A Hot Summer's Plate

Angel Cookies Jazzed up with a Fancy Plate

I was setting my table for Easter dinner a couple years ago. I like to do this ahead of time (a little trick my Mom taught me) because I can take my time and enjoy thinking about the wonderful food and fellowship that will go along with the holiday. Lots of wonderful thoughts swirled through my head while doing this, like how much I loved the table cloth that I got for my wedding shower from Jake’s Mom, all the memories from our engagement and wedding, and especially my Grandma’s generosity of giving me her Mother’s china. I couldn’t remember when exactly her Mother, my Great Grandmother, bought the plates so I decided I should call her and get the real story. Then I took a quiet moment and gave thanks for having a 95 year old grandmother that I could call and talk to anytime.

I rang up my Grandma and we talked a bit about the weather and the girls. Then I told her the main reason I was calling. She mentioned she was so happy she saved the dishes and that I could use them. The dishes belonged to her mother Bessy Zula Garrett, born March 12, 1886. Grandma got them when her Mother died. I asked her if there was a story behind the dishes and how Great Grandma got them. Little did I know there was a remarkable story, one that teaches discipline, hard work, and reward. 

Bits from B.B.Hill:

Momma’s name was Bessy Garrett and she was from the country in Prospect, South Carolina. Her Daddy was a farmer and needed boys to help him. Instead, he got seven girls and one boy! When he didn’t get any but one, he realized he needed to teach the girls how to work. Bessy could plow a mule straight and was quite proud of this skill! She was also blessed with a charming personality and nice looks. Three of the sisters were red headed like Momma. Momma’s hair was so pretty and long with auburn waves that tamed the eyes. She would pin it up in a figure eight in the back and I loved watching her do this.  

Momma married Thomas Jacob Boozer (Papa) and had three girls (Thelma, Ruby, me) and a son (Wilbur). People loved her. She was smart even though she only had a 4^th grade education. She was strict on kids, was a wonderful cook, and made her own clothes. People would come into Papa’s store to talk with her. She made him money by doing this as people would drive in from the country to talk with her and shop for goods. Everyone says I’m just like her – happy, laughs a lot, and has a bubbly personality. 

In the 1930’s there was a dirt road that went from Columbia, SC to Miami, Fl. She referred to it as Road 321. All the men working on the road needed shelter and it was common for people to take them in (board) for rent. It didn’t suit Papa to spend money on dishes so Mamma decided to open the home to the workers in order to make some money. That summer, five workers slept in the house. Thelma, Ruby, Wilbur and I slept on the back porch. Mamma and Papa slept in the kitchen. The men had three bedrooms to choose from so the man who got the room alone paid more rent. After the road was complete at the end of the summer, Mamma had enough money to buy the dishes and ice tea glasses. After she collected the money she bought the china somewhere in Columbia. There was a traveling sales event that came 3-4 times per year. This was hard work to board the men because it included washing dishes and clothes and they didn’t have washing machines back then so she was proud. I asked her if she was afraid to sleep on the porch or if here parents were at all concerned to let five strange men in the house. Her response was “it was the 30s, we weren’t afraid then”.

Bits from Me:

How wonderful for a girl like me, from a generation of disposable and abundance, to learn about sacrifice. I am amazed that she was able to convince her family to help her in order to reach her goal! I think she must have been a saleswoman at heart. But the story goes deeper than just sacrifice and determination. It provides a glimpse into culture, my culture, where my people came from. My family didn’t have money but my Great Grandmother placed value in people. Having people over to dinner and cooking a nice hot meal was a priority to her. Service was a priority and the elegant china added that little touch ensuring the guest feels welcomed and wanted. I think the art of entertaining started long ago in my family’s history, maybe even before her. 

Another interesting part of the story is my Mom’s role in this “handing down of family heirlooms”. My Mom actually registered me for all the necessary pieces in order to complete the set on www.replacements.com for my wedding. Surprisingly, I didn’t resist this notion (a little self confession here, yes I liked to rebel against approximately 80% of my Mom’s ideas back then). Thank goodness my sentimental side took over and hinted that some day I might care about this stuff. You can imagine, it was most of my Southern blood kin that generously purchased these remaining items as gifts for us. The china pattern is called Syracuse from Stansbury and was made in America. The website is great because you can buy items from retired patterns. I think the actual warehouse has like 500,000 square feet of tableware! I wonder what Bessy and Thomas would have thought about receiving china and crystal as wedding presents?!

There are so many graces and virtues that are being tossed to the side by modern day ways. People laugh and make jokes about never using their formal serving ware. We are all so busy it seems to be a burden to take on any more work, like hand washing dishes. On the flip side, has anyone every pulled out all the stops for you?  How did it make you feel?  Do you remember the occasion? 

For me, realistically, I am going to start small. I don’t entertain much because I’m afraid my cooking stinks and I am not quite sure how I would pull it off with the kids and the dog and the dog hair...everywhere! I am going to use my china for some Christmas cookies and coffee. This way I can make an ordinary gathering with a friend feel a little more important. What’s the occasion she might ask? I’ll respond by saying YOU! Or maybe there is a special occasion and the numbers are small or it isn’t a full meal. Maybe then I’ll be a little less intimated to use those fancy plates. So instead of going out and searching for new plates, new serving dishes, or the next best coffee mug, open your cupboards and pull out those dusty wedding presents (oh and please do this with plenty of time as I have forgot this step before and was left with moving stickers on all the bread plates)! Let me know how it goes!

Momma with her seven sisters and one brother (I really do come from a family of all women).
Momma's the short one sitting in front of her brother.