Summer Fishing

It is finally fishin' time again in the valley and I remember one of the hundreds of poems my grandmother, Bessie Venable Johnston, wrote chronicling her and her family's life, this one to her husband, "Grandpa Jack" Johnston.  Bessie ("Nonnie" to the family) was born in 1901 in a little cottage on Oregon Street  more recently known as the Grapevine Cottage.  While researching our family cookbook, I was invited in to the cottage and actually walked on the original cedar wood floors of the house; very special to me! Click here for the Poem. Prawns aren't what you catch on the river but it was a very popular dish served by my dad, Stan Smith, at Mon Desir Dining Inn and Bel Dis on the Rogue.  It is a very easy dish to prepare; enjoy! Stan's Special Scampi Split large prawns down the back, through the shell, so that both halves remain slightly attached. Rinse well in cold water and lay in pan. Press flat, meat side up. Add 1/2 inch sauterne wine to pan and pour a generous amount of seasoned butter (see below) over prawns. Sprinkle with paprika. Bake in hot oven (425 to 450) until firm. Prawns are overcooked if they start to curl up! Remove from bake pan to plate or platter. Serve with remainder of seasoned butter. Dip prawns and eat while butter is hot. Seasoned Butter Combine and heat over low heat: 1 cup butter 1 T MSG (optional) 1 T salt 1/8 to 1/4 tsp garlic powder