Chapter 5
“Well I guess I could make pancakes or
biscuits. I might be able to find some berries close by to stew for a fruity
sauce. It’s not much but it at least we won’t go to be hungry.” It was hard to
think with the cat starting to make a ruckus outside so Adeline left the
kitchen to let him in.
Now it wasn’t uncommon for the family cat
to bring an offering or two and drop it off at the door step. Normally it would
consist of a field mouse and there was once a baby possum left there. Not even
enough meat on them to feed Lourie’ or even make a decent stew out of. The last
thing Adeline expected to find was the cat with a huge rabbit in its jaws. The
rabbit was almost as big as the cat.
Momma didn’t raise no dummy so Adeline
knew what to do now. Since she had already learned how to clean a fresh kill,
she decided that they would have fried rabbit with biscuits and gravy. Just the
thought of it was making her mouth water with anticipation and her stomach
growl.
The cat willingly dropped its kill to
come inside and claw out a soft spot on the couch. Adeline picked up the rabbit
and proceeded to remove the skin and bones. She then gathered up the meat and
set it to soaking in in salt water and figured there was time to cut wood for
the stove while her sister slept.
Papa’s ax was heavy and a little hard to
grip as she swung it over her shoulders and onto an upright log, but she
managed it clumsily. It took her maybe twenty minutes to a half an hour to cut
enough wood for the stove. Gathering the wood took about two trips in and out
of the house. Once inside it was time to load up the stove and start the fire.
Adeline
then went to the kitchen and measures out some flour, milk, butter, and baking
soda. She mixed the concoction thoroughly till it was thick and sticky. Reaching into the large dish cabinet, she
brought out a flat baking pan and a large skillet. She also needed a couple
bowls and a plate.
Over
in the utensil draw she found the rolling pin. The floor was getting a little
messy after she sprinkled flour on the counter top to roll out her biscuits but
there would be time to clean it up in a little bit. Once the dough was rolled
out she found the biscuit cutter and began making holes in the dough. The
circles were then picked up and placed on a buttered sheet to rest while she
wiped the counter off and swept up her mess.
I
the bowls she added flour to one and milk to the other. Grease was then added
to the skillet and set on the stove to heat. The meat was then drained down the
sink, dunked in the milk and floured, then placed on a plate.
Frying
up meat scraps wasn’t hard. Adeline’s mother always told her the trick is to
get them golden brown while making sure the meat inside isn’t red. Adeline
carefully added everything to the hot grease and let it sit for a few minutes before
turning.
When
the rabbit was cooked and the meat set aside on a towel to drain the hot
grease, she used the leftover drippings to make thick gravy and put the
biscuits in the oven.
Lourie
was crawling out of the bedroom by now and jabbering away. Gradually she made
it over to the davenport to practice walking along the edge. Adeline thanked God again for helping the
evening to run smoothly.
The
evening sun and the stove combined started making their little shack
uncomfortable so Adeline unrolled a couple rags to hang over the window after
she opened them. It had also gotten rather dark inside and was time to light
the lamp. After removing the biscuits and setting the table Adeline changed
Lourie again before playing with her. Momma’s hand fan that she used during
church service made a wonderful toy while keeping them both cool.
