Looking back at prices in 1954 in a Birmingham store, here are a few items of interest:

• Sweet potatoes were 59 cents for five pounds.

• Brussels sprouts were 19 cents a pound

• Two pounds of cranberries were priced at 49 cents

• Bacon was sold for 39 cents a pound.

• Chestnuts were 39 cents for two pounds.

• Beef liver went for 29 cents per pound.

• Gerber’s baby food was six for 63 cents.

Tickets to see Birmingham Barons baseball games were 35 cents in 1959. Concession prices had soft drinks at 10 cents and 20 cents, peanuts at 10 cents, popcorn for 10 cents and 15 cents, hotdogs for 20 cents and cigarettes for 30 cents. Parking was a quarter.

My friends and I would often attend the Barons game, but we never had to buy tickets. I always won for entering contests, which I would write why I liked the games.

I had won a baseball in a national baseball contest. I carried it to one of the games and had Phil Regan sign it. Regan later went on to play professional baseball for the Detroit Tigers.

I can remember my grandmother having ice delivered to her home around 1942 or 1943. The ice was shaped like a block. She would place it into the icebox to be used later.

Cooking hints – If the recipe calls for one pound of butter, use four sticks. For two cups grated cheese, use half of a pound. Two medium stalks of celery will make one cup of chopped celery. Two medium onions will make one cup of chopped onions.

French dressing

Homemade dressing is much better than what you buy. The following is a good recipe for making French dressing.

3/4 cup salad oil

1/4 cup vinegar

1 tablespoon sugar

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon dry mustard

Combine all ingredients in a jar and shake until well blended.