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!
- Casseroles or Chafing Dishes
- Appetizers- tiny tart shells to large impressive Shrimp Cocktails
- Swimming around a mound of rice in Gumbos and floating gracefully in creamy Bisques
- A mere garnish on the rim of a Bloody Mary or added to a Garlic Butter Sauce atop a juicy steak
- Pickled in a big jar or chilled-gracing a cool Summer Salad
- A hearty Poor Boy piled high, tossed with all manner of Seafood Sauces for Pasta
- Cozying up in a big Spanish paella, having a big time in Indian curries and
- Low Country Boils or rolling around in a sticky pile of Asian Stir Fry…
We have to admit Shrimp is internationally beloved and Bighearted indeed! I decided to look into just three of my vintage Junior League Cookbooks- in-
- Jubilee! of Mobile, Alabama fame… there were in excess of 40 recipes! Including Coquille St. Jacques- which combines scallops and shrimp in a delicate sherry laced cream sauce which would be perfect for a Dinner Party. A robust Jambalaya with a note that said ‘Keep adding seasoning until you’re afraid to add any more.’ Don’t you love that?
- There’s even instructions in Jubilee! for Boiling Shrimp in Gulf Water- you can’t get anymore fresh than that; in fact, when buying shrimp… the rule of thumb is that the freshest shrimp smell like that fragrant blend of sea air, marsh grasses and fresh salty gulf water. When boiling shrimp, a word to the wise… the worst thing you can do is overcook! Bring highly seasoned lemony salted water to a rolling boil, drop the shrimp in for two minutes…no more! Turn the heat off and by the time you’ve removed the shrimp…they’re pink, beautiful and done!
- In Morgan County Alabama’s Junior Leagues’ Cotton Country… again there are close to 40 recipes which either feature shrimp or include a combination such as Connie’s Curried Shrimp which includes a comment- ‘Once tried, you’ll make it over and over again’, Shrimp Florentine, Shrimp Etouffee and one I loved the sound of… Shrimp Le Maistre, with this notation- ‘The prayers of many a hostess are herewith answered. Mixing time is almost nil, frozen shrimp works beautifully (though of course, if you’re up to peeling it, of course fresh may be used). This casserole may be served on rice, wild rice, in patty shells or individual scallop shells with scattered crumbs. Too, Shrimp Le Maistre is good for the cooks who like to play with ingredients. Try adding a glug of sherry and sliced water chestnuts- then leave the eggs in the refrigerator.‘ Okay y’all, Shrimp Le Maistre is the very definition of Bighearted and a Casserole to boot! Morgan County’s Cotton Country tickles me with the comments! For Shrimp Etouffee- the comment says ‘Straight from the Louisiana Bayou’.
- Speaking of Louisiana… from Monroe, Louisiana’s Junior League’s Cotton Country there are 45 recipes for shrimp including a shrimp mousse, a shrimp pate (similar but not exactly shrimp paste), Shrimp Croquettes, Barbequed Shrimp- which aren’t really put on a grill at all! Don’t miss- Shrimp Sizzle- for shrimp which are– after they’re marinated- the shrimp are ‘sizzled’ on a charcoal grill. The Shrimp Sauces range from Butter to Herbed, a White Sauce and the range of sauces which use peppercorns are Black, Pink or Green.
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…
Camellia’s Bighearted Spicy Shrimp
- You will need one pound of 36-40 raw shrimp- peeled, deveined with tails left on to make it pretty.
- In a large pot- melt one stick of butter.
- Add 2 cups of a zesty Italian dressing (this is important! do not shake the bottle to blend- instead pour off most of the oil that rests on the top! then measure out 2 cups of remaining dressing. * For you purists- make up your favorite Italian dressing, just reduce the oil called for in your recipe)
- Next, add 1/4 cup of Lowry’s® Seasoned Pepper- not seasoned salt!
- Add 2 teaspoons of crushed red pepper flakes if you dare! Adjust to taste. I do not add salt while cooking Spicy Gulf Shrimp. Adjust salt if necessary after it’s cooked.
- Last add 2 heaping Tablespoons of chopped garlic. * I generally add a Tablespoon of Paprika for a pretty color, but unnecessary.
- Stir and bring this spicy mixture to a bubbling boil. Put raw shrimp in the mixture and gently stir until shrimp are pale pink in color… they will continue to cook even as heat is turned off.
- * Warning- do not leave the pot, do not answer the phone, do not glance away… Spicy Gulf Shrimp will not take more than 4-5 minutes if that!!
- Turn heat off- put a generous squeeze juice from a whole fresh lemon into the mixture and gently toss shrimp.
- To serve: Surround a mound of rice with the shrimp and sauce. I always chop a few green onions tops for a garnish.
Dip garlic bread into the spicy sauce, it’s wonderful- we southerners call that sopping! A big fresh salad is great alongside in spring or summer- or in fall and winter… steamed broccoli is a very good side dish. Serves 3-4 hungry folks. This recipe may be doubled. *If there are any leftovers, mix the rice with sauce- mix with salad greens; cube leftover garlic bread and toast lightly for croutons! Oh my, it’s so good! Here’s how it came together…
* all photographs are obviously mine. *We acknowledge that some folks have sensitivity to shellfish or outright allergies to it; and that some cultures have dietary restrictions.
* 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 
I should clarify that Miss Badeaux didn’t look like Marilyn Monroe- her facial features weren’t soft, angular is a better word; she had a look about her that was distinct…her eyes sparkled with either mirth or fury; her eyebrows were arched a bit too high with a very liberal use of eyebrow pencil which made her eyes as dramatic as her full red lips, which were pursed in displeasure, wide with laughter or shaped in a perfect ‘O’ when she was shocked by her students’ behavior.
Miss Badeaux, my fifth grade teacher dramatically taught her awestruck students- Greek Mythology, Literature, History, Geography and yes, Grammar. Every morning, Miss Badeaux stood at our classroom door until every student had arrived- she was insistent that we stand by our desks until she entered. Dramatic, with flowing scarf, long strides gesturing theatrically. she spoke– 
So many social graces and invaluable lessons were taught; I’m sure I’ve forgotten half of them. What I know for sure is that social graces were considered an important part of our education and upbringing.
Stars… we all love them. Songs have been written… Ships have found their way.. Poems have been penned. Wise Men found a Savior. Proposals have been offered. Sacred Vows have been made. Lullabyes have been softly sung… It seems mankind has been starstruck from the cradle onward through musical scores, love songs, hymnals and anthems across life’s precious moments, star strewn sidewalks, storm tossed seas and flag draped coffins. What is it about stars that fascinates, inspires and moves us? Pinpoints of light in the dark night sky- constellations traced with chubby fingers, comets eagerly awaited and falling stars amaze. I’ll admit it- I love the stars and do watch in awesome wonder; I like nothing better than to describe someone with starry eyes or recognize something special in a young child and say- ‘A star is born!’
When Star Mapper and artist, Jennifer Beck, contacted Camellia’s Cottage about her amazing star maps at 
Ultimately, I created a Custom Night Sky of an important date to me- and had it titled ‘Stars Fell on Alabama’. I could have added the constellations to the night sky with their amazing software, I chose the simpler night sky. Camellia’s Cottage is mostly traditional in design, though I do like a bit of contemporary art and had been looking for something different. I was so excited at the possibilities. When the Star Map arrived a few days ago- the paper was sturdy and high quality, the lettering and design is crisp and the border is a nice touch too. I couldn’t wait to try it in a few places even before it was framed! Now, the hard part! I need to decide where my Custom Night Sky will find it’s permanent home!
We try very hard at Camellia’s Cottage to recommend only those products or services we would personally use. 
If you’ve visited any great southern cities, particularly coastal cities such as Charleston, Savannah and New Orleans – chances are you’ve been drawn into a Praline Shop. We southerners call this sweet confection – Praw-leens, we’ll know right away you aren’t from the south if you call them Pray-leens. Since we’ve gotten the correct pronunciation out of the way, let me just say, however you pronounce Pralines, you will either love them or say- they’re too sweet! Eat enough pralines in your lifetime and you will become a praline critic- I complain that some pralines are too grainy- the sugar isn’t smooth enough or sometimes the pecans aren’t toasted enough to suit me. Yet even as I criticize- I will stand there and eat a praline until all of the sugary morsel is gone… Every. Single. Time. Why is the South so famous for Pralines?
Alabama isn’t widely known for her pralines- the sweet confections of my youth spun sugar more often into Divinity, Peanut Brittle or a plate of Chocolate Fudge; all of which depended on the weather for success. Humidity is the enemy of granulated sugar in cooked candies. Sugar will do weird things like turn grainy or stiff or sit there and sulk- weeping. I know this to be true- I’ve rarely found a perfect day and have made enough mistakes to throw out whole batches of candy that weren’t fit to eat. Recently, I found, a yellowed and fragile newspaper clipping with a recipe for Alabama Pralines stuck in my grandmother’s cookbook. I don’t recall that she ever made them. Perhaps she was unskilled at candy making…though she did revel in making a white mass of sugar studded with pecans into Divinity- only on a crisp, cool and dry day sometime before Christmas. I recall Mimi saying-
Toffee and Caramel are two successful favorites…I’ve rarely attempted making Divinity, for fear it might turn out like poor Edna Earles. I’ve tried making pralines a time or two and failed. Anyway, when I decided to make these Alabama Pralines, it was on the absolute worst day for making candy. It was hot and humid- dark clouds threatened rain. I thought this recipe would surely fail. I made them because of one change from the other recipes I’d tried… the Alabama Praline recipe doesn’t call for granulated sugar! Okay, my sweet tooth had flared up too. It didn’t hurt that I had all of the ingredients and a bit of free time. I am happy to report- the recipe for Alabama Pralines not only worked but as most real deal recipes will tell you- pralines can be stored in the freezer. Now, that’s important because faced with a dozen glorious pralines? Let’s just say- they need to be frozen for health and safety concerns! I know you’ll want to make a batch of-
