Straight to it today with a story about how my Gam got her name.
Those of you that went to high school with me also probably called my Grandma, Gam. It fits.. and I picked her name.
For about the first 14 years of my life, she was Grandma. Never Gam. Around this time, my great-grandmother, whom I also called Grandma, got sick with dementia. She moved in with my grandparents and it confused her a whole lot when I said "Grandma" to anyone.
I remember the day that I decided on the name "Gam". In my Gam's kitchen there is a corner where the stove and sink almost meet. They're only separated by a 2-foot by 2-foot countertop. This is what my "Gam" has always called 'her corner'. "Tara, you get out of my corner." That was the most common line when I was helping with dinner. This is where her flour, cornmeal, sugar, etc. is kept. It's also where her cutting board lies. It's the Mecca of the kitchen.
She was standing in this corner, and I was standing at the sink behind her, inventively watching what she was doing. I'm not sure what she was making... I'm sure it was something delicious...
After a moment of confusion from my great-grandmother sitting at the big kitchen table, I stared out to the open pasture, through the tiny window sink, and thought about how I could keep the confusion to a minimum. Great Grandma was a spunky lady and never liked to be confused. I always tried to help and not add to the mix of confusion for her.
My Gam is actually my mother's step-mother. She is more like blood to me than some of my blood relatives. Her sister, Aunt Ed, lives in North Carolina. Aunt Ed did not want to be called "Grandma", "Gran-Gran","Nana" or anything of the sort. She came up with the acronym "YOM". This stands for Your Other Mother. I absolutely loved it when I first heard it, and I wanted my "Gam" to have an interesting name, too. Gam was born. It sounded like Yom. It felt warm and cozy when I spoke it. And she loved it. What else could you ask for?
Gam. It's sweet right? Very southern to me. It suits her. And it helped with the confusion!
My Gam taught me a lot about life, cooking, and Jesus. To be honest, most of what I know about the Bible and church is thanks to my Gam. She's a good woman. And, if she's reading this, I want her to know I love her to the moon and back! If you ever see my Gam, say hello!
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Cooking:
One of the first things my Gam taught me how to cook was biscuits. Her biscuits will always be better than mine. She makes quick biscuits - milk, butter, a little salt and flour. I still say it's the cast iron she uses that gives them the flavor they have, but who knows.
I remember cutting the butter into the flour, adding milk into the well in the flour and mixing them by hand in 'her corner'. Mix, knead, cut and bake. Easy peasy. (I always made a mess though and she didn't like that much.)
Since I gave up on being able to make biscuits like Gam unless she is standing over me, I have found my own favorite recipe.
It is a tweak on a very popular recipe, but I like it just fine this way.
I make these almost every Saturday after the Farmer's Market. Recently we had them with tomato gravy and I gorged myself. Bad Tara.
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Fluffy Southern Biscuits
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
3 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2/3 cup 2% milk
1 tsp salt
2.5 tbsp butter
1) In a glass pie dish, place .5 tbsp butter into pre-heated 450 degree oven. Let butter melt and pan get hot.
2) Mix dry ingredients in mixing bowl. Cut in butter.
3) Add milk and mix until dough pulls from edges of mixing bowl. It will still seem wet.
4) Place dough on to floured board and sprinkle dough with flour.
5) Knead dough about 10 times folding into itself every time.
6) Spread out dough until about 1/4 inch thick.
7) Cut with biscuit cutter.
8) Place in hot buttered pie dish.
9) Bake at 450 for about 10-12 minutes. Just until tops are golden brown.
I top them with a little butter when they come out of the oven.
DELICIOUS! -
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My junior year of high school, my Gam made me tomato gravy for breakfast a few days a week. It was my favorite then and still is now... Here's the recipe... Most of this I eyeball so adjust as needed.
Tomato Gravy
1 tbsp bacon grease
1/2 tbsp butter
3 tbsp flour
1 1/2 cups of milk
2 tomatoes, seeded and diced
salt
pepper
1) In a skillet on medium heat, use bacon grease, butter and flour to make a roux.
2) Slowly add in milk until gravy thickens slightly.
3) Add in tomatoes and continue to cook until gravy thickens and sticks to the back of a metal spoon.
4) Add in salt and pepper to taste.
5) Serve over hot biscuits.
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A Little Lesson
Tonight is Thursday. Thursday is MACA Ladies Bible Study. I cannot wait.
We are studying Uninvited by Lysa TerKeurst. We have only done week one and so far I am loving it.
Last week's message was about Living Loved. Knowing that no matter what, you are loved. Even when you don't feel love or you feel rejected and alone, you are loved by Jesus no matter what.
She mentioned wearing a 'robe of rejection', and let me tell you, that hit me like a ton of bricks. It's definitely my most worn clothing item.
Last Thursday, I only thought she was talking to me. But honestly, she was preparing me for the rejection I felt this weekend. I was hurt by a friend. And without telling to much about this friend, I felt as though this friend was going to come hang out with us on memorial day. She seemed to be coming even up until 2 hours before the event. Once I started cooking and getting things going, she stopped responding to text messages. I had expected her whole family. I was really looking forward to her visit... so ultimately, when she didn't show or respond, I felt rejected. Rejected hard. I felt alone. I felt like I had done something wrong. I analyzed every conversation. I re-read texts. I tried to figure out my mistake. But then I remembered, it wasn't me.... and I am loved. Even when I am rejected, I am loved. I should rejoice. I should know that He loves me at all times. No matter how much I beat myself up, He loves me. No matter if I over-analyze or not, He loves me.
I stripped off that 'robe of rejection', I took a shower. I read some other scripture and prayed. I prayed thanks for the message I received last Thursday. I prayed thanks for the clarity to see that the message in our bible study was meant for this day and this time. He truly wanted me to be prepared. To know. And I did. I ended up watching a little bit of a movie with some other friends that were here. We had a little ice cream too. Normally, I would have had a pity party. I'd say that's a win!
If you want to join our Bible Study group (we meet via Facebook Live on Thursday's at 8:00pm), please let me know and I'll get you added to the group.
If you have a special prayer request or even an unspoken prayer request and want to be added to my prayer list, do not hesitate to let me know.
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If you can't tell.. I am pretty southern. Gam's, biscuits and gravy, and a little bit of Jesus is all a southern belle needs to get through a rough spot.
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As always, I love you all. Thank you for reading.
(Comment Below and I'll love you forever!)
xx-T
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