DEAR SUN SPOTS: For the person who wanted the old recipe of white sauce with green beans and/or yellow beans, I still make it once in a while. It’s very simple to make — basic medium white sauce, like thick cream, for creamed and scalloped dishes.

4 tablespoons butter

4 tablespoons flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

2 cups milk

Melt butter over low heat in a heavy saucepan. Wooden spoon for stirring is a help. Blend in flour and seasonings. Cook over low heat, stirring until mixture is smooth, bubbly. Remove from heat. Stir in milk. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, boil for 1 minute.

Add warmed-up canned or cooked green and yellow beans, any amount you want. This sauce recipe makes 2 cups. You can make as much or as little as you want. Good luck. — Irene Coady, Auburn

DEAR SUN SPOTS: I’m writing to respond to Claudette’s request for a recipe for yellow beans in a white sauce, sauce aux palettes de feves. I found the recipe in a book in USM’s Franco-American Collection, “A Little Bit of This, And a Little Bit of That: Recipes By Heart” by Adèle St. Pierre, a native of Jay.

The recipes are based on those of her grandmother, mother and aunts. I suspect that salt pork grease is the secret ingredient to Claudette’s mother’s white sauce.

USM’s Franco-American Collection is housed at Lewiston-Auburn College at 51 Westminster St. We have a number of cookery books in the reading room, as well as books, photos and oral histories on subjects like history, genealogy, language and music.

The collection is open to the public from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Mondays and Thursdays. — James Myall, coordinator, Franco-American Collection

ANSWER: James provided the recipe, but Sun Spots could not reprint it for fear of violating the copyright. It sounded tasty, so you might want to check it out.

DEAR SUN SPOTS: In response to the request for a white sauce recipe, here’s a recipe that came from my mother-in-law many years ago:

Melt 3 to 4 tablespoons butter or canola oil in at least a quart-size pot.

Add 3 to 4 heaping tablespoons flour, mixing until it seems like a thick past.

Add 3 to 3½ cups of milk and salt and pepper to taste.

Continue to cook on medium to medium-high heat. Stir contents until sauce thickens. Don’t let it cook on or burn.

I add 6 to 8 boiled eggs cut up, 2 medium-sized cooked potatoes cut into chunks and 1 can of yellow waxed beans. This is real good served on top of warmed biscuits.

The white sauce with boiled eggs can also be served on top of salmon pie or salmon loaf.

I hope this is helpful to Claudette. Enjoy! — Debbie Blais, Lewiston

DEAR SUN SPOTS: I’m looking for someone local who teaches hand drumming. I’m planning to start a club for area youth, so I will also need advice on how to teach drumming. — Wanda Sprague, wandarer@roadrunner.com, 783-2711

DEAR SUN SPOTS: I am looking for someone who might be interested in purchasing Avon plates and the prices of them. Thank you. — Jane, No Town

ANSWER: Sun Spots has not found much of a market for Avon plates. There are a few sold on eBay, but not for much money. There were a lot of these plates manufactured, which reduces their value. Perhaps readers will have suggestions.

This column is for you, our readers. It is for your questions and comments. There are only two rules: You must write to the column and sign your name (we won’t use it if you ask us not to). Please include your phone number. Letters will not be returned or answered by mail, and telephone calls will not be accepted. Your letters will appear as quickly as space allows. Address them to Sun Spots, P.O. Box 4400, Lewiston, ME 04243-4400. Inquiries can also be e-mailed to sunspots@sunjournal.com.

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