Cooking

Advent I: Pot Likker and Aunt Puss!

Every year, a few days past Thanksgiving we’d drive to my grandparents home to spend the day. It was a family tradition and ours believed they should be kept. My mother felt her mother’s back porch was the only place to make that “perfect” Advent Wreath. Daddy usually didn’t make the trip. He preferred to hunt fish or play golf. I had no choice in the matter.

My grandfather died in June of 1959 so that Thanksgiving I would have no excuse not to make the annual pilgrimage. As we started on the short trip to grandmothers, mama reminded me not to tease Aunt Puss “because it upsets your grandmother.”

Aunt Puss as we affectionately called her was my great-great grandmother’s maiden sister. She was born in 1860 at Mackeys. Aunt Puss had practically “raised” her brothers and sisters while caring for her grandparents and later her parents. She held a special spot in our family’s heart. She was 99 years old at the time

Although Aunt Puss was considered senile she remained in many respects larger than life. She had her routine which included taking many naps throughout the day. Whenever she awoke she had to have breakfast-all day long. Her cook, Delilah graciously accommodated her. Aunt Puss also frequently liked to relive the “War.” By saying “war”, I mean the “war of northern aggression.” Aunt Puss was good at reenactment too. Playing with Aunt Puss was like being a part of Edward R. Murrow’s television program, “You are there!” Maybe this trip wouldn’t be so bad after all.

Upon arrival grandmother hugged and kissed us and brought us in for lunch. After completing our meal I asked, “Where is Aunt Puss?” Grandmother replied, “Now Eddy, she has had a good morning so far. She fell asleep in her rocking chair in the parlor. Please don’t wake her up and get her all riled up.”

What was a young boy to do? I slipped into the parlor, approached Aunt Puss and woke her up! Being senile she didn’t know exactly who I was but knew I was family. As she reached over to kiss me, I asked, “Aunt Puss, have you seen any Yankees today?”

That was all that it took. I helped her out onto the front porch and she immediately told me to grab my gun. With my plastic gun in arm, she saw some Yankee sharp shooters hiding in the trees. I began to shoot as she was giving me directions. I had the time of my life until grandmother caught us. She said she would take care of me later.

Aunt Puss and I then moved inside to the parlor. She was so excited that she forgot to ask for breakfast. Sitting on the love seat Aunt Puss said, “I think that woman (meaning my grandmother) is a Yankee sympathizer. We’re going to have to watch her closely.” Then she added as she put her arms around me, “Johnny Reb, you’re a good shot. We’ll need to go out and move the dead soon. Because more Yankees will be coming we’ll have to bury those you shot and killed behind the barn so they won’t be found.”

Soon, Aunt Puss was snoring and still holding me tightly. I hugged her and kissed her on the cheek as I snuggled closer. I thought how good life was and that I was fortunate to have a great-great-great Aunt to give me lessons in history and life from an era that I could only imagine.

On “Advent Wreath Making Day”, the traditional food for us was plenty of either mixed greens or collards with lots of pot likker. J.P. Caldwell, Editor of the Statesville “Landmark” (1880-92) and the Charlotte “Observer” (1892-1909 wrote,”The North Carolinian who is not familiar with pot likker has suffered in his early education and needs to go back and begin it over again.”

I, personally, prefer collards, though turnip and mustard greens are preferred with a lot of folks and wild poke sallet is foraged in the cooler months in forests and along pathways. A combination of some of these greens is much appreciated on a cold winter’s night.

Collards derive their name from the misuse of the English colewort, “a variety of cabbage that does not heart.” Greens with cornbread are too soulful a dish to be thought of as heartless. Thelonious Monk, the great jazz innovator from Rocky Mount, North Carolina, wore a collard green in his lapel and he knew soul.

Greens and Cornbread Croutons
Pot Likker
Serves 8

1 smoked ham hock or turkey neck or leg, or 1 (1-inch) piece of salt pork; 4 large bunches greens, rinsed; 3 tablespoons lard or bacon grease; pinch of sugar; 1 pecan, in its shell (see note below); 8 slices Mackey’s Skillet Cornbread (recipe follows; softened butter; Creole seasoning blend; salt and freshly ground black pepper.

In a large covered stockpot, simmer the ham hock in 1 quart of water for 1 hour.

Meanwhile, with scissors or a paring knife, remove the thick stems and thick veins from the leaves of the greens. Cut into 1-inch strips.

Add the greens, lard, and sugar to the pot. Drop the pecan into the pot and cook for 4 hours on a low simmer, until the greens are very tender and the liquid has reduced by half.

When the greens are nearly ready, preheat the oven to 400 degree F. Split the cornbread slices. Butter the cut halves and sprinkle with Creole seasoning. Toast open-faced in the oven until slightly brown and crisp, about 4 minutes.

Season the greens with salt and pepper. Spoon them into a serving bowl and top with the toasted cornbread.

NOTE: A hint from my grandmother: a whole pecan in the pot is said to diminish the smell of cooking greens, which is quite powerful.

In the 1960’s, I overheard two of my great-aunts talking before my second cousins wedding in St. Paul’s, Edenton, to a New Jersey girl say, “This marriage is never going to last; she doesn’t even save her bacon grease.” And sure enough, that marriage didn’t last even two years. As all good Southern girls know, you can save up your bacon drippings and keep them in the refrigerator for a couple of weeks.

A well-seasoned cast-iron skillet is essential for a good Southern - style, crisp - crusted cornbread. Make sure in your final will and testament that it is clearly stated who inherits your cast - iron skillet. You can prevent a rift after you have departed. My grandmother added a Codicil to the Will that gave her six cast - iron skillets to her three daughters.

Mackey’s Skillet Cornbread
Makes one 8-inch cake or 6 to 8 individual servings.

2 cups self-rising white cornmeal (not cornmeal mix); 1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour; 1/2 cup bacon drippings (from 8 slices cooked bacon) or corn oil; 3/4 cup whole milk; 3/4 cup buttermilk; 1 large egg, lightly beaten; 1 teaspoon cornmeal.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

In a large bowl, combine the self-rising cornmeal and flour; set side.

Heat an 8-inch cast - iron skillet in the hot oven for 6 to 8 minutes. Add the bacon drippings to the hot skillet and return to the oven to heat the drippings, 2 minutes.

Meanwhile, add the milk and buttermilk to the flour mixture and stir with a wire whisk to combine.

Working very carefully, remove the hot skillet of drippings from the oven. Pour almost all of the hot drippings (reserve about 1 tablespoon of drippings in the skillet) into the batter and stir to combine. Add the beaten egg and stir until well blended.

Sprinkle the surface of the reserved hot drippings in the skillet with the teaspoon of cornmeal. Pour the cornbread batter into the prepared skillet. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until a deep golden brown. Remove from the oven and turn out onto a serving plate.

NOTES From my grandmother: if self-rising cornmeal is unavailable, substitute 2 cups regular cornmeal combined with 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, and 3/4 teaspoon salt.

The additional cornmeal sprinkled in the skillet right before baking crisps the crust and helps prevent sticking.

It has been a pleasure sharing memories from my childhood. Advent is a wonderful time of year to remember the less fortunate and those that have been kind to you during the past year. I will be sharing with you during the Season of Advent more memories from my childhood, some family secrets and recipes that are delicious to eat and fun to prepare.

Until next week . . . . . . . . Eat well!

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© 2008 NE NC News.