Feeling nostalgic today

[NorasMom]

I have had such a craving for pan-fried (tame) rabbit, stewed tomatoes, and seriously-overcooked egg noodles in thick bird broth. Then Mum showed up for coffee this afternoon and handed me what I can only describe as a hillbilly cookbook. After she left, I took it out back and lost myself in memories, not realizing that I had tears running down my face until Charlie put his head on my knee and gave me "that" look.

So, if any of you are cooking this for dinner, I'll hop on the nearest bus and show up on your doorstep, okay?

[goatgal]

You have taken me down memory lane...searching for meals I remember with fondness. It was a rough path, because my mother wasn't a good cook, partly because we were never had money, and lived in cities. But once or twice every summer, she would take us to the beach with a picnic lunch. This lunch was a treat, because it was something we never had at home: she'd boil hot dogs, warm the buns, then wrap each bun with frank tightly in newspaper. With a jug of homemade lemonade (lemon trees were common in So Calif backyards) and a bag of chips, these were the best lunches of my childhood. The lemonade would still be cool and the hot dogs warm when we ate, sitting under the faded canvas beach umbrella on a scratchy wool army surplus blanket.

[NorasMom in reply to goatgal]

Oh, that sounds like fun! I don't know why my grandparents have been so on my mind lately, but now you have me thinking of the scrambled eggs Granny'd make on the spur of the moment. We'd be out playing, decide we were hungry, and march into her kitchen looking for food. Any time of day, she'd whip up scrambled eggs, we'd smother them in ketchup, then go back to playing.

[Tazmanian]

You're always welcome for dinner but don't expect anything but take out

[NorasMom in reply to Tazmanian]

That's the best anyway! I'll bring along a red-checked tablecloth...

[kycmary]

If thick bird broth is chicken soup I can do that!

[NorasMom in reply to kycmary]

That would be good, but no. I have no idea how she did it, but Granny's noodles were done in something that was more than broth but less than gravy. Maybe she just made really runny gravy? The first time I ever had noodles in broth at someone else's house, I was so disappointed.

[kycmary]

One of my step-mothers (he had 5 wives) made her own noodles & it was a thicker than soup & runnier than gravy & yes it was good, filling & nurshing! So maybe that was how.

[NorasMom in reply to kycmary]

Maybe that was it. I have so many regrets about the things I could have learned from my grandparents. My dad's mother made the most amazing ham, falling apart and nicely moist. We've never been able to get ours to come out the same way, although I'm getting closer every year!

[kycmary]

Keep after it I'm sure you'll get!