Grama and the Fried Dandelions

I have fond memories of my Great Grandparents. When I was very young, maybe 4 years old, my G-Grandparents managed and lived in a large apartment building in Detroit. I remember going into the apartment basement with Papa Fred and watching, fascinated, as he shoveled coal into the huge furnace. Once when I was in the basement with Papa Fred the coal delivery truck came. I remember hearing the diesel motor and gears grinding and then coal came crashing down a shoot into the basement bin! And I also remember the casts of Dandelion Wine stacked in a dark corner and Papa Fred showing me the golden yellow liquid inside.

I remember Grama, always dressed in a "housedress" and apron, telling me about eating puff balls and picking wild mushrooms and huckleberries. I remember her livingroom with the fancy table lamps and the big windows that I could sit at and look way down at the traffic on the street. And I remember Grama telling me about frying dandelion blossoms.

Fried Dandelion Blossoms
Recipe by Big-Black-Dog in memory of my Great-Grandparents, Fred and Cora Will

15-20 large dandelion blossoms
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup corn meal
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. hot Hungarian paprika
1 crushed garlic clove
Oil for frying

Mix up milk, flour, corn meal, salt, pepper, paprika and garlic. You can add a bit more milk if the batter is too thick. Holding the dandelion blossom by the green end dip in batter and place in the deep fryer careful not to crowd the dandelions as they fry. Fry until golden brown and put in a bowl lined with paper towels.

When I read about Sarah's blogging event Tastes to Remember, my Grama's Dandelions immediately came to mind. Thank you for bringing back that long forgotten memory.




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