Bourbon, Cigarettes and Jelly

My mama was blessed to have an amazing BFF for most of her adult life. The woman I called Aunt Margaret (but who wasn't really my aunt at all) was a feisty Texas redhead, and Mama and I both adored her. If I close my eyes, I can picture her still - her head of russet curls thrown back in laughter, with a cigarette in one hand and a glass of bourbon in the other. And when I think of her, I can always smell her, a heady blend of Estee Lauder's Youth Dew Cologne and Camel smoke.

Aunt Margaret was a "widow lady" who (though it was never spoken of in front of me) I'm pretty sure had "boyfriends". She worked most of her life as a secretary at the First United Methodist Church. I remember asking her once why she never went to church on Sunday. She took a long draw on her Camel and deadpanned "Honey, I'm down at that church five days a week, why the hell would I want to go there on my day off?" She was a wonderful/horrible babysitter. My parents always rather foolishly let me stay with her when they went out of town, and she regularly let me do Auntie Mame-like inappropriate things. I'll never forget the time when I was 11 and she sent me in her car to the liquor store, which was about 10 miles away to buy her a carton of Camels and a fifth of bourbon. She told me she'd called "the man" at the store where she had a charge account and told him to expect her "little friend". I could barely reach the pedals.

Aunt Margaret lived next door. This is a bit misleading, as the house I grew up in was surrounded by acreage. To get to her house, you could either drive down our driveway, turn left at the Ranch Road for about 100 yards, then drive back up her driveway, which was rather long and curvy. My more preferred method was by foot, which involved sliding down a ravine, wading through a creek, then scampering back up the other side through cedar woods.

After Aunt Margaret retired from the church, Mama went over there every single afternoon, and I usually headed over myself after the school bus dropped me off. While I sat and watched Star Trek or sometimes The Edge of NIght and drank RC Cola and ate Ritz Crackers and Coffee Nips, Mama and Aunt Margaret would have all sorts of fun!

Often they just drank highballs and played cards. They had one game of gin that lasted for about three years. But usually they would have projects. Sometimes it would be a craft or sewing project (they made several quilts together), but usually it involved some kind of food. And these ladies COULD COOK! 

The month of December was their busiest time because they would go crazy making Christmas gifts. They baked about a hundred kinds of cookies and breads. But best of all, they would CAN. Jelly! Jam! Preserves! Chutney! Pickles! I'd give almost anything to taste one of their bread and butter pickles again. And their most coveted, most anticipated Christmas delicacy of all was their Jalapeno Jelly. Mmmmm. Jalapeno Jelly was a little bit exotic at the time. A sweet/savory treat, which you would use not as a spread on toast, but as a condiment for meats. Nowadays, my favorite thing to do with it is to pour a jar over the top of a wheel of brie, stick it in the microwave until the cheese is melted and bubbly and serve it with crackers. Delicious. And it was the perfect Christmas gift because they would dye it either red or green, and have red and green peppers floating in it, so it was festive. All you need is pretty contrasting red or green ribbons to make it a beautiful gift.

So here is their jalapeno jelly recipe. I'm afraid it's a bit cryptic, but this is the only version of it I can find, written out in Mama's handwriting. And if you make it, please pour yourself a bourbon and water in their honor.

MAMA AND MARGARET'S JALAPENO JELLY

6 1/2 cups sugar

1/2 cup chopped, seeded jalepenos

1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper

1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper

1 1/2 cups cider vinegar

1 1/2 bottles Certo

green or red food coloring

Chop all peppers in a blender.  Bring to a boil and rechop. Add sugar and vinegar. Boil. Cool. Add Certo and dye. Boil. Seal with paraffin in sterilized jars.

Post Script - Aunt Margaret died when I was in college. As a rather dramatic and emotional farewell (I was a drama major after all) I went to her grave one night with a pack of Camels and a pint of bourbon and cried and drank myself silly until the wee hours. I like to think she'd have been honored.

Aunt Margaret - notice her signature gold lame cigarette case

Please visit Works For Me Wednesday at We Are That Family for lots more excellent Christmas gift ideas.

Comments

[elizabeth]

I'm new to your blog and God only knows how I got here except that my kids used to go to the same school as your son and we know some of the same people. Anyway, despite the fact that I already read far too many blogs, I'm adding yours to my list! I loved this post along with the others that I just pored through but I didn't leave any other comments because I didn't want you to think that I was a crazy person.

[Jan]

Hmmm - well, you already KNOW I'm a crazy person. But that's neither here nor there. At least now I know where your love of bourbon comes from.

Aunt Margaret sounds like a wonderful, fabulous lady and I wish I could have known her. Is it okay if I drink Scotch while I make this jelly? Beloved ADORES jalapeno jelly.

[Michele]

OMG! I wish I had known her. She sounds like my kind of gal. I think it was completely appropriate for you to sit by her grave and drink, cry, and remember your love for her. Thanks for the recipe. I'll be adding it to the box.

[Michele Renee]

Loved reading your story! I had to read the part about you driving at age 11 a few times to make sure I wasn't reading it wrong. Yowza! I'm sure I could make my dinner just be having that brie and jelly.

[becky]

Great story! Something so Texas about you driving to the liquor store at 11.

I LOVE jalapeno jelly, and I eat it that way too--or actually I'm not fancy enough to buy brie, but it's really good dumped on a pound of cream cheese!

[Amy]

Thanks for the recipe! Now, could you just fly on out to Va and give me a little demo? Cos honest to pete, making jalapeno jelly is something I have wanted to do the past two Christmas seasons, after seeing a so-festive picture of some, but I found I have heebies over the whole canning deal, not having had an Aunt Margaret or a mom ever show me how.

I'm convinced that a hands-on demonstration is what I need to help me relax about killin' someone with my improper canning technique. And I promise to have bourbon on hand...

[Viki]

Great story. I'm sure Aunt Margaret would have been proud.

[Carol]

I love Aunt Margaret!