Potlikker

tequila mockingbird

Devouring Tequila Mockingbird this month. Sure, you can read it straight through. But I find it's better to take it in sips, like a cocktail. Its subtitle (and clever title) tells all: Cocktails with a Literary Twist. As a bookish type I was drawn to this. And I noticed while visiting Columbus' Book Loft, that a customer clutched it to her bosom as she ferreted her way through the store's myriad Alice in Wonderland rooms, only to leave it in the cocktail section after all that traipsing. 

Her loss. 

OMG. She likely clutched it because it's imminently clutchable: embossed cover, arts & crafts endpapers, sepia illustrations, soothing fonts, pithy quotations. Its dainty size, too, likely had something to do with that. It is terribly tuckable.

Tim Federle's introduction sets it up for you, dear reader. Tequila Mockingbird's sole intent is to

pay proper homage to the world's greatest stories and storytellers

After all that there's the standard business about tools and glassware, equipment, techniques, garnishes, and flavorings.

And then comes the inflammatory part.

Part 1, Drinks for Dames. Yeah.

So the book is divided into five parts. Ladies first, I suppose, then part 2 is gulps for guys. Then Federle provides "bulk recipes" for book clubs in part three. Fourth is for recovering readers, i.e., the virgin drinks. And then last are munchies for book hounds--not the real title.

So if we get initial objection out of the way regarding gendering of drinks then we can proceed. Why divide the book into drinks for girls and drinks for boys? So I gathered from the loose reasoning here in the brief chapter intro is that the books have female protagonists/heroines. Or they have male protagonists, and that was a simple way to organize and divide? Because overall, I couldn't determine how I'd gender some of the "men's drinks" if I had to. What man drinks blue curacao? Okay, who that is serious about cocktails drinks blue curacao? Confession: I've never tasted it, so I'm typing outta my butt here. But it's blue, and that can't be natural.

Okay. My case study. First drink:  One Flew Over the Cosmo's Nest. Figure it out. If you've read Ken Kesey's One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, which I have, the narrator is Chief Bromden who comments on the sociopathic antics of Randle Patrick McMurphy (Jack played him in the movie). Nurse Ratched is a what? A major character? I can't remember. She decides who gets medication and EST. 

But I digress. A cosmopolitan is a "ladies drink", thus fits in better with the Kesey book's title. 

I didn't try a lot of the ladies drinks because they were made with Champagne. I don't like it. Curiously, several of the men's drinks are made with champagne, too. I bought wasabi paste to make Bloody Carrie, but haven't been in the mood for that type of tomato drink this summer, but it's on my list. As is Ernest Heminway's bloody mary recipe--even though I'm not a Hemingway fan.

So my favorite of the bunch, that I made over and over? The S(ide)carlet Letter: cherry juice, brandy, and triple sec. I try to do this book reviewing and cocktail making on the cheap. But since today is payday I'm heading to the liquor store for a good bottle of brandy. I substituted pisco for brandy in the S(ide)carlet Letter. 

Really delicious. It became, as Federle predicted, a standby. 

If you fancy yourself a mixologist and a person of letters, then Tequila Mockingbird will bring hours of reading and drinking pleasure to your home and your vicious circle. Wittiest cocktail literature mashup I've heard, ever. Here are a few to pique your interest: Lord of the Mai-Tais, The Adventures of Sherbet Holmes, The Postman Always Brings Ice, and Lord Pimm.

Go ahead, buy it. Or give it as a gift. This is not a download. It's too nice, you gotta own it and rub your hands on the thick deckle-edge paper, people!

diy strawberry soda

Thinking about strawberry soda for Juneteenth made me realize I've never tasted it. Sure, orange and grape sodas were staples of my childhood, but never strawberry. Short searching brought me to use real butter who shared a strawberry syrup recipe from the food in jars cookbook. I know, so many links and layers: Like going down the rabbithole in Alice in Wonderland--all this for strawberry soda?

It was worth it. 

And so simple, too. 

The recipe was 2 pints of strawberries, 3 cups of water, and 2 cups of granulated sugar. For the recipe, refer to the use real butter website.

But I had 2 quarts of strawberries. I doubled the water and sugar.

I'm not scientific. I didn't train at any culinary school. Doubling usually works for me. It worked this time. use real butter's recipe yielded a quart/liter of syrup, while mine yielded almost half a gallon (the photo below is much less than half a gallon, I've made a LOT of strawberry sodas). 

I poured it into a glass gallon apple cider jar I couldn't throw out. I'm old, but not terribly old. Yet, one set of my grandparents lived through the Great Depression. I learned recycling and resiliency from the examples they modeled vis a vis their frugal lifestyle.

Confession: I hoard glass bottles, but maybe not because of why you think. When I find a framework I like, or construct one, I'll mount a bottle tree in my yard. Haven't decided whether front or back, yet. Bottle trees, if you don't know, are associated with the southern US. Empty bottles are stuck on limbs of a tree in a yard and they trap evil spirits around the perimeter so they don't enter your home. It originated in the Kongo and came to the US with slaves who were captured and sold. And, its practice spread with the African-American diaspora. It's a Hoodoo folk-magic belief.

I'll spare your eyes with my awful photos of processing the strawberries. user real butter's are better. 

Once your syrup is made, it keeps in the fridge for about two weeks. To made soda, mix sparkling/carbonated water, syrup, and ice in a glass at a ratio that pleases you. I do about half syrup to sparkling water, but Ian likes more carbonation. Plus, he really liked it. Reminded me of that old Life commercial. He likes it, hey Mikey!

As for the experience of drinking this strawberry soda. Well, it's simply delightful. I can't think of a better use for strawberries when they come into season. It's the most refreshing summer drink I've ever had. Other than a fruity cocktail. Homemade strawberry soda is a sweet taste that satisfies all your senses. 

Strawberry syrup opened my eyes to the possibilities of other fruit syrups and their use in drinks. Not thinking beyond drinks at this point. Mostly just sodas, cocktails, maybe a frozen-ish liquor drink, etc. I'm a thirsty woman. 

eight ways to hack the smoothie

It's summertime, the perfect time for a smoothie. And if you're cultivating a smoothie addiction then you may be at the point where you need a few tips regarding the smoothie life. 

So let me provide a bit of smoothie-laden value to you. A few tips for building a better smoothie and getting the most from your blender's working hours. 

As you build your smoothie place the liquid and/or fresh ingredients in the blender jar first. So this includes soy milk, regular milk, water, oranges, berries, nectarines, kiwis, etc. Placing the liquids and juicy fruits nearest the blade ensures that blade assembly won't whir fruitlessly whilst you waste electricity (green tip). If you place all your frozen items in the jar first (at the bottom), then often your smoothie-making time lengthens (time management & productivity tip) as your blender blade bogs down with burden of frozen items.Then you end up removing the lid, stirring the contents, pushing liquify again, watching more impotent whirring. Repeat. And there you stand, jonesing for your smooothie. Repeat with gnashing of teeth. 

Through trial and error I've found that adding my powdered items second, just after the liquid, helps distribut them throughout the smoothie. Try it and see. So these are protein powders, and ground seeds and nuts you might use like almonds, pistachios, walnuts, etc. Chia and sesame are small enough that I leave them whole. But most blenders won't pulverize nuts, and you can't suck whole nuts through your straw (eighty-six the straw unless it's a reusable stainless-steel--green tip). You need to hand-chop/grind nuts with a knife, spice mill, mortar & pestle or buy them already prepped. I use Bob's Red Mill organic brown flaxseed meal and almond meal (they have hazelnut meal as well). Speaking of other "powders," I add spices to my smoothies such as cinnamon, cardamom, and ginger. 

Freeze your bananas. I know, it's crazy. But fresh bananas don't do well in the blender. Just try it and see. Let me know what your experience with that is. Mine is this: They mush. They chunk. And they don't get small enough to incorporate well within the smoothie. This tip straight from The Body Reset Diet. Chop frozen bananas into coins and then pop them into your blender jar with other frozen fruits for your smoothie.

Let your frozen fruits (and veggies as the case may be) thaw a few minutes before blending. Received this advice straight from KitchenAid after burning through one drive/gasket on my blender. When you let them thaw, your blender's blade has less work to do and this extends the life of your blender. However, I like a thicker smoothie, more along the lines of a "freezie", and I don't necessarily follow this advice. But, if you want to save energy (green tip) and conserve your appliances then this tip is for you.

Take risks with your protein sources. Sure you like bananas, and they're high in protein, but also contain 27.5g of sugar. So incorporating chia seeds, sesame seeds, flax seeds, almonds, walnuts, and other sources of protein like avocados into your smoothie for variety and to meet your daily nutritional serving requirements thus keeping your glycemic index intake low is important if your goal with consuming smoothies is health and lifestyle related. Man, that was a long sentence. Sorry.

Experiment with texture/thickness/thinness by adding liquid, ice, or semi-solid ingredients. After you've made a few dozen smoothies you'll figure out your smoothie preferences: whether you like a thin smoothie, a thick smoothie, or one in-between. When you over or under-do, correcting the smoothie is as simple as adding more to your blender jar. When it's too thick, add soy milk or water. When it's too watery, add ice. When it's too thin, add a fibery fruit, skin on.

While glassware is prettiest and shows off your blending-prowess for all to admire, a smoothie in your hand makes the hand cold. Use an insulated double wall plastic tumbler; they're all the rage, especially the BPA-free variety. One of the best things about the smoothie is its portability (time management) thus making it an excellent meal for those people between places.

Clean-up by rinsing your utensils, cutting board, and blender jar and lid immediately after use and drying with a dishcloth (or air-drying) so you don't have to run those items through the dishwasher (green tip) and they're ready for re-use immediately. 

Any questions? Suggestions? Would love your input on how I can make your and my smoothie experiences better. Oh, and hey, why not follow my blog with Bloglovin?

four basics for your first Juneteenth celebration

Two days until Juneteenth rolls around: June 19. If you're new to celebrating it, then there's cause for jubilation as it commemorates the end of slavery in the United States. So, it used to be more "functional" in that black leaders and good Samaritans instructed newly freed slaves about their rights and entitlements as citizens. Believe it or not, it's roots are in Texas and as they scattered to other states it evolved into different observances in different communities with food, singing, games, parades, and all kinds of events. 

image by Callie Richmond
from http://www.texastribune.org/texas-state-agencies/state-preservation-board/juneteenth-monument-capitol/

So if your community doesn't have it's own festival, you can DYI and read the Emancipation Proclamation aloud, sing "We Shall Overcome" & "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot," recite Maya Angelous's poems, celebrate with family reunions, trace your ancestry, get wild with rodeos, and other events as well.

Food and eating are my focal points of any celebration and as you might have guessed, Juneteenth has several particular to its observance. 

Barbecue features prominently and is recognized by culinary scholars as originating from slave cuisine. The Juneteenth celebrations in Manhattan, Kansas function as a culinary tourist event given the popularity and reputation of pitmasters producing fare for the jubilation. And street vendors aka food trucks are popular at Juneteenth celebrations in Illinois according to the Oxford Encyclopedia of Food & Drink in America (1st ed). Nearly a decade ago a celebration in Hartford, CT offered a Marcus Garvey salad, named so because it mixed red, green, and black beans mirroring the colors of the nationalist flag. 

Red is symbolic, but I can't find how or why; I've searched the library databases. Anyone know? Care to guess? A pop o'er to Wikipedia reveals the color's symbolism as: danger, sacrifice, passion, fire, beauty, blood, anger...and happiness in some cultures. The entry didn't list strength. So red foods and drinks are de rigueur. Strawberry soda pop, red velvet cake, red beans and rice, strawberry pie, etc. 

So, I'm breaking it down: Your Juneteenth menu, four basics, and then add a few extras--collard greens, skillet cornbread, cole slaw, maybe some mac n cheese?-- thus making it nutritionally sound and you'll be all set. 

• Barbeque
• Red Beans
• Red Velvet Cake
• Strawberry Soda pop 

You're all set for Juneteenth.

For more information, and, especially to find a Juneteenth celebration happening near you, visit Juneteenth Worldwide Celebration. Or check your local newspaper or tabloid. I found a few yummy looking recipes at Cinnamon Hearts, so you could visit there for smothered chicken, red beans, and a sweet potato custard recipe, among others. Actually you may have better luck searching twitter. Maybe next year there will be a Juneteenth celebration in my community. I'd like to help make that happen. And someday perhaps there will be a national Juneteenth holiday. 

3 tips for better bar behavior

First heard about Rosie Schnaap's Drinking with Men: a Memoir on NPR back in the spring and it's been on my "to buy" list for a great while, but somehow it slipped my mind and somehow I forgot to contact her publisher for a review copy so when I spotted its glimmering gold title glistening on its spine on a shelf at my library I plucked it off, checked it out and read it in two nights. Could have read it quicker, but I need me sleep.

A few Goodreads reviewers brutalized her. Called her an alkie, a sad case. None called her male-identified or talked about how maybe she sought the company of men because her parents divorced when she was a wee lass and she was looking for Daddy in all those bars. I don't think that was it. But what I'm saying is that those reviewers weren't too astute.

They didn't get the book. Or appreciate it or her insight into the meaning that public spaces like taverns and bars have offered people for centuries. How those spaces allow people to develop community, networks, and mutual aid. Spaces that unfortunately, most women were restricted from or currently eschew. Schaap doesn't delve into that dynamic much. Her focus is gimlet-eyed on the welcoming community she found at bars in Vermont, New York, California, Montreal, and Dublin.


Drinking with Men might not be your tumbler of Jameson. However, Schaap shares great insight into bar culture, human nature, her personal journey as a person, and the universal human condition. And we all can relate to that. For example, what you can find in a bar is "the light fluid back and forth of bar conversation where strangers reveal their secrets" and their sins can be "absolved by the proxy priesthood of the barman".

Her tips for behaving in a bar:

• First, Read the bar

Is it quiet and great for a tete-a-tete, or is it a loud jarring place where folks throw down shots and conversation is not a priority? And--here's the kicker--which is the place for you? Match the bar to your needs, your personality;

• Second, Treat the servers and bartender mindfully

Engage with the bartender and/or server, make eye contact, say please and thank you, and remember that bartenders experience inflation as well $1 a drink tip is not de riguer;

• Third, Make magic happen

Schaap shares a story about a time that she wore a hideous hat into her favorite bar Man of Kent. Just so happened a group of serious bikers were there as well. One of the gnarly old bikers approached and told her how much his friend liked her colorful, crocheted hat, could he buy it from her for, say $100? She politely declined. Then he returned. She felt she couldn't say no, because there of the possiblity of menace in the air, but then she gave up the hat if the biker promised to buy a round of drinks for her friends. She tells the story better than I do, undoubtedly I got details wrong. 

So, take a chance, find a regular bar, or drop into a random bar. You might be surpsied and find that like Schaap

A chance visit to a bar I seldom drank in had been so strangely meaningful, so rewarding. 

5 tips for smoothie addiction

First you should buy The Body Reset Diet. Okay, just borrow it from your public library. Or, you could do it alone because there are scads of smoothie recipes out there on the internet. But you might not actually reset your body like you might actually want to, right? That's kind of the point. I lured you in with the whole smoothie addiction thang. You really want to reset your body and lose weight by drinking smoothies because they're awesome, filling, and somewhat trouble-free. More about that, later. 

So tip two is buy a big-ass blender. One that cranks at more than 500 watts. Anything less won't cut it. When you blend your fruits and veggies you keep all that fibery-goodness in your cup and it goes into your body. So you don't peel apples, pears, grapes, etc. You do peel oranges and bananas. And all that orange pulp at the bottom of your smoothie? Think of it as the worm at the bottom of Mezcal. It's the best part. Cooking in a blender is cheap. It keeps you out of restaurants. If you wash and rinse after use, then you're ready to go for your next meal. There's very little planning time or "cooking time" to worry with. Super easy. But, if you have family and they're not riding the smoothie train with you, then arranging their meals may be a consideration. Also, eating out with family and at special events is a pain.

Remember, you gotta shop for fruit and veggies, that's the third thing. I flip flop between going totally organic and not, depending on monthly finances. Pasternak provides a working grocery list to start you on your first week. Lots of awesome goodies on that list like grapes, apples, frozen fruits and berries, kale, avocado, and bananas. You're getting protein via soy, milk, greek yogurt, protein powder mixed in with the smoothie, also nuts (I substituted Bob's Red Mill almond meal) and flax seeds. Then you have a plethora of options for snacks which are a blend of protein and fruit or protein and vegetable with a high fiber cracker like Kavli or Wasa.

The Body Reset Diet is three meals of smoothies, plus two snacks. If you didn't love smoothies before, you will after re-setting your body on this diet. Pasternak has refined this process while working with regular people and celebs so that you get the most bang for your buck. He knows that you need the five to ten pound weight loss within a week or ten days so that you get results fast and leverage those results to stick with your commitments to moving your body and eating healthier. 

Consuming my smoothie in the evening for dinner was great because that's when I crave something cold and sugary, like ice cream. Thus, the smoothie solved that craving. I rarely felt hungry and often couldn't finish the smoothie because there was so much to drink, at least eight ounces. Pasternack gives two recipes, one for those who are a "regular" weight and those who are over 175, so the heavies get a few ounces more berries, protein powder, etc. Adding cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, and other spices to the smoothies ramped up their flavor for me, especially one of Penzy's special cinnamon blends I keep on hand. 

Last and fifth point, the "diet" works amazingly well. I lost six pounds in about eight days. The variety of smoothie recipes and their rotation appeals to most anyone. My favorites were the berry-based ones with blueberries & raspberries and consuming the grape & apple-based kind of turned me off. Likewise, loved the idea of the avocado, spinach, and kale smoothies, but perhaps it was the other blend of ingredients that made me turn my nose at 'em. Maybe it was just the lack of flavor? Okay, this time, I'll add some Tabasco, fire it up. The savory smoothies lack something? Smoke flavor? Bacon flavor? I know, I'm taking it too far, now.

But, there are smoothies with peaches, tropical fruits, kiwis; you name it. Plus, undoubtedly, once you master smoothie making, you can concoct your own recipes. Pasternak gradually reduces the number of smoothies you drink and adds a meal in so that you're maintaining, but also suggests that you "reset yourself" anytime that you need to do so.

I'm at the reset point again. A knee injury threw me off my running and smoothie regimen and I up and quit like the quitter I am, went whole hog and have indulged in frozen custards several times a week, donuts, gravy biscuits for breakfast and um... eating out a lot. So it's time to reverse all that. 

Despite the whole "being on a diet" thing that I hate. The restrictiveness of any diet, I truly love not feeling hungry when I awake each morning. I love that I never experienced heartburn or indigestion on the diet. My (TMI, sorry!) bowel movements were regular. And the psychosomatic effects were good, too: I felt as though I was truly caring for my body with such a high fiber diet. 

Ironically, prior to starting this diet I read an article about smoothie addiction in a major women's magazine. Can't recall which one, or who wrote it now though. I read Elle, Vogue, Marie Claire, so it was one of those. Anyway, it talked about women dealing with smoothie addiction. Seriously. I think they were more the regular spa-circuit crowd. Maybe the liquid diet is so addictive that people find eating solid food difficult again?

Smoothies are truly addictive and pricey when you pay $4 or $5 for them. When I had them at Smoothie King or Keva, I liked them okay, but didn't realize they were meal replacement, so all those extra calories went where they shouldn't. Making smoothies at home as a meal substitute is sustainable for our household budget and for my diet. Bet it is for yours, too. If you're struggling with a food addiction, consult this resource for more information. 

cocktails in the [dry] workplace

Earlier this week my library closed half a day for training. That's my workplace, the academic library. We need lots of libation and lubrication after a day here. It's not the work, or the population we serve. It's the politics, the red-tape, you know how it is. The actual connecting with students and serving them is fantastic. 

Part of the morning's FUN was when several of us shared our passions with our colleagues.Topics ranged from making a gorgonzola cream sauce from scratch (with bonus wine pairing) to Japanese cinema. And my passions are many, that is why librarianship is a perfect pairing for me. What occupies much of my time these days is twitter and television.

Haven't found an engaging book. My kitchen is so depressing spending time cooking in it would send me into such a downward spiral and my spirits are so low about other things in life that fast food solves the "must eat" problem in a pinch at this moment. Wish it wasn't so. But, enough about that!

Nevertheless I presented two topics to the training organizer: twitter or cocktails. 

She chose cocktails. 

I schooled my people on the origins of the word, OED origins, where it developed in the USA, and the best cocktail experience: New Orleans, at the best bar Carousel Bar, at the best hotel, Hotel Monteleone. Filled them in about Tales of the Cocktail, an entire week devoted to mixology, seminars, awards, panels, and trends in cocktails, such as how bartenders use the martini glass to concoct drinks called "martinis" that are not martinis.  

Naturally, these are my opinions--that is, about New Orleans being the penultimate cocktail experience. You may disagree. And I'm open to your suggestions and willing to travel and barhop in other cities for research purposes.

I've swilled excellent cocktails elsewhere but touring from bar to bar in New Orleans cannot be beat. New Orleans kicks ass. The people are fantastic, the camaraderie cannot be beat. Oh, except for that Mother's Day shooting. Long exhale. 

And remaining at the Carousel as it turns, turns, turns, and line-item ordering down its extensive menu isn't a bad idea either.

In my very limited time, I educated them about the sanctity of the martini (gin + vermouth) and threw in a delicious Dorothy Parker quote and had them recite how James Bond likes his.

Don't think they appreciated the Parker quote. Bunch of prudes, really. In the past, my boss asked me to tone down my snark and one student found me disturbing (okay so she didn't love The Walking Dead like I do). I'm okay with being myself. Jesus loves me just as I am. Letting my freak flag fly. No self-censorship here.

Twas delightful, plus I plugged my new fav, Cardinal Gin and told them it was an essential purchase for their drysink. Since we're a dry campus (except for when the president pours it behind closed doors for his big donor cronies) I couldn't stream samples. In closing, I suggested they remember to drink like a Gatsby.

Perhaps I piqued their interests about cocktails. There was one question about whether I'd sampled the Jonge Bols from my colleague native to The Netherlands. Sadly, no. I reiterated my search for Pisco and how it isn't distributed in the southeast and how I traveled to central Florida to buy a bottle to re-create Marvin's fantastic Pisco Sours from the Carousel. 

cruze farms & southern food writing conference

No way was I missing out on a field trip to Cruze Farms. Their buttermilk was hyped so much during the Southern Food Writing Conference that I wanted some of that for myself.

I can't recall the last time I was so motion sick. I was so glad to be off the tour bus. I was hot. I thought I might vomit. No buttermilk cocktails were offered on this jaunt. Boooo.

So Cruze Farms was an oasis of dairy delight after being cooped up on a miserable rocking tour bus. It is an oasis no matter what circumstances brought you there, mind you. The farm is located inside Knoxville city limits, but falls within the historic (think National Register) Riverdale community, one of the oldest parts of the county first settled given its prime location at the crotch of the French Broad and Holston Rivers. Just not enough occasions to use the word crotch.

Although dining at Blackberry Farm was a once in a lifetime experience, being at Cruze Farms was like coming home, even though most of my farm experience is recent and equine in nature. I could have spent all day there. We were treated to hoecakes hot from the griddle which we drizzled or drowned with as much honey as we could stand. Jaanki flipped the hoecakes and I chatted with her a bit later, after the freak lightening storm popped up. Turns out she spent time growing up in Johnson City, so we were on the same plane comparing notes with that. 

The longest line was for buttermilk biscuits. Oh. My. Golly. Had to be the best biscuits I've ever eaten in my life. They were HOT out of the oven and ooooozzing butter. It was one of those die-and-gone-to-heaven biscuit experiences. Better than the ones at the Loveless Cafe. Hmmm, trying to think of other places where I've had stellar biscuits. Cracker Barrel's are fairly good, actually. Where else? I make darned good shaggy biscuits. And I learned a thing or two about biscuits from Nathalie Dupree and Cynthia Graubart from their panel at the conference. 

Pair all that biscuit eating with samples of buttermilk and the one percent (I think?), and the chocolate, that I didn't sample. Despite my chocolate aversion, I would have drank the chocolate milk if Cristina made another round offering them. She didn't. Her primary role as milkmaid came to an end when the thunderstorm hit. 

Ayaka was busy scooping salty caramel ice cream when the downpour hit. Everyone scrambled to squeeze under the two tents, but I sought cover under the farm-shed close to where Cristina doled out the milk, which was well protected and gave me a birdseye view of everything. 

The rain and the lightening turned our biscuit party into a danger zone given the electrical cords and other items that could easily shock any of the Cruze farm workers if they stepped in the wrong direction. Colleen scrambled, shoving the tent covering Ayaka closer to the shed I sheltered in so that there was no gap to let water cascade down her back. Alas, Ayaka was drenched, but she cheerfully kept scooping while Cristina, in the true spirit of teamwork, held the roof of the tent so that it would not drip water down Ayaka's back.

As soon as everyone had adjusted for the storm, it stopped and the sun shone almost immediately. Emma left the protected cover of shelter and offered everyone a biscuit. She helps Colleen assemble the buttermilk biscuit dough. What a charmed chore that is! Lucky girl.

While some may think that a thunderstorm "ruined" the biscuit party, I don't. It offered a lovely interlude. Mother nature is unpredictable. Learning to roll with it offers the best learning environment for everyone. As far as I can tell, all were in good spirits. The storm cooled the day and offered visitors a memorable experience. 

Going on this field trip was part of the Southern Food Writing Conference that I paid for so in accordance with the new FTC regulations, I received no other form of compensation for the udder love and affection I show for Cruze Farms and their bovine products. 

blackberry farm & southern food writer's conference

Writers received a Pimm's Cup garnished with lemon and cucumber for the ride from Knoxville to Walland, TN. The danger in the Pimm's Cup is Pimm's being such a subtle liqueur makes tossing a half dozen down quickly, quite easy, and that can surprise a drinker. This was not the case with me. I received one. Just saying. Beware the seductive nature of the Pimm's Cup.

The hills rolled. Light filtered through leaves and around the bend of each curve of the road. The last leg of the ride was lovely and anticipation mounted as our tour bus pulled up to the white gates of Blackberry Farm. Necks craned for a peek at the farm's famed red barn. The bus struggled along the road and dropped us off near the garden where a bevy of servers awaited us with a cocktail, an International in small Ball jars. An International is a dangerous cocktail as well. 

Hors d'oeuvres included a mint and fava pesto on bread. As I took my first bite I glanced into my cocktail because the taste made me think it should be coming from my glass. The mint was unexpected. The other offering was a meaty thing that I didn't take so as to not seem so greedy. Should have tried it all. You know what they say about hindsight. A couple of violinists serenaded our party until we were shooed up to the barn for a glass of champagne and a six course meal that began after six and ended after eleven.

Oh what a night. Seating was assigned. Not sure who arranged that. Twas good and evil. I sat with strangers and they became acquaintances. Our was the last table served. Thus consciousness of whom the people sitting at the table being served first erupted, well, in my head, not so much in anyone else's that I know. 

Pausing before tasting to capture images of food with my camera or iPhone was a travesty, especially since the low-lighting made my 5D inoperable. The iPhone with flash was what I used for the following photos, and they're wretched, really. Cannot do justice to the courses served. 

Blackberry farm beet and blue cheese salad: strawberries, purple mizuna, pea tendrils, pecans and saba. Golden beets, regular beets, and a cheese so soft and creamy that it couldn't be cheese. I suck as writing about food and describing it. Restaurant reviewing is not my forte. All I can say is how I love beets, and this was an extraordinary way to begin with beets from the garden. 


North Carolina mountain sunburst trout: smoked Cruze farm buttermilk consomme, watercress and red turnips. Trout so tender and buttery it melted in my mouth. The confusion came when my tablemates and I discussed whether to use the fork of the spoon to attack this dangerous fish with. Service refreshed our silverware between courses, otherwise we would have struggled with eight to ten inches of flatware on either side of our plates. 

Guinea and dumplings: poached farm egg, guinea confit, potato gnocchi and hen of the woods mushrooms. This was my favorite. Divine. Yummy. I could eat this all night. Every night. The poached egg was simply fantastic. And the salty flavors were fantastic, too.  Who knew you could, or should eat guinea? As I told my tablemates, I've contemplated going vegetarian for some time, for a variety of reasons. But it's occasions like these, when the opportunity to eat guinea arises, that I simply could not go vegetarian. Yet, how often do I get such an occasion? Once in forty years. So, it will be okay to go vegetarian. If I live to be eighty, perhaps I'll have another chance at eating at Blackberry Farm, or trying a novel game meat. 

Grilled and braised painted hills beef: open faced biscuits with carrots, lamb's quarters and fava beans. And so the beef. We were confused at first, thinking that one of these was beef and one was lamb. Tasty, indeed. I wish I had taken notes. My memory has faded at this point. It was an astonishing meal. I can't say that every course outdid the next because the guinea and dumplings was my favorite, but this grilled and braised beef was delicately flavored in a style reminiscent of barbecue. 

Biscuit ice cream: biscuit feuilletine and strawberry jam. Should have set a coin adjacent to the plate to give you perspective. This bite of dessert was small. It was just enough, really, after all the courses. We were stuffed so much that our brains were spewing out of our ears by the time dessert came 'round. So, this was delicate and lovely, but rather anticlimactic. I'm so particular about dessert. If it isn't pie or cheesecake, then I'm usually disappointed. This taste was enough to cleanse and freshen the palate.

Biscuit cuillere: chocolate mousse and raspberries. As not-a-chocolate fan, this was ever-more anticlimactic than the previous dessert. Fresh raspberries inside were tasty treats, and the crunchy bottom crust was notable. If I loved chocolate, no doubt the dark chocolate flavor would likely make me al orgasmic and such. The moussey-bits were perfectly moussey: fragile and refined.

As a wine-loather I confess that the wines served were excellent. Perhaps I've never had wine as good as these and that is why I do not prefer wine at all. They were: Domaine Thomas et Fils Sanserre 2010, Chateau Montelena Chardonnay 2009, Belle Glos Las Alturas Pinot Noir 2010, and another Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon Calistoga 2009. Loved the Chateau Montelena's and shall seek out their product and start a wine habit.

Eating at Blackberry Farm was part of the Southern Writer's Food Conference that I paid to attend, so according to the new FTC regulations, I'm including this statement that I received no other form of compensation for this endorsement. 

scratch grenadine

Making your own grenadine is simple, really. Jason Wilson convinced me. Was reading his book Boozehound and in the appendix he shared recipes for grenadine, simple syrup (duh), preserved cherries, and orgeat syrup, among others.

Since I plan to make a Clover Club quite soon and had no grenadine on hand, making my own seemed like the best solution. 

His recipe called for three cups of pomegranate juice. I bought the sixteen ounce container of POM at the grocery store. So when I measured that out it fell shy of the three cups. Fortunately, I had on hand the last eight ounce bottle of POM from a case that their rep sent me several months ago. 

I know, I'm terribly remiss about singing the praises of POM. The fact is that I love POM so much that I simply drank the stuff straight down---eight ounce bottle after eight ounce bottle after eight ounce bottle, you get the picture? It was a miracle that this last bottle remained so that I could pull together this grenadine recipe.

This grenadine was meant to be. Lovely how those things work out. But actually, I had planned to use part of the POM in icing for a bachelor button cookie recipe which has proved to be one of my most popular posts ever, according to my site's statistics. I'll get around to that someday. Promise.

And so, to make three cups for this recipe, if you'll need twenty-four ounces (or three cups) of POM juice.

Anyway, if you couldn't read the recipe above in my chicken scratch, here it is:

Scratch Grenadine

3 cups of pomegranate juice (I used POM)
1.5 cups of sugar
1 1/2 ounces of freshly squeezed lemon juice
one whole long strip of orange zest and mind you get none of the pith

Bring the pom juice to a boil in a medium-sized saucepan, then add lemon and sugar, stirring until dissolved/incorporated into the liquid. Add zest. Decrease heat to medium low and cook until reduced by half, about forty-five minutes. Remove peel, or strain via sieve, whichever method works best for you. Let cool before storing in refrigerator. Will keep for two weeks. For longer storage, up to two months, add half an ounce of 151 proof rum. 

 

This recipe is from Jason Wilson's book Boozehound, page 216 if you'd like to see the real thing. He adapted it from Todd Thrasher. The bottles I'm storing my grenadine in are, if you cannot tell, simply oil bottles I bought from Target. Not that I'm shilling for Target now, too. They're just my go-to store, you know? $4 a piece, as I recall. I figured they'd work well in this capacity, but the moment of truth is still to come. Wait for it... when I make this Clover Club.