A Country Cooking Legacy – Miss Marge

By Debra DuPree Williams

When you read Grave Consequences, set in 1968 in south Alabama, you are going to think all those people do is eat Miss Marge’s country cooking. Well, if you’d grown up with all the delicious foods that came out of my Granny’s and other relatives’ kitchens, you’d understand why. Miss Marge’s country cooking was just like my Granny’s.

My Granny was born in 1887. The Civil War had ended less than twenty-five years earlier. I’m sure times were tough for most families in Alabama. I so wish I’d asked about those years. When one is young, we don’t know to ask as we have not even a hint of how interested we will be in those things in the future.

My mother worked from the time I was born. Because Mama worked, Granny, Mama’s mother, cared for me. Everywhere Granny went, I went, including long walks to visit relatives who lived what seemed like forever away. Today I know that was just up the road a piece.

Breakfast would have included country sausage, not the patties so popular today, but fat links, prepared by Granny, stuffed with the best sausage you’ve ever eaten. If you’ve never had them, then you don’t know what you’re missing. We’d have scrambled eggs most of the time. Those were often mixed with pork brains. Yes, you read that right. I know, I wouldn’t eat it now, either. Served with that would be grits prepared in some fashion. Often just plain, but at other times, they’d be cheese grits. If you’ve never eaten grits, I’d say just about all of you would love cheese grits. Try them as a side with fried fish and hushpuppies. Doesn’t get a whole lot better than that.

I have a sister who is seven years older, but she was in school, so she missed out on much of our day-to-day routine. Mealtime was a big deal. We always ate together, and we often fed young men who worked at the funeral home located just beyond our back yard. There was always, always plenty of good, good food.

Granny was a county cook. Nothing fancy. One thing we had that one of my aunts out in the country didn’t have was an electric stove. That one aunt still cooked on a wood-burning stove with the iron burners that had to be lifted to adjust the heat.

The meals Granny cooked would include meat of some kind, greens or peas or beans, fried corn, sliced tomatoes, and always fried cornbread. Makes my mouth water to remember. Except for the idea of the meat being Liver-and-Lights (you don’t want to know, believe me) or pigs’ feet. Yuk!

For dessert? Most of the time it was a fruit cobbler, the dumplings within made with lard. It made for the tastiest, most-tender, slick or shiny dumplings. Sweet fresh fruit juices flowing throughout would make you smile and sit up and take notice. Such a precious memory.  Find photos here.   https://www.pinterest.com/debradupreewilliamsauthor/

My Granny went home to be with Jesus when I was only eight. How I wish I’d asked her to write down recipes for Sis and me. All I have of those meals are memories, but they are stored forever inside my heart.

Here’s an added bonus for you. If you’re on FB, go and follow the link below. She’s from my hometown, the model for Loblolly. This lady knows how to cook and she’s become quite the celebrity. You’re going to love her. https://www.facebook.com/search/top?q=cooking%20with%20brenda%20gantt

 

Granny's Country Cooking - Just Like Miss Marge's @DDuPreeWilliams #writing #familystories Share on X

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