12 March 2009

Granny's Hillbilly Cookbook

Today is my Birthday, so I am goofing off. This was a "Famous Food Friday" on the Lucindaville Blog. Enjoy!


Julia, Nigella, Martha, Emeril, hell no! If you ask me, the greatest television cook to ever set a pot on the stove is none other than Granny Clampett.


Granny was an organic, locavore, nose-to-tail, slow food advocate before anyone ever intellectualized such culinary ideas. Long before Paul Prudhomme, Granny was cooking crawdads. Long before Martha was stuffing steamed peas with chevre, Granny was making goat cheese. Long before Alice Waters, Granny was serving organic vegetables from her kitchen garden.

The great actress, Irene Ryan, will forever be seared into the minds of the viewing public as, Granny. Capitalizing on her fame as the Clampett Family's resident cook, Ryan published a cookbook aptly named: Granny's Hillbilly Cookbook.


One of Granny’s specialities was roast possum. I know that smug, self-righteous, I’m to cool to ever even think of such a thing reaction! Trust me, that is same reaction you had the first time someone suggested you eat crawfish, or pig’s ears or corn foam! The day Thomas Keller slaps a possum on the menu, you’ll be the first one at the table and I’ll be there to remind you that Granny cooked it first.


Here is her recipe:

Roast Possum

Possum is easy to catch. Hit ‘em with a rock or a stick when they’s up a tree and you can have ‘em in your sack afore they knows it. The yellow-bellied goomers is too scared to fight back, and they play dead jest long enough to grab ‘em.

Boil up half a peck ‘o water or more, dependin’ on the size o’ your possum. Dunk the critter in boilin’ water an’ right away pull off his hair n’ scrape ‘em clean. Don’t forgit to cut off his feet, his head n’ his tail! Clean out his innards. Put the possum in a hefty jug o’ cold salty water and let ‘em soak overnight. Change his water the next day and start boilin’ him ‘til his skin lets a fork pop through it easy like. They ain’t no time for cooking possum ‘cause some is tougher than others. When the feller is jest right, dry him off and put ‘em in a bakin’ pan with a bit o’ pot likker (juice left over after cooking greens or other vegetables) ‘n some seasoned salt over his belly. When he is brown ‘n toasty, he is ready for slicin’ and servin’. Back home we fattens possum with ‘simmons (persimmons), and most often we eats him with yams.

Granny’s right, possums are easy to catch, but bear in mind they are scavengers. Once you catch a possum, it is best to grain feed him or fatten him with ‘simmons for about 4 weeks. They paunch the same as most small game, but they do have scent glands, so be careful.

And now for that all important question...What wine do you serve with possum?

I suggest a crisp Pouilly-Fuissé. After all, it is the other white meat.

16 comments:

  1. Her name was not Granny Clampett. She is a Moses. Remember the episode "The Great Feud?" Irene Ryan played Daisy Moses, not Daisy Clampett. You might want to correct your article.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. She technically was "Moses" but was referred to as "Clampett" as was Jethro, who was technically "Bodine".

      Delete
  2. SORRY SHE WAS FROM SAN FANCISCO I HAD READ SHE WAS FROM EL PASO TEXAS SOMEWHERE. LOVED HER ANYWAY.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I HAVE EATEN A LOT OF THINGS BUT DO NOT THINK I COULD EAT OPOSSUM.THEY ARE TOO MUCH LIKE A RAT. I GUESS IF I GOT HUNGRY ENOUGH I COULD.

    ReplyDelete
  4. This article says that 'She played the same character (Daisy Moses) on three different series' (Mister Ed, Beverly Hillbillies, Petticoat Junction). But this actually be four AFAIK - she also appeared on Green Acres and seemed to share a bit of a hankering for Sam Drucker who owned the general store.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I do love Granny! I am always so happy to find other fans that have better info. Most of my Granny info comes from a boxed set of DVD's but glad to know there are other sightings.

      Delete
  5. Irene Ryan was brilliant as Granny Moses. If there's an actress who absolutely OWNED her character to the degree Irene Ryan did I'm not aware of it. Don't think it's possible.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I would love to have the words to granny's hullabaloo song

    ReplyDelete
  7. Hey UtubeThe Hillbillies= old fogies hillibillies cook over a open fire with cast iron dutch oven lol. If you go camping -you are smart -to know how to use a tri-pod lol. And Camp fire pies & make grilled cheese sandwiches in them too lol. My goodness, So is a grill Essential to own LOL take some bricks or rocks make a Fire Pit you can cook on that lol .ha ha.If colton needs milk have non fat milk handy & make sure he drinks Juice as well for immunity/vitamins /minerals etc as well all the food groups lol. Old Fogies Hillibillies know how to can food & make Jelly & grow a garden & Hunt for their food in Woods lol ?

    ReplyDelete
  8. I don't know if it's of interest, but Irene Ryan used to vacation on Clark Lake near where I lived in Jackson. I didn't even realize it until a friend of mine, who had a cottage on the same lake, pointed her place out to me when I was just a teenager.

    Apparently she would vacation there discretely during the Summer months. I can't boast to say I ever really saw her ... but my friend did.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. This comment has been removed by the author.

      Delete
    2. https://www.clarklakespirit.com/my-clark-lake/becky-consonni/

      Delete
  9. She was born in El Paso, Texas not California.

    ReplyDelete

Blog Widget by LinkWithin