It’s a question posed to me by readers so often.
And the prized answer has nothing to do with a recipe.
My parents, Chester, who turned 95 last month, and Peggy, who celebrates her Aug. 17 birthday welcoming age 93, frequently attend my public events such as stage cooking shows and charity luncheons and dinners. Most times, their attendance gets more attention than my reasons for attending or hosting the event.
The question everyone wants to know is how my parents stay so young and vibrant.
Often, readers offer their hypothesis: “Must be farm life.”
Like any members of our aging population, my parents have had plenty of their own “bumps along the road of good health.” And yes, their multiple doctor appointments are frequent, and daily pills, vitamins and prescriptions, all numerous.
Earlier this month, Mom joined the ranks of so many this summer (myself included) fighting off the summer 2024 respiratory ailment that compromises talking and social interaction with coughing, wheezing and fatigue. An eight-day hospital stay in Valparaiso warded off the infection and virus, allowing her to return to the farm in time for her birthday festivities this weekend.
The carousel of doctors, nurses and support staff who tended to my mom all marveled at her strong willpower and sharp, mind and queried at what has resulted in not only the longevity of both of my parents but also twilight years comprised of living independently in the same home since the start of their 70-year marriage. Adding to the fortunate scenario, both still drive to town to the bank, church, post office, stores, barber shop and beauty parlor.
Mom, Dad and I all have the same answer: a sharp and fine-tuned body of mind, spirit and soul paired with a lifetime of hard work and giving back to others, including family, friends and neighbors.
The other “ace card up their sleeves” as they describe it is reading daily newspapers, magazines, journals and working puzzles “to exercise the mind.”
My parents’ rural setting among the peppermint, corn and soybean fields in Starke County has one drawback in recent years, in addition to the demerit of being an hour away from most of their doctors and a full-service hospital. Several years ago, newspaper circulations and delivery options retracted.
Today, I begin nearly every morning driving to the nearest town to the north to pick up copies of all five of our major daily Northern Indiana newspapers: The Post-Tribune, The Chicago Tribune, The Sun-Times, The Times of Northwest Indiana and The South Bend Tribune.
Both my parents stay abreast of the latest news (local, statewide, national and international), and the daily $13 investment for the five newspapers is far more affordable than the cost of a skilled nursing care facility, many of which are now as much as $14,000 a month. My parents also have a mailed subscription to The Northwest Indiana Catholic newspaper.
During Mom’s brief hospital stay earlier this month, we received a surprise visitor to her third-floor room by nurse and avid reader of this column, Judy Gudeman of Kouts. More than 20 years ago, Judy shared a Swiss recipe in a July 2003 column for deep-fried elderberry blossom fritters, which was also published in my original 2004 cookbook “From the Farm: Family Recipes and Memories of a Lifetime.”
Nurse Judy agreed that Mom and Dad’s life passions for hard work, from cooking and canning to gardening and yard work, blended with voracious appetites for reading and devouring the latest news and current events, are all key factors for their zest for life and are a successful model for others.
Aware of all of the “members” of our farm family, Judy also added one other important “ingredient” for the recipe to a long, productive and cognitively fine-tuned format for living: owning a pet.
“I know you’ve had many farm dogs and cats over the years,” Judy said.
“But your big Maine coon breed cat Tracker that is written about in Phil’s columns and cookbooks is like another family member. It’s been researched, and people who have pets live longer lives, and it can even lower blood pressure.”
Along with Mom’s birthday cards this week arrived a recipe and note from Nurse Judy.
“I thought about sending my new elderberry fritter recipe, but we are about two months past when they bloom, so I’ll send it in the future,” Nurse Judy wrote.
“Instead, zucchini season is here. There are even a few comics in the newspaper I read recently about people secretly leaving zucchini on their neighbor’s porch. To be honest, there is nothing better than getting fresh produce from the garden and eating it the same day. I think this is part of the reason for the popularity of so many farmers’ markets today. So, in honor of zucchini season, and Peggy’s 93rd birthday, here is my favorite recipe and way to fix it! Love, Judy”
Columnist Philip Potempa has published four cookbooks and is the director of marketing at Theatre at the Center. He can be reached at pmpotempa@comhs.org or mail your questions: From the Farm, PO Box 68, San Pierre, Ind. 46374.
Nurse Judy’s Zucchini Casserole
Makes 8 servings
2 small zucchinis, sliced very thinly
1 onion, chopped fine
3-4 tablespoons olive oil
1⁄2 bunch cilantro, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1⁄4 cup flour or 1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1⁄2 teaspoon garlic powder
1⁄2 teaspoon turmeric
2-3 sliced tomatoes
8 ounces pepper jack cheese, shredded
Butter, as needed
Directions:
Butter a 9-inch by 13-inch baking pan and set aside.
In a bowl, mix zucchini and onions and toss in olive oil to help reduce sticking. Add in cilantro and garlic.
Mix all dry ingredients together in separate bowl. Toss vegetables in dry ingredients and also mix with beaten eggs, coating all pieces.
Place 1⁄2 of vegetable mixture in prepared baking pan. Cover with layer of tomatoes. Add half of the cheese. Repeat same layers.
Bake casserole covered with foil at 400 degrees for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake 15 minutes more.
