Sunday afternoon at St. Helen’s Convent was shopping day. In the early afternoon we were doled out our weekly pocket money.  Promptly at 3:00 pm Sister Mary Godfreda would open her Holy Shop - a glass cased cupboard filled with rosaries, medals and pretty gilt-edged “holy cards” from Italy.  But the tuck shop is where one lined up first.  We feasted on Napoleon’s hat, cinnamon rolls and a variety of sweets.

However, the forbidden source of tuck seemed far tastier. This came from the Indian “Box Man.” He had a delicious assortment of pastries, breads and cakes. He carried these around in a battered tin box divided into a number of compartments.

The Box man was not permitted to sell his wares in the school grounds.  But we knew that on week-days between 10:00 and 10:15 am (during our morning break) he would pass right by the school, at the end of the school grounds near the chapel.  We would way-lay him, purchase usually my favorite - lemon loaf, and send him on his way before we were caught by a wandering nun or teacher.

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The Box Man’s lemon loaf (Recipe)

Lemon Bread- 12 servings

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup oil
Rind of 1 lemon, grated GLAZE:
1/3 cup sugar
Juice of 1 lemon

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to (350) and lightly grease 8x5 loaf pan.
2. In medium bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
3. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, oil and grated lemon
    peel.
4. Add the dry ingredients and stir enough to moisten the mixture.
5. Pour into prepared loaf pan and bake 40-45 min or until done when toothpick
    test is dry.
6. Let cool about 10 min and poke holes with wooden skewer about 1 in deep on
    top of bread.
7. Make glaze, by dissolving sugar in juice over medium heat. Heat gently until
    syrup forms and sugar is no longer grainy.
8. Spoon evenly over warm bread.
9. Cool in the pan before serving.