Starting Over in Wickham Falls by Rochelle Alers

Author:Rochelle Alers
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2020-02-13T12:30:57+00:00

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Langston pressed his hands to his belly. He realized he’d eaten too much, but he couldn’t stop himself when he had second helpings of the sweet and sour cabbage, sweet potato casserole with a topping of finely crushed sugared pecans and the fork-tender double-cut stuffed pork chops with an onion and pepper gravy that literally melted on his tongue.

“If I eat like this every day I’d end up gaining at least fifty pounds,” he said, smiling across the table at Georgina. Where did you learn to cook like this?”

She smiled. “My grandmama taught me.”

Langston raised his glass of rosé. “Here’s to grandmothers all over the world who taught their grandbaby girls how to cook.”

“Grandma Dot was old school and she told me no young woman should marry unless she knew how to cook because she didn’t much believe in eating in restaurants, or husbands being able to cook.”

Langston partially agreed with Georgina’s grandmother. “Restaurants are necessary at times, but I personally would rather a home-cooked meal anytime to eating out. Is your mother a good cook?”

“The only thing I’m going to say is that she’s better than my aunt Michelle. My grandmother gave up on them when they claimed they didn’t want to be chained to a stove, which meant I was her next pupil. I loved going to my grandmother’s house because whatever she made was delicious. And she was in seventh heaven whenever I asked her to teach me how to cook something I really liked. She’d sit me on a stool near the table or stove and patiently show me step by step how make perfect fried chicken or ribs.”

A slight frown furrowed Langston’s forehead. “She fried ribs?”

“Yes. She’d cut up ribs, wash and season them with kosher salt and lots of black and white pepper. Then she would put flour in a paper or plastic bag and coat them well. And like with chicken, she’d shake off the excess flour and fry them in oil until they’re brown all over. They would take only about two to three minutes to cook. I varied the cooking method with spraying them with canola oil and oven-fry them. They come out just as crispy but with less oil.”

“Wow! One of these days I want you to come over so I can watch you make them.”

Nodding, Georgina smiled. “Okay.”

“I’ll buy the ribs from the butcher at the supermarket and have him chop them into bite-size pieces.”

“What else do you plan to serve with the ribs?” she asked.

Langston searched his memory for what he’d eaten when visiting his grandmother in South Carolina. “Potato salad and cole slaw.”

Georgina’s eyebrows lifted. “You’re going to make potato salad?”

Langston winked at her. “You’re not the only one with a grandma who could burn some pots. She did teach her grandbaby boy and girl how to cook.”

Propping her elbow on the table, Georgina rested her chin on the palm of her hand. “And she taught you well, because you are quite good.”

He inclined his head.

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