Paula grew up in Kansas City, Missouri, and associates most of her food memories with her mother, Anna May, who died when Paula was 16. In the refrigerator, Anna May kept a jar containing a mixture of flour, salt and shortening. This way, when she went to make a pie crust, all she had to do was add water and roll out the dough. One of Anna May's specialties was pies. One evening, a month after Anna May died, Paula found the jar in the back of the refrigerator. It just so happened that Anna May's best friend was coming to dinner, and so Paula baked a cherry pie. When Paula's sister, Pixie, tasted the pie she said "this tastes just like mom's!". Paula said "it is".
Anna Mae made Navy Beans every Monday, because Monday was wash day and navy beans, once in the pot, could cook all day, leaving time for household work. To make navy beans, buy dry beans and pick through them to remove any little stones or icky beans. Put them in a pot and cover with water. The next morning, rinse and drain. Return beans to pot with fresh water to cover them. Add a yellow onion (sliced or not) and a piece of ham hock (optional). Bring to a boil and turn down to a low simmer for at least 4 hours. Check occasionally to be sure the water is still covering the beans- and add more water if needed. Don't salt until the beans are done. Anna May served the beans with cornbread made from scratch.
Paula's father, Lee Bruce Luther, made Sunday morning breakfast for as far back as she can remember. He would make pancakes or fried mush. Sometimes he would make fried cheddar cheese by putting cheddar cheese into a hot skillet until it was brown. Paula told me that she saw her father smile once, but she can't remember why he smiled.
Anna Mae made Navy Beans every Monday, because Monday was wash day and navy beans, once in the pot, could cook all day, leaving time for household work. To make navy beans, buy dry beans and pick through them to remove any little stones or icky beans. Put them in a pot and cover with water. The next morning, rinse and drain. Return beans to pot with fresh water to cover them. Add a yellow onion (sliced or not) and a piece of ham hock (optional). Bring to a boil and turn down to a low simmer for at least 4 hours. Check occasionally to be sure the water is still covering the beans- and add more water if needed. Don't salt until the beans are done. Anna May served the beans with cornbread made from scratch.
Paula's father, Lee Bruce Luther, made Sunday morning breakfast for as far back as she can remember. He would make pancakes or fried mush. Sometimes he would make fried cheddar cheese by putting cheddar cheese into a hot skillet until it was brown. Paula told me that she saw her father smile once, but she can't remember why he smiled.
2 comments:
Mmmm. I made Grandma's pie crust for Thanksgiving -- apple and pumpkin. Yum!
Did we really have navy bean every week? Seem like they lasted about a week. Iloved em at the end of the pot between two slices of bread in my lunch that I took to school. that was eating high on the hog to me. Buck
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