Down Home Goodness

Hullo dear readers,

As I write this to you, I'm sitting on my mother's front porch in a rocking chair the color of honey mustard. The air smells of rain and some lingering drops fall deftly onto the blooming hydrangeas and lantanas. There's nothing better than a good summer storm; the claps of thunder and gentle lull of rain provide an almost perfect ambiance to read and write.

Now, anyone who knows me know that I love the South. I wear the pearls, I say my "y'alls' and "oh, Lords" and I mind my manners (most of the time, anyway). But what I love most about the South is Southern food, especially desserts. Well, it being the 4th of July and all, my mom decided that we just had to have a dessert to go with our lunch. The problem quickly became that between my petite mom and diabetic stepfather, realistically no one would touch whatever it was after I left tomorrow for Alabama. 

Marcus (my boy), then slyly suggested that Rice Krispy Treats would be the perfect solution (being easily portable and his favorite). My mom (wanting to please my boy and wanting to create a more festive dessert) suggested a spin on the classic.

Instead, of Rice Krispies, she used Fruity Pebbles. I was appalled and Marcus was elated. 

Needless to say, my worst fears were confirmed about an hour later. We had created an abomination; it looked like a bad acid trip and tasted like diabetic nightmare. 

The abomination.

However, a bit of good luck fell into my lap when our neighbor Ms. June came a-knockin'. A few days before I had brought her some zucchini and yellow squash from my dad's garden, along with two pints of the most beautiful blackberries I had ever seen.

In return, Ms. June brought over homemade blackberry cobbler for each of us. It was heaven by the spoonful and, more importantly, it saved me from the monster my mother had created.

The best blackberry cobbler.

Spoonfuls of sugar and Minnie the (bitch) cat.

Ironically, my reading today was also all about food. I recently purchased a cookbook titled The Southern Vegetarian Cookbook: 100 Down-Home Recipes for the Modern Table. It's brimming with Southern fried vegetarian goodness that I've craved ever since moving to Missouri. The married and adorable co-authors, Amy Lawrence and Justin Fox Burks, are also the creators of the food blog, The Chubby Vegetarian.  

The cookbook.

I haven't quite cooked enough recipes from it to give it a thorough review, but damn does it all look fantastic. The book features everything from Fried Green Tomato Po' Boys to Dry Rub Memphis BBQ Tofu. For veg heads like me, it doesn't get much better than that.

'Til the cooking commences, take a gander at The New York Times glowing review.

Now dear readers, I'm off for a margarita and some fireworks. Good night and happy dreaming.