Mountain Man Corn?

[satx78247]

I suspect that corn meal mush was "left out of" cookbooks for a long time simply because just about every woman in Dixie knew how to make it AND just possibly because it was "poor folks food".

yours, satx

 

[Billnpatti]

I did an online search for The Bakery Café in Union City, Tenn. but couldn't find it. Thought I might give it a try the next time we go through there.

I had misspelled the name of the restaurant that I had recommended it is not Sassifrass, it is Sassifraz. They are just down the road a bit from Dixie Gun Works at 2205 Reelfoot Ave. Next time you are there, give them a try. Here is their website for your amazement, amusement and edification http://www.sassafrazrestaurant.com/

I can tell you that everything is good. But, alas, it appears that they have taken shrimp and grits off their menu. But perhaps if you asked, they may prepare it for you anyway.

 

[satx78247]

Well that's a SAD THING for people who liked GOOD food, at a reasonable price (especially for such generous portions). = It has been years since we were in the Union City area.
(I just read your comment to "Duckie" & she said, "Pity. I really liked their fresh coconut cream pie & their vegetable platter was wonderful.")

One of the unfortunate things about "Mom & Pop places" is how often that death/divorce/age ends up closing GREAT local places to eat. = For example, the former ROLLY & DOREEN's in a little town in NC (which was right on the way to our family's beach place on Oak Island) closed forever when Ms. Doreen M_________ passed away.
(The location is now a furniture store.)

yours, satx

 

[crockett]

That mioght be where I ate breakfast early in the morning before DGW's opened their doors. Yeah shrimp and grits are good.
BUT....I was really on the historic aspect of what form of corn the fur companies going to the mountains used.
On the okra, I think the African word was Gumbo. Sticky mud is often called gumbo- much like the boiled vegetable. On the history of grits in the south I read (and don't know if true) that grits were only eaten in a few locations before the civil war. The Confederates were using corn meal for hoe cakes and since everyone from all different parts of Dixie were mixed up together- word got out about grits and pretty soon everyone started eating them. Easier to cook. Just North of Atlanta they have or had a grits festival and serve fresh grits which are supposed to be best but I've never made it to the event.

 

[satx78247]

Fyi, I know LITTLE about the fur trade era in the western mountains & have spent almost NO time researching that area.
(Trying to do research/writing on Woodland Native groups, Southern history & TX subjects takes more time than I really have. = IF research/writing wasn't something that I can do QUIETLY while "Duckie" naps, I wouldn't have time to do what I do.)

Note: You are CORRECT about what you said about "gumbo".

yours, satx

 

[Loyalist Dave]

Okra is a Nigerian word; kingumbo is a Bantu word that Euopeans *******ized into "Gumbo" and cultures trading with the Europeans adopted the shortened version. :wink:

Anyway back to "mountain man" corn, "hominy and hog" were a very southern staple diet..., again the grinding of the hominy into grits was to speed cooking.

LD

 

[satx78247]

I wonder if there were any "good 'ole Southron boys" in those mountains, "out yonder"???
("Southron" & "southern" are NOT the same thing.)

yours, satx

 

[zimmerstutzen]

Here in central PA folks still make mush. When butchering hogs, the bones and scraps are thrown into a pot to boil until the meat falls off the bone. The meat scraps are strained off for scrapple and/or "puddin" and the clear pork broth is reserved. The broth is boiled with added yellow corn meal and a little salt until it thickens. It is poured into loaf pans and cooled.
To prepare slice off a 3/8 inch thick piece and fry it up for breakfast.

It is somewhat similar to scrapple (which is much better), but scrapple has meat scraps and some flour added. It is usually a shade of medium to light gray in color while mush is dull yellow.

Nothing so coarse as grits would be used to make mush.

Coincidentally, we will be butchering hogs tomorrow and making mush by evening. Crispy fried Mush slathered with apple butter for breakfast, is a lil bit o heaven.

 

[satx78247]

Fyi, I love mush (fried or plain) & despise scrapple.
(I once, long ago, dated a young Mennonite lady from North Wales, PA & her mother "stuffed me" on all those "PA Dutch" dishes, every time that we went "home to visit family".)

yours, satx

 

[Bear Rider]

I feel the same way about hominy. When I was in elementary school, they served what we called "hominy grits" at least once a week. To this day, you couldn't drag me to a table with hominy on it. It's almost as bad as Leberknoedel soup (another sad story).

 

[satx78247]

Truthfully, I don't know too many folks, who didn't grow up on it, that really like hominy.

I grew up eating it & want/like it about once a year. = Otoh, when I eat breakfast, which is seldom (but most often in deer camp, where we also have venison 3x a day, too), I always want pork chops, thick grits, cream gravy & cathead biscuits with my "3 over medium" & strong coffee.

yours, satx

 

[Claude Mathis]

I love anything made from any form of corn. Hmm, I haven't had huitlacoche, but I'd give it a try.

 

[satx78247]

Understood.

Ever had armadillo tamales made with masa harina exoskeletons?

yours, satx

 

[Billnpatti]

I guess Leberknoedel soup must be an acquired taste sort of like eating fried squirrel heads. I like both.

 

[Billnpatti]

masa harina exoskeletons???? I know what masa harina is. It is a finely ground corn flour that has been treated with lye sort of like hominy. But I have no idea what masa harina exoskeletons are. :idunno: Help me out here.

 

[Billnpatti]

I didn't know what that was until I looked it up and then saw that there was an alternate spelling of Cuitlacoche. I have never tried it but it sounds interesting. I have seen Cuitlacoche in cans on the shelves of Mexican stores but never gave it any serious thought because it didn't sound very good. But, the next time I go into one of the stores and see it, I am going to give it a try.

 

[satx78247]

In other words, the OUTSIDE masa coating of the tamales, that keeps the filling together.

Fwiw, you have to come down to The Alamo City. = I make my grandfather's squirrel stew with the heads & LOTS of fresh/green cayenne peppers.

yours, satx

 

[Billnpatti]

I seldom get to San Antonio but I would love to give your grandfather's recipe a try. It sounds delicious. Do you ever share the recipe?

Perhaps you would consider coming to one of our White Smoke Brigade shoots in New Braunfels. Just $5 to shoot in our matches. No prizes, just fun. Very laid back shooting. Just bring your gear, a lunch and something to drink. Bring a pistol, too, if you have one.

 

[satx78247]

I do NOT like the "Mexican canned product", which is available at the weekend Mexican flea market, southeast of SA on the Poteet hwy.

Otoh, I like the fresh product just fine, thanks, which is also available from the market.- The corn fungus reminds me of a nice, young, mushrooms.

yours, satx

 

[Claude Mathis]

Understood.

Ever had armadillo tamales made with masa harina exoskeletons?

I've not had armadillo, but I'd try it given the opportunity. It's just another mammal. LOL