The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1914-06-30

This is the time of the big eating"
down here in Gods country. Green
peas. are Gin our midst" No matter
whether you call them Cow peas"
providers" red rippers," black
eyes" 'whippoorwills," or ''speckled
bucks" they are all peas. And boiled
with bacon, seasoned to suit taste,
fanked with slice of South Georgia
tomato, red and dripping juiciness,
with pone of white, sweet corn
bread on the side, there is nothing to
compare with them.
Field peas are democratic. They
are common to the table of the rich
and poor, the millionaire and pauper
sharing in this, one of the greatest
of the Creators gifts to hungry man.
But while they are a delicacy on
the table of the rich, they are one of
the mainstays of life on the table of
the poor in purse. And they have
such staying" qualities. For the
man whose work is out of doors, they
''stick to his ribs" and the stomach
of the manual laborer which was well
filled with peas at noon does not feel
like a family had moved out before
night fall.
Like other great blessings, peas re-
quire handling by one who knows and
appreciates them. Pick them in the
early morning while still the dew
fingers on the vines, carefully select
ing those that have just attained full
ness but whose hulls have not begun
to brown. Be liberal also, and put in
goodly amount Of snaps" those
peas not SO ripe but what they can
be broken, bean-style, and cooked
hull and all. They form an admira
BILE mixture. Don't pay any attention
to what anybody tells you about
snaps being indigestible-what does
man who eats field peas have to
care about gastric troubles?
Sit down in the shade OF the porch
or the big mulberry tree and she'll
the peas, carefully opening the long
pods at the back near the stem end
and stripping them down with trained
fingers. Snap the snaps, and then,
from the low obeisance of the grace
full we'll sweep, fill pail with cool,
fresh water and pour the peas in.
Wash them once for necessity and
once again for luck, and then with
more water in the big iron dinner pot,
pour in the peas, and season amply
with big hunks of Georgia bacon
(Only that raised on the same farm
with the peas will do and boil until
time to blow the dinner horn, when
peas, bacon and pot-liquor will have
attained that deep, rich, purple color
the hungry and pure in heart know
so we'll.
In a big, deep dish, set them on
the table, with the sliced bacon on
top and plenty of pot-liquor to wash
them down. Set near by dish of
sliced tomatoes, another of crisp Gu
cumbers, a few pods of bell pepper,
a plate of pone corn-bread Gall grown
on the same soil as the tomatoes)
vinegar, pepper-sauce and other con-
diments, and then just don't say any
thing until the chairs are moved back
and repletion brings surcease of &C.
tivity.
Don't gather and cook Just enough |
peas for dinner, either. Put in sufff-
cfent for big dish of cold peas for
supper and another smaller dish of
fried peas for breakfast.
Peas are the great southern dish. |
They make our laborers tireless and |
our fighters invincible. They make |
muscle and bone and hard flesh; give
a man strong wind and dauntless
resolution. Had the pea crop not |
failed, Grant would never have got !
half way to Appomattox and with :,
plenty of peas to come, the Mexicans |
will never be able to cross the Texas |
border. A race of pea-eaters is not |
only race Of fighters, but a race of |
fighters who are Iickers.
History does not tell us whether |
the tables of Lucullus or Epicurus |
we're graced with green peas. For |
the reputation of the eaters of those |
days, who knew a delicacy when they |
saw it, we are sure they were. But |
the peas must have been neglected |
as the Roman race disintegrated, else /
the Goths would have been driven |
back to the frozen north.
While peas are good for dinner,
when appetite is strong and half the |
days work ahead, they are best |
served cold for supper, because you
have more time then.
When twilight softly fingers
In the ample lap of night"
at fha hOuSewiferS uimbIe fingers