Ask Granny

June 27,1998

Hello my friends, I wish you well—and I wish you cool. How in the world did we survive before the air conditioner and electric fans? I remember we sat out under the shade trees after the dinner dishes were washed - but I never knew of anyone eating out there. We just sat there in that sweltering kitchen and enjoyed all the good summer-time food that Mom had cooked on our old black iron stove. A meal wasn’t complete without cornbread of course, and that was always baked in the oven. I just cook it on top of the stove in a "slow" skillet – lots cooler.

We always had chickens, so often we had fried chicken or chicken and dumplins’—depending on the age of the critter. We weren’t fussy—Mama was a real good cook and we "licked the platter clean" in no time.

We ate plenty of "soup" beans as they were cheap and filling, and I like them just as well today. We might have corn on the cob or fried corn, green beans cooked with a piece of streaky- lean bacon and a bit of sugar and vinegar, cole slaw made with a most delicious cooked dressing I never ate anywhere else, and of course we ate a lot of crookneck squash.

We had a carnival ware pitcher we got free from a tea company to mix up little penny packages of Kool-aid in- or we might have Lipton’s tea, sweet milk, butter milk or clabber, or just plain old water drawed up fresh and cold just before the meal. In the Spring we drank Sassafrass tea that Mama had brewed earlier and weakened down with fresh drawed water. Oh yes, us pore folks ate mighty good - thanks to the hard, hard work done by Mama and Daddy.

I’m not going to bore you with so much palavering today that I don’t have space to give you a recipe or two to try. I also want to thank those of you kind enough to ask about my health And tell you that I’m in good shape for the shape I’m in - which is unknown at this time. I’m at the stage now of "Take 2 aspirin and don’t call me in the morning" Apparently I don’t have kidney stones, lupus or inflammatory arthritis,

and my bloods "Sed. Rate is only ten degrees above normal high" which could be from my regular arthritis. I’m quoting here. One might wonder why have this blood test in the first place if it shows there’s something wrong with you but nothing will be done to find out what it is As I said, I’m in good shape--- .

Here’s those recipes I promised you, okay? Mama said I might have to adjust the vinegar - she didn’t have to measure every little thing. Her hands knew how much to add to make it taste just right.

Mama’s slaw dressing

mix ½ cup sugar & 1 Tbs flour

add ¼ to ½ cup vinegar

1 Tbs butter

1 egg yolk

Mix well, cook on low heat till thick. Cool, pour over cut cabbage & toss till well mixed.

(Seems like Mom added a little prepared mustard).

I’m sending you this next recipe for two reasons, it’s the right season to have these vegetables on hand and then the name tickles me no matter how often I run across it when I’m searching through my recipes!

Water - Wink Eye

2 Tbs flour

3 Tbs Bacon Grease

1 onion, sliced