She wore a brown apron with yellow rickrack over a flowered summer house dress- ready to go to work Labor Day weekend- canning tomatoes, putting up colorful soup mix and I don’t know what all. What I do recall is being given the job of sitting in a chair by a small table where the canning jars were cooling- we’d tightened the lids, my job was to sit and listen to the jars until the telltale ping of the lids signaled the canning was successful, the lids had sealed! There were just a few duds that had to go back into the canner for another round. About half of the work had been done ahead of the actual tomato canning….Several bushels of Chandler Mountain Tomatoes had been bought at the Farmer’s Market, skinned outside the night before- the portable television had been dragged outside trailing a 100 foot extension cord and set up under the Mimosa Tree. Someone always took the job of hitting the Mimosa with a broom to quiet down the katydids so we could watch Huntley Brinkley, I Love Lucy and the Ed Sullivan shows, especially on nights it was too hot to sit inside. I have to note that ‘It’s too hot’ was a frequent refrain in those days before central air conditioning basically ruined most of the natural social life of neighborhoods. Everywhere, in summertime- these things were conversation starters…
- ‘It’s too hot to cook’
- ‘It’s too hot to think!’
- ‘It’s so hot, I couldn’t drag myself to the mailbox until after sundown.’
- ‘Don’t be ripping and running- it’s too hot.’
- ‘Stop dawdling, it’s too hot.’
- And my personal favorite, heard from sleeping porches screened or open- an assortment of castoff half beds lined up with a hodge podge of threadbare sheets and pillowcases…always moans and murmurs of ‘I can’t sleep! It’s too hot!’
Anyway, the humidity and heat is still suffocating and it’s almost too hot to cook when summertime sizzles in August on into early September… Still. Let us have an unexpected thunderstorm when the clouds have hung thick for days – our hearts will turn to our beloved homegrown tomatoes and a bowl of soup. Yes, even when it’s burning hot, we can’t resist eating a bowl of soup made from the tag ends of the garden’s gifts with saltine crackers, soft bread or even a pone of cornbread. I know I do. A bowl of garden fresh soup is especially good on a rainy day! Here’s how I make my favorite tomato soup with a summertime twist!
Camellia’s Summer Tomato Soup
- You will need 8- 10 medium summer tomatoes- please use the freshest possible! Core and quarter tomatoes for the soup. Set aside.
- Meanwhile, fry 3-4 slices of Bacon in the bottom of a large deep pot – remove bacon and drain. Reserve drippings in the pot.
- Slice one sweet yellow onion. Saute on medium high heat in reserved bacon drippings until opaque-
- Add 1 Tablespoon of chopped garlic being careful not to scorch.
- Add quartered tomatoes to the onions and garlic.
- Season the tomatoes, onions, garlic with 1 Tablespoon of dried Basil, 1 teaspoon of crushed Red Pepper Flakes and Salt and fresh Cracked Pepper to taste.
- Add 1 3/4 cup of chicken broth (homemade if possible, if not use the best broth you can find)
- Bring broth and tomatoes to a good simmer.
- Add a glug of white wine (a Tablespoon or two) and the same amount of Half and Half to enrich the soup. (Tip- if you don’t have any half and half- a good substitute and one I use to enrich and thicken some sauces and even salad dressings! Add 2-3 Tablespoons of that ‘powdered’ Parmesan Cheese- in fact, this is about the only reason to ever buy it!)
- Heat Summer Tomato Soup on medium low heat to a gentle bubble covered for 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally. *If you don’t like the tomato skins, feel free to remove them! The heat causes the skins to slip right off!
- *I like the soup to be on the rustic side but I have been known to take a potato masher and sort of half heartedly smash the tomatoes- I also have put this soup through a strainer for a more elegant presentation- but this step isn’t necessary.
- Ladle soup into generous soup bowls. Crumble Bacon on top of the soup.
- Makes 3 generous servings. Feel free to double the recipe! Serve with oyster crackers, saltine crackers or even garlic bread sticks!
Of course the soup is good on it’s own, but it’s the Toppings that make the soup really special! Here are my favorites- Of course Bacon, Bacon, Bacon! But a good Diced Ham is also good. I shred some Mozzarella, Sharp Cheddar cheese, Parmesan, Asiago, Fontina or Swiss- even a mix of your favorite cheeses is wonderful, topped with a sprinkle of extra red pepper flakes! And finally, this topper completely makes it a Summer Tomato Soup- finely sliced Cucumbers and Sweet Onions (do this on the slicer side of a box grater) put in a container and gently douse with wine vinegar- toss to coat, then chill.
This cucumber mixture is also good on a mixed green salad as well, so make lots! For Summer Tomato Soup, the chilled cucumbers cool the soup down and just make it taste… well, summery! Southerners do eat warm soups, gumbos, low country boils and seafood stews in summer – the theory is: Warm up your insides and you’ll feel cooler on the outside! Summer Tomato Soup isn’t a heavy soup, it’s a light and quick meal when it’s just too hot to cook! Now, I have to tell you, Summer Tomato Soup is great all year round- I’ve made it by substituting two 14.5 oz. cans of tomatoes and upped the seasonings a bit- I do change up the toppings, always using the bacon and cheese- maybe adding a dollop of sour cream and chopped green onions; almost always if I’m making it any other time of year…it must have cornbread! Now, I don’t have a flowered house dress or a brown apron with yellow rickrack like our sweet neighbor and- I tend to rely on the freezer to put up tomatoes. I certainly have never become expert at home canning, but oh! Those summer childhood memories, I’ll always have those! Hurry before the fresh summer tomatoes are gone! Make a pot of Summer Tomato Soup…and remember what I’ve told you before…‘The closer you live to a Tomato Vine, the better your life will be!’
Love y’all, Camellia
*photographs are obviously mine. 
The best ways for me to find enjoyment in late summer’s neglected garden, is not in hacking away in disgust or to yank and pull or sweat and swear – though I do admit to a bit of that mingled with my worst complaints…
Hydrangeas, this time several on the wane and one amazing fresh green one made even more beautiful in a hazy light.
Still. Verdant was one of the good words… followed by Decent, Fresh, Trustworthy, Wholesome, Bighearted, Devotion, Wholehearted, Loving and Kind.
It was time…The gazing at pictures, the doodling, dawdling and daydreaming had to stop or nothing would get done. I must admit, my greatest gardening challenge became one of my sweetest musings…
The Angel Vine had become rampant squalling baby – crying out for immediate attention. A pair of water meter readers couldn’t even find the meter since the Angel Vine had completely covered it over… fiercely verdant? Perhaps not a good phrase… I pulled it back to show them where it was…and decided I could amuse myself no longer. I began pulling and outright hacking and cutting…. and then it happened again…Ah yes, a song… a lullaby… okay really I thought of Willie Nelson’s ‘Angel Flying Too Close to the Ground’ about an angel with a broken wing that Willie fell in love with, that was my first thought. Kept in check, Angel Vine is such a sweet planting…tiny brown vines dotted with tiny green leaves. Angel Vine is a native of New Zealand also known as ‘Mattress Vine’ … so yes, as overgrown as it was- eventually a Lullaby came to mind. May I pause here? I’ll admit it- at first a gardening song starts as an annoying hum…I can’t put words to the tune… but when I do? I am amazed at how perfectly it does fit the situation. Angels, mattresses for cradles and little children…came to mind. The neighborhood is quieter now….children have gone back to school when I’m at my gardening chores…. I began thinking of the times I sent my first graders off to school- it never got easier, I always cried and prayed….counting on these beautiful and promising words for children-
I found myself humming an old Welsh lullaby …Sleep my child let peace attend thee, all through the night. Guardian Angels will defend thee, all through the night.’
I made a batch of Summer Blueberry Scones, tender buttery- with a hint of orange and dripping with a sweet glaze. Easy to make, these scones might make my ‘Summertime and the Living is Easy’ recipe list. We’ve had a bumper crop of blueberries- which frankly surprises me. We’re not really a blueberry growing or even a blueberry eating bunch here. There’s a beautiful and bountiful blueberry farm just a few miles down the road here- I hope they’ve had a bumper crop too…
When I think of iconic Southern fruits- it’s strawberries, blackberries, cantaloupes, apricots, plums, peaches, watermelons and further south- bananas, fresh coconuts and citrus fruits seem to fill the memories of my life.
Camellia’s Summer Blueberry Scones 
Well, I’m ashamed to admit I ate more than one in the afternoon- then called on another one to be my supper! I saved the leftover glaze and put most of the rest in the freezer, to warm up for another Afternoon Tea or breakfast or for unexpected company or…I don’t know, maybe your blood sugar’s running low or you feel a Sinking Spell coming on or when you think you’re just gonna die unless you have a little something to clear your head. Summer Blueberry Scones will feed the hungry, lift sagging spirits, give a hungry child an after school treat or you might need to bring a genteel touch to life!
Anyone who has ever seen the Blessing of the Fleet, especially a fleet of Shrimp Boats has seen a very moving sight. Folks in the Coastal Southern States have relied on Big Hearted Gulf Shrimp as a wonderful part of our economy, so of course we love the ever versatile shrimp, our own if possible! In secluded Bon Secour Bay, Shrimp Boats still haul in beautiful shrimp from the Gulf waters of Alabama- the very translation of Bon Secour is French for good help, assistance or comfort. I can attest shrimp is a good comfort food! The best way to buy shrimp- is right off the boat, wrapped with ice and butcher paper; since fresh shrimp freezes very well- most is frozen right away, as soon as possible off the boat or even frozen on shrimp boats!
Of course, in all of my southern cookbooks- there are always renditions of famous southern Shrimp Cocktail sauces. Truthfully, I just want these sauces to be simple- Red Chili Sauce (a thick ketchup- Heinz® is my favorite), lots of fresh lemon juice and as much horseradish as I think folks can stand… I personally want Cocktail Sauce to make my eyes water- it’s tears of happiness! There are many ways to prepare Bighearted Gulf Shrimp…however, the best of all may be – ‘straight off the boat’ or as near as possible- quickly boiled with a bag of Old Bay® or Zatarain’s® shrimp and crab boil (a bag of dried spices- the fragrance makes the whole house smell good!) add a couple of big fresh lemons cut in half and plopped in the water! ‘ Peel and Eat Gulf Shrimp’ is bighearted enough to be eaten with drawn butter and lemon and of course spicy Cocktail Sauce.
Now that your appetite for Bighearted Gulf Shrimp is whetted… I’ll leave you with an old standby here at Camellia’s Cottage- now, it’s served with rice- so get that cooked before you start- it’s so quick and easy…when the shrimp’s done, you’ll be ready to serve it with the rice! Spicy Shrimp doesn’t call for fancy ingredients and I’m still not sure why it works, yet it’s almost no fail. So here goes…
* This beautiful sunset was taken from the Grand Hotel, an historic hotel which is operated by Marriott® See how beautiful it is? the whole area is sheer coastal beauty…Fairhope, Point Clear, Magnolia Springs and Mobile Bay!
Scalloped Potatoes are equally at home at Sunday Dinner, a Covered Dish Supper, Bereavement Buffets or a Glamourous Holiday Meal. And let’s not forget- Scalloped Potatoes could play a supporting or starring role on one of our famous Vegetable Plates. Perhaps not a strictly southern dish, scalloped potatoes make a regular appearance as a satisfying side dish any time of the year. Not limited to just potatoes, I honestly believe southerners could scallop almost anything! After a quick glance through some of my reliable cookbooks, in addition to potatoes, I found- Scalloped Shrimp, Scalloped Oysters and even Scalloped Scallops! Scalloped Seafood is almost always combined with a subtly spiced cream sauce topped with bread crumbs then baked in a large flat scallop shells, sold by the stack for just such occasions. Vegetables are a southern favorite to scallop- Tomatoes may be at the top of the list to scallop (after potatoes) yet watch out! Any vegetable that can be sliced into rounds can find themselves buttered, creamed and baked- Onions, Summer Squash, Eggplant, Zucchini, even Sweet Potatoes are often scalloped.
This week, at the last minute I realized I needed to send a covered dish to a potluck supper- no time to run to the store, I realized I had everything I needed to make Scalloped Potatoes! I added bits of chopped ham to the mixture- *this is often suggested in many southern recipes as a variation. Bacon or even Sausage is also added to many types of escalloped vegetables- just remember you’re not making hash! You’re adding flavor. I chose to use chopped garlic chives instead of my usual finely sliced green onions. I also wanted my Scalloped Potatoes to be a rustic version, so the potatoes weren’t peeled and weren’t thinly sliced as I would for a finer presentation! Now, let me stop here and explain- some recipes call for uncooked potatoes to be cooked in a thin cream sauce , however- I needed a quicker more reliable method that only works for Scalloped Potatoes, not other vegetables. My potatoes were cooked in advance; I didn’t make a cream sauce, because as my grandmother so wisely pointed out many years ago- ‘Potatoes have enough starch in them to create their own sauce!’ To her, adding flour created a flavor akin to paste- not good at all. Oh, how I do run on… just let me tell you how I made:
Camellia’s Rustic Scalloped Potatoes 
Camellia's Cottage 