Hey Charlie,

How did your BBQ turn out this weekend? Or was your leash too short for
even that???? LOL..............

Rae

"Rachael Simpson" wrote in message
...
Hey Charlie,

We have two variations of hot pepper vinegar. The kind you make is the
old standard around here, but not everybody uses the brown sugar. (some
do, some don't) For the extra hot kick, I save the seeds from my hottest
peppers (ie, when I have one with supper that's hotter than normal,
cayenne, tabasco, etc), and put them in a storage bag in the fridge until
I need them (i try not to let them dry out too much) and just add them in
the standard hot pepper vinegar.

The other type of hot pepper vinegar:

When we have more hot peppers than we can all eat: I collect enough to
fill a pint or quart size jar, wash them, put them in jar, and fill with
vinegar. Let sit a few days before using. Sometimes, it will be a little
mild, sometimes kinda warm, and sometimes very hot. You never know
exactly how hot it is til you use it. This type is eaten on collards,
turnips, salads,
or anything you would use standard cider vinegar on.

Red sauce: My grandmother makes the best red sauce. Back home (two hours
north of where I live now) everybody requests her sauce whenever there is
a cook-out. People have even been known to ask for bottles of it as gifts
from her at christmas or birthdays. My mom & I fix it down here (the
exact same way) but Nana's always seems to taste even better. (I think it
must be the "grandma effect")

The easiest way:
Buy a couple of bottles of Kraft red sauces (or generic, or any other
brand you might like, I generally use whatever is cheapest). Oh it
doesn't matter what flavor - get whatever you like, orginal, homestyle,
honey, hickory, what ever.
I usually get an orignal and hickory.
Empty both bottles in a sauce pan/pot.
Save the empty bottles - you can wash them and store the left over sauce
in them. Warm on low/medium heat - stir often so it doesn't scorch. Add
mustard, brown sugar, salt, and vinegar to taste. Can add a little
ketchup for a milder taste. Now, I can't tell you exactly how much to add
of the mustard and sugar - i never measure it! Just keep tasting it til
you get it where you like it. Ketchup will help thin it down if you get
it too thick, make it a little more runny. Sauce should easily fall off
spoon.

You can add to the meat on the grill as a marinade while cooking or at the
table as a dipping sauce. Great either way. It might take a few trys
making the sauce to get it just right. Nana never measures anything when
cooking - somehow she just knows the right amount to add to everything.
She's tried to pass that on to me - but sometimes i still measure! Oh,
and make sure you store any leftover sauce in the fridge - it will keep
for quite a long time that way.

--------------------------

You are absolutely right about the shrimp. Nothing beats fresh. I can
get all the fresh I want, thank God. My mom and dad have a place at the
coast - right on the waterway. Whenever they go down there, they bring
plenty back for everybody 'round here.
Have you ever heard of a seasoning called "Old Bay"? It comes in a little
metal box - sort of like a black pepper box. It can make even the worst
processed shrimp taste better. I happen to know for a fact that even some
of the best coastal restaurants use it. You can also use it on chicken,
steaks, and pork chops for a somewhat cajun style effect. I mainly stick
to using it with the seafood though.

We love the vidalia onions around here as well. I haven't had much luck
out of growing them myself. I can make a lunch or supper out of one of
them babies. zap a whole one in the 'wave with a little water and butter
for about 10 minutes or so, yummmm. makes a great compliment to a grilled
steak too.

I don't have very much experience in the area of cajun and creole cooking.
In the carolinas it's all about the frying and the BBQ! My husband even
prefers for the ribs to be fried when I cook them. I have two
great-uncles (in every since of the term!) that live in Florida, so I try
to take advantage and get pointers and recipes from them and their
families whenever I get the chance.
I believe you are right about the regional thing as well.

Well, better end this thing. The baby's up and it's getting time for the
other one to get up, so time to get my day going. Hope this helped you
some!

Love,
Rae