A Piece of Southern History

Moon Pies and RC

The three main ingredients of Moon Pies are marshmallow, graham crackers and a chocolate covering. Moon Pie is still produced by the same bakery that invented them back in 1929. In this day and age of huge conglomerates that own multiple brand names, there’s only one Moon Pie, and those pies are the sole product of family owned Chattanooga Bakery in Chattanooga Tennessee. Originally a bakery formed by the Mountain City Flour Mill as a way to use flour that couldn’t be sold in stores, the Chattanooga Bakery has spent the last eight decades creating a snack that has become a symbol of the South itself.

RC Cola was the first company to distribute cola in cans in 1954. Four years later, they introduced the 16 oz. bottles. R.C. Cola was typically larger than a serving of Coca-Cola or other sodas.

Moon Pies hit the markets of Chattanooga Tennessee in 1917 and R.C. Cola arrived in 1934. They were an instant success when they combined forces in the 1950's. You could buy a RC (Royal Crown) Cola and Moon Pie special for 10 cents, back then, that was a full 16 ounces of soda and the MoonPies' weighed about near (that's southern for approximate size) a half pound.

The combination of "R.C. Cola and a moon pie" became inseparable, and was often referred to as the "working man's lunch." (A novelty song in the early 1950s called "An RC Cola And A Moon Pie" became a popular jingle of the time. The band NRBQ later recorded a different song called "RC Cola and a Moon Pie" which was so popular among their fans that they held a series of concert/gatherings called "Moon Pie Festivals")

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Salmon with Crabmeat Stuffing and Roasted Potaotes

Roasted Red Potatoes

Ingredients:

• 9 medium red potatoes-quartered
• 1/2 tsp each thyme,Rosemary, smoked or regular paprika
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 cloves, minced

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 400
• Place all ingredients in a large zip loc bag, seal
• Shake well to coat potatoes with oil and spices 
• Spread out on a lightly greased foil lined baking sheet
• Sprinkle with Sea Salt and pepper
• Roast for 35-40 minutes or until potatoes are tender,turn twice during baking  time

Salmon Ingredients:

• 2 fillets
• lemon slices
• 1 TB olive oil
• 2 tsp. Old Bay Seasoning
• 1 TB. butter

Crab Stuffing Ingredients:

• 8 oz. crabmeat
• 1 TB.olive oil
• 2 TB. garlic cloves, minced 
•  1 celery rib minced
• 1 tsp. Old Bay Seasoning
• 2 TB. fresh parsley
• 2 TB. mayonnaise
• 1 lightly beaten egg
• 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce 
• 1/2 cup Panko crumbs

Crab Stuffing  Directions:

• Saute in 1 TB. olive oil minced celery, garlic and onion
• In a bowl add crabmeat, Old Bay Seasoning, parsley, mayonnaise, egg, Worcestershire sauce, crumbs and celery mixture  

Salmon Directions:

• Rub each fillet with  1 tsp. Old Bay Seasoning 
• Using a very sharp knife, cut a slit down the middle of each fillet; do not cut all the way through. Fold the fillet in half and cut another slit on each side of the fold into the thick part of the fillet to create a pocket
• Fill each pocket with stuffing and roll the fillet and anchor with toothpicks or kitchen string
• Place crabmeat filled fillets in a baking dish,drizzle with butter, top with lemon slices and bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes or until salmon flakes   

How to Soften Butter Quickly: Not with a microwave which may over soften or cause melting, but roll it between sheets of wax paper for perfectly pliable butter.