60th anniversary Cookbook

$18.95 + shipping

In celebration of our 60th Anniversary

    Since Barney and Ollie Mae purchased the bakery in 1943 the Wilson family has acquired numerous memories of events that have occurred over the years. The Wilson family sat down and swapped stories on several occasions and wrote them down to be placed in this cookbook. It is funny to watch how when one story is told it reminds someone of another story, at then the juices in the head start to flow.
    We know that we could never recall all the events that have happened over the years so we held a contest for all of our customers to submit their favorite stories and recipes. This compilation amounted to over 500 recipes and nearly 65 pages of memories and stories. 
    The winner of the contest went to Ken Green.

Sample Stories:
1) The one that tops all is the "Shotgun Wedding" when we had to deliver a wedding cake armed with...well the title kind of explains it.

2) We also have the story of Sherrell getting run over by a truck. 

3) The blind dog that loves our vanilla wafers and spits out the competitor's.

4) Our family's memories of getting supplies during WWII when many of the ingredients were rationed.

5) We also have a local teacher convincing a weight watchers group to make a trip from Lubbock
to buy some cookies.

6) Barney would keep the kids busy during the summer, by telling them to go get a bucket of steam from the laundry. The owner of the Laundry store knew the routine, so he would say he was all out, and send them to the grocery store. Of course the grocery store was out, but the coffee shop would definitely have a spare bucket. Unfortunately they too were out, but the automotive store would probably have several buckets of steam that they could borrow........

A special Thanks:

We owe a special thanks to all that contributed to the cookbook and who have supported us over the years. We hope that this cookbook stirs up fond memories of experiences while at the bakery, eating its products, or living in the community of Slaton. We also hope that the cookbook recipes help you make some fond memories for you own family and friends. Here is the history and dedication page taken from the cookbook. Thanks again for the many years of support you have given the bakery.

HISTORY

The Slaton Bakery is an institution that has been in Slaton about as long as the town itself. Several years ago we researched all the advertisements of the Slatonite newspaper through Texas Tech University and the Southwest Collection. What we found was the bakery could be traced directly to June 1, 1923 when at that time there were two bakeries in town that consolidated.

All our efforts were for the purpose of collecting enough history that we could apply for a historical marker from the Texas Historical Society. All our effort and research was to be in vain because the historical group concluded that the bakery had NO historical value…….. Hum!!!!!!!

Barney moved the Wilson family to West Texas when his daughter’s eye doctor encouraged Barney to do so. The eye doctor thought Mary’s eyes would be better off in the higher altitude and drier climate of West Texas than in the climate of Central Texas. Barney, our dad, found a job in Brownfield, one in which he had to hitchhike to. Ollie Mae, his wife and our mother, still in Central Texas, packed up the children and their personal belongings and drove their Model T to their newfound home. Later, they moved to Levelland and eventually to Lubbock, where Barney worked for Furr’s Food Bakery and later Baldridge Bakery. He soon learned of a job in Slaton at The Slaton Bakery where he could be foreman and have the responsibility that he had been preparing himself for. After working there for a couple of years, he and his employer, Mr. R. D. Hickman, worked out a deal that enabled him to purchase the bakery and become “self employed”. He was now the 11^th owner of the Slaton Bakery. At last he had achieved the American Dream. Barney, along with his wife and kids, as well as many loyal employees, operated it through the good times and the bad\

 Barney and Ollie Mae operated the bakery until 1973 when their youngest son, Sherrell took over the operation of the bakery. He, like his father, has operated it successfully along with his lovely wife Robin, their two sons, Bryce and Chad, and a host of faithful employees and continues to this day. The Slaton Bakery continues to be one of the oldest remaining retail bakeries in the State of Texas.

            Inside this recipe book, the Memory Section, are many short stories. Some are only a paragraph or so long. Mostly are memories of a time long gone by. Some of the stories are from our family get togethers. Some are from customers near and far. We have made every effort to include ever story conveyed to us since the start of this book.

DEDICATION

This book is dedicated to Barney, Ollie Mae, Sherrell, Bryce, Chad, the Wilson families, our extended families, Slaton Bakery employees, our bakery comrades, and last but not least, our customers, near and far. Without all of these people, this cookbook / memory book would not have been possible, nor would the bakery have flourished, under the Wilson Family ownership, for over 61 years. We have been blessed over the years with such wonderful employees and customers. In both cases many have become lifelong friends.

We would like to thank all of the many people who have contributed recipes and great memories and stories. This cookbook/ memory book wouldn’t have been possible without you.

Making this cookbook has been a “Labor of Love”. It’s been great getting recipes and memories from customers, former and current employees, and our family. We’ve enjoyed reminiscing with or about all the great memories over the last 61 years.

We hope you enjoy reading the stories and preparing your meals from the many great recipes.

THANKS AGAIN FOR ALL YOUR HELP AND PATRONAGE!!!!