The gardens are just about to explode with fresh vegetables, herbs and flowers. Things we have planted and things that come back every year are really taking off. We had a wet winter and spring and that has made the hydrangeas this year the prettiest ever.
In the Lattimore garden, Mama has had beautiful cabbage heads and has made slaw and cooked cabbage with cornbread. The freshness and the tenderness of homegrown cabbage makes everything taste twice as good. Yesterday I made Nishie's Slaw. Nishie would be so proud.
Mama and Daddy have already canned 14 quarts of green beans with more to come. They use a pressure cooker to can beans. I never have learned to use a pressure cooker. I don't think I am afraid of that many things, but that jiggling and hissing and steaming scares me to death. So I can help pick, string, break, wash, blanche and put the beans in jars, but I don't do the pressure cooker part.
The corn 'is as high as an elephant's eye' and will be ready to pull in early July. Corn freezing day in Lattimore is a huge production that actually spreads out over a week or so. This is usually around July 12th, but Daddy says this year the corn may come in a little earlier. Whenever it is, we drop everything to 'do corn'. Daddy wants us to get the corn 'from field to freezor in under 3 hours' because that preserves the fresh sweetness of the corn. If it takes longer, the corn sugars start breaking down into a less flavorful sticky starchiness.
My little garden is also growing and we have eaten cucumbers, peppers, and sweet 100 cherry tomatoes. I love walking outside to pick something fresh to put on a sandwich or salad.
The difference between slicing a grocery store cucumber and one straight from the garden is amazing. They are more tender to slice and the smell and taste are juicy, crispy and sweet. We have had cucumbers in salads, but my favorite thing is a cucumber and onion sandwich.
Cucumber and onion sandwiches make me think of Memorial Day on the grounds at Lattimore Church on the first Sunday in May. It isn't the same as the National Memorial Day Holiday, but is held each year to remember people who are buried in the Church Cemetery. Lattimore Church is an old country Baptist church where we grew up going to Sunbeams and Vacation Bible School. I was baptized there and I remember Preacher Borders being an intelligent and quiet leader back then. I also remember one time sitting on the front row with my friend, Avis, and watching the candles flicker on the big oak table that said "This Do in Rememberance of Me". Avis and I caught each other's eye and we both saw the candle flame dancing around like it was alive. I have no idea why it was so funny, but we could not hold back the giggles. The harder we tried not to laugh the worse it got. Preacher Borders was trying to concentrate on his sermon and gave us a sweet but exasperated glance. That look is burned into my memory. I'm still afraid to watch a candle flicker in church.
Lattimore Church is small, but has a pretty sanctuary and large beautiful grounds with grass and huge trees outside. This is where they usually set up the Memorial Day Lunch on the grounds. Everybody brings their speciality and sometimes there is a little competition to make sure the dish you bring is appreciated. When the dish you bring 'gets gone quick' then that means it was a hit.
Aunt Pauline, who was really my great aunt, married Nanny's brother, Colon Harrill. They lived in the old Harrill homeplace where we also had the Harrill Reunions. She always made cucumber and onion sandwiches for Harrill Reunions and for Memorial Day at Lattimore Church. She cut white bread out into big circles with a biscuit cutter and then peeled and sliced cucumber and onions. She put just a little mayonaise on the bread and a little salt and pepper.
Sometimes we make these like a sandwich and sometimes we do them in smaller circles and serve open faced as an appetizer. It is simple, but so good.
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