MRS. MOLLY BRASWEL'S PICKLED BEANS

Molly's granddaughter, Lila Jean Hensley, recently requested her Grandmother's pickled beans and corn recipes which I had submitted to the Avery Journal years ago.
My grandmother, Joe Wright Vance, and Mrs. Molly were neighbors in Newland. I was raised in my grandparents house along with my sister Nan and brother Bill. I can remember going to Mrs. Molly's house when I was very young and she had a talking parrot and I loved that bird. I had never seen one before and I was totally fascinated with that creature.
She and my Mama Joe were best friends and they traded the old-timey recipes back and forth through the years. They both used the same pickling recipes which were evidently the best.
I came about these recipes when I was writing for the paper and just had to share. These and several other of Mrs. Molly's are in the 'Smokey Mountain Magic' cookbook by the Jr. Service League of Johnson City, Tenn. My book is a 1979 Edition and goes back to 1960. Maybe someone in her family can tell us how they ended up in this book. They are listed under 'East Tennessee Favorites'. You can go to www.paperbackswap.com and get in line for this book. I have been in line for one for a long time of a newer edition. I have worn this old one out. It is falling apart. That should speak for itself.

Before starting to make pickled beans, check the ALMANAC and only make them if the signs are in the heart or the head. The salt used in this recipe must be pickling salt. Do not use salt with iodine. Select tender fresh green beans, string and break them, wash thoroughly and then cook in water until tender. Use any amount of beans you desire. When the beans are tender, rinse in cold water and drain. In the bottom of a 5 gallon crock, sprinkle 1/2 cup salt, then put about 1 gallon of beans and sprinkle another 1/4 cup salt. Continue these layers, depending on the amount of beans you want to pickel. Then pour cold water into the crock to cover all the beans. Weight the beans down to keep them covered with the liquid-you can use a plate weighted with a river rock. Leave at room temperature. In about a week, brine, will begin to form. At this time take the skim off the top of the water-this skim looks like "mother" that forms on vinegar. When the beans taste sour, take them out of the crock, pour off the brine, and using fresh water, bring the beans to a boil and let them boil for about 5 minutes. Fill hot sterile quart jars with the beans and water to cover. Seal jars. At serving time, remove beans from jar, rinse in cold water and place drained beans in a little bacon grease and serve when heated thoroughly. If your beans do not sour and form brine after about a week in the crock, take 3 or 4 ears of corn, cook it on the cob and mix with the beans in the crock. The corn will make the beans ferment and can be left with the beans, canned, and eaten along with the pickled beans.- Mrs. J.D. Braswell Sr., Newland, North Carolina

"Precious memories, how they linger, how they ever flood my soul"