Author Topic: Made it home (Read 1981 times)

WV Sawmiller · « **on:** July 24, 2018, 09:59:39 AM »

Well, my wife and I made it home last night after about a week and half trip down to Fla and Alabama. Left Saturday a week ago and stopped in Charlotte NC and dropped off her Bernina sewing machine for repair. Stayed a couple nights with our daughter, SIL and 19 month old grandson. We tried to spoil Quinn but he needs a lot more work. At least I got him saying Grandpa which annoys my wife since he can't say Grandma yet. I guess I have the touch.

Left Monday for Bluff Springs in Escambia County Fla 500 miles away and made good time through Greenville SC and Atlanta which often have bad traffic. Stopped at Auburn for gas but did not go see what had changed since we met and attended there.

Next morning we got up and had breakfast and stopped to see friends with a used car lot and she made a few calls for us to local junkyards they use and found us a replacement Dodge truck bed. Becky's 2003 has rust over the tire wells from salt up here, attempts to fix it failed and replacements here are typically just as bad. No salt down there so was a good spot to find one. Checked it out, bought it and a tailgate and had them delivered to a local body shop to be painted. He could not swap it out then so we will go back and get it in a few weeks. I'd have driven a mismatched truck home and had my local shop paint it if we could have swapped them then.

Went over that afternoon with my brother and SIL and Mom to Jay Fla (Bucknwfl country) to get some fresh green peanuts from Lowery's outlet. On the way we spotted a local farmer on an old Ford tractor towing a load of melons fresh from the field so we turned around and followed him home. I bought 10 of the biggest ones he had.

Went on over to Lowery's and bought 40 lbs of fresh green peanuts for boiling and brought them the rest of the trip with us. We dropped off melons and a few peanuts with family and friends along the rest of our trip.

Got up Thursday and headed north to Tuscaloosa (The armpit of the earth for all AU fans). There is not straight route from Bluff Springs to Tuscaloosa so we zig zagged up little county and state roads through west central Ala. I don't ever remember so many long loads of pine pulpwood being hauled to the mills. Occasionally we'd see a long load of sawlogs. Good roads but none big or straight north. Passed through a bunch of catfish farms and cattle and horse ranches. One farm had a pretty pair of mules a little bigger than ours.

It came to me on this trip that if we can ever find a way to eat kudzu south central Alabama can feed the world. It looked like there were miles and miles of it everywhere down there.

Visited BIL and his spouse in Northport outside Tuscaloosa for a few hours then headed to Birmingham to see wife's youngest brother. Stayed there a couple of nights and did a little cloth and book shopping. Wife hunted cloth while I'd buy books in used book stores and such. Finished off one melon and left him another and Becky ate up about half the peanuts BIL boiled for himself.

Got up Saturday and headed to Cullman area for wife's 45 year HS reunion. Stopped and saw her step mom for an hour or so at an assisted living home near there then on to West Point Ala for the reunion. Met a lot of old folks there and helped Becky take the class picture. She did the individual pictures inside.

Finished and packed up and headed for Atlanta to overnight. Weather was great except for a patch west of us that looked like several acres of dough with periodic lightening flashes through the middle and ugly funnel shapes around the edges. We got to Gadsden Ala and turned toward the storm and decided not to chance it so we stopped at a cheap hotel for the night. An old tired Rodeway Inn but the AC worked, the shower was hot and the bed was comfortable and we got a good nights rest.

Got up Sunday and drove to Atlanta then on towards Charlotte. Got up into Poston country just short of the SC/NC line and stopped for gas. Heard a sound like a tire going flat. Got out a checked and nothing obvious. Had got the tires before the trip and had about 2,000 miles on them. Finally checked the lugs and were loose enough to turn by hand. That's scary! Tightened them and no more sound so I guess that was it.

Got to daughters and resumed my Quinn spoiling efforts. He is a super neat little boy. I'd chase him and his big Golden Retriever, Sadie, would step between us to protect him. That was fun to see too.

Got up yesterday and went to get Becky's sewing machine and helped my SIL get a new dryer as theirs died while we were on the trip. Since we had a truck made it easy. Got them fixed up and headed home.

Got home and called a young neighbor friend to come get a big Hobart meat slicer I'd brought him. My nephew in Fla works for a grocery store chain and got a couple they were replacing. I'll get the other on the next trip. He seemed happy with it and a melon or at least his 10 y/o son was thrilled with the melon. I told him to pick and he said he'd just take them all.

Got everything unloaded and returned a couple of calls for slabwood customers. Now I have a customer on his way with a few cherry logs to saw and have peanuts boiling in the fish cooker on the porch. I guess it will take 3 boilings to finish them all.

samandothers · « **Reply #1 on:** July 24, 2018, 10:37:58 AM »

Wow! Great trip and busy too! Glad it was safe and no issues, though the lug nut situation was a good catch.😳
Nothing like getting home safe, unpacking and relaxing a bit.
Peanuts look good. How long do the boil?

PC-Urban-Sawyer · « **Reply #2 on:** July 24, 2018, 10:41:32 AM »

Great trip / report.

Next time you do the loop you can swing in here to Panama City, we'll leave the lights on for you...

Herb

WV Sawmiller · « **Reply #3 on:** July 24, 2018, 11:44:49 AM »

Sam,

You just about can't overcook peanuts (unless you boil them dry like I did that batch while writing this epistle - I might have lost a cup or so but most were okay). I'd say about an hour of boiling is probably pretty close. I have not tried it but I think you can put them in a crock pot on high overnight and do pretty good. I know to roast dry peanuts Dad used to preheat the oven to about 325 F or so and put them on a big shallow baking try a couple of layers deep, turn off the oven and put the peanuts in and leave overnight and they would be perfect in the morning with no burning or turning required.

Herb,

Thanks for the invite but my travels don't often take me that way any more. But, you never can tell. If I do I will try to look you up. Same goes for you if you find yourself lost in the WV mountains - come see us.

Weekend_Sawyer · « **Reply #4 on:** July 24, 2018, 01:19:51 PM »

I LOVE boiled peanuts!!!!

WV Sawmiller · « **Reply #5 on:** July 24, 2018, 06:52:37 PM »

Weekend,

Come on down and we will feed you a belly full. Looks like 316 miles from Laurel Md to Hinton WV. I finished with 3 boilings in between customer making multiple trips here with one log at a time. Now we need to go buy salt as I used it all up in the process.

Magicman · « **Reply #6 on:** July 24, 2018, 07:02:10 PM »

Congrats on a fun filled trip.

I got tired just trying to figure out which way you were goin'.

btulloh · « **Reply #7 on:** July 24, 2018, 07:12:52 PM »

As much as I love peanuts, I've never had boiled peanuts.

What would you say is the main sellin' point of boiled peanuts over the other peanut forms?

I have to import peanuts now since all the peanut farmers are growing cotton and soybeans. Used to be able to go down towards Suffolk and buy good fresh raw peanuts, but not any more. If I can find some good raw peanuts maybe I'll try boiling 'em.

Glad you made it back home. Sounds like you had a nice trip.

WDH · « **Reply #8 on:** July 24, 2018, 08:00:38 PM »

I boil mine on low for about 5 hours.

Magicman · « **Reply #9 on:** July 24, 2018, 08:37:59 PM »

And yours are mighty good!!

Quote

As much as I love peanuts, I've never had boiled peanuts.

Bob, boiled peanuts do not have any of the peanut taste that you would expect. The only way that I can describe the taste of boiled peanuts is that they taste like boiled peanuts.

Southside logger · « **Reply #10 on:** July 24, 2018, 09:00:27 PM »

So did you stop off at the goat pen?

WV Sawmiller · « **Reply #11 on:** July 24, 2018, 10:04:18 PM »

No, we did not go see the goat but we were real close when the back left tire almost left on it's own. We were at the Rock Hill SC exit #104 on I-85 at the time. It still sends chills up and down my back thinking that at least 4 of the lug nuts were loose enough to turn by hand without even using a wrench. I once had a right front tire come off and leave me and was riding home from deer hunting on New year's Eve one time when our right rear tire and axle came off and rolled past us.

Btulloh,

I can't believe you haven't tried boiled peanuts. Asking what they taste like reminds me of the old Justine Wilson routine where a man saw a little Cajun boy walking by with a hawk and asked him what he what he was going to do with it and he said he was going to eat it. The guy said he liked to cook and asked what hawk tasted like and the boy said "About like owl."

btulloh · « **Reply #12 on:** July 25, 2018, 09:00:50 AM »

Yeah, it does seem odd that I haven't had any boiled peanuts, but they're just not a thing here in VA. I bumped into them down in GA way back - first I'd heard of boiled peanuts. Never had or took the chance to try some. High time I did, I s'pose. Everybody I met that ate them was pretty much devoted to it. I guess you wouldn't spend five hours boiling them if it wasn't worth it. I reckon boiled peanuts are now on my bucket list.

WV Sawmiller · « **Reply #13 on:** July 25, 2018, 09:56:05 AM »

Btullah,

We visited friends in the tidewater area of Virginia near Smithfield and such in August a couple years ago and there were big fields of peanuts everywhere and boiled and roasted peanuts were readily available.

Try them the next time you see some. If not readily available and you can get green peanuts buy a few and boil your own. I had a friend who sold peanuts in our area and I asked what he did when no green peanuts available and he said they boiled dry ones. It just took longer. If I were trying to boil dry peanuts I think I'd soak them in water overnight with a weight on then or in a weighted bag to make sure they absorbed as much water as possible then boil them.

Southside logger · « **Reply #14 on:** July 25, 2018, 10:23:44 AM »

There is a BIG place on 460 between Waverly and Wakefield that serves any and all types of peanuts. About 30 minutes east of Petersburg.

btulloh · « **Reply #15 on:** July 25, 2018, 10:39:21 AM »

That sounds like the Virginia Diner. Or in that vicinity. There are lot's of places down there, but I guess I was never on the lookout for boiled peanuts. My go-to place down there has always been Adam's. Funky little place, lot's of "charm". Time to swing by Agrisupply and then head down 460 for lunch I guess. The weather this week would have been good for that kind of thing, but I've been tied up on more aggravating activities that can't be avoided. Thanks for the info.

Weekend_Sawyer · « **Reply #16 on:** July 25, 2018, 10:40:57 AM »

I have used dried peanuts for a boil before. They are close but just a little tougher.

I'd love to visit. We'll have to plan on it one of these days.

Jon

WDH · « **Reply #17 on:** July 25, 2018, 07:38:55 PM »

Be sure and add salt to those green peanuts. Makes all the difference.

Magicman · « **Reply #18 on:** July 25, 2018, 07:45:47 PM »

Peanuts are sorta fool proof regarding the salt. Not salty enough, add salt and boil some more. Too salty, boil them in unsalted water and the salt will leach out.

You can not mess up a boiled peanut.

WV Sawmiller · « **Reply #19 on:** July 25, 2018, 08:00:40 PM »

Wanna bet? Try boiling them dry and get that nice charcoal taste from handling the hulls.

Good advice on the salt issues. Another thing is if you let them sit in the salty water after you turn the heat off they will absorb more salt too. If you like less salt pour them in a strainer as soon as you turn the heat off and you can wash with fresh water to remove even more. They are really hard to mess up.

WDH · « **Reply #20 on:** July 25, 2018, 08:03:48 PM »

One must taste test the saltiness ~~several~~ many times during the boiling process

.

SawyerTed · « **Reply #21 on:** July 25, 2018, 08:36:57 PM »

Would it be too much to ask for a recipe or directions for boiling peanuts?

I'm asking for a friend.

WV Sawmiller · « **Reply #22 on:** July 25, 2018, 09:12:12 PM »

One recipe I saw on line said add 1/2 cup of salt to a gallon of water and use water solution adequate to cover the peanuts. We have used ice cream salt too.

At old time southern peanut boilings they were cooked in a big old cast iron washpot. I see them being boiled in 55 gallon drums by the roadsides all over the South. I never bothered to check to see what had been in the barrels. That might have been a taste additive.

SawyerTed · « **Reply #23 on:** July 25, 2018, 09:17:57 PM »

Thanks! How long do they boil?

I've got the wash pot I cook chicken stew in. I've always wanted to try boiled peanuts but never have found a roadside stand I felt good about their peanuts.

WV Sawmiller · « **Reply #24 on:** July 25, 2018, 10:04:36 PM »

Boil to taste. You can't overcook them. I figure about an hour at a good rolling boil is generally adequate.

Magicman · « **Reply #25 on:** July 25, 2018, 10:20:16 PM »

I like to boil um until they are soft. Even slightly crunchy needs more time.

btulloh · « **Reply #26 on:** July 25, 2018, 10:51:16 PM »

You don't let 'em dry out after they're boiled, right? I've seen people carrying them around in a zip lock bag. How long do they keep?

PC-Urban-Sawyer · « **Reply #27 on:** July 25, 2018, 11:08:06 PM »

When we cook them they keep about an hour or so, then they're all gone...

btulloh · « **Reply #28 on:** July 26, 2018, 07:15:37 AM »

WDH · « **Reply #29 on:** July 26, 2018, 07:47:28 AM »

They freeze well. I boil a big pot and put what I don't immediately need in freezer bags and put them in the freezer. You can re-heat them in a little water later in the microwave or put them in some water in a pot on the stove and bring them to a boil again to heat them up.

WV Sawmiller · « **Reply #30 on:** July 26, 2018, 09:00:49 AM »

I should have stared this thread under the Food category I see.

Yes keep the cooked peanuts in a zip log bag (they are very moist) or bowl once cooked if not eaten immediately. They are very addictive once you start eating them. They probably are safe to eat exposed with no refrigeration for a day or two. They will keep a week or so in a refrigerator and near indefinitely when frozen. We froze all but one bag and it is near empty now.

My SIL said one of her other BILs ran a country store near her in Escambia County Fla. He sold the canned boiled Peanuts (Peanut Patch brand a I remember - they are a fair substitute if all you can get) then some vendor came along offering frozen boiled peanuts. He said people loved the frozen ones and said they were much better than canned ones. He ran out of frozen peanuts so he opened the cans and froze them till gone. People still swore how much better those frozen peanuts were.

samandothers · « **Reply #31 on:** July 26, 2018, 11:01:56 AM »

So if bagged or placed in bowl and refrigerated are these left open or sealed?
Is there an issue if they dry out?

Yep another topic gone foody!

WV Sawmiller · « **Reply #32 on:** July 26, 2018, 01:46:00 PM »

I don't think they would ever dry out in the refrigerator and I can't imagine them lasting long enough to ever dry out once you taste them.

MM said he liked his soft, I like mine with a little crunch so just cook them to taste. I see people selling them as Cajun flavored and I think they just add some Cajun spices to the mix. You probably get enough off the hulls when you open them to get that taste. I prefer mine just salted and not overly salty at that.

SawyerTed · « **Reply #33 on:** July 26, 2018, 06:17:12 PM »

I'm feeling a Saturday peanut boil coming on and I'm thinking Old Bay flavored might be interesting.

Sorry for derailing this one! Not really

WDH · « **Reply #34 on:** July 26, 2018, 07:49:50 PM »

I am a purist. No cajun spices. Just salt.

Magicman · « **Reply #35 on:** July 27, 2018, 04:51:13 PM »

This ½ bushel is soon to take a trip.

WDH · « **Reply #36 on:** July 27, 2018, 07:45:56 PM »

. Surely not up Nawth?

Magicman · « **Reply #37 on:** July 27, 2018, 09:04:22 PM »

They are not to be wasted doing a taste test.

Glaciated people that talk funny would probably think that they were Grits and refuse to eat them anyway.

WV Sawmiller · « **Reply #38 on:** July 27, 2018, 10:26:57 PM »

Better not let them try them or there won't be enough for the rest of us.

I am not suggesting they are addictive but I understand there are on-going studies indicating boiled peanuts may be used to help get drug addicts off Heroin and Crack Cocaine by keeping them distracted munching on peanuts instead of doing hard drugs.

trapper · « **Reply #39 on:** July 27, 2018, 11:31:55 PM »

had some in fl willing to try them again

WDH · « **Reply #40 on:** September 21, 2018, 08:08:53 PM »

It is peanut pickin' time in Georgia. Got a big batch on the boil right now. Mmmm smells good.

WV Sawmiller · « **Reply #41 on:** September 21, 2018, 09:29:27 PM »

We still have several gallons frozen from our trip back in July. I take out a bag every couple of weeks and put in the refer till they thaw and munch on them for several days. Still real good. Glad to hear yours are ready. I know y'all are enjoying them.

Don P · « **Reply #42 on:** September 21, 2018, 10:41:47 PM »

Quote from: Magicman on July 25, 2018, 07:45:47 PM

Peanuts are sorta fool proof regarding the salt. Not salty enough, add salt and boil some more. Too salty, boil them in unsalted water and the salt will leach out.

You can not mess up a boiled peanut.

Reminds me of, oh I think it was Ralph Stanley, travelling the country in the band's bus carrying a cured ham in a wooden box. "You can't hurt ham"

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Author Topic: Made it home (Read 1981 times)

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