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HOUSTON HOME JOURNAL
Breakfast with Millie
Biscuits, gravy, country ham and an extra helping of smiles
By CHARLOTTE PERKINS
Journal Staff Writer
There are menus, but most
people don’t even ask for
one. They already know
what they want, and the chances
are good that the waitress does
too.
It’s that kind of place.
You can get there before the
sun comer, -up. If you don’t feel
like talking until you’ve had your
"Breakfast is
good, coffee's
good, service
is geed."
- Customer Ernie
Oppizzi, on My Sister's
Case
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allowing for the steady ching-ching
of the cash register, you may even
forget it’s a restaurant and think it’s
home.
Don Svoboda, who is a corporate
executive later in the day, even has
his own key. If he arrives before
Millie Cotton and her hardworking
grandson, Chris, he can let himself
in and get the coffee going.
What’s cooking?
Biscuits are fresh from the oven.
Sawmill gravy, that incredible
stuff that some of us grew up call
ing “milk gravy,” is hot on the stove.
There’s grits, of course.
Sausage. Bacon. Eggs any way
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•Journal/Charlotte Perkins
My Sisters Cate waitress Cindy Henderson gets a smile from Paul
Spears.
Passion fop Panlni?
You can make your own toasted sandwiches
at home. Try the Breville Ikon Panini Press for
everything from paninis to quesadillas to Philly
cheese steak sandwiches.
It comes with a cookbook and costs $99.95,
but maybe it will pay for itself. Check it out at
Williams-Sonoma.com.
you want them, Hash browns. Egg
sandwiches. Or any combination
of the above.
(Later in the day, the buffet will
be full of fried chicken and south
ern vegetables, but breakfast at My
Sister’s Caf6, is cooked to order.)
We’re not talking “low cholester
ol” here. What you get here is the
kind of breakfast that has tradition
ally provided hard-working south
erners with fuel for the day’s work:
high protein, high carb, plenty of
fresh-brewed coffee and friendly
banter. If you’ve got a truck driv
er’s appetite in the morning, you’ll
find what you’re looking for.
It’s a hometown sort of place
where you’re likely to recognize a
few police officers and firefighters,
a few elected officials (including
the governor from time to time) and
plenty of local businessmen.
But this case has its own com
munity, too, because there are
“regulars” from all around Middle
Georgia, and “returnees” who
show up every year when the
motor coach rallies, horse shows
and dog shows start up at the
Georgia National Fairgrounds.
There are also newcomers who are
making themselves at home.
Ernie Oppizzi, for example,
spent most of his life in New York
and New Jersey, but he married
a Macon girl, and he and Delores
live at Houston Springs now.
“Breakfast is good, coffee’s good,
service is good,” Oppizzi says.
Terry Partain, who lives in Perry
but spends most of his day in Fort
second cup
of coffee,
that’s okay.
If you’re a
morning
person,
you’ll find
plenty of
conversa
tion with
other early
birds.
In fact,
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Recipe of the Week
Black Forest Muffin Cakes
From Betty Crocker, here’s a quick an easy
dessert that looks like you worked for hours.
1 box (1 lb 2.25 oz) Betty Crocker® double
chocolate muffin mix
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Joumal/Charlotte Perkins
Millie Cotton, shown here with father and son, Aland A. J. Adams, who are regulars for breakfast, gets to
know her customers at My Sister’s Caf6.
Valley as postmaster, rates the
food as “fabulous.”
Millie Cotton seems to know
Breakfast the Cotton way
Getting recipes out of Millie Cotton isn’t
easy, but that’s not because she regards
them as top secret. It’s because she doesn't
use written recipes much and wants to be sure,
when she writes things down that the cook
understands that some things are all a matter
of taste. In other words, she expects the real
cooks out there to change just about any recipe
they use, to suit their family’s taste.
Sawmill Gravy
Just for the record, the foundation of this
recipe is also called white gravy and milk gravy.
A chef might call it a Bechamel sauce.
Here’s how Millie Cotton makes it at home for
four.
4 sausage patties
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
Fry sausage patties. Remove and keep
warm.
In the same pan, blend flour into sausage drip
pings. Cook and stir. Add milk. Crumble sau
, lean (21 oz) cherry pie filling
1 egg
Frozen (thawed) whipped topping, if desired
12 maraschino cherries, if desired
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Place paper bak
ing cup in each of 12 regular-size muffin cups.
In medium bowl, stir muffin mix, pie filling and
egg until blended (batter will be very moist).
Divide batter among muffin cups.
Bake 28 to 30 minutes or until tops spring
back when touched. Cool 5 minutes; carefully
remove from pan to cooling rack. Cool com
pletely, about 30 minutes. Serve each cake
topped with a dollop of whipped topping and a
cherry.
F as in Fat
Did you know that Georgia is 14th in the
nation for obesity among adults, and 12th for
obesity among young people (ages 10-17)?
Mississippi leads the nation in obesity, and
Colorado is the skinniest state.
Gives you something to think about, huh?
Maybe it’s time to get the whole family up and
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most of her customers by name.
She’s likely even to know if they’re
going through a rough stretch in
sage patties and add to gravy. Simmer for two
minutes. Serve over open-face biscuits.
If you like it thicker, use another tablespoon of
flour. If you like it thinner add 1/2 cup of milk.
Country-style Casserole
7 large eggs
Pepper to your liking
1 teaspoon salt
4 slices of bread, cubed
1 cup sharp or mild cheddar cheese, shred
ded
2 cups of milk
1 1/2 pounds of sausage, browned
1 teaspoon mustard (optional)
Beat eggs; add milk, salt and mustard. Mix
well. Grease 9 x 12” baking dish. Make layers
of bred cubes, sausage and shredded cheese.
Pour egg mixture over the top. Refrigerate over
night. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes and
let sit for 10 minutes before cutting. Serves 6.
Spam Western Omelet
You won’t find this one at the restaurant, but
it’s one of the Cotton family’s favorites.
1 large green pepper, seeded and chopped
See COTTON, page iB
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER S, 2007
life. If you’re recovering from sur
gery, or just lost a loved one, or
See MILLIE, page 2B
“Afore </// ///** tftt'/w
moving.
Source: Trust for America's Health
High priced spice
Did you know that the world’s most expensive
spice, saffron, comes from a purple crocus
blossom? Probably most often used in this part
of the world as an essential ingredient cf paella,
it can cost as much as S6O per ounce.
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