Gender Politics in the USA

Gender politics in the United States -- and the world, I imagine -- are funny things. As a male that loves to cook and do laundry, I'm often faced with several questions from the confused and curious:
a) what's wrong with me?
b) where did my parents go wrong?
c) am I gay?
d) all of the above?

Frankly, I don't think there's anything wrong, my parents did a great job raising me, and I dig chicks and their equipment. But, how do I explain my love for domestic tasks, especially anything that involves a kitchen? Hell, I even love grocery shopping! The cookbook pictured below has plenty to do with the way I turned out.

As a young Hungover Gourmet, I usually ended up in the family kitchen, eating a post-school, pre-dinner snack. And watching THG's mother fix dinner for a family of hungry-big-eaters. The Betty Crocker Good and Easy Cookbook pictured was the only cookbook my mother has ever owned. I think she received it as a wedding or shower gift 52 years ago, and every meal we were served had its roots between the covers.

Amazing as it may seem, when I return to my humble roots for a family affair, each meal tastes exactly like it did 10, 15, 20 years ago. I never saw my mother actually reference this book, but I was glad when I stumbled upon a copy at an upstate New York antique shop. Maybe now my meals will bear a resemblance to the last time I attempted them.

The following recipe is described as "unusual -- and good" on page 107 of this piece of modern homemaker history. If anyone tries it, you'll have to let me know if it fits that description.

SIDE NOTE: The copy I picked up was inscribed as follows: "To Lolita, From Betty. 'Hope you can save yourself some time and also get some new ideas.' Dated 1955."

1 lb. pork sausage
2 tbsp. minced onion
2 cups soft bread crumbs
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1 egg, beaten
8 canned peach halves
24 cloves
peach syrup

Heat oven to 350° (moderate). Combine sausage, onion, bread crumbs, seasonings, and egg. Form into 8 balls. Arrange peach halves, cut side up, in shallow baking dish. Stick 3 cloves around edge of each peach half, place sausage ball in center. Bake 45 min. Drain off fat and pour on heated syrup, drained from peaches.

4 servings. No nutritional information given.