FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Recipe hunt finds schooldays sweet treat

By Wanda A. Adams
Advertiser Food Editor

I've got readers. You've got the nagging memory of a recipe you're desperate to find. We could work together. That was the premise of my suggestion a couple of weeks ago that, from time to time, I'll make this column a sharing space. I've since received all manner of requests, so let me be clear on my specialty: recipes not on the Internet and not available from any current business.

So far, readers Eleanor Henderson, Sets Kita, Mrs. Hirono Haraguchi, J Fujimoto, Howard Takata, Irene Nagao, Suzanne "S," Ruby Fukuyama, Gladys Sato, Sharon Yamanaka, Suzi Case and a number of others wrote to offer Palama by the Sea Foam cookies for Donna Tyler. A recipe for the grape glaze from Pottery Steak House also flowed in in numbers. Both were printed in this space last week.

This week, I hope I've got the answer for Shepherd Kawakami's plaintive call for a schooldays oatmeal cherry bar. This version is attributed to Gertrude Chong, who was the cafeteria manager at Kohala High School.

Oatmeal Cherry Bar: Sift together 1 1/2 cups flour, 3/4 teaspoon baking soda and 3/4 teaspoon salt into a bowl. Add 3/4 cup brown sugar, lightly packed, 1 1/2 cups oatmeal and 3/4 cup butter. Mix thoroughly. Press half this mixture into a greased 9-inch-square baking dish or pan. Mix together 2 cups canned cherries (NOT cherry pie filling), 2 tablespoons melted butter and 1/2 cup sugar (more or less, to desired sweetness) and pour over crust. Crumble remaining crust mixture on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Cool and cut into squares.

Jennifer Kanechika wrote to say she wants the apple crisp that corresponds to this.

Former food editor Joan Namkoong reminded me that the Lemon Crunch Cake requested appeared in the Advertiser in 1999. It's not the one from the Alexander-Young Hotel but it's very like it. It's long, so if you want that recipe, e-mail me or send a stamped, self-addressed envelope and I'll get it out to you.

More recipes we'd like:

• The signature salad dressing from Aldred's Restaurant, for Sylvia Asato.
• Shioyaki salmon for Judith Mariano.
• Sweet-and-sour spare-ribs from Kaimuki High School for Khoi Fong.
• Strawberry Napoleon from Henry's Market at Liberty House for James Lee.
• Chocolate froggie (or froggy) cookies printed in The Advertiser decades ago for Mike Long in Punalu'u. "I'd give my left arm for one right now," he said.
• The recipe for the custard pie from the lamented Craig's Bakery operated by the Furubayashi family, for "Dale in Kailua," who swears that "no one, anywhere, EVER" made a better one.