Chuck Zumbrun

Tales from Skunk Hill

I Didn’t Cook This Supper

As Gordon Ramsay would say, “the most amazing supper” was prepared tonight at our house. We had:

  • Fried bluegills
  • Crispy kale
  • Sweet corn
  • Fried green tomatoes[1]
  • Pickled peppers

And as President Obama would say, “you didn’t cook that[2].” The Prez is right.

  • The bluegills were from Gary Pippenger. Gary shames me, I’m not such a good friend that I’d ever give away filleted bluegills.
  • The kale was from Jeff Rosswurm. The Jeffersonian heritage lives in Jeff. He fills me with hope (and kale).
  • The sweet corn was from our garden, grown from seed from Jason Holzinger. When you work with Jason you realize that commerce doesn’t have to mean only profit, it can mean partnership and community.
  • The green tomatoes were from our garden too. The tomatoe[3] plants came from Arbor Farms Nursery where Debbie works. Arbor Farms is everything you wish every business could be; a business concerned with providing their customers with the best, and with treating their employees like family and friends.
  • The peppers were from our garden too. The plants were from Arbor Farms (see above.) The recipe is from a blogger I’ve never met, but wish I had.

[1]I don’t want to toot my own horn, but these fried green tomatoes were awesome. Here’s the recipe.

Fried Green Tomatoes

Ingredients
Firm green tomatoes
Flour
Salt
Pepper
Cayenne pepper
Eggs
Corn meal
Cooking oil

Process
Slice the tomatoes about 1/4 inch thick
Put some flour on a plate, sprinkle with salt and pepper
Break the egg into a bowl, stir for a bit
Put about half cornmeal and half flour on another plate, sprinkle with cayenne

Swipe the tomatoes through the flour, egg, and flour/cornmeal. Be sure to coat both sides.

Refrigerate the tomato slices while you heat about a 1/4 inch of oil in a skillet.

When a pinch of flour sizzles in the skillet put the tomato slices in the hot oil.

Cook until nicely browned, then turn and cook the other side until nicely browned.

Eat immediately, or hold in a warm oven for a bit while you fry some bluegills!

[2] President Obama famously said, “you didn’t build that” referring to the obvious (obvious to anyone except numerous outraged Republicans) fact that whatever success you may have achieved is due in part to all those who have helped and taught you along the way.

[3]I’m throwing you Reagan Republicans a bone here, since I’ve already stroked the Obama Democrats, by using the Qualyian spelling of ‘tomato.’

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