Sherry Chapmanby Sherry Chapman
First published in October/November, 2005, Volume 2, Issue 5, The Hatchet: Journal of Lizzie Borden Studies.
I’m Bridget Sullivan, 26 years of age. I come from County Cork, but now I work at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Borden. Excuse me if my spellin’ ain’t right at times; I’ve had no formal trainin’ at any fancy writin’ school. My work at the Borden house is grueling. I’m on my feet 16-20 hours a day. Contrary to what some may think, if I go up to my attic room durin’ the daytime I am cleanin’ up there – not nappin’, and not takin’ off any of my clothin’. I swear by all the saints that I am overworked and a wee bit underpaid, but I am fond of Mrs. Borden so I stay on. I was happy to be asked to send my best recipes in, because at least the writin’ of that gives me a few minutes off my feet ennyway.
I thought that my first recipe would be a simple one. Mr. and Mrs. Borden, they love their mutton. They will live off one shank for a full week as long as the bugs have left a shred o’meat on it. I cook the meat extra tender because the both of them have some false teeth that don’t fit so good, and then I hear whatfor. I have also learned to cook mutton in a variety of ways so I can make each meal grand, or at least have a good go at it.
So, let’s go into the kitchen, and today I’m cookin’ . . . .
IRISH LAMB (MUTTON)
You’re gonna need:
Potatoes – about six, cut in three or four pieces (cut any rotten parts out)
Lamb – cut up (fresh if you can.)
Water – a couple cups
Onions – 1 or 2 cut up
Garlic – About 3 cloves. (Garlic ropes should be hung up to keep ‘em dry. I keep mine in my attic room. It not only keeps vampirres and spirrits away, my employers don’t go up there either.)
Butter – a small dab
Salt – a pinch
Black pepper – a little if meat is fresh; more if not
Then here’s what you do:
Brown the meat in the butter on the stove top. If meat is old and is a color such as blue, do the best ya can by cooking longer. Fry up your onion and garlic until they’rr tender. Then add yer water an’ pepper an’ salt an’ ya boil it for 15 minutes. Then sit down in the kitchen and prop yer feet up and read an old magazine. If anyone calls you to perform a chore, you can yell out, “I’m cookin’!” an’ they leave you alone. Add yer potatoes last. Then it all has to cook for 45 minutes. That’s another break fer you. With any luck, ya might be able to get thrrough the whole magazine if you don’t do too much of the readin’. Serve with a smile on yer face, no matter how much it might be smellin’.
(Note: You may want to think ahead and prepare somethin’ different for yourrself that you can eat in the privacy of the kitchen.)
