Just because I like country music, muddin, guns, and big trucks doesn't mean I'm a hick.

When I was a kid we lived on top of a mountain in a fairly rural part of Pennsylvania.  Our home was surrounded mostly by forests and farms.   However, it wasn’t uncommon to see run down houses with livestock running amok on the property.  The yards of many of the homes were littered with broken down cars, machinery, furniture and all manner of stuff. 

All lot of folks around could easily be classified as what supposedly cultured individuals would call hicks . . . but they were mostly good, hard-working people. 

What exactly is a hick anyway?  Yeah, I know it’s a redneck . . . that’s not what I mean. 

What is the origin of the word?  Well, I was surprised to discover that "hick" is nothing more than a 16th century familiar form of the proper name "Richard."

Way back then, the name “Richard” was considered a commoner’s name . . . not a name bestowed upon the boys of the upper classes.

That’s pretty interesting considering that the name “Richard” is derived from the Old English word “ric” meaning “ruler”. 

Richard is often diminutived to Rich, Richie, Rick, and Ricket; from Rich you got Hitch and from Ricket you got Hicket. . . and then there’s Hick and Dick from Rick.

“Dick”, of course, is not only linked with the name “Richard” these days.  But before “dick” became associated with the manliest of man parts, it was commonly used as a shortened version of the words declaration & dictionary and then came to be a nickname for policemen.  

The origin of “dick”, as in the one-eyed-wonder-worm, is dubious but it wasn’t because some obscure “Richard” was being a wiener.  The word wasn’t used in a derogatory fashion until the 1960’s . . . it’s probably some hipster bastardization of the word.

Anyway . . . “hick” as used as a nickname is no longer in use . . . unless of course you’re describing a country bumpkin.

Cocoa Banana Frozen Dessert

4 Ripe Bananas (Very Ripe Preferably)

2 Tablespoons Pure Unsweetened Cocoa Powder

1 Teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract

2 Tablespoons Maple Syrup

Peel the bananas and place them in a blender or food processor together with the cocoa powder.

Add the vanilla extract and the maple syrup.

Blend until very smooth. Pour into individual custard cups or small bowls and freeze till just frozen.