Country Boy Eats

This weekend I went with my daughter to her first Crossfit competition.  Crossfit is similar to a cult, or it must be because my wife and daughter are both addicted.  If you really want to get in shape quit your regular gym right now and find a Crossfit box.

As we rolled into Bessemer I was hit with a hunger attack.  The Special K bar at 4am had worn off and I needed some fuel.  Rather than hit the McD’s at the exit, I drove deep into the heart of Bessemer.  Bessemer is a city left behind from it’s heyday when iron ore and coal flowed from it’s hills.  Bessemer is solid working class people, a city were both black and white do what’s necessary to survive.  The most famous person from Bessemer is the great Bo Jackson.  No tellin how many Bo stories have been told at the Raggedy Ann.

Driving down the bumpy streets I noticed a diner that was slammed packed, I mean not a parking spot in sight.  My eyes light up because I knew the food had to be good in this place.  I made a quick u-turn and took my wife and daughter back to the Crossfit competition and made sure my wife told me the correct time I needed to be back.  Great, be back by 9:30am I had over an hour to burn.  Plenty of time.  

As I pulled into the parking lot I found a parking spot out back where the workers park.  Always a good sign.  Walking in the door I noticed the crowed was older and 75% of the patrons had on Alabama Crimson Tide shirts.  Not an Auburn shirt in sight.  

Alabama had won the National Championship the week prior and the Bama fans were beaming with pride.  A waitress motioned to me that I could sit anywhere.

My waitress handed me a menu and said coffee or tea was included with the breakfast plates.  This is always a bonus because most places get you for an extra 2 bucks on the drinks.  The menu was obviously printed during one of Alabama’s recent tornadoes   It was a little jacked up.  I ordered a sweet tea and continued to look over the menu, trying to glance a stare at what the other folks were eating  

The sweet tea was swwweeeetttt!  It was perfect!  A great Alabama sweet tea.  So far it’s starting off on a high note.  I choose the “Breakfast Special”, two farm-fresh eggs, two pieces of toast, two pieces of sausage, and hash browns.  Grits are usually a staple for me but I passed.  The breakfast special was $3.95.  $3.95 WITH A DRINK!!  Are you freakin kidding me.  This is why American’s are getting screwed by corporate fast-food giants.  I just paid less for a good home cooked meal than the #1 at McDonald’s.  Get on your smartphone, drive 5-minutes off the exit and try to find good food.

While I am waiting for my order another waitress stops by to see if I needed to order, then a different waitress stops by to top off my tea.  This tells me the employees working here are family and they care about their job and their customers.  Their boss treats them well.  These are “Waffle House” waitresses, ladies that live paycheck to paycheck, love their man and work extra hard to give their kids a better life.  Much respect.

My waitress brought my breakfast special in record time and I knew it was going to be good.  I cut into my over-eases and they were cooked perfect.  Makes me jealous of the cook because I can never get my over-eases just perfect.  I took one bite of the eggs and my first reaction was “best eggs” ever.  I will need a second taste test before they can take the title but they were just plain good.  The two pieces of sausage had a nice char on them, which I like.  The hash-browns had a good crust on top.  The bread was a hair under-cooked, it needed another 30 seconds in the toaster to give it a good crunch.  But this small misstep was overcome by the butter that was bleeding off my bread, the combination of butter and the grape jelly was a good marriage.  Excellent for slopping up the egg yolk.

Standing in line to payout I could see my waitress getting ice for other customers, making a pot of coffee, wondering if her kids were up yet and if they let the dog out.  I felt a little emotional about the whole experience, the senior citizens who were proud to call themselves Bama fans and debated who was the better coach, Saban or Bryant.  The elder gentleman who was busting tables and the black cook i just knew had cooked my eggs.  Regular folks putting in a hard days work on Sat. to give me this wonderful experience, I felt privileged.  My waitress gave me a big smile when I gave her my tip.  Glad I could make her day.  

So if you are close to Bessemer, take Exit 1 off 459 and make your way to Raggedy Ann’s for breakfast.

Tags: Alabama, Bessemer, breakfast, Raggedy Ann's