- BIKER BILLY COOKS WITH FIRE -
The Wheels Turn Text & Recipe by Bill Hufnagle
Yesterday evening, knowing that we both had today day off from work, Mary and I decided that we would take a ride today if the weather held. It being the end of October, with the peak foliage just days behind us and the clocks falling back the next weekend, we did not want to miss the opportunity. As we tended to the after-dinner chores, our daughter Sarah dropped over to show us her freshly groomed puppies. For a short while it was furry mayhem as four dogs romped around the house. It was delightful to see them play, her two young dogs adding much joyful activity to our one middleaged and one very old dog, sadly approaching her last days. As all such sweet, treat-filled times do, it passed way too soon, and Sarah took her four-legged girls home for their dinnertime. It is odd how, in a short span of even joyous good times, things can change before you know it. In that mere half hour, we went from feeling contented to settle in for the evening to feeling bored and homebound. That short, surprise burst of mayhem had woken us from our impending slumbers, and with a shared glance we both knew it—setting on the sofa would not do. The sun had not yet set on the day, and if we moved with alacrity, we still had time for a ride. Ride we did. It was a good thing and it fit the bill for last evening. We blasted up along a river road that we had virtually to ourselves since it seemed the rest of the county had gone to couch. The view was spectacular—the trees that lined the riverbank were mostly devoid of leaves, yet the mountain risDeal’s Gap Slayer Corn Bread ing from the other bank wore a coat of golden hues. The river, swollen from 1 stick butter recent rains, roiled in places and in others 2 boxes Jiffy brand corn bread mix reflected the riot of colors of the evening 2 large eggs sky. The sun was just setting behind the 1 (8-ounce) container sour cream Smoky Mountains on the near horizon, 1 (8-ounce) can creamed corn and the clear bright blues overhead were streaked with thin pink clouds while lay- Preheat oven to 350°F. ers of bright reds and sunset oranges lay Place the butter in a 9x9x2-inch nonstick baking dish over the deepening purple of the moun- (I prefer my 10-inch cast-iron skillet) tains. From the solitude of the river valand put it in the oven to melt. ley road, we turned through the small While the butter is melting, combine the corn bread town of Marshall in time to witness the mix, eggs, sour cream, and creamed shades of evening descending—I even corn in a large mixing bowl. Mix together until well think I saw the sidewalks being rolled up blended. in my rearview mirror. From there we Carefully remove the baking dish from the oven and rose up with the mountain road, twisting and turning skyward from the valley floor towards the mountain crest, arriving just in time to catch a 20
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