Author loves fresh food -- and chickens

Marie Lane prepares a country meal inside the kitchen she's used for 47 years. (T-G Photo by Sadie Fowler) [Order this photo]

Upon arriving at the farm on Uselton Road, I could immediately smell, feel and see warmth, and I knew my cooking lesson would include much more than how to make cabbage.

My first "Dinner with Sadie" features Marie Lane, a wife, mother, daughter, sister, folk artist, author, farmer, and cook extraordinaire. A few weeks ago, it was brought to my attention that Marie makes "the best cabbage in the world." I love cabbage, and have fond memories of my Irish grandmother making corned beef and cabbage every St. Patrick's Day, but I've never actually cooked cabbage myself. I was curious, what makes Marie's cabbage the best my co-worker Doug Dezotell, who also happens to be the preacher at the church Marie attends, the best he's ever had?

Cabbage is what brought me to Marie's inviting kitchen, but I left with so much more than a recipe for boiled cabbage. While she cooked, we visited about growing up in the country, her marriage of 58 years, motherhood, farming, writing, fresh food and her passion for chickens.

Fresh cabbage

Standing in front of her stove, under a wall, which Marie painted, that reads, "Home Cooked Food," my lesson began, and the first thing I learned about Marie's country cooking is that fresh matters! Everything from the vegetables and the meat to the eggs and homemade butter in Marie's kitchen is fresh.

"I think everybody knows how to cook cabbage, but Sadie doesn't, so we're going to cook cabbage tonight," Marie said.

To go with the cabbage, Marie had a fresh chicken breast stuffed with fresh sage, rosemary, tomatoes, and onions roasting in the oven. She had her version of a sauteed squash medley on the stove and her mother's antique corn stick mold pan was heating in the oven, preparing for the batter to soon fill the molds.

Marie's mother, Clara Yoes, passed away in 2003 at the age of 90, and Marie reflected on her mom as she told me about the antique mold.

"She is a great inspiration to my cooking because she was a very good cook," Marie said. "I still miss her everyday."

The big stuff

Back to the cabbage, Marie's cabbage was gigantic, the biggest I've ever seen. She obtained it from her brother-in-law, Randy Taylor of Pulaski, who grows cabbages.

Using about half the jumbo cabbage (it would take about one from the store), Marie chopped it up into large chunks and placed it in a large pot. She then added water to fill up about half of the pot. Covered, and on medium heat, Marie let the cabbage cook for a while.

While the cabbage cooked down, she tended to her squash and onion medley for a minute. The squash and onion had cooked down in water for a while before I got there, and now, it was time for Marie to add homemade butter (made from fresh cow's milk given to Marie by a friend), pickling salt, Italian seasoning and sugar to the mix.

"I know is sounds strange, but I like the flavor the (Italian seasoning) gives it," Marie said.

When the cabbage had cooked down a bit, Marie added a stick of store-bought butter (because it's more condensed than homemade butter), salt, black pepper, crushed red pepper and bacon drippings to the cabbage, and continued to let it simmer for "about" 10 or 15 minutes.

'About' right

Now, Marie, like most seasoned cooks, doesn't always use measurements. She eyeballs things, and cooks things until they're done, so "about" is a common word from her mouth! We laughed several times as I'd ask her about specifics and she would just give me that look, one I've gotten from my own mom so many times.

"Sorry, I don't have exact measurements," Marie would say.

Our conversation again shifted, and this time Marie and I talked about marriage. Marie and her husband, Omar, were celebrating their 58th wedding anniversary the next day. Omar and Marie have lived in their country home, one they once rebuilt after their first home burned down, for 47 years. I asked her if she had a secret to a lasting marriage. For Marie, it's all about having patience.

"You give a lot, and you take," she said. "Where I come from you get married and you stay married."

As the food was about ready, Marie told me after I sampled everything, including her homemade corn relish, she would show me around outside, and introduce me to Big Red (the biggest rooster I've ever seen), the goats, cats, and dogs, and show me her sanctuary -- her little store and workshop, where all her creative juices flow.

Perfect taste

I quickly came to understand why Doug had raved about the cabbage. It was piping hot, flavorful, not overcooked and had just enough kick to it. The corn sticks were awesome, especially served with the tangy corn relish, as was the squash and chicken, which to me was extremely fresh.

"If I had thought ahead more we could have had fresh chicken," said Marie, meaning she would have literally killed one of her 40 chickens for our meal. One of Marie's nieces, Laura Gordon, home schools her children, and she has been visiting Hill Top Farm frequently, teaching her children where their food comes from, something I believe most children these days fail to learn.

Marie grew up on a small farm in Wheel, milked cows by hand every day, twice a day, and has continued farm life ever since. She definitely knows where her food comes from and believes fresh is best, mainly because the flavor is so much better.

Big birds

When I finished dinner, I went outside to meet Big Red, a Rhode Island Red rooster that Marie received through the postal service some time back. Just as large as Big Red, if not a little bigger, is Turk. Though I was a bit nervous at first, none of the birds bothered me a bit. In fact, Miss Moses, a small hen of Marie's, probably would have let me hold her had I tried.

"She's the best little hen," Marie said. "She has only hatched one chicken and she was just so proud of it."

Walking toward Marie's workshop, we passed her garden, which is filled with fresh herbs and vegetables, and numerous trees, including Marie's fig tree.

"We planted everything you see here," Marie said, "except the hickory tree."

Home of talent

Her shop is filled with paintings, folk art, and children's books, all written by Marie. In fact, if you've ever heard of Aunt Maria, the author, you've heard of Marie Lane.

"I've written six children's books," she said. "They are all true stories; things that happened on this farm."

She's written, "Bitsy," the story of a fawn Marie saved and raised up; "Old Farmer Man," about Omar, her husband; "Angel Girl," based on Marie's youngest of four daughters, Angela, the snake hunter; and three others, "Ms. Henny and Mr. Squirrel," "An Egg For Red," and "The Little Christmas Bird."

While Marie's store doesn't operate under normal business hours, she is always willing to open her doors to folks who want to look around. Just give Marie a call and she will make sure Aunt Maria meets you at the door.

My visit with the Lanes was nothing short of delightful. The country food was flavorful and satisfying, the atmosphere inviting, the animals added a touch of fun to the mix, and the conversation sincere.

In short, it was an evening where even this almost-stranger to the Lanes felt right at home.

While the cabbage and squash were discussed above, Marie's recipe for Corn Relish follows:

18 ears of sweet corn

2 large green peppers

2 sweet red peppers

1 small cabbage

4 onions

celery seed ("about" 2 Tablespoons)

1 quart of vinegar

2 cups of brown sugar

2 Tablespoons of salt

3 Tablespoons of mustard

3 Tablespoons of turmeric

Cut off corn from ear, seed peppers and chop, along with cabbage and onion. Mix all the vegetables together and add remaining ingredients. Cook on stove top until corn is tender, about 20 to 30 minutes. Pack in hot, sterilized jars, seal and store. Makes five pints.

-- Sadie Fowler is lifestyles editor at the Times-Gazette. Her columns are Simply Delish, Sadie Says and Dinner with Sadie. If you would like to submit a recipe, contact Fowler at sfowler@t-g.com or 684-1200 ext. 214.