Sounds Like My Kind Of Party: A Celebrated Tipsy Charlotte

Mix booze with dessert and I'm a happy camper. No surprise, then, that this recipe from The Portland Woman's Exchange Cook Book is slated for a grey and dessert-needing Friday.

A Celebrated Tipsy Charlotte.

Take sufficient lady fingers to fill your glass dish; 1 lb. of almonds, blanched and split; fill a bowl about two-thirds full of Sherry wine, add one-third water, sweeten to taste; split the lady fingers lengthwise and dip them into the wine; arrange a layer in the bottom of your dish, then a layer of almonds, and so on, until your dish is nearly full. Make a custard of 5 eggs to a quart of milk, flavor with almond. When cold pour over your lady fingers; let stand 1 hour. If you can procure it whip 1 pint of triple cream to a stiff froth and put on top of dish, dotting it here and there with minute triangles of currant jelly.

Mrs. Martin Winch.

Mrs. Winch is a homegirl! She was born Nellie Amelia Wygant in Oregon City, Oregon. Aw! End of the Oregon Trail! And, golly, she was great-granddaughter of John McLaughlin! If that doesn't get me frothing at the mouth with imagined closeness and coolness, Martin was the guy who cleared the way for Reed College to come into being. These people? Solid Oregonian Stock.

Evidently, Solid Oregonian Stock folks assume that you know how to make a custard.

Chefly Husband's mom shares a story wherein a friend from India wanted to make an English dessert. She chose to make a trifle, and was confused by the recipe, but plowed ahead. Except she used what she thought of as lady fingers... okra.

Do not use okra to make this celebrated tipsy charlotte.