Te Family Table

June 2020 is a notable month for me. Mountain Man and I said our “I do’s” forty years ago this month. I am fnding it hard to believe it was that long ago. I make a point to tell my children that I was barely out of diapers, and he was a cradle robber when he swept me off my feet. Surely, I am not old enough to have been married that long! We have had a wonderful life and a great marriage. I would marry him again if we had a “do-over.” The Family Table By Lori Thompson

Mountain Man likes my cooking. I have broadened his taste over the years, but his favorites are still the foods he grew up eating. I can always please him with a meal that includes fsh. We are blessed to have a pond at our house that we keep stocked, so we eat a lot of Trout. Smoked Trout is one of my favorites! I almost always have one in my refrigerator. If you don t have a smoker, you can use a kettle grill with a small number of coals and wood chips on one side of the grill, for slow fre, and the fsh on the other side. If you don’t have the beneft of a trout pond in your yard or your luck on the river was not great, Andy’s Market has beautiful, locally grown Brook Trout for sale at their meat counter.

Trout has a delicate favor and texture that the smoke enhances. Begin by using a sharp knife to split along the backbone, laying it open. Make an aluminum foil boat with a piece of parchment paper between the Trout and the foil. Season the skin side of the Trout with salt. Place thin slices of lemon under the whole Trout. The lemon slices will create an area for smoke to circulate under the Trout as well as providing moisture and favor. Season the meat side of the Trout liberally. You will pull the backbone and ribs out when you serve it, and most of the seasoning will come off with them. I use different seasonings as suits my mood, but a good base is garlic salt, dill, Old Bay, and a dash of pepper. I’ve used some Habanero Lime seasoning and a big squeeze of lemon. Drizzle the Trout with a little olive oil. Another favor profle is salt, Cayenne, and a drizzle of Honey. Be creative! Mesquite wood chips are my favorite. They have a strong favor, so you don’t need many chips. Soak 1 cup of chips in water for 1 hour before cooking. Add the chips to your smoker box or directly on your coals if you are using a grill. Smoke at 175-200 degrees for 2-3 hours or until the meat is frm and will fake with a fork. Don’t overcook it.

I use Smoked Trout in different ways. It is terrifc on a salad, served as an appetizer with crackers or on breakfast bagels with cream cheese and capers, but my favorite way to eat it is atop Avocado Toast. If you ever have leftovers, cream an 8 oz block of room temperature cream cheese with a mixer until smooth. Add 1 cup of sour cream, 2-3 chopped green onions, 1/2 tsp. of dill, and granulated garlic. Add 2 tsp. each of lemon juice and Worcestershire sauce. Blend all ingredients until smooth. Gently fold in by hand 2 tsp. of capers and 1 cup of faked trout pieces. Refrigerate for several hours before serving to allow favors to combine. Serve with toast points or crackers.

Birthdays were a big deal in my family when my Mom was alive. She would host a family birthday party for each person, and you got to pick your menu. One of my favorite birthday cakes was my sister-in-law Ruth Ramey’s specialty, A Busy Day Cake served with Chocolate Syrup and Vanilla Ice Cream. Ruth’s recipe for the Cake is simple, quick, and easy. It is one every working Mom should have in their repertoire. It is perfect with ice cream and a spoon of Strawberry Freezer Jam or Ruth’s Chocolate Syrup below. Let me tell you how to do it.

In a large mixing bowl, add all ingredients and stir with a wire whisk until smooth; 1/3 C cooking oil or melted butter, 1 3/4 C self-rising four, ¾ C sugar, one egg, 3/4 C of milk, 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla. Stir until smooth and pour into a greased and foured, 8-inch pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

For Ruth’s Chocolate Syrup, in a medium-sized pot, add 2 1/2 C of sugar, 2/3 C of cocoa powder, 12 oz can of evaporated milk. Stir and heat until the sugar crystals have melted. (It will only take 1-2 minutes once the mixture is starting to boil) Remove from heat. Add one stick of butter, a dash of salt, and 1 tsp. of vanilla. Stir until the butter has melted. Serve warm over the Cake and ice cream.

Mountain Man loves ice cream, and I make it often. I used to make the custard-based ice cream that requires tempered eggs, heating heavy cream, and “ripening” the base in the refrigerator overnight before churning. Just like the Busy Day

continued...

cake and the quick Chocolate Syrup above, I found an easier way to make home-made ice cream. In a bowl, mix, one can of sweetened condensed milk, two cups of heavy whipping cream, and 1-2 tsp. of vanilla. Churn in your ice cream maker according to your machine’s directions until frozen. It could not be simpler, and it is delicious! One scoop on top of Busy Day Cake and a spoonful of Ruth’s Chocolate Syrup and you are sure to be a hero to your family. I hope you will enjoy these simple recipes. The Busy Day Cake is versatile and goes with many different toppings. The Chocolate Syrup is easy and inexpensive to make, and the home-made ice cream will make you look like you are a slave to the kitchen, and only you will know it took less than 10 minutes to prepare. Rock your family with your now famous, home-smoked Trout. It is healthy, easy and delicious. Hoping you and your family will have many happy Summer days flled with great food and great times together! If you see Mountain Man this month, tell the old cradle robber, “Happy Anniversary”.

Lorie Thompson is a REALTOR at Poss Realty in Clayton, Georgia. Her expertise in her industry is second only to her culinary talents. Lorie is a dynamo in the kitchen. Honestly if she prepares it, it will likely be the best you’ve ever had! Lorie and her husband, Anthony (Peanut), make their home in the Persimmon Community. She is the proud mother of Joe Thompson and Kendall Thompson.