Return of the Apron

 By Lorrie Mathews Mar 31, 2006 -

 Aprons have been a part of our culture for hundreds of years. If you take a look back in history, you will see that aprons were used for many practical purposes and were worn by both men and woman. They were worn by blacksmiths, farmers, shopkeepers, and millers and used in daily chores like gathering eggs, working in the garden, cooking and cleaning. The main function of the apron was to protect the clothing and keep trade tools handy. Whatever you were doing on the farm or in your profession, the apron extended the number of days that an outfit could be worn before washing and extended the life of the clothing underneath. Most aprons were long and made of durable fabrics; some were even made of wool to protect women from burning when cooking over an open hearth. As the years progressed, apron styles began to change to meet the needs of the wearer. With the end of World War II came a boom of home entertainment and dinner parties. It was the “Leave it to Beaver” era, and moms were in the kitchen. Homemade pies and breads awaited hungry children almost every afternoon, and mom enjoyed her daily task of home management. The apron then took on a new look. It was no longer worn for just practical purposes; it was now worn for style. Aprons were soon known as the symbol of the homemaker, and every mother and hostess had one, if not several. There were hundreds of styles and colors, and most moms had fancy, decorative aprons to match outfits for special occasions. Then, almost overnight, the apron was gone. Not quite without a trace, but gone as far as the fashion industry was concerned. I have heard the apron called an icon of the past, so where did it go? With the dawn of the women’s liberation movement, more and more jobs became available to women, and women slowly began to leave their homes. There was no longer a need for feminine fashion statements that had such close ties to the home and hearth. There was no time to bake or entertain–no time at home to do many of the things women once enjoyed doing. Many of the homemaking skills like cooking, baking, sewing, and even cleaning were looked upon as drudgery. We hired maids, cooks, and childcare professionals to do our jobs for us, and the skills of the home manager were all but lost. Our young maidens no longer had moms at home to teach them how to be homemakers, so they, in turn, went off to work, too. You could say, “We’ve come a long way baby”, but I think we have been traveling in the wrong direction. However, I do not despair, for I see a change in the tides. There is hope on the horizon, because the apron is back! I know the apron by itself cannot help women reclaim their home and once again embrace motherhood. But, statistics show that sales of aprons are on the increase. If more women are buying aprons, that means more women are once again embracing God’s design and returning to the home–returning to raise their children, cook the meals, clean the house, be helpers to their husbands and managers of their homes, therefore having a need for functional, feminine aprons.

Featured Products

We will be featuring several of our products from time to time. You may see several posting in this catagory over the next few days, due to our databases being wiped clean. We want to get our content backout here for all to see. Thank you for bearing with us through this transitional time.

Ruffles and Curves Apron

This frilly ruffles and curves apron was created from our mother/daughter apron
pattern. This light weight cotton fabric is brown with tiny yellow dots and
yellow/red flowers. Ruffles wrap around to the back waistline. Ties around the
neck and the waist.

Welcom back

Once again I find myself at the starting line with the whole blog thing. I guess there is something to be said for new beginnings. Please bear with us as we begin to add content back to our site. We will be posting some great recipies and product discriptions soon.

Red Lobster Cheese Biscuits

This recipe came to me via e-mail. It is part of a cookbook that has been circulating around with national restaurant recipes. Some of these we have tried personally and others we just wanted to share with you.

Red Lobster Cheese Biscuits
Dough:
1 1/4 lbs. Bisquik
3 Oz. freshly shredded cheddar cheese
11 Oz. cold water
Garlic Spread:
1/2 cup melted butter
1 teas. garlic powder
1/4 teas. salt
1/8 teas. onion powder
1/8 teas. dried parsley
To cold water, add Bisquik and cheese, blending in a mixing bowl.
Mix until dough is firm.
Using a small scoop, place the dough on a baking pan lined with
baking paper. Bake in 375 degree oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until
golden brown. While biscuits bake, combine spread ingredients.
Brush baked biscuits with the garlic topping.

Regency Apron

This regency style apron was inspired by the Jane Austin film,"Since and
Sinsibility". A very popular empire waist apron from the early 1800’s.
Is perfect for the kitchen or garden. The light weight design makes this apron
a joy to wear. Pictured here in the short style 24" from the high waist
line. Reaches to the top of the knee on an average woman. Long style is 36"
from the empire waist line.

P.F. Chang’s Lettuce Wraps

This recipe came to me via e-mail. It is part of a cookbook that has been circulating around with national restaurant recipes. Some of these we have tried personally and others we just wanted to share with you.

P.F. Chang’s Lettuce Wraps
8 dried shiitake mushrooms
1 Teaspoon cornstarch
2 Teaspoon dry sherry
2 Teaspoon water
salt and pepper
1−1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken
5 Tablespoon oil
1 Teaspoon fresh minced ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 green onions, minced
2 small dried chilis, (optional)
8 Ounce can bamboo shoots, minced
8 Ounce can waterchestnuts, minced
1 package cellophane Chinese rice noodles, prepared according to package
Cooking Sauce:
1 Tablespoon Hoisin sauce
1 Tablespoon soy sauce
1 Tablespoon dry sherry
2 Tablespoon oyster sauce
2 Tablespoon water
1 tsp. sesame oil
1 tsp. sugar
2 tsp. cornstarch
Iceburg lettuce “cups”
Cover mushrooms with boiling water, let stand 30 minutes then drain. Cut and
discard woody stems. Minces mushrooms. Set aside. Mix all ingredients for
cooking sauce in bowl, and set aside. In medium bowl, combine cornstarch,
sherry water, soy sauce, salt, pepper, and chicken. Stir to coat chicken
thoroughly. Stir in 1 tsp. oil and let sit 15 minutes to marinate. Heat wok
or large skillet over medium high heat. Add 3 TBSP oil, then add chicken and
stir fry for about 3−4 minutes. Set aside. Add 2 TBSP oil to pan. Add
ginger, garlic, chilies(if desired), and onion; stir fry about a minute or
so. Add mushrooms, bamboo shoots and water chestnuts; stir fry an additional
2 minutes. Return chicken to pan. Add mixed cooking sauce to pan. Cook until
thickened and hot. Break cooked cellophane noodles into small pieces, and
cover bottom of serving dish with them. Then pour chicken mixture on top of
noodles. Spoon into lettuce leaf and roll.

Olive Garden Fried Mozzarella

This recipe came to me via e-mail. It is part of a cookbook that has been circulating around with national restaurant recipes. Some of these we have tried personally and others we just wanted to share with you.

Olive Garden Fried Mozzarella
1 pound block of mozzarella cheese
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup water
1 1/2 cups Italian bread crumbs
1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
2/3 cup flour
1/3 cup corn starch
Slice the block of cheese lengthwise into about 1/2 inch
sections. Cut each section in half.
Beat the eggs with water and set aside. Mix the bread crumbs,
garlic, oregano, and basil and set aside. Blend the flour with
corn starch and set aside.
Heat vegetable oil for deep frying to 350F. Dip cheese in flour
then in egg wash and then coat with bread crumbs. Place carefully
in hot oil and fry until golden brown. This should only take a
matter of seconds, so you need to watch them closely.
Drain on brown paper bags and serve with your favorite pasta
sauce that has been warmed.

Edwardian Apron

This Edwardian Apron was inspired by a beautiful circa 1910-1912 pattern. Created
by Jeannie Chancey of sensibility.com

We have created these aprons with Mrs. Chancey’s permission and offer it to
you in a light weight natural muslin fabric that is sure to blend with any attire.
The full bodice design of this apron keeps more of your clothing protected,
whether you are in the kitchen or on the farm. Apron features 2 nice sized pockets
and a fitted bodice for a feminine yet functional design.

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