my mom and grandmother hanging noodles all over the kitchen chairs before making chicken and noodles with fatty chickens. and in San Diego as a teenager eating a Nicolosi's subway sandwich.
My mom did this- I am going to have to try it this weekend. But the meat will have to be sausage. I don't care for syrup on my bacon, but love it on my sausage. I used to get the big breakfast from Micky D's when I worked auto parts, and I grew to love the taste of sausage patties and syrup.
My Dad used to make what he called Corn Fritters most sunday mornings. Now I know it was just pancake batter with canned corn, but they were delicious. A few of those with some bacon and some maple syrup drizzled over it all. Yum.
Delta Boy, You just described this Calafornia kid's favorite Sunday Dinner at Grandmas house. My Grandparent's were Navy Folk, and lived all over the U.S. And on Okinawa during my Grandfather's long career, and my Grandmother was a hell of a good cook. At my Grandfather's last duty station they lived in close proximity to my family, and we spent Sunday dinner at their house on a regular basis.
I remember all the sights, sounds and smells from those dinners long ago, and since my Grandmother passed way too young, I realize now what a wonderful thing those times were never to be found again. The magic of being a kid, and being doted on, and eating amazing food cooked from scratch, among extended family was truly magical.
Grandma's fried chicken always started with a buttermilk soak, I would help her with shaking the brown paper grocery bag, once she had put flour, salt, garlic powder, paprika, and a ton of black pepper, so much so that the grocery bag looked like it had been invaded by a colony of ants. Then the chicken pieces went in, a few of the time to get their turn at being shaken. She'd take them out and put them on a wire cooling rack while the old Cast iron skillet was heating on the stove, with balls of Crisco shortening looking like pristine scoops of vanilla ice cream to my six year old mind slowly melting away.
Then the chicken went in for its glorious bath, half submerged in the pan, Grandma turned the chicken halfway though, and then it was removed looking crispy, golden tan, and black speckled to drain briefly on some white paper towels. My Great Grandmother lived in the same house, and she was usually in charge of the homemade yeast rolls, and usually always had baked a pie for dessert, usually Rhubarb that my Grandfather had grown in the small garden in his backyard, I loved it with a huge scoop of cool whip, or vanilla ice cream.
Of course there were all the homemade sides too, fluffy mashed potatoes with milk gravy that my grandmother would use some of the chicken oil to make the roux with, and again with the black pepper Army ants, My Granfather would tease me about being put on KP duty to peel potatoes, or trim the green beans which he also grew in his garden, or there would be fresh corn cut from the cob.
I ate until I was full, and I loved it all, always the drumstick back then or a thigh. Then after dessert, we usually went to sit on the Davenport, Grandma's word, to watch Carol Burnett.
Grandma has been gone for 25 years or so, and Grandpa now for ten, the meal I described took place in 1976, I'd give any amount of money to experience something even close to it today.
thats a great memories for me. A few restaurants had them. The more authentic ones I recall from my youth.I lived with my grandparents after my mother died (I was 13). They had been going to the same Chinese restaurant for about 20 years at the time (around 81). They moved away from Cleveland a time or two (my grandfather got sent to churches that were struggling), but they always came back to the same place. I last ate there in 92, and I am sure they are still there (when I go back I will look for them). They had those wontons that kind of remind one of Styrofoam- the would crinkle a bit when you dipped them in the soup. I haven't seen those things in our Chinese place (which the wife and I have been going to for at least 15 years)- they use the fried noodles.
Oh, I just looked it up- the Styrofoam looking things are prawn crackers.
Seasonal memory. Grandma's homemade gefilte fish. She taught the Chinese restaurant owner I referenced in the "prawn cracker" post above and his version became a regular option on the menu. Can't me to think of it, the fish balls in cellophane noodle-fish ball soup are pretty similar.
My grandmother also made home-made gefilte fish.
I never saw it myself, but family legend has it that she once kept a live fish in the bathtub, just waiting to be filleted and ground up and made into whatever those gefilte fish logs are called.
I'm not sure how she managed to get a live fish to her house in the first place. That part of the legend was never explained to me. Her house was nowhere near a fishing hole, and the nearest market that might have had live fish was several hours away. Nobody in the family had a car, so it had to be brought in on a public bus.
I'm craving dad's old stand-by when mom wasn't around to make breakfast. Two slices of white bread covered in white gravy.
Indeed they are. Even after 35 years, the taste of warm apple cider reminds me of the various fall festivals we would go to in Ohio. This reminds me, it is the time of year for Buckeyes- I need to try my hand at making them.Bump...thanks Owen @oc_in_fw.
I guess it's that time of year when I start thinking about all the times we had together with friends or family eating a great meal.
~Food memories are a powerful thing.
Indeed they are. Even after 35 years, the taste of warm apple cider reminds me of the various fall festivals we would go to in Ohio. This reminds me, it is the time of year for Buckeyes- I need to try my hand at making them.
Reese's uses garbage chocolate and peanut butter.My mom and her side of the family live in Columbus, so I've had hundreds of buckeyes. It's the only way I'll eat peanut butter and chocolate. (Not a big Reese's fan)