Why You Saucy Thing!

Let me trot out an old warhorse … "Great minds travel in the same circles"  Here's an example.  Yesterday a book I was reading (Mississippi Blood by Greg Iles - excellent writer) when some mention in it reminded me of Durkees Sauce, a staple in the South and as far west as Kansas City, MO, where I certainly ate my share of it.  The flavor is or seems to be a mixture of mayonnaise and mustard and it makes excellent sandwiches or French fries dip..  

And then this morning, I had an e from Richie's cousin Ruth Ellen in Cape Coral, FL, wherein, unprompted.  she extolled the wonderfulness that is another Southern staple - Chow Chow.

There are two versions of it - the commercial is Cross and Blackwell's Chow Chow  vs. the Cracker Barrel restaurants ,sold there if you want to take it home.  The other is homemade largely from leftover pickled summer vegetables.  Further division is provided by the  North (northern Pennsylvania) and South versions, believed to be brought to Louisiana via the migration of Acadians to the South.  It may be that they spelled it "Chou Chou" or "cabbage" in the French/Acadian language.  

What goes with this Chow Chow stuff?   It can be eaten "as is" or on hot dogs, hamburgers (not to be confused with sweet pickle relish) biscuits and gravy, pinto beans, and mashed potatoes.  

In North America it is made from red and green tomatoes, onions, carrots, various beans, asparagus, cauliflower and peas.  The Southern version is mainly chopped up cabbage with a strong mustard flavor added by Colman's English mustard?  Powdered Chinese mustard?  

Since commercial foods guard their recipes with some interest, various Websites offer "mock" this or "faux" that.    

Chow Chow by any name
Chop cabbage and put it in a salt bath overnight in the refrigerator.  Next day drain it, add hot chile peppers vinegard, sugar and horse radish, blend it and can it in Mason jars. 

Durkees Sauce
1/2 cup water
4 T cornstarch
1/2 cup + 1 T balsamic or other dark vinegar
1 egg
4 T mustard (whether wet or powder not spelled out)
4 T sweet butter
2 T salt
   Blend and put mixture in the top of a double boiler and cook until it's a silky texture.   Jar it and put it in the refrigerator where it will last three months.