BOILED PEANUTS

 Boiled Peanuts

This has been a family favorite for many years.  Maynard and Ginny used to serve them to International guests when medical professionals from the Centers for Disease Control would visit the Golden Isles of Georgia.  Doctors and researchers would come from around the world to work at the CDC and many of them came from nations that could not afford to provide sufficient housing.  Atlanta, where the CDC is located, was intimidating to many internationals.  A month's rent was often more than a guest's entire annual salary.  After a suicide of one guest, the Presbyterian Women of the Presbyterian Church USA stepped in to create Villa International.  With the help of six other sister denominations, Villa was opened in 1970.  

 During the 1990s, Pete Peterson, the director of Villa International, would bring a bus-load of residents with him to the Golden Isles.  Maynard would arrange housing among the families of his pastorate, Altama Presbyterian Church, where they would stay for long holiday weekends.  The guests would be welcomed at the church with boiled peanuts and a Southern Seafood Feast.  The boiled peanuts were always a favorite.

 At Chapel by the Sea, Maynard's secretary, who was from New Jersey, could not always understand her boss' Southern accent and thought he was talking about "bald peanuts."

 1.  September is a good time to boil peanuts.  You will want GREEN PEANUTS, meaning they are freshly pulled from the ground and have not yet dried out (which is what you would want for roasted peanuts).

2. Rinse off the peanuts, removing dirt or soil.

3. Throw out the few that might be soft and discolored.

4. Put the peanuts in a big, big pot of water and turn on the stove.

5. Add 3/4 cup of Kosher Salt.  Be prepared to add more during the process.

6. Let the water boil, and then turn down to a soft boil.

7. Keep the water boiling for at least 4 hours.  Taste one occasionally.  Add water when needed!

8. The peanuts are done when soft, but not mushy.  

It might take 3 hours.  It might take 8 hours.  It all depends on how many peanuts you have.