Coop de Ville and Never Fail Dumplings

I love living in the country, even if it is a "planned neighborhood." We have many of the perks of country living; peace and quiet and our houses are spaced far enough apart that we don't feel like we are on "top of each other." Summertime days include crickets chirping, birds singing and if you listen long enough you can even hear a rooster crowing up the road at the neighbor's house. I love that sound. In fact, I love chickens. Yes I do!

My love affair with chickens began early, my parents had a small flock of hens that provided us with fresh eggs daily. They were free range birds, a phrase that wasn't even in the American vocabulary in the 1950's! Mom would turn them out of the hen house early each morning to forage for worms and fresh grass.

My Grandparents lived on a real farm and had chickens and cows. When we would go to visit I loved feeding the chickens their “scratch”, a coarse ground corn and mixed grain. They would crowd around clucking, grateful for the scraps that came from Grandma’s kitchen. The hens had a “pecking order” that determined where they would fly up to roost in the chicken house at night. My Grandma pointed out things like that and it stuck with me. The Rooster would keep a healthy distance, always watching over his flock. Living in the country meant their were dangers to the hens, like hawks, fox or snakes. His crowing was a way to alert the girls “Heads up, danger!” Roosters came equipped with a big beak and spurs on their legs that they would use to defend. A bad Rooster sometimes would misbehave and try to “flog” Grandma…big mistake. He could end up making a delicious pot of dumplings! Most times she simply would fluff her apron at him and that was enough to correct his impudence.

The chickens served double purpose on the farm, keeping the bugs and snakes at bay and providing delicious eggs and fried chicken. Yes, Grandma tenderly cared for that flock of chickens, but make no mistake they were there for food. During the Depression my Grandparents would sell eggs and dressed hens to the local market for income. My Mother can remember in the early spring Grandma would order “peeps,” newly hatched chicks and when they would arrive they would be kept in the kitchen to keep warm until the weather turned nice. It would have been easy to think of them as pets, cute little yellow sun drops!

Our local Farmers Co-op will order chicks for you each spring and when I was there last week they had the catalog out on the counter. Oh my, how I would love to have a nice little coop of hens to tend. I know that’s not possible, my neighbors wouldn’t share my love of chickens. Just think... they could eat my nasty little bugs and scratch around the yard. They could supply me with chicken poo. They could soothe my ears with their soft cluck-cluck-clucking!

A nice chicken coop would fit into any setting, even a backyard. This one is pretty nice, don't you think?

I like this one too, the "girls" would love laying their eggs in this cute little cottage!

What about this one? I have just the place for it at the edge of our woods!

It’s wonderful having fresh eggs to enjoy. They do taste different than store-bought and definitely have brighter colored yolks. Your local Farmers Co-op has everything you need to start your own little backyard coop, even the COOP! If you have the space you'll be rewarded with a simple pleasure that’s good for you!

Today's recipe comes in the mail from Aunt B. She shares a friends' Never Fail Dumplings. Aunt B. says, "My friend Ellen Sides is an excellent cook, her peanut butter pie is to die for!" I'm asking for that one TOO!

Never Fail Dumplings

1 1/2 cups flour

4 tablespoons shortening

1 egg, beaten

5 tablespoons water

1/2 teaspoon salt

Mix flour, salt and shortening. Beat egg and water together then add to the flour mixture, making soft dough. Roll out into thin sheets. Dry 15 minutes or more. Cut into strips and drop into boiling broth. Don't cover. *Ms. Ellen doesn't tell us how long to cook, like most good cooks she just "knows" when they are done. For the rest of us, about 15-20 minutes on the timer should cook these tender dumplings through. Take one out and give a taste-test, maybe taste more than one...

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