Thursday, April 7, 2011

Just...Well. Bless Our Hearts



Turns out the "grouper" I thought I was thawing last night was a bag of Key West Grunt. Sounds really appetizing, doesn't it?
Guess what? It was. Guess what else? I fried it.
Damn. I shouldn't fry things. And mostly I don't. But give me thin little pieces of fish and what's a girl to do? First I dip the pieces in flour with garlic salt and Old Bay seasoning. Then I dip them in buttermilk and egg, all mixed up together with more of the same seasoning. Then dredge back in the flour. Then fry.
I made a pot of grits. Grits and fish go together like Grandmother and Owen.
And I made a bowl of cole slaw from our cabbage- both purple and green. And a carrot and some onion. For the sauce-stuff on the cole slaw (see- I AM a gourmet cook- I know ALL the terms), I used plain Old Dutch, Sweet and Sour Dressing. With salt and pepper. It wasn't just delicious, it was pretty.
Man. That was a good supper.
We squeezed lemons over the fish and then doused them in hot sauce.
Yeah. That's how you eat Key West Grunt.
My stomach is not quite so sure about the whole thing this morning but what the hell? Sometimes you just have to tell your stomach to shut-the-fuck-up and let the mouth rule the decisions about what you're going to eat.
Sometimes.
When you've thawed Key West Grunt rather than grouper.

We mixed up some of the fish with grits and gave them to Pearl. Forget hushpuppies- go with the main course for your dying dog. She was so happy.

Well, anyway, good morning and once again the news sucks but once again, I'm going to take care of what I have in front of me and enjoy the hell out of it all.
I have to go to town. No way. Yes way.
I have to buy things in stores.
Argggh.
Damn stores.

I have to buy things like raisins and plastic wrap and dried cherries and oh hell, I don't know. Something to make for the wedding. Something to make for our supper tonight which we shall be sharing with Owen. Both of his parents have to close tonight and so he'll be going to bed here and they're going to spend the night too because Jason and Mr. Moon are getting up early to go turkey hunt tomorrow.
Yay!
So we'll get to give Owen his bath and read him stories and sing to him. We'll get his kisses! We'll get his giggles! We'll get his hugs!
And when he finally goes to sleep, we'll get to sit down and go, "Whoa! Where are his parents?"

So- picture at the top is Spanish Moss in the new-leaved oaks.

Here's a little thing I did with part of that giant branch that fell. Impatiens and ferns.


And here are some of the roses.
With the bottle tree.


All of the wisteria and dogwoods are gone but the roses are incredible. To every thing there is a season.

Even for fried food.

Time to make Pearl's breakfast. Time to go to town. Time to do more laundry. Time to wiggle my metaphorical toes with the pleasure of this glory-lit day.

13 comments:

  1. Fish and grits go together like Grandmother and Owen? You sweetheart :)

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  2. Jo- I am missing that boy! Good thing I get him today.

    DTG- No. They were not. I was already over the top with the fried thing. Plain old white grits. Man. They were awesome.

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  3. Big fish get the grill, little fish get the fry-pan. We call 'em "white snapper" and yes they are yummy yummy. Your batter sounds great!

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  4. You made me spit coffee all over this table. Thanks, Ms. Moon. ;)

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  5. Sounds like a Southern meal...mmmmm. I have a heard time with fried foods ...heartburn. So I have to eat just a small amount. Of course grits, especially cheese grits do some good soothing.

    Our wisteria is just now beginning to bloom and the leaves just starting out.

    How did you get the branch back to your house? Wasn't it something you found on a walk or was it in your yard? In a week you will take the same photo but the plants will be covering it!

    The bottle tree! Hip Hip Hooray for the bottle tree! I was just thinking about your bottle tree because at the Antique Faire this weekend I saw some beautiful old bottles of different shades of blue.

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  6. Sounds delicious.. I love your garden by the way... can you please explain to a rather uneducated Brit what grits are ? As I think I want some xx

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  7. Now you have me craving some fried fish! It sounds yummy and so do the grits.

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  8. That sounds delicious. My tummy wouldn't like it either.
    I wish I had a picture of the cabbage/cole slaw. Next time maybe please?
    Happy day to you.
    Toes up here are still in socks.
    But hoping for some free wiggling soon.

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  9. I don't even know what any of these foods are, but I am starting to get the joy of cooking. Last night two of my siblings came over with their partners and (born and unborn) children and I made chicken in a big pot, first time ever, and it tasted great and everyone was happy and had wine and I was very happy that I had brought them together and cooked for them.

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  10. The bottle tree is the COOLEST tree EVER.

    Thank you for feeding my sweet PEARL! so well. You are a good dog mama.

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  11. Sounds like a real southern fish fry. We are cooking dolphin ,aka Mahi-Mahi, this weekend. I think that I will bake it with some wine and dill.

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  12. Dear Mary, I've never had grits either, but they sound good! xx

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Tell me, sweeties. Tell me what you think.