I remember the devastation Hurricane Hazel left on Myrtle Beach in 1954. We felt the storm in Columbia, where I lived at the time, but not to the extent that the coast did.
Mostly, I just read about Hazel and saw pictures of its destruction.
I did, however, experience Hurricane Gracie five years later. It was a Friday, and I had just received my first paycheck as a teacher at St. Helena High School.
Our only connection to the outside world back then was the radio.
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The parking lot at the Piggly-Wiggly in Beaufort was packed. People were there to get food to last through the storm. These were the days before bagged ice and bottle water, though.
At the Pink House, where I lived with four other teachers on St. Helena Island, we shared a refrigerator. There wasn’t much space to stock up
That night of the storm, we cooked and played games well into the night as we watched the pine trees sway. Soon they began to break as if matchsticks. Then there was no electricity.
Our principal came to check on us and told us about how bad things were out there — though no one knew how bad just then.
The school was being used as a shelter, and people would be there for a few more days no doubt.
These days, I take hurricane watches seriously. I’ve also been here through Hugo, Floyd and David.
To prepare for Hermine, I stocked up on snacks, cans of Boost and water. My husband focused on more substantial snacks and meals.
The day of the storm, I dressed casually and we watched the TV to track the storm’s whereabouts.
Just before noon, though, our lights went out. I thought it would just be for a few minutes, but we didn’t get our electricity back for another 17 hours. Out came the candles and flashlights, and we kept the refrigerator shut.
Other than that, I sort of enjoyed the day. It was nice to stay in and catch up on reading.
After the storm passed, I pulled some fun recipes from my personal file that would be easy to make when the next hurricane watch happens.
Columnist Ervena Faulkner is a Port Royal resident and a retired educator who has always had an interest in food and nutrition.
Berry Parfaits
1 package (strawberry gelatin)
1 cup boiling water
1 cup cold water
2 cups blueberries, frozen or fresh, divided
2 cups sliced fresh or frozen strawberries, divided
1/2 cup milk
1 package instant vanilla pudding mix
In a bowl, dissolve gelatin in boiling water. Stir in cold water. Pour into eight parfait glasses, refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour. Top with half of the blueberries and half of the strawberries.
In a bowl, whisk milk and pudding mix for 2 minutes or until slightly thickened; pour over berries. Top with remaining berries. Cover and refrigerate for another hour.
Ozark Pie
1 egg
3/4 cup sugar
1/ 2 cup flour, self-rising
1/2 cup raw apples
1/2 cup nuts
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 pint Cool Whip
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Beat egg and sugar thoroughly. Add flour and mix. Add other ingredients. Mix and put in well-greased pie plate. Bake for about 25 minutes. Cool. Cover with 1/2 pint of Cool Whip. Let stand all day or overnight.
Mark-Set-Go Chicken
1-2 pounds chicken parts
1 bottle Catalina dressing
1 tablespoon honey
1 jar apricot preserves
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 package Lipton onion soup mix
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Wash and place chicken parts in a casserole dish. Mix other ingredients; pour over chicken. Bake for 1 hour.
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