With all due respect to the novelist Thomas Wolfe, sometimes you can go home again. You can if your home is Melvin, Iowa anyway.
Melvin is a small town in Osceola County. Founded in 1901 it hit its population peak of 365 in 1960. Today, that number has declined to 199. There are no stop lights, no grocery stores or gas stations, and the school closed in 1980.
But it holds a big place in my heart.
The Knock family showed up in Osceola County in the late 19th century after a steady push west from Prussia to Illinois to Butler County, Iowa. They were farmers and soon settled much of the land in Baker Township. I came along in 1967, and I grew up in the town surrounded by Knocks and other relatives.
I also grew up loving my hometown. It really was a Norman Rockwell kind of place with summer sleep-outs in the backyard and games of tag and hide-and-seek with the neighbors. I could ride my bike to my best friend Steve’s house any time I wanted. He and I played catch or shot hoops or just hung out almost every day.
It really was as idyllic as it sounds.
Like most small towns, Melvin took great pride in high school athletics. The 1970s were a golden age for Comet athletics with regular trips to the state tournament for the girls’ basketball and softball teams. During one of the softball tournaments my family was sitting behind supporters for another team. The tournament printed each high school’s enrollment in the program, and we overheard these fans talking about Melvin’s enrollment, which was 49.
“That can’t be right,” one said to another. “They must have left off a one.”
My dad – who was on the school board – assured them that 49 was the correct figure. They were stunned.
We left Melvin in 1980 after the school closed. We moved to nearby Sheldon, which was where my dad worked. While I adopted Sheldon – Go Orabs! – as another hometown, I never forgot Melvin.
I learned why when our family returned last month for the town’s 125th anniversary celebration. The town may not be big, but it sure knows how to party. There was a parade and a school program and historical displays as well as countless other events.
The best part, however, was the people. My mother, especially, loved talking to former students and neighbors. We also talked with my seventh grade science teacher, still one of the best teachers I’ve ever had. There were classmates and townspeople I had gotten to know over Facebook.
In short, it was a reminder of what community means. Melvin may be a small town, but its legacy stretches across the country where the notes of the school fight song ring in places like St. Paul, Minnesota, Austin, Texas, and Dubuque, Iowa.
“We’re for the blue and gold, so FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT!”
Aunt Nellie’s cinnamon rolls
This recipe was submitted to the Melvin Centennial Cookbook by Marion Dvorak. Marion is the mother of my Melvin best friend, Steve. As I said above, Steve and I regularly played baseball together. One summer we even went so far as to build a baseball diamond in the horse pasture that backed up to Marion’s house. The diamond even featured “chalked” baselines made from flour. Thank you, Marion, for putting up with us.
Ingredients
For the rolls:
One boxed yellow cake mix (not one with pudding in the mix, however)
2 packages of yeast
2 ½ cups of water, lukewarm (roughly between 100 and 110 degrees)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
5 cups flour
For the Filling:
½ cup brown sugar
½ cup butter, softened or melted
½ teaspoon salt
For the Icing:
2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
2 tablespoons butter, melted
2 teaspoons vanilla
5 tablespoons milk or cream
To make the rolls:
Combine the cake mix, yeast, salt, and water in a large mixing bowl (if you are using a stand mixer, use the paddle attachment). Mix in the vanilla, and stir to combine. Add half of the flour and mix into the batter. Add the remaining flour and mix. Switch to the dough hook attachment, and knead the dough for about 5 minutes (if you are mixing everything by hand, knead the dough for 8-10 minutes). The dough will still be sticky, but it should be smooth. Transfer the dough to a greased bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic and allow the dough to rise at room temperature for about an hour and 15 minutes (dough should be almost doubled in bulk).
Grease a 9×13-inch pan. Set aside.
Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and roll to a 10×16-inch rectangle.
To make the filling:
Spread the softened or melted butter over the rolled out dough. Mix together the brown sugar and the cinnamon. Sprinkle the sugar mixture evenly over the butter. Roll the dough up to create a 16-inch log. Using a sharp knife, cut the dough into 1-1/2 inch rounds. Place in your prepared baking pan. Cover with plastic and leave allow to rise at room temperature for roughly 30-45 minutes.
While the dough is rising, preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Remove the plastic wrap and bake the rolls for 15-20 minutes (I like to slightly underbake them to keep them soft). Allow rolls to cool slightly before icing.
To make your icing combine the sifted powdered sugar with the melted butter and vanilla. Add the milk or cream and stir until combined.
Spread the icing evenly onto the rolls.
Melvin School apple crisp
School lunch at Melvin was better than that at most schools. I still crave the pizza…the cinnamon rolls…the fried chicken.
One of simpler dishes they made was this apple crisp. Once again, the recipe appears in the Melvin Centennial Cookbook.
Ingredients
For the apples:
6-8 medium baking apples (2.5-3 pounds), peeled and sliced
½ cup sugar
2 tablespoons water or apple cider
1 teaspoon cinnamon
For the topping:
1 ½ cups flour
1 cup sugar
½ teaspoon salt
12 tablespoons butter, at room temperature and cubed
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
In a large mixing bowl, toss together the apples, sugar, water/cider, and cinnamon. Spread in an even layer in a 8×8-inch pan.
Now, make the topping. Combine the flour, sugar, and salt. Use a pastry cutter (or two forks) to cut in the butter. Sprinkle evenly over the apples.
Bake for 45 to 50 minutes until topping is golden brown.
The Knock family chocolate chip cookie
My mom did not grow up in Melvin. Instead, she grew up in Little Rock, a town roughly 30 minutes to the north and west. Still, she sees Melvin as her home. It was there that she taught school, married my dad, and raised her family. It was also there that she introduced the town to her chocolate chip cookies.
These are my favorite cookies ever. I have the recipe memorized. I’ve altered it slightly by refrigerating the dough, which makes it easier to scoop up and roll into balls. It also gives the dough time to absorb the flour, and that makes for a better cookie.
Ingredients
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
1 cup butter, room temperature and cut into tablespoons
1 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
3 ½ cups flour
½ cup oatmeal
1 cup Rice Krispies
1 bag (12-oz.) semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate chips
Cream the butter together with both sugars with an electric mixer (there should still be chunks of butter visible when you are finished). Mix in the vegetable oil, egg, and vanilla. Add the cream of tartar, baking soda, salt, and flour. Mix (or stir) until dry ingredients are completely incorporated. Add the oatmeal and Rice Krispies and mix until evenly incorporated into the dough. Mix in the chocolate chips.
Press a piece of plastic wrap over the surface of the dough and refrigerate for at least an hour. This will give the flavors time to mix together. It also give the dough a nice texture when you are ready to shape your cookies.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Scoop up heaping tablespoon of dough. Roll it into a ball and place on a baking sheet (no need to butter the sheet or cover it with parchment paper; there is so much fat in these cookies that they will not stick). Place dough balls about 2 inches apart on the baking sheet. Bake for 14-16 minutes (it will depend on the heat of your oven). Allow cookies to cool slightly on the sheet before removing them to a cooling rack.
Michael Knock is a longtime food columnist for the Iowa City Press-Citizen.
This article originally appeared on Iowa City Press-Citizen: Recipes from a small town celebration | Food Column
Reporting by Michael Knock, Special to the Press-Citizen / Iowa City Press-Citizen
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Michael Knock, Special to the Press-Citizen | USA TODAY Network
