup flour

1 quart milk

1 10.5-ounce can consommé

Salt and pepper to taste

Paprika or chives, as a garnish

Peel and dice cucumbers; cover with salted water and boil until clear. Drain and cook cucumbers in melted butter for 10 minutes. Add flour; stir well. Add milk slowly. Cook until slightly thick, add consummé, salt and pepper. Serve with paprika or chives sprinkled on top. 

Sherry Ingram Deaton, Charleston, SC

WILLIAMSBURG INN

OLD FASHIONED TURKEY SOUP

2 large onions

2 medium carrots

2 stalks celery

2 cups water

1/2 pound butter

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3 quarts turkey stock

1 pint light cream

Salt and white pepper to taste

1 cup finely diced turkey

1/4 cup cooked rice

Chop onions, carrots and celery very fine; cook in saucepan with 2 cups water for 20 minutes or until tender. In another saucepan, melt butter; blend in flour. Heat stock and cream; add gradually to butter-flour mixture. Add vegetables and water. Stir over low heat for 10 minutes. Season; add turkey and rice. Makes about 12 servings. 

Note: To make turkey stock add 3 quarts water and 1 tablespoon salt to cooked turkey carcass or uncooked bony pieces of turkey. Simmer slowly for several hours. 

Mrs. Barry L. “Joyce” Schlecht Langley, Mobile, AL