Family

Grasping the concept of family seems more difficult in the climate of today. Perhaps the mobility, the media, and class issues contribute to the downfall of family. My family disappeared when my Mother died. I held on to whatever I could and Carole was it for me. Family is not always by blood, it's about common experience. Perhaps for some, those experiences are divisive, too many depressing, catastrophic memories. Sometimes it is felt the best thing is to just let it all go. Carole and I never said, "don't let go." We just held on, through dark and sunny days. We have hurt each other, but forgiveness runs deep in our relationship. I feel lucky to have this shared experience from childhood. Carole and I can reminisce about people only she and I may have a common memory of their existence. We shared our Mothers, each in our own way. We share her sisters and shared my brother, each in our own way. We feel completely comfortable with a quick phone conversation, just to touch base. Sometimes a month or two can pass and we don't call. But, we always do, doesn't matter who calls first. We just talk.

Aunt Verna's Biscuit Pudding (also known as bread pudding)

Aunt Verna always had "Biscuit Pudding," as she called it on her stove. The pecans were from the tree in their backyard and the leftover biscuits from breakfast.

Ingredients:

About 4 cups leftover state bread or biscuits. (French bread works really well)

1 cup milk

2 eggs

1/2 stick melted butter

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup raisins

1/3 cup chopped pecans

dash of cinnamon

dash of salt

Chop the bread into small pieces and soak in the milk and eggs for about 15 minutes. Add butter and remaining ingredients and stir well. Melt 1/4 stick butter in a small skillet add batter and bake at 350 degrees until slightly firm to the touch and browning around the edges. Eat it warm with a glass of cold milk.

Why Recipes?

Family and friends have asked me why I post recipes on Patrick Cemetery Blog.  My first response is these are not just any recipes.  Many people buried in the Cemetery prepared and ate these foods.
My second response is a little more involved.  My Grandfather had eleven brothers and sisters and I witnessed many funerals during my childhood.

The only constant materialism in my life has been Patrick Cemetery.  A place that was mine and no one could take away from me.  Now, in my later years, it has become more than a place to go, it is a piece of land that needs attention.
So, I post these "special" recipes and a few stories and photos I am compelled to share in hopes others will have an interest in that little piece of ground.

Souse

Homemade souse is not for the eye, but the palate. It requires long cooking and handling. Here is a recipe handed down from the Patrick women.
There are variations to this recipe, but this is the simple one I remember and use.

Ingredients:
3 lbs pork neck bones
2 lbs pig ears
2 tablespoons dried sage
3 leaves fresh sage rough chopped
3 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons black pepper
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper

Just cover the neck bones with water and boil until the meat falls off the bone. Let cool and de-bone. Save all the juice. Make sure you remove all the bone fragments, for health reasons. Chop pig ears into small cubes and add de-boned meat, ears and all the seasonings to remaining juice. Make sure you keep enough liquid in the pot so the meat won't stick. Bring to a boil and cook till the skin on the ears is tender. The gristle will not get tender. Pour into a bowl and refrigerate. Slice and serve with pepper sauce, mustard, or suit your taste.
If you want a bologna-like product, cool and grind in a blender and poor and let set in the refrigerator.

Buttermilk Biscuits

Ingredients
31/2 cups Martha White Self-rising Flour
3/4 cup vegetable shortening
1 cup buttermilk
Pour flour in large bowl and place all of shortening in the center of the flour.
Pinch and knead shortening into flour
Add milk slowly while pinching and kneading. Continue util it is slightly sticky and pinch it into 8 - 12 biscuits
Bake 20-30 minutes at 375 degrees until a crusty brown

New Year's Clean-up

Before

After

Gann Fencing and Landscaping were enlisted.

Straightened up the Cross

Two graves covered with dirt in a lot with the name Howard on the entry stone.

Patrick Family Red Slaw

O

This is a slaw that is used on barbeque sandwiches and is especially good on left-over turkey and ham. All the amounts are approximate. I don’t measure, much like my Mother never measured. I don’t remember seeing any measuring devices in her kitchen. A teaspoon, a coffee cup and perhaps a Mason jar were enough. Aunt Verna kept her slaw on the kitchen table in a glass candy bowl with a lid. It had the small tear-drop handle and a fluted base. You can store in the refrigerator if you prefer.

One-half shredded Cabbage (You can use a stainless steel hand grater, but I prefer a sharp knife).

One-half cup ketchup

One-half cup white vinegar

One-quarter cup Trappey’s Bull Sauce (Louisiana Hot Sauce if you can't find Bull Sauce)

Teaspoon each salt and pepper (I use closer to two teaspoons salt, but salt to your taste)

I mix the ketchup into the cabbage first and then add the vinegar slowly. Then add rest of ingredients and taste. I don’t like it so soupy it soaks into the bread. Please adjust the amounts to your own tastes.  It gets better after a couple of days.

They have a version of this slaw at Smokey Pig on Linwood Blvd. in Columbus and they use a tomato-style barbeque sauce in theirs. I have often eaten a sandwich of just slaw and two pieces of white bread.