Lone Star

That's it! Where in the world did the Okies come up with the name sheepshower? That is what we called it.

fifi - have you ever heard of Sheepshower? When we were kids, my dad would take us out in the Oklahoma woods every spring to gather sheepshower. They looked similar to clover and had a very distinctive sweet/sour taste. My dad would mix them with some mysterious ingredients in a gallon glass jar and bury the jar for six weeks to make sheepshower wine. I have never found anyone outside of rural Oklahoma who knew what I was talking about. Maybe the plant has another name?

I love your description of childhood in the Heights. What a lucky girl. It is still beautiful here and I feel fortunate that I spend my work hours with a window on either side of me filled with trees, birds and plants. That see-ment bayou sure is purty huh? Have you ever had any “accidents” with foraged food? I may have to go skulk around that cemetery and find your tree.......

Fifi, I am so glad to see you are blogging from our corner of the world! I am looking forward to learning what kinds of things I can forage for! My office is in the Heights - could that been near to your bay tree? I love your description of crabbing. It is something every Gulf Coast child needs to learn and you are so right about it being more fun than a trap. It is tricker fooling a crab than you would think! I do have a question for you. We have a tree in our office yard that we have always thought was purely ornamental. This year it started producing small, orange fruits and we found out that it was a “Loquat” tree. Are they edible? Can’t wait for the next installment.

That is my question, why would you care what other people call your operation when you can call it whatever you want to satisfy your cultural and soulful needs? It is all agribusiness. Perhaps.

A farm is a piece of land (or water perhaps) devoted to agricultural purposes - period. My question is - Why does it matter? Who cares? Call your operation whatever you want to.

My mother makes a punch similar to your "Plantation Tea" for all parties or gatherings. She calls it "McCamey" punch and uses very strong tea, canned OJ and canned pineapple juice and ginger ale. She told me that it was what they always made growing up as during the war there was no fresh fruits (especially in West Texas) and all they could get was canned juices, if that. It is my favorite party punch.

Well, of course all y’all mudbugs liked the brisket best! Thank you so much for sharing your cooking adventure with us Brooks! It looks like it was a lovely party and food divine. It must be nice to think that all of your and your family's hard work will now be a permanent and pleasant memory for the graduates. The weather looked beautiful. You are right, outdoor events like that simply cannot be enjoyed in this part of the world past May. I am definitely going to try both of the salad recipes for my next big group.

Daniel, since you already like "y'all", why not just write the next holiday piece in a Southern accent?

Creamy potato soup Chicken and dumplings

Fried chicken Biscuits and gravy Black-eyed peas Cornbread (not sweet!)

That looks delicious!

Off of a plate, off of a counter, out of a dish or bowl.......

Then you might find this site interesting. click ← Thank You! Fun site.

A few years ago, I rebelled against the “Traditional” Mother’s Day our family observed. It mainly amounted to just another get-together dinner at my moms house with the usual cooking and cleaning up. It’s Mother’s Day darn it and I am not going to work for it! I created my own tradition which my husband and kids enjoy too, and my mother, sisters and whoever else is always welcome to come. I pick a historic house on Galveston Island to tour, take the Treasure Island tram tour, walk up and down the Strand looking in all the shop windows, stroll on the seawall and have a lovely late seafood lunch at Gaido’s. Out of the house all day, out of sight of the piled up laundry and dust bunnies! I think this year we might do a picnic. Here is the plan I sent to my sisters earlier today. Treasure Isle Tour Train Enjoy a 1 ½ hour, 17 mile narrated tour around the Island City on the Galveston Sightseeing Train! This fun ride covers both Old and New Galveston - including Seawall Boulevard, the remains of Fort Crockett, historic homes, Rosenberg Library, churches, the downtown business district, the shrimp fleet, Jean Lafitte's home, Moody Mansion, the Bishop's Palace, Ashton Villa, the Strand Historic District, the University of Texas Medical Branch, and dozens of other places of interests. Treasure Island Tour Train is the Island's oldest operating tour train, established in 1962. Special group tours are available. Special group tours available anytime. and 3:30pm The Bishop's Palace 1402 Broadway 409.762.2475 This ornate building was begun in 1886 and completed in 1893, at a cost of $250,000. The building was originally home to the family of Walter Gresham, a former Confederate colonel and U.S. Congressman. The Catholic diocese owned the structure from the 1920s to middle 1950s. The palace is ranked among the top 100 homes in the nation for its architectural significance, and features woodwork of rosewood, satinwood and white mahogany, and various fireplaces from all over the world. The mantle in the front ballroom won first prize at the Philadelphia World's Fair in 1876. Tours offered every ½ hour. Gift shop on premises.

Not only do I check out the baskets of others, I will pick up the discarded grocery lists too. What kind of person wrote it? Spindly old persons hand listing milk and cereal? What was the person purchasing for? Mundane weekly shopping, or for a party? I read one last week that had Beer Peppers Sausage Tomato sauce Pepcid

At my old firm, the fridge was cleaned out every Friday by the receptionist. "Use it or Lose it!" Here all we have are Diet Cokes, bottled water, Chardonnay and a drawer full of candy.

My mother helped me learn to make mistakes. I would pick something outrageous out of a cookbook, or something I had seen the Galloping Gourmet make and announce I was going to make a fabulous creation ( all 12 or so years of myself). It would usually be a disaster, but she was always praise my efforts. She even served the banana nut cake I made one afternoon, in which I had stirred in the salt as an afterthought as the layers were already baking! She told me as soon as I learned how to write, I would lie in front of the televison and try to copy recipes from Graham Kerr. She saved some of them, and the most surprising one is where was trying to copy a recipe for Pate and I must have gotten really behind and in desperation threw in “one teaspoon of vanilla”! My mother, grandmother and my father taught me everything and I love them for it. You can’t learn if you don’t try! She also taught me to never rinse flour with hot water, only cold.

Hurray for the Cake! Claire - I haven't tried it yet, but you are right - that Baker's Joy did have a kind of peculiar scent. It never affected the taste of the food though. Writing out list to buy new Pam spray......

Beans and Rice in a hurry - one of my children's favorite "comfort foods" Start rice in cooker Heat up some canned beans - preferably Ranch Style Beans Top rice with beans and sprinke with cheese. Very satisfying. You could use black beans and top with some salsa and cheese. I am sorry you hurt yourself and hope you heal quickly. I broke my foot in a glamourous way when my children were small - demonstrating cartwheels in the house.

fifi - I have found that the "Baker's Joy" spray with flour and oil works very well. The new Pam sounds similar.

I suppose we should be specific then, that this is about people who haul 700-pound crab pots around in icy, freezing arctic weather, while riding 40 foot waves (sometimes the boats are almost riding sideways, I believe) in search of Alaskan King crabs. These guys work from four to twelve days just once per year, in order to pay for an entire year of living expenses, and are probably dead drunk the rest of the year. Oh, I realize that we're talking about a whole 'nother kind of crab and a whole 'nother kind of crabbing here. With blue crabs, you either set out a pot or just dangle a chicken neck on a string: no danger, no stress. Also, I'm more likely to be dead drunk while crabbing than after. Well, after too. ← That was my first thought when I saw the title. How dangerous can a chicken neck and a piece of string be?

Amen to that! And I say good for Emeril - our shrimpers need all the help they can get.

It is a vital ingredient for the "Dilly Bread" recipe I make every Thanksgiving too! I usually go and buy a new jar every year just for the few teaspoons I need. How long is it good for anyway? French Dips...mmmmmm