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Recipes
How to Submit Recipes
Downhome Recipes
Wakefield Recipes
Ramsey Recipes
Friends Recipes II

There' s not much a Southern woman enjoys more than reading recipes and planning a beautiful event for family or friends.  Presentation is as important as the dish itself.  That's why we often have several sets of dishes and our prize possessions are those that belonged originally to "Mama."  We love to trace the genealogy of the recipes also. 

If you would like to Submit a recipe give us the story behind it as well.  Show us how you serve it.

The recipes in the categories to the left are my family's recipes. 

What is the genealogy of your recipe?  How and when do you serve it?  We Southern folks like to know the "who, what, when, where and how" of our foods.  Share your special recipes (and pictures if you like) with us. 

In serving Southern-style, presentation is nearly as important as taste.  "As a man thinketh, so is he."  Show your family you think of them as very special people.  Make your table and your meals demonstrate this.  Your family life will benefit when you make mealtimes family time. 

Home

Bunch Of Old Broads

Downhome Recipes

Family Recipes

Friends Recipes

Appetizers

Beverages

Breads

Christmas Southern-Style

Desserts

Fish

Heritage Recipes

Icings, Glazes, Fillings

Meats

Salads

Sauces

Soups

Vegetables

Teri Towe's Dowling Recipes

Houston County Recipes

Ramseys and Recipes

Wakefield Recipes

My Grandmother Burson (Nanny) was a hardworking woman who had the great pleasure in her later of life of owning the home of her dreams, Wakefield.  She traveled with my Grandfather Burson who was a doctor in Wilcox county, Alabama.  He was also the doctor for the railroad.  Together they collected antiques to furnish the home in Savannah, Charleston, New Orleans, Montgomery, Memphis, etc. She particularly was fond of cut glass.  She grew her own vegetables in the garden beside the house.  But the service of those delicious foods is what I remember best.  Her chicken soup was served in gold rimmed Limoges bowls.  That chicken's neck was probably wrung first thing that morning but he went to his reward in elegant style.  We drank sweet tea out of etched crystal goblets and ate with silver cutlery.  The freshly picked turnips, beans, peas, potatoes, collards, cabbage, tomatoes, etc swam in grease from the fat back with which it was cooked.    And it was always served with delicious cornbread.  Homemade desserts always awaited in the pie safe in the breakfast room.  Her recipes are listed under Wakefield Recipes.

My Grandmother Gillis (Muddin) served foods every bit as delicious, but in a humble home on mismatched dishes.  My Grandfather (John Patrick Gillis) was killed in an accident when the chains on a log truck broke and he was instantly killed in the truck following.  My mother was 13 with four younger siblings, the youngest being 6 months old. My Grandmother was 30.  She took the insurance money and bought a house midway between the Presbyterian Church and the school house.  She never remarried and she never forgot him.  Seconds before she passed away, she looked past those gathered around her, reached out and whispered, "Pat?"  Her recipes are listed under Downhome Recipes.

Mattie Martin (Mammy) came to work for us when I was five years old.  She was my best friend and the best cook I ever knew.  She cooked for Dr. Moody before coming to work for us and thought it her responsibility to make sure we lived up to their standards.  She made sure I knew how to set a proper table..."The fork goes on the left of the plate with the napkin.  The knife goes next to the plate on the right with the spoon next to it.  Always put the meat on a platter in front of 'the Doctor'."  Her apple pie had the most delicious crust with cheese cut into it.  Her banana pudding, coconut pie, chocolate pie, egg custard, etc. have never been equaled.  Her recipes are listed under Downhome Recipes.

Proper Table Setting     At Rest        Finished Eating

 
Social Graces by Ann Platz and Susan Wales

Hilda Ramsey was one of the best cooks I ever knew.  Her recipes, along with her husband's Dowling mother's and relatives recipes are in the Ramseys and Recipes section.  When Robert (Attorney in Dothan) owned the Houston Hotel, Hilda ran the restaurant.  They were famous for their shrimp salad and lemon icebox pie. They were the best in-laws a girl could ask for.

Lunch Bunch

Mary Alice Bishop, Lonelle Jackson, Hilda Ramsey, Evelyn Davis, Pauline Parkman, Jerri Chancey, Mavis Gwaltney, Charlie Capps, and Merle Bottoms belonged to a Lunch group that met each Thursday for 43 years in Dothan, Alabama.  As members passed away others were added, including Elizabeth Allen and Rosa Thomas.  The rules for the group were:
1.  Every Thursday was set apart by every member of the group who never scheduled anything that would interfere.  It is only recently that the group has cut back to every other week.
2.  No one arrived early.  The only exception was, perhaps, one designated helper.  Everyone else arrived punctually at the designated time.  The scene was set with careful preparation of food, flowers, china, crystal and silver to make them special that day.
3.  They lingered after the meal over coffee participating in the lost art of conversation and friendship.  Their recipes are found throughout the recipe list. 

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Out to Lunch Bunch

Inspired by Hilda and her group, we started our own group.  Phyllis Brackin, Jean McDaniel, Sharman Ramsey, Michele Buck, Barbara Blumenfeld, Irma Youngblood, Pat Branch, Pat Renro and Kitsy Burns were among the original group.  As some moved away or went back to work, we have now included Mary Hartzog, Martha Nix, Diane Enloe, Mary Andrews and Cynthia Nowell.  However, we meet only once a month.   Their recipes are also included throughout.

Bunch Of Old Broads

There's some pretty good cooks among this stellar bunch of women.  They really enjoy the entire process of the art of entertaining.  Their recipes and entertaining styles are in this section.