Gramma Was a Farmgirl-Imagine That!

It's Oldies Day Again...another re-run as I promised -

No, we did not eat Gourds..the photos are taken 2 or 3
years ago in our back yard. I'm using them to simply to
hold your  attention and I could quickly access them.

As a child growing up in  rural south Georgia  we always ate whatever was growing in the garden - in season.  We ate the same food all time except for the big holiday meals then we had more of it! No actually there were really special  holiday meals. We could always count on  southern dressings, fruits [ thanks to relatives from Florida] and our Mamas and Grandmas' fruit cake.. every one totally different.  I know we are not supposed to put down anything Grandma or Mama cooked but here goes.  I never like their fruit cakes. Today I do like fruitcake-specifically the Claxton fruit cake made in Claxton, Georgia. Their recipe is heavier on nuts and dried fruits and not so much cake/bread texture. 

When our efforts in the back yard gardening really pay
off that usually means we have an abundance of something
we cannot begin to consume...I ask neighbors to please
come get what you want..veggies or herbs/a few times
'I have forced it upon them, leaving a bundle of the good
stuff anonymously at their back door. 

When  I was 10 years old I was the official cook for the noon meal & that meant I got to prepare lunch while other family members continued with the farm work.  Summers were quite hot, the work usually meant hot and sweaty so needless to say I was eager to accept this assignment.  

We ate pretty much the same things every day [ in case you missed the first time I said it]. The menu changed if there was something ready to be harvested...field peas, butter beans, squash,  corn, cucumbers etc.  When fresh from the garden produce was scarce there was the basic pantry stock of dried peas, beans.

.  As the years passed and opportunity for new experiences came into my life I learned about  new and interesting foods like Broccoli, Cauliflower, Brussel Sprouts, Shrimp cocktail, Grilled Salmon, Boiled Shrimp. I discovered that people in different parts of the country grew different vegetables and fruits. My husband never did get  excited about these discoveries. His favorite diet still would be Steak, potatoes, peas, beans, macaroni & cheese-you get the idea. 

Funny thing as I have gotten older especially the past 10-15 years I crave the familiar food from my childhood.  That would be the fried conbread, lima beans, new potatoes w fresh green beans. I did "get over" all the southern fried chicken though. Many years ago we substituted baked chicken/breasts for the  less healthy southern fried entree. Even some of the foods I didn't like as a child I now claim as part of my heritage.  That would turnip greens, collards, rutabagas. Funny how we run back to Our Roots and embrace it with such eagerness and joy.  

Remember what so many have said: "You can take the girl out of the country but you can't take the country out of the girl."



This turned out to be a good Tomato season