Several years ago when I began to interview my grandmother, I tried to also get her to teach me how to make spoonbread. Hers was the kind that was something between cornbread and custard and didn't need butter. Although I gave it a good try, I couldn't get a recipe from her. Imagine a 16 year old gilr with a notepad and pen in hand standing next to a stove asking "How many cups was that?" and "How many tablespoons grandma?" She laughed and laughed so much at me because she cooked the old fashioned way, by sight and couldn't tell me how much of anything she used. Having taken home economics classes, I was accustomed to following a recipe and couldn't understand why she didn't measure any ingredients. Although I stood and watched the process, I couldn't approximate a good recipe and so when she died, her recipe died with her. Not too long ago I found a restaurant near Winchester, THe Wayside Inn, that has spoonbread on its menu. Not only do they charge you only $2.95 for a serving of two, but if you ask, they'll even give you the recipe! They have had I think four generations of cooks from the same family working there. The Washington Post ran a feature article on the family many years ago, and the Inn still offers some of their signature dishes such as smothered chicken and ham with red eye gravy. If you happen to be in the area, it's well worth the visit. The Wayside Inn http://www.alongthewayside.com/dining.asp Hollis L. Gentry [log in to unmask] To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe, please see the instructions at http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html