Thursday, September 16, 2010

Homemade Memories

How are you today?
I’m good…..busy yesterday creating in the kitchen. Creating with muscadines~ a grape of sorts from this part of the country…a southern grape. A way down south in Alabama grape.

Muscadine Love



 I picked ours for the first time. Our young vines finally produced enough for a picking, and jelly I did make. As I stirred the sugary mixture, the heavenly perfume roused my senses and brought back so many memories of my Grannie. I was with her, standing on a chair at the counter as she mashed those brownish green grapes through a strainer leaving only the splendid juices behind. From this juice she produced the most amazing golden jelly I have ever tasted.
I could always remember that taste…unlike any other. I have since purchase muscadine jelly at various country produce stores throughout the years. But…the taste was NEVER the same or just right. Nothing compared to the taste that Grannie always managed to achieve.

Yesterday those memories and taste buds danced around in my head as I took that first test taste. A smile swelled across my face, as I rolled the jelly around my tongue, with happiness gleaming through my eyes. Oh my…it tasted just like Grannie’s jelly, so many years ago. I did it.
Jelly in a Jar

There came a flood of thoughts and smells of her large country kitchen, double white porcelain sink with twin drain side boards, jars with lids popping as they sealed, sweet grapey aromas, and the promise of a homemade buttermilk biscuit to come. Granddaddy was never far away, ready for that biscuit too. Grannie was an excellent cook, a country cook, taught from her Grannie and mama on down the line. What a wonderful art to pass on… Thank you Grannie for spending time with me and letting me get under your feet in the kitchen.


Jackie, the hubs, helped with my stroll down memory lane last night. I had called him yesterday at work to let him know just how good the jelly was and he told me he would make some biscuits for supper. Happy dance. Now I know you are asking why I don’t just make them myself…You have never had one of his biscuits! The people he works with beg for them, fight over them. You see, he makes the best and takes them to work occasionally. They are so GOOD! He has mastered buttermilk biscuits!



I looked forward to last night’s supper all afternoon, and it was as wonderful as anticipated. Homemade buttermilk biscuits, bacon, grits with eggs,
and of course my fresh chilled jelly!
What I’m lovin’ today~

sweet jelly
homemade goodness
memories
standing underfoot
that sink
that smell
teaching that art
foodie photos
my strawberry napkins




Thank you for all the birthday wishes for Holly ….
now go bake some biscuits...you know you want some!

28 comments:

Julie Harward said...

What a neat post!I loved hearing about gannie and how you were with her as you did what she did. I have not heard of this grape but the jelly is beautiful...as are his biscuits! Now I am so hungry! ;D

My Farmhouse Kitchen said...

ohhh...those look wonderful

i am feeling some biscuit baking coming on....

sending love today,
kary

Susan said...

What time is breakfast, or supper? My mouth is watering looking at that country goodness. Those are the best-looking biscuits I have ever laid eyes on. I've never tasted muscadine jelly, but I'm guessing I would love it.

Cheyenne said...

Love it! It's so neat how the smell and taste of something will bring us back to the memories of another. What precious memories of your Grandma! Someday you will pass on these precious lessons to your Grandbabies!

Are you going to share the recipe to your husband's biscuits? :)

Carolyn said...

Oh my, those biscuits and jelly look so so yummy!!! I love this post! Makes me think of how important making memories with our children and the grandchildren are....they last a whole lifetime!!!! :D

Hugs, Carolyn ~ Cottage Sunshine

Kim @ Home Is Where The Heart Is said...

What a sweet post, Cora...loved the memories you shared...brought back memories of me spending time with my own dear Gram as she baked pies, canned, made quilts, etc.

Have a blessed day, my friend!

Kathleen Grace said...

Those grapes make a beautiful jelly Cora! Do they taste different than the grapes you get in the store? I remember cooking and canning with my grandma on the farm. She made the most wonderful things and I was usually standing by her side as she did them:>) Those memories are worth so much.

GailO said...

..I haven't visited in a long time but boy did I pick the right day!...these photos are divine:) I'm going to get out my biscuit making things tonight...

Faith said...

This was perfect...on a chilly rainy night in Ohio...talk of bisquits and jam, and to that you add grits...oh I am in heaven..I'll never turn any of those 3 things down. I have never had a musculine grape..they are pretty arnt't they? Very different than the varieties I see up here in Ohio..Maybe I can find some of that jam in Amish Country...? It is worth a look. Wonderful memories of your gramma..
you are blessed indeed.

Char said...

you brought tears to my eyes - these are the beautiful things that life is all about. recreating those memories.

Holly said...

Wishing I had some of that jelly and daddy's biscuits. Mine are never as good!!! :( So glad yall enjoyed them and cant wait for my jar......

Cindy said...

Knock Knock...whos there,,,,a short round Canadian friend saying she has never had any grits, does not know what a grit is, but loves all your memories about sharing these with your grannie. love that, the biscuits with the jelly look scrumptious....just letting you know I like that Hollygirl of yours, almost as much as her Mamma. hugs, always a pleasure.

Unknown said...

Wow Cora.. I have never seen grapes like that.. but you are so creative and awesome to make such good tasting goodies from them ..
You go girl...

Sewn With Grace said...

Oh, I should not be looking at your blog before breakfast! I'm soooo hungry now! :)

christina said...

yes you did it!! yum!
jackie does realize you adopted me right?? lol
come on and pass the biscuits!
xo

Tara said...

This looks disgustingly ooey gooey yummy! I have never heard of these but Grannie's kitchen sounds like it was heaven!

Birgit said...

Oh Cora, my mouth is watering just looking at the scrumptious pictures of your hubby's biscuits and your sweet jelly!!!
You're granny sure did well to hand down her country cooking to you. I'm about to fall off my chair in anticipation!
I've never seen or heard of muscadines before. Learn something new every day!
Thanks for the tip on roasting the butternut seeds but I have to ask a dumb question...
what's evoo?
Now, please pass me one of your buscuits and jelly?
Blessings~ Birgit

GardenOfDaisies said...

Ummmmmm, I just wanted to reach through the computer and grab that biscuit with jelly and eat it!! My daughter loves to make biscuits. She always uses fun shaped cookie cutters... pigs, ducks, stars, etc... She will make a good mama ... someday.
Aren't grandparents incredible? I have wonderful memories of my grandma making plum jam and my grandpa making beef stew on Sunday's. Sigh, I miss them. But I was such a lucky girl to have them in my life.

GardenOfDaisies said...

Cora, your name was picked in the drawing for my giveaway. Congratulations! You won! Please contact me with your mailing address. I had put my e-mail on my sidebar, just below my profile, so you can contact me privately.

kath said...

beautiful photography, the finishing on the photos is fabulous - what a wonderful place you have here. The grapes in the vineyard across the street from my house are almost ready to be harvested, sometimes I can smell them if I'm very still.

collettakay said...

I loved reading your post. It brought great memories back to me of helping my Gram make cookies in her kitchen.

Sweet memories!

Relyn Lawson said...

Your pictures are lovely. And you've given me the sweetest memory of my uncle's muscadine jelly. I'll be thinking of him all evening now. Thank you.

Courtney @ splashing grace said...

I took the summer off from blogging and reading of blogs... but oh, how nice it is to be back! by the time I was old enough to learn my Granny's kitchen secrets she was too old to teach me... I've been craving biscuits - I think it's time to pull out some of her old recipes.

Anonymous said...

yum! biscuits sound good right now. thank you for sharing your memories...they sound like such a treasure.

GardenOfDaisies said...

Packages (2) have been mailed, and should arrive Thursday. Have a happy day!

Rebecca Nelson said...

Came over to tell you thanks for visiting my friend and then I spied that word MUSCADINE and remembered that when my dad was a little child it was his FAVORITE jelly. They grew wild in Conroe, Texas, and his momma would make jelly out of them for something sweet~

Blessings to you my friend~ I'm your latest NEW follower! :)

xo~Rebecca

Angie Berry ~ Berry Homespun Primitives said...

I don't want to bake biscuits... I want some of Jackie's biscuits!! I also want some of that good ol' southern breakfast food for dinner!

Beautiful pictures! Makes me want some of that muscadine jelly and I'm not even a grape eater! I so love to read memories of time spent in the kitchen with grandma. Those are some of my fondest memories. Enjoy your muscadine jelly and biscuits, my friend~

hjn said...

I have been away from your blog too long! Love my visits here! Love this post! These photos are divine!