Bank of Holly Springs

Close to Nowhere

Food and memory lane

• Youngest granddaughter Remy is auditioning a new young man to be “her” young man. Her mom decided, sight unseen, that Grem could marry him.

He came to the house Thanksgiving evening and brought an appetizer for all to snack on. Daughter Dana came in, picked one up off the tray, took a bite and said, “Oh my god, she can marry him!”

Yes, they were that good! I’d never tasted bacon jam, although I had heard of it. I have taken an oath at some point in my life never to eat goat cheese. I do love apples and breads of all kinds though.

I had kinda watched “new young man Mitch” put the appetizer together earlier. Small slices of some kind of dense white bread, spread with bacon jam, soft white cheese piped on top and very thin apple slices to top it off.

It was smashingly wonderful! The bacon jam had just a touch of jalapeno, the soft white cheese was almost sweet and totally delicious and apple slices enhance anything.

I had eaten approximately three slices before we seriously discussed the ingredients — the chewy bread, the bacon jam, the apples — and the goat cheese.

Goats smell terrible. Goat milk smells bad. Goat cheese is stinky and nasty. Unless Mitch gets hold of it first, apparently. I loved this goat cheese!

• Sunday afternoon we all piled in the van and drove to Memphis for what oldest granddaughter Merideth has called her last baby shower. I’m kinda thinking she’s right.

Lucas Shepard Chalk seems very anxious to make his appearance. Dad Tim is anxious also. He keeps telling Lucas to hurry up, they need to get out in the shed and work and go deer hunting, etc., etc., etc.

Tim’s mom Sarah hosted the shower. She lives in Mid-town Memphis not too far from where Pop and I lived a while and where Pop’s mom and dad lived for many years.

It was weird driving down Jackson toward McLean. I remembered all the houses I loved, most still occupied. A bakery I loved wasn’t there anymore. In fact, several little favorite stores were gone.

But the Tops Barbecue place was still at the corner of Jackson and Watkins. Tops was and still is, one of my favorite barbecue places. Pop and I, Pop’s mom and I, visiting friends and other relatives and I would walk the half block or so to Tops and be totally happy.

To make things better, there was a small Chinese store next to Tops that sold the world’s best ice cream.

I love memory lane — and goat cheese.

Holly Springs South Reporter

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Holly Springs, MS 38635
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