A gracious front porch.

Be careful what you wish for!  Have you heard this old saying?  I think it is one my favorites; right up there with:  “when it rains, it pours.”  Let me explain.  For more than a dozen years I’ve been fascinated with the south – the cuisine, the history, the architecture and the general something special that I’ve found when meeting folks that hail from the south eastern part of our country or when watching a film or reading a book that takes place in the south ( a few of my perennial favorites include  the films Something to Talk About, Steel Magnolias, and The Big Chill and of course, books by Pat Conroy, Rebecca Wells, Cormac McCarthy and the celebrated cookbook author Natalie Dupree.)

In December my husband sat me down to explain that there were some job opportunities in North Carolina and he was considering stepping away from his business in San Diego and relocating us there.  Hmmm….I know I’ve always been interested in living in the South, but were we really going to move there? 

Fast forward to present day and we’ve been here not quite two weeks and so far so good.  I love the cooler weather (not mid-west cold mind you), the rain and its accompanying thunderstorms, and the snow flurries we had last week.  We’ve met some lovely neighbors and are enjoying a large, rambling backyard – great for kids and Abby, the dog.

I am looking forward to disovering my surroundings, especially learning street names, getting to know the people, visiting local attractions in Raleigh and exploring the regional cuisine.  Even now while I write this post, I’m planning next weeks dinner menu and hoping to include a couple of specialties of the region.   I look forward to exploring the cuisine of the south which is so steeped in history and  tradition.  You can be sure that I will share my experiences with you through photos and methods.

How many times do each of us think back to our childhoods and one or more happy memories come to mind that are centered around a special dish lovingly prepared by our Mom?  Earlier in the week I knew (besides roasting pumpkin seeds) that I would be making my Mom’s famous Ghost Cake.  After dinner, she would disappear into the kitchen and light the eyes on the ghost cake and then carry it into our dining room to eager kids and some oohs and ahhs.

This year marked the first time I would make her ghost cake and admittedly I was running short on time.  I had to rely on boxed cake mix and prepared white frosting to make things run smoother for me on Halloween night.  I was going for effect and not “homemade goodness.”  You understand.

While finishing up dinner preparations, my Mom came over with homemade guacamole and chips and her cheese and onion puffs (also famous from my childhood) and then proceeded to cut the cake into its ghostly shape and frost it as well.  Thanks, Mom!

Here is the finished cake from Friday night.

The famous ghost cake.