Summer In Union Springs

I spent a good deal of time in Union Springs at my Grandmother's, Nana, while I was growing up. Summers, in particular. And with summer came her never ending garden that she and Doc, her hired hand, tended to daily. In that garden I learned that carrots grow deep and slightly gnarled in that sandy black soil and only the greens peak over the earth. Squash are prickly on the vine and their leaves are even pricklier. Tomatoes are best when they are warmed in the Southern mid-day sun, and under the spigot you rinse off a thin layer of ash colored sand. Corn grows up so high you can barely see the barn. Potatoes are dug leaving fingernails black and hands sandy. Pole beans grow thick in raised beds under a little shade from the pecan trees. Figs are fat and juicy and left as a distraction for the birds. Flowers, daises (Shasta and Gerber), greet you from the view from the kitchen window. A rose vine grows along the fence. It's where I learned to eat any vegetable, because I picked it and it tasted good. What we didn't eat was put up for the winter months.

Tomato aspic with homemade mayonnaise is synonymous with a mid-day Summer lunch at Nana's house.

Eva's Mayonnaise

2 whole eggs
2 tsp. salt
Juice from 3 lemons
1 quart Wesson oil

Beat eggs in mix master. Add oil slowly. When thickens add lemon juice. Add salt. My mother always makes this recipe in her food processor.

Eva's Tomato Aspic

Combine in saucepan:
2 1/2 cups tomato juice
3 tbsp vinegar
1/4 cup coarsely chopped onion
1 stalk celery leaves, chopped
1 Bay leaf (olives)
2 -3 whole cloves
3 whole black pepper corns

Bring to a boil and simmer slowly for 10 minutes. Dissolve 2 envelopes gelatin in 1/3 cup cold water. Let stand 5 minutes. Stir tomato juice and add 1/2 tsp salt and 1 tsp Worcestershire. Add dissolved gelatin. Stir until smooth. Pour into a mold and chill.

Nana inspecting her garden.

Me and a huge bunch of carrots!

Digging potatoes. Kevin is the grandson of my grandmother's best friend since they were 6, Lala.

Doc with Kevin and part of the garden.