Coleslaw

 I was an adult before I realized that coleslaw was not called "Cold Slaw."  Ah well.  However, even at a very early age, I knew that one of the indicators of a good fried chicken place was having excellent cold slaw....er....coleslaw.  It is true.  Show me a place with subpar coleslaw and I will point out that the chicken is not top notch.  It will either be too salty, too greasy, too overcooked, too undercooked.  I could go on.  So count on good chicken places having good coleslaw.  Also, you will rarely find an outstanding chicken place in a restaurant that has full service with cloth napkins.  I digress.  

The other place where you can find outstanding coleslaw is within our family!  (We also make great fried chicken...and might pull out a cloth napkin!

First, we shred our cabbage and then chop it.  Same with some purple cabbage and carrot.  We finely dice some onion.  Then mix together the wet ingredients and seasonings.  Finally, we massage it into the cabbage-carrot-onion mixture.

I didn't have purple cabbage.

Keep in mind that all ingredients are estimated, but I believe you will have a good outcome if you measure it out.

Ingredients:

• 1 head of cabbage (roughly 6 cups finely chopped) (Some can be purple.)
• About 1/3 to 1/2 cup of shredded, chopped carrot
• 2 tablespoons of minced onion
• 1/3 cup of sugar
• 1/2 cup of real mayonnaise (Hellmanns or Dukes are both good!)
• 1/4 cup buttermilk
• 1/8 cup of milk
• 1 1/2 tablespoon of white vinegar
• 2 1/2 tablespoons of lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon of celery salt or salt with a sprinkle of celery seed
• 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper 

Mix together the sugar, mayo, buttermilk, milk, vinegar, and lemon juice.  Mix the cabbage, carrot, onion, salt and pepper.  Then combine the two ensuring every little flake of cabbage is anointed with the dressing mixture.  It will seem a bit loose.

Just shiny.  

Give it a tiny taste and adjust anything but the onion.  The onion flavor will increase as it sits.

The dressing will settle at the bottom.  You will stir it before serving.

Although I have never done it, I think finely diced celery might be good.  I keep saying I will try it, but never have.  Personally, I like celery salt over the celery seed which can sometimes get bitter.  It's an easy recipe but is so good and keeps well for a few days.  Mom and Granny would argue over the amount of salt, buttermilk, sugar, etc.  It always came out really good.

Root Beer Stands

 As children, going to one of several root beer stands was a huge treat.  Frosty mugs of root beer and sometimes a coney dog was nearly the definition of "summertime" in Lafayette.  In addition to the excitement of going out, we ate in the car!  Nearly magical!  

Of the root beer stands, there was one called Mom's that we could go to on our bicycles.  Though I am certain she had some sort of sandwiches, we generally went there for ice cream or floats.  It was a tiny place with a very small parking area.  I seem to recall that she had one picnic table and that was about it.  As a family, we did not drive to Mom's.  It was a bicycle with friends type of thing.

My favorite root beer stand was called "Pop's."  He had the best coney sauce and also had a sauce that he called "Spanish sauce."  I've never been able to find his "Spanish sauce" recipe, but was able to obtain what is said to be his coney dog sauce.  It's really simple to make and freezes pretty well.  With Pop's sauce, you dump everything into a pan and simmer it for an hour.  That's it.  So what do you simmer?  Here is the list:

• 1 pound of lean ground beef
• 2 Tablespoons onion, finely diced
• 1 cup of Hunt's ketchup
• 6 Tablespoons. of water
• 2 Tablespoons white vinegar
• 2 1/4 teaspoons of chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt

Dump it in the pan and simmer for an hour.  Easy.

Starting to simmer.  No, the onions are not diced.  I got lazy.

Dogs-N-Suds was the third root beer stand where we would go.  Mom loved their fried mushrooms and Dad enjoyed their hotdogs.  We loved getting footlong hotdogs because they were FOOTLONG hotdogs.  (Cannot get those at home!)  We have gone to other Dogs-N-Suds as it is a chain, but the coney sauce never tasted the same.  Again, after asking around, I was given this recipe that is more like what we would get as children.

• 1 pound ground beef
• 2 tablespoons prepared mustard
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon tabasco sauce
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons vinegar
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1/4 teaspoon celery seed
• Ketchup....a few squeezes or plops 

Brown ground beef with onion over medium heat breaking up the meat with a fork to crumble it fine.  Drain off fat.  Add everything but the ketchup.  Mix well.  Add enough ketchup to keep the mixture loose.  Simmer partially covered for 1 hour, adding ketchup as needed.  Makes enough sauce for 6-8 regular hot dogs.

Which is better?  You tell me!  You must have a root beer to go with your dogs in either case.  Dogs-N-Suds had A&W root beer.  Not sure about the other two but they certainly were terrific.  

I like mine with mustard and onion!