Gullah Geechee

I don't have enough space here to explain it all, but I'll gloss over it, if I can.  I have been studying the Gullah Geechee culture for months now.  The Cherokee Native Americans along with the Choctaw and Chickasaw (of which my husband and children are on the rolls), lived nearby the outer banks of the Carolinas, before relocation on the Trail of Tears, and intermingled with the slaves brought to America.  In fact, they named the West African slaves Gullah Geechee. The coast proved to be a good area to grow rice and the slaves were expert rice growers before their arrival in the 1600's.  The Native Americans inter-married with them and taught them many things, in particular, about more than 600 plants and roots used for medicinal purposes as well as foodstuffs.

Since the Native Americans and slaves had no option to go to doctors, they had to treat/heal themselves.  One example, Slippery Elm Bark, was used back then and today it is aspirin.  The roots and plants were also used in the practice of Hoodoo.  Maybe more on that later.  Their culture was rich and varied.  The Gullah invented the blue hand and eye to drive evil spirits away.  They also began the 'haint blue' paint still used on houses today in the South.  They invented Br'er Rabbit, a trickster in their stories and brought bottle trees to the American south. The Gullah were very superstitious. As I said, too much to tell here.

Above, is the Angel Oak tree on Johns Island, near Charleston, South Carolina.  It is thought to be about 1400 years old and supposedly, the tree has seen many things over the ages.  It is said the other trees nearby take care of it and feed it.  If you get the chance, google it for pictures.  I've never seen another like it. If only I could get an acorn.

Anyway, I ordered an old Charleston cookbook as all the study made me want authentic creole food.  I thought you'd like to see some of the recipes.  I'd love to try the Cherry Bounce.  Those southerners love the drinky winky. Even sloe gin fizzes in the morning are commonplace.

I was looking for a creamy bisque soup and I'm going to try the Kiawha Shrimp Bisque, but with crab.

I'm not sure which recipe I am looking for, so I'll try this one too, as it sounds more like the one I've been looking for.  Notice underneath the recipe it says Charleston is famous for this soup. The one I've had had an orangey spice in it, perhaps saffron or paprika.

I don't know of another food more popular in the south than biscuits. Maybe like the scones in Scotland.

Grits, seafood and corn and rice, okra and beans and greens. Though many nationalities lived in and around Charleston, these ingredients were very popular.  Not only the Atlantic Ocean, but different rivers provided many foods to the area of this major port city.

I've barely scratched the surface.  New Orleans is known for their Cajun food, but I don't think they have anything on Charleston's Creole cuisine.

New Recipes

Some more recipes.  I think this is the seventh posting.  I'll keep them coming.  I looked on the grocery shelf last week and they do still sell the dried beef in glass jars.  It looks just like jerky. I'd like to try this ham and bean soup.

Last Of The Appetizers

The last of the appetizers.  The sausage balls are really good. Just make sure and use the raw sausage.  I cooked it first once and it didn't turn out.  Next chapter is soups which I have been yearning for lately.

Retirement Income For Tom

This is a picture for Tom across the pond.  I think he will enjoy it.  He posted about shipping containers to let, somewhere in Europe.  I had this picture as a guide for B&B's.  The one on the bottom right has a large orangerie and they even have a goldfish pond.  What's not to love?  Beachside?  Heaven and I bet they'd stay rented out. Must love stair climbing!

Recipes Five

I think I'll have to add a few more pages each time to get this all done.  Going to be lots of recipe posts.

Old Time Recipes

It is slow going, but there are some good ones to come.  Jeanetta started with Dips and Appetizers and if I get out of order, well, I will get it mixed up.  These punches were probably made for weddings and anniversaries.  I seriously doubt old Hubert ever tasted likker'.

Alive And Going To Try Kickin'

More recipes coming your way.   I am still alive - no bending down, nothing lifted over 10 pounds and no driving for a month.  Ha.

Old Recipes

More recipes.  They do get better and more interesting.  The parties in the country weren't a big affair. Farmers are too tired to party.

What's Happening

Summer is happening.  It has been so long since I posted, I thought I better, lest I forget how. The mind, the mind is going.  I water, water and water my plants, weed endlessly and have even canned pickles and peppers from my little raised planters.  I do enjoy my flowers and plants and can already see some spots I will plant some new things this fall and next spring.  When I bought the city house, she already had so much growing, there is barely a square inch to plant anything unless it is tiny or seeds.  This small garden across the patio looks bare.  Some coleus I had planted across it grew so large I couldn't see the flowers in the lower yard and had to take them out.  Next year nothing over a foot tall is going in that bed.  It is cool this morning; perfect and still.

My little gold fish pond has been trying again this summer and I finally got a pump only, and not filtering system.  It has settled down some and I have quite a few goldfish now.  Cross your fingers.

Did I say I've enjoyed myself this summer?  I enjoy sitting on my dock, feeding the waterfowl and fish and turtles.  They wait for me daily.

It has also been trying too.  After months of chemo and radiation at MD Anderson in Houston, my sister had her surgery to remove her leiomyosarcoma in her abdomen.  Nearly two days after, she came down with the first confirmed case of MRSA from an epidural at MDAnderson.  Two days after that she developed meningitis and a week later they had to go in through her back and cut open four vertebra to clean out the spinal column from infection.  Much happened between all of it and I have never seen pain that couldn't be managed with everything they had in their arsenal.  Cut from sternum to pubic area in front and 31 stitches down the back.  To make a long story short, she is finally home and resting.  Getting a little better each day.  She'll get there.  KK is the tough one of the two of us.  Nothing will keep her down, though this was her worst struggle ever.

I'm having surgery next week and usually nothing bothers me, but I am kind of scared now after what all my sister went through.  Can't pick up anything more than ten pounds for weeks and my weenies weigh more than that, so.....

I'm going to start posting recipes from a lady that lived down the road from my farm.  She made this book herself and it is southeastern Oklahoma food.  Don't ask me what that is as it is a combination of southern and many other kinds.  There is an Italian community near my farm.  There is a Czech community across the state and many others that came to America long ago.  Anyway, she was a good cook and I'll post the recipes so you too can have them.  Jeanetta is long gone, but her old recipes live on.

Enjoy and relish these summer days my friends!