Wednesday, October 12, 2016

LETTER FROM MARTHY TIDWELL


HAPPY FALL, Y’ALL!

Dear Lottie Helen and all,

I hope this letter finds you all well.  We’re all well as common, but your Daddy liketa had a little tumble comin’ in with the stovewood last week.   He caught the cuff a his shirt on that ole long doorknob, and stumbled several steps before he righted hisself.  Didn’t drop a stick, not even them little ole fat lighterd slivers.   Soon’s we seen he ‘as allright, we all laughed fit to bust at that little dance he done. 

Tonight’s Church Supper night, and I’m a doin’ my best to get some good Fall cookin done to take.  Well, I got that big old roaster-pan buttered up right heavy, and then I got three a them quarts of gooood peaches out of the freezer and let ‘em thaw a while.   Then I  takened, and I put them sliced peaches in the bottom a there, and sprinkled on a right smart a sugar---just enough to get ‘em goin makin juice ‘n’ all—and a big dash of verneller. 
Cobbler is always better if you dot a good lot of butter around on top of the fruit, too. 

  And then, I went out and got me about four a them good yaller-yawk eggs for the cake---nothin’ like a good yard egg for a good rich cake.


Image result for cobbler in a big roaster pan

I got that old Sunbeam a-goin with them eggs and about a cup and a hafe a sugar, and just let ‘er rip til that mixture climbed up about three times its size and makin’ a ribbon when you lifted up the beaters.   So you measure out the flour and Clabber Girl and Salt, and melt you about a cup of butter in a different cup, along with a cup of milk with some good verneller stirred in.

You know, you hafta measure when you’re bakin’ cause it’s more like chemistry than cookin.  The right amounts of every tee-ninecy thing is the secret, especially the teaspoons of bakin’ sody or Clabber Girl, because they can play havick with all those good eggs and fresh butter if they’re off by even a smidge.   Nothin’ worse than a cake that squatted to rise, and baked in the squat, except maybe a real pretty one, all fluffy and golden, that wastes all those good ingredients and gets all the way to the table (especially if there’s comp’ny) so bitter with too much leavenin’ that the dogs just sniff and slink off when you throw it out in the yard.

I got the cake all mixed up good and light, and poured it real gentle over those peaches---it like to overflowed the pan, so I scooped out a cup or so of the peaches to keep it from runnin over in the oven.   Got it into a good smart hot oven, and then I put on three quarts of them good snap beans we canned when y’all was here in August.   Weren’t they fine? 




Just a big ole onion in the Dutch Oven sweated down some, and the biggest ham bone out of the freezer laid in with the drained beans, a good reach of salt and I crushed up almost a whole head of that fresh garlic we’ve got dryin out in the egg shed.  They’re cookin down right now, with some soy sauce, and does this house smell mighty fine!   Got a few dozen of the littlest potaters soakin to scrub to lay on top at the end to cook. 





I better go get my blue dress ironed.  I got so busy pickin up pecans and with the gettin-in of the last bell peppers and sweet taters so the boys could till the garden under, that I just laid everything crosswise on your bed til I could get to the ironin.

Remember we love all a y’all.

Your Loving Mama Marthy Tidwell



12 comments:

  1. Oh- I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE this!! I could feel myself getting drawn right into that life. xo Diana

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  2. I'm drooling at the very thought of that cobbler, fancy fixins, as they would say around here :)
    I just bet those slow cooked green beans were mouth-watering good !
    ~Jo

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  3. I'm a'lovin' this here post with all my might....
    reminds me so much of my childhood...and my Aunt Lillian

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  4. Well, it is close to dinner and now I'm starving. It won't be near as good though, because we are going out to eat.

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  5. How darling! I love your fall cooking. Have so much fun!

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  6. You really have a way of pulling in your reader. I was right there. I swear it!

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  7. You sure make me long for the old day.

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  8. Oh, I loved it too!! Felt like I was really right there!! Your stories sure bring up so many memories for me, and my people are so much like your people. So fun to read! Thanks for checking on us during the big storm. It sure was a bad one. a "humdinger" for sure. We got home safe and we do have power here, so many still do not and the crews are working all night long. So much flooding all over. So much damage. Hows everybody your way and did you say you had family in the path of the storm??---did they do okay?

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  9. Wonderful post!!
    Thanks so much for visiting and for your kind comment!! As to where I store all my decorations, here is a link to a post I did about that subject since I am asked it frequently because I live in a townhouse!!
    http://adebbie-dabblechristmas.blogspot.com/2015/01/where-do-i-put-it-all-and-planning-for.html
    Have a great day and thanks again for stopping by!!
    Hugs,
    Deb

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  10. Hi Rachel, This letter made me wish I was receiving it personally. I want to eat all that wonderful food in your story. It makes me want to get my old Sunbeam going full swing. You're the best.
    Love, Jeanne

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  11. My husband would be licking his lips for some peach cobbler. Although, don't feel bad because he isn't terribly deprived. I would be the one licking my lips for some green beans. I love them with small red potatoes.

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  12. Those green beans sound divine! I do love good home cooked green beans. I was so glad to hear from you, I have been so lax in keeping up with my friends, hopefully I will get better.

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