Eating Pole Cat and Fruitcake

During one of our visits to Sumner GA, we took a side trip to visit Essie Parker, my mom’s great aunt.  We  drove on a long winding dirt road through the woods past large, beautiful trees until we came upon a large house in the middle of a clearing.  We went to the door, could see that no one was home, so we all walked in; my mom, dad and us five kids.  Back in those days, no one locked their doors. Come to think of it, I don’t believe the doors even had locks.  You just closed  and secured them with a piece of  wood.  We were hungry so mom started looking around the kitchen for food.  On the wood burning stove she found a covered pan with some roasted meat; on the table was dark fruitcake covered with a dish towel.

Mom sliced off some of the meat, cut off pieces of the fruitcake and we all ate a delicious meal.  Later, my great aunt and her husband returned.  They had gone fishing.  My mom told her the meat was very tasty, the cake moist and delicious.  Her great aunt said  “I’m so glad you enjoyed it.”  My mom then asked her what type of meat it was since it was so tender.  She replied, “pole cat.”  My mom, looked at her,  grabbed her stomach and went outside to throw up.  When we asked what was wrong.  Mom, said “a pole cat is a skunk!” As a kid, all I remember thinking was that sure was some tasty skunk.  I didn’t feel repulsed.  My dad just laughed.  I don’t remember my siblings’  reactions.

Well, I don’t have a recipe for roasted polecat but I do have a recipe for a dark fruitcake that reminds me of the fruitcake we ate that day so many years ago.

Scripture Cake

You had to know your Scripture to bake the Scripture Cake.

Cream 1/2 cup Judges 5:25 till light; blend in 3/4 cup Jeremiah 6:20. Stir together 2 cups I Kings 4:22; 1/2 teaspoon Amos 4:5; dash Leviticus 2:13; and II Chronicles 9:9. Mix 3 Jeremiah 17:11; 1/2 cup Judges 4:19; and 1/3 cup I Samuel 14:25…. Stir in 1 cup I Samuel 30:12; 1 cup Nahum 3:12 and 1/2 cup Numbers 17:8…..Bake at 325° for 40 minutes.  Cover and bake 50 minutes..brush all sides with Proverbs 31:6. **I tried to follow the above instructions and after searching several versions of the Bible, NCV and KJV, NLT, I was still a bit confused.  Without this listed version with the ingredients and measurements, I am sure my cake would not have turned out as well.  This is a good moist cake. Try it. 

 1/2 c. butter

3 eggs, beaten

3/4 c. molasses

1/2 c. buttermilk

2 c. all-purpose flour

1/3 c. honey

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 c. raisins

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1 c. dried figs, chopped 

1/2 tsp. cloves

1/2 c. almonds, chopped

1/8 tsp. ginger

1/2 c. wine or orange juice

In large bowl, cream butter till light; blend in molasses. Stir together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and dash salt. Combine eggs, buttermilk, and honey. Add egg mixture and dry ingredients alternately to creamed mixture.  Mix well. Stir in raisins, figs, and almonds. Turn mixture into greased and floured 9 x 5 x 3″ loaf pan. Bake at 325° for 40 minutes. Loosely cover with foil. Bake 50 minutes more. Let cool in pan 10 minutes; remove from pan. Cool on rack; brush all sides with wine or orange juice. Wrap in foil and store 1-2 days in the refrigerator.

Out of 1 cup buttermilk: Use 1 tbsp. vinegar + sweet milk

Out of 1 cup brown sugar: Use 7/8 c. white sugar + 2 tbsp. molasses

“Whatever challenge I may be facing, I rest in God, knowing that every situation has a solution, every problem has an answer. No matter how large the problem appears to be, the Spirit within me is greater. All things work together for good when my faith is established in God”