Backbone, Collards and Cornbread

Hello Friends,  
What's in your cup right now?  I've got some of that Margaritaville "Latitude Attitude".  And wishing like no tomorrow, I had a Sandra's Bakery Cinnamon Roll to go with it.  But she's closed for Labor Day.  Like alot of other fine establishments are.

I just got finished reading the latest copy of Old State Magazine which showcased NC's finest Barbecue joints. (Notice it's not BBQ, but BAR BE CUE!)  One of my favorite places is Wilbur's Barbecue in Goldsboro.  Of course, it's right around the corner from the in-laws.  And that makes it quite convenient.  I am licking my lips as I state that.  You can't ride by the place without the "inner self" screaming for you to stop.  It doesn't matter what time of the day.  Late at night you smell the smoking of the pig and in the middle of the day you do too.  Good Lord, why did I let them come yesterday to Sanford without bringing me some of the chopped up goodness?  

FYI - Wilbur's serves some good hushpuppies.  And sweet tea almost as good as Ms. Fannie's.  Almost.  But you won't find cornbread there.  Make sure you plan your next trip so it takes you down Hwy 70 to Wilbur's. 

So why does my heading state "Backbone, Collards, and Cornbread"?  Simple answer:  R&C Restaurant.  This place WAS the place to go in Williamston, NC, where I grew up.  The place never changed. 

I introduced a city friend to the R&C a few years back.  And they were still washing plates like I did when I was 14.   14?  Yea, the owner lied on my application for a work permit because she knew how poor my mama and daddy were.  And I needed a job.  They would be accused of child abuse these days.  Forget the fact that my little penitence helped put food on the table because Mama never received food stamps.  She said there were poorer people who needed them.  I don't know how much poorer people could be, but I trusted mama to tell me the truth. 

Anyway, the dishwasher was a person, not a machine. It was a simple three sink process:

One sink for washing

One sink for rinsing

One sink with the hottest freaking water for sterilizing

 (got some burns from it)

Put on counter.  Cool. Stack. 

Repeat with next pan of dishes.

And no one died from this washing process that I know of.  Never.  And this process was in place until Brenda closed the doors suddenly.  Don't think she ever told why.

Nonetheless, they were good people - Russell and Carrie (hence the name R&C).  Never turned away a chance to help others.  Mama and daddy had a charge account at the IGA.  That's where Russell was the boss.  Carrie was the boss at R&C.  Memory:  Every year at her Christmas parties, she gave each employee a silver dollar for every year they had worked for her.  I bet if I dug deeply into my treasure chest I would find one.

The R&C was a classic.  And the menu stayed the same.  Mondays and Fridays - you could smell the collards a mile away.  Tuesdays and Thursdays  you would find the other green vegetable (that I refuse to cook) - cabbage.  Every table had  vinegar along with the salt and pepper.  Everyday you could order cornbread or Ms. Magdalene's biscuits.  Her biscuits were about the size of a Ritz Cracker but melted in your mouth.  Goodness, I'm starving now.

But Fridays, oh my Friday was the day you waited for all week.  On Friday you could get backbone, collards, and lord how mercy, cornbread.  Not cornbread patties.  Not hushpuppies.  But pan fried cornbread, thin as a "Wheat Thin" but as good as a cold Pepsi and Moon Pie at 3 o'clock in the afternoon in a hot tobacco field.  For those of you in Occupy Wall Street camps, those were times when a farmer didn't give a crap about Dept. of Labor rules.  You want to eat?  You worked for it.

Oh yes that backbone, collards and cornbread satisfied any taste.  Your body's salt needs, vegetable needs, and just plain craving needs were taken care of in one meal.  Those were the days. 

Seems I better explain Backbone to some of you folks.  The Food Police and Michelle Obama would have a hissy fit if they knew I was talking about it and would tell you how bad it is.  I hate to say it but you won't understand the love of this stuff if you haven't tried it.  Backbone is literally a huge chunk of meat from a  pig's back.  And if it's cooked the R&C way,  it was moist and meaty!  This was good stuff.  Couple that with collards and cornbread.  And you would think you had died and woke up in Mayberry!  You just don't know what you've been missing if you haven't had this combo.  While Obama has "Dreams of His Father", I have "Dreams of good old southern cooking".  And I love every bite. 

So tell me...can't you see why in The Green Mile,  John Coffey ("like the drink just not spelled the same"),  said this when Paul brought him a gift from the misses:

"I'm smellin' me some cornbread."