At this time of year, we have several ingredients in abundance, but none so voluptuous as the star-studded tomato and the fresh-dug potato.

Of course, like tobacco, no one born in Madison County would be caught using the first syllables of these ingredients or ending them in the habitual “o” that other regions know them by. It’s “taters,” “maters” and “baccer,” just like the evening meal is called “supper,” and the noon meal, the largest of the day, is called “dinner.” And while we’re at it, anyone who says “y’all” is bound to be from out of town. In our hills and hollers it’s “you’uns,” and the possessive is “your’un.” But I diverge from the subject.

There are many things you can do with taters ’n’ maters, both alone and in combination. You can fry up a mess of taters and serve them on

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