Carolina Foodways: Dirty Rice

2 cups     long grain rice
4 cups     chicken stock
12 oz       chicken livers
1              large onion, chopped
1              bellpepper, chopped
2              stalks celery
3-4          cloves garlic, minced
1             cup mushrooms, chopped
1             bunch parsley, chopped
1             tablespoon salt
3             tablespoons corn oil
               salt, pepper & Tabasco to taste

Saute the livers and chopped veggies in corn oil. Add the rice and saute, then add the stock. Cook with a lid on the pot for 30 - 35 minutes. I use a rice cooker for making this dish.

There area  million variations on this dish so feel free to experiment and adapt to your own tastes!

Nuthin' says lovin' like something from the oven

Captain Willie and his First Mate Harry sat in the tiny cockpit, each man having just barely enough space to fit his legs under his respective instrument panel.
“So what do you have planned for when we get to Charleston? That’s your hometown isn’t it?” asked Harry.
“Gonna visit my mama first off, ‘course! You got somethin’ special planned?”
“Food, food and more food! I came by this stomach honestly you know.” Harry chuckled.
The captain chuckled as well.
“I’m gonna start by going to my favorite restaurant and ordering the biggest helping of Jambalaya they’ve ever served up! And I’m gonna follow it with Gumbo with okra and freshly caught shrimp, squash and ham soup, any kind of fritters. And don’t forget orange-glazed sweet potatoes!”
Captain Willie nodded agreement, “Yeah, I go for anything fried, especially fritters. Can’t be frying up stuff on this crate; one spark and the damn thing would catch afire and we’d all be done for.”
“This is just about the time of the year for fried green tomatoes.” said Harry.
You know what I miss most of all? Eggs.  And I mean just about anything to do with eggs. Fry ‘em, devil ‘em, but best of all is coconut custard pie! Yeah, my mama feeds me plenty! And after I catch-up with her news I’m goin’ out dancing and see what kind of trouble I can stir-up. Be awful nice to have some lovely perfumed ladies for company instead of sweating, stinking crewmates.”
“Not our fault there isn’t a tub on this airship! We could stop more often I suppose. Besides Kennia and Tira are ladies.”
“No,” answered the Captain. “They are co-workers. Not at all the same thing. And do not ever let Tira hear you call her a lady! Not unless you’d like a smack upside your head..”

Meanwhile Tira and Kennia were back in the airship’s interior doing routine maintenance.
“I’m looking forward to seeing my sweetheart. And some new clothes wouldn’t hurt either.”
Tira laughed, “You and your wardrobe! You already own enough clothing for three women and a drag queen! My boy isn’t expecting me back so soon. Don’t know if he’ll even be in town at all. He’s 19 now and pretty much comes and goes as he pleases just like his da.”
“You expecting to see h him while we’re in town?”
Tira snorted. “Not likely! Besides, he’s probably on the road again. You know how musicians are. Got a new lady singer friend all gussied up in lace and jewelry  no doubt, just waitin’ to be the next music hall sensation.”
“That last one was a pretty little thing and she had a really lovely voice. Whatever happened to her? Did she find a bigger and better honeypie?”
“Lord only knows what happened with her. I don’t bother keepin’ up with them now so it don’t make me no never mind.”
“You might not say that if he came a knockin’ on your door again, gal!”
“You’re dreaming! Or crazy! I had enough of that man and his conniptions years ago. I like my life nice and peaceful. And believe you me, this airship is a haven compared to what my life was like back when I was married.”

Tira

(aka March's non-story post)

Tira is the airship crew's mechanical genius - she can fix anything or sabotage it! She has her hair pulled back and pinned since she doesn't want it getting in her eyes while she is working. In one hand she has her wrench and in the other a leather bag containing more tools. Her belt also holds various gadgets as do the pockets on her trousers. Should she need to blend-in, she can add a full skirt over her trousers with no one being the wiser! 

Homesick for Charleston

“Captain,” said Harry, for once totally awake despite not being in the pilot’s seat, “I think the entire crew needs some time-off for respite and recuperation. None of us, including you, have had any holiday since I don’t know when.”
Captain Willie grunted assent. He was not surprised that the crew was becoming restless from lack of recreation. Even before the strange events in the mountains they had been on a stressful schedule of courier assignations. He was taken unawares though when Tira, the silent member of the crew, spoke up.
“Captain, you know we need to return to homebase for maintenance! I’ve been on you about that for a while now.”
Willie James grimaced. “Yep, you have at that.”
“And you did say that the events up in the mountains were making you nervous even if you aren’t quite sure why.” Kennia looked pointedly at the Captain as she spoke.
“Yeah, I was thinkin’ that way myself. Sooner we get home to Charleston, the sooner we can breathe out. Kennia, you got any dispatches to give to the Tuscarora?”
“No sir, not today. All messages and packages have been delivered. Got nothin’ to relay either.”
“Well then. I guess we head southeast from now on. ‘Bout time I got some of my mama’s homecookin’ and all.”
Harry perked up at that thought. “Fresh food instead of tinned! Jambalaya made with chicken and shrimp! I can hardly wait!"

Indeed just the prospect of being homeward bound enlivened the entire crew. Months of travel, spying and covert missions had taken their toll on everyone’s nerves. Some time spent enjoying the sun’s warmth and the fresh sea breeze would be good for them all!

Kennia

She has her canteen in one hand and dynamite in the other! Yes, I know that in our timeline dynamite was invented by Alfred Nobel in 1867 but wouldn't a professional spy/saboteur have good reason to have invented it or something similar a few years earlier? Kennia has her grappling hook at her side and various items attached to her belt, including a gun. She is fearless and ready for action!

January's non-story post (wow! only 3 weeks late!)

Captain Willie James as created on www.heromachine.com/

Good-bye to Ole Toby

While counting out the coin to pay for her purchases Kennia leaned towards Lurleen and whispered, “While I’m here, do you think that you could find a use for that man over there? He’s an unwanted passenger and I would like to be off with him.”
“How on earth did even someone that skinny manage to stowaway on your ship? I thought it was packed plumb full to bustin’” asked Lurleen.
“His name is Ole Toby and he isn’t exactly a stowaway. More like a bit of extra cargo. And he’s makin’ the captain cranky.”
“Well, now, we can’t have that now!” smiled Lurleen. “But what am I goin’ to do with him?”
“Find some chores for him to do. He can run errands or something. He’s real good at sneakin’ about.”
“Humph!” Guess I just can’t resist that now can I? You take care, love, and take care of that captain of yours and your other crew mates. Don’t be a stranger now!”
Lurleen hugged Kennia tightly. “Jus’ send that Toby fella back for more supplies after he takes these to the ship. I’ll set him straight for ya!”

 When she returned to the airship Kennia put away the supplies, humming to herself all the while. She thought to herself how glad she was to have even a small bit of additional space in the crowded storage bay. The interior of the Sandflea contained just enough space but no extra. Indeed every item that could do double duty did so and the space was used to its maximum capacity. “Nice to create a bit of order,” she reflected as she shifted about the dry goods. “What a shame that Josie wasn’t about. That lad was already a good hunter at fourteen years of age and would no doubt be even better by the time he became an adult.”

“I hear someone singin’ now.” chuckled Captain Willie. “Got our supplies and such stashed away yet?”
“Everything but one,” Kennia grinned.
“Which one?”
“Our extra passenger. You know, the man who ate up more than his own weight in food. I sent him back to Lurleen and she’s gonna put him to work.”
 “He’s gone?” Captain Willie brightened considerably. “Well, that just makes my day! Any juicy gossip in town?”
“Lots,” laughed Kennia, “but not the sort you would be interested in. Been pretty quiet ‘round here from what I hear. Miss Lurleen’s man sits on the local tribal council so he would know if something was in the works.”
 “Or the Catawbas are just keeping a lid on it?” asked the captain.
“No, sir, Lurleen and I go back a long ways and she couldn’t hide something from me even if she was to try.”
“If you say so then.”
“Well I do. And while I was shopping, I made sure to buy some of those salt pickles we all like so much!”

 Meanwhile, back at the Catawba Trading Post: “Whadda I do now? And I don’t know no one who lives ‘round here,” groused Toby.
Miss Lurleen smiled. “Oh, I got a whole big ole load of wood just waitin’ to be chopped. And with my man and boy out hunting, there’s been a shortage of hands here to do chores.” Her smile widened to a grin.