Southern Living – Page 22 – Camellia's Cottage

Posted on September 8, 2017September 9, 2017 by camellia's cottage · 14 Comments

Parched Peanuts…

Parched is the Southern term for Roasted in the Shell Peanuts… Peanuts have always been grown in the South, yet when the Boll Weevil wiped out Alabama’s Cotton Crops in in the early 1900’s, we came to fully appreciate the value of peanuts. George Washington Carver, at the famous Tuskegee Institute had been busy experimenting with the humble peanut. By 1916, the scientific study of peanut agriculture was an effort to replenish soil depleted by constantly growing cotton, Carver introduced the South to the benefits of Crop Rotation! And Yes, it was the humble peanut, which rebooted the soil with nitrogen. Peanuts are actually legumes, not tree grown nuts. But what to do with all of those peanuts?? Smithfield® Hams boasted feeding their hogs with peanuts. Peanut Butter became a staple in the Southern diet. Virginia, along with other southern states takes pride in Peanut Soup. Carver himself offered over 100 ways to use peanuts. However, this Southern snack food, the Parched Peanut had to be among the Top Three Favorites…

At Ball Fields, Circuses,
Hamburger Joints, Cattle Sales,
in Honky Tonks, Pit Barbeques and Zoos-

Folks tend to sit or walk around with a warm brown bag of parched peanuts! Peanuts are harvested from June to September. They are washed of the soil, then put on long tables in the sun to dry… these are what we call Raw Peanuts. When the raw peanuts are dried sufficiently, they’re put in big burlap bags and generally hung from barn rafters to store and dry out before being sold to markets or parched at home as a special treat. Believe it or not- even at the finest soirees- it’s not uncommon to find a big bowl of Parched Peanuts.

Peanuts are not the southern cash crop they once were; however small farms still grow peanuts for enriching the soil and for private consumption. There are some who parch shelled peanuts, however, there is nothing like the flavor of peanuts roasted in the shell, the aroma is wonderful! A curious thing about Parched Peanuts is that there is no specific recipe for them!

Some say- put the raw peanuts in a heavy Cast Iron Dutch Oven in an extremely hot oven- for an unspecified time! Until done.
Most say spread peanuts in an even layer on a sheet pan to parch,
Some say ‘salt the peanuts shells heavily’ – Other purists don’t.
Where recipes differ is the oven temperature.
Some say- heat the oven to 500 degrees, put the peanuts in; then turn off the heat; others say- spread raw peanuts on single layer baking sheets with the oven on low heat- (250 degrees generally) Parch until the peanuts are done…Okay.

The only way I know to tell you how to parch peanuts is the low heat method 250 degrees up to 350 degrees, then after 30-45 minutes…check. It could literally take several hours…

You will get the hang of burning your tongue when you check the peanuts. The husk is dry, the skins are dark red and fall off easy. If the peanut is still chewy not crunchy– put back in the oven. Then there is always an instinct to parching peanuts. There are surely those who are born to be Parched Peanut Whisperers or Sniffers…they have a knack for just knowing… Burnt peanuts are awful…I say this with experience! Throw them out! However, I do recognize the time to check is by the nutty aroma. These days, I buy bags of ‘roasted peanuts’ – they will be stale… To revive them.. Parch peanuts in the shell on a single layer at 300 degrees for…well at least 30-45 minutes; checking after 30 minutes. Then comes a knowing… the sweet aroma of fresh Parched Peanuts… I whisper a sigh…

Now, listen darlin’ , Cotton may no longer be King in Alabama, yet every time I get a whiff of Parched Peanuts… I know he’s makin’ a comeback! Thank You Lord for the beauty of this red scrabble hard Alabama dirt, for fields ripe with harvest when the Cotton is high and for the humble peanut!

Love y’all, Camellia

*Our heartfelt prayers are with the wonderful people of the South’s Sunshine State, Florida- for safety and shelter from Hurricane Irma.

Posted on September 1, 2017September 1, 2017 by camellia's cottage · 8 Comments

The People’s Princess…

I read with interest several articles concerning the commemoration of Princess Diana’s passing twenty years ago. Along with that, I never get quite used to it, but here at Camellia’s Cottage, unexpected things happen. A beautiful vase of White Roses was delivered here by a prince of a young man along with a cake iced with White Cream Cheese Frosting made by his beautiful mother. It was a sweet bereavement gift. Why, I felt like royalty!

I’m not sure what kind of cake the People’s Princess preferred (though I bet she would have loved this one!) yet I do know that a White Garden was planted at Kensington Palace to honor Diana and included White Roses, which were purported to be her favorite flower. Can I just say here, that while we live in an humble cottage not a palace, when the heavy fragrance of white gardenias, lemony sweet magnolias and the distinct scent of honeysuckle hangs in the air, I admit I too, love white flowers! White flower gardens are beautifully mysterious. White bridal bouquets, white orchids, white cotton boll wreaths, white spring bulbs and yes, white roses- all conjure up precious memories.

For the People’s Princess, millions of flowers were laid at the gates of this same palace after Diana’s tragic death, it has been reported that the fresh flowers were donated to hospitals and nursing homes, the wilted flowers were collected and saved in a special compost pile. Now, 20 years later, the compost has been used to mulch the beautifully restored sunken garden at Kensington Palace, now planted with…

White Roses,
White Lilies,
White Tulips,
White Daisies and of course
Forget-Me-Nots- To honor Princess Diana all year round.

When her clothing was researched it became clear the People’s Princess had a preference for White Clothing- Crisp White Blouses worn with jeans and Evening Gowns embellished with Pearls seem to have shown off Diana’s natural beauty like no other color.

Like millions of others, I have been fascinated by her life; not only a stunning beauty who adored her children, Diana was also kind and generous in public causes and by private means. Her sons recalled midnight visits to hospitals and hundreds of private notes to folks who were infirm or dying. These were unexpected acts of kindness. I found myself thinking of the White Roses which found their way as an unexpected gift to Camellia’s Cottage on the very day of Diana’s commemoration; I thought of the time and care freely given to bake a homemade cake, the extravagant bouquet of Roses, the good thoughts expressed and the private kindnesses.

We had received a lovely gift, along with so many other sweet gifts, notes, cards and calls. Of all of the human characteristics I hold dear-

Effervescent Concern,
Enthusiastic Love and
Extravagant Kindness are above all.

When we exhibit these qualities- we best reflect the nature of the King of Kings. I have, thankfully been the recipient of them all! I am inspired to re-double my efforts to exhibit these qualities and plan to fully enjoy Life’s unexpected gifts! As two decades have passed, the People’s Princess’ legacy lives on in a beautiful white palace garden and shows up best when we Common Folk show love, concern and kindness.

Love y’all, Camellia

* All photographs of White Roses are obviously mine.

Posted on August 29, 2017August 30, 2017 by camellia's cottage · 37 Comments

Early Fall Flavors…

In the South, we don’t get a nip in the air signaling Fall as other regions do- we see the signs of Early Fall by what is ripening– Figs, Pecans, Muscadines, Pears and Peanuts are just a few. Most Southern households of my youth kept Pickup Foods on hand for visitors or an afternoon snack- you know, just in case you feel your sugar drop or if you’re in a fog. A Pound Cake, Fresh Fruit, Roasted Pecans, Cheese Straws and perhaps a spicy snack like old fashioned Raisin Bars.

With early Fall upon us, we don’t want the heavy flavors of Winter but we do enjoy a change of pace as long as we don’t have to heat up the kitchen too much! Raisin Bars or a variation is found in quite old cookbooks- they are not very sweet, easy to make and quick cleanup. The method for making our Raisin Bars is unique and lends itself to variations.

Camellia’s Cottage Raisin Bars

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Sift 2 cups of all purpose flour, 1 cup of sugar, 1 tsp. ground cinnamon, 1/2 tsp. ground cloves and 1/2 tsp. of salt.
Combine 1 cup of dried raisins, 1 cup of water and 1 stick of butter in a saucepan on low heat until butter melts. Add 1 tsp. of vanilla.
Then add 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda, mixture will foam up.
Quickly stir flour mixture into warm butter/raisin mixture. It will be a ‘wet mix’ and not a stiff dough.
* If you use a large saucepan, these can be mixed in one pan!
Spread immediately onto a buttered parchment lined cookie sheet with a low rim. Spread as thin as possible.
*I used another piece of parchment to make sure the dough is pressed to the edges of the pan. Please make sure it is thin as the Raisin Bar Cookies will not be good if the dough is thick.
Bake at 375 degrees for 22-25 minutes. Do not overbake.
Dust with powdered sugar, then cut into bars while they are warm.
Raisin Bar Cookies are not very sweet and lend themselves well as a Cheese Board addition.
*Variations are numerous- these can be a ‘clean out the pantry’ bar cookie! Dried Cranberries and Walnuts instead of raisins is very good.
Or make the bar cookies without raisins, adding 1/4 tsp. of ground ginger, a fine grating of fresh nutmeg and 1/4 tsp. of finely ground black pepper to dry mixture. After the dough has been spread in the pan, sprinkle chocolate chips evenly over the dough, and press in slightly before baking- this is an excellent combination! I am sure you can come up with even more additions!

Camellia’s Cottage Toasted Pecans literally take just minutes to make and if you don’t hide them they are gone in minutes.

Melt 1/2 stick of butter in a medium saucepan. Swirl 2 cups of pecan halves in melted butter. Spread evenly on a baking sheet. Bake in a 250 degree oven for 30 minutes. Salt to taste. *Watch carefully during roasting. Pecans will be darker when they are toasted, but certainly not burnt! *Store cooled roasted pecans in tins, jars or airtight container- IF there are any left!

Pecans are literally eaten all over the world; yet by far, the Southern United States consumes more Pecans than any other region! In Alabama, from the Eastern shore of Mobile Bay toward Foley, there are old groves of Pecan Trees which are famous!

Figs were brought here by the Spaniards and while California is the largest producer. Spaniards helped settle the South, so we continue to be influenced by their food and flavors. Many old Southern Homestead Farms boast at least one Fig Tree; Celeste Fig Tree is an excellent and reliable variety that can be grown successfully in the South. The farm my husband grew up on had a very prolific fig tree close to the house. Southerners love fresh figs, dried figs and fig preserves- and fig leaves are so beautiful on food platters! One of my favorite Early Fall savory dishes is to nestle Figs, Sweet Onions and Apples around a Pork Roast. *Add garlic, apple cider, salt and pepper- this is a truly amazing main dish. The Flavors of Early Fall are in the air here at Camellia’s Cottage but we still want the Fresh Flavors of Summer.

The combination of Fresh Figs, Roasted Pecans, early Mandarins and cool Raisin Bars seems to be a perfect summer platter, along with a long tall glass of Lemonade, Iced Tea or even Wine, perhaps a cool Chicken Salad Sandwich or a bowl of Pimento Cheese and crackers- it’s a light refreshing Lunch or Supper of Early Fall Flavor!

Love y’all, Camellia

*We continue to pray for the wonderful Folks of lower Texas and along western portion of the Gulf Coast, this area and her people play a critical role in U.S. Oil and Gas production not to mention our beloved Texas Fruits and Nuts, Citrus, Gulf Seafood and more… please join us in sending good thoughts their way, and give to the American Red Cross and other recovery efforts if you can.

Posted on August 25, 2017August 25, 2017 by camellia's cottage · 41 Comments

Fried Okra…

Fried Okra! This Southern Favorite has been around as long as anyone can remember and without exception is remembered fondly! So fondly that one friend named her precious little Dog, Okra. I’ve been told that a man who had a particular fondness for Okra named his two daughters Okra and Hibiscus! (Okra plants bear Hibiscus-like blossoms and are in the same plant family!) Those were brilliant names; a guarantee that everyone would love those girls! However, Okra is an acquired taste for anyone who was born outside of the South- there are whines that it is slimy (and it is slimy unless it’s fried) Folks also wonder ‘Why anyone would eat Okra!’ Well, okra that is not fried, is used to thicken the finest gumbos, the best pots of vegetable soups, and a pod or two placed on the top of a pan of simmering Field Peas, Baby Limas or Speckled Butterbeans- makes the broth thicker with a distinct flavor that cannot be achieved by any other means. South Carolina touts Okra Soup- a comfort food for them, associated with being home… A friend who is an only child– (this is an important point)- had one grandmother who would fry up a mess of okra, put it in a large bowl and he would eat it like popcorn! Many have actually dubbed Fried Okra as Southern Popcorn.

The most difficult part of making Fried Okra is having enough fried okra to begin with, then actually getting a full platter to the table! Folks will actually stand in the kitchen while it’s frying and eat it right as it’s being pulled out of the hot grease! So, rule 1- Don’t let anyone in the kitchen when you’re frying Okra!

I believe the very best Okra is no longer than the average size pinky finger in length. *If it is longer, discard or cut the bottom part as larger Okra can be woody and tough. And the quicker you fry it after it’s picked the better it will be!

Everyone has their own method of frying Okra, always in hot grease; How to bread or batter Okra before frying can be debated. All I can say is that I don’t like a heavy batter on Okra as it can get soggy. Actually, I don’t batter Okra at all, I don’t flour it, I don’t just dust it with cornmeal– I whisk a bit of salt with 1/3 part Corn Starch to 2/3 part Self Rising Cornmeal, soft grind and white meal. *Using Corn Starch is my grandmother’s secret! It makes Fried Okra stay crisp longer!

Camellia’s Cottage Fried Okra

Buy the freshest small Okra pods you can find.
To prepare Okra: Cut the pods of Okra in 1/4″ to 1/2″ pieces
Dredge them in the Cornmeal/Corn Starch ( 1/3 part Corn Starch/ 2/3 part Cornmeal and pinch of Salt Mixture) immediately.
Don’t make the mistake of cutting the okra, salting it in prep time and letting it sit before dredging it in your choice of a Cornmeal Batter or dusting it in the Meal Mix
*Salt and Time cause the Okra to weep slimy tears!
Some say and I believe it- if you refrain from cutting the tops off of the Okra Pods and instead cut okra slices from the end of the pod toward the top- then discard the tops, there is less chance of weeping.
Fry the cut and dusted Okra in Hot Oil, Shortening or even Lard which is at least one inch deep in a Cast Iron Pan until golden brown and crispy (Okra doesn’t like to be crowded or it won’t be crispy! So plan to fry in small batches.
Drain on paper towels or even better a brown paper bag!
Season with additional Salt before serving as Hot as possible!

Now, if you want to make sure you have enough for folks to enjoy, buy lots of Okra at the Farmer’s Market! Allow a whopping 1-2 lbs per person! *Any leftover Corn Meal Mixture and a few pods of Okra- add a whisked egg and a bit of water or milk and thinly sliced okra to make a loose batter which will in turn make wonderful Okra Patties!

You may be wondering what we eat with Fried Okra, the answer is actually everything… a few months ago, one of my dearest friends and I ate at a BBQ dive which also serves our beloved Southern Vegetable Plates! When I ordered my BBQ sandwich, my ‘choose any side’ was Fried Okra!

Oh yum, BBQ plates with cool slaw, fried okra and baked beans- wonderful combo!
Fried Okra is a wonderful addition to an all Vegetable Plate- Fresh Field Peas, Macaroni and Cheese and Sliced Summer Tomatoes.
Fried Okra is unexpected when tossed on top of Soup, Gumbo or Salad instead of Croutons! Fried Okra also makes a wonderful topping for Shrimp and Grits
A side of Fried Okra is great with Chicken and Dumplings. Alongside Meat Loaf, Pork Chops or Country Fried Steak with Gravy and Rice, Fried Okra is perfect!

In fact Fried Okra elevates any meal to a Southern Specialty! If you go to the Farmer’s Market this weekend, get some fresh Okra for Sunday Supper! Fried Okra, Country Ham, Butterbeans, yes Ma’am!

Love y’all, Camellia

Please join Camellia’s Cottage in praying for the residents and emergency workers of entire Coastal and Lower South which may be affected by Hurricane Harvey. * Fried Okra, Country Ham…is a play on a famous fraternity ditty *All photographs are obviously mine! *I use Argo Corn Starch but this is not a paid advertisement for the brand

Posted on August 21, 2017August 22, 2017 by camellia's cottage · 8 Comments

The Perils of Leaving Home…

vintage old car pic- jeremy 1 When Southerners leave home- they face certain perils that have to do with customs, language barriers, expectations and leading a sheltered life. I’m talking about travel within the continuous United States, not abroad. It’s a given that travelling abroad brings it own set of perils. Southerners-

Talk slower, our conversations have a certain twang,
We tend to expect good manners, we like to wave and look folks in the eye, and smile smile smile-
And let’s face it a Southern lady is going to flirt, unless she’s dowdy, plain and prim- even then, another region might bring out her innate abilities. I know it’s unlikely, but still, it could happen.

I love New York, Philadelphia and Boston; have been to each of them several times and would go back in a New York minute, yet I know I will face perils, fall in a trap of my own doing. New York is always the subject of much discussion among those of us who have actually left home from time to time.

I recall a friend telling me that she thought her taxi driver was a Sultan whose day job was to drive a cab but who surely had a bit part in the Broadway hit-Aladdin. Upon getting in the taxi, she squealed, ‘Harold Joe, ask this fine specimen of a man to take us to the Taj Mahal!’ The driver never spoke a word from airport to the hotel despite her exclamations the whole way!

Then, there is the issue of closet space in the hotel- there’s no room for her grandmother’s Humpback Trunk (just kidding but we do tend to seriously overpack) There is not even a hot plate for the Grits her mother insisted on sending. We need our space and our comfort food.

vintage old car pic- jeremy 2 Speaking of housing, a young friend was moving to New York with her college roommate, the girl said, ‘I’m hoping we can find a Co-Op somewhere in the Village.’ Let me tell you, where I’m from- a Co-Op is the ‘Seed and Feed, Barbed Wire, Bush Hog Parts, Bedding Plants and Chainsaw Blade Shop’ and is certainly not in a Village! Now, why would anyone want to live in one of those? We understand the desire to go to New York to shop– however, the thought of moving there with all of that noise, sy-reens blaring all night (ambulances), underground subways- not to mention it’s cold as kraut; we cannot imagine actually living there full time! We warn our young, if they take a wild hair and want to leave home-

You don’t want to move off up there, you’ ll get mugged, lost underground on those subways, fall off the Brooklyn Bridge and not have a penny to your name to call your daddy to come get you!’

Then, we pull out the big guns and put the fear of God in them…‘It’s just isn’t done…a beautiful young lady running wild with no chaperone. It’s beneath you, I tell you- trashy.’ To be honest, if she’s got her heart set on moving, not a word we say will be heard. She will know we’re right, when those folks figure out that Mary Jim-

Has to be waited on hand and foot,
Stays on her high horse and
Flirts- Who would hire her much less take her serious?

No doubt the food is wonderful- just takes a bit of getting used to. Still. Take Carnegie Deli. The waiters aren’t given to dawdling while a Southern lady gets oriented, situated and tries in vain to spread out-tote bag on the next chair and coat neatly folded over the chair back- Oh no, you’re jammed in there like a sardine next to folks who would rather not be in such close quarters either.

At Carnegie Deli, the waiters have no patience for a Southern lady taking her own sweet time perusing the menu, either. Here’s how it goes-

‘Hey Good lookin’ whatcha got cooking? (flirt) Why, don’t you look nice tonite? (cajole) What would you recommend? Oh, Corned Beef? My daddy likes to fatten up his hogs and beef cattle with Corn but his daddy always thought Grass Fed Beef was better.’
‘ Okay, lady I haven’t got all night here!’
Her nostrils flare, she stiffens her spine- The nerve, the very nerve, trying to rush her like that!’
‘Whaddya have?’
‘ I, sir, am a lady, however, I am willing to overlook your rude behavior being as how you are obviously so overworked- I will have a corned beef- Harold Joe, are you getting loaf bread? I think, I’ll just go hog wild and get that rye bread! And sweet tea, please.’
The waiter moves off in a huff, after shoving the little rack of sugar packets and yelling out near obscene language. When the corned beef sandwich is plopped down in front of her, it is huge…
‘Well now, Harold Joe, how do you expect me to eat all this? I do believe there’s a whole side of beef on my plate! There won’t be room left for a slice of that gen-u-ine New York Cheesecake!’
The waiter sets down the bill in short order; she daintily slides over her daddy’s Black American Express Card- He says, ‘Cash only Lady!’

She about dies. Now in the first place, unless a Southerner has established who your people are and knows a little something about your background, she goes by the looks of you; your manners speak volumes about your character. And- Southerners get very uncomfortable discussing money…

He should be able to tell by her looks that money is not an issue and her credit is impeccable;
But to be so loud and bold about it, well.. it’s just a good thing Harold Joe has that big wad of cash in his billfold chained to his belt!
Determined she will not lower her standards- her voice goes up a full octave- ‘Darlin’ would you accommodate this gentleman as soon as humanly possible?’

The mode of transporting Southerners is essential, we tend to like Double Decker Tour Buses- we always ride on top so we can see everything, waving to our hearts content- just like Dignitaries and Beauty Queens in parades back home. The peril of Tour Buses is with the earplugs– you won’t find a southern accent on any station- they offer French, Spanish and Mandarin Chinese- the Southerner ends up saying, ‘It all sounds Greek to me, I didn’t understand a word he said.’

It’s perilous for folks from the Lower Coastal South to go to the top of Skyscrapers- I heard one lady tell her husband she just knew they were up higher than Look Out Mountain, Tennessee. She felt faint right before her knees buckled.

Times Square is perilous too- there’s so much going on it’s hard to concentrate, not to mention the half naked traffic controller. He might have on patriotic skivvies and cowboy boots (Harold Joe is convinced he’s an undercover cop), but really! No self respecting Officer of the Law would be caught dead in a get-up like that in my part of the country! Broadway Shows are where we really shine…

Since a Southerner will pay an enormous amount of money for tickets to an SEC game-
Tell them they can get 50 yard line tickets (ahem, front and center Orchestra theatre tickets) They will pay whatever the price…
We might not understand the ‘will call’ issue but we do love the playacting and the crazy characters on Broadway…

After all, given the choice, we tend to love the most Bizarre Plots and Twisted Tales especially when a Skeleton clatters out of a Closet! We will always favor the Eccentric Aunt or the Crazy Uncle- Every. Single. Time! Yes, there are perils associated with leaving home… then again, we subject ourselves to it over and over again! Now, you know I’m gonna say this… Like all good Southern tales, this one is part truth, part myth and part outright lies! Hopefully, good for a laugh or two!

Love y’all, Camellia

P.S. I love Philadelphia, time would not permit my southern experience with ordering Philly Cheesesteaks! I love Boston- it makes me laugh to hear those folks say- ‘Get in the CA’… not too estranged from a Southern accent- Hah-vahd Squah…just slays me! And, I truly love New York! One of my very dearest friends lives in New York ! Hello and love you Elizabeth!

And…I have mourned, truly mourned the closure of Carnegie Deli, but hey, there’s always Katz’s!

*Photographs are obviously mine (excuse the mixed tones!) However, the two beauties by the car, and the one in the driver’s seat- belong to Jeremy Miniard- I love those vintage pics Jeremy! http://www.jwminiard.fineartsofamerica.com Go say hey to Jeremy!

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