Georgia Magazine - June 2010 - (Page 32)

Huckleberry picking BY EVELYN D. CORNELIUS G rowing up in the 1940s in Georgia, my family and I used to make annual trips to the Satilla River near Waycross in Ware County to pick huckleberries. The sweet berries were usually ready around the first of June. Daddy would check out the area in advance to make sure where and when to go. Then, with syrup buckets in hand, or whatever we could find to put the berries in, we descended upon the huckleberry bushes in the low areas by the side of the river. As the only girl, I probably ate more berries than I put in the bucket. Daddy would look at me and say I had “berry-itis,” a common condition easily recognized by blue lips, teeth and tongue—and sometimes a stomachache. After we had picked every berry we could find (our daddy didn’t believe in leaving any for the bears), Daddy would find a beautiful white sandbar where we could go bathing in the cool river stream. Back in those days, we called it bathing—not swimming. When we reached home, Mama would fire up the old wood stove and cook either a delicious huckleberry pie or fry us some huckleberry tarts. The tarts were my favorite because of their crispy-fried edges and berry filling oozing out with each bite. These are my most precious memories because not only did we have a great day with our parents, but the pie or the tarts Mama made with those fresh huckleberries were Huckleberry Tarts 2 cups fresh huckleberries or blueberries Filling Mama’s Biscuits, or canned buttermilk 1/4 cup water biscuits 1 cup sugar Cooking oil 1-1/2 tablespoons cornstarch In a pan, mix water and sugar; bring to a boil. Stir in cornstarch mixed in a little water and bring back to a boil. Add berries and let boil until liquid is dark and thick—not too long. Set aside. Roll out Mama’s Biscuits (recipe below) or canned biscuits to about 1/2-inch thickness cut with 2-inch round cutter or a nonstick spray can lid. Roll each biscuit into a thin circle, spoon berry filling on one half; fold over and press edges together. Fry tarts in hot cooking oil over medium heat until golden brown. Mama’s Biscuits 2 cups self-rising flour 1/4 cup shortening or lard 3/4 cup milk In medium bowl, cut shortening into flour using a pastry blender until it resembles coarse crumbs. Make a well in mixture and pour in milk. Stir with a fork just long enough to make a soft dough, and dough leaves sides of bowl. Place dough on floured surface and knead gently until smooth. Note: “Mama would just make up a batch of biscuits and roll out part of it to cut in circles for the tarts. Later, we discovered that canned buttermilk biscuits worked just as well,” says Evelyn Cornelius. 32 www.georgiamagazine.org GEORGIA MAGAZINE http://www.georgiamagazine.org http://www.gorillatough.com http://www.georgiamagazine.org

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Georgia Magazine - June 2010

Georgia Magazine - June 2010
Contents
Viewpoint
Mailbox
Picture This?
Georgia News
Calendar
Currents
Special Energy Report
Winning Reader Stories
Honorable Mentions: More Vacation Stories
Georgia on a Budget
Around Georgia
My Georgia
Georgia Gardens
Gardening Tips
Georgia Cooks
Cookbook of the Month
Snapshot

Georgia Magazine - June 2010