🥬 Cullie's Coleslaw
A Legacy Recipe from Pineola, North Carolina
📖 The Story of Cullie's Coleslaw
📖 A Story of Love, Loss, and Legacy
My sweet momma, Marlene Clark, made the most wonderful coleslaw that I have ever eaten. She worked at a dairy bar called Cullie's Dairy Bar in Pineola, NC in the 80's. Cullie's was the "local spot" for everyone who wanted a cheap, yet delicious hamburger or hotdog.
She manned the grill, took orders, and also made the delicious coleslaw that the owner, Cullie Aldridge, taught her to make.
Cullie was a big man, a grizzly if you will, and more importantly a bear hunter. He lived for the chase in the woods out on old Linville Mountain. Looking at him, you would think that he was cold, calloused and quite frankly, scary. As tall as he was wide and a beard that would rival ZZ Top, he was what I like to call "a mountain man."
However, once you heard that song-like laughter come from him, you knew you were not dealing with a grizzly, but a teddy bear. Cullie was kind to all that met him, and more importantly, kind to my momma. He took her "under his wing" and made sure that she could run his business the way he would.
💔 A Day Never Forgotten
"The day he died is one I will never forget."
I was young, maybe 9 or 10 and the phone rang in the house. It was late and I was wondering who would call at such a time. My momma picked the phone up in our dining room and I could tell instantly by the look on her face that something was wrong. That was the first time I had ever seen my momma literally shake from a heart-wrenching phone call.
After saying "thank you for the call", tears poured down her face and she hung up the phone. She sat down on a dining room chair in the corner, placing her hands onto her eyes and shaking from head to toe with sorrow.
I raced to her, wondering what could be so wrong and why my momma was so upset. She lifted her head from her hands and said to me "a dear friend was just killed by a log truck baby." That's all she said, there was nothing else, but I literally felt her emotions. I felt the sorrow radiating from her body.
As she wept, all I could do was hold my mother in my small arms and comfort her the only way I knew I could. Cullie was like a father to my mom, as she didn't know her own. She looked up to him, trusted him with her life, and now the man that she thought of as a dad was dead.
🥬 The Legacy Lives On
"I wanted you to learn how to make Cullie's coleslaw so that his legacy could live on."
I cannot remember if she managed the strength to go to Cullie's funeral, but what I do remember is a couple of weeks later she called me into the kitchen. She told me that she wanted me to learn how to make Cullie's coleslaw so that his legacy could live on.
Knowing this was very important to my momma, I listened and learned.
Tonight I made Cullie's coleslaw (minus the carrots because I didn't have any on hand) and remembered him and my momma while doing so. It's a bittersweet moment every time I make this because I use my momma's old food processor to do so.
I feel her with me as I follow her instructions, I almost hear her voice telling me what to do.
I can only imagine the reunion my momma and Cullie are having in heaven, and I cannot wait until the day I get to join them in that reunion. I know there will be hotdogs with Cullie's coleslaw on the menu.
📝 Cullie's Coleslaw Recipe
"Be sure to call it 'Cullie's Coleslaw'."
📄 Cullie's Coleslaw – As Taught by Cullie Aldridge
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║ CULLIE'S COLESLAW ║
║ A Legacy Recipe from Pineola, NC ║
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INGREDIENTS:
- ½ head of cabbage (chopped fine in a food processor)
- 1 carrot (chopped fine in a food processor)
- ½ tablespoon salt (adjust to taste)
- ½ tablespoon black pepper (adjust to taste)
- ⅓ cup sugar
- 2 large spoonfuls of mayonnaise (Duke's is preferred)
- 2-3 capfuls of white distilled vinegar
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. In a large bowl, add the chopped cabbage, carrot, salt, pepper, and sugar.
2. Mix with a fork until combined. The dry ingredients should be mixed in first so that they adhere to the cabbage.
3. Add in the mayonnaise and stir again until all the cabbage is saturated.
4. Finally, pour the vinegar over your cabbage and stir once more.
5. Taste to see if it's to your liking. If too sweet, add another capful of vinegar. If too sour, pour a touch more sugar in.
*All seasonings can be added to or lessened according to your taste.*
SERVING SUGGESTIONS:
- On hotdogs (Cullie's specialty!)
- As a side with burgers
- On pulled pork sandwiches
- As a classic Southern side dish
"Be sure to call it 'Cullie's Coleslaw'." 🥬❤️
🙏 A Final Blessing
Making This Recipe Your Own
- 🥬 Use Duke's mayonnaise – It's what Momma always used
- 🥕 Add the carrot – It adds sweetness and color
- 🧂 Taste as you go – All seasonings can be adjusted to your liking
- ❤️ Make it with love – That's the most important ingredient
- 🙏 Remember Cullie – A grizzly bear of a man with a teddy bear heart
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
❓ Who was Cullie Aldridge?
Cullie was the owner of Cullie's Dairy Bar in Pineola, NC. He was a bear hunter, a mountain man, and a kind soul who taught Marlene Clark how to make this coleslaw.
❓ Why is this coleslaw special?
It's a legacy recipe passed down from a man who was like a father to Marlene Clark. Every time it's made, his memory lives on.
❓ What's the secret to this coleslaw?
Mixing the dry ingredients first so they adhere to the cabbage, using Duke's mayonnaise, and adjusting the vinegar and sugar to taste.
❓ Can I use a different mayonnaise?
Duke's is what Momma always used, but any good quality mayonnaise will work.
❓ How long does it last?
3-5 days refrigerated in an airtight container.
❓ What's the best way to serve it?
On hotdogs (Cullie's specialty!), with burgers, or as a classic Southern side dish.
❓ Why is it called "Cullie's Coleslaw"?
Because that's what it is – Cullie's recipe, passed down through the generations. "Be sure to call it 'Cullie's Coleslaw'."
📋 A Legacy Remembered
- ☐ Cullie's Coleslaw – Made with love
- ☐ Remembering Marlene Clark – A sweet momma
- ☐ Honoring Cullie Aldridge – A mountain man with a teddy bear heart
- ☐ Sharing the story – So his legacy lives on
© HeritageKeepers — Cullie's Coleslaw | A Legacy Recipe from Pineola, NC 🥬
❤️ "I know there will be hotdogs with Cullie's coleslaw on the menu." – Until we meet again.
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