Corn bread and little boys

Goodness, but my Jamie could put away food when he was a little boy! Lordy, sometimes I thought he had a trap door to him, he ate so much. We never minded, not one bit. Used to love to watch him eat, truth be told. Always good to see a youngster eating his fill at the dinner table. Especially if he uses good manners, and knows what his napkin is for. Of course, my Jamie always knew how to behave at dinnertime. Always.

He liked nearly everything I put on his plate. Except--why, except peas and carrots. Oh, he liked peas and carrots well enough. Still does. Just didn't like them mixed together. Touching each other, you know? And he still doesn't. Why, I guess we've all got a quirk or two, don't we?

One of Jamie's favorite foods was--and still is--my corn bread. Oh, but could the boy put away some corn bread! As much as I'd bake, he'd eat.

I told him when he was young--very young mind you...maybe two or three years old--still in short pants, that's how young he was--that cornbread wasn't my own invention. Nosiree, it was made long before I started baking it. Told the little guy it was made by the Indians--Native American Indians--way back before any of us even got to this land. First bakers used nothing more than a little cornmeal, some salt and enough water to make a batter. Cooked it over an open fire, too.

Land sakes, at least I never had to cook over an open fire. I may be old, but I've got my new gas range and that makes what little cooking I do now a snap. Not that I do much cooking anymore, mind. No, I mostly brown toast and boil water. But there was a time...

Oh, I'm rambling again. I have a habit of doing that, I think. Comes from living alone for so long. Having no one to talk to but myself. Oh, and sometimes I talk to those who've come and gone, like Amos and Al and my dear cousin. Father, too. I talk to Father a lot. But let's just keep that between us all right-y? I'd hate for anyone to think I was some kind of doddering old woman a few sandwiches short of a picnic.

Maybe the next time you visit I'll share one of my cornbread recipes with you. All my recipes are old family secrets but I think I can share one or two. Leastways, I think I can.

You come on back soon. I'm sure we'll have more to chat about. Maybe swap a recipe or two. Maybe.