Bill laughed and Marion paid for the drinks. They were about to go when Patsy pulled at her mother's dress. "Momma, can we please get a jar of honey?"
"Sweetheart, we've got plenty of honey at home."
"Please, Momma, we don't have any with honeycomb. Please?"
Marion looked at her for a moment and then gave in. "How much is the honey?"
"The Honey? Well, let's see." The old woman started counting on her fingers, and then said, "You're not gonna believe this, but you hit it lucky, because today . . . it's absolutely free."
Patsy's eyes got wide. "Really?"
“That's right."
Marion said, "Oh, I feel terrible about not paying you anything. Won't you let me give you a little something, at least?"
The old woman shook her head. "No, it's free. You won it, fair and square. You don't know this, but your little girl, here, just happens to be my one millionth customer this month." "I AM?"
"That's right, my one millionth."
Marion smiled at the old woman. "Well, if you insist. Patsy, what do you say?"
“Thank you."
"You're welcome. And listen, Patsy, if you ever get anywhere around these parts again, you be sure and look me up, y’hear?"
"Yes ma'am, I will."
As they pulled out, Bill tooted his horn and the little girl waved goodbye.
The old woman stood on the side of the road and waved back until the car was out of sight.
******
SIPSEY’S RECIPES
BUTTERMILK BISCUITS
2 cups flour
¼ teaspoon soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ cup Crisco
2 teaspoons salt
1 cup buttermilk
Sift dry ingredients together. Add Crisco and blend well until like fine meal. Add buttermilk and mix. Roll out thin and cut into desired size biscuit. Bake in greased pan at 450 degrees until golden brown.
Naughty Bird's favorite!
SKILLET CORNBREAD
¾ teaspoon baking soda
1½ cups buttermilk
2 cups cornmeal sifted
1 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1 tablespoon melted bacon fat
Dissolve soda in buttermilk. Mix the cornmeal with salt, egg, and buttermilk. Add hot, melted bacon fat. Pour into greased iron skillet and bake at 375 degrees until done.
So good, it will kill you.
COCONUT CREAM PIE
3 egg yolks
1/3 cup sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
2½ tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon melted butter
2 cups scalded milk
1 cup grated coconut
1 teaspoon vanilla or rum
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
9-inch pie shell, baked
Beat egg yolks. Beat in sugar, salt, cornstarch, and butter gradually. Pour in milk and blend. Cook over boiling water, stirring constantly until thick. Add coconut, and cool. Add flavoring and nutmeg and pour into shell. Cover with meringue and bake 15 to 20 minutes in 300-degree oven.
Yum, yum.
PECAN PIE
9-inch pie shell, unbaked
2 cups pecans, chopped
1 cup sugar, brown or white
1 cup light corn syrup
1 tablespoon flour
1 teaspoon vanilla
¼ teaspoon salt
3 eggs
2 tablespoons butter
Line the pie shell with chopped pecans. Combine the sugar, com syrup, flour, vanilla, and salt and mix until blended. Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well each time. Pour into the nut-lined pie shell, and dot with butter. Bake at 350 degrees until firm—about 1 hour.
Sinful stuff—Stump's favorite.
SIPSEY'S SOUTHERN-FRIED CHICKEN
1 good-sized fryer
Milk
Salt and pepper
1 ½ cups sifted flour
Cut chicken into serving pieces. Rub well with salt and pepper. Let stand awhile. Then soak in milk about 1/2 hour. Put flour, a little salt and pepper, and chicken into a bag, and shake well until every piece is coated. Fry in hot, deep fat at 400 degrees, until golden brown. Leave heavy pieces in fat a little longer than the smaller ones.
So long, Mr. Chicken.
CHICKEN AND DUMPLINGS
2 cups white flour
2/3 cup milk
3 teaspoons baking soda
1/3 cup Crisco oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 pot of chicken stew
Mix flour, baking soda, and salt together. Then add milk and oil. Spoon-drop into boiling stew, cook for 15 minutes, turning dumplings often.
Should float off the fork.
FRIED HAM WITH RED-EYE GRAVY
Slice ham about 1/4 inch thick. Cook slowly in a heavy frying pan until evenly browned on both sides. Sprinkle each side lightly with sugar during cooking. Remove the ham and keep it warm, then add about 1/2 cup of cold water or a cup of coffee. Let it boil until gravy turns red. Blend and pour over the ham.
Good eats!
GRITS
2 tablespoons butter
5 cups boiling water
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup hominy grits
Add lots of butter and salt to the boiling water. Slowly stir in the grits. Cover and cook slowly for about 30 to 40 minutes, and stir till you like it
Keeps you regular.
FRIED CATFISH
2 pounds catfish, cleaned and skinned
½ cup sifted flour
Salt and pepper to taste
½ cup yellow cornmeal