The Darling Dahlias and the Naked Ladies

Fish has long been a mainstay of Southern cooking, and every cook has her own special recipe. Traditionally, Southerners preferred white cornmeal, but you can substitute yellow. The paprika helps to brown the fish. Euphoria says to tell you that a cast-iron skillet is not absolutely required, but she certainly recommends it. (You might need two, actually. One for the catfish and the other for the hush puppies.)



8 catfish fillets (about 2 pounds)

1 cup buttermilk

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon pepper

2 cups white or yellow cornmeal

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 tablespoon paprika

Lard or corn or peanut oil for frying



Place fish in flat dish. Combine buttermilk, salt, and pepper, and pour over fish. Refrigerate at least four hours. Combine cornmeal, flour, garlic powder, and paprika in a pie plate or other similar dish. Remove fish from buttermilk mixture and dredge in the cornmeal mixture, one at a time, coating completely. (Really pat it on—and don’t worry if the cornmeal mixture gets lumpy. If you need to, add more flour.) Melt lard or pour oil to depth of 2–3 inches in a cast-iron skillet; heat to 375°F. Fry fillets, a few at a time, about 4 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Serve immediately.





Yield: 8 servings.





Hush Puppies


Hush puppies are thumb-sized deep-fried dumplings of cornmeal, traditionally served with fried catfish. Most of the explanations for the origin of the name have to do with keeping the dogs quiet. The most picturesque version involves Confederate soldiers preparing their meals over a campfire. If Yankee soldiers approached, the Rebs would silence the camp dogs by tossing them some of their cornmeal cakes with “Hush, puppies!” If you have a dog, you can experiment.





2 cups white or yellow cornmeal

1 cup all-purpose flour

? teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

? teaspoon baking soda

2 eggs, beaten

2 cups buttermilk

1 cup water

2 tablespoons melted bacon grease or other oil

Lard or oil for frying



In a large mixing bowl, combine cornmeal, flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. In a separate bowl, beat eggs, then stir in buttermilk, water, and bacon grease. (You can use another oil if you have to, although Euphoria says that would be a shame.) Make a well in the dry ingredients. Pour in the liquid ingredients and mix until batter is smooth and free of any lumps. It ought to be stiff. If it’s too dry, add milk or water; too thin, add cornmeal. Experience is a great teacher.

In a cast-iron skillet (yes!) or a large, heavy fry pan over medium-high heat, heat lard or oil to 350° F or until a small amount of batter dropped into the hot oil sizzles and floats. (If the oil gets too hot, your hushpuppies will be doughy in the center.) Using two spoons, push a thumb-sized dollop of batter into the hot oil. Fry in small batches of 4 to 6 for approximately 5 minutes or until golden brown, turning to brown all sides. Remove from oil and drain on paper towels. You can keep these in a warm oven for about 30 minutes, until you’ve finished frying your catfish. Serve hot.





Makes 2 dozen hush puppies.

Aunt Hetty Little’s Southern Comfort Cookies

1? cups flour

1? teaspoons baking powder

? teaspoon salt

? cup pecan pieces

? cup golden raisins

? cup sugar

? cup butter

2 eggs

? cup Southern Comfort whiskey

confectioners’ sugar, for dusting



Combine flour, baking powder, salt, nuts, and raisins. In a separate bowl cream sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time. To the egg mixture, alternately add whiskey and the flour mixture. Chill the batter at least 1 hour and then roll it into 1?-inch-diameter logs. Wrap in wax paper and chill 4 hours. Slice ?-inch thick and place 1 inch apart on a baking sheet. Bake 8 minutes in a preheated 350oF oven. Cool and sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar.





Makes about 3 dozen.

Aunt Hetty’s Homemade Southern Comforter

Southern Comfort was first produced by Irish bartender Martin Wilkes Heron sometime in the 1880s in New Orleans’ French Quarter. Heron moved to Memphis, Tennessee, in 1889, patented his booze, and began selling it in sealed bottles (to keep it from being adulterated or diluted) with the labels “None Genuine But Mine” and “Two per customer. No Gentleman would ask for more.” According to Master Distiller Chris Morris, the original recipe for Southern Comfort began with bourbon and included vanilla bean, lemon, cinnamon, cloves, cherries, oranges, and honey. Aunt Hetty learned how to make her “Southern Comforter” from her father, who claimed to have misspent a portion of his youth in the French Quarter.





1? pounds fresh peaches

1 cup sugar

4 strips fresh lemon peel, about 2 inches long (don’t include

the bitter white pith)

4 whole cloves

1 cinnamon stick, about 2 inches long

2 cups bourbon or brandy