As Clay and I pulled back up to our quiet house after this eventful day, I thank the heavens for all the blessing that have been bestowed upon me and mine, and I considered begging Clay to drive me back to the hospital so I can hold that baby again. But there is always tomorrow.
Little Frankie’s Toes - Perfection
May 18th
We went from a surprise wedding to a secret one. Michael, Jules, and Frankie weren’t ready to travel just yet so we had to go without them. I’d never been out to Las Vegas before and while everything I’ve heard about it made me think it was the devil’s playground, I decided for Chris and Sydney I’d make the trip.
Keeping in touch with that dear little boy of his is still the highlight of most of my Sundays. Listening to his stories and jokes keeps me young, even though I’ll admit many times I have no idea what he’s talking about. It’s still nice to hear his voice and know he’s doing well. Even that uncle of his, Sean, who I’d never really cared for, seems to be thriving. Theirs is a success story if I’d ever heard one.
The flight was exactly as unnerving as the first I took and I swear, this time I mean it, it will be my last. Not to mention their clocks are all wonky out there. A time change is not easily adjusted to at my age. I was wide awake well before the sun came up and wondering how in the world I’d make it to dinner at the wedding.
But Vegas as a whole wasn’t as bad as I had imagined it. I suppose the pile of chips I won at the black jack table has helped sway me. Clay sat beside me and kept giving me tips on what to do, but after twenty minutes I shooed him off and my hands got hot. That’s what they say out there. Hot hands. Good thing he came back and pulled me away or I might not have had a chance to get dressed for the wedding.
The ceremony was simple. I’d half expected an impersonator of some sort would be performing it, but it wasn’t like that at all. The small chapel was beautifully decorated. And many traditions were upheld. Sean stood beside his brother as a proud best man. Little Chris carried the ring on a satin pillow. Bobby, Piper, Clay and I bore witness to a beautiful exchange of vows.
I had to hand out the tissues as Chris turned to Sydney and proclaimed that she’d saved his life. “You took a soul that most people would step right over in this world, and breathed new life into it. You’ve done more than just accept the package deal that loving me comes with, you’ve embraced it. I’ve spent so much of my life searching for something that I didn’t even understand, and now I can spend the rest of my life enjoying what I’ve found.”
The man is smooth, I will give him that. With his hair styled back and his black suit coat pulled over a tailored vest he looked like a true Casanova. But he couldn’t come close to how stunning his bride looked. Her dress was short, casual, but fitted so perfectly to her body that it made you think they’d spun the silk around her. Her golden blonde hair was twisted up at the sides and pinned like something you’d see more in my day than hers which I loved since I’m still convinced my generation had the best style in the last hundred years.
The minister was fairly normal looking beside a few extra piercings in the ear. One of them was a cross though, so I suppose it was fitting.
After the ceremony we headed off to a beautiful dinner that ending with a dessert that will go down as one of the best I’ve eaten in my life. Much to everyone’s embarrassment I insisted on getting the recipe from the chef. She was a young woman named Tabitha and handed it over without much of a fight. She was a doll, really, once I got her to loosen up. I’m tucking the recipe in here so I don’t forget it. I’m going to try to recreate it for Bobby and Piper’s wedding if they’d hurry up and get to planning. I swear the two of them would slide rings on each other while walking through the grocery store if I let them. That’s my next mission, getting a fire under their butts about having a proper wedding.
Coconut Crusted Flourless Chocolate Cake
Prep 20 minutes
Cook time 30 minutes
Servings: 16
1 cup pecans (your favorite or a blend)
24 small coconut macaroons (They used some fancy gourmet ones but I’ve got my mothers recipe)
2 sticks unsalted butter (She used margarine but that’s just nonsense)
16 oz. semi-sweet chocolate
1/4 cup Chocolate Orange Liquor (a little extra for the cook)
8 whole eggs
1/2 cup sugar
Crust: Blend nuts and macaroons until finely chopped. Butter the bottom and sides of a 9-inch spring form pan. Press crust mixture onto the bottom of pan.
Heat the oven to 325. In a saucepan, melt butter and then add chocolate (Not sure there are many things that smell better than this – margarine…really, what were they thinking?).
Stir continuously until chocolate is smooth, add liqueur (then take a swig from the bottle to make sure it’s still delicious) and blend.
In a mixer, whip the eggs and sugar until doubled in size. Gently blend the chocolate mixture into the eggs mixture.
Pour batter into pan. Bake 30 minutes or until center isn’t jiggling around like a bowl full of jelly. Let sit for thirty minutes and then place cake in refrigerator. Let it come to room temperature prior to serving.
May 30th
I’ve always wanted to use those giant scissors to cut a ribbon at an opening day ceremony. Bobby said it was on my bucket list, and I have no clue what he meant, but today I got to do it. Clay and I have put our blood, sweat, and tears into creating something we could be proud of. Today was the day we got to share it to the world.
We opened the doors to the Wise Owl, our something for everyone restaurant. I’m in love with the name! Our menu says “Come for the food, stay for the life lessons.” Clay has given me a big chalkboard to write on every day. I put out the specials and then at the bottom give a little bit of sage advice that I think every will be able to benefit from. Today, it being our opening day and all, I went with something simple. ‘Unless you’re a possum, stop playing dead and go live your life’ (p.s. we have no possums in our restaurant in case you are from the health department.) Everyone got a good laugh about it, though I wasn’t trying to be funny. Got to cover your ass as they say.
Our menu is as diverse as the group of people we have working with us. That’s what Clay and I were trying to accomplish. Folks down here shouldn’t have to pick between one type of food. Soul food, Italian, French pastries. We have a little bit of everything. Secretly it’s because we couldn’t agree on what we wanted to serve, but as people began hearing what we planned to offer, the idea started to catch on. And like any good business owners, we treated that happy accident like a brilliant idea we’d cooked up.
Today it was all hands on deck. Our little gang became hostesses, bus boys, runners, whatever was needed in that moment. All the hostility of the town has died down some as the rumor mill slowed and people started getting back to the sense God gave them about me. Wounded friendships have healed and it showed in the turnout today. Maybe they all came to their senses, or maybe they just missed my cooking so much they were willing to overlook the bad water that had passed between all of us. Either way, it was a full house. We’ve framed up our first dollar bill and I couldn’t be prouder of what we’ve built. I’m tucking a copy of the menu in here. I know it will change over time and I don’t ever want to forget what Clay and I came up with out of the gate. We mulled over this for hours, tasted hundreds of recipes, and priced out ingredients. It sounds like hard work, but that time spent with Clay was incredibly special.
For the first time in a long time Clay and I have kicked all these kids off our porch. We’re sipping from a mason jar of strawberry moonshine as we rock to the beat of the crickets. As I pen down my thoughts from today, I can’t think of a better partner in life, love or business than Clay. A life lesson for whoever holds these journals some day: Storm in that kitchen and ask for the recipe you want – because you might end up with much more than just a list of ingredients. I know I did.
Starters
/> (Tid-bits)
HUMMUS
Our house made, traditional hummus served with warm pita bread points, carrots, & celery
CHEESY GARLIC BREAD
Thick-slice Italian garlic bread covered with melted mozzarella cheese served with marinara sauce
CRISPY CAJUN SHRIMP
Crispy shrimp tossed in The Wise Owl’s signature Cajun sauce
MUSSELS FRA-DIABLO
Mussels in a spicy marinara sauce
CHIPS & SALSA
Fresh spicy salsa & warm corn tortilla chips
Salads
(Rabbit Food)
CAPRESE SALAD
Fresh in-house mozzarella, local red vine ripe tomatoes, and hand picked basil, drizzled with olive oil and reduced balsamic vinegar
SOUTHERN COB SALAD
Hard boiled eggs, red sweet peppers, black eyed peas, and shredded chicken over local Bibb lettuce
GORGONZOLA SALAD
Romaine, red onions, local tomatoes served with candied pecans, Gorgonzola crumbles
with house made raspberry vinaigrette dressing
Soups & Sandwiches
(Quick bites)
All served with sweet potato fries and a pickle
BLACKENED AHI TUNA WRAP
Tuna, blackened and served with a spicy aioli, lettuce, and tomato and Pineapple salsa on a whole wheat wrap
BETTY’S FAMOUS PULLED PORK SANDWHICH
Slow roasted pulled pork, topped with onion straws, on a soft fresh made roll, served with super secret house made BBQ sauce
ITALIAN BEEF
Prime sliced beef with your choice of au jus or Clay’s special recipe marinara sauce served on a hoagie bun
FRENCH ONION SOUP
Sweet onions under perfectly melted cheeses
OLD FASHION CHICKEN NOODLE
Just how your mama used to make!
Entrées
(The Main Attraction)
DOUBLE-THICK PORK RIB CHOP
Grilled and stuffed with apples and creole mustard glaze
CRAB CAKES
Served with Cajun seafood sauce
EGGPLANT ROLLENTINI
Fried eggplant topped with mozzarella, ricotta and Romano cheese, house made pesto. Rolled and baked
Served with Clay’s marinara sauce
THE WEST COAST BURGER
Local raised beef, topped with sliced avocado, roasted red peppers, red onions, baby greens, and a tangy chili lime sauce. Served on a fresh baked roll
BABY BACK RIBS
Slow cooked ribs with just the right amount of BBQ sauce served with mac and cheese, Clay’s special coleslaw, and onion straws
Dessert
(Oh stop it you left room. Just order some!)
(6) Macaroons of various flavors
(6) Petit Fours of various flavors
Éclair
Fresh baked pastry roll filled with chocolate custard & topped with chocolate icing.
June 15th
It’s the year of weddings and I couldn’t be happier about it. I half expected Piper and Bobby to run off and elope, neither of them being much for pomp and circumstance. But I think they knew everyone else needed to see them celebrate. They did this wedding for us, but boy did they do it right.
Seeing her wonderful father, Marty Wheeler, walk his daughter down the aisle toward Bobby, there wasn’t a dry eye on the beach. You couldn’t tell who was holding who up. His wife and other children running and playing the sand, it was a wonderful sight.
Everything about this day was simple. Carefree in a way that summed these two hearts up perfectly. Neither of them started quite so relaxed, but I’m happy to say as I watched them today, they were.
I wouldn’t have thought of a beach wedding, but the outer banks of North Carolina proved a beautiful backdrop. Baby Frankie was the flower girl, though she got a little help from the Matron of Honor, her mother.
We ate a good ol’ fashion low country boil that I haven’t had since I was young. It’s the kind of meal that’s fun to make and fun to eat, and the perfect match for this wedding.
I laughed so hard I cried as those two kids shoved cake in each others faces. What I certainly didn’t expect was a post wedding late night swim for all those lunatics. Frankie, Clay, and I headed back to our room as the hoots and hollers of those crazies rang out behind us. They were having the times of their lives. Today was a day to celebrate and they surely did.
Low Country Boil
Prep: 30 minutes
Cook: 30 minutes
Servings: 15
1 tablespoon seafood seasoning.
5 pounds white potatoes
3 packs of sausage, cut into bite sight pieces
10 ears local corn, husked
5 pounds of crab legs
4 pounds fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined
We heated our large pot of water on an open fire on the beach with a wire rack over it. Add seafood seasoning, and bring to a boil. Add potatoes, and sausage, cooking for 10 minutes. Add the corn and crab; cook for another ten minutes. Add shrimp when everything else is almost fully cooked. Heat for additional 5 minutes.
Drain off water and serve buffet style over newspaper.
Spicy Ginger Ale and Bourbon.
2 ounces bourbon
6 ounces Spicy Ginger Ale
Ice
Strawberry Shortcake
Prep: 35 minutes
Cook: 8 minutes
Servings: 10
1-quart strawberries, sliced
1/2-cup sugar
1 1/2 cups All-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2-cup sugar
1/2-cup cold butter, cut into small pieces
1/2-cup milk
2 large eggs
1/4 cup more sugar
1 cup whipping cream
1/4 cup sifted confectioners sugar
Combine sliced strawberries and 1/2-cup sugar and stir (without mashing them up!) Cover and chill berries 2 hours. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Cut in butter with a pastry blender (It will get crumbly). Beat together milk and the yolks of the eggs. Slowly add in dry flour mixture. Stir lightly. (Soft dough will form). Pat dough evenly into two buttered 9 inch round pans. (Dough will be sticky as honey on a bear’s nose - wet your hands with water if needed.)
Beat egg whites at high speed with a mixer until stiff peaks form. Gently spread surface of dough with beaten egg whites; sprinkle with 1/4-cup sugar.
Bake at 450 for 8 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely (layers will not be thick). Beat whipping cream at high speed until foamy. Mix in powdered sugar, beating until soft peaks form. Assemble and serve.
June 30th
I’m not easily fooled. Being incredibly nosey helps reduce those odds, but today something got by me. When I got dressed up in my Sunday best, I thought for sure I’d be heading to my same seat in church that I always did. But instead of turning down the old dirt road that would lead us there, Clay kept driving. I put up a hell of a protest about how many years I’d been going to that church. But he didn’t crack.
He played it cool like he always does in the face of my “moments.” A little funny smile crept onto his face and his nose wrinkled up, like he stole a cookie from the jar. The man has me all figured out and frankly it drives me mad. This morning, especially. I like to have a bit of say in what goes on, ok maybe a bit more than a bit. Being held captive was not my idea of a good time. But it did get better. Clay made sure of that.
We pulled up to an open field where a picnic blanket lay, rocks holding down the corners so it wouldn’t fly off in the summer breeze. Right dead in the center were two baskets. The first was filled with all my favorite foods. The other, well that was a surprise to me. I pulled open the lid of the basket and saw a pile of envelopes. All different colors and shapes, all having only one thing in common. My name was written across the front of each of them.
Clay started handin
g them to me one at time, there were over a hundred, but he told me to open them all. He laid out our lunch as I began. What transpired over the next hour will stay with me the rest of my life. I opened those cards and found thank yous and love notes from people I’d met throughout my whole life. People I hadn’t thought of in decades, all their love and memories of me tucked in one basket.
My fifth grade teacher, Mrs. Evaline, had to dictate her note to a nurse, since her hands aren’t steady enough to hold the pen. Jim Everson wrote a note on behalf of his late wife; she and I were best friends in middle school. Every family I’ve comforted in the wake of loss. The two exchange students who stayed with Stan and I not long after we were married. I couldn’t believe it.
Most people don’t get to see the sum of their lives until they stand before God, but I feel like I just walked right through my own history.
Is there anything more touching than a gift like that? Yes, two things. The man who organized hundreds of people. Tracked them down, explained what he was trying to do and then gathered all these up. I can’t imagine the amount of work that took, especially the extra steps it would have taken to keep such a mission secret from me. The other amazing gift was the last thing Clay handed me out of the basket. When every letter had been opened, my eyes burning from the salt of so many happy tears, my side aching from laughter, Clay slipped a ring on my finger.
Betty's Journal (Piper Anderson Bonus Material) (The Piper Anderson Series) Page 2
