I Sent Instructions!

As I carefully prepared my care package for its trip up North to the land of Downeast Maine, it occurred to me that I may need to include some instructions to go along with the South Georgia treats that were found in the box.  Oh, I'm sure the Downeast Duck Hunter could figure out how to wear the camo hat that was in the box, but the other treat would be foreign to him. 

I may need to back up a bit and inform you that through this little blog I have had the opportunity to share my stories of South Georgia and experience some of your stories from all over this great country.  I have also had the opportunity to meet some really great people and I consider myself "lucky" to have befriended The Downeast Duck Hunter who hails from the Great State of Maine.  I'm interested in a life above the Mason Dixon line and he asks me all kinds of questions about how we do things in the South.  We talk frequently and are trying to plan trips for each other to visit during  hunting season to share what life is like in Georgia or Maine. I think of him as a friend, and what kind of friend would I be if I didn't poke a little fun at him every now and again??? It is with this that my present story begins.

In one of our many "question and answer" secessions the topic of local foods came up.  Something along the lines of "Have you ever eaten this or eaten that?"  I asked the DEDH if he had ever eaten boiled peanuts.  I knew from experience that most people from the colder states have not tried this Southern delight.  His response was "No, but my wife has tried them once when she was a little girl."  That got my mind to rolling and I figured I could do something about that.

I am a semi-professional peanut boiler!  In the fall of the year when the peanuts are being dug out of the ground and college football is in full swing, you can find me in the shop with a big pot of boiling salt water and fresh green peanuts.  You bring the peanuts to a boil and let them cook until they are the right consistency.  I then let them soak up some of the salt water and bag them up in gallon bags.  I freeze several of the bags so that I can have peanuts all winter long.  If you have never had a boiled peanut then just let me tell you that they are very addictive and you can easily eat your belly full in no time flat!

I went to the freezer and found no peanuts.  Between me, my wife, and kids we had depleted our boiled peanut supply.  My wife however will eat the boiled peanuts that you can buy in a can at the grocery store.  They are not my favorite, but they are not too bad either.  I went to the store and bought two cans to send to Maine.  I got them all packaged up and remembered a time when I was in college when we gave some Yankees Northern fellows their first try of some boiled peanuts.  They ate almost a whole bag, shell (or hull) and all before we could tell them that they were supposed to crack them open and just eat the meat from the inside.  I decided to include instructions in my gift.  They read something like this....Open can and drain.  Put peanuts in a sauce pan and fill with water.  Bring to boil and remove from heat.  Drain again and enjoy while still warm.  DO NOT EAT THE SHELL!

I received the following text from the Duckman.....Ha ha lol, next time I will read your letter before eating from a can!

I knew exactly what had happened.  In the Duckman's excitement, he tossed my instructions aside and starting chomping on peanuts straight from the can in the parking lot of the local Post Office.  After spitting out about 4 peanuts, shell and all, and decideing that this Southern boy was crazy to send something this God awful up North, he read the instructions.  I think that he enjoyed them from that point and when I called him he was full of questions about the process of boiling peanuts.  I had to sadly tell him that you could not take a roasted peanut and boil it to make it a boiled peanut.  Maybe this fall I will ship him some South Georgia fresh from the field Green Peanuts and let him give it a whirl!

I'll make sure to include BIG instructions!!