“No matter who was around, my Mamaw always called her husband Mr. William. I never heard her refer to him any other way, and it was beautifully respectful and loving the way she said it,” remembers GALE TAYLOR (Starkville, Mississippi). Mamaw was BELL CUMMINGS (Ecru, Mississippi). Mamaw was always happy even though she was in a wheelchair. “I’m in a wheelchair now, and I will forever think of her and how she never let that get her down or influence her feelings negatively. I think it was meant for me to see her daily joy even in the face of what others would consider horrible. It helps me every day to be happy to be alive and enjoy life from a different vantage point,” Gale adds. “Every time I would walk in the door, my Mamaw would pinch me on the cheek and say, ‘You’re my sweetie!’ It was so precious to me. And Christmas mornings at Mamaw’s—the table legs would all but bend under the weight of that food. She’d prepare every single kind of meat you can imagine, and each had its own gravy. There would also be hot biscuits, jams, jellies, honey—feasts like no others I have ever known,” shares Gale.
Vegetable shortening to grease griddle
4 large eggs
1 cup milk (whole or 2 percent)
1 tablespoon honey
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ slices bread
Unsalted butter
Maple syrup
1 Grease a griddle and preheat over low to medium heat.
2 In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs until well blended. Add the milk, honey, and cinnamon.
3 Dip the bread slices in the egg mixture and place on the hot griddle. Cook approximately 2 minutes or until golden brown. Flip over and cook approximately 2 minutes longer or until golden brown. Transfer to a serving plate and spread with butter. Keep warm while you continue with the remaining bread slices. Serve warm with maple syrup.
MAKES 6 SERVINGS.