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The Upson Beacon
Thursday,
April 8,2021
Page 3B
Lots of things that couldn't be done have been done.-Charles Auston Bates
Recipes By
Mary Ann
Mary Ann McCrary
This past week is another one
that I have not had time to be in
the kitchen because so much has
been going on around here. Ashley
had a wonderful get together at her
house on Saturday with a large
Easter egg hunt for the kids. She
had a great meal and sent us home
with enough smoked Boston butt
to last us for several days.
As soon as I get all the taxes in
this week, I am thinking that I will
have plenty of time to play with
new recipes. I bought the ing
redients for the sausage and bean
soup to have this week along with
sandwiches for easy meals. Since
strawberries are in season, the
recipe for the strawberry shortcake
is a must-have. Once you cook this
cake, you will never buy any more
of those little round cakes in the
store.
SAUSAGE AND BEAN SOUP
1 package 15 bean soup mix (in the
section with dried peas)
2 quarts water
2 pounds Italian sausage (I use the
turkey kielbasa)
1 small onion, finely diced
V2 cup chopped celery
1 bay leaf
Va teaspoon dried basil
Va teaspoon oregano
1 clove minced garlic
Cajun seasoning in the package of
soup mix
1 (28 ounce) can tomatoes
Sort and wash beans. Soak
overnight or for several hours in
warm water. Drain water from
soaked beans. Place beans and 2
quarts of water in large slow
cooker along with the sliced sau
sage, onion, celery, bay leaf, basil,
oregano, garlic, seasoning, and to
matoes. Cook on Low for eight
hours. Taste to see if any salt is
needed and remove bay leaf. If you
use another type of sausage which
has more fat, it needs to be cooked
and drained before adding to the
soup mixture.
STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
Va teaspoon salt
V2 cup milk
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 quart fresh strawberries, sliced
Va cup sugar
whipped cream
The night before I plan to have
the shortcake, I slice the straw
berries into a plastic container, lay
ering with sugar. I usually use a I/4
cup or a little more of sugar, and I
add just a little water so that there
will be just a little more of the
syrup.
In a mixing bowl, beat eggs for
3 minutes. Add 1 cup of sugar grad
ually, beating until thick and light
in color. Combine flour, baking
powder and salt; beat into the egg
mixture. Heat milk and butter just
until butter begins to melt - I use
the microwave. Beat into batter
with vanilla. This cake has a thin
consistency. Pour into a greased 8-
inch square pan. Bake at 350 de
grees for 25 minutes or until a
wooden pick inserted near the
center comes out clean. Cool for 10
to 20 minutes before serving.
Before serving, cut cake into
serving-sized pieces; cut each slice
in half horizontally. Spoon straw
berries between cake layers and
over the top of each serving. To
make the whipped cream, beat
whipping cream on high with an
electric mixer. When it begins to
thicken, add confectioners’ sugar
and sweeten to your taste. Whip
until thickened, being careful not
to overdo. You can tell easily when
the desired consistency is reached.
Enjoy, Mary Ann McCrary
The Legacy of Alfredo ‘Alfonzo’ Britt Lives On
Alfred "Alfonzo" Douglas Britt Photo Submitted
Late Thomaston native Alfred
“Alfonzo” Britt played in various
local bands over the years, bringing
many together to enjoy the soul,
beach, and Motown tunes that he
loved so, while starting and inspir
ing several bands throughout his
life.
Starting a band during his high
school years, Britt developed the
SOABS, which played local gigs and
included members Bobby Alex
ander, Darrell McGlon, Harold Lie-
ferman, and David Penn. Shortly
after, Britt left to play bass with
older musicians, before returning to
develop “Alfonzo and the Fabulous
Bootleggers.”
As the SOABS “fell apart,” Penn
remembers joining a group with Al
exander called “The Apaches.” Both
bands covered conventional “rock
and roll” material from artists like
Roy Orbison, Elvis Presley, Richie
Valens, and The Beatles.
After about a year had passed,
Penn and Alexander, along with
Gary Fortner, received phone calls
in 1964 from Britt, who wanted to
put together a horn band to do soul,
beach, and Motown covers. The
four, along with three horn players,
got together to develop a setlist of
covers from artists like James
Brown, Otis Redding, The Tempta
tions, and more.
“That sounded like fun,” com
mented Penn. “We all felt we might
book bigger and better gigs for
more money, so we reluctantly
jumped at the chance.”
Alfonzo and the Fabulous Boot
leggers was an eight-piece band, in
cluding lead vocalist and front man
Alfonzo, three horns, a guitar, bass,
organ, and drums. The group was
formed of musicians who per
formed in various local bands dur
ing their upbringing and attendance
at R.E. Lee Institute and the band
formed to play the horn-based soul,
beach, and Motown music that be
came popular in the 1960s.
While the horn section was ac
customed to reading sheet music,
other members learned parts by
ear. Penn recalls practicing and lis
tening to the first record “four or
five times, picking up the arm and
replacing the needle in spots to be
sure we all knew our parts.” Finally
counting off and playing the song,
members were “blown away” by the
combination of the instruments,
“and our first experience with the
horn section just about laid us out
in the floor.”
The band’s name, Alfonzo and
the Fabulous Bootleggers, has an
interesting origin. “Bootleggers”
was derived from the song “Boot
leg,” by Booker T. and the MG’s, the
first song played by the band.
Entering a “battle of the bands”
at the West Central Georgia Fair in
1965, the band “easily won.” Easy
winnings were contributed to Britt
coming onto stage sliding along on
one foot and at the end of the set,
mimicking James Brown’s signa
ture “Please, Please, Please.”
Announcing the winners, a
radio disc jockey called the group
back up for an encore and instead of
introducing them as “Alfonzo and
the Bootleggers,” added in the word
“Fabulous,” and all band members
agreed it sounded “pretty cool.”
Successfully developing a fol
lowing, the band traveled through
out Macon and Atlanta to perform
in various schools, music halls, and
clubs. In the summer of 1965, the
band submitted a demo package to
Bob Lamb Productions, a booking
agency in Macon, allowing for more
opportunities, including playing
with nationally recognized
recording acts. The band did receive
preliminary contract offers, but
were in no position to accept, since
the band had no original songs and
were still in high school.
The hard work and inspiration
of Alfred Britt contributed to the de
velopment of additional bands, in
cluding Penn’s current band, “The
Soul Purpose Band.”
After graduating high school,
Britt served in the United States
Navy as a medic in DeNang during
the Vietnam War. He later attended
Gordon Military College, transfer
ring to the University of Georgia
and obtaining a degree in journal
ism. He was employed by C&S Up
holstery as a salesman and was a
member of First United Methodist
Church in Thomaston.
Britt passed away Feb. 6, but his
legacy continues to inspire others.
“I am eternally grateful for my
close friend and musical brother,
Alfred (Alfonzo) Douglas Britt,”
commented Penn. “Because of his
creative talent and our friendship, I
have enjoyed many happy years and
memories performing classic soul,
beach, and Motown hits... Fonzo
was very special, extraordinarily tal
ented, funny, and a kind man who
loved his family and friends, and
loved entertaining and making
people smile and laugh... My since-
rest condolences go out to all of his
family and friends. May my dear
brother, Fonzo, find his final rest in
God’s eternal love and peace.”
Happy Anniversary
Darryl and Gail Rogers
celebrate their 56th
anniversary April 10.
Richard and Cathy Turner
celebrate their 53rd
anniversary April 14.
Rex and Vicki King
celebrate their 47th
anniversary April 14.
Floyd and Jackie Weeks
celebrate their 46th
anniversary April 11.
Ronnie and Dianne Paul
celebrated their 37th
anniversary March 31.
CDR Jim and Sabine Jarvis
celebrate their 34th
anniversary April 11.
Mark and Lauri Irvin
celebrate their 26th
anniversary April 8.
Lee and Kay Bray
recently celebrated
their 23rd anniversary.
Jeff and Amy Kelly
recently celebrated
their 22nd anniversary.
Robbie and Angie Sheppard
celebrate their 2lst
anniversary April 8.
Daniel Foy and Faivne
DeRosia celebrated their
17th anniversary April 2.
Carl and Michelle Teal
celebrated their 14th
anniversary March 31.
Rodney and Holly Harrison
celebrate their seventh
anniversary April 12.
Adam and Katie Salter
celebrate their seventh
anniversary April 12.
Mason and Ivy Bridges
celebrated their second
anniversary April 6.