TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD

Even though this year (2010) is the year TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD is celebrating its’ 50^th birthday, we paid homage to the book in March of 2002. Vicki would love for our book club to pick more classics, so she started off with this one for her first choice. Not only did we read the book, but she had us come to dinner and discussion in our jammies or sweats and had the movie (with Gregory Peck) for us to watch as well! Fun evening…

"Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit 'em, but remember it's a sin to kill a mockingbird."

A lawyer's advice to his children as he defends the real mockingbird of Harper Lee's classic novel—a black man charged with the rape of a white girl. Through the young eyes of Scout and Jem Finch, Harper Lee explores with rich humor and unswerving honesty the irrationality of adult attitudes toward race and class in the Deep South of the 1930s. The conscience of a town steeped in prejudice, violence, and hypocrisy is pricked by the stamina and quiet heroism of one man's struggle for justice—but the weight of history will only tolerate so much.
One of the best-loved classics of all time, To Kill a Mockingbird has earned many dis-tinctions since its original publication in 1960. It has won the Pulitzer Prize, been translated into more than forty languages, sold more than forty million copies worldwide, and been made into an enormously popular movie. It was also named the best novel of the twentieth century by librarians across the country (Library Journal).

Atticus Finch (one of the main characters in the book) said

·         “You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view... Until you climb inside of his skin and walk around in it.”

This is what we try to do at our book club meetings- discuss issues,  listen to each other’s point of view, agree to disagree, and still remain friends… the only way a discussion group filled with eleven women of different backgrounds can last for the ten years we have been reading and sharing meals together.

Vicki and Alisa came up with a wonderful "Southern" menu- Pot roast, turnip greens, sweet potato casserole, and cornbread.

Vicki said "since I am a Yankee from the north, I learned all of my southern cooking from Johnnie, my mother-in-law."

Johnnie's Pot Roast

Shoulder Roast (size depends on # you are cooking for, I usually get 4-5 pounds)

1 whole white onion

Carrots (peeled and cut into chunks)

Potatoes (optional), peeled and quartered

(She always cooks this in the large Corningware deep dish casserole with lid)

Turn the oven up high (450 degrees).

Salt and pepper the roast well and place in casserole dish in 1-2 inches of water.

Cut up onion and place in the dish with the roast. (Peel the onion first, yall!)

Seal the casserole dish tightly with aluminum foil; place the lid to the casserole dish over the foil.

Bake for 30 minutes; turn the roast over and bake, covered, for another 30 minutes.

Turn the oven down to 325 degrees and bake for another 2-3 hours. Add carrots and potatoes during the last hour.

The secret is the high heat at the beginning, sealing the dish to keep in the moisture and turning the roast. The roast is always so tender and melts in your mouth!

Johnnie's Turnip Greens

Buy 2-3 bunches fresh turnip greens (can also add in mustard or collard greens if desired or available)

Rinse and wash the greens well- this takes a while but you want them free of sand and grit !

Place in a large pot of water with some fatback, ham hock, or bacon to help season the greens. ( I would also add some salt and pepper at this time)

Gently bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for several hours until greens are fork tender. Stir occasionally while they are simmering, but gently.

Now, from this southern girl, I would definitely serve these with vinegar or pepper sauce!!

                                     

It is always fun to go back and read the classics the teachers MADE you read in school, but now you can really enjoy them for pleasure!! Next blog begins our second year as a book club with Alisa's choice of Founding Brothers...a deep, intellectual read compared to some of our lighter choices...