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| HOME NEWSLETTERS HUNTER EDUCATION OLD MISSOURI HILLBILLY SITE |
VOLUMES 247 & 248 -------- JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2023
SHOOTIN', HUNTIN', AND RELOADIN' WITH THE OL' MISSOURI HILLBILLY |
| Uploaded: April 3, 2023 It is early April as I finally get on the keyboard in another attempt to catch up! As reported last time, we did not get to have our traditional family Christmas on Christmas Eve as in past years. A severe winter storm simply made it too dangerous for anyone to be on the roads unless for a dire emergency. Then, on Christmas Day, Rick and Sara were off on a Christmas visit with her family, so we didn't have our gathering until January 2nd. Other than the date, everything was orchestrated as usual with the highlight of the evening being Ann's famous Chicken Bisque. I know I have told this story repeatedly over the years, but don't interrupt me, 'cause I want to hear it again! Many years ago, we dined at a fancy restaurant in Missoula, MT called Curley's Broiler. The restaurant featured white-gloved wait staff, with a specialty of Prime Rib daily. Each meal began with a tureen of Chicken Bisque that was raved about by customers and even written about in some national publications. The Bisque was very good, but what made it really attention grabbing was the secrecy surrounding the recipe. Supposedly, the recipe was concocted by the Matriarch of the family who established the restaurant and was never to be shared outside the family and the restaurant. As we all know, making something secret or illegal seems to increase the desire for some to have whatever that item is! To test the secrecy theory, we did actually ask for the recipe and got the same reply as the national magazines. Well, Ann, also known as Little Heifer and is an excellent cook, took the situation as a challenge! Each time we ate at Curley's over the next few years, Ann would attempt to identify each visible item in the Bisque. A tiny bit of carrot here, and a bit of celery there, etc., etc., etc. To supplement her observations, she scoured every cookbook in her possession, which are many, for chicken bisque recipes. The bisque recipe Ann developed from these many sources and observations, now rivals, and even exceeds any that Curley's ever put on the table! So, the Chicken Bisque has become the highlight of our family Christmas Eve celebrations! Alas, Curley's Broiler is no more! That whole block along Brooks Street was razed a few years ago to make room for new businesses. From what we can tell, an AMC multiplex movie theater now sits where Curley's was. Want to ask Ann for her Chicken Bisque recipe? Go ahead, but all you'll get is silence. Apparently people google for information about the old Curley's and its bisque recipe occasionally and will get hits on many of the times I have written about it on these pages. This sometimes generates an email to Ann asking for the recipe. Go ahead and try it. I'd bet the email will simply be ignored like the others she has received over the years! I'm gonna end this with a few photos from our little Christmas celebration in January, and will get on with March/April 2023 as soon as my conscience starts bothering me too much to ignore. 
The 'Goodies' table for snacking before dinner.
This stuff was really GOOD!
Morels captured in the Spring, fried, frozen and then browned in the oven. YUM!
Table readied for the feast.
Ann and Jennifer hammin' it up.
 Rick and Sara starting the gift opening.
 Ann, Matriarch of the family.
 Jennifer
 And here's the Old Hillbilly.
 Rick and Sara again.
 Jennifer and anticipation.
 The usual detritus after our Christmas.
This month's hillbilly wisdom comes from a quote attributed to Albert Einstein: "Adversity will introduce a man to himself." Well, it's time to shut down here, so. . . . . 'Til next time, Keep 'em shootin' straight, shoot 'em often, and above all, BE SAFE!!! THE OL' HILLBILLY Copyright 2022-23 - All Rights Reserved |