The Copper Pot

Thanks giving in my family is always been a time when what ever family is available gets together. I remember when I was a child having a huge gathering with all my aunts and cousins out in California. There was never a focus on Pilgrims and Thanksgiving. It was always about being with family. Since our family was already in Florida, as they floated over with Ponce De Leon in 1513 and the Mayflower didn't land till 1620, the whole Thanksgiving story doesn't really apply and perhaps that is the reason why it was not celebrated in the way it was portrayed on TV by the people up north who were descendants of Pilgrims. We were already here before pilgrims. It is still a good idea to be thankful for what you've got but it's always been more of reunion time.

The buttery bird for 2012

It's wonderful to get together with family members you never see. Second cousins and distant relatives. To listen to the stories of the old days and what the family used to be like. You never know what bit of information that is interesting that you might hear. You hear stories you've been told but didn't quit believe and then find they were told the exact same stories. You might learn about the family history.

Cheese ball after I made it look like a turkey.

This year there was a lot of talk about a restaurant that my Great Grandmother owned up in Jacksonville located near the rear entrance of the navel base. It was called the Copper Pot or Copper Kettle not exactly sure on that. Apparently the restaurant has been converted into a house but there is still a big old copper pot out in front, from the days when it was a restaurant. I learned that one relative or another at some time or other bought the property only to be suprised to find they were a distant relative to the previous owner. My Mother and Aunt told tails of running around at the restaurant when they were younger. The big dance floor and the big kitchen area. They remember fondly an old fig tree that grew around the back and my grandmother becoming upset, when she was pregnant with one of my aunts, because she couldn't have chicken gizzards.  This was a home cooking place that served such food as turtle soup. I remember my grandmother saying something about turtle soup and I always thought she meant sea turtles but I know most turtle soup, from talking to people who's families are from Florida, was made from gopher tortoise  that are now endangered. In Louisiana they use snapping turtles for soup. I would imagine a lot of the family recipes and ingenuity for new recipes came the menus served at that restaurant. Turtle is definitely a meat that has escaped the palate of modern man. I have heard tails of people eating it in Louisiana and saying it was the best thing they ever ate.

My grandmother used to say "your all full of the dickens" and look... here is where I get it, from my mom. Here she is sneaking the whip cream.

It's sad that the old  culture here in Florida is all but gone and it is only in listening to these old stories that we learn about it and who we are and where we come from. Or we will have to read about what others say our culture is and what type of food we eat in Southern Living magazines and you can never get a full picture or find out exactly why things were done a certain way from that.

Yep there's a little dickens in all of us. Here is my Aunt waiting for everyone else to be seated so she can eat.

Thanks Giving Cheese Balls

This year for Thanksgiving we are going to my Aunts house. It's the first time in about fourteen years we haven't hosted the big day, so it's exciting for us this year to let some one else make the turkey and deal with the dreaded clean up. We are tasked with glazed carrots and cheese balls and rolls. They didn't have the flavor of ball I wanted, when I went to the store, so I decided to make my own since the recipe was so easy. I think they came out pretty good but we wont know for sure till we take them to my Aunts house.

 We also had to have nuts in the shell. I don't know why you can only get nuts in the shell at Thanksgiving time  but they are always a sign of the season at my house. They remind me of my grandfather and discussing which nuts are the best and what the names of the nuts were and where each nut can be found. It's strange the small things that remind you of long past relatives. Each Thanksgiving food reminds me of some one special to me.

And a pomegranate cause they are good. When I was a child in California we used to get them fresh from a neighbors tree. They were a real stolen treasure since the neighbor never new that they had given them to us. The little red jewels found inside were better than candy. I always imagined I'd have  a crown with jewels in it the color of those seeds.


Cheese balls all done and wrapped up ready for the feast.
 

Every one always discusses what they are thankful or grateful for at Thanksgiving and people seem to appreciate the small things in their lives just a little more. I guess I'm no different because even though I can't be with everyone I want to be with, I sure am thankful for the ones I will be with.



November

November starts the dry season here in Florida and so far the weather is beautiful. Much cooler and definitely dry. Normally I would be worried about how much extra water it will take to keep the garden alive but this year we only planted a few tomatoes and only one egg plant.


The harvest this morning.

What we did plant is growing like crazy! Lot's of little tomatoes and a few bigger ones. Even the egg plant is loaded with flowers.

Egg plant flowers

Already have two big egg plant.

Beautiful bunch of tomatoes.

Can't wait for Husband to make eggplant Parmesan with all fresh ingredients.