To the yolks of 6 soft-boiled eggs, add a half cup of grated hard cheese, a tablespoon of dry mustard, and mayonnaise to texture, usually a quarter cup or so. Top with smoky paprika.
The Hoka’s Hot Fudge Pie
The Hoka had two signature desserts: the New York-style cheesecake made by the Freer sisters, and a hot fudge pie made by Jani Mae Locke Collier. Jani Mae is a native of Oxford. She and my sister Cindy lived together at a big house at the end of North 14th in the mid-1970s when the Hoka started. Jani brought this recipe to the Moonlight when Betty Blair got it going. Jani Mae is married to Emmett Collier, who makes beautiful pottery in Brandon, Mississippi. It’s a very simple recipe, easily made, and best served à la mode.
Jani Mae’s Hot Fudge Pie
1 cup sugar
1 stick butter
½ c. plain flour
5 tablespoons cocoa
2 eggs beaten
Cream butter and sugar, mix well with flour, cocoa and eggs. Spoon into a toasted pie crust. Place in middle rack of oven at 350 until firm in the middle, about 20 minutes or so. Serves four.
Oven Ribs
For one full rack or three baby backs, make a rub of 1 cup light brown sugar and a quarter cup of paprika with a tablespoon each of cumin, granulated garlic, black pepper, and salt. Some people like cayenne; I’d advise against it. Cut ribs to fit roasting pan, pat dry, oil, and coat with rub. Place pan in middle oven with a quart container of water on the bottom. Set oven at 350 for first hour, then turn the ribs and reduce heat to 225. Turn in another hour, then cook until meat is tender, about 2 1/2 to 3 hours for full racks, half that for baby backs.
Cold Creamed Oats
Bring a quart of milk to boil and stir in 2 cups steel cut oats. Immediately reduce heat and cover. When liquid is absorbed, stir in 1 cup whole cream and refrigerate overnight. Add more milk or cream to texture and sweeten if wanted before serving with fruit or nuts.
Dragon Peach
The sun was well up, blaring over the trees when I parked in front of Rick’s apartment building. He stepped out of his door wearing a straw fedora and linen jacket, worn chinos, and canvas loafers, the very picture of a dirt road dandy gone to seed. Watching him wrangle his legs down the steep stairs, Ricky suddenly seemed frail to me, and I felt a pang in my chest. I’d known hm for less than five years, but in those years, I’d come to love him like a brother; he’d filled my losses, propped me up, and pushed me back into a life I could lead on my own. He claimed to be sixty-eight, but he said a lot of things I didn’t question.
He clambered into my old truck and we headed to Linda’s market north of downtown. The market sits far back from traffic under a long tin roof, a colorful oasis in a dull, hot desert of asphalt surrounded by cars parked without regard to space or bearing. As we drew closer, we could hear the shuffling rattle of a homemade pea sheller.
Under the roof, our eyes adjusted to the shade and found melons mottled and striped, green-upon-green, blazing red cayennes, motley purple peas, and speckled beans. We paused over the corn, looking for fresh ears with tight shucks, green stem ends, and sweet-smelling tassels. We chose cucumbers that were slightly under-ripe, firm, and shading to jade. The tin roof popped as the sun bore down. Ricky walked over to the peaches, rows of baskets filled with Chilton County Elbertas, saffron blushing to carmine, some with stems and leaves. Over these he lingered, walking back and forth, occasionally reaching down to brush one with his fingers, picking another up, holding it to his nose, and putting it down.
I brought him a paper sack and shook it open with a pop. “What do you look for?” I asked.
Ricky snapped out of his reverie, looked at me and smiled. “A dragon,” he said.
“Jackson, Mississippi is nowhere near Middle-Earth, Ricky.”
“Yancy, listen for once,” he said. (As if I didn’t always.)
“The world is full of magical and wonderful things. A few of them amaze you so much you can’t get rid of them,” he said. “Those are the dragons, the ones you keep looking for. I remember this peach from a basket in Tupelo. When I bit into it, suddenly I couldn’t see, I couldn’t hear. That peach just sucked everything out of me, and all I could do was eat that peach, and I’ve spent the rest of my life buying lousy peaches chasing that dragon.”
We loaded our sacks in the truck. As we were pulling onto the highway, Ricky reached into the back, rummaged around and pulled out a peach. He wiped it with the handkerchief he kept in his back pocket, turned it around in his hand, and took a bite. I looked at him expectantly. He smiled and shook his head, rolled down the window, and threw it out.
“I’ll find it one day,” he said, and my heart broke.
Stuffed Tomato Salad
Ladies of leisure assemble ostensibly for cards or tiles, but in fact for drinks, talking about who isn’t there, nibbling fussy foods such as lavishly garnished congealed salad, trimmed sandwiches, and the obligatory stuffed tomato salad: Slice the top quarter off a tomato, score the flesh and scoop it out; save for salsa. Drain rind, dust with salt and pepper, slit perhaps half-way down, and stuff with chicken, shrimp, or tuna salad. Chill before serving.
Homemade Ice Cream Base
Combine 1 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon cornstarch and a scant teaspoon salt in a saucepan. Gradually stir in a quart of half-and-half and place over low heat. In a large bowl beat together 2 large eggs and a tablespoon of pure vanilla extract until whites and yolks are thoroughly blended. Slowly add eggs to the cream, stirring constantly and gradually increasing heat until thickened. It should have the consistency of eggnog. Stir in a pint of whipping cream and remove from heat. Refrigerate for 45 minutes to cool, then add fruit, nuts and/or flavorings, process in freezer, and make people happy.
