COUNTRY EATING FAMILY STYLE

COUNTRY EATING FAMILY STYLE Daddy entered our grandparents' Mississippi farm home so brazenly and familiarity that it surprised me. No one was home when we arrived from St. Louis, in 1958. But, he just went right in, like it was nobody's business. Then he quickly started rambling through kitchen cabinets. Finally, I said "Daddy, you can't be going through these people's stuff!Ain't nobody at home." Smiling, he turned around looked at me, then laughed out loud, saying "Larry, I'm at home. This is where I grew up." Returning to the cabinet, he took down several Mason jars of canned goods containing corn, Lima beans, green beans, tomatoes, potatoes and who knows what else! Then, he found a bowl and started to mix corn meal, flour quite fluidly. He stopped and grabbed some fire wood to start a fire in the black iron stove. I was all eyes. Usually, Mama did the cooking at home. But here was Daddy in full flight, fixing and mixing in his natal home . "Dinner'll be ready soon, " he announced as he continued making cornbread. In no time flat, hardly, Daddy had boiled the canned goods, fried the corn bread and had us sitting at the table eating ! It was really good. He found some leftover fried chicken from somewhere in there and had served it up, too. What a meal! And what a memory for a 7-year old, who'd been away since age 4. While we were yet eating there, our grandparents, "Father Mitchell and Big Mama," came through the door greeting, weeping, kissing, hugging and rejoicing! They were glad to see their son and his family and we were just as glad to see them! They joined us at the table eating the provisions that Daddy had made . Afterwards, Big Mama got one her coconut cakes and a sweet potato pies from a china cabinet. These delicious desserts and this family fellowship we gladly consumed!