You know you're addicted to the Wow of Chow Chow, when you dig out a jar, add a blob of cream cheese, and put a teaspoon of each on saltines or Ritz crackers. With a can of Vienna sausage, it's heaven on a Ritz. Add a slice of jalapeno for a dash of Hell.

I grew up eating chow chow on top of beans, chili and stew, and if you haven't tried it, please do. Once tasted, you will probably never eat beans and cornbread without chow chow, again.

My home state of Oklahoma made this interesting topper a standard addition to a meal of beans, cornbread, and fried potatoes. Chow Chow is made a million different ways, every creator of the recipe "their way" declaring it to be the best. The "wow!" in chow chow, is the addition of peppers and the amount of tart vinegar. If chow chow is made "right," you will definitely screech "wow!"

There is sweet chow chow, hot chow chow, zesty or mild chow chow. Some people use green tomatoes, some more cabbage than tomatoes, but most contain the common onions and peppers. The more ingredients and the combinations are left to the creator. Chow Chow is a fun relish to make from scratch, especially since the invention of the food processor.

As summer approaches and I'm drawn to peppers, tomatoes, onions and cabbage, my taste buds nag for the chow chow of my youth.

I've dragged out the recipes I wrote from my aunts dictation as I begged to copy their delectables. If you want to perk up a meat, pinto beans, soup, or even the old cream cheese and crackers, make a few jars of these relishes and chutney. You'll give new flavor to your roasted chicken, stews, and especially the beans and cornbread you used to know, adding your own echo to the "wow's" of all those who have become addicted to chow chow.

I looked up a bit of history on chutney, and discovered it's origin from India.  It was usually a relish made from the combination of fresh fruits and special spices. This marriage of the sweet and spicy became a favorite for the British.  In Colonial times, the British took chutney as well as many Indian curry dishes back home.  The tasty chutney traveled to other colonial places which included South Africa and the Caribbean Islands.

Along the way, as is common with recipes, the flavors were changed a bit, making a now popular mango chutney called 'Major Grey's chutney.'  This commercially made chutney became a standard for British palates.  Major Grey is most likely a fictitional colonial British officer who loved curries and made his own chutney to accompany them; no one has a copyright on his name - anyone can use it. These commercially produced chutneys continue to be popular in Great Britain, most often made of fruit like, apples,  pears, or mangos, with raisins and onions cooked gently for a couple of hours, in vinegar, brown sugar and spices.

In India, chutneys are served with nearly every meal, especially as relishes with curries, and some can be found as spicy/hot sauces for meats.  Either fresh (my favorite) or cooked, the recipes vary widely in ingredients.  Their flavors are sour, sweet, spicy or mild.  Some chutneys are thin or chunky.  You can choose from a combination of mangos, apples, pears, tamarind, onions, lemon, tomato, raisins, coconut, vinegar, sugar, honey, citrus peel, garlic, ginger, mint, turmeric, cinnamon, cilantro, and hot chilies.  The Indians are NOT afraid of flavor!!  A repeated experience will awaken your taste buds to some highly seasoned foods that could very easily become a habit.  Actually, many of the spices used are quite good for the digestion, once past the tongue.  

Be brave, my friend, and introduce yourself to the cuisine of India...the chutney!

Miles of Mild Chow Chow (Add "Wow" by adding Jalapenos, chopped to taste, at least 2 for heat)

Ingredients:

• 1 quart green tomatoes, chopped
• 2 sweet green peppers, chopped
• 2 large mild onions, chopped
• 1 small head cabbage, chopped
• 1/2 cup salt, table grind, not kosher, as the measurement is different
• 3 c white vinegar
• 2 1/2 cups brown sugar
• 1 tsp dry mustard
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 2 tsp celery seed

Procedure:

1. In a blender, finely grind the chopped vegetables. Add the salt to them and let the mixture stand overnight.
2. Drain the vegetable mixture in a clean, cotton, lint-free towel, twisting to press out all the liquid you can.
3. Place the vegetables in a large pot. Add the vinegar, brown sugar, mustard, turmeric, celery seed. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for one hour, stirring frequently.
4. Pour the relish into hot, sterilized pint jars, screw the lid on tightly, cover the pot, and process 15 minutes in a boiling bath. Remove them from the water carefully and place on a wrack, on the counter. Enjoy listening to the lids "pop" as they cool. Every jar should have "popped" so that the seal is tight.

I know this seems like a lot of chopped vegetables, but they cook down considerably.

Yield: 8 pints. Store in pantry, but keep 1 in refrigerator for those quick toppings to main dishes or vegetables, and always over beans, chili, and stews.

Fruit Relish With or Without, the Bite!

This relish is good on top of ham, chicken or pork. In the South, you will hardly ever sit down to a family meal without a bowl of relish, chutney, or chow chow on the table. This one is good over ice cream, but I'd make it without the shallots or chile peppers for that.

Super Simple Fruit Relish With A Bite (Yield: 3 cups)

Ingredients: (everything chopped small)

• 1/2 c chopped, peeled, seeded orange, no membrane
• 1/2 c chopped, peeled apple
• 3/4 c chopped, peeled pear
• 2 c fresh cranberries, then chop to 8 oz yield
• 1 medium shallot, chopped to about 2 tbsp
• thinly sliced green onion, to 2 tbsp
• 2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped to taste, use 1 if you prefer less "Bite" (Wash hands immediately after chopping the peppers, and run your fingers over a stainless steel fork or spoon while rinsing, as it will help counter-act the "heat.")
• 1/3 c sugar or Splenda
• 1 tbsp lime juice or lemon
• 1 tbsp white vinegar
• 1/2 tsp salt or good dash of kosher salt

Important: Do not use a metal bowl to mix.

1. Stir together the fruit and onions and peppers. Then, mix in the sugar, lime/lemon juice, vinegar and salt. cover and chill for about 5 hours or overnight. Stir before serving over ham, chicken, or pork, or Ice Cream...some say it's the screaming part of ice cream.

Easy Mango Tango Chutney

This chutney is one you can freeze, so making the full batch is a great way to plan ahead for snappy flavor. The seasoning of ginger, is an acquired taste, but I love it.

Ingredients:

• 3 c chopped, peeled mangos, (buy them already chopped and frozen if you want, but it's not as juicy)
• 1/2 c dried red cherries or raisins
• 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper, or dash
• 1 tsp grated fresh ginger, you can buy ginger grated in the jar
• 1/4 c chopped onion, use the best, vidalia, or sweet purple
• 1/3 c vinegar
• 1/2 c brown sugar, packed

1. In pan, stir together brown sugar, dried cherries or raisins or a dash of both, vinegar, onion, ginger, and crushed red pepper. Boil, reducing heat and simmering without lid for 15 minutes. Stir frequently.

Add mangos and heat for 1 - 2 minutes. Remove from heat, let cool. Cover and keep in refrigerator in small jars or feeze for up to 1 year.

I put these in small freeze safe containers and use for topping of any kind of meat, except seafood, but it might go well with baked fish; you're on your own there.

Variation: Change the mango to peach and use either fresh, or frozen, not canned.

I hope you prepare these, let me know if you heard the "wow!"

This makes 2 cups and is excellent on pork roasts, or ham, or you name it!!  Now, I'm' not a fan of Rhubarb, but I love chutney's and this one stole my heart.

Ingredients

• 1 cup onion, finely chopped (yellow, or white)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 lb rhubarb, cut into small chunks slightly less than 1/2 inch in size
• 1/4 cup raisins, (green seedless ones are excellent)
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, peeled and minced, or, the minced ginger in a jar equivalent
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 1 tablespoon sherry VINEGAR

Procedure

1. Heat oil in small skillet, add onion and cook until softened but not browned.
2. Add the raisins and cranberries, sugar, ginger, rhubarb and cinnamon sticks.  Over medium heat, cook, stirring often.  When rhubarb begins to soften and break up remove the cinnamon sticks and add the sherry vinegar. 

Pour up into a 2 cup container, and when it has cooled, store in refrigerator for up to 5 days.  It won't last that long.  Rhubarb has a mild strawberry, sweet flavor.  This chutney is not too strong and not too sweet.  The onions and cranberries give it a special zip.  If it were me, I'd add a dash of red pepper flakes, but then I could probably put that on ice cream.