Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1900-05-30
OLD TIME DINNERS.
The Way she Wen to DO I'm the South
Lived Before the War

The Way the Wen to DO In the South
Lived Before the War.
An old fashioned gentleman growing
eloquent on the subject OF southeru
hospitality and the viands that were
set before friends and neighbors when
invited TO feast. a reporter said:
"Win you state your recollections of
what was served on such occasions II
1 write it down Tor your
"Of course 1 WILL" was the reply. ct
can see such a table in my minds eve
right now. First, there was soup, OF
course. II it was cold weather, we had
oyster soup. or perhaps fish. II il was
In the midst OF the vegetable season.
we had rich, high colored beef SCUM
with plenty of tomatoes. okra, grated
corn and such like, well proportioned
and well seasoned with pepper and q
little onion.
when the soup plates were taken
on, and after the tureen was set aside.
then fine home raised ham took its
place in front OF the hostess. l can
discern the delicious flavor right now
In my recollection. Sometimes the skin
was peeled Off and the outside plenti-
fully sprinkled or busted with black
pepper. and that delicious meat was
good as long as a piece was left on the
bone. For my part. liked ii best with
the skin left on, because the meat was
cured so perfectly that even the skin
was toothsome and preserved the
juices until the meat was consumed.
AT the other end Of the table. In
front OF the host. you would see a fine
roast turkey-if the season was winter
or early spring-garnished with pars-
ley and slices Of cold boiled eggs. The
dressing was rich. made of bread
crumbs IL you had them, otherwise a
pan was filed with thick. rich batter
plenty Of eggs. plenty Of butter. dain-
lilly seasoned, and cooked until the
stuft1ng was Of the right consistency. and
then the fowl was packed full, and lit
tie cakes of the dressing, baked along
In the pan, 10 garnish the sides OF the
great turkey dish. II the time was mid
summer, the turkey was replaced by
huge dishes full Of fried chicken and
baked chicken. sometimes with the
FOWL 'smothered-' The chicken menu
was varied If the time was ripe for kid
meat or fat mutton. as II happened
Late in the fall a shoulder OF fat Dig or
a whole young pig was seen, roasted TO
q turn.
All along down the table you would
find bowls Of apple sauce. green or
dried; stewed peaches, sweet and
choice; rice. every grain standing
alone; pickles OF all kinds. potatoes,
butter. honey, light bread, nice beaten
biscuit and such desserts. Mince pies.
apple and peach pies. the crusts crisp
and haky; apple dumplings. rich with
sugar, spice and butter; cakes that
were cakes sure enough, sponge Jelly
and pound cake that took an hour 10
make and three to cook. fruit cake
that was better six months after IL was
made than at first. jellies, preserves.
boiled custards and syllabub that il
makes my mouth now water TO recall
them In such bountiful profusion Ora
ciOus plenty was IN the kitchen as well
as the house. and no chez In a million
aires kitchen is as much gratifed as
the old time cook. whose head kerchief
or turban was as white as her fresh
apron was spotless whenever her mis-
tress called her name and introduced
her TO the ladies who fingered at the
table after the men folks had gone TO
the piazza or the parlor fire for an aft
er dinner moke."-Atlanta Journal