I drove to Florida for Memorial Day last weekend and made a pit stop at Striplings General Store in Cordele, GA. Just off I-75 on the Florida-Georgia Parkway, road trips have included a stop here for as long as I can remember. If headed north, essential purchases include a slurpie and a bag of their homemade beef jerky. If headed south, where refrigeration is just hours away, needed provisions include a couple of pounds of smoked sausage and a hot/cold bag for the remaining trip.
Every time I stop at Striplings I have meat on the mind. Imagine my surprise then when I stepped out on the hot pavement, shimmering with newly arrived summer heat, and thought of strawberries. The air was heavy with the fragrance of ripe fruit. When I pulled in to the parking lot, I hadn’t given the humble fruit stand, tucked off to the side,a second look. The wooden shack backed up to a dusty, planted field and the fact that it overlooked gas pumps, made me dismiss it out of hand. But then there was that smell.
Pommes de Terre Anna, or Potatoes Anna, is a classic French potato dish. Russet baking potatoes are peeled and then thinly sliced and layered on top of one another in a skillet. Melted butter is brushed between each layer which is then seasoned with salt and pepper. While there are many ways to make it, perfection in my mind comes from first browning the bottom of the potatoes on the stovetop before transferring it to the oven. Once it has finished baking, you flip it out onto a dish, cut it into wedges and serve. Done right, you get a crispy outer crust that not only tastes, but also crunches, like freshly fried potato chips and an inside that is soft and buttery. It’s a wonderful accompaniment to beef, but pairs equally well with fish or chicken. The best part is that it’s simple to make, but its appearance and taste will most certainly impress family and friends around the table.
