Summertime and food are synonymous with one another. What can be more enjoyable than gathering with friends for good conversation while enjoying a good plate of food? In the south food is known as ‘vittles,’ which means food supplies for humans.
My mother gave me a free hand in the kitchen when I was growing up. She was a seamstress par excellence, but I had absolutely no interest in sewing. My theory was that I couldn’t eat anything I sewed, so why bother. Of course, this was back in the days when food was considered a cheap commodity. Most folks grew what they ate. My Dad and I always had a big garden. We were what he called, “sharecroppers.” But, if mom needed something from the grocery store it meant I would have to take a hike about a block away to the corner store for her. We didn’t have such things as supermarkets when I was growing up. There wasn’t a Wal-Mart or King Soopers anywhere. Really!!
The corner grocery store was a great gathering place. I remember the owners, Bud and Everette, had chairs placed around the old pot bellied stove that stood in the corner of the store. On a cold winter’s day, if you were lucky and got there early enough you could get one close enough to lean up against the wall while you sat in it. They were the prime seats in the house.
I always got a free piece of penny candy when I bought something there. The corner grocery store was not only a place to purchase food, it was a great place to get change for a one dollar bill, find out what was going on in the neighborhood, or just be treated to a great story.
Cooking always fascinated me. I learned to read recipes then add my own touches and changes to them. Our neighbors were the beneficiaries of my ‘test kitchen’ goodies. My reputation as a good cook grew throughout the neighborhood. I often received requests to bake a special birthday or anniversary cake.
When I began my career as babysitter, the children on our street would beg their parents to hire me because they knew we would be cooking hamburgers, baking cookies or doing something fun in the kitchen. Anyone willing to turn me loose in their kitchen knew they would be rewarded with something tasty. My love for cooking spilled over into my college days, where I became known for organizing cookouts among classmates.
My cooking skills served me well when I had my children. All three of my boys and even my daughter seemed to have hollow legs. Of course, they each had their favorites, but my chicken spaghetti was the all-time winner. Each of my sons made sure his wife got that recipe when they married.
There is something to be said for being on the deck while the food is grilling. There’s nothing quite like the chatter of friends and family as the food is grilling and then sharing the food hot off the grill. The key to successful grilling is to keep it simple. Try cutting some fresh veggies and placing them on some foil; sprinkle some a bit of dry onion soup, add some olive oil and wrap them tightly before placing them on the grill.
For dessert nothing beats a tub of homemade ice cream. Of course, today you just plug the freezer in and in about 30 minutes that ice cream is begging to be served.
Summertime, grilling and homemade ice cream just go together. As they say in the South, “Lawsy me, honey chil’! There jest aint nuthin’ better”!!
The Rejoicing Soul 