From Cousin Pat (Robbins) Trewitt: Claude Dee Robbins was
known for his garden. It was large, well kept and full of vegetables.
Everything from corn on the cob to green onions. The tomatoes were my favorite.
Claude's garden kept his seven children and his wife busy. I'm talking big-time
garden. You would have to have seen it to believe it. People would drive by to
gaze at it. Some would stop and walk around looking at it and if Claude was
working in it, he would visit with them and give them hints on how to grow his
kind of vegetables, but I have always believed Claude had a green thumb. Here's
Mama's Wilted lettuce salad, made with Daddy's produce.
Fresh leaf lettuce, radishes and green onions from
Claude's garden.
Mom first cut up slices of bacon into pieces. Fried them
in a frying pan until crisp. She then drained all but 1/3 of the fat off. Then
added to the remaining fat sugar and vinegar to taste along with some
water. In a large salad bowl she arranged the leaf lettuce, radishes and cup up
green onions. Add the crisp bacon pieces to the lettuce, radishes and
green onions. She then poured the hot vinegar dressing over the vegetables.
Yum, yum makes me hungry for wilted lettuce and Mom's cooking.
Fry in frying pan as many slices of ham you want. When
done remove and arrange on a platter. Add to the fat in the skillet (Cast
Iron Skillet) strong black coffee and small amount of water. About 2
tablespoons of coffee for each slice of ham cooked. Pour gravy over the ham and
serve with grits or mashed potatoes. Oh my how good.
1 1/2 C
yellow cornmeal
1/2 C
all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons
baking powder
1 teaspoon
salt
1/4 teaspoon
baking soda
1/4 cup, plus
1 to 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, shortening or bacon fat
1 1/2 cups
buttermilk*
2 large eggs
Preheat oven to 425º. Combine cornmeal, flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda in large mixing bowl. Add
1/4 cup oil, buttermilk and eggs, stirring with a wooden spoon
until just mixed.
In a medium-sized skillet with an oven-proof handle, add the 1 to 2 tablespoons oil, shortening or bacon fat, and heat until
very hot. (Use caution. You don't want it to catch fire!)
Quickly pour the prepared batter into the hot skillet and with a
potholder, transfer the skillet to the oven.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown and center springs back when lightly pressed. Best served
warm.
*Substitute 1
1/4 cups sour milk for the buttermilk. To make sour milk place 1 tablespoon
white vinegar in measuring cup and add milk to make 1 cup. Let set for a couple
of minutes before using.
For
Mexican Cornbread, add whole kernel corn, onions, green chilies, chili powder
and cheese chunks to taste.
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"It's
difficult to think anything but pleasant thoughts
while eating a homegrown tomato." ~Lewis Grizzard
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