Somehow the memories I have of Great Aunt Dixie have all rolled into one sort of continuous memory. When I remember her, and I'm not holding that excellent book of poetry and children's stories one of her students gave her, that she later gave to me as an infant (and that still graces my bookshelves today full of my mother's commentary to me when I was but a wee one), all my memories center around holidays and death.

Perhaps they weren't even holidays, but they had that magical feel in my mind. We were, you see, going somewhere different. Somewhere strange. Somewhere that was not our house. Yes, very important facts in a small child's mind. Someone's house that had a cookoo? clock, and a snapping dog, and a silent smoking old lady who always played cards, and a candy dish that was verboten.

Thanksgiving and Christmas Dinners (sometimes the second or third meal we'd have eaten that day, as the extended family is all right in this area, or was until recent years....pity, that whole DEVOLUTION OF AMERICAN SOCIETY thing we have going on) were alway special. Great Aunt Dixie was the only person I knew my whole life who had one of those weird, white glowy pre lit trees. Now...considering that she had this tree back in 1978 (Sears and Roebuck? Service Merchandise?), I'm guessing it was worth a pretty penny...and it was fascinating to we girls of the Charlie Brown Christmas Tree Family Fame to see such artificial beauty in all it's glory.

The true charm of Dixie's house, really, was the aroma that hit your nose the minute you opened the porch door. You'd first notice it the minute you shoved the car door open with your foot; a slight tangy smell drifting down the hill (you could barely smell it underneath the smell of roasting turkey and marshmellows and carmelizing sweet potatoes). The closer you got to the front steps, the stronger and more flavorful it became...just there, as you neared the bones of the hydrangea (butter)...close to Dixie's porch ash tray (hmmm...pepper?)...through the front door and around the dog (oh my gosh...is that....pig?)...and into the kitchen, where the most wonderful, delicious of all the smells just assaults your nose:

Green beans.

I made some the other day, and it obviously took me back.

Dixie's Green Beans (dad?)

fresh green beans, snapped and soaked in cold water
pepper
salt
butter
ham or fatback

1. Boil water.

2. Add beans.

3. Reduce heat to simmer.

4. Toss in meat, cut into small pieces.

5. Pepper to taste (pinch..PINCH! of salt..beans are finicky, esp. greens, and ham or fatback carries enough salt on it's own...it will cook into the beans, so don't go hogwire).

6. Onion.

7. Butter.

8. Cook until the beans make you happy. (or about three hours on a low boil on my gas stove - watch the water level)

If you don't like fatback/ham/butter - use chicken stock. That is, in fact, the basic recipe for making any bean except some peas....And honestly, I throw all the beans and meat in, and then half of everything else...and season the rest of it twenty minutes before I'm ready to serve it (when I'm doing it the right way and not trying to slam something on the table).

By the way, I've added a new link. Much to my surprise, I'm on the Georgia BlogRoll for Georgia On My Mind....