I remember when my family went over to our friend's house where they were cooking cane sugar. They had his mule hooked up to the grinder and us kids (I was about 12 then; 57 now) were fascinated by the whole process. We loved to grab a piece of cane, cut into it and chew on some of the smaller chips. I guess us kids weren't allowed near the cooker or skimmer since I didn't know about the "after effects" :) We'd always end up with a few jugs of the syrup, and it's truly awesome. I've never tasted better since! Mary from rural Florida William W. Hatcher Sr. wrote: > Thought some might like to read about the good memories of cane syrup > cooking time in the south??? > > > > Enjoy, > > > > William W. Hatcher Sr. > > Milledgeville, Ga. > > * Phone: 478-454-3468 > > God Bless America! > > > > Muscogee County GaArchives News.....Eating Sugar Cane a Pleasure > > By Sara Spano > Staff Writer > > I think that some of the happiest times in my whole childhood were in the > > fall of the year. In the small country town where I lived, cotton was picked > > and ginned, and sugar cane was made into syrup. > I used to ride with my father all over the big planation. When the cane > began to ripen, he would stop and cut a few stalks. I would then be > permitted > to drive the horse while he peeled the cane, and we'd eat it as we went > along. > I can't remember anything that ever tasted any better unless it was the > sardines and crackers we'd have for lunch. > Being far from home he'd stop at a small country store and buy two cans of > > sardines and a box of soda crackers. We'd eat these washing them down with > drinks of cool creek water out of his black derby hat. (Isn't it wonderful > how > well one survived germs in those days?) > When we went to the cane mill, I always elected to stay there while he > went > on somewhere else. I felt a deep sympathy for the poor mule who, hitched to > the > long pole that turned the mill, went round and round all day long. > The stalks of cane were inserted in the mill, where all the juice was > pressed > from them, and then they were tossed aside. The juice ran out into a big > wooden > barrel and I always managed to drink > several large dippersful during my stay. I invariably got sick from my > tasting > spree and my mother > would fuss and fret and threaten not to let me go again. > I also took a great interest in the syrup making, which took place a few > yards from the mill. > The juice was put in a large vat, under which a roaring fire was kept going. > Someone had to stand there all the time and skim off the top of the boiling > juice with a big tin dipper. What he took off he poured over into a barrel. > These were called "skimmings." > Let me tell you one thing, after standing a few days this was potent > stuff. > And unless my father stood right there and made the workers pour it out, the > > result was a lot of singing and cavorting around in the streets on Saturday > night. One good glass of "skimmings" was as effective as a pint of the best > > moonshine whiskey, and a lot cheaper too. > Even at an early age, I was determined to live life to the fullest. One > day, > waiting until the man at the vat turned his head, I hastily drank down about > > half a dipper of the "skimmings." When my father returned to pick me up I > was > reclining, full-length. upon a pile of cane stalks. We both caught it when > we > got home. My mother had plenty to say about a father who returned home with > an > intoxicated nine-yearold daughter. > We always brought back a jug of the syrup. Nothing, absolutely nothing, > tastes better for breakfast than enormous feather light hot biscuits, ozzing > > butter and covered with fresh cane syrup. > > > Special Sesquicentennial Supplement II > Ledger- Enquirer, Sunday, April 23, 1978. S-30. > > > File at: > http://files.usgwarchives.org/ga/muscogee/newspapers/eatingsu2249gnw.txt > > This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/gafiles/ > > File size: 3.6 Kb > > No virus found in this incoming message. > Checked by AVG. > Version: 8.0.100 / Virus Database: 269.23.21/1454 - Release Date: 5/19/2008 > 7:44 AM > > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to HATCHER-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message > >