King Party of Four - Green Jacket House Salad

My Dad says that all friends are wonderful but old friends are really special. Maybe it's because old friends have been through a lot of times together - happy, sad, tough, easy, births, deaths, fearful, courageous, solemn, funny. Old friends survive and thrive through all kinds of times.

We had a chance to spend a fun weekend with old friends and we couldn't have had a better time. The stated purpose was to gather for a golf event - something we had not done for many years. The outcome was a weekend of long talks, shared stories, new friends, old friends, and of course some amazing meals.

While some played golf others donned a Burger King Crown to watch the Royal Wedding. I loved the Royal Wedding. Through all of the British tradition and ceremony and history, the wedding was so sweet, loving and real that I was honestly inspired with hope for the future.

Watching the wedding, I was flooded with a million different images. Some images were hilarious. At one point I couldn't help but laugh out loud remembering the funny scene in "The Princess Bride" when the Bishop says, "MAWWWRIDGE. Mawwridge is what bwings us Togevver Today".

Years ago in Lattimore, we had a 78 rpm with someone reciting the Cinderella Story backwards. It is hilarious and gave us all kinds of phrases that our family still uses today. Always with huge laughs. Nine times out of ten if I call Penny and ask what's she's been up to, she responds with "Flopping the moors." In backward Rendercilla story, this means mopping the floors. Mama often mentions "the pransome hince". As a warning someone might be reminded not to "slop your dripper". You get the idea. While watching the Royal Wedding I think I saw the "mean old mepstother" AND the "Two Sisty Uglers".

The Archibishop of Canterbury, whose position goes back so many centuries reminded me of hearing Mrs. Hamrick at Shelby High school reciting the Canterbury Tales in Old English. Chaucer is actually buried at the church. The same church where we watched the two young princes at the funeral of their mother.

That may be one reason the wedding was so sweet. The two little boys who broke our hearts walking in the funeral procession for Diana were now two mature young men who have survived without bitterness and are carrying the torch.

I loved that the wedding in all the regalia somehow focused on the couple and on 'generous love'. In all of the wedding hoopla Will and Kate, and the new creation of their own lives together, was not lost.

Friday night after the wedding, we had our own King's Celebration. That is a dinner party at the King's great house in the low country. Lynn and Kevin served a Low Country Boil of shrimp, red potatoes, corn, and sausage. David cooked ribs and I brought pound cake with fresh strawberries and made a cake of cornbread. The cornbread was a funny story in itself because I panicked when I realized I had not brought the cornbread pan. Lynn assured me that she had one, but I wasn't sure since it wasn't my old seasoned cornbread pan nor was it the same size. Much to my surprise the cornbread worked anyway, but it was touch and go there for a minute.

In honor of golf, Lynn made Green Jacket House Salad and shared the recipe with me. The salad is from the Green Jacket restaurant that used to be in Augusta, Georgia. The restaurant no longer exists but the recipe lives on.

Saturday Lynn and I toured Savannah, Georgia while David and Kevin played golf. Savannah is a really interesting town that I had always wanted to see. It's full of history that I hope to blog later on. One thing I couldn't resist was a store where they sold Gold Mine candy, Chiclets and Teaberry Chewing Gum. Lynn and I were probably in Junior High school when these things were popular and giggled because I actually remembered the steps to the Teaberry Shuffle.

Then we all got together again to hear the golfers tell their own versions of the day. And stories of previous days. We laughed a lot but especially when JP recited with great drama how golf reveals the truth of being an extension of one's mentor.

Sunday morning we got up for an early boat trip to breakfast and sightseeing of the area. Along the way, we spotted the unusual black squirrels, saw a few dolphins, a jellyfish, a lot of pelicans and a blue heron that seemed particularly friendly.

We laughed about more old stories like when David nearly broke his leg skiing off the dock at Lake Lure and when Kevin tipped his hat while playing in the Heritage. And memories from a friendship that started in 5th grade when two little girls surfaced at the same time in a swimming pool, face to face, inches apart, giggled and said, "Hi!"

With old friends sometimes it just takes a word or phrase to conjour up a memory. And a laugh. And a plan for the next King Party of Four.

Green Jacket House Salad

Salad:
Romaine Lettuce (1 bag per 3-4 salads)
2 diced tomatoes (med size ripe)
1 bunch green onions diced
1 bag regular sized pita bread
*place all slices (6) pita in oven diretly on oven racks and heat at 350 for 10 minutes on each side. Turn oven off and allow to cook with pita remaining in oven til cooled. Place in zip lock bag and break into pieces.

Mix salad right before serving to keep crisp. Add however much pita you want. You can store any remainder for another time.

Dressing:
**can make day before or even store for 2 weeks
1 cup vegetable or canola oil
1/2 cup red wine vinegar (Lynn prefers garlic flavored)
1 tbsp Lawry's seasoning
1 tbsp Accent
1 tbsp oregano flakes
1 tbls parsley flakes
1 tbls garlic powder
1 tbls pepper

*Mix in a container with a lid so you can shake ingredients up or mix in blender. Lynn usually doubles or triples the recipe for a large group or to just have ready in case a party breaks out. (which is often at her house)

Right before serving (it get's soggy as it sets) lightly coat salad with dressing and mix well throughout. Use sparingly as it can be strong and get soggy quicker. You can always add more if needed. Like Mama taught us you can't add less.