Newspapers / The Kings Mountain Herald … / March 30, 1978, edition 1 / Page 9
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LoweU k>n and LoweU r. He iderator of the Ington tatlon; iunday Indiana r^la; Oaaton n Ordl- e; and Ml Rep- I Oaaton «. Ur. on the of the mtlonln Irgbila; realdent .te Con- rirginla^ SECTION B Thursday, March 30,1978 Mirror-Herald Living Today up and for the ired CHEF MAMIE Dreams Of Her Own Food Preparation Business By ELIZABETH STEWART Womana Editor "Have faith in Ood and you can go through the moet trying time of your life." Thla la the phlloaophy of Mamie Lee Rogers, 60, a "cured" cancer patient who said her "faith In Ood kept her from worrying because she put all her confidence In Him.” Mrs. Rogers and her husband, James, sat In the Uvlng room of their home on Belvedere Circle this week and reminisced of their abundant Ufa, reflecting on how the hand of Ood had guided throughout the 17 years of their married life and guided them through their recent ejQMrlence with cancer. "Mamie”, who has scores of friends In the Kings Mountain area and enjoys the reputation of being one of our finest cooks, will serve visitors to her h(»ne whatever they like to eat, from "soul Hood” to mouth-watering desserts. For several weeks before she reported to her doctor for a checkup last summer, Mamie said she dreamed of hospital beds and could UteraUy see herself In a hospital room. "I am convinced the Lord spoke to me In thoee dreams and directed me to Dr. Sam Robinson who prescribed major surgery at once.” "He (Dr. Robinson) told me,” said Mamie, "If I hadn't had the surgj^ I maif bavs hMn dead In thne weeks.” Both Mamie and James Rogers praised Dr. Robinson and aU the nursing staff of the local hospital and Mamie said they prayed together that Ood would guide the surgeon's hand. Mamie Blalock Rogers was born and reared In Kings Mountain In a little house on King Street to Nannie and Pink Blalock, the eldest of six children. The family lived In Orover for a number of years during her early years but returned to Kings Mountain when Mamie was 13. Her father died when she was U and Mamie worked as a maid fbr tl.38 a week for Mis. Annie Falls to help her mother raise the children. Mamie recalls vividly pulling her little red wagon to Plonk's Store to purchase 36 cents worth of sugar, 10 cents worth at coffee, 36 cents worth of beans, at that time "large helpings of food” as compared to today's prices. Some of her first savings, $6, went for shoes which cost $1 per pair. '"Ihere was never a hungry day at our house,” smiled Mamie. Her mother, also a good cook, baked sweet bread and pies every day and the house was alwasrs filled with the aroma of good food. Mamie followed In her mother's footsteps. She left tor New York at the young age of 16 and served as housekeeper-cook for multi millionaire families In Long Island and Port Washington, serving up Southern dIBies which were her specialty. She recalled how she Introduced some of her Northern friends to polk salad, white beans, ham bone, buttermilk and combread around a fancy swimming pool, chuckling about the modem day definition of this brand of cooking, "soul food.” "Why, we've always served soul food In the South,” said Mamie, from Hopping Johns (blackeyed peas with rice) to coUard greens and dumfdlngs, chlttllngs and plgafeet. Mamie worked for a wealthy, Texas couple In New York and the man-of-the-house preferred gourmet food. When he was out of town the family stuffed themselves with Mamie's Southern vltUes. Mamie met her 'husband, a profiaalonal dancer, at Holy House of Prayer For All People on New Year's Eve In Brooklyn. It was not love at first sight, however, but It was love. He married her twice. The bride and groom were wed In a Philadelphia ceremony at the bride's aunt's house, a beautiful wedding, learned after exchanging “I Do” to their shock that their wedding was not recognized as legal by the state of Pennsylvania. Said James, "we had gone through the wedding ceremony and cut the cake but then had to delay the honeymoon until another license was obtained and we were married agsdn, this time In Brooklyn, New York.” Mamie is confident the Lord brought them back to Kings Mountain and "home” In November of 1968, where the Lord sub sequently gave them two beautiful sons, Sammy, an llth grader at KMSHS, and Timmy, a sixth grader at Central School. Her Kings Mountain friends can remember Mamie from the days she worked at Dbcle Village Csifeterla In Oastonla and at Kings Mountain Country Club. Mamie's late mother, Nsuinle Blalock Tinsley, and her aunt, the late Lizzie Lee Blalock, cooked at the city's first Coimtry dub, former home of Tolly and Charlotte Shuford and Mamie worked at the new KM Countiy dub for seven years until her recent hospitalization and for three club managers, Joe Costner, Betty Mitchell and Jerry King, all of whom she remembers fondly. Mamie recalls she baked 33 apple cobblers, 63 big pans of biscuits and combread, 300 old-fashioned "stleMss," and numerous desserts on an Easter Saturday tor a big Easter Sunday dinner attended by 1,000 people at the Oastonla cafeteria. Her homemade "stlcklea” became a house specialty on Thursday. Aqiliing fw a catering service of her own or a "Bean House,” Mrs. Rogers learned how to prepare fancy dishes as sui art at Oreat Neck, Long Island School for Cooking when she was 16, a homesick Southern gal In the big city. She "knows” the taste of food and doesn't throw her food together which she says Is the success of "good cooking.” Growing up In "hard times”, she Is also thrifty and never wastes food. Some of her most delicious “delicacies" are leftovers she has served In beautiful dishes. "Pretty” cooking Is also the secret of a good chef. "Mamie's Goulash” wM a favorite of Rotarlans at weekly luncheons at the club. Mamie has prepared food for many wedding receptions and psuHes over the years, said she especially enjoyed catering the wedding reception of EUlne Trla and Scott Hill, describing the menu sui one of the finest "New York style" receptions In thla area, ex plaining that In the North receptlans Include "lots of food” as compared to “party pickups.” Does she follow a recipe? Not all the time, says Mamie. She likes to use "a pinch of this and that.” She and her husband operated briefly liny Tim's Place, a small restaurant on Parker St., which specialized In hotdogs and ham burgers, later sold grocertos for about a year. Mamie envisions that a Mamie's Beanery In Kings Mountain would offer beans at all kinds, hot sauces, pickles, and homemade breads while a catering service would offer party foods. James Rogers Is encouraging his wife to return to her kitchen after she recuperates from surgery. He shares her "dream” of one day owning a business at her own. The Rogers family Is active In Mount Zion Baptist CSiurch. Other mem bers at Mrs. Rogers' family are her brothers and sisters, Margaret (Mrs. John) Leach, Magnolia Owens, and John Blalock, all of Kings Mountain, and Pink David Blalock and Robert Blalock, both of Philadelphia, Pa. Mamie recalls tearfully the sad day tor her family when their mother, Mrs. Nannie Blalock Tin sley, died In a house fire on Parker Street but remembered even In bad times the strong "hand of the Lord." A favorite meal for the Rogerses Is Mamie's fried chicken, string beans, hot rolls and potato ssdad. As spring comes to Kings Mountain the whole Rogers family plans to plant a garden of okra, beans and lettuce. Mamie likes to serve piping hot grease from "tatback meat” over home-grown gsuden lettuce with ptylng hot hoecake cornbread. That's soul food and delicious! Some of Mamie's recipes; SCALLOPED OYSTERS 1 quart of oysters 1 cup evaporated milk 1 teaspoon dry mustard l^ tablespoons lemon juice 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 1 teaspoon tabasco 3 tablespoiMis sherry 1 cup crushed "Escort or Waverly wafers Oomblne all Ingredients and cook about 30 minutes at 836 degrees F. -oOo- CHEESE SOUF^ft^E (Cheese Pudding) 13 slices bread H lb. cheese 3 3-8 cups milk 1 tsp. salt 4 eggs Butter Remove crusts from bread. Butter brsod and eut Min 4UAH6M. OIMM baking dish (8x8 or 8x10 pan). Put bread In psm, then add a layer of cheese. Alternate bread and cheese. Let stand several hours or over night. Bake at 860 degrees for 60 minutes. Sprinkle paprika on top. Serves eight -oOo- CmCKEN DIVAN Place two psuskages cooked frozen broccoli In baking dish. Cover with two cups sliced, cooked white meat of chicken. Make sauce of; 1 can cream of celery soup H cup sharp Cheddar cheese 1 can cream of chicken soup 1 cup mayonnsdse 1 teaspoon lemon juice H cup toasted silvered almonds Bake at 860 degrees until bubbly. Serves 6-8. -oOo- MENUKEIT SALAD 1 package cream cheese H cup pecans, chopped 1 cup celery, diced 1 pinch salt 1 small can crushed pineapple 1 package lime jello IK cups hot water Mash cream cheese, blend In pineapple, add nuts and celery. Dissolve gelatin In water. When cool, mix with cheese mixture. Pour Into salad molds and place In refrigerator until oongesded. Serve with mayonnaise on lettuce. (10-13 molds) -oOo- ORABBOBATIN PASTRY SHELLS Two 6 os. pkg. King Oab Meat 3 tablespoons Oleo 8 tablespoons flour 1 cup milk H cup white wine H cup light cream K ctq> chicken broth K cup shredded sharp cheose 3 tablespoons grated onion 1 teaspoon salt K tsp. paprika Drain crabmeat. Molt butter In saucepan, stir In flour. Gradually add milk, cream and chicken broth. Stir until smooth and thick. Add cheese, onion, salt, paprika and wine. Stir until cheese has malted. Stir In crabmeat. Put In pastry sheila. Hast just before ssrvlnf. Must be served warm. Serves 18. ASPARAGUS MOUSSE (good with ham, chlcksn) 1 can all green asparagus eut Into small lengths . A Photo By Tom McIntyre Mamie Rogers, at 60, has defeated cancer and still dreams of establishing catering business and operating a “Bean House” in her hometown of Kings Mountain K cup mayonnaise K cup cream, whipped 4 T unflavored gelatin 1 top. aalt Juice of two lemons Shelled blanched almonds Heat liquid from can asparagus and pour over the dissolved gelatin. Let cool. Fold in mayonnaise and cream, salt, lemon juice, and almonds. Add asparagus when mixture begins to thicken. Pour Into Individualized molds and large mirid. -oOo- BBOOOOU CASSEROLE 1 can cream mushroom soup 1 cup mayonnaise 3 eggs, beaten 1 onion, chopped 1 cup cheese, grated 3 pkg. frosen broccoli, chopped or one bunch, fresh Oook broccoli until tender about 16 minutes. Drain and put In casserole. Mix soup, mayomalse, eggs, onion, pour over broccoli. Top with cheese and buttered bread crumbs. Bake at 880 degrees for 46 minutes. -oOo- OUCUMBER SALAD H cup grated cucumber hi cup mayonnaise 1 T horseradish Pinch salt 1 three oz. pkg. lemon jello 1(4 cups hot water hi grated onion 1 tsp. lemon Dissolve jello In water. Oool. Add other Ingredients. A drop of green food coloring may be added If desired. Serves 6-8. -oOo- MOCK CHEESE SOUFFLE hi lb. cheese (cracker barrel mellow)) 3 cups milk 1 tsp. salt 10 slices day old bread 8 eggs Butter Take bread, cut crust, butter, bread and cut Into cubes. Put alternate bread and and cheese. Mix milk, salt, eggs, and beat. Pour over bread and cover tight Let stand In refrigerator. Cook In oven 376 degrees for 46 minutes or until souffle rises and browns on top. -oOo- MAMIE’S LEMON CHIFFON PIE 3 cups cold water 3 tablespoons lemon juice (4 cup sugar 1-3 cup com stsirch 4 egg yolks Beat all together. Cook over boiling water In double boiler until thickens. Remove from pan. Fold In egg yolks and put In cooked pie shell. When cool, beat 1 cup cream for topping. -oOo- MAMIE'S APPLE CIHIBLER 13 uncooked apples 1 cup sugar 3 tablespoons lemon juice 1 tablespoon cinnamon hi teaspoon allspice Mix with apples before putting In psm. Roll cniet and put over pan. Bake at 860 degrees for 1 hour.
The Kings Mountain Herald (Kings Mountain, N.C.)
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March 30, 1978, edition 1
9
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