October 19, 1974
My grandmother had a party on October 19, 1974. Those in attendance were; Rob, Copelands, Wilda, Goldbolds, Weils, Rainers (Sam), Howards (Fontaine), Heflin, Bloodworth. On that day she served; North Carolina Ham, North Carolina baked apples, oyster casserole, green beans casserole, wilted salad(lettuces from the garden), biscuits (of course), caramel cake and coffee.
How do I know this? She wrote it all down on a 3 x 5 card, kept in a metal, green card box. I have the box now. It has a stack of cards with guests lists and menus, and a myriad of recipes. Sometimes 3 or 4 cards of the same recipe, like Bet's Boiled Custard. She loved to entertain and "have people out to the house", as she was so fond of saying. She lived out in the country and believed that everyone liked to drive out to a country house for a meal. I think she was right. I can imagine the drive out there that day in 1974. The trees just starting to color and the weather acting like it may turn cold. Cows standing at the fence line. At her house, the pecans could be falling and each guest would get a sack to take home with them. If the pecans weren't ready, maybe some vegetables put-up from the summer. Eva made some mean peach pickles. Her table would be set waiting for the guests to arrive. Linen tablecloth, silverware, good china, linen napkins. The demitasse coffee cups ready on a cart next to her place for when the meal was drawing to a close.
I remember countless luncheons and evening meals around her dining room table, in my dining room now, and out on her terrace. One particularly beautiful Thanksgiving out on the terrace, we were serenaded by the pecan tree shaker trucks. The trucks latch on to the tree and shake the pecans loose so they fall to the ground. Our meal was accented by tiny particles of pecan tree raining down on us. It did not really matter because we were with family settled around a table.
This is where I inherited my love of having people over. To share a meal with those you love, those you simply enjoy being with, or those you want to get to know. It's not so much in what you serve, but that you are making a meal for someone else. That's the pleasure of it.
July 28, 1958. On the menu: barbecued chicken, corn fritters, vegetable salad (lettuce, egg, asparagus, tomato), caramel cake with ice cream, or, orange sherbet with blueberries. She didn't say who attended.
Kitty's Oyster Casserole (my mother's famous recipe is also a favorite at Thanksgiving and Christmas)
1 pt oysters
2/3 cup chopped parsley
2/3 cup chopped green onions
1 stick of butter, melted
1 cup cracker crumbs, rolled fine
1 small lemon (juice of)
1/2 tsp dry mustard
2 tsp Worcestershire
Melt butter and add Worcestershire, mustard and lemon juice. Arrange oysters in shallow dish and pour sauce over. Sprinkle with onions, parsley and cracker crumbs. Bake in medium oven (about 325) for 15 - 20 minutes until oysters curl and sauce is bubbly.
Bet was one of my grandmother's best friends and lived in a huge old antebellum home in town. They were always trading recipes and were really funny together. One of their funniest conversations, my cousin and I were able to witness - a discussion on the wonders of instant iced tea.
Bet's Boiled Custard I
2 cups milk
2 cups 1/2 and 1/2
4 eggs
5 tablespoons sugar
Let milk come to a boil. Pour 1/2 cup beaten eggs and sugar. Return to boiler and let cook slowly until it coats a spoon. Do not boil. Add rum or bourbon. Boiler is probably a double boiler.
Bet's Boiled Custard II
2 cups 1/2 and 1/2
2 eggs
2 1/2 tablespoons sugar
Let milk come to boil. Pour 1/2 of it over eggs beaten with sugar. Return to boiler and let cook slowly until it coats the spoon. Do not boil. When cool add 1/2 teaspoon (not legible) and 1/2 teaspoon rum.
*Italicized words are quoted from the cards. My grandmother had notoriously bad hand writing and knew she would not need to record the exact measurements, or ingredients, or directions, as she had Eva. So, you might need do a little experimenting.
How do I know this? She wrote it all down on a 3 x 5 card, kept in a metal, green card box. I have the box now. It has a stack of cards with guests lists and menus, and a myriad of recipes. Sometimes 3 or 4 cards of the same recipe, like Bet's Boiled Custard. She loved to entertain and "have people out to the house", as she was so fond of saying. She lived out in the country and believed that everyone liked to drive out to a country house for a meal. I think she was right. I can imagine the drive out there that day in 1974. The trees just starting to color and the weather acting like it may turn cold. Cows standing at the fence line. At her house, the pecans could be falling and each guest would get a sack to take home with them. If the pecans weren't ready, maybe some vegetables put-up from the summer. Eva made some mean peach pickles. Her table would be set waiting for the guests to arrive. Linen tablecloth, silverware, good china, linen napkins. The demitasse coffee cups ready on a cart next to her place for when the meal was drawing to a close.
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| Eva preparing dessert for a dinner party. |
I remember countless luncheons and evening meals around her dining room table, in my dining room now, and out on her terrace. One particularly beautiful Thanksgiving out on the terrace, we were serenaded by the pecan tree shaker trucks. The trucks latch on to the tree and shake the pecans loose so they fall to the ground. Our meal was accented by tiny particles of pecan tree raining down on us. It did not really matter because we were with family settled around a table.
This is where I inherited my love of having people over. To share a meal with those you love, those you simply enjoy being with, or those you want to get to know. It's not so much in what you serve, but that you are making a meal for someone else. That's the pleasure of it.
July 28, 1958. On the menu: barbecued chicken, corn fritters, vegetable salad (lettuce, egg, asparagus, tomato), caramel cake with ice cream, or, orange sherbet with blueberries. She didn't say who attended.
Kitty's Oyster Casserole (my mother's famous recipe is also a favorite at Thanksgiving and Christmas)
1 pt oysters
2/3 cup chopped parsley
2/3 cup chopped green onions
1 stick of butter, melted
1 cup cracker crumbs, rolled fine
1 small lemon (juice of)
1/2 tsp dry mustard
2 tsp Worcestershire
Melt butter and add Worcestershire, mustard and lemon juice. Arrange oysters in shallow dish and pour sauce over. Sprinkle with onions, parsley and cracker crumbs. Bake in medium oven (about 325) for 15 - 20 minutes until oysters curl and sauce is bubbly.
Bet was one of my grandmother's best friends and lived in a huge old antebellum home in town. They were always trading recipes and were really funny together. One of their funniest conversations, my cousin and I were able to witness - a discussion on the wonders of instant iced tea.
Bet's Boiled Custard I
2 cups milk
2 cups 1/2 and 1/2
4 eggs
5 tablespoons sugar
Let milk come to a boil. Pour 1/2 cup beaten eggs and sugar. Return to boiler and let cook slowly until it coats a spoon. Do not boil. Add rum or bourbon. Boiler is probably a double boiler.
Bet's Boiled Custard II
2 cups 1/2 and 1/2
2 eggs
2 1/2 tablespoons sugar
Let milk come to boil. Pour 1/2 of it over eggs beaten with sugar. Return to boiler and let cook slowly until it coats the spoon. Do not boil. When cool add 1/2 teaspoon (not legible) and 1/2 teaspoon rum.
*Italicized words are quoted from the cards. My grandmother had notoriously bad hand writing and knew she would not need to record the exact measurements, or ingredients, or directions, as she had Eva. So, you might need do a little experimenting.
did Eva ever show you how to make those biscuits? That recipe box is a TREASURE!
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