Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies. Shawshank Redemption, 1994.
When I woke up this morning, my hope was our downstairs AC unit would be fixed without a lot of glitches. That Tropical Storm Cristobal wouldn’t dump too much rain on us. That the Dutch Oven sitting on the stove top for several days would be washed. It’s shameful, I know. That grungy cast iron pot was parked longer than I care to admit.
The country-style pork ribs’ edible remains were long devoured. The unsavory bits, bones and grease, sat glaring at anyone passing through the kitchen. Why? Son B, on his night to wash dishes, said the pot was too hot to deal with. Better to let it cool down. Son A, in his wise thinking, thought he’d leave it linger one more day for his brother to do. Son B…well, you get the idea. After all, a cast iron Dutch Oven can’t just be thrown into the dishwasher by reluctant workers. And so, it sat. Until today! As the AC company’s crew set to lugging the old system out and putting the new one in, I set to cleaning out that pot!
It’s funny how one little action creates a chain reaction for other much-needed events. Cue the kid’s book, If You Give a Mouse a Cookie! Dutch Oven scrubbing turned into…
- unloading last night’s dishwasher dishes
- taking apart said dishwasher filter and cleaning it out
- reloading a few dirty glasses
- cleaning stovetop, counters and wall to dry Dutch Oven on stove
- wiping oven doors and vents to place Dutch Oven back into
- washing down any and all stainless-steel surfaces
- scrubbing the sink out
- running cleaner in the garbage disposal
By the time I was done, almost every obscure cleaning supply was dragged out from under the sink. It was definitely a Windex, Fantastic, garbage disposal cleaner, and Bar Keeper’s Friend kind of morning. I drew the line at cleaning out the chill chest though!
As I scraped and whittled away the daily accumulation of grime, I thought. Peaceful protests, rioting and looting, justice for any and all, the thin blue line, party lines, unemployment numbers, COVID-19, whatever phase we’re in. With the world in the state it’s currently in, there’s a lot to ponder.
The longer I scrubbed, the more I reflected. Childhood memories of family and friends. The places we’ve lived and faces met along the way. How does this jive with current events?! At some sofa-Socratic level, I boiled it all down–perspective, acceptance, and love. And reminded my heart about Miss Lucy.
The Folks and I lived on St. John in the U.S. Virgin Islands when I was a kid. (Dad worked for the National Park Service.) St. John was the many of my firsts. Learning to swim in clear blue waters. Starting elementary school and joining Girl Scouts. Meeting Miss Lucy Smith.
Miss Lucy was a native St. Johnian. When we first met her, Miss Lucy drove a passenger van with horns on its grill. She’d decorate the horns with flowers from her garden each morning. Miss Lucy gave visitors tours crisscrossing St. John, showing iconic sights like the Annaberg Sugar Mill ruins and telling island history. As the first female tour guide on St. John, Miss Lucy truly loved her island and sharing it with anyone who’d listen!
When she wasn’t touring, Miss Lucy, or Mama Lucy as I knew her, was busy cooking in her tiny kitchen. Goat she raised. Fresh fish or conch from the bay. Coconut plucked fresh from the beach. Or perhaps, a medicinal brew from various native plants.
We spent a lot of time at Miss Lucy’s house on Friis Bay. Dad helped her develop and build her now famous restaurant, Miss Lucy’s. In the early 1980’s, the outdoor restaurant evolved from a cement building, into a bar, store room, restaurant, and kitchen on one side (to be easily locked). Guests sat in an open area overlooking Coral Bay, surrounded by a railing to keep Miss Lucy’s goats out. Miss Lucy’s daughter Linda now runs the restaurant. A Google search leads to Yelp!, TripAdvisor, and Frommer’s reviews. Or go to Facebook @MissLucysVI for the real deal!
Mama Lucy taught me many things. The art of a positive attitude making fungi (pronounced foon-ji), served with perspective using what’s on hand–cornmeal and butter. The importance of acceptance, using an open mind and heart, to try something new–sucking fish heads and munching their eyes. The influence of love’s powerful force–simply listening and spending time with those you care for. Miss Lucy cared for a lot of people in her short 91 years!
As I look at my much cleaner kitchen, debating what to cook for dinner, I’m thinking life goes in full-circles. Life-long lessons learned in Miss Lucy’s kitchen reflect back on one simple act…meeting Miss Lucy! Good things truly never die!
True to form, there has to be recipe associated with this post. What I’d love to share with you right now is a copycat recipe of Miss Lucy’s coconut tart. Even after we moved back to the States, in true St. Johnian tradition, Miss Lucy mailed us coconut tarts every Christmas. She’d grate fresh coconut, boil it down, pour it into a crust with a little of this and that, and wham! Scrumptious, heavenly coconutty-ness! But like most treasured edibles, a replica recipe will never do it justice. (But that doesn’t mean I’m not trying!) Instead, I present two coconut-based munchies—1-2-3 Coconut Cookies and All-Access Chocolate Coconut Cookies.
1-2-3 Coconut Cookies are simplicity at their finest. Much like a macaroon, these easy-to-mix delights are like counting 1-2-3. 1 can of sweetened condensed milk, 2 cups of corn flakes, 3 cups of sweetened flaked coconut, a little vanilla and salt. Bake to gooey goodness and that’s it!
All-Access Chocolate Coconut Cookies reflect a wider spectrum of tastes. It’s a take on a classic white-chocolate macadamia nut cookie. Chocked full of these nuts, white-chocolate chips, coconut, ground oats, lemon and vanilla. This cookie is perfect for those of you who crave wide ranging, all-inclusive tastes!
In honor of Miss Lucy, I raise a rum and tonic, and offer a Dr. Seuss quote. Don’t give up! I believe in you all. A person’s a person, no matter how small.
All-Access Chocolate Coconut Cookies
A take on the classic white-chocolate macadamia nut cookie, this goodie is chocked full of nuts, white-chocolate chips, coconut, ground oats, flavored with lemon and vanilla. It’s perfect for those who crave a wide range of bright tastes!
Ingredients
1–1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup oats, ground using a food processor or blender
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt (kosher or table)
3/4 cup (1–1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup brown sugar, packed
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. lemon extract
1–1/2 cup shredded sweetened coconut
1–11 oz. bag white chocolate chips
1 cup (4 oz.) rough-chopped macadamia nuts
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two to three baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
In a small bowl, sift ground oats, all-purpose flour, baking soda and salt together. Set aside.
In a large bowl, using a stand-mixer or hand-held mixer, cream unsalted butter and brown sugar until fluffy. Beat in eggs, vanilla, and lemon extract. Beat in flour mixture until just incorporated. Stir in coconut, white chocolate chips and nuts.
Using a #24 ice cream scoop (3 tbsp.) or 1/4 cup measuring cup, drop dough onto prepared baking sheets, about 2 inches apart. Chill for about 1 hour.*
Bake for 17-20 minutes, or until cookies are golden brown. Let cool on a wire rack. Store up to a week in a tightly sealed container.
Notes
*Dough can be frozen after 1 hour. Store in a tightly sealed container or zip-top bag for up to 3 months. When needed, bake as directed above as oven comes to temperature.
IMNPB
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