Wilted lettuce

J

jrm53

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My Mom and Dad always had a garden as long as they were alive. One of my favorite things from the garden was wilted lettuce with bacon grease poured over it along with sliced radishes and onions stalks chopped up in it and bacon bits. Alas the last wilted lettuce I had was in the spring of 1987, because in Dec. of 1987 I had a double by-pass at 47 years old and the family says well no more lettuce like that as it will kill you. Believe it or not I can still smell it and still remember how good it tasted. Jeff
 
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In Your Memory ..

Checking my math - bypass at 47 - in 87 - your are approaching 79/80

How about your going away dinner (aka After Funeral Meal)

Request that there be a Vacant Chair with this specific meal placed on "your" plate In Your Memory ...

Got the idea from hearing long ago about a memorila dinner at an America Legion post where all dined on C Rations. or might have been K Rations.

Bekeart
See that you are located Rogers AR
I worked in Fayetteville 73-79.
Knew that long gone scoundrel, Jackson G. Byrd and his shop in Springdale.
 
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Back in the 40's and 50's, Mom used to make that bacon grease and lettuce too. Sometimes she added some vinegar. We really liked it.
Now, I have to ask. What DOES your family allow you to eat? Do you really think that eating wilted lettuce with bacon grease once a year is going to kill you? I can't imagine that would give you a heart attack. Maybe a gall bladder attack! But I guess you got to do what you think is right.
 
I have a faint memory of trying the wilted lettuce / bacon grease dish many years ago; perhaps it enjoyed some popularity in the '50s. Certainly wouldn't want to try it now - sounds incredibly unhealthy.
 
"...incredibly unhealthy."

And what is the point of living if you can't enjoy yourself?

Anything associated with bacon in any form is a gift from The Gods!!!

Fearing death from bacon is one burden I am glad that I don't carry. :D
 
JcMack said:
Wilted lettuce and bacon? I think not. I believe you people would eat bacon wrapped Toads.
Click to expand...


Funny you should mention that.................:eek::eek::eek:;):D:D:D

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Yep!!! Wilted lettuce with bacon grease, bacon and vinegar. Was a summer favorite growing up.
As for the spinach? Never had it wilted like the lettuce, but growing up in a basically German household, we did eat potatoes mashed with spinach and bacon grease mixed with it. Sounds terrible, but it is very good. I used to serve it to my kids, but had to give it another name to hide the fact it had spinach in it. They loved it.
 
My mom was born and raised in Arkansas and her cooking was heavily influenced by old Southern traditions. We also had the bacon dripping can by the stove and those drippings took the place of most other cooking oils.

There was a can of Crisco in the pantry, but I'm thinking for most of us in that culture bacon drippings took the place of butter (which was relatively expensive), olive oil (who was Popeye's girlfriend), and lard (which you had to purchase).

The glory of the flavor was enhanced by it being a free by-product of the food staple, bacon, and who didn't eat bacon? I can't think of anyone in my childhood circle who didn't eat bacon!
 
I could make a meal on wilted lettuce, Black Seed Simpson, onions, radishes plus a little vinegar. My mom made two pans because my
dad did not like vinegar on his wilted lettuce.
I still eat wilted lettuce, but, use olive oil instead of bacon grease.
It doesn't have quite the flavor but is good.
If I knew I only had a week to live I would eat a bale of wilted lettuce,
5 pounds of corn bread with real butter, a couple gallons of home
made ice cream with Arkansas strawberries on top. My dad always
said he did not want to die in debt to his stomach.
 
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