Secret RecipesHi! I'm Laura Emerich and Gloria Pitzer, the ORIGINAL Secret Recipe Detective, is my mom. This website is lovingly dedicated to her memory and legacy.
In honor of January, being National Oatmeal Month, here’s Mom’s copycat recipe for “Hardtack”; as seen in… Gloria Pitzer’s Cookbook – The Best of the Recipe Detective (Balboa Press; Jan. 2018, p. 179). [A revised reprint of Gloria Pitzer’s Better Cookery Cookbook (Secret RecipesTM, St. Clair, MI; May 1983, 3rd Edition)]. As always, I’m asking […]
Thank God it’s Monday, again. I always look forward to every Monday. They’re my 52 Chances a year, in which I get to share Memories of My Mom with you. Therefore, have a happy Monday. #TheRecipeDetective #NationalMichiganDay Yesterday, January 18th, was National Michigan Day. As a Michigander, I love my home state of Michigan and […]
In honor of TODAY, being National Marzipan Day, here’s Mom’s secret recipe for Marzipan Candy; as seen in her self-published newsletter, Gloria Pitzer’s Secret Recipes Newsletter (Secret RecipesTM, St. Clair, MI; Nov.-Dec. 1997, p. 10). As always, I’m asking only for proper credit if you care to re-share it. #NationalMarzipanDay MARZIPAN CANDY By Gloria Pitzer, […]
Happy Monday, again. I love Mondays, as they’re my 52 Chances a year, in which I get to share Memories of My Mom with you. #TheRecipeDetective #UniversalLetterWritingWeek Being the second week of 2026, this is, among other things, Universal Letter Writing Week. This observance encourages us to write letters to family and friends (or even just […]
In honor of January, being National Slow Cooking Month, here’s Mom’s copycat recipe for “Tomato Paste”; as seen in… Gloria Pitzer’s Cookbook – The Best of the Recipe Detective (Balboa Press; Jan. 2018, p. 64). [A revised reprint of Gloria Pitzer’s Better Cookery Cookbook (Secret RecipesTM, St. Clair, MI; May 1983, 3rd Edition)]. As always, […]
Once again, TGIM. I look forward to every Monday, for sharing Memories of My Mom with you, and I hope that this creates a happy Monday for you. #TheRecipeDetective #ThankGodItsMondayDay #CelebrationOfLifeWeek As the first Monday in January (for 2026), it’s… Thank God It’s Monday Day. According to NationalDayCalendar.com, on this day, we should… “Stop shaming […]
Happy New Year’s Day… “I may not have much candle left but, with what I have, I’ll shed a light.” – Gloria Pitzer, This is not a Cook Book! It’s Gloria Pitzer’s Food for Thought (Secret RecipesTM, St. Clair, MI; Oct. 1986, p. 34). #NewYearsDay HOLIDAY HURRICANE LAMP By Gloria Pitzer, as seen in her […]
Happy National Pepper Pot Day. In honor, here’s Mom’s copycat recipe for “Pepper Pot Soup, Like Ichabod Crane’s”; as seen in her self-published newsletter, Gloria Pitzer’s Monthly Cookbook of Secret Recipes (Secret RecipesTM, St. Clair, MI; July 1981, p. 3). As always, I’m asking only for proper credit if you care to re-share it. #NationalPepperPotDay […]
Thank God it’s Monday, again. I always look forward to every Monday. They’re my 52 Chances a year, in which I get to share Memories of My Mom with you. Therefore, have a happy Monday. #TheRecipeDetective #NewYearsEve #NewYearsDay #NewYearsResolutionsWeek Are you a glass half-empty or half-full kind of person? Do you see today as being […]
In honor of TODAY, being National Date Nut Bread Day, here’s Mom’s copycat recipe for “Soup Can Date Nut Bread”, like Sanders’ once had; as seen in her self-published cookbook, The Original 200 Plus Secret Recipes© Book (Secret RecipesTM, Marysville, MI; June 1997, p. 39). As always, I’m asking only for proper credit if you […]