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It's true according to Michigan's own experts in historic culinary research, Priscilla and Larry Massie.

They are bringing their knowledge along with preparing some of these nearly forgotten foods to this year's Grice Museum Heritage Day, Saturday, July 7, from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. The Grice Museum is located off M-25 just north of Harbor Beach.

The Massie's, who hale from Grand Rapids, have co-authored an award-winning cookbook chock full of these rare recipes that once were as common place as today's jiffy mix muffins.

The book, Walnut Pickles & Watermelon Cake: A Century of Michigan Cookery, published by Wayne State University Press, will be available for sale at the Grice Museum during Heritage Day.

Bon Appetit magazine selected it as "one of the top eight regional cookbooks in the nation. Their review describes it as "full of period artwork and tasty tidbits of history and lore."

You won't see any non-stick surface pans or zapping of food in a microwave during the Massie's presentation. They use old kitchen utensils, crock bowls, and a wood-burning stove to prepare their dishes.

Priscilla Massie is a culinary consultant/chef for the Michigan Department of Agriculture's Select Michigan program. Her touring program is part of her job to promote Michigan-grown foods. She also appears on her own cooking show, "Made in Michigan," currently airing on Grand Rapids' WZZM-13, Take 5 program.

When she's not cooking or touring, Mrs. Massie can be found pouring through historic cookbooks and other paths to what our forefathers once called dinner.

Her husband, Larry, is also an historian and published author and magazine contributor. His most recent work, This Place Called Portage, is his 18th book about Michigan history.

His activities range from research and writing, old book appraisals, museum consultations, Michigan history storytelling and history culinary research.

He travels both peninsulas conducting research and sharing his knowledge and love of our state's history.

The couple, together with their daughters, live in an old school house in the Allegan State Forest. They share their home with 35,000 books--all part of their reference library.

So, be prepared to learn about the history of Michigan foods, which ones are in danger of disappearing, and taking your taste buds back in time, when you visit this year's Grice Museum Heritage Day, Saturday, July 7, 10-4 p.m.