If you live in the hot humid South, Ice isn’t optional, it’s a necessity… I learned this from an early age- my Uncle Charles owned an Ice House, back then folks had Ice Boxes- even when ladies began to buy refrigerators, many still said, ‘It’s in the Ice Box’. Where do you think Ice Box Pies came from? Anyway, Uncle Charles taught us, by example, that there is a culinary art form to-
- Icing down co-colas
- Ice was a must have to use with Rock Salt to make Homemade Ice Cream
- And of course the South cannot drink our Sweet Tea without Ice
Many of us pronounce- ‘Eye-ce’, with two syllables. Southern folks need our Ice. Mommas all over the South would say- ‘Stop crunchin’ that ice, your teeth are gonna fall out, not to mention it’s bad manners to sit there crunchin’ ice.’ And still, especially crude menfolks would sit there with glasses empty of all but the Ice, shaking it and then crunchin’ the Ice. Not southern ladies, oh no, we had Ice Water Teas- yes, you read that right- leave it to us to figure out a way to make Ice Water into a Tea! And, well, it was nice… a sparkling glass filled with Ice and maybe a sprig of Mint or a think slice of Lemon, walking around with a water glass, holdin’ it up above our waists. I recall going to an Ice Water Tea, the hostesses made festive ice cubes and put them in fancy glasses. They actually served Water with Ice Follies set on doilies atop Silver Trays! It was impressive!
I’ve been sipping my share of ice water while doing a little yard work here at the Cottage- the Wild Strawberries, Violas, Wood Violets, Clover and Oxalis are charming here in Springtime. I was reminded of Ice Rings -a Ring Mold studded with fruit and sometimes flowers, that floated lazily in a punch bowl for Teas, Parties and Weddings, surely that was how those hostesses figured out how to make festive ice cubes! I rounded up an old ice tray, clipped and washed a few leaves and blooms to make Ice Follies. 
These are so easy, children can help out with the picking and making- and it sure would make a Mother’s Day Breakfast Tray or Brunch sweet and pretty. I’ve been putting mine in freezer bags to use through the spring and summer. 
I imagine I will use mine to encourage hydratin’ myself or greeting a guest with-
- ‘Darlin’ would you like something to drink?’
- ‘Why yes, I am thirsty now that you mention it, but I’ll just take water.’
Won’t they feel special when the glass of water is served on a doily with an Ice Folly or two? 
Maybe the custom of Ice Water Teas will be revived, at the very least, maybe you will just have a little fun making Ice Follies for Spring Parties, Teas, Graduations or to dress up an everyday meal. I’m gonna risk this- Ice Follies are a great way to say, ‘I love you berry much!’ or ‘Good Luck!’.
This has been a nostalgic week, my best friend from high school and college met me for lunch this week- halfway between her town and mine, she gave me a beautiful White Hydrangea in honor of my mother, we had such a good time! 
The two of us attended quite a few of those Ice Water Teas together! Hopefully I will see her again soon, I know this for sure- every year the White Hydrangea blooms? I’ll think of my beautiful friend. Meanwhile, if you try making festive ice cubes? I’d love to hear your ideas for Ice Follies of your own…
Love y’all, Camellia
*Use only pesticide free- edible leaves, herbs or flowers when making Ice Follies!
*And photographs are obviously mine.
Rich in Turtles Species, about three dozen are native to Alabama. Now, this doesn’t count the eccentric Turtlin’ Southern folks, we just accept the quirks…
Remember Cousin Turt? She earned her nickname when Uncle Eldred brought home a turtle he found in the middle of the road- he said he liked to never got it in the cardboard box- and it wasn’t a common Box Turtle either. Cousin Turt was fascinated – stuck her hand in the box and boy, was she in a fix! That Snappin’ Turtle, grabbed her finger, she was whistlin’ Dixie- loud! Uncle Eldred laughed his sides off, the startled turtle drew back in it’s shell and forever afterward, Gertrude bore the shame and became Cousin Turt. I’m guessing you know by now, the soup in Churchill’s terrine was Terrapin Soup or by it’s common name- Turtle Soup. I have no less than 6 cookbooks with either dainty versions – like ‘Open two cans of Turtle Consomme’ , or the clinical and neat version which just says- 2 pounds of cleaned turtle meat. (I ran that to ground when a friend told me Turtles are actually farmed now- then cleaned and packaged and sold by the pound- who knew? I would personally like to meet a Turtle Farmer!) 
Sometimes I think Fresh Mint is a stepchild in the world of Herbs. An informal survey revealed very few use Fresh Mint often, but most Southerners grow it. Truth be told, give Mint a soggy spot in the garden and it can be invasive- yet if you smell fresh cut mint- there is something so refreshing about it. I was out in the garden checking to see what was coming up and found a vigorous patch of Fresh Mint. I grabbed a big handful, stuck it some water; my hands smelled good and the kitchen had a nice fragrance. I began thinking of new and long neglected ways to use garden variety fresh mint. Mint, in the herbal remedy world is known to lift the spirits, aid in digestion, ease the stomach and sinuses; some say it helps improve circulation too. A small vase of mint on a bedside table or even in a bathroom would lend a soft fresh fragrance. I generally dry my garden mint by tying it in bundles and hanging it upside down to dry. Mint Tea is refreshing as a winter tea, and it is nice to have a sprig of mint to decorate an Irish Coffee
-but what of the rest of the year? Well… Southerners are known for their love of Sweet Tea. My grandmother made Sweet Mint Tea. You cannot make Tea sweet without making a Simple Sugar Syrup- (one cup sugar to one cup water heated until the sugar dissolves) Mimi added a packed 1/3 cup of fresh mint leaves to her Mint Simple Syrup. Strain the mint leaves before using. Simple Syrups when chilled will last a long time. I still make it up from time to time. Look at my Mint Tea!
Classic Southern Sandwiches… A whole new category of Southern food began with the advent of the pre-sliced Pullman loaf of bread. If you were driving through Birmingham late at night years ago, you could see the fires of Sloss Furnace and smell the delightful aroma of fresh baked bread! Dainty Sandwiches were served in the nursery all the way to the grave as funeral food. Whole generations of children learned their shapes from dainty crustless sandwiches- rectangles, squares, triangles and circles. Dainty sandwiches, easy to pick up and digest- well, they became a perfect funeral food- with fillings to die for… Generations of school children had crustless Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwiches packed in brown bags- I know this because my best friend in second grade- lorded over me with hers by slowly mashing the filling up to the edge of her triangle and batting her pale blue eyes at me, then she would run out her little pink tongue and lick it off, while I was at the mercy of the lunch ladies to fix my plate with arguably the finest food in the region at Minnie Holman Grammar School. I do admit to trading a big warm yeast roll for a half of her dainty crustless sandwich! Crustless Sandwiches became known and revered as Tea Sandwiches. The finest cooks took almost as much time decorating Tea Sandwiches as they did icing Petit Fours for Afternoon Teas, Coffees, Bridal Tables and Ladies Luncheons. In fact our Southern mothers insisted on removing the bread crusts for dainty sandwiches and for toast points- leaving the crust on- just wasn’t done. However, two Classic Sandwiches did allow for crusts and were often eaten- privately (I’m sure) or by common folk who had the nerve to leave the crusts on…these two classic sandwiches are revered by Southerners- the Tomato Sandwich and the Classic Bacon, Lettuce and Tomato Sandwich. I do not know of a Southerner who doesn’t love a summer Tomato Sandwich above all others, but will turn their nose up if tomatoes are not in season. Second on the favorite sandwich list has to be the Classic BLT.
Now, I know there are Designer Versions out there and yes, some are very good- the problem is- once you veer away from Bacon Lettuce and Tomato- you don’t have a BLT anymore! Now, before summer tomatoes get ripe and for the few short weeks they are available to us, still warm from the vine- Southerners console ourselves with a hothouse tomato or maybe an early tomato shipped from Florida- but we know it won’t taste right in a Tomato Sandwich. Here’s the solution- what seems like an interminable period of time, when the tomato plants are in the ground and the flowers are set…on a warm sunny day- we dream of a Tomato Sandwich but we whet our appetites with a Bacon Lettuce and Tomato Sandwich. We actually leave the crusts on! Let me describe a real one…
I’ve put this off for 7 years. I don’t believe in jumping in headfirst. I stuck my toe in the water yesterday- it’s almost Open Toe Season in Alabama- I went and got a pedicure, with red polish- of course. The classic summer toenail color in the South is red, I chose ‘Big Apple’ because truth be told I’d rather be headed to New York City than on a Beach trip where I’ll actually be expected to go in the water. Oh lord, those are scary words. Shopping for a Bathing Suit is painful, especially for a woman of a certain age and stature. My whole demeanor, posture and bearing change in a dressing room full of bathing suits. Let me make this clear- I live in Alabama, her coastline is one of the most beautiful in all the world- I’ve been going to the beach since I was a child and love it.
Now look at the writing on the back of one of those pictures of my Aunt Iva- she married out of the faith…and apparently started wearing bathing suits! Our Southern Mothers could be harsh when it came to Bathing Suits! 
A decent Two Piece Bathing Suit became acceptable when Annette Funicello was transformed from a cute Mouseketeer to a wholesome Beach Beauty . So, at age 13, barely out of my Mouseketeer Ears-I had a brand new Two Piece Bathing Suit that looked remarkably like Wonder Woman’s outfit- I was emboldened by it. I was going to take it out for a swim- a Dive was more like it. I went to the club early, hardly anyone was swimming… thank goodness. Mothers of toddlers were sitting sedately by the Baby Pool, a few golfers were practicing on the Putting Green nearby- this place was no Dive, it was a nice place where nice decent people went. The pool was Olympic sized for the Swim Team (which I wasn’t on). There was a Diving Well with a Low Board and a High Dive. I put everything in it’s place with my Two Piece and climbed up the steps, then walked all the way out to the end; now, don’t think I was brave enough to actually dive, I’m afraid of heights…Let me stop right here- all of this ‘face your fears mess’ is nonsense.
Camellia's Cottage 