The Gourmet of the Delta is a must read for aspiring cooks of all ages. This gem of a cookbook was first published in 1958 and later copyrighted in 1964. It is a collaboration of recipes from women (and men...yes even in the fifties...thanks to The Aldridge Brothers of Estill) in and around the Delta. The effort was spearheaded by St. John's (Leland) and St. Paul's (Hollandale)Women's Auxiliaries. Speaking strictly from the Hollandale side of things the two spark plugs that saw this project to fruition were Ruby Hays Thompson (known to me as "Aunt Ruby," as she was my Grandmother Ruth Hays Sweatt's sister) and Marguerite Adams Aldridge (known far and wide as Miss Marguerite" and the Grandmother of one of my closest childhood friends, Mary Helen.) These two classy firecrackers left no stone unturned when it came to entertaining. The Right Reverend Alex Dickson once shared with me a story of when the Hollandale Episcopal Church (St. Paul's) met in Aunt Ruby's living room. After the sacrament had been administered there was wine remaining. Now any good Episcopalian knows that you don't just throw out wine that has been blessed. He said that Aunt Ruby obligingly took 'the cup' and managed to polish off the remaining wine. I only wish I could have been on Church Street for the luncheon that followed in her home! My sister, Pam, channeling Miss Marguerite as she arranged the design
for the mailbox at the Aldridge-Holland wedding, October 2009.
Flower arranging ranked high among many of Miss Marguerite's talents. Honestly, she did the most beautiful designs I have ever seen. They were featured regularly at weddings, dinner parties, The Highland Club and almost every week on the altar at St. Paul's. Whenever she would don her beret everyone knew she was about to weave her magic on those roses and hydrangeas! In her later years she agreed to design the altar arrangement for my sisters wedding. Pam and Tim were married at St. Paul's. My Mom knew Miss Marguerite was more than familiar with the setting and could handle it with ease. In an effort to soak up the beauty of the small church before the guests arrived Mama decided to go take a peak. Much to her surprise and dismay the altar was BARE! If memory serves me correctly (as it had not done for Miss Marguerite that day) this necessitated a rather urgent call up to Estill (by land line of course) and Mother personally chauffeured her to and from Capitola that day. The flowers were, as you might have guessed, breathtaking.
Revelers sharing 'the cup', New Years Eve, 1990
The group reconvenes in March 2010!
Mary Helen and I carry on many of the same traditions of Marguerite and Ruby. We both still cook from the pages of the Delta Gourmet (only last fall Mary Helen served
me Mrs. McKamy's Eggplant Creole, page 89,) we adore entertaining (and being entertained by one another,) and we continue to break bread together and share 'the cup.'
The modern day Ruby and Marguerite! Mary Helen and I at her
wedding in October 2009.
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EGGPLANT CREOLE
1 medium eggplant
4 TB butter
2 medium onions, chopped
1/2 tsp paprika
1-1/2 cups tomatoes
3/4 cup cracker crumbs
1-1/2 cup soft bread crumbs
3 TB melted butter
3/4 tsp salt
1 medium bell pepper, chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
Basil and Marjoram
Melt butter and cook onion and pepper until yellowed and soft, but do not brown. Add tomatoes, cooked and drained eggplant, breadcrumbs, garlic, salt and paprika. Mix thoroughly, add a good pinch of basil and marjoram and taste for seasoning. Put in casserole, top with cracker crumbs and 3 TB melted butter. Cook at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Serves 8 to 10. This recipe appears in the Gourmet of the Delta courtesy of Mrs. William McKamy.
