© |
|
| © |
 |
||||||
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
||||||
|
|
|
Southern Romancean elegant
barbecue in the tradition of the old south |
 |
|
Three years ago my daughter, Barbra, was to be married and she asked me if she could have an Elegant Southern Barbecue for the reception! The answer was a very happy 'yes.' We offered barbecued chicken and pork ribs, corn puddin', baked beans, potato salad, cheese straws; we had a colorful fruit tray, dill pickle spears and potato chips, all served in either silver or crystal. Well, to be honest, we may have used some silver plated serving dishes and glass, but the effect was elegant just the same. Imagine sixteen feet of buffet table draped with crisp white linen atop which was puddled shimmering ecru fabric that hid bricks, boxes,and a large centered milk crate, all devoted to the purpose of adding the absolute necessity of "dimension, dimension, dimension" and lifting or tilting each enticing dish. (Barbra is a graduate of Florida State University with a business degree in Hospitality Management and clearly learned a trick or two there.) To this day, Barbra is teased for serving the pickles and chips in huge crystal bowls. It made and still makes "no never mind" to her, for her comment to me as she first entered the glass walled reception hall sitting smack on the edge of Florida's Intracoastal Waterway overlooking the tidal marsh from which the Golden Isles garner their name, was, "Mom, it's so--magical." We used 24 inch white taper candles, festooned the tables with ivy and white flowers decked the trees with twinkling lights and votive candles dangling in clear glass spaghetti jars. There was a hand made single swing with the couples initials carved in the seat. Its ropes were braided with boxwood for the perfect photo opportunity, her sitting, him standing beside. The three tired wedding cake was crowned with the statue of "kissing angels" Barbra had received in childhood. The flower girls passing out scented, dried rose tussie mussies I'd made as favors for our departing guests. What greater gift can a mother receive than her daughter's approval of her wedding that was planned long distance over a year's time? Just this, not only was I proud and pleased to serve as Mother of the Bride, but my own dear daughter choose me above all of her much loved friends to be Matron of Honor. With the generous help of many devoted and half-crazed friends of my own, we put together the benchmark by which local weddings are still measured after three years. On their honeymoon postcard, Mark, the groom, wrote, "It was the best time of my life." I think it fair to say that Miss Scarlett, herself, would have been jealous of Barbra's barbeque. Besides, unlike the heroine of Gone With The Wind, my beautiful Barbra and her handsome groom got to eat at their barbecue feast! |
|
| Editor's
note: Not exactly your
back yard barbecue, this stands as a primer on elegance. The recipes are
for large quantities, but true to the southern tradition of courtesy, Jane
Marie has provided the appropriate way to cut them down to back yard size.
Dare we suggest that the old south stereotype of courtesy and grace may
still exist? If so, let its spirit touch us all.
"A tussie-mussie is also called a nosegay (what a delightful description) or a posey. It's a small, handheld bouquet of flowers often with a lace edge (fabric or paper) or greenery. It can be tied with a ribbon or the stems can be inserted into a silver filigree or ceramic holder. If given by a suitor, its particular flowers can express the "language of love." I've written an article about floral language called "And the Flowers Spoke." It's on our website and tells what different flowers mean." Jane Marie Photo is of Jane Marie at the Gone With The Wind Ball. Please visit her web site:www.graciousjanemarie.com
|
|
|
|