Mrs. Gurdon Corning’s Salmon Salad
Use ¼ head of cabbage chopped fine, 4 stalks of celery cut in bits, 1 can salmon, salt, and 2 hardboiled eggs, chopped. Mix all together, and serve with a dressing as follows: 1 pt. vinegar, the beaten yolks of 4 eggs, 1 tablespoon mustard, ½ cup sugar, and 1 tablespoon. Corn starch. When cold or ready for use, add ½ cup cream. Mrs. Gurdon Corning, from The Saginaw Cookbook, published by First Congregational Church.
Castle Test Kitchen’s Interpretation:
Salad
¼ Head of cabbage chopped Fine
4 Stalks of celery chopped
1 Can (14 ¾ oz.) of salmon
2 Hardboiled eggs, chopped
Salt to taste
Mix these ingredients together and place in serving bowl.
Dressing:
1 pt. vinegar
4 Egg yolks, beaten
1 T. Mustard
½ Cup Sugar
1 T. Cornstarch
½ Cup cream
With exception of cream, whisk these ingredients together and heat in a double boiler.
After mixture has cooled, add cream, and stir. Serve with salad.
Notes:
The instructions for the preparation of the dressing for this salad is rather enigmatic. While they indicate indicate that it should be cooled; there is no instructions for cooking it. However, in light of current recommendations concerning the consumption of raw eggs and the fact that the recipe instructed us to cool the mixture, we did heat it. The dressing did not thicken – or our test kitchen staff lost interest in stirring before it did so.
Overall, the salad and dressing were rather good- much better than expected. The dressing is quite tart, and we found it better when used sparingly
Preparation:
Mix together
The Timothy and Gurdon Corning Home
Mrs. Gurdon Corning – Lucy Westron Corning - was born in Jackson County Michigan in 1842. She married Gurdon Corning in 1870 and passed away in 1920. Her commitment to Saginaw and her involvement in the community deserves a full post and we will feature her life story soon – along with her recipe for creamed potatoes. Today we will focus on her home.
“The house of Mr. Corning, which is to be an elegant and costly brick, is already under contract, and work has been commenced upon the excavation of the cellar.’
“The plans for Mr. Corning’s house were made by John B. Dibble, an architect who has made many fine designs for public and private buildings here and elsewhere.”
The Enterprise, Thursday, June 17, 1867
Constructed as duplex for the Timothy and Gurdon Corning families – Gurdon was Timothy’s son, the Corning residence is located immediately to the south of Hoyt Park in a neighborhood known as the Grove. Today the address is 1446 South Washington Avenue.
Completed, about 1869, the structure contained two elegant homes – the units were mirror images of each other. It was designed by J.B. Dibble, the architect who designed the Taylor House – later known as the Fordney Hotel.
Gurdon and Lucy’s home was the northern unit. In 1888, they added an addition that was described in the Saginaw Evening News: “in its interior richness of finish, artistic workmanship, combined with all modern improvements, uniting utility and beauty together, presents a perfect picture of a home of wealth, comfort and refinement.” “While the bathroom shows a job of plumbing as fine any done in the city.”
In 1913, Wellington R. Burt offered $15,000 for a home for the elderly to any organization that would raise $10,000 or more. The offer was promptly accepted by the Saginaw Women's Club. The Corning/Bartlett residence was offered to The Home by Mrs. Gurdon Corning at a price of $8,000. In 1915 W. T. Cooper, architect, was engaged to remodel the building for use as The Home For The Aged. Alterations included the joining of the two stair halls into the large foyer we see today. In 1931-32 a one-story addition on the south side of the home increased its capacity to 25 residents.
The Home for the Aged closed in 1999 and the following year was purchased by Gary Fogelsonger. Today, it is home and the Corning’s buffets – one belonged to Timothy’s family and the other to Gurdon’s – still grace the dining room. Certainly, they once held Mrs. Gurdon Corning’s Salmon Salad.
Images
Members of the Corning family are interred in Brady Hill Cemetery. Their former home is clearly visible from the cemetery.