Anson Mills 2.0

You may remember I'm a fan of Anson Mills' products (they sell grits, flour, etc. from heirloom grains). So when I got an e-mail from them that they'd redesigned their website, I thought I should share the news with you all. If you need some cooking/baking ingredients, definitely head on over to AnsonMills.com to do some shopping.

Cast Iron Cult? Count Us In!

I know that Jason has written several odes to cast iron cookware, but I thought I'd add one as well. I've been researching easier ways to clean cast iron. Obviously I know not to put it in the dishwasher or scrub it with soap, but I've had trouble getting residual fat off a particular piece I have and needed some tips.

You see, I bought this fabulous two-sided, two-burner cast iron griddle at World Market a couple of years ago. I love it, but the ridged side is terribly hard to clean. And after grilling a few ribeyes on it yesterday, I was faced with this familiar problem again.

In checking out some tips online, I came across this article. In addition to cleaning advice, the writer included this observation:

"No kitchen instrument or style of cookware has quite the same vocal, enthusiastic community as cast iron. They write books about cast iron. They write love letters to cast iron. They sing the praises of the metal with a religious fervor, and they want to convert you ... After a week of talking to cast iron users and visiting their online communities, I'm convinced there must be some positive correlation between cooking with cast iron and becoming wholesome and kind."

The emphasis of that last sentence is mine. But I really loved the whole paragraph. It rings very true--at least based on conversations I've had with other cooks.

But back to cleaning this danged griddle. I did find some helpful information in the above-mentioned post. And also in this Real Simple article. As it turns out, salt is very useful in cast iron cleaning. (Seems like I've heard that somewhere before.) Anyway ... I tried it, and it did make scrubbing it (with my plastic-bristled brush, of course) a lot easier.

The Quotable Conrad

Recently, I bought a 1961 paperback copy of an Italian cookbook (for only 75¢!). Inside I found this quote from Joseph Conrad, author of "Heart of Darkness" and "Lord Jim":

"The intention of every other piece of prose may be discussed and even mistrusted, but the purpose of a cookery book is one and unmistakable. Its object can conceivably be no other than to increase the happiness of mankind."

Amen.

Chicken penne soup for a snowy night

It's a cold, icy afternoon with sleet pelting the windows. We're waiting for the first real snowfall of the year to descend on the North Carolina Piedmont tonight. So while we wait for this much-anticipated snow, we're making chicken soup.

Making homemade soup is so much better for you than canned soup because it doesn't have any preservatives, and you can control the sodium. Plus, it's inexpensive when you use leftovers from your fridge.

First, make your our own chicken stock. (We used leftover rotisserie chicken.) Add the entire chicken--including bits of meat, cooked skin and bones--to a large stock pot, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Simmer for about 45 minutes. Drain off the chicken pieces and bones, and you're left with your own stock.


Chop three carrots and a couple of stalks of celery, one onion, a clove of garlic and about six small potatoes into bite-size pieces and add to the pot with a couple of bay leaves. Simmer for about 45 minutes, then add the leftover cooked chicken.

Since the rotisserie chicken didn't have much meat left, we defrosted a couple of chicken breasts from the freezer, cooked them on the stovetop, and sliced them into bite-size pieces. We also added 2 1/2 cups of penne pasta with about a tablespoon of lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste.

Simmer until the pasta and vegetables are tender. Don't forget to remove the bay leaves before you serve.


Here's hoping tonight will bring snow!

Still Rolling On ...

A couple of weeks ago, while unpacking some boxes, I came across a rolling pin. Not just any rolling pin, mind you. My great-grandmother’s rolling pin.

While I don’t know its complete provenance, I do know that my great-grandfather was very handy with woodwork (I have a washstand and a bookcase that he made) and feel pretty safe in saying he made it. There’s even a convenient groove on one side where a string can be tied to it for hanging.

I cleaned it up a little and applied some mineral oil to moisturize the wood. Although made of sturdy oak, it’s showing some wear and tear … including a square indentation where someone apparently tried to use it as a hammer.

I have a serious weakness when it comes to kitchen gadgets. I also love kitchen implements with history (like vintage cast iron), and this rolling pin combines both. Whether I’ll ever use it, I don’t know … doughs and pastries aren’t really my thing. But maybe with some guidance from Minnie Caroline (my great-grandmother), I’ll try that scraped sweet potato pie my dad remembers her making when he was growing up.

The Cure for "Cook's Block"

Since the holidays, I’ve been in something of a cooking funk. Maybe it was the gluttony of the season that did it … all I know is that for the last several weeks, few recipes have appealed to me. And even the ones that did weren’t enough to make me heed the siren call of the cook stove.

But then, last week, the February 2012 issue of Southern Living arrived. On its cover were three of my favorite words: “Classic Southern Desserts.” And inside, nestled amongst the recipes for Caramelized Banana Pudding and Tangerine Chess Pie, was Hummingbird Bundt Cake.

I love Hummingbird Cake (the original recipe, published by Southern Living in 1978, was submitted by fellow North Carolinian Mrs. L.H. Wiggins of Greensboro, N.C.), but it’s not something I’ve often had. It’s a delicacy I’ve found most frequently at church luncheons, where the best and brightest stars of the recipe box are tantalizingly displayed. This new take on Hummingbird Cake was appealing because of its simplicity; namely, being in the form of a bundt cake. (Any layer cake I’ve ever tried has been a lopsided disaster. And don’t get me started on my lack of talent with applying frosting.)

This recipe, with its simple list of ingredients, ease of preparation and quick yet delectable cream cheese glaze, will be one of my go-to recipes when an impressive yet sinfully easy dessert is called for.

And best of all, I think my case of “cook’s block” may be over.

Slow Cooker Collards?

Have any of you ever cooked collard greens in a crock pot? If so, how'd they turn out? I'm considering trying it ... but I don't want them to taste overly wilted. I think I'll give it a go. I'm still trying to create lots of prosperity for 2012!

Persimmons: What Autumn Tastes Like

Persimmon pudding has long been a fall staple in my family. When the first of the strange little fruits began hitting the ground, someone—my grandmother, my mother, my father, my uncle, me—picked them up, hoarding them in the refrigerator for a few days until there were enough to squeeze out a good supply of pulp.

And inevitably, that pulp became persimmon pudding.

I’m not sure how old I was when I realized that persimmons could be used for baked goods other than persimmon pudding: cookies, cakes, bars … even jelly. In my world, autumn meant persimmons, and persimmons meant persimmon pudding. (Our State magazine's November 2011 issue features an excellent article on persimmons and the Colfax Persimmon Festival, coming up on November 5.)

Only recently did I try my hand at making persimmon pudding. With my great-aunt Mildred’s recipe and a container of frozen pulp from my mother, I managed to create a pretty tasty pan of pudding.

And you might already know that persimmons hold another hidden ability … predicting the weather.

My grandmother always saved a few persimmon seeds, which she washed and dried, then—very carefully—cut in half lengthwise to see what the winter had in store. If the kernel inside was shaped like a spoon, there would be heavy, wet snows; a fork, a mild winter; and a knife, a “cutting” winter with icy winds.

I haven’t yet cut open a seed to see what the winter of 2011-2012 will bring. But as long as I have more persimmon pulp in the freezer, I’ll spend the season trying out new persimmon recipes. I wonder if anyone has ever made persimmon-filled fried pies … 

Hello, Sweetie Pie!

When I think about pie, I think about home. There's just something about a freshly baked pie that warms my heart and makes me feel better about the world.

So naturally, I immediately warmed up to the pecan pie from WildFlour Pastry on the cover of the October/November issue of Garden & Gun. It's one of the featured desserts in the magazine's list of 50 Best Southern Foods: Sweets. I found myself salivating over the pie line-up in particular.

Garden & Gun gives kudos to key lime pie from Bob Roth's New River Groves in Davie, Fla., chocolate peanut butter pie from Hunka Pie in Little Rock, Ark., and strawberry pie from Jim's Steak & Spaghetti House in my hometown of Huntington, W.Va.

A Healthy Dose of (Cast) Iron

I came across this article last night, about one of my favorite things: cast iron cookware. As I said when I wrote about cast iron earlier this year, it's nice to know something so versatile in the kitchen is also good for you!

Southern Grilling Season

It's starting to get chilly here in Piedmont North Carolina. To me, that means I need to get in as much outdoor cooking as possible before grilling season ends. Of course there's no official grilling season, but to me it corresponds with the yard mowing months ... which, throughout most of the South, is mid-March through mid-October. So, yeah, even though I'm kind of making up this whole grilling season thing, I think most people would instinctively follow the same sort of guidelines.

Granted, you don't have to limit yourself to mild weather if you really want some fire-cooked beef, poultry, veggies or fish. I once interviewed chef Daniel Orr about his cooking philosophies, and he told me he would often bundle up and go light up the grill even though his patio was covered in snow. That's a man who loves grilled food!

While you won't find me cooking outside in a winter wonderland, I do love grilling on cool fall evenings. And my current favorite is cedar plank-grilled salmon.

The cedar really does enhance the flavor of the fish. I definitely recommend it. Just follow the instructions on the plank packaging and soak them before using.  

While the salmon tastes wonderful on its own, my recommendation is to create a salmon-spinach Cobb salad:

Salmon-Spinach Cobb Salad

4 cups fresh spinach greens

1 medium salmon fillet

1 hard-boiled egg

1 Roma tomato

2 slices of low-fat bacon

cracked black pepper, to taste

handful of croutons

2 Tbsp. of Marie's Creamy Italian Garlic dressing

Wash and dry the greens. Flake the salmon in with the greens. Slice the egg and tomato and add to salad.  Crumble the bacon over the salad. Add pepper, if desired, and a handful of croutons. Top off with dressing and toss.

This salad is yum. It's very savory. I love it; I hope you will, too!

Sweet Charlotte, Redux

A while back, I wrote about wanting to make a Charlotte. Aside from the somewhat complicated recipes I had seen, one of the things holding me back was the lack of a Charlotte mold.

Until this week.

While spending part of a rainy Saturday afternoon in a local antique mall, I came upon a slightly used Charlotte mold. With probably a little too much excitement in my heart, I picked it up and saw that it was labeled a “flower holder” and had a price of $5.

Given that new Charlotte molds sell for upwards of $35 in kitchen stores, I naturally had to have it. So I brought it home, cleaned it up and am now searching for the perfect Charlotte recipe to try out.

To be continued …

Here's Pork in Your Eye

It doesn't matter what part of the South you visit, pork is bound to show up on the menu. At the Silver Skillet in Atlanta, country ham and red-eye gravy is a signature dish. Having never tried red-eye gravy, my husband and I stopped in for breakfast one Saturday morning and found eggs, grits, biscuits and red-eye gravy make a hearty meal.

At the Silver Skillet, center slices of fried country ham are first hand-trimmed and marinated overnight in soy sauce, brown sugar, paprika and cola. Drippings from the marinade are mixed with hot coffee to make red-eye gravy.

Legend says red-eye gravy got its name from a cook who worked for General Andrew Jackson, the seventh U.S. president. General Jackson asked the cook to prepare some gravy to accompany his country ham. The cook's eyes were bloodshot from drinking moonshine. Word spread around camp, and from then on, the gravy was known as red-eye.

Typical ingredients in red-eye gravy are fried ham drippings and strong black coffee. Some recipes call for additional ingredients like Worcestershire sauce and black pepper.

Watch a visit to the Silver Skillet from Guy Fieri of Food Network's Diners, Drive-ins and Dives and see how red-eye gravy is made.

They're Happy Because They Eat Lard

I love mid- 20th Century propaganda posters. Their lack of subtlety, sarcasm and political correctness makes them funny and almost alien to modern sensibilities. Today, I came across this one and thought this would be perfect to share with you guys:

They sure do look thin for lard eaters, don't they? But I'll tell you this; I have the same kind of smile on my face when I've eaten something cooked in pig fat.

The Soup Season

With fall and winter on the way, there’s one thing more than any other that I look forward to: soups and stews.

They’re easy to make, hearty and filling, and are among my favorite comfort foods. In school, a lunch of vegetable soup and cheese toast filled me with delight. I loved my grandmother’s milk-based chicken stew, with butter and large elbow macaroni noodles and pieces of tender chicken. My mom often made goulash, with hamburger and noodles.

There’s nothing I like more on a cold Sunday afternoon than a slow-cooked beef stew, with chunks of potatoes, carrots and onions. But when time is short and I have a hankering for a bowl of hot, comforting soup, I use this recipe that I created one blustery, snowy February day. The best part of making soup, though, is the ability to customize and add your own twist.

Jason’s Quick and Easy Vegetable Beef Soup

1 46-oz. can tomato juice, plus 1 can water

1 16-oz. can red kidney beans, drained

1 16-oz. bag frozen soup vegetables

1 lb. ground beef, browned and drained

8 oz. package frozen chopped spinach

4 oz. spiral or elbow macaroni

Thyme, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste

In a large stockpot, heat the tomato juice and water. Add the kidney beans, vegetables and ground beef and bring to a simmer. Add the chopped spinach, macaroni and seasonings, and simmer until macaroni is cooked. Ladle into a bowl and enjoy!

Try using fresh vegetables instead of frozen, or a different type of pasta, or stew beef instead of ground (or no beef at all). With soup, the possibilities are almost endless!

Tomato Sandwiches: Southern or Universal?

Today for lunch, I assembled a simple tomato sandwich. Something I've done hundreds (or thousands) of times in my life, almost always during summer. Two slices of white bread: check. Several slices of a juicy tomato (grown by family or friends): check. Duke's mayonnaise: check. Salt and pepper: check.

Eat me! (On a sandwich, of course.)

To me, tomato sandwiches are a ubiquitous part of Southern summer life. Consumption of these sandwiches is widespread--almost everyone down here eats them. Truly. You don't have to describe to another Southerner what a tomato sandwich is, or explain to them that, yes, it's still delicious even though it doesn't have meat, cheese, butter or any of the other ingredients that usually make food worth eating. In the South, it's never assumed that tomato sandwiches are vegetarian specialties or some kind of poor man's meal for those barely scraping by. (Although, a tomato sandwich could very easily suffice in either of those situations.) No, Southerners know tomato sandwiches.

But just because Southerners eat--and appreciate--tomato sandwiches often, does that mean the humble sandwich actually falls into the category of Southern food? After all, they do have tomatoes in other parts of the country (and world). And they have bread. And salt and pepper.  Of course, they don't all have Duke's, which is sad for them; but most places have passable versions of mayonnaise.

The only acceptable mayo for a Southern tomato sandwich.

This is something I often think about when I'm enjoying a juicy tomato (or, 'mater) sandwich. And, it turns out, I'm not the only one. This weekend, I read Southern Heirlooms in Our State magazine. The author of the article, Scott Huler, asks the very same question. He starts with the premise that tomato sandwiches are universal to some degree; however, his ultimate conclusion--and how he gets there--provides for a very insightful look at how important tomato sandwiches are to the Southern summer experience:

"So, a homegrown crop with a long growing season, consumed constantly by people used to doing for themselves, and a sandwich that's a quick and convenient way to eat it. With a native condiment that somehow makes it special. Maybe the tomato sandwich, Southern style, does have a claim to iconic status."

Huler also points out how people in this region--specifically his wife--talk about tomato sandwiches in a particularly Southern way. And it occurs to me that I've never heard anyone outside the South mention a tomato sandwich ... ever.  So, they may (possibly) eat them, but it's not something you hear them go on about or describe with delight and sentimentality. But Southerners talk about tomato sandwiches--like all of the other foods we love--a lot. You can't shut us up about them. Heck, Rebecca Wells even found a way to work them into one of her novels:

"We'd go to Washington, D.C., where the President and Mrs. Roosevelt would be waiting, begging me to come have tomato sandwiches with the crust cut off." ~Divine Secrets of the Ya Ya Sisterhood

Even the sassy characters of Southern literature love tomato sandwiches.

So, you decide. Tomato sandwiches: Southern or universal?

Clearly, this is a yankee tomato sandwich.

This One's for You, East Coast!

Since Hurricane Irene is visiting North Carolina and Virginia (and points farther north) tonight, it might be a good idea for some of you to ride it out with one of these:

New Orleans Online has a recipe here. Cheers ... and have a safe night!

I'm Pretty Sure Cucumbers Aren't Supposed to Resemble the Letter "J"

It's almost as if my garden is trying to send out an SOS but doesn't know how to spell.

Movie Menu Inspiration: 'The Help'

Update added at bottom.

A couple of weeks ago, I talked about movie menu inspirations. So when I saw that Southern Living had a post called "Southern Recipes Inspired by The Help," I secretly hoped they had been reading Savor South. Who am I kidding? I know they haven't. However, I still love the idea behind this piece. They have compiled 27 of their classic recipes in a slideshow, detailing the connection each dish has to the novel/movie.

I can see already that I'm going to have to try the buttermilk biscuit recipe. I'm on a personal quest to make the perfect biscuit. Like Jason, I'm biscuit-challenged. But I'm determined not to let them best me. I will make delicious biscuits. I will make delicious biscuits. I will make delicious biscuits! And I think I'll try their recipe to see if it's the perfect combination of ingredients I've been looking for.

Another recipe on their inspiration list that jumped out at me was the Tuna Salad with Lemon Aioli . It looks yummy and delicious. Or is it just the incredible bread bowl presentation I'm drawn to? Either way, I'm going to have to try both the recipe and the bowl. Look for a similar presentation at the next party I host.

Now, if the movie has as many food references as this list leads me to believe, I'm going to have to run see it soon! My co-bloggers loved the book. So ... between their recommendation of the story and my preoccupation with biscuits exceptional character development, I'm sure to want to see the film.

UPDATE: In piddling around on Twitter today, I came across this awesome food blog called The Cooking Bride that started 'The Help' Southern Cooking Series. Check out this post where she offers a bacon pimento cheese recipe!

Another Fun Festival to Add to Your Calendar

Ok, Arkansas folks: Don't forget the Hope Watermelon Festival this weekend, August 11-13 (that would be Thursday-Saturday).

This tradition (35 years and still counting) takes place in Hope, Ark.--which is not only the birthplace of Bill Clinton and Mike Huckabee, but also the world's largest watermelon. Talk about claims to fame!

If you'd like directions or more information, visit their website.

Know of any other Southern food festivals coming up? Let us know.