Would MKR Twitter?

After all, she says on page 218 of Cross Creek Cookery, " And the hostess who twitters might just as well announce that the company is unwanted." Of course MKR was talking about the self-effacing hostess who pretended to apologize for the meal, not the 144 character cyber Twitter thas is a ubiquitious part of today's world. I think Marjorie would have been appalled by the onslaught of words that purport to capture modern reality. Words really were the clothes that thoughts wear for her. They were not the equivalent of the bluejays strident cry, " I'm here, here, here."

If I were to Twitter, my morning post today would read, " Cooked Norton's Spanish Omelet today. Guests loved it."

Pecan Toast to Bread Pudding

ROF made bread pudding for Christmas dinner. Using leftover pecan French bread toast, he created a miracle in a crockpot. We thought about offering Orange Sauce ( CCCpg. 167) as the accompanying sauce, but ended up with traditional Hard Sauce. Having no brandy, we rummaged around in the bottom of the cabinet and retreived La Sabre, Israeli liquor from the dusty depths. According to the label, it is an orange, chocolate sauce. It was delicious, utterly delicious.

Parsnips, You Betcha

Marjorie says," Folks who would rather starve than eat parsnips would make a sizeable army." She goes on to describe her famous Parsnips Croquettes on page 61 of CCC. The croquettes are good butrequire a few more steps than my hectic existence allows . To simplify for Christmas, I roasted some parsnips along with cauliflower, red potatoes, rapini, carrots and onions. It was the basic roasting winter veggie recipe. Cut up everything, douse with olive oil, sprinkle rosemary and roast for 30 minutes at 425. You can sea salt to taste later. YUM.

Overnight Cookies

My hand reached out for the supermarket premade cookies recently. I was tired. It was one day before Christmas. I had written no cards. I still had a full house at the B&B. But sanity prevailed just as I was about the contact the plastic sheath of the premades. "MKR must do something that I can do in advance," said the calm voice of sanity. And , on page 165 of MKR's Cross Creek Cookery, I found her overnight cookies. I can make them in advance and toss them in the oven when I need the wonderful fresh baked aroma.

The door of the world's house is shut....

...and there is no breaking of bead with the wayfarer." page 2 CCC. Many folks ask me how I can run a B&B with a central table. "Folks don't like to sit together, " one prominent magazine photographer told me when I was a neophyte." You should have a variety of two person tables."

Never! One of the ministries of B&B is to have folks break bread together. Good talk is the soul of the Southerner. When I walk by a restaurant table and see Dad on a Blackberry, mom on a cell, brother and sister on videos, I have a bone deep sadness.

Don't Shut Those Pearly Gates

" Soup comes into its own, poor man style, as a main course. One small serving of a ravishing soup is infuriating. It is like seeing the Pearly Gates swing shut in one's face after one brief glimpse of Heaven." page 5 CCC.

Just finished a bowl of corn chowder vaguely reminiscent of Marjorie's Cream of Fordhook Soup ( page 18 CCC). Cheated a little with a can of creamed corn. Microwaved the potatoes and added them to the corn and the cream. Added a can of non-creamed corn and 6 oz of smoked ham. Tossed it all in the crockpot and went to work in the garden. When I came from collard care dirty and tired, the soup was fabulous with rosemary bread from this morning.

Holiday Ginger Snaps

I've always loved them. MKR's page 163 recipe is the best except for the vague reference to the flour. I always get nervous when it says, " as much as can be worked in." With great effort? Some effort? We'll see. A friend of mine puts blue cheese on her ginger snaps and eats them as an appetizer. I think it is an acquired taste.

Dummet Groves Center of Citrus Universe

On the bike trip, I went through Merritt Island and stopped by the sign that gave the history of the Dummett Grove. The sign did not say that the Dummet Grove had the only oranges that survived the early 1800's freeze that killed all of Florida's citrus. Salt water froze in lagoons.

The industry was wiped out in North Florida and did not return. It had been a thriving industry. Mandarin, south of Jacksonville, is named for a type of orange and was an orange growing area before it became part of Jacksonville's sprawl.

The ruby red grapefruit that I have harvested for my guests the last two weeks survived the freeze four years ago that killed the oranges grafted to it. It was called a fruit cocktail tree with grafted oranges, limes and grapefruit. Only the latter lasted.

Sweet Potatoes not in Orange Baskets

Taters...lots of CSA taters. Bought a wonderful potato cooking pouch at the Riverside Arts Market. It looks like a square cotton envelope. I stuck three small potatoes in the pouch. Hit the potato icon on the microwave. A few minutes later, I have wonderful potatoes read to eat. Mashed them up with Marjorie's directions for her orange basket potatoes....salt, honey, cream, clove, rind, orange juice and rind. Yum! Didn't add eggs because I wasn't going to bake them. Nuked them two minutes. Yum.

The Southern Dames Speech

Just gave a speech to the Southern Dames. Here is part of it.

I don’t serve some of her dishes: no Cooter Soup or Pot Roast O’Bear. Both are illegal. And my older son is a Special Agent for Fish and Wildlife. Nor do I serve the New Yorkers Jugged Rabbit or Alligator- Tail Tidbits….all of which are in her cookbook.

What I do bring to the table are Idella’s Crisp Biscuits, Oven Cornbread, Sour Cream Muffins, Crab Soufflé, Shrimp and Grits and Loquat Preserves. I also cook out of other Florida cookbooks using Marjorie’s guidelines. The food should be fresh and that means local.