Southern Fuxion!

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It’s the month of September, Welcome to Southern Fuxion!

True Southern Gentility is not dead, it has just been on a long hiatus. 

In this edition, we are discussing the ancient code of Heraldry and how it can apply today. The days of the Liege Lords and Ladies are gone, hopefully, but the traditions have carried forward in societal norms. How does that impact our lives today and how can we share these traditions in a positive way?

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As a leather cigar man, I enjoy creating and living with the finer things in life. Albeit, that does include spending quality time with friends, good food, good drink and an invigorating career.

Let’s put all of this together into a fantastic Jambalaya !

In the genteel Southern home and establishment, these condiments grace the table for every meal and sometimes just stay there.  This is really the fun part of being in the kitchen and living a great life.  I especially like the old-style fermentation of veggies and such to create that healthythat is so beneficial to health and well-being.

One of the major steps in this process though is making sure you have clean and sterile jars with lids.  The other is to not use iodized salt nor water with any chemicals such as chlorine or fluoride in it. My Great Grandmother used well water and it really worked great.  I can still taste her canning and pickling to this day.

Tomato Relish

Do you like peas and greens?  This relish is really great on them.

What you gonna need:

Ø  30 large tomatoes

Ø  10 large onions

Ø  5 large bell peppers

Ø  1 teaspoon each of ground cinnamon, allspice and cloves

Ø  3 tablespoons of non iodized salt

Ø  1 ½ cups sugar

Ø  2 cups of that great cider vinegar

How you gonna do it:

1.       Peel the tomatoes.

2.      Chop the onions, tomatoes and peppers

3.      Combine with the rest of the ingredients in that big non-reactive pot.

4.      Simmer over medium heat for over three hours.  The relish in the pot needs to turn do a nice, thick dark red sauce. It does take a while, but it’s worth it!

Cabbage relish

This is another of Mamma’s recipes.  I had to follow her around the kitchen with my little pad to make notes.

What ya gonna need:

Ø  A hefty 4 pounds of cabbage chopped real fine

Ø  12 medium onions chopped with the cabbage, real fine

Ø  8 good size green bell peppers, also chopped real fine

Ø  2 quarts of White Vinegar

Ø  2 ½ tablespoons salt

Ø  3 tablespoons celery seed

Ø  4 tablespoons turmeric

Ø  3 tablespoon dry mustard

Ø  4 cups sugar

Ø  1 cup flour

Ø  1 cup vegetable oil

How ya gonna do it?

1.       Put everything in a non-reactive pot on the stove.  It’s going to take a big pot so be prepared!

2.      Bring all that mess to a boil.

3.      Make a slurry of flour and water. If you don’t know what that is, it’s simple.  Put the flour in a bowl and add some water. Take a fork and mix it around until the flour is part of the water. 

4.      Quickly, after the mess is boiling, add the slurry to the pot.

5.      Stir well for a short time, about 5 minutes and take that pot off the stove.

6.      Add the vegetable oil and stir.

7.       We ready to can it all now!

This oughta give ya about 6 to 7 pints. This is some good chow chow as Mimi Douglas used to call it.

Green Tomato relish

Green tomato relish is a staple for me at any meal. I love it!

What ya gonna need:

Ø  6 green bell peppers, chopped

Ø  1 hot pepper, I like a habanero

Ø  12 to 15 green tomatoes, chopped

Ø  6 large onions, chopped

Ø  ½ cup non-iodized salt

Ø  3 cups sugar

Ø  1 quart cider vinegar

Ø  1 tablespoon turmeric

Ø  ¼ box whole mixed pickling spices

How you gonna do it:

1.       Soak the chopped veggies along with the salt at least overnight.  It takes it a while.

2.      Next day, put the spices tied in a cheese cloth sack, into the vinegar and sugar mix on the stove. 

3.      Bring that to the rolling boil and put the drained veggies into the pot. 

4.      Let that boil for a short time and put it into the jars.

5.      Be sure and seal em then turn them upside down to make them really some more.

6.       

This oughta give ya about 6 to 7 quarts of some might fine relish.  Make some good cornbread, beans, pot roast and eat up!

Fresh chow chow

This is one of my favorites and I keep it in the fridge all the time.

What you need:

Ø  Head of Cauliflower

Ø  Head of Cabbage chopped

Ø  A quart of small cucumbers

Ø  A quart of small boiling onions

Ø  3 green bell peppers chopped

Ø  ½ cup of celery seed

Ø  1 cup of grated fresh horseradish

Ø  3 cloves of garlic minced real fine

Ø  2 pints of fresh green beans

Ø  ½ cup olive oil

Ø  ½ gallon of White Vinegar

Ø  3 tablespoons of mustard seed

Ø  1 cup of brown sugar

Ø  ½ cup of turmeric

How you do it?

1.       Get you a large non-reactive crock and put the cucumbers and cabbage in there. Cover with salt and water, heavy on the salt and let sit over night.

2.      Next day, put the vinegar, to the boil in a non reactive pot.

3.      When it boils, put in the mustard and celery seed, horseradish and chopped bell peppers and let boil for about ten minutes.

4.      In a separate bowl, make a slurry of the garlic, brown sugar, olive oil, mustard

Check out the attachment!