Slim Randles' Home Country
Cobbler in 18 minutes
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[June
22, 2013]
In
the realm of country cooking, the elite are those who can take a
heavy cast-iron Dutch oven, scrape out some glowing coals from a
cook fire and create masterpieces. And in this neck of the woods,
the emperor of cast-iron splendor is Ed Parsons. |
Ed actually has a j.o.b. to pay the bills, you
know, but his passion kicks in on the weekend with about 600 pounds
of pots, a lot of fire, an authentic cowboy chuck wagon and hungry
folks who appreciate excellence. In fact, ol' Ed has come real close
to turning an art form into a science. He does this by shunning the
use of coals from a fire and relying instead on the practicality of
charcoal briquets. Using charcoal, he knows to the minute when each
dish is ready to eat, and he likes it that way. A few years ago,
he ventured to another state to participate in a chuck wagon
contest, complete with a cowboy Dutch oven cook-off, and as usual he
represented those of us here at home admirably. But what was more
important was how he managed to carve his name into something of a
legend in this out-of-state town.
"There were hundreds of chuck wagons and campfires out there," Ed
said. "Seemed like miles of them. And this lady reporter from the
local paper heard there was someone from out of state taking part,
so she looked me up for an interview.
"I had just put some cobbler on in a 12-incher and had checked my
watch, because with the briquets, I know it takes me exactly ... I
mean exactly... 18 minutes until it's ready. I suggested we go
somewhere quiet for the interview, so we walked about a hundred
yards away through dozens of chuck wagons and sat down for a visit."
[to top of second
column] |
Ed was his usual charming self through the interview, but kept an
eye on the time, without seeming to. When 18 minutes had passed, he
stuck his nose in the air and sniffed, then sniffed again. He said
he'd have to be excused, because he could smell his cobbler and it
was done.
"You can't possibly smell your cobbler out of all the hundreds
out there," the reporter said.
Ed gave her a kind look as you would to a newcomer in any sport,
then sniffed again.
"Yep," he said, "turning brown on top. In fact, by the time we
get back, the brown will be clear across the top. A good cook always
knows his own cobbler."
He then led the reporter back through the maze of cooks, popped
the lid on the Dutch oven, and showed her the finished product. Nice
and brown all the way across the top.
Ed laughs at the memory. "Eighteen minutes," he says. "I'm
telling you, 18 minutes exactly."
[Text from file received from
Slim Randles]
Brought to you by "Home
Country"
(the book), winner of two regional awards. Order yours at
www.slimrandles.com. The book "Home Country," a column
collection, has received the annual humor award given by the New
Mexico Press Women. It earlier won the New Mexico/Arizona book
award. “Makes a guy kinda proud,” says Randles.
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