Family Recipe Friday - City Chicken

Here is a family favorite! City Chicken actually isn't chicken, but cubes beef, pork and/veal on wooden skewers (to resemble drumsticks). It seems to originated in Western Pennsylvania, but was popular in other areas of the Midwest. Early recipes for City Chicken show up in the 1930's post-Depression Era. Chicken was costly or hard to find, while the other meats (especially pork) were generally cheaper.

My father remembers his grandmother Mem, Elizabeth Linneman Speck Merz, making City Chicken as a child when they lived in Pittsburgh. She made it with pork, veal and beef. My parents have continued to cook this meal today, although they usually only use pork now. Here is the Cubbage version (there was no written recipe):

City Chicken
1" to 1 1/4" cubes of pork loin (and veal or beef) - put 4 on a skewer
dredge in flour
dip in beaten egg
roll in flavored bread crumbs
brown on all sides
put a grate in bottom of a pot and add tiny bit of water
bake at 400F until the meat is done (not sure how long)- just test it with a fork.

I don't have a picture of our City Chicken (I will be sure to take one next time we have it!). Instead, here is a picture of Mem in her kitchen - probably when she lived on Thelma Street in Pittsburgh.

Wednesday's Child - George Cubbage

Another blogging prompt used by genealogy bloggers is "Wednesday's Child" to post photos of gravestones of children. While sad, it can ensure they are remembered, and it can give life to the stories of these children (if they are known). Today's post is about George Cubbage.



George Cubbage was my grandfather's brother and the youngest of the eight children born to Charles and Maine (Swank) Cubbage. George was born in 1919 in Monessen, PA and died on December 25, 1921 at home in Monessen after having diphtheria and pneumonia. George's older sister, Leah Cubbage, had died just a year earlier in 1920. Next week I will post the heart-wrenching letter from his mother Maine to her sister about George's illness and death. George is buried in Braddock Cemetery in North Braddock, PA. It was also known as Old Braddock Cemetery and Russell Cemetery. He is buried alongside of his parents Charles and Maine, his sister Leah, his uncle William Arthur Speedy, and his first cousin once removed William H. Burd.

Sunday's Obituary - Jeffrey Jay Cubbage

Uncle Jeff was my Dad's brother. He was the son of William Arthur Cubbage and Agnes (Speck) Cubbage. Here is a picture of Jeff and my Dad in 1948.

Sports Center Saturday - PAL Baseball

May 1957

Memorial Day Parade

New Providence, NJ

Since it was Opening Day this week for Major League Baseball, I decided it was time for a baseball post. While this is not opening day, it is a picture of a New Providence Police Athletic League (PAL) team. My father is the player with the gold oval on his cap. Mom told me that the teams were all coached by police officers.

If you look closely (click on the image for a larger view), you can see the different shoes. Some of the boys are wearing high-tops, but many are wearing loafers or dress shoes for the parade. I think about how many pairs of sneakers my boys have, in addition to cleats and dress shoes. They saw this picture and couldn't imagine wearing "church shoes" for a baseball parade!

Treasure Chest Thursday - Cubbage Family Bible

The blogging prompt "Treasure Chest Thursday" challenges us to write about a family treasure, heirloom or other item that is important to our family. Today I will share the Cubbage Family Bible.

This Bible belonged to my great-great grandparents, James Cubbage and Barbara Black Cubbage who lived in Butler County, PA.

The cover is falling off, but is absolutely beautiful! Inside of the Bible are many family treasures: letters, a few pictures, a lock of hair, some dried flowers, newspaper clippings and obituaries, little cards from Sunday School. Some are clear as to which family member they are from, others are not. The biggest treasures inside of this Bible though, are the handwritten pages.

In between the Old Testament and the New Testament are pages that list marriages, births and deaths. The "Marriages" page is blank, but the "Births" page lists the birth dates for James and Barbara's nine children (transcribed below:
Nancy Cubbage was born October the 28 1853
Sarah Cubbage was born March the 6 1855
George Cubbage was born February the 3 1857
John Cubbage was born September 21 1860
Jacob Cubbage was born May 1 1863
James L Cubbage was born October the 19 1865
Mary ann Cubbage was born February the 8 1868
William H Cubbage was born May 1 1870
August the 3 1873 Charles Cubbage was Born (this entry is in a pen that is different from the other entries).

The next page lists two of the children's deaths:
Nancy Cubbage died January the 14 1854
Mary ann Cubbage died November the 20 1882

The information (and handwriting) in this Bible is such a treasure! I will post more about some of the other items with stories about Cubbage family members.

Happy Birthday Uncle Jeff!

Jeffrey Jay Cubbage

March 28, 1944 - March 26, 2007

This picture was taken in Pittsburgh, PA in 1951.

Happy Annversary Mom & Dad!

March 27, 1965

New Providence Presbyterian Church

New Providence, NJ