November 29
Louisa Mae Alcott's Birthday
 

:ouisa May Alcott: The Woman Behind Little Women (2009)

Louisa Mae Alcott has often been classified as a writer of children's books, a classification that is both inaccurate and misleading. She was a novelist and magazine writer who, in addition to her minor novels (Hospital Sketches, Work, Hoods, and A Modern Mephistopheles), also wrote some books for small children (Lulu's Library) and several series of books about young people (Little Women, Little Men, Jo's Boys, etc.) Classics like Little Women have a universal appeal to people of all ages because they deal with identifiable experiences. We often relate and care for the fictional characters in these novels because they are compassionate and caring people, and often more compassionate and caring than some people we know. Some characters like Jo March become friends that we carry with us our entire lives, and friends that we want to share with our children. PBS broadcast the film Louisa May Alcott: The Woman Behind Little Women in 2009." which took "Best Documentary" at the Reel Women Festival in Los Angeles.Mary McNamara of the L. A. Times said, "[The] documentary gives life and texture to a woman of extraordinary talent and determination who became as great a celebrity in her day as J.K. Rowling is in ours.... More than that, the film captures the intellectual foment of the time, which, though revolutionary in many ways, did not extend to a woman becoming a novelist or essayist under her own name unless she was writing for children." Louisa Mae Alcott lived most of her life in Concord, Massachusetts. Her father was one of the leaders of the Transcendentalist movement and Louisa spent some 'of her early years in the ill-fated Transcendentalist commune appropriately called Fruitland, where Emerson, Thoreau, Margaret Fuller and other prominent Transcendentalists would visit and share a meager meal. Louisa often helped with the cooking, and specialized in making an economical dessert called Apple Slump. In fact, Louisa liked Apple Slump so much that she named the first home that she purchased Apple Slump. So let's celebrate Louisa Mae's birthday with some Apple Slump and enjoying Louisa May Alcott: The Woman Behind Little Women i

1. Combine apple slices, sugar, cinnamon, and water in a saucepan. Cover and heat until mixture boils. Sift flour, salt, and baking powder together. Stir in milk and make a soft dough (amount of milk. may vary, depending on the flour).
2. Drop dough by spoonfuls like dumplings over apple mixture. Cover tightly and cook over low heat for 25-30 minutes. Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream

Serves 6