tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-90889686803250940082024-03-12T21:26:30.813-04:00Sights, Sounds, and Tastes of the American SouthRay Linvillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01860661401478445293noreply@blogger.comBlogger114125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9088968680325094008.post-67860513285159165142022-01-01T11:30:00.095-05:002022-01-02T20:01:46.449-05:00How to Celebrate with New Year’s Day Food During a Pandemic<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiD0LmI5VVIfDuclmKRAlb0B8HYGBWANv1w1TNythdlKAn3R4KIXtfVz4IwtoFbnE0Q56wLkqke4K0W7Mv-7Ut7gpe3cNklE5lN2GwKSIXbBLQE5i5hiflGlkWdClGyohuqhlZ8uZDGRuUaJte0Szs9j0IvEr8HqxJS60gF3qP7TsyupzxhUwanj7J6=s4128" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3096" data-original-width="4128" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiD0LmI5VVIfDuclmKRAlb0B8HYGBWANv1w1TNythdlKAn3R4KIXtfVz4IwtoFbnE0Q56wLkqke4K0W7Mv-7Ut7gpe3cNklE5lN2GwKSIXbBLQE5i5hiflGlkWdClGyohuqhlZ8uZDGRuUaJte0Szs9j0IvEr8HqxJS60gF3qP7TsyupzxhUwanj7J6=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The boxed New Year's Day lunch had everything important.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>It’s January 1 and time to celebrate with a Southern meal of collards, black-eyed peas, and cornbread, even though the world has been beset with the coronavirus pandemic for almost two years. What is a community to do when social distancing and mask-wearing are as important as serving traditional New Year’s Day food? </div><div><br /></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg729DGjFemgxCKlAbeBi2a4iIljzcFwVTRp3cR67sHiCY1dgFeIfmAF82YqW23zvSRTtFFupmtLzcnpncDcWHMz-Ae_89yx5pFFt3HszutIcvJ_iA7EkjFYpZQuJa8gB3oEDFkEKa3Y7bi4TT3Na3FPVCfYt0cvKzomRW0W2MkwE61J-sH_4HPTCFZ=s4128" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3096" data-original-width="4128" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg729DGjFemgxCKlAbeBi2a4iIljzcFwVTRp3cR67sHiCY1dgFeIfmAF82YqW23zvSRTtFFupmtLzcnpncDcWHMz-Ae_89yx5pFFt3HszutIcvJ_iA7EkjFYpZQuJa8gB3oEDFkEKa3Y7bi4TT3Na3FPVCfYt0cvKzomRW0W2MkwE61J-sH_4HPTCFZ=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A line of cars was waiting well before the start time.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div>Open a drive-through line is what <a href="https://www.culdeechurch.net/history_of_culdee" target="_blank">Culdee Presbyterian Church</a> in <a href="https://www.google.com/maps/place/Moore+County,+NC/@35.2800409,-79.712895,10z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x89ab5777cbccf3dd:0x9b655a0ffb000e60!8m2!3d35.3674493!4d-79.4703885" target="_blank">Moore County</a>, NC, decided. Takeout is better than no food or no celebration at all. If students can learn remotely during a pandemic, people can enjoy food in a similar manner. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjVVFa9FmXG0zkSuDB8dl5LvFHwQPYtmAFm2k03kwxK3J153Km5U1FkH8mDdVOomC4VYNJuI_hAFfzYftZNVmLT863X340GUL9BgAIzy8zQOrtF2Bn8LrzX3XCt1YmhBs74vpEhqMyyjVBGa_YOl_A6-7Ea0VHAH4UbrSgoVKD9yxpuS-ZksinI1Z_N=s4128" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3096" data-original-width="4128" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjVVFa9FmXG0zkSuDB8dl5LvFHwQPYtmAFm2k03kwxK3J153Km5U1FkH8mDdVOomC4VYNJuI_hAFfzYftZNVmLT863X340GUL9BgAIzy8zQOrtF2Bn8LrzX3XCt1YmhBs74vpEhqMyyjVBGa_YOl_A6-7Ea0VHAH4UbrSgoVKD9yxpuS-ZksinI1Z_N=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Several volunteers were busy helping to keep the line moving.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>The church’s congregation was busy early in the day preparing the food and assembling the boxes, and the takeout line was growing well before the start time. The long line of cars waiting for boxed lunches to take home was an indication of how much people enjoy celebrating together (even when they have to stay in their vehicles) and how important the food traditions of New Year’s Day can be. The desire to participate in a joint activity can override the reality of how little social inaction might occur. </div><div><br /></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjUT72lBTAUxmfyLlF6IvagJE8Nve6c6zCPuAbLzj5khM3M2HIXqKzn6C6fLAhwIgl1QIc6PNirbbmy5ij1ugTm5MgoN4UJS7wnh6vEAzZa-1x1ZVyTYBiYk3yydap4vINopVlcMDs9E5oS3p_ZcTbzXFVBHWPnM30AirlDNCLKfYOGzWZjV6Rm3RBn=s4128" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3096" data-original-width="4128" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjUT72lBTAUxmfyLlF6IvagJE8Nve6c6zCPuAbLzj5khM3M2HIXqKzn6C6fLAhwIgl1QIc6PNirbbmy5ij1ugTm5MgoN4UJS7wnh6vEAzZa-1x1ZVyTYBiYk3yydap4vINopVlcMDs9E5oS3p_ZcTbzXFVBHWPnM30AirlDNCLKfYOGzWZjV6Rm3RBn=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A pitmaster keeps the remaining barbecue warm.</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div>The process was simple: Drive in, stop to order and pay, advance to pick up, and leave. No special orders. Every box was the same: Boston butt barbecue, collards, black-eyed peas, cornbread, and dessert (which was either a slice of pound cake or two cookies). The barbecue and dessert were added attractions—I would have gone for just the collards, black-eyed peas, and cornbread. </div><div><br /></div><div>So many cars were driving through the line and being served, I thought that the church would sell out early, well before the end time that was three hours later, and they did. Of course, most of us know to show up early for these events and then sit back and watch all the activity unfold. </div><div><br /></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgOkag3eMDOFhQ-aMRRRwIWidqPzKySwUWVYagXqwIjPUeu4TJD4_-S0LZ4gjo0SuMdWbS1iVfEks_ISzcnwgF_PS1YxUFrkjG7tRoSWl-whMyduAQMD47On1YxmMKrZgXXPbxTLO776HW2vj0_5vu70FJVDVQMgd1_AWnCw-qnnOka0kJEXggZJMVQ=s4128" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3096" data-original-width="4128" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgOkag3eMDOFhQ-aMRRRwIWidqPzKySwUWVYagXqwIjPUeu4TJD4_-S0LZ4gjo0SuMdWbS1iVfEks_ISzcnwgF_PS1YxUFrkjG7tRoSWl-whMyduAQMD47On1YxmMKrZgXXPbxTLO776HW2vj0_5vu70FJVDVQMgd1_AWnCw-qnnOka0kJEXggZJMVQ=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A sign at a busy intersection promotes the event in advance<span style="text-align: left;">—</span>without indicating the location (but the locals knew).</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div>Starting the New Year correctly is so vitally important, and eating collard greens and black-eyed peas with cornbread guarantees good health and fortune (or so we have been told). If we do, life is good.</div><div><br /></div><div><p class="MsoNormal">
</p><hr />
<i><br /></i></div><div><i>Note</i>: An article about a different community
gathering on New Year’s Day and its food traditions that I wrote for <a href="https://www.ncfolk.org/2016/starting-the-new-year-with-food-and-politics-2/" target="_blank">N.C.Food Blog of N.C. Folklife Institute is published here</a>. <o:p></o:p><p></p></div><div><br /></div>Ray Linvillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01860661401478445293noreply@blogger.com1916 NC-73, West End, NC 27376, USA35.2499426 -79.4692606000000136.9397087638211516 -114.62551060000001 63.560176436178843 -44.313010600000013tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9088968680325094008.post-37413448920410686062020-08-29T12:30:00.145-04:002020-09-07T14:41:06.905-04:00A Watermelon with a Story to Tell<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisoZ5e0DpYCVN7yABHyVKiaCQ7gS1eVh8O7Tqa9Yy7pDRImBh8L76yYe2pGC-Kympt2dhtsAPS6cnbWFZQYc6I15ociqqOgsG32s9ck0kEbMiY9knZZKsDQtL8gV1tSdTRbtAjpZJLWls/s1851/20200829_122632+%25282%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Bradford Family Farm near Sumter, S.C." border="0" data-original-height="993" data-original-width="1851" height="269" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisoZ5e0DpYCVN7yABHyVKiaCQ7gS1eVh8O7Tqa9Yy7pDRImBh8L76yYe2pGC-Kympt2dhtsAPS6cnbWFZQYc6I15ociqqOgsG32s9ck0kEbMiY9knZZKsDQtL8gV1tSdTRbtAjpZJLWls/w500-h269/20200829_122632+%25282%2529.jpg" title="Bradford Family Farm" width="500" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Bradford Family Farm attracts many interested travelers in August.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br />To buy a watermelon, would you drive more than 200 miles? Would you make a two-day roundtrip from Illinois to South Carolina to buy the “heirloom” watermelon that once was believed to be extinct after the 1920s?<br /><br /><h2>Bradford Watermelon<br /></h2><p>I did, and another customer drove across several states for the <a href="http://bradfordwatermelons.com/" target="_blank">Bradford watermelon</a> that is being introduced again to chefs, gardeners and food enthusiasts around the world. It is considered to be the tastiest watermelon and has exceptional characteristics such as rich sweetness, delicious flesh, thin rinds, and large fruits (up to 40 pounds). </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxVHtDuBUi-qyC9iaif_b8dpi-H8P2Ygu99OqwgsuML1VYRKtoThVi05eSjtKEtpkbT0gsm708RHmVDlXjinH2h18LAU6W_wzH6rzxKvBggkox8e2Dbls16l934p0PItbMwAcS76twSvo/s2048/20200829_122250.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img alt="Bradford watermelon" border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="375" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxVHtDuBUi-qyC9iaif_b8dpi-H8P2Ygu99OqwgsuML1VYRKtoThVi05eSjtKEtpkbT0gsm708RHmVDlXjinH2h18LAU6W_wzH6rzxKvBggkox8e2Dbls16l934p0PItbMwAcS76twSvo/w500-h375/20200829_122250.jpg" title="Bradford watermelon growing in field" width="500" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Bradford watermelon in the field before being picked.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><h2>The Story</h2>The story of the Bradford watermelon is as interesting as the melon itself is revered for its sweetness and flavor. <a href="https://www.carolinafarmstewards.org/rebirth-of-the-bradford-watermelon-a-new-history-begins/" target="_blank">On a blog, Nat Bradford describes</a> how he discovered a book from the 1850s that lists his family’s watermelons as the absolute best of all market melons of the day. That discovery motivated him to learn more about their history and led him to find Prof. David Shields, an expert in Southern foodways. </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJdT4HZV4PHC0N1RatCxQ-OLWkfdDgb0C6pATKvOJIk49FUDG2doRRombP9ulD54DdFiXUCA3ardEDsgHYO-V4Pl-J5xsuEzn7RaWmrmj0a8KmeoikM9nDMB9v9XXb0tGzIFCzQCJ_rRA/s2048/20200829_120957.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Nat Bradford slicing watermelon" border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="375" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJdT4HZV4PHC0N1RatCxQ-OLWkfdDgb0C6pATKvOJIk49FUDG2doRRombP9ulD54DdFiXUCA3ardEDsgHYO-V4Pl-J5xsuEzn7RaWmrmj0a8KmeoikM9nDMB9v9XXb0tGzIFCzQCJ_rRA/w500-h375/20200829_120957.jpg" title="Nat Bradford" width="500" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nat Bradford prepares a sample of his pickled watermelon rind with pimento cheese.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>Because the Bradford watermelon was so prized, growers often stood guard with guns at night deter potential thieves. Some growers even used electrocuting wires and poisoned selected watermelons in their fields that were marked by signs to “pick at your own risk.” (However, this plan backfired when a farmer confused a safe melon for a deadly one and poisoned the family.) According to Shields, more people were killed in watermelon patches than in any other part of the American agricultural landscape except for cattle rustlers and horse thieves. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ljFJJ4kcNqU" width="320" youtube-src-id="ljFJJ4kcNqU"></iframe></div><br /><div>In the 1840s, Nathaniel Napoleon Bradford (1809-1882), the sixth great-grandfather of Nat, began experimenting with watermelon seeds and crossed two varieties to create what became known as the Bradford watermelon. Although it was celebrated during the 1850s to 1910s, it fell out of favor as other varieties became more popular. Its thin skin wasn’t suitable for long-distance shipping and its unusual elongated shape (like an overgrown cucumber) made it difficult to stack. </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="375" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglphQsziGcgBBjvFe5KuIN8heKk3x99kidU4C0cRU3E63jr_fVa38x6DEYH2VnSq8TsPu47KxtsSooYOFnGWzLrV_RowajpiadXKzd4Bi0p3jbAZPqcFQhKGsrQdf0rvce2JS6XWDU3No/w500-h375/20200829_120814.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="500" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Customers line up to receive watermelons that had been ordered online weeks earlier.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div>At the sacrifice of flavor, watermelons were bred to have tougher, thicker skins to reduce flesh damage and to improve their abilities to be stacked ten deep and loaded on trains without bruising and splitting. In fact, at this time 93 percent of commercially available seed varieties disappeared, and the last commercial planting of the Bradford melon was in 1922. </div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVcA9UsFqBwBZfKUYLG-AN7onJVJerVDnvRHZdwoYq-5ycJE-UhQbOkPS642I1biBVsbj1RJH3Hh0z_Dx5pWPfJJVqsVyrFVuFDgo2Pvjt_Gg2Vjg1j2NJFmiXrHvCwxBYJIy8v_dj3aE/s2048/20200829_120918.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Farm products ready for sale" border="0" data-original-height="1286" data-original-width="2048" height="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVcA9UsFqBwBZfKUYLG-AN7onJVJerVDnvRHZdwoYq-5ycJE-UhQbOkPS642I1biBVsbj1RJH3Hh0z_Dx5pWPfJJVqsVyrFVuFDgo2Pvjt_Gg2Vjg1j2NJFmiXrHvCwxBYJIy8v_dj3aE/w500-h314/20200829_120918.jpg" width="500" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Products from the Bradford Family Farm are ready for sale.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div>Although commercial production had ended, generations of the Bradford family kept growing the original watermelon for personal use. Then it was “discovered” when food historians, principally Prof. David Shields, were connected with the Bradford family. Shields had been researching the history of watermelons. From agricultural journals and seed catalogs of the 19th century, he was able to determine the characteristics of the Bradford melon: “oblong, dark green rind watermelon with red flesh and white seeds weighing 30 lbs. fully grown. Depending on the soil it is grown in, the rind develops longitudinal reticulations (stripes).” </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx_mWIPV5JbB-CJBwsSrofrBN7GcCEhFmAFTjjZZ_fMwg2eUCNF5hr5ZkflARbI9n3yTz_tx7dz8kfN8WDFh6y0nmZnBIBSg5TttJcnhdFntM4IAevxsZfD-bAKC32EsmQcow68PWHaIA/s2048/20200829_121927.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="375" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx_mWIPV5JbB-CJBwsSrofrBN7GcCEhFmAFTjjZZ_fMwg2eUCNF5hr5ZkflARbI9n3yTz_tx7dz8kfN8WDFh6y0nmZnBIBSg5TttJcnhdFntM4IAevxsZfD-bAKC32EsmQcow68PWHaIA/w500-h375/20200829_121927.jpg" width="500" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">If you're taking home more than one, extra trunk space is needed.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div><br /></div><h2>Bradford Family Farm</h2><div>Nat Bradford, an eighth-generation watermelon grower and seed saver of the famed watermelon, has been growing it since he was five and was taught by his grandfather how to save seeds. On his farm, not more than 10 miles from the original breeding site, he grows one of the oldest surviving North American watermelons. Over the decades, the Bradford family was saving up to 4 percent of each year’s crop as seed melons to create plantings in the next season. </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="375" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAESel92efiD_hjrofMCyBYB5i4p2t0wIbvUns-LLnrLkonmFsAl4aF8t08fknOVoeJGkh9WZcR9gux4Z9TdZNeEaUTOeAVzc0vWnpADf8pUC1ysGX6omAC75XM7ZW-D6L0BAe090e-pg/w500-h375/20200829_121522.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="500" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More melons are delivered to the sales tent.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div>Six weeks after I had placed an order, I arrived at <a href="http://bradfordwatermelons.com/" target="_blank">the farm</a>, appropriately marked with a hand-painted wood sign. A few people were standing in line to pick up their orders at the sales tent. Only a few watermelons were there. I must have looked worried because Bradford told me that he’d have a few more soon. Within minutes a pickup truck came down a dirt road to the tent, and the crew began offloading more melons. </div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpLKJMVgRCjkTTm_fFfaA5U9hhVIak43Bxj4J0rrPzrxJMP7F2pFSr0RAKHSAXqraw0gcBNYDSAD1wjkLFCOi0LYuzMUtuP-Bvztxf4WHSRHN6DaLmfnOGvAtT_nQETq1uMAH_KHqSjkQ/s2048/20200829_121530.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="375" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpLKJMVgRCjkTTm_fFfaA5U9hhVIak43Bxj4J0rrPzrxJMP7F2pFSr0RAKHSAXqraw0gcBNYDSAD1wjkLFCOi0LYuzMUtuP-Bvztxf4WHSRHN6DaLmfnOGvAtT_nQETq1uMAH_KHqSjkQ/w500-h375/20200829_121530.jpg" width="500" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nat Bradford washes every watermelon before handing it to a customer.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>Don’t think that I got a dirty melon! Nat washes every one before he places it in a customer’s arms. (Both arms are needed to carry something so huge to a car.) I had ordered two, and they needed a large trunk space for the ride home. The person behind me had ordered eight, which at $20 a melon is a sizeable order. One melon that I took home looks like an overgrown cucumber. Both the watermelon and cucumber are from the “Old World” (primarily Africa and Asia) and belong to the same family (Cucurbitaceae) as do squashes, pumpkins, and gourds, but they are only distantly related. </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Bradford watermelon" border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh8edSRYEfAfoymmqJ_8nYDxtExmEbWqBffdDiw-U0E-Ww388e4phTGSEYVC6Ozga6e3s3mcG5MhdDZSLABMCup2oFsvwP4xyXs8kTlz7XJxh8mC1R05RAQienE0Lz3-05tO3yqfa8WHw/w375-h500/20200829_172027.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="375" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Is it a watermelon or a cucumber? Whatever it is, it's huge.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div>Bradford is certainly developing a following for his watermelons. He sold 500 online for pickup during two weekends of August (they grow late in the season). He also has a growing market for <a href="https://www.postandcourier.com/food/the-sweet-taste-of-success/article_9b00fd26-5e2d-576a-9180-3571a5bf2a85.html" target="_blank">his family’s pickled rinds, watermelon molasses, and watermelon brandy</a>. The Bradford family is continuing a multi-generational tradition of distilling the melon’s sugary juice into brandy as well as boiling it to make molasses. The melon’s sweet flesh makes it cherished for more than simply eating at a family dinner. </div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikTvS-hIeW8H23-zqnHAwo7mBpA8n90RllxPQ9hT8yXD7wDn60cJ8ZZ-wpWMnYVrgT-_4KpJ573H1u-ap1-L4a-scdxWFpMuAiICwaiSZhW8CGrvRGr7Dy8DfwPo_QCgWfedI6SnlaF-U/s2048/20200829_122302.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="375" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikTvS-hIeW8H23-zqnHAwo7mBpA8n90RllxPQ9hT8yXD7wDn60cJ8ZZ-wpWMnYVrgT-_4KpJ573H1u-ap1-L4a-scdxWFpMuAiICwaiSZhW8CGrvRGr7Dy8DfwPo_QCgWfedI6SnlaF-U/w500-h375/20200829_122302.jpg" width="500" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Weeding is not a priority because walking in the patch would compact the soil.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div>Yes, my family is saving the seeds from the watermelons that we carried home. One day they may become a legacy gift.
</div>Ray Linvillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01860661401478445293noreply@blogger.com0Unnamed Road, Panguipulli, Los Ríos, Chile-39.926892 -72.000529-67.443499244560741 -107.156779 -12.410284755439264 -36.844279tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9088968680325094008.post-40341839117924055822020-04-19T18:00:00.000-04:002020-05-10T20:40:00.843-04:00A Feast of Reconciliation and Fellowship<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3vh9RZKjcnxiVb8Voy3Et3mdz8Su5tjm32hiQvs5_tIPkq9jnCe0qSIw6KCFaFtVaVv9BJfjcHcKuyuUxMcuTe287RjddXfiwQtN_IeRyxbVHlekZ3X30oMWC1XmrCvUXbjtN5ko5rSY/s1600/mitchell+before+feast+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="532" data-original-width="988" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3vh9RZKjcnxiVb8Voy3Et3mdz8Su5tjm32hiQvs5_tIPkq9jnCe0qSIw6KCFaFtVaVv9BJfjcHcKuyuUxMcuTe287RjddXfiwQtN_IeRyxbVHlekZ3X30oMWC1XmrCvUXbjtN5ko5rSY/s400/mitchell+before+feast+%25282%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Before guests arrive at McCrady's Restaurant, Chef Kevin Mitchell checks the arrangements in the Long Room.</td></tr>
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Five years ago I attended an amazing event — and after a five-year-long reflection I can now write about it. It was that profound. Held in Charleston, SC, on April 19, 2015, it has become known as Nat Fuller’s Feast.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Guests at Nat Fuller's Feast get comfortable before the dinner program begins.</td></tr>
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<h2>
Original Dinner</h2>
It commemorated and celebrated the original dinner held by Fuller, a newly freed African-American chef, to mark the end of the American Civil War and of slavery. Charleston, the epicenter of secession, had surrendered to Union forces on February 18, 1865, and their occupation liberated the approximately 10,000 slaves who had remained there.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chef B.J. Dennis brings out a tray of hors d'oeuvres at the reception.</td></tr>
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To a feast of his making in his restaurant, Fuller invited prominent citizens, blacks and whites, as his guests. Historian <a href="https://people.cas.sc.edu/dshields/" target="_blank">David Shields</a> identifies the significance of the occasion: “Here’s a man who realizes that because of the abolition of slavery ... there’s going to be a new ground of social relationships.”<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Prof. David Shields (right) with a re-enactor of the 54th Massachusetts Regiment at the reception.</td></tr>
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Abby Louisa Porcher, a grande dame of the Charleston planter society, described the feast this way: “Nat Fuller, a Negro caterer, provided munificently for a miscegenat dinner, at which blacks and whites sat on an equality and gave toasts and sang songs for Lincoln and Freedom.”<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A table display at the reception with a portrait by artist Jonathan Green to communicate the spirit of Nat Fuller (although no pictures of Fuller have been found).</td></tr>
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The 2015 event also recognized the significant role that free and enslaved African-Americans played in shaping Charleston's cuisine in the mid-nineteenth and until World War I. Before being emancipated, Fuller had been an enslaved cook, caterer, marketer of game, and restaurateur, and he was the foremost private chef in the antebellum city. As described by Shields, Fuller was “one citizen who sought to turn the hearts and minds of the public to the future, to teach Charlestonians the values requisite in the new post-bellum world.”<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Advertisement in the <i>Charleston Courie</i>r on June 12, 1855 by Nat Fuller, who saved money for his catering business by working as the city's chief marketer of game (courtesy of American Historical Newspapers).</td></tr>
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<h2>
Reconciliation Renewed</h2>
Shields chaired Nat Fuller’s Feast in an attempt to re-create the 1865 meal as part of the city’s Civil War sesquicentennial. Chef Kevin Mitchell of the Culinary Institute of Charleston served as host. Chef B.J. Dennis, a Gullah-Geechee culinary specialist; nationally noted chef Sean Brock (formerly of McCrady’s and Husk); and Mitchell prepared the food with the assistance of many others.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSQjb7kthq0-qy9MMXbKxssjN5G8ynUq0TGTSItAiiYaEiSdFdvMXZ_5iC9tewWY5OSpFkBE6hyphenhyphenVVpRv_gC3SPFpoTWkQerN-ZGKHRAKQTiJbmL2Rbe8nbyHo4WVvRVm_gD_g8xlgFyDk/s1600/SAM_1380+%25282016_07_04+00_38_35+UTC%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSQjb7kthq0-qy9MMXbKxssjN5G8ynUq0TGTSItAiiYaEiSdFdvMXZ_5iC9tewWY5OSpFkBE6hyphenhyphenVVpRv_gC3SPFpoTWkQerN-ZGKHRAKQTiJbmL2Rbe8nbyHo4WVvRVm_gD_g8xlgFyDk/s400/SAM_1380+%25282016_07_04+00_38_35+UTC%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I enjoyed meeting Natalie Dupree, the Queen of Southern Cuisine, who is an esteemed chef, cooking show host and author of 14 cookbooks.</td></tr>
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The evening began with a reception in <a href="http://fineartsouth.com/" target="_blank">The Charleston Renaissance Gallery</a>, a fine arts gallery where Bachelor’s Retreat, Fuller’s restaurant renowned for its pastries and its roasted game and meats at 78 Church Street (now 103 Church Street), had been located. Hors d’oeuvres — brioche with foie gras mousse, strawberry jam and pickled spring onions; benne tart shells with lobster salad and caviar; warm rice bread with smoked tongue and chow chow; chicken and truffle pies — were as remarkable as the cocktails: brandy smash, mint julep, gin with bitters, persimmon beer, carbonated shrubs as well as Nat Fuller’s signature concoctions.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A tray of shells with lobster salad is served at the reception.</td></tr>
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During the reception, re-enactors of the 54th Massachusetts Regiment, an African-American regiment in the Civil War made famous in the movie Glory, sang songs of the era. This regiment had entered Charleston three days after the mayor had surrendered the city to Union troops. After the reception, we were escorted by the re-enactors<span id="goog_1253784544"></span><span id="goog_1253784545"></span> to the Long Room of <a href="https://mccradysrestaurant.com/" target="_blank">McCrady’s Restaurant</a> for the feast. Food prepared as it was in Fuller’s time came out in waves. In the tradition of Fuller’s banquets, Russian-style service brought courses sequentially rather than all at once, and each waiter served small sections of two long dinner tables.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Re-enactors of the 54th Massachusetts Regiment escort the dinner guests from the reception to McCrady's Restaurant.</td></tr>
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<h2>
The Menu</h2>
The platters were overflowing:<br />
<ul>
<li>Potage: mock turtle soup and oyster soup with celery</li>
<li>Relishes: mixed pickled vegetables, Bradford watermelon pickles, marinated olives, collard kraut </li>
<li>Poisson (fish): fried whiting, shrimp pie, poached bass, Worcestershire anchovy sauce, mushroom ketchup, walnut ketchup, butter caper sauce </li>
<li>Volaille (poultry): capon chasseur, aged duck with Seville oranges, partridge with truffle sauce</li>
<li>Viande (meat): venison with currant demi, lamb chops with mint sauce, beef a la mode </li>
<li>Legumes: asparagus, roasted turnips, fresh peas, baby beets, roasted potatoes, Carolina gold rice, potato puree </li>
<li>Desserts: Charlotte russe, almond cake, blanc mange, punch cakes, vanilla and pineapple ice creams </li>
</ul>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjNPFfW5f5NNpUsTNxRElr64velgGbxK_gljRaKrRMiNm-Ugh2-uz12QerXaen3SUpymMzkFPZD2x2xwTQBgznBvWCgDbGmrvjlTdCXdWxvhMWKF4_5GEFQPX_UGLgQb1lTZb1usLjehs/s1600/menu.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="768" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjNPFfW5f5NNpUsTNxRElr64velgGbxK_gljRaKrRMiNm-Ugh2-uz12QerXaen3SUpymMzkFPZD2x2xwTQBgznBvWCgDbGmrvjlTdCXdWxvhMWKF4_5GEFQPX_UGLgQb1lTZb1usLjehs/s400/menu.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The menu reflects dishes prepared by Nat Fuller in the 1860s.</td></tr>
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Several of Fuller’s bills of fare have been preserved. They indicate that he cooked veal more than his peers, liked to fry or poach fish rather than broiling it, and prepared food with mushroom and walnut “catsups” regularly. Near the end of the dinner, Shields led everyone in the toast “To Lincoln and liberty” that was also a part of the 1865 feast.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoR3TeV_fdb2s8cZeEB7P0AxC-hV5J0xrlHXO0R38xvaPEN8HaV0uPuRYd4_7oj1LahYM_K9uZ-UUmcHLvmocdZ1VBGQKQmq9PlyU_2iRilCBg7JdO_CiYRitINCeMkRLHN3h9RXhyphenhyphenBJQ/s1600/SAM_1428+%25282016_07_04+00_38_35+UTC%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoR3TeV_fdb2s8cZeEB7P0AxC-hV5J0xrlHXO0R38xvaPEN8HaV0uPuRYd4_7oj1LahYM_K9uZ-UUmcHLvmocdZ1VBGQKQmq9PlyU_2iRilCBg7JdO_CiYRitINCeMkRLHN3h9RXhyphenhyphenBJQ/s400/SAM_1428+%25282016_07_04+00_38_35+UTC%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Two soups, not one, begin the dinner.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<h2>
Guests</h2>
The menu itself conveys a sense of how well-designed and fantastic the evening was, and the 80 who attended included community leaders, historians, scholars, faith leaders, culinarians, artists, writers, and others. In attendance was the great-great-granddaughter of stellar caterer Eliza Seymour Lee, a free black woman, who apprenticed Fuller when he was being trained as a cook. Because Fuller didn’t sell tickets to his 1865 feast, the organizers decided to select the guests — who would not pay for their meal, but receive it as a gift — except for six, who would be winners of an essay contest administered by <i>The Post and Courier</i>, the daily newspaper of Charleston.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWIxdAQ6q9s3oQ_mM7K1kkaNC3q7GROXvR13w88lj-mDseMdi293_JPaO0pSQ3OPtIGLg_YL8lJUFdCDhLEquX3e18MjYxs5lNVKLhYQyngWqLoz4vzTNND3Rl9VIww-xIxVxUlVvUngU/s1600/SAM_1413+%25282016_07_04+00_38_35+UTC%2529+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWIxdAQ6q9s3oQ_mM7K1kkaNC3q7GROXvR13w88lj-mDseMdi293_JPaO0pSQ3OPtIGLg_YL8lJUFdCDhLEquX3e18MjYxs5lNVKLhYQyngWqLoz4vzTNND3Rl9VIww-xIxVxUlVvUngU/s400/SAM_1413+%25282016_07_04+00_38_35+UTC%2529+%25282%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My place setting at the dinner.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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When I learned about the contest, I was compelled to enter — a chance to participate in an evening of history, food, and racial reconciliation was enticing. Entrants were asked to explain why they belonged at the table by referring to “the ideals of hospitality, culinary community and social justice embodied by Fuller and his feast.” I fortunately was one of the six winners, and a <a href="https://www.postandcourier.com/food/dinner-essay-contest-winners/article_cff38151-ac60-5a50-8af9-fd66085fb4ed.html" target="_blank">condensed version of my essay</a> was published in <i>The Post and Courier</i>.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgamXNO9CfNQpkL4JN155fIha4TxvKgiFUDkP4cXlappBowiSzrj6CI8NSPyGztcDyhiIr7bD5Srzdwx0Z2MS8JPCvXndBndkheb88OgXNKs-OEgnEJlmhOkRz75ll7zSSNrsFsgqcxpAM/s1600/table+wrpl+%25282%2529+text.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="761" data-original-width="1354" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgamXNO9CfNQpkL4JN155fIha4TxvKgiFUDkP4cXlappBowiSzrj6CI8NSPyGztcDyhiIr7bD5Srzdwx0Z2MS8JPCvXndBndkheb88OgXNKs-OEgnEJlmhOkRz75ll7zSSNrsFsgqcxpAM/s400/table+wrpl+%25282%2529+text.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Guests are randomly seated at one of the two long tables to stimulate conversation. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<h2>
Controversy</h2>
In 2018 at a conference hosted by the College of Charleston, <a href="http://www.fresnostate.edu/socialsciences/historydept/faculty/faculty-ekytle.html" target="_blank">Ethan Kytla</a>, a California State University Fresno history professor, refuted the claim that Fuller hosted a reunification banquet in the wake of the Civil War. Nevertheless, the college continues to display its <a href="https://ldhi.library.cofc.edu/exhibits/show/nat_fuller" target="_blank">digital exhibit</a> about Fuller and the 2015 dinner.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigVaT98UjtB6xw-Yn818zTkBDQcuOXJHINfxevSZ2fTLA4aRFQoChSalq3pyudYx__5YUPcXpquvK2RribFE9Zui8d30v55hjqANkflwz-TOj_nHyuNwQF4P9g0XGVymXsaRA-QK44wBQ/s1600/SAM_1448+%25282016_07_04+00_38_35+UTC%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigVaT98UjtB6xw-Yn818zTkBDQcuOXJHINfxevSZ2fTLA4aRFQoChSalq3pyudYx__5YUPcXpquvK2RribFE9Zui8d30v55hjqANkflwz-TOj_nHyuNwQF4P9g0XGVymXsaRA-QK44wBQ/s400/SAM_1448+%25282016_07_04+00_38_35+UTC%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Baby beets are one of the many vegetables served.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Shields had uncovered details about Nat Fuller and his dinner when researching <i>The Culinarians</i>, a book published by the <a href="https://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/C/bo25380295.html" target="_blank">University of Chicago Press</a>. Although Shields acknowledged to <i>The Post and Courier</i> that his research in documenting the original event was imperfect, he is adamant that “there was a sit-down event where blacks and whites were together.”<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh-VDN-QwTwUw1kqFdCk3eQ8eHqZgG3llzgZLtRMIkKOr9t2jolkPvgui_PEY-RhgijT-eFsgraUCbME_PlGmbCs_qpFxJ5i_fL1CP5LdjRUkFzqbRCz-CTk2smt60qzAuhuE-2vXyZs0/s1600/platter+by+boncek.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="534" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh-VDN-QwTwUw1kqFdCk3eQ8eHqZgG3llzgZLtRMIkKOr9t2jolkPvgui_PEY-RhgijT-eFsgraUCbME_PlGmbCs_qpFxJ5i_fL1CP5LdjRUkFzqbRCz-CTk2smt60qzAuhuE-2vXyZs0/s400/platter+by+boncek.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A platter of meats is served Russian-style by the team of waiters. Photo: Jonathan Boncek.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<h2>
Reflection</h2>
Six days before the dinner, a video of Walter Scott, an African American, being killed by a white police officer was released that further incited racial tensions caused by the shooting earlier that month. Then two months later nine African Americans, including Rev. Clementa Pinckney, were killed by a white gunman at Mother Emanuel A.M.E. Church. Pickney, also a state senator, had been one of the guests at Nat Fuller’s Feast.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeQl6CAgVPcawrglYKF_5RAC1Sr_DQfbTHIA679v134j_zauaWOFBwuVNf41ybYSGwvdlTEJ9uv7YTLYUgp_NuG64T1t1eed15XXq01Erk5kc4fNX27GWalfItAs_kGaNog6BGoYcx-Ic/s1600/SAM_1335+%25282016_07_04+00_38_35+UTC%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeQl6CAgVPcawrglYKF_5RAC1Sr_DQfbTHIA679v134j_zauaWOFBwuVNf41ybYSGwvdlTEJ9uv7YTLYUgp_NuG64T1t1eed15XXq01Erk5kc4fNX27GWalfItAs_kGaNog6BGoYcx-Ic/s400/SAM_1335+%25282016_07_04+00_38_35+UTC%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The dinner was held at McCrady's Restaurant in historic downtown Charleston. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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The controversy about the authenticity of the 1865 event notwithstanding, the 2015 feast still has merit — a gathering of fellowship in the spirit of racial reconciliation. That it occurred in Charleston is so meaningful in light of the tragic loss of lives that spring. Attending Nat Fuller's Feast was an amazing experience and causes me to reflect frequently on its significance.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD0SieeU0OS9NBVjx-3Le9bcxJsi7M0lajS7fLTRbNzGj6oGzEwwo0qAN6VR3lZrWxo86CqRVfGYyhbqA-s15j9hLlcPnki5pXbJ9pqe4uvAbPWcxh4yoN8XZygV9qDOG9cagFkIR32hM/s1600/program.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="369" data-original-width="672" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD0SieeU0OS9NBVjx-3Le9bcxJsi7M0lajS7fLTRbNzGj6oGzEwwo0qAN6VR3lZrWxo86CqRVfGYyhbqA-s15j9hLlcPnki5pXbJ9pqe4uvAbPWcxh4yoN8XZygV9qDOG9cagFkIR32hM/s400/program.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Each guest received a program about the event and Nat Fuller's life.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<hr />
<br />
For more information about Nat Fuller’s Feast, see:<br />
<ul>
<li>“<a href="https://ldhi.library.cofc.edu/exhibits/show/nat_fuller" target="_blank">Nat Fuller’s Feast: The Life and Legacy of an Enslaved Cook in Charleston</a>,” a digital exhibit hosted by the Lowcountry Digital Library of the College of Charleston </li>
<li>“<a href="http://commonplace.online/article/nat-fullers-feast/" target="_blank">Nat Fuller’s Feast</a>” by Shields </li>
<li>“<a href="https://www.southernfoodways.org/gravy/a-charleston-feast-for-reconciliation-gravy-ep-17/" target="_blank">A Charleston Feast for Reconciliation</a>,” a podcast by Philip Graitcer for Southern Foodways Alliance (comments excerpted from my interview begins at 17:04) </li>
<li><a href="https://jubileeprojectsc.wordpress.com/2015/04/28/chef-kevin-mitchells-letter-to-nat-fuller/" target="_blank">Letter by Chef Mitchell to Chef Fuller</a> that explains the menu ideas and other planning details for the 2015 event.</li>
</ul>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkC8OiSP89Zw1xxIl3xr92aRAFUsYU9J8r9ogazOz8cZ3TvJir2nyaMNJEktVPC_vBMMCw2-1irWFbSjlj60JqQSmGXhprdGtliLx-PKixE5P3-1kyXgOfb5Z9WFCU4k_HzgvrC3_QvTk/s1600/SAM_1327+%25282016_07_04+00_38_35+UTC%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkC8OiSP89Zw1xxIl3xr92aRAFUsYU9J8r9ogazOz8cZ3TvJir2nyaMNJEktVPC_vBMMCw2-1irWFbSjlj60JqQSmGXhprdGtliLx-PKixE5P3-1kyXgOfb5Z9WFCU4k_HzgvrC3_QvTk/s400/SAM_1327+%25282016_07_04+00_38_35+UTC%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The reception was held at The Charleston Renaissance Gallery where the Bachelor's Retreat, Fuller's famous restaurant, had been located.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<i>Note</i>: McCrady's Restaurant closed when the coronavirus pandemic occurred in 2020 and did not reopen.
Ray Linvillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01860661401478445293noreply@blogger.com02 Unity Alley, Charleston, SC 29401, USA32.778143917936738 -79.92741532.777309417936735 -79.9286755 32.778978417936742 -79.9261545tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9088968680325094008.post-37756425289825401462020-04-08T21:26:00.004-04:002020-04-08T22:30:05.255-04:00Finding a Historic Culture in Our Backyard<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdGpR1QH7aZ3_8Ni0mnOcOcn5UGZDCqv9Sf6M3_03fEACTIJjLtY4N-EKgblyQhTcL8UHya53AOzx8eiChmhCh8WpuwFmid-ngL8__Xuaz_7qxP_TNuKWZ5hsrboXw8L1xV-nDMJysKU8/s1600/highview.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="194" data-original-width="259" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdGpR1QH7aZ3_8Ni0mnOcOcn5UGZDCqv9Sf6M3_03fEACTIJjLtY4N-EKgblyQhTcL8UHya53AOzx8eiChmhCh8WpuwFmid-ngL8__Xuaz_7qxP_TNuKWZ5hsrboXw8L1xV-nDMJysKU8/s400/highview.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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The chance to find an ancient culture seems like an adventure worth pursuing. Imagine exploring the political and ceremonial center of a complex society that engaged in widespread trade, supported craft specialists, and built earthen mounds for spiritual and political leaders.<br />
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<h2>
Early Civilization</h2>
The mysteries of past centuries and an early civilization are hidden in plain sight, but visible if you venture to <a href="https://historicsites.nc.gov/all-sites/town-creek-indian-mound" target="_blank">Town Creek Indian Mound</a> near the town of Mount Gilead in southwestern Montgomery County, NC.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3bhX02Cu3kPK6Nl1NZQchK1vxnDGeL8vPg6dcmfxJP0yqyZ6aHNn01MwUZCwlGdCIfOE8YDMW3qU7uddQQjEno4evUEjlPkhhW06hgCRvVZjuKO4pdG1iKhpEnkgPZIbbOL0KsTL8Rxg/s1600/montgomerycounty.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="273" data-original-width="512" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3bhX02Cu3kPK6Nl1NZQchK1vxnDGeL8vPg6dcmfxJP0yqyZ6aHNn01MwUZCwlGdCIfOE8YDMW3qU7uddQQjEno4evUEjlPkhhW06hgCRvVZjuKO4pdG1iKhpEnkgPZIbbOL0KsTL8Rxg/s400/montgomerycounty.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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The only state historic site in North Carolina dedicated to Native American heritage, Town Creek offers a glimpse into how people lived here well before the arrival of Europeans and Africans in an era known as “pre-Columbian,” or before Columbus first crossed the Atlantic Ocean in 1492.<br />
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Several thousand years earlier, Native peoples began settling in permanent villages near rivers. When they stopped their nomadic lifestyles to search for wild foods, they planted plots of squash, corns, beans, and other produce and made pottery with clay from riverbanks.<br />
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<h2>
Archeological Evidence</h2>
Around 1100, these societies began building ceremonial centers, some surrounded by stockades. Town Creek represents such a center, although it has largely been reconstructed using archeological evidence. Scholarly research and archeology have been conducted there for more than half a century. Excavations first began in 1937, when the site was acquired by the state, and still continue today, although on only a limited basis. Because these people left no written record, archeology has been vital to uncover their history.<br />
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When I first visited Town Creek and saw the palisade, or fence of wooden stakes, that surrounds the site, it reminded me of stockades built in the 1600s at <a href="https://historicjamestowne.org/" target="_blank">Jamestown</a> and other colonial settlements. However, entering inside lets you know that you are experiencing a much earlier history when survival might have been even more difficult. Archaeological evidence indicates that the palisade was rebuilt at least five times.<br />
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The open area inside Town Creek made me think of parade grounds in early U.S. coastal forts such as <a href="https://www.nps.gov/fosu/index.htm" target="_blank">Fort Sumter</a> in the harbor of Charleston, S.C., or open plazas typical of cities designed by the Spanish and best illustrated in the South by the one in <a href="https://www.visitstaugustine.com/" target="_blank">Saint Augustine</a>, FL. However, these sites don’t have a huge ceremonial mound as their centerpiece.<br />
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The mound at Town Creek was actually the site of three separate structures: first an earthen lodge, then a temple built over the lodge after it had collapsed with age, and finally a ceremonial structure that had a ramp leading to a large plaza or public area where societal meetings and ceremonial activities took place. Around the edge of the plaza, several structures that served as burial or mortuary houses containing graves of a clan were built.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaDHpqQ88fruytbgXadCDg4ELFm-PvOo47kg7QePxIkqvxzhyflMqOMxuf-IE0uCyRn2u96nult-KJ60S0ROfVZXdqpJzFLJctH_VpftwPAGQKcyXUCZYQRWqJPdE8OwvC1L0_yI6-Mj0/s1600/excavation+from+carolinacountry.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="194" data-original-width="259" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaDHpqQ88fruytbgXadCDg4ELFm-PvOo47kg7QePxIkqvxzhyflMqOMxuf-IE0uCyRn2u96nult-KJ60S0ROfVZXdqpJzFLJctH_VpftwPAGQKcyXUCZYQRWqJPdE8OwvC1L0_yI6-Mj0/s400/excavation+from+carolinacountry.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Graves of the elite were decorated with treasured relics, such as copper from the Great Lakes region and conch shells from the coast, that reflected their status in society. Some graves included medicine bundles as well as pots of food for the voyage to the afterlife. Learning that 563 burials have been found at Town Creek captivated me more than seeing the burial artifacts.<br />
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<h2>
Cultural Traditions</h2>
In addition to being a burial site, Town Creek was also where socially high-ranking members lived and important matters were discussed among collective clans of the society. It was also the scene of tribal feasts as well as important religious events, including annual purification ceremonies.<br />
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After extinguishing all fires in their homes, people from outlying villages came to Town Creek and participated in ceremonial bathing, took “cleansing” medicines, and ate corn to prepare for each new year. When the annual ceremonies ended, villagers returned home to relight their hearths with embers from a sacred fire to symbolize unity with each other. Sharing the fire fostered the idea that they were “people of one fire.”<br />
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Town Creek was abandoned around 1400 when the <a href="http://www.peedeetribe.org/about.html" target="_blank">Pee Dee</a> adopted a more egalitarian social structure. Priestly temples atop mounds that reflected government by an elite fell into disuse. As large council houses were created to conduct government by consensus, burial practices changed as well.<br />
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The site is a popular destination for field trips by schoolchildren. “It’s fun to see how amazed they are when they walk through the guard tower and see what a village once looked like. It’s like stepping back in time,” says Rich Thompson, site manager. He estimates that about 12,000 children on school field trips visit each year, some from as far away as Ocracoke Island on the Outer Banks and others from neighboring states.<br />
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The oldest state historic site, Town Creek Indian Mound has several special events throughout the year that focus on archaeology and explore the lifestyle of the Native peoples, known as “Pee Dee,” who are not culturally connected to familiar regional groups such as Lumbee, Catawba and Cherokee but were influenced by a different tradition known as <a href="http://rla.unc.edu/archaeonc/time/wood_App_Miss.htm" target="_blank">South Appalachian Mississippian</a>. Learning more about an ancient culture is definitely an adventure worth pursuing<br />
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<i>Note</i>: The post is based on my article about Town Creek published in the <a href="https://issuu.com/outreachnc/docs/0319_outreachnc-issuu/14" target="_blank">March 2019 issue of <i>OutreachNC Magazine</i></a>.</div>
Ray Linvillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01860661401478445293noreply@blogger.com0509 Town Creek Mound Rd, Mt Gilead, NC 27306, USA35.182646 -79.929229.1097454999999989 -121.237814 61.255546499999994 -38.620626tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9088968680325094008.post-11707333417594776872020-04-02T13:00:00.000-04:002020-04-09T15:18:34.993-04:00Scheduled for Demolition but Now Thriving as a Museum <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Imagine a small, bustling community taking shape in a remote, isolated area and growing with the development of agriculture, naval stores and iron works. That scene is an early picture of what is now <a href="https://leecountync.gov/" target="_blank">Lee County</a> (before it was carved in 1907 from Moore and Chatham counties).<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbGCxm07h51DlKyE2SZZFGBhJ1nlgVipbDtSQhNznAY4FvC355zGERPAFskaMg3IxUx2CEqIluIYm7fXqfh5Ia04E-l4UIHNBt95bNhWQy8HZXacQRTNcOnLC7KIB3UXox9kcVLqeOq3U/s1600/sign.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="261" data-original-width="193" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbGCxm07h51DlKyE2SZZFGBhJ1nlgVipbDtSQhNznAY4FvC355zGERPAFskaMg3IxUx2CEqIluIYm7fXqfh5Ia04E-l4UIHNBt95bNhWQy8HZXacQRTNcOnLC7KIB3UXox9kcVLqeOq3U/s320/sign.jpg" width="236" /></a>Commerce was initially transported over unpaved roads and waterways — the <a href="https://www.ncpedia.org/rivers/cape-fear" target="_blank">Cape Fear</a> and Deep rivers. Once coal was mined commercially and added to other products of the local economy, a rail connection was indispensable for further growth.<br />
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At the junction of two new railroads, the community of Sanford began to take shape in the 1860s, and soon T. W. Tucker arrived to manage the burgeoning rail business. As the first depot agent for the Raleigh and Augusta Air Line Railroad, he and his family became the initial residents of the <a href="http://www.railroadhouse.org/" target="_blank">Railroad House</a>, the oldest house in the city.<br />
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Built near the depot in the center of town in 1872, two years before Sanford itself was incorporated, the classic Gothic Revival frame cottage has always occupied a very prominent spot in the community and demonstrates that the city was originally a railroad town. Because the city was named for C.O. Sanford, the chief civil engineer for the railroad, the influence of transportation is clearly important.<br />
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The well-being of the <a href="http://www.railroadhouse.org/" target="_blank">Railroad House</a> has had its peaks and valleys. Fortunately, today it is thriving as a principal component of <a href="https://sanfordnc.net/697/Depot-Park" target="_blank">Depot Park</a>, which has evolved into the cultural and communal center of Sanford where concerts and events are held and families play and enjoy leisure time. However, the stability of the house was not so certain several decades ago.<br />
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While Tucker and his family lived at the Railroad House, a school for girls was run there by his wife Inder. Because Tucker was also Sanford’s first mayor, the house flourished as a mainstay of community life. However, its importance began to fade. In 1916 the railroad sold the then 44-year-old house, which next became the home for several families before it was used as a tea room.<br />
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Because the house had deteriorated, it was scheduled for demolition in 1962. However, interested citizens banded together to save it and formed the <a href="http://www.railroadhouse.org/railroad-house-historical-association.html" target="_blank">Railroad House Historical Association</a>. Through their efforts the house was moved across the street to its current location, restored and given a new life first as the home of the <a href="http://growsanfordnc.com/chamber" target="_blank">Chamber of Commerce</a> for 30 years and now as the only historical <a href="http://www.railroadhouse.org/museum-collection.html" target="_blank">museum</a> of Lee County.<br />
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“Interesting artifacts are located throughout the house,” says Emily Mierisch, who volunteers regularly at the Railroad House because “I just love history.” With historical photos, objects and documents of the area’s early days, the house is indispensable in preserving local history as itself is being preserved.<br />
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A historic steam engine, known as <a href="http://www.railroadhouse.org/the-locomotive.html" target="_blank">Old No. 12</a>, anchors an important part of the landscape near the house. With two small wheels in front and eight large driving wheels, it was placed in service in 1911 and officially retired in 1955.<br />
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Also part of the park is the passenger depot (circa 1900), a one-story brick structure typical of its period and renovated in 1976. Its charming, wide, overhanging red tile roof with flared eaves almost rivals the artistic architecture of the Railroad House.<br />
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The house’s central chimney with a recessed lancet panel (inspired by the beauty of cathedral windows) on each face and a crenellated cap adds an antiquated charisma to <a href="https://www.sanfordnc.net/394/Historic-Districts" target="_blank">Sanford’s historic district </a>that encompasses 53 buildings, most dating from 1895 to 1930.<br />
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The Railroad House’s simple board-and-batten siding is enriched in the front by decorative features such as central double windows, each with a four-over-four sash. Other embellishments include gables on the main roof, two dormers and entrance porch that are ornamented with a finial and cross-bracing.<br />
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The interior of the house is finished in simple fashion with wide beaded baseboards and plaster walls. The original floors are mostly intact, and the mantels have a typical nineteenth-century design. The house consists of a one-and-half-story main block, which has three rooms on the lower level, and a one-story rear wing with its own chimney.<br />
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Visiting the Railroad House, which is listed on the <a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/nationalregister/index.htm" target="_blank">National Register of Historic Places</a>, is a great way to celebrate local and national history.<br />
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<i>Note</i>: The post is based on my article about the Railroad House published in the <a href="https://issuu.com/outreachnc/docs/0420_outreachnc-issuu/38" target="_blank">April 2020 issue of <i>OutreachNC Magazine</i></a>.
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Ray Linvillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01860661401478445293noreply@blogger.com0110 Charlotte Ave, Sanford, NC 27330, USA35.4814762 -79.17734019.4135382000000014 -120.4859341 61.5494142 -37.868746099999996tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9088968680325094008.post-69859547488175814782020-02-04T14:00:00.000-05:002020-04-11T15:01:27.874-04:00Cattle Auctions Offer Glimpses in Agricultural Heritage<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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When is the last time you attended a cattle auction? Never? But if no cattle auctions were held, your prime rib, flank steak, and hamburger would likely be in short supply.<br />
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Carolina Stockyards</h2>
Curious about the journey ahead for the cattle that you recently passed while traveling on a two-lane road? Your chance to learn about American agriculture and appreciate the work of cattle farmers begins in nearby <a href="https://www.chathamnc.org/about-us/history-of-chatham-county" target="_blank">Chatham County, NC</a>—home of Carolina Stockyards Company, one of about a dozen stockyards in the state.<br />
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Although <a href="http://www.silercity.org/" target="_blank">Siler City</a> is known much more for chicken production at the Mountaire Farms plant downtown that at full capacity can process 1.4 million chickens a week, Carolina Stockyards is the place to watch old-fashioned livestock auctions. About a mile west of Siler City, it holds auctions twice a week. Monday sales start at 1:30 p.m., and Friday sales begin at 10:30 a.m. It has 14 full-time employees but as many as 35 work on auction days.<br />
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Cattle Auctions</h2>
Jennifer Thomas, office manager, says that auctions are observed frequently by members of Future Farmers of America and regional high school students who are planning agricultural careers. When you visit, you’ll be surprised how quickly a sale starts and ends. A helper brings in a steer and an auction begins immediately with its statistics displayed on a digital screen.<br />
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The auctioneer’s voice booms over the loudspeaker. Very soon “going, going, gone” ends the sale, and the next one begins. The tiered seating area that surrounds the auction floor is often crowded. As you watch, keep your hands down and be careful not to scratch an ear, adjust your glasses, or jiggle a hand. The auctioneer might interpret such motions as meaning that you’re placing a bid. For sure, don’t hold up a sheet of paper that is another signal you’re bidding.<br />
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Early History</h2>
The early days of Carolina Stockyards began in 1950 when brothers Harry Lee and Howard Horney, who were operating Horney Livestock, bought Siler City Livestock Company with auctioneer John Brewer. They gave the business, located south of the city, a new name: Carolina Stockyards.<br />
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As the business thrived in the 1970s, it outgrew its facilities, and a new livestock market was built in 1972 west of Siler City where the business grew rapidly. It quickly became the largest stockyard in the state. By the mid-1980s, it was the largest livestock auction market east of the Mississippi River. In 2004, the stockyard was sold to Robert Crabb Jr., his father Ray, and several other investors.<br />
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Importance to Local Economy</h2>
In recognition of its contribution to the area’s economic growth, the stockyard received the Agriculture Hall of Fame Award from the Chatham County Board of Commissioners in 2010, the first year of the award program. At the time of the award, Commissioner Vice Chair George Lucier said that the stockyard means “so much to our agricultural excellence.”<br />
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Carolina Stockyards sells more than 80,000 head of cattle a year. On one Friday, more than 1,000 head of cattle were sold (as well as 101 goats and 62 sheep). Weights ranged from slightly more than 200 to 1,800 pounds. The highest price range was $150-$186 per head. Prices paid here still set the market price statewide.<br />
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Kevin Gray, owner and operator of Hickory Creek Farm, reflects, “I grew up going to the stockyards every Friday selling cows with my dad. Now 30 years later I’m taking my boys on Friday nights and hardly anything has changed.”<br />
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Don’t be surprised if you hear someone playing “International Harvester” by Craig Morgan, who sings, “I’m the son of a third-generation farmer. I’ve been married ten years to the farmer’s daughter. I got two boys in the county 4-H.”<br />
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People—sellers, buyers, spectators, farmers, friends—come and go throughout the day as auctions continue until all livestock are sold. A visit to a cattle auction can help you appreciate American agriculture and the work of cattle farmers.<br />
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<i>Note</i>: The post is based on my article about cattle auctions at Carolina Stockyards published in the <a href="https://issuu.com/outreachnc/docs/outreachnc_0719-issuu/16" target="_blank">July 2019 issue of <i>OutreachNC Magazine</i></a>.</div>
Ray Linvillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01860661401478445293noreply@blogger.com0260 Stockyard Rd, Staley, NC 27355, USA35.737371 -79.4970589.6698745000000024 -120.805652 61.8048675 -38.188463999999996tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9088968680325094008.post-25285201932590896772020-01-15T11:30:00.000-05:002020-04-11T20:46:51.580-04:00Sharing Favorite Foods with Family and Friends<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPLs4Tb-R87YggFSqaAW6UpSlWO5NGPQbrGdCLebccazLQZbQ3kSxuvo5GlgmJxyYd_6PF9WQjXkuZFN5vvVpSOamFbClzZmRiA-fXrPMqFjRlMjT-pGLGdi_7fUclYjQIXSffzk7kzm8/s1600/sign+fromfacebook+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="860" height="185" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPLs4Tb-R87YggFSqaAW6UpSlWO5NGPQbrGdCLebccazLQZbQ3kSxuvo5GlgmJxyYd_6PF9WQjXkuZFN5vvVpSOamFbClzZmRiA-fXrPMqFjRlMjT-pGLGdi_7fUclYjQIXSffzk7kzm8/s400/sign+fromfacebook+%25282%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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If you want a lot of great home-cooking, your best bet is the all-you-can eat Southern buffet at <a href="https://www.fullersbbq.com/index.php/ct-menu-item-3" target="_blank">Fuller’s</a> in <a href="https://www.pembrokenc.com/" target="_blank">Pembroke, NC</a>.
Although Fuller’s is open daily, the Sunday crowd seems like family and makes the restaurant lively.<br />
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On that day more tables are taken by family groups than on other days.
Tonya Rouben, who grew up in Pembroke, was having lunch with 11 family members who still live in the area. Now living in Atlanta, Rouben says, “I wish I had a place with home-cooking like this where I live. I love the barbecue and fried chicken.
“A lot of <a href="https://www.lumbeetribe.com/" target="_blank">Lumbees</a> are in the kitchen cooking. It’s hard to beat Native American cooking,” she adds.<br />
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<h2>
Sisters in Faith</h2>
At a table for eight, LaVica Farmer of Fayetteville, NC, was eating with her sisters in faith, including one who is 93. All are members of <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/category/Presbyterian-Church/Bethany-Presbyterian-Church-111456425561047/" target="_blank">Bethany Presbyterian</a> in Lumberton, NC, that was formed in 1875 and has a historic African-American legacy. Some are descendants of families who established an adjoining academy in 1903 and built the current church building in 1938.<br />
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They were with Rev. Helane Church, the pastor at Bethany, and were spending the day praising the Lord, eating Southern food and praising the Lord again. They had just attended the 9 o’clock service in Lumberton conducted by Church before coming to Fuller’s for lunch. Then they were attending an afternoon service, again conducted by Church, at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/FreedomEastPresbyterianChurch/" target="_blank">Freedom East Presbyterian</a> in Raeford, NC.<br />
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<h2>
Service and Atmosphere</h2>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUOKklVpHnhZxNwryMr6UeUBL7HvMXEZNWDQD78WQmj-jxksqFmgvP8iewfw4_ntV1DEHZkFXmhOY-Az6Oia9ozJmlu7EL6IZS_JrQBAc4dUZdF6DD3s_y6Lax9vaQZiB5tznK2oYzpFE/s1600/inside%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="134" data-original-width="205" height="130" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUOKklVpHnhZxNwryMr6UeUBL7HvMXEZNWDQD78WQmj-jxksqFmgvP8iewfw4_ntV1DEHZkFXmhOY-Az6Oia9ozJmlu7EL6IZS_JrQBAc4dUZdF6DD3s_y6Lax9vaQZiB5tznK2oYzpFE/s200/inside%25282%2529.jpg" width="200" /></a>“Not only is the food delicious, but the service and atmosphere are a treat, so warm. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve been here. We come here as often as we can,” says Farmer.
Although she did not make one of the iconic collard sandwiches, Farmer says she came close. “I got some fatback, fried cornbread, and ate them with collards,” she adds.<br />
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The church ladies appreciate Fuller’s approach for serving fish. “We like ours with the bone in, which is what is on the buffet, but they also made a bowl of boneless just for us. This is a treat,” says Farmer, holding a piece of croaker.<br />
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Elder Linda Carter of Lumberton remembers eating at the original location of Fuller’s in that city. It opened in 1986 but was closed permanently after being inundated by eight feet of floodwater from Hurricane Matthew in 2016.
About the original location, she says, “I went there a long, long time. The same people who now work here remember your face. They are like family.”<br />
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<h2>
New and Repeat Customers</h2>
At another table was Lasheena Jones, who was visiting Fuller’s for the first time with nine family members aged 8 to 74, all from Florence, S.C. Although her favorite on the buffet is the turnip greens, her cousin Francenia Cooper says, “The pork sausage is the best.”<br />
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You can tell customers who are new by how they hesitate before going to one of the four buffet stations from a repeat customer who makes a beeline for the favorite. Only in the South would more people hover around the station for vegetables than the one for main dishes. Such was the case where 20 vegetables make customers linger and struggle with narrowing the options before filling their plates.<br />
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My favorites are anything green — collards, limas, peas, cabbage, turnip greens, okra (fried). With just a third of the plate now open, I had a hard time choosing among rutabagas, mashed potatoes, corn, succotash, mac ‘n’ cheese and nine more. (Yes, mac ‘n’ cheese is a vegetable.)
The second most popular station has main dishes — chopped pork barbecue, chicken (fried, baked and barbecue), fried crab, shrimp and fried fish, sliced roast beef, pork sausage, chicken livers — plus breads such as hushpuppies, biscuits and corn fritters.<br />
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<h2>
Desserts at Fuller's</h2>
Customers are not timid about taking desserts — some have at least three. Chocolate layer cake (four layers), strawberry shortcake and banana pudding seem to be the top choices. Other choices included a fruit cobbler, a vanilla layer cake and self-serve soft ice cream. When the dessert station runs out of space, sometimes more desserts are on the fourth station, which is mostly salad ingredients.<br />
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The buffet stations are brightly lighted by clerestory windows, a series of small windows along the top of the building near the roofline. Don’t worry about anything on the buffet being stale or sitting too long. Items are continually taken by customers and quickly replenished by servers, who keep the chicken — an obvious favorite — piled high.<br />
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<h2>
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Table of Brotherhood</h2>
Kristyn Sabara, one of the servers, said that Sunday is the most popular day and a waitlist that day around 1 p.m. is common, although the buffet price of $12.99 on Sunday is $4 more than on weekdays. A menu is also available, but most choose the buffet.<br />
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<a href="https://www.fullersbbq.com/index.php" target="_blank">Fuller’s</a> brings to life the dream of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who envisioned how we would “sit down together at the table of brotherhood.” People of all colors and heritages — once separated by the power of Jim Crow — mingle as they enjoy favorite foods. The scene could be improved only if everyone were served family-style and sat at one communal table.
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<i>Note</i>: The post is based on my article about Fuller's published in the <a href="https://issuu.com/outreachnc/docs/0120_outreachnc-issuu/16" target="_blank">January 2020 issue of <i>OutreachNC Magazine</i></a>.</div>
Ray Linvillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01860661401478445293noreply@blogger.com0100 E 3rd St, Pembroke, NC 28372, USA34.6791848 -79.1932554999999928.6114633 -120.50184949999999 60.746906300000006 -37.884661499999993tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9088968680325094008.post-19271213817963933922019-12-03T17:00:00.000-05:002020-04-12T20:14:21.338-04:00Schools That Changed Our Region<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYltsWH6jadlcIrYpMyfVkEfPAt89vnXtZlzasFhnuC_G-7llq2ObPRA3wr3joUKjCe6JackvGb5aQ_Px9cIobY72fpbgmGFnQc5L8KSgo-WCbKedARjdCGQqnFLDT8EQxwV-uKDc765A/s1600/booklet+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="357" height="251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYltsWH6jadlcIrYpMyfVkEfPAt89vnXtZlzasFhnuC_G-7llq2ObPRA3wr3joUKjCe6JackvGb5aQ_Px9cIobY72fpbgmGFnQc5L8KSgo-WCbKedARjdCGQqnFLDT8EQxwV-uKDc765A/s400/booklet+%25282%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQUP5DDWSuFg2vSzM-BkNfVP8Li5S822QvWsxfOBQCmx6nrTbt2tX5uVfk9MeoP3NModbszCvShUZfGoWSJ1Gb3mIAWteYyoY0LE5Usld0f1Sb71VZQcqmYJFyT-_jS575YBeZyqcnF-o/s1600/jrosen1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="204" data-original-width="192" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQUP5DDWSuFg2vSzM-BkNfVP8Li5S822QvWsxfOBQCmx6nrTbt2tX5uVfk9MeoP3NModbszCvShUZfGoWSJ1Gb3mIAWteYyoY0LE5Usld0f1Sb71VZQcqmYJFyT-_jS575YBeZyqcnF-o/s200/jrosen1.jpg" width="188" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rosenwald</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
How did a wealthy businessman from Chicago become so involved in educating school children in the South almost a century ago?<br />
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Increasingly lost in our collective memory is how Julius Rosenwald, president of Sears, Roebuck and Company, teamed up with Booker T. Washington, president of Tuskegee Institute and an African-American leader and philanthropist, to create school after school throughout our region in the early twentieth century.<br />
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Washington was known for saying, “If you want to lift yourself up, lift up someone else.” Rosenwald did exactly that.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSiNUgK16gvrfcAyRk7AC7gEKvViJ_DQVqMUAUxiDNFjcW6P0zdZg6UkbZ2CQ0hBZ-OzODiP_J1VMdLJKVlzXt-wl6nMAdusJ6XbJ-HVrWcvrgQ7fFaSu6VxuJ-FrpCz7L_X65GD-v1fI/s1600/rosenwaldwashingtonin1915.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSiNUgK16gvrfcAyRk7AC7gEKvViJ_DQVqMUAUxiDNFjcW6P0zdZg6UkbZ2CQ0hBZ-OzODiP_J1VMdLJKVlzXt-wl6nMAdusJ6XbJ-HVrWcvrgQ7fFaSu6VxuJ-FrpCz7L_X65GD-v1fI/s400/rosenwaldwashingtonin1915.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rosenwald and Washington in 1915. Photo: University of Chicago Library.</td></tr>
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In the segregated school systems of the Jim Crow era, the education of African-American students was woefully inadequate and underfunded. To offset this deficiency, Rosenwald established a fund that provided “seed money” to build almost 5,000 schools for African-Americans in 15 states—those that had joined the Confederacy and several bordering states. More buildings were constructed in North Carolina than any other state—813 were erected here. <br />
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Schools built in the Sandhills area of the state tell part of the story:<br />
<ul>
<li>Moore County’s surviving Rosenwald-funded school is in Pinebluff. Known as the Lincoln Park School, the one-story, four-teacher building that served Addor and nearby African-American communities. Built in 1922, it still stands at 1272 S. Currant St. Placed on the National Register in 1997, it hasn’t been used as a school for 70 years. In Moore County, a total of 15 Rosenwald schools (serving 50 teachers) were built during 1920-1929. </li>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL-IlPuveK3Rllwl9fiXsLZc8BzmttA3uYMUcjRY3JdkZltAaftOISw2HDqHfvHle1qBKC-CAbq8sDbB2yPV6SKiUjr66MRHQ0J8nJ1tu8l3aRndfhfH-C4-y6M89i6LdoLtLt0iXzrcQ/s1600/addor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="151" data-original-width="333" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL-IlPuveK3Rllwl9fiXsLZc8BzmttA3uYMUcjRY3JdkZltAaftOISw2HDqHfvHle1qBKC-CAbq8sDbB2yPV6SKiUjr66MRHQ0J8nJ1tu8l3aRndfhfH-C4-y6M89i6LdoLtLt0iXzrcQ/s400/addor.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lincoln Park School.</td></tr>
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<ul>
<li>In Harnett County, 23 Rosenwald schools were built (during 1922-1930 for 73 teachers). Still surviving is a complex of six buildings known as Harnett County Training School that began as a two-story, 14-teacher structure built in 1922.
When it opened in Dunn at 610 E. Johnston St., it served first through 11th graders and was the only brick multi-story school for African-Americans in the county. It became one of the largest Rosenwald schools in the state when it was expanded in 1927. Placed on the National Register in 2014, it is one of only three multi-story Rosenwald schools in the state still standing. </li>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPqb1nqctCzLCmHe_lrI6KIC54xrBmyrXjgyllieIOYHg0UoXdNesAyEeDCBoV7yt2qevpHRFy1WWIQyXu0dPshfK1B9A8rxZXu42zM09-RaHCtXBcX0_YqR-GWvMh0GrJXxVTKQ0aDPA/s1600/harnetcotrainingschool.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="287" data-original-width="525" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPqb1nqctCzLCmHe_lrI6KIC54xrBmyrXjgyllieIOYHg0UoXdNesAyEeDCBoV7yt2qevpHRFy1WWIQyXu0dPshfK1B9A8rxZXu42zM09-RaHCtXBcX0_YqR-GWvMh0GrJXxVTKQ0aDPA/s400/harnetcotrainingschool.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Harnett County Training School.</td></tr>
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<ul>
<li>In Richmond County, 65 teachers taught in 21 Rosenwald schools, ranging from one- to 10-teacher structures, built during 1918-1930. As many as 17 are no longer identifiable or known to the Richmond County Historical Association; knowledge of them has vanished along with the structures.
Still physically surviving is Liberty Hill School at 234 Covington Community Road northwest of Ellerbe that was placed on the National Register in 2008. The building has two classrooms as well as an industrial room where girls learned home economics and boys were trained to use farming tools. The one-story, two-teacher building—built in 1930 when construction of Rosenwald schools was ending in this area—was no longer used as a school by the mid-1950s. </li>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYLeWdDmJeskXcu4XzBkb2RJYV2DgQagJvD8ggVn7kYpWbMxBYAQE3-l1smFXE6AHGuqtJmL5l1XxLLIVUNoy2wq7atZoFbqjt9Egw4DPQSORQf5s3N3jmnFLSy6-0UrieTDpqCcP6ErE/s1600/liberty_school_3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="250" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYLeWdDmJeskXcu4XzBkb2RJYV2DgQagJvD8ggVn7kYpWbMxBYAQE3-l1smFXE6AHGuqtJmL5l1XxLLIVUNoy2wq7atZoFbqjt9Egw4DPQSORQf5s3N3jmnFLSy6-0UrieTDpqCcP6ErE/s400/liberty_school_3.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Liberty Hill School.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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In addition to building schools, Rosenwald wanted to promote collaboration among white and black citizens. He required local communities to raise matching funds and white-controlled school boards to operate and maintain the schools.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKyM0XxzatT3KGIxnqjD-iz_KZH6EQZJrIthWg2ai3LmVb-MEbxL_-qW5BLNjP46WrhVfBOQRBgNAvNzQG09Fhd2eLOJtxjsRxPMBIYMW9GLSmL4ri79oMwxCPsr9HL1iVwBfGU1cX3ZM/s1600/liberty_school_4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="170" data-original-width="250" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKyM0XxzatT3KGIxnqjD-iz_KZH6EQZJrIthWg2ai3LmVb-MEbxL_-qW5BLNjP46WrhVfBOQRBgNAvNzQG09Fhd2eLOJtxjsRxPMBIYMW9GLSmL4ri79oMwxCPsr9HL1iVwBfGU1cX3ZM/s400/liberty_school_4.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Interior space of Liberty Hill School.</td></tr>
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When the school-building program ended in 1932, the Rosenwald Fund had contributed $4.3 million to improve African-American education in the South. Raising money to match Rosenwald’s donations was not easy for cotton and tobacco tenant farmers in rural communities. The grassroots-fundraising literally collected a penny and a nickel at a time; however, eventually African-Americans in the South contributed $4.7 million. In North Carolina, they contributed more than $666,000 to the program.<br />
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The schools were designed very carefully because they originally had no electricity. To maximize natural light, their plans included detailed suggestions for window placement, blackboard location and desk orientation. By 1929, Rosenwald schools served one-third of the South’s rural African-American students and teachers.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7cEtUc9wCjPkjV1IxaFntvjLGTztL4wXcNYeCwA5Dnn_f1Jv7uvU5ZjllmgVT_8Nktidl_74OllUBHP-MBEhZwTEq8hST1-soN3-9fJRtwwq7Mpts-q3JfAefy4GYsaiQCv3LHfOMGq8/s1600/2room.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="737" data-original-width="564" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7cEtUc9wCjPkjV1IxaFntvjLGTztL4wXcNYeCwA5Dnn_f1Jv7uvU5ZjllmgVT_8Nktidl_74OllUBHP-MBEhZwTEq8hST1-soN3-9fJRtwwq7Mpts-q3JfAefy4GYsaiQCv3LHfOMGq8/s400/2room.jpg" width="305" /></a></div>
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Many schools were demolished after the Supreme Court ruling in 1954 that school segregation is unconstitutional. In most areas, these buildings have long decayed, been abandoned and lost in time with little trace of their existence. However, in a few communities, the old schools have found new lives as senior citizen housing, a town hall, community centers, and offices. Others have been preserved by being placed on the National Register of Historic Places.<br />
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As late as 2002, the National Trust for Historic Preservation began a campaign to raise awareness and money for protecting Rosenwald schools and named them as being near the top of America’s most endangered places.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtlykBAiYQhckKL9SvcNH5c8usWkr6kJCP4KlCEU5Q12fk4cqKQvxjf2MQ3ftEc6-DBGJHuo7H4jyn0Dn9AiQG7mHYjJNdR2XUfQHDs00njISnk14406JJAsNSn3PBtzMLtDo3H-MGyBk/s1600/booklet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="499" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtlykBAiYQhckKL9SvcNH5c8usWkr6kJCP4KlCEU5Q12fk4cqKQvxjf2MQ3ftEc6-DBGJHuo7H4jyn0Dn9AiQG7mHYjJNdR2XUfQHDs00njISnk14406JJAsNSn3PBtzMLtDo3H-MGyBk/s400/booklet.jpg" width="311" /></a></div>
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The Rosenwald school-building program helped many African-Americans gain an education that otherwise would not have been available. These relics of a painful past are part of American history and very prominent elements of our regional culture. Unfortunately, they continue to decline and become more endangered with each passing year.<br />
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Rosenwald once said, “All the other pleasures of life seem to wear out, but the pleasure of helping others in distress never does.” How he helped others will continue to inspire us well into the future.<br />
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<i>Note</i>: The post is based on my article about Rosenwald schools published in the <a href="https://issuu.com/outreachnc/docs/0919_outreachnc_issuu/16" target="_blank">September 2019 issue of <i>OutreachNC Magazine</i></a>.
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Ray Linvillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01860661401478445293noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9088968680325094008.post-20781114683049443522019-10-31T21:00:00.000-04:002020-04-08T22:32:19.159-04:00Searching for Sasquatch on Halloween<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIVcc9TAUjtxyP7gCAZVLBoFqytw6seuxZ_OnBgSHWCHtAkh-bxy_NSqnTv9wbys5DdNHzimzhyIVHsazccaMEkdB720Lw4X5_rzJOg-8TQwJ8KOWf72crbWtFMtz1wE1SY7ADdk73sgc/s1600/IMG_20190912_084803672.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="833" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIVcc9TAUjtxyP7gCAZVLBoFqytw6seuxZ_OnBgSHWCHtAkh-bxy_NSqnTv9wbys5DdNHzimzhyIVHsazccaMEkdB720Lw4X5_rzJOg-8TQwJ8KOWf72crbWtFMtz1wE1SY7ADdk73sgc/s400/IMG_20190912_084803672.jpg" width="207" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Statue of Sasquatch in Troy, NC</td></tr>
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On Halloween does the story of Sasquatch spook you? You decide if it’s the truth or a legend, but either way you will be curious and want to know more. Regardless, the story is told and retold in central North Carolina, particularly on hiking adventures and camping trips with people of all ages.<br />
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<h2>
Where to Look for Sasquatch</h2>
Ground zero for finding Sasquatch is <a href="http://www.montgomerycountync.com/" target="_blank">Montgomery County</a>. More sightings of this mysterious, mythical creature have occurred here than many of us want to count. However, a group — known as the <a href="https://www.bfro.net/" target="_blank">Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization</a> — does just that, and a scientific pursuit — known as cryptozoology (a serious inquiry for believers) — documents these experiences. (The nickname “Bigfoot” incidentally comes from footprints reportedly up to 24 inches in length.)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfQ9D5wBWxeKFO584L9exQ6BYcm0mFZaxwjn7gb6un0hXZMNaR5lnel6eY0Pq43OovIYEIq8KVTkkK95Qt7i0wnJXJPiwTX_fuOz9SardWDCMPgtBfmSjOYOxsZ6re-121JkFN4geEvow/s1600/montgomerycounty.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="273" data-original-width="512" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfQ9D5wBWxeKFO584L9exQ6BYcm0mFZaxwjn7gb6un0hXZMNaR5lnel6eY0Pq43OovIYEIq8KVTkkK95Qt7i0wnJXJPiwTX_fuOz9SardWDCMPgtBfmSjOYOxsZ6re-121JkFN4geEvow/s400/montgomerycounty.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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The Uwharrie National Forest is just the ideal location that Sasquatch would want to call home. (Confusing Uwharrie with U. R. Harry is a diversionary tactic by skeptics to poke fun at believers convinced that Sasquatch is real.)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj4NJxxjDeYfOkaRtcgJ2UECCI57PAEly31DbxmL4PKuKI-70OF8ep_BceTQfKja4TUwCvfuEEHUoNjWul7-Z1amLx0zqCBSo2dqmc_WQQMQfkmImqYpG4o8ukHCVHGfWPRY72GpE86Ss/s1600/uwharrie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="960" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj4NJxxjDeYfOkaRtcgJ2UECCI57PAEly31DbxmL4PKuKI-70OF8ep_BceTQfKja4TUwCvfuEEHUoNjWul7-Z1amLx0zqCBSo2dqmc_WQQMQfkmImqYpG4o8ukHCVHGfWPRY72GpE86Ss/s400/uwharrie.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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With abundant game animals such as deer, turkey, rabbit, and squirrel in the forest, Sasquatch has many choices for a meal when taking a break from snacking on the abundant fish. After such a rich diet, Sasquatch can obviously travel quite a distance before returning home.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigvB-6vq73bVHOmpCbT8FLWzRpODnoK3b3zWzBnEBr6qIJx4tDd_CJq_Nj8xNmI-y0CX6vQ1CbE-_a_coUIoXT0MJt_b4Ro3wEwFTwUKoWGwVwECsw2tWxQN7TJnblbh5pvs6BYu8SC1A/s1600/bionics_v1_1213.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="150" data-original-width="600" height="100" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigvB-6vq73bVHOmpCbT8FLWzRpODnoK3b3zWzBnEBr6qIJx4tDd_CJq_Nj8xNmI-y0CX6vQ1CbE-_a_coUIoXT0MJt_b4Ro3wEwFTwUKoWGwVwECsw2tWxQN7TJnblbh5pvs6BYu8SC1A/s400/bionics_v1_1213.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<h2>
Reporting When You Find Sasquatch</h2>
If you should see Sasquatch, make sure you use the handy form on the BFRO’s website to report when your experience. (The form is easy to find online — just search for “BFRO report form” — filing a report adds you to the list of contributors. I always have a form ready just in case.) Because Montgomery has the overwhelming number of the 94 sightings of Sasquatch in North Carolina (as recorded by BFRO), this county is the obvious place to begin a search.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPoSjxQSsge_qvrNdrS4GnEdCa7Ff1-TWaAW-kHBzS_Dq-oF20tmrkXHAtVp-JkcpMT9RF0fAK6nWcUA061KMCLNJSwVRZ8tk7klzStb8VkI6n7WuA1mX6JxpNKJpvNg4zaHZmz0Y-UeU/s1600/form+%25282%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="185" data-original-width="703" height="105" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPoSjxQSsge_qvrNdrS4GnEdCa7Ff1-TWaAW-kHBzS_Dq-oF20tmrkXHAtVp-JkcpMT9RF0fAK6nWcUA061KMCLNJSwVRZ8tk7klzStb8VkI6n7WuA1mX6JxpNKJpvNg4zaHZmz0Y-UeU/s400/form+%25282%2529.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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If you’re curious, the most promising way to find Sasquatch is to venture into the Uwharrie. When you do, the best advice is to remain calm. A police warning in 2017 advised, “Please do not shoot at him/her.” (However, this public safety advisory was intended to avoid harming “a fun-loving and well-intentioned person wearing a gorilla costume.” Obviously, some officers aren’t convinced about the seriousness of such sightings.)<br />
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Believing That Sasquatch Is More Than a Legend</h2>
That Sasquatch is more than a legend is confirmed by how seriously many people believe this story. A fall festival in honor of the creature is held at Deep River Park, a 40-acre park near the community of Cumnock in northern Lee County. For look-alikes, contests are held for the hairiest man, best beard and, of course, the biggest foot.
The park’s association believes so much in the sightings that it quotes Sasquatch, “Believe in yourself, even if no one else will.” Even the Lee County Co-op Extension Center last year held a series of lectures about this truly awesome creature.<br />
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Sponsoring an aerobic search, the town of <a href="https://troy.nc.us/2181/Central-Location" target="_blank">Troy</a> has held Chasing Bigfoot, a five-kilometer trail run in a nature preserve. Although the run was successful, no credible sightings were reported. Troy has also included Sasquatch in the logo for TroyFest, its annual summer festival.<br />
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The network <a href="https://www.animalplanet.com/" target="_blank">Animal Planet</a> even sent a crew to Montgomery County to film part of its series “<a href="https://www.animalplanet.com/tv-shows/finding-bigfoot/" target="_blank">Finding Bigfoot</a>.” Perhaps it was influenced by the Class A sightings (the most reliable category) from there since 1990. Souvenirs abound along NC 24/27 in the area of the forest for explorers and researchers looking for Sasquatch and needing to take home something tangible.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpYkEPP5Hr6sDq1YtqX-UK3N3ON8JdVoCQ2usR9l-VIUZpLZpr300fD56atef13pjyo6puUkMYTv7K7nTScPq0zFTml3E-GzKnfdAa13SW1APUtAueOCrmJdU-TrlpsNnAmvEoe_JC7OU/s1600/animalplanet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1251" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpYkEPP5Hr6sDq1YtqX-UK3N3ON8JdVoCQ2usR9l-VIUZpLZpr300fD56atef13pjyo6puUkMYTv7K7nTScPq0zFTml3E-GzKnfdAa13SW1APUtAueOCrmJdU-TrlpsNnAmvEoe_JC7OU/s400/animalplanet.jpg" width="312" /></a></div>
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Camping outfitters and outposts have statues, t-shirts as well as bumper stickers that help in telling the story if the pictures taken aren’t in focus. With such credible evidence, is it surprising that only 16 percent of Americans believe that Sasquatch exists?<br />
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<i>Note</i>: The post is based on my article about Sasquatch published in the <a href="https://issuu.com/outreachnc/docs/1119_outreachnc-issuu/20" target="_blank">November 2019 issue of <i>OutreachNC Magazine</i></a>.
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Ray Linvillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01860661401478445293noreply@blogger.com0Uwharrie National Forest, 789 North Carolina 24, Troy, NC 27371, USA35.3663061 -79.964033899999999.2934056000000034 -121.27262789999999 61.439206600000006 -38.65543989999999tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9088968680325094008.post-39611294400807202842019-10-24T16:30:00.000-04:002019-10-28T22:59:21.678-04:00Making Biscuits at the State Fair<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglkRW3hoxuPLx7DPjyDMnS_tkLEnITdCRjilnRIQiZAm_u9UmyNroSLr9z0SStt1WyIp2j5QIYqKtzT5gIcRUPXeKCqWVKYMkMex2oYr5VMRbcf5YoDTgiQzYw4zPxpthgwYZ87mzMgF8/s1600/20191024_154632.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglkRW3hoxuPLx7DPjyDMnS_tkLEnITdCRjilnRIQiZAm_u9UmyNroSLr9z0SStt1WyIp2j5QIYqKtzT5gIcRUPXeKCqWVKYMkMex2oYr5VMRbcf5YoDTgiQzYw4zPxpthgwYZ87mzMgF8/s400/20191024_154632.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A huge mixing bowl is used to make 80 biscuits.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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My first year as a biscuit-maker at the <a href="https://www.ncstatefair.org/" target="_blank">N.C. State Fair</a> is now in the history book, and I am very happy with my experience. I was fortunate to work with dedicated people who have worked many years at the booth of Cary United Methodist Church, which is the longest-serving food vendor at the fair and is renowned for its biscuits, especially country ham.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM10DFy4V97TLmgFbYOQObTL4wuYeCJiMQNm7mJiRYOE7aKoGn3sM4-YBJQV5szWAnclUjPFUTdH6kXYPW1mvjhNzxdQxujgNgBUqcdYlZPOgAUXYtmEyrJGggXLyJ-97JCuForBpwqrY/s1600/20191022_134332+%25283%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="792" data-original-width="1600" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM10DFy4V97TLmgFbYOQObTL4wuYeCJiMQNm7mJiRYOE7aKoGn3sM4-YBJQV5szWAnclUjPFUTdH6kXYPW1mvjhNzxdQxujgNgBUqcdYlZPOgAUXYtmEyrJGggXLyJ-97JCuForBpwqrY/s400/20191022_134332+%25283%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cary United Methodist Church, which first opened its booth at the fair in 1916, is the longest-serving food vendor.</td></tr>
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<h3>
First Experience</h3>
The biscuits that I made at the fair were far superior to than the ones made at the training class. I was surprised at how good they looked. Midway through the first shift I had a 10-minute break, so I took a ham biscuit outside to eat. It’s hard to be modest. <b>I don’t think I’ve eaten a better biscuit. </b><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm8myOytLN4rQmUtKuFq-5jhQtWw3h8zUMcjwd8b15PhmWFWxATAtDV6SlJUkND8lzcY33U5uahzYPb23A5hwxSfQAdmR8nRutOwERk1Lc73DrKut9oeNVLNnxspdR4nrf9NUjXOQGtwU/s1600/basketofbiscuits+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="605" data-original-width="708" height="340" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm8myOytLN4rQmUtKuFq-5jhQtWw3h8zUMcjwd8b15PhmWFWxATAtDV6SlJUkND8lzcY33U5uahzYPb23A5hwxSfQAdmR8nRutOwERk1Lc73DrKut9oeNVLNnxspdR4nrf9NUjXOQGtwU/s400/basketofbiscuits+%25282%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Biscuits just taken out of the oven are ready for the "stuffers."</td></tr>
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The shifts that I worked were all in the afternoon, so I missed the morning crowd that comes early and wants biscuits for breakfast as well as the late-night fairgoers who order a few (or a dozen) ham biscuits to take home for the next day. In one five-hour afternoon shift about 600 biscuits were made—a busy time—but the previous shift that morning had baked 1,360 (in six hours).<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgozelEyUZFgSzDJotvINLZHYBmMkB8q35kI-k8JtjesJN8HNUaFdEc3ybbeZL8PcpA-pq2o4rjtB1mk72EUMRGuKP5dyXSOV0r1paNRrhehEm8Elf82wUHF5JJlrdlEwaWw7azePnCvgs/s1600/20191022_135745.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgozelEyUZFgSzDJotvINLZHYBmMkB8q35kI-k8JtjesJN8HNUaFdEc3ybbeZL8PcpA-pq2o4rjtB1mk72EUMRGuKP5dyXSOV0r1paNRrhehEm8Elf82wUHF5JJlrdlEwaWw7azePnCvgs/s400/20191022_135745.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ham cooking has to keep up with the orders, too.</td></tr>
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Fortunately for my first experience I was paired with a veteran biscuit-maker. Suzy worked five days this year, which is her seventh consecutive one. I could tell that she had been a kindergarten teacher: She was very patient and positive, and she offered tips and ideas that were helpful.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGU5IBsuujGC-u-LLn-UQ6PxwPc5H42M8JOkjG-5I-byPS37v0Ro8iICzqKdo8bt176inUB1l9SUgcMdSoIcMdFd6PpDieAA763HB93mVs279WY8uyblTyemdB-IozDHTQK4CjnBqyc-8/s1600/20191022_140444+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="893" data-original-width="1600" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGU5IBsuujGC-u-LLn-UQ6PxwPc5H42M8JOkjG-5I-byPS37v0Ro8iICzqKdo8bt176inUB1l9SUgcMdSoIcMdFd6PpDieAA763HB93mVs279WY8uyblTyemdB-IozDHTQK4CjnBqyc-8/s400/20191022_140444+%25282%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Biscuit "stuffers" keep busy fulfilling all the orders.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<h3>
Biscuits at the Fair</h3>
Making biscuits at the fair was almost the same as at the <a href="https://linvilleray.blogspot.com/2019/10/learning-to-make-biscuits-for-state-fair.html" target="_blank">training class</a> except we kept making tray after tray after tray. The biggest difference is at the fair most teams don’t make biscuits by feel—we use a recipe! Six parts flour to one part shortening. For each batch, we used 24 cups of self-rising flour, 4 cups of shortening, and 3 quarts of buttermilk. (Don’t try this at home unless you want to make 80 biscuits.) Otherwise, the process is the same as in the class.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJaVZGjSmg4zpNJz-uaFi-kBkWv-QfyZcAyVvAbgzwsYsU7IERG2fJqCQbjaD10Bt8ikt0AL-4NsF6ECyw2L9PAzVjvlvJBs8MoS2xtlqgigwMQxPXpHV2gLphmavYuxpgmZK5yLZ2Qk8/s1600/20191024_150936.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJaVZGjSmg4zpNJz-uaFi-kBkWv-QfyZcAyVvAbgzwsYsU7IERG2fJqCQbjaD10Bt8ikt0AL-4NsF6ECyw2L9PAzVjvlvJBs8MoS2xtlqgigwMQxPXpHV2gLphmavYuxpgmZK5yLZ2Qk8/s400/20191024_150936.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Customers sit and await patiently their orders inside the booth.</td></tr>
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For only $2, the ham biscuit is a hot seller, and we ran out briefly for only a few minutes one afternoon. Otherwise, we had hot biscuits ready for orders, although when someone ordered a dozen to go followed by another person who wanted ten biscuits to take home, we had to expedite the tray that we were making.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPiTdPaItcBYxeZUUdFcQ-AMX2A0anBv5dLLPkRAE5cr_REGOILFfCm1Ok9RrIc_N0sqv4-DFFIpzex6rdgjOlexZlDrvjRe2Q8jQq313aXE4aXW049kVOPs4M0a7mFWf9mUxq25KkRmM/s1600/20191022_135607.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPiTdPaItcBYxeZUUdFcQ-AMX2A0anBv5dLLPkRAE5cr_REGOILFfCm1Ok9RrIc_N0sqv4-DFFIpzex6rdgjOlexZlDrvjRe2Q8jQq313aXE4aXW049kVOPs4M0a7mFWf9mUxq25KkRmM/s400/20191022_135607.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The kitchen space is limited, but everyone works as a team.</td></tr>
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<h3>
Best Biscuits Ever</h3>
When a young family was eating biscuits near my work area, I leaned over and asked if they were the best biscuits ever. The mother nodded and gave a thumbs-up sign. When I told her that it was my first day, we exchanged expressions that indicated we both were surprised.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ4vQvlgSQ66HwKA14kGIH7x1fd5BBXSAR61W2PMIVe3ctxIsy8vt75dXE6GgZ9L16XPxwWIP0buuN-ido351YY1wJ8UOuAqbuv22JKYZYqMBpd7e4CLlbYi8vnk6a8zEqawkByga79sU/s1600/20191024wsuzy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ4vQvlgSQ66HwKA14kGIH7x1fd5BBXSAR61W2PMIVe3ctxIsy8vt75dXE6GgZ9L16XPxwWIP0buuN-ido351YY1wJ8UOuAqbuv22JKYZYqMBpd7e4CLlbYi8vnk6a8zEqawkByga79sU/s400/20191024wsuzy.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Veteran" biscuit-maker Suzy and I made a LOT of biscuits.</td></tr>
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Now that I’m an authentic biscuit-maker, I’ve joined the circle of legendary bakers who have made biscuits for more than a century at the state fair. I hope to return next year and continue the tradition.
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgowcgYEAOscJ_us6WQ5TpOxnNaPlO3P92Bk_JBORgv936fM65xHrC4JCY272DtZ2lkk74tTpQkQ-Cph0OM3j1omvbrA6A2uzwa_yMnEJmRDydoDDkstYGpZbKGZ3ionBz-8jdLprjFRVc/s1600/hat+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1145" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgowcgYEAOscJ_us6WQ5TpOxnNaPlO3P92Bk_JBORgv936fM65xHrC4JCY272DtZ2lkk74tTpQkQ-Cph0OM3j1omvbrA6A2uzwa_yMnEJmRDydoDDkstYGpZbKGZ3ionBz-8jdLprjFRVc/s400/hat+%25282%2529.jpg" width="286" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Above: My hat that proves that I worked in the kitchen.<br />
Below: At the top of the 155-foot-tall SkyGazer Ferris wheel, the largest traveling wheel in the U.S., a rider can see up to 15 miles in any direction. The gigantic wheel is adorned with 524,000 LED lights.</td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLZQe3brXI00OJElMhwp9FeYhiN0S5CZtdBDEWbyJzm-vaA43sq3aMV5xaadc06DaJbfWaUIMZJ0ychWLL6qf-vPqRHECh7Hr5no9nXh002ZVTXXCXTN6tExZ3vyFj9Jc0THrcbzRcfuY/s1600/20191022_134140.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgrSHElVA0BWF0g9VmdlXItSUnBZo7QlctCgmyETLi6eboVh-Pv9eaq9_IAeIYYfEULmtI2iTPKYff6qOp36qcrpQCdrUc-SDpENM2zTJler2PXg04RYMuf3BasLHe2UbNfgKvQgrJU9c/s1600/20191024_190935.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgrSHElVA0BWF0g9VmdlXItSUnBZo7QlctCgmyETLi6eboVh-Pv9eaq9_IAeIYYfEULmtI2iTPKYff6qOp36qcrpQCdrUc-SDpENM2zTJler2PXg04RYMuf3BasLHe2UbNfgKvQgrJU9c/s200/20191024_190935.jpg" width="200" /></a><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLZQe3brXI00OJElMhwp9FeYhiN0S5CZtdBDEWbyJzm-vaA43sq3aMV5xaadc06DaJbfWaUIMZJ0ychWLL6qf-vPqRHECh7Hr5no9nXh002ZVTXXCXTN6tExZ3vyFj9Jc0THrcbzRcfuY/s200/20191022_134140.jpg" width="200" /></div>
Ray Linvillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01860661401478445293noreply@blogger.com01025 Blue Ridge Rd, Raleigh, NC 27607, USA35.7956632 -78.7077997999999759.7277136999999989 -120.01639379999997 61.863612700000004 -37.399205799999976tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9088968680325094008.post-44980725350831838932019-10-05T10:00:00.000-04:002019-10-25T11:48:05.892-04:00Learning to Make Biscuits for the State Fair<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5dWfreEDwVJjBLJV2jWKwGdC4iNq4TlJu6pdEwos9ARPwDIw1U0O7Mmnihyphenhyphen8SLwu5-4-GEu1hBlDfcUOBCqBLbPEdVFGZvOnCERMPyyIOT-14b7YvRlJbi8_byFRmduN-AkqfzvObqW0/s1600/20191005_103840+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="1600" height="340" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5dWfreEDwVJjBLJV2jWKwGdC4iNq4TlJu6pdEwos9ARPwDIw1U0O7Mmnihyphenhyphen8SLwu5-4-GEu1hBlDfcUOBCqBLbPEdVFGZvOnCERMPyyIOT-14b7YvRlJbi8_byFRmduN-AkqfzvObqW0/s400/20191005_103840+%25282%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A buttermilk biscuit with ham is a crowd-pleaser at the State Fair.</td></tr>
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Walking among the food vendors at the <a href="https://www.ncstatefair.org/" target="_blank">N.C. State Fair</a> held in Raleigh each October is enough to tempt you to try all the creative and traditional foods. Although the exotic creations—such as a double cheeseburger sandwiched between two Krispy Kreme donuts—captivates the media each fall and is what many fair-goers talk about, <b>a simple buttermilk biscuit is what attracts my attention</b>.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7dZdWvEOoaNx2KdYZ39TABNurpQXR-pMraQ4khLYoI1xdW4ICBFn3Ch_D5OWt2Mdb7AmLEiB7Fz8816RIggiw770ZMPZoEzc4sqBdAGoZDEc9YUzsdi1tSpwBZ46BMpBfQcrMIjKq-Z0/s1600/20191005_104402.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7dZdWvEOoaNx2KdYZ39TABNurpQXR-pMraQ4khLYoI1xdW4ICBFn3Ch_D5OWt2Mdb7AmLEiB7Fz8816RIggiw770ZMPZoEzc4sqBdAGoZDEc9YUzsdi1tSpwBZ46BMpBfQcrMIjKq-Z0/s400/20191005_104402.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A lot of ham is cooked for all the biscuits at the fair.</td></tr>
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<h3>
Training Class</h3>
Last fall I was amazed at one booth in particular. Operated by First and White Plains Methodist Churches of Cary, NC, the booth was cranking out biscuit after biscuit (served with country ham or sausage) to a long line of customers. When I was told that this booth makes <b>up to 1,200 biscuits each shift</b>, I had to learn more and soon wanted to be a biscuit maker.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmgCf9TVvVY6EAH6TtWMyb2QexXeESNtlsw6yqisIFDIFg2CBNaBtOdMrjrcqkAAJbGpCfHDUawSknjmYtx0xk-O7I6W5fShjMU9WJTeZ6j2t5q3CRO-54iv4KIZwTm_Z11NvizsR8GD0/s1600/20191005_101132.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmgCf9TVvVY6EAH6TtWMyb2QexXeESNtlsw6yqisIFDIFg2CBNaBtOdMrjrcqkAAJbGpCfHDUawSknjmYtx0xk-O7I6W5fShjMU9WJTeZ6j2t5q3CRO-54iv4KIZwTm_Z11NvizsR8GD0/s400/20191005_101132.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A training class is offered each year for new biscuit-makers.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Several days before the fair begins, <a href="http://firstcary.com/" target="_blank">First Methodist</a> holds a biscuit-making training class for new volunteers. (During the fair, the booth is too busy to conduct training.) I quickly signed up for the class and was the first person to show up on the morning when it was held. Maybe I was that excited.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcw41TGjm_V_wiTYn6gpSK0f9DLyE6D8APJWzuef5J8XihEz4MN8crUkwB7DWVOR9dO9FQ69rm0skY3Gm5P1IGUHXWpQZWIjAn-tzfnV90BGVwGaBNCDutPyGkYLNTkknSkyc0-WmWeo8/s1600/20191005_093214.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcw41TGjm_V_wiTYn6gpSK0f9DLyE6D8APJWzuef5J8XihEz4MN8crUkwB7DWVOR9dO9FQ69rm0skY3Gm5P1IGUHXWpQZWIjAn-tzfnV90BGVwGaBNCDutPyGkYLNTkknSkyc0-WmWeo8/s400/20191005_093214.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Working the shortening into the flour is the first step.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<h3>
Flour, Shortening, and Buttermilk</h3>
For a couple of hours, we amateur biscuit-makers watched as veterans demonstrated the process. Then we divided into teams to make our own and see if we could be successful. The challenge is high because First Methodist is the longest-serving food vendor at the fair and is so renowned for its biscuits (many customers stop every time they come to the fair for the biscuits).<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO3g_WFO7SdnQ1-Sz2hOO3QlyoyqTo3O38lYcEDNs7qhEAUoeFAxduY74eCMlPiB1a87UlN_bPK81M2YwYFHkwH8a8v-TqmGd73o5oH8vkcSnTqxUwCxsEfkaj_PdziLteYIqkXEZ_ouk/s1600/20191005_094034.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO3g_WFO7SdnQ1-Sz2hOO3QlyoyqTo3O38lYcEDNs7qhEAUoeFAxduY74eCMlPiB1a87UlN_bPK81M2YwYFHkwH8a8v-TqmGd73o5oH8vkcSnTqxUwCxsEfkaj_PdziLteYIqkXEZ_ouk/s400/20191005_094034.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">As the dough is kneaded, the flour and shortening begin to adhere to each other.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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In the class we didn't use a written recipe, but the process is simple. Fill a mixing bowl about two-thirds full with <b>self-rising flour</b>. At the fair, the booth uses 25-pound bags of Snowflake brand. (For the training class, we used tried-and-true White Lily.) Then scoop a handful of <b>shortening</b> about the size of a softball and knead the dough on a lightly floured work surface. After a few minutes, you quickly learn if more shortening is needed (all the flour is not adhering in clumps) or if a little more flour should be added to have a good dough consistency.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJgLCWcBCDhtuAGQyJ_EgYtR_tkC20RbOifgzSxxLr7C5UBMmmC89asqecnA0a-v4sldbV_9n8Ww4yVJOrYozNFmOjZRprOdNmRWfDFuxVBAdJeJmO7tpk8Qa9VnM_OKGLISU0Fn36N30/s1600/20191005_101503.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJgLCWcBCDhtuAGQyJ_EgYtR_tkC20RbOifgzSxxLr7C5UBMmmC89asqecnA0a-v4sldbV_9n8Ww4yVJOrYozNFmOjZRprOdNmRWfDFuxVBAdJeJmO7tpk8Qa9VnM_OKGLISU0Fn36N30/s400/20191005_101503.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Biscuits are placed on an ungreased cookie sheet for baking.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Next <b>buttermilk</b> (at room temperature, not chilled) is added. For our mixing bowls, we added about a quart of buttermilk and continued to knead the dough. Again from the feel of the dough, you can tell if more buttermilk is needed. When you are satisfied with the dough, it’s time to roll it into the desired height (about the distance from the end of your thumb to the first knuckle) to form the biscuits. An empty metal can (that once contained pineapples) cuts each biscuit simply by pressing it into the dough. No twisting!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx5wk5vUwoLaITwgChNnQvleEeCOOus_goqobmC11R6eTj74d6CvEwdM5TOpsHB2_R7NWCZ3STl4baW_Fr22y3oN0qteuHiHjylU6d94eDvdJeHpyVihyfT5QRZ1_FNa6YmjQT7eapnMo/s1600/20191005_095017.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx5wk5vUwoLaITwgChNnQvleEeCOOus_goqobmC11R6eTj74d6CvEwdM5TOpsHB2_R7NWCZ3STl4baW_Fr22y3oN0qteuHiHjylU6d94eDvdJeHpyVihyfT5QRZ1_FNa6YmjQT7eapnMo/s400/20191005_095017.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Into the oven goes the first pan. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<h3>
Baking to Perfection</h3>
The biscuits are then placed on an ungreased cookie sheet – about 40 to a sheet – and baked at 400 degrees initially for six minutes. After the sheet is rotated, the biscuits are baked for six more minutes. When the timer sounds, you have biscuits that every person who comes to the fair wants. If rolled to the right height (not too tall), the biscuits are perfect--and not gooey. If any extra flour is shaken off when they are placed on the sheet, they should be <b>golden-brown</b> when they come out of the oven. They are then filled with hot country ham or sausage by other kitchen volunteers.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXzaip_60PX1Hlh4-OzJ8rgQm0DRPIUgvfq8Ve5UlVckiZa69yNaX1bUnozOdyHVmSbc8cte0zRJigk0Ko-Gw8enVELvbcIg7TRc7PtaVimvvrlxPJFs7BTlV3p_INnnOc5z6vfR-CP5I/s1600/20191005_102439.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXzaip_60PX1Hlh4-OzJ8rgQm0DRPIUgvfq8Ve5UlVckiZa69yNaX1bUnozOdyHVmSbc8cte0zRJigk0Ko-Gw8enVELvbcIg7TRc7PtaVimvvrlxPJFs7BTlV3p_INnnOc5z6vfR-CP5I/s400/20191005_102439.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Patience is needed as the biscuits bake.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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About a dozen were trained in the class, and we are ready to show off our talents. Each one of us is expected to sign up for two shifts during the 11 days that the fair is held. Each shift has two biscuit-makers. When we beginners make biscuits, we will work with a veteran who will help to guarantee the consistency of our work.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAPVIaMvXjhhgJdHClWXzE2DHyP4jAC-4QxNuE_7r06W5_CPmY7ezTavo6PRMmrwa8evXtU7iCeoE2-unRWBq2uS2fB2TOitb_2QZh43GySjRp_ZvuAED7IWzNA-Dtb_pBJgmxOlTtPA4/s1600/20191005_102530.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAPVIaMvXjhhgJdHClWXzE2DHyP4jAC-4QxNuE_7r06W5_CPmY7ezTavo6PRMmrwa8evXtU7iCeoE2-unRWBq2uS2fB2TOitb_2QZh43GySjRp_ZvuAED7IWzNA-Dtb_pBJgmxOlTtPA4/s400/20191005_102530.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After the biscuits have baked for six minutes, the tray is rotated in the oven.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<h3>
<br />
A Tradition of Teamwork</h3>
Because each day of the fair has three shifts (usually five hours long each), a lot of biscuit-makers are needed. However, even more volunteers are required; about 40 are needed for each shift. The team effort is huge. <b>More than 500 volunteers work at the booth each year.</b> Although making biscuits is important, it is only a part of the much larger overall effort.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT4iAMGu5t6Vo_87Fc56gsQ99s0bsT1Of_Nba4WQX3MxwCg1U4K_VYTG_Gs2D1S7X1IRZyBIeOkCn6CwqF9ROq1NOTbGLCXbuuU6-luN90A3hFKy5ISWyr0AhoPGaiE7r4VDlKjy3veiE/s1600/20191005_103125.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT4iAMGu5t6Vo_87Fc56gsQ99s0bsT1Of_Nba4WQX3MxwCg1U4K_VYTG_Gs2D1S7X1IRZyBIeOkCn6CwqF9ROq1NOTbGLCXbuuU6-luN90A3hFKy5ISWyr0AhoPGaiE7r4VDlKjy3veiE/s400/20191005_103125.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Finally a tray of biscuits just out of the oven are ready for tasting.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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What First Methodist started in 1916 has developed into a great tradition, and amazingly it has continued unbroken all these years. The original hand biscuit has been served every year since the first one. I’m ready to show off my new biscuit-making skills.
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcMrgVqVZeHSzpQJwnQcLBFLI9DkprjN7ai4lwSbEKqmTGSxsZ_4AtP03PoWyOob0t0R9rgnYRS2f0PqJhBtq9051YajrD4UeB-r18ghwdi2EQnP9UIdUK3SxIOKF6zqsYzvg3RbHGmVI/s1600/20191006_095953+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1600" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcMrgVqVZeHSzpQJwnQcLBFLI9DkprjN7ai4lwSbEKqmTGSxsZ_4AtP03PoWyOob0t0R9rgnYRS2f0PqJhBtq9051YajrD4UeB-r18ghwdi2EQnP9UIdUK3SxIOKF6zqsYzvg3RbHGmVI/s400/20191006_095953+%25282%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A benefit of being in the class is the chance to take home extra biscuits, which I enjoyed with homemade strawberry jelly.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Note</i>: Several biscuit recipes (with specific measurements) are
available online, including <a href="https://www.crisco.com/recipes/self-rising-buttermilk-biscuits-3609" target="_blank">this one by Crisco</a>. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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<br />Ray Linvillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01860661401478445293noreply@blogger.com0117 S Academy St, Cary, NC 27511, USA35.786774000000008 -78.78065019.7188100000000084 -120.0892441 61.854738000000012 -37.4720561tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9088968680325094008.post-23649667648233374692019-09-21T17:30:00.000-04:002019-09-25T10:38:15.994-04:00Moravian Chicken Pie, a Tradition Worth Preserving<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0Q0svxOpMNg-NrtPCdybsiiWuP9qF1p_ROYX2kuggvBU3W9EP-WdCSTQgE0saQdTTwjwMVWE32S5oDs_gVL60C9Gldiw3lMoLHOkWwAf9Gg5xcQajVp3k8PRnPkDXBJ7GD0BM7lM7tXc/s1600/IMG_20190921_174617777.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Moravian chicken pie" border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0Q0svxOpMNg-NrtPCdybsiiWuP9qF1p_ROYX2kuggvBU3W9EP-WdCSTQgE0saQdTTwjwMVWE32S5oDs_gVL60C9Gldiw3lMoLHOkWwAf9Gg5xcQajVp3k8PRnPkDXBJ7GD0BM7lM7tXc/s400/IMG_20190921_174617777.jpg" title="Moravian chicken pie" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Moravian chicken pie is a very savory dish.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
How many times have I enjoyed <b>Moravian chicken pie</b>, a savory meat pie? I‘m not sure. Because I grew up in <a href="https://visitwinstonsalem.com/" target="_blank">Winston-Salem, NC</a>—the center of Moravian culture in America—it was featured often at church suppers.<br />
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This regional specialty is <b>a flaky double-crusted pie packed with tender chicken that is served in slices with a rich gravy</b>. A humble dish that is appetizing and hearty, it brings together chicken, pasty and gravy in a simple format with nothing else. Because the chicken has been boiled and chopped into bite-size pieces before being baked in the pie, it is deliciously tender, and the rich gravy guarantees a flavorful taste that is moist.
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3au2zz40ayhSj-vfu_2hPwKlLr-96eWi9AmGUgBIO-BpgO96bP4zRoqWRnJ27UXng9bVCERCjoQDN9c0uykvQYktMO3j1aV3D2Fsf1ukSeX_0LfCQAGRO5JxViFHBpniOYnrUyPvVJXY/s1600/IMG_20190921_173907773.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Moravian chicken pie" border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3au2zz40ayhSj-vfu_2hPwKlLr-96eWi9AmGUgBIO-BpgO96bP4zRoqWRnJ27UXng9bVCERCjoQDN9c0uykvQYktMO3j1aV3D2Fsf1ukSeX_0LfCQAGRO5JxViFHBpniOYnrUyPvVJXY/s400/IMG_20190921_173907773.jpg" title="Trays of Moravian chicken pie" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chicken pies on the serving line at Fairview Moravian Church in Winston-Salem are ready to be served.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<h3>
Colonial Origin</h3>
That city in the Piedmont region of the state grew out of the colonial settlements of <a href="https://www.moravian.org/" target="_blank">Moravians</a> known as <a href="https://northcarolinahistory.org/encyclopedia/the-wachovia-tract/" target="_blank">Wachovia, a tract of almost 100,000 acres</a> purchased in 1752 from <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/John-Carteret-2nd-Earl-Granville" target="_blank">John Carteret</a>, the British statesman known as the 2nd Earl Granville.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAIIvwkJAs64ZWxeHmC3e2VUEsE2KyFNnZzj_NKphJV0r3Td4igZKK4Trfm4k8df-u7vKxM-rDJzWVmeIz_GktjERhERoGs8F8r7FG0PyKx_SsWNkuEH5Be7APLZ-mz0SlFmLkOCFxyEk/s1600/IMG_20190921_175541298+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Colonial Moravian settlers" border="0" data-original-height="1051" data-original-width="1600" height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAIIvwkJAs64ZWxeHmC3e2VUEsE2KyFNnZzj_NKphJV0r3Td4igZKK4Trfm4k8df-u7vKxM-rDJzWVmeIz_GktjERhERoGs8F8r7FG0PyKx_SsWNkuEH5Be7APLZ-mz0SlFmLkOCFxyEk/s400/IMG_20190921_175541298+%25282%2529.jpg" title="Colonial Moravian settlers" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Each table is decorated with a centerpiece of early Moravian settlers in colonial dress.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Most accounts credit the Moravians who in 1766 founded the town of <a href="https://www.oldsalem.org/visit/" target="_blank">Salem</a> (that merged with the industrial town of Winston in 1913) as being the originators of the pie. They were familiar with meat pies, a staple of their diet in Europe. The Moravian Church, one of the world’s oldest Protestant denominations, has its roots in central Europe that is now part of the Czech Republic. Early Moravian immigrants to America began arriving—with their baking traditions—in 1735 in Pennsylvania to escape persecution by governments and state churches in Europe.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh637JfB3PrZ-OipFcqsEhQV3OFgZlzLj1X8DM-zVY5nZq8wbNv8Dzoo2YXVuY2oOm4nnF1xjuwcChoRCz4hXx9G6E8p9UpAESF7A_moVYSmrWEAbral18Kt9uA5Y6Jp3Z2w-jH13bl_ww/s1600/IMG_20190921_173858127.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Serving line" border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh637JfB3PrZ-OipFcqsEhQV3OFgZlzLj1X8DM-zVY5nZq8wbNv8Dzoo2YXVuY2oOm4nnF1xjuwcChoRCz4hXx9G6E8p9UpAESF7A_moVYSmrWEAbral18Kt9uA5Y6Jp3Z2w-jH13bl_ww/s400/IMG_20190921_173858127.jpg" title="Serving line" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The serving line is staffed with very efficient (and experienced) church volunteers.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<h3>
Simple Recipe</h3>
Unlike some Moravian culinary traditions—such as sugar cake (my favorite), cookies, and spiced tea—that are very popular at Christmas, the chicken pie is served year-round. Little has changed to the pie’s recipe since it was first served in colonial times. Unlike traditional chicken pot pies, the Moravian pie doesn’t have any vegetables.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6dV6s1qZzxLzruJqvTrCFr7QbtSVfv-Z8fPx41Lznl4trI3Wt9oDjKGZX9iW8BkT-vjGz9r5HuNvccYgvs2i7P51sSQ0JAKi2tw9vXf3_jekQW8uuUDk1db3H3RWqMFtjUPlKhZuqjC8/s1600/IMG_20190921_173950761.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Chicken gravy" border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6dV6s1qZzxLzruJqvTrCFr7QbtSVfv-Z8fPx41Lznl4trI3Wt9oDjKGZX9iW8BkT-vjGz9r5HuNvccYgvs2i7P51sSQ0JAKi2tw9vXf3_jekQW8uuUDk1db3H3RWqMFtjUPlKhZuqjC8/s400/IMG_20190921_173950761.jpg" title="Chicken gravy" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A rich chicken gravy is ladled on top of each pie serving.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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True to the Moravians’ simple, frugal lifestyle, the pie requires <b>only five ingredients</b> that would have been readily available: chicken, broth, flour, butter and salt. The pie was likely a way to use scraps of cooked meat.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-c7AFytJS_xLW9Y_V-odWDr9GKyC1P88bckBYJDwz8acGGHt0xagwjRmhA5bS5Xqr3II7QFkS-uIjokfS949jKSHBcC206UNfYMjKBBmTCKrbPqbi5Hn6OI9J_CpUZiHD2Uoffx6eOKU/s1600/IMG_20190921_174321742+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Plate of chicken pie supper" border="0" data-original-height="965" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-c7AFytJS_xLW9Y_V-odWDr9GKyC1P88bckBYJDwz8acGGHt0xagwjRmhA5bS5Xqr3II7QFkS-uIjokfS949jKSHBcC206UNfYMjKBBmTCKrbPqbi5Hn6OI9J_CpUZiHD2Uoffx6eOKU/s400/IMG_20190921_174321742+%25282%2529.jpg" title="Supper plate" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
Supper includes more than chicken pie. Fairview Moravian plates also have country ham, green beans, apples, and a biscuit.</td></tr>
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The <a href="http://thetaverninoldsalem.ws/" target="_blank">Tavern in Old Salem</a>, a family-operated restaurant built in 1816 as an annex to the historic 1784 tavern, is steeped in Moravian traditions and history. Embracing its heritage, it serves a Moravian chicken pie and gravy for Sunday brunch and a tavern chicken pie with gravy, potatoes, and green beans as a plate at lunch on other days.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdA9tgvQyls6EAThgrbXBPi00JnkGCxI-KiMcTZ-FgSmyXUN7tSG3CtfWx0NokBRXO-Q39-LW3Ia4OXRTBprEdYsfEXJdL8XLUH9DX2X_MOmhqv6f3r7ZAtSSaw_iOIAJ0C8-Rkv2PG1M/s1600/IMG_20190921_173711627+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Sign of Fairview Moravian Church" border="0" data-original-height="1043" data-original-width="1600" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdA9tgvQyls6EAThgrbXBPi00JnkGCxI-KiMcTZ-FgSmyXUN7tSG3CtfWx0NokBRXO-Q39-LW3Ia4OXRTBprEdYsfEXJdL8XLUH9DX2X_MOmhqv6f3r7ZAtSSaw_iOIAJ0C8-Rkv2PG1M/s400/IMG_20190921_173711627+%25282%2529.jpg" title="Sign of Fairview Moravian Church" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Proceeds of annual suppers at Fairview Moravian Church have paid for mission projects and building improvements.</td></tr>
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<h3>
Community Appreciation</h3>
Although I didn’t grow up in a <a href="http://www.cityofws.org/Departments/Recreation-Parks/Historic-Bethabara/About-Bethabara/The-Moravian-Story" target="_blank">Moravian Church in Winston-Salem</a> (which still shares the distinction of having the highest concentration of <a href="https://www.moravian.org/" target="_blank">Moravians in North America</a> with Bethlehem, Pa.), members of my church (a Presbyterian one) and other neighboring churches were admirers of the Moravian pie, so much so that it was routinely duplicated by congregations at events regardless of their denominations.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV7R2d8JJA_Gkqea4Tp43N7z-NAWYqdpbcTOhCaV8sfsMtAp_8MN0zgubW0OUTJ05htyfb5m38dIKvE8VbEN7OwfzHJSmzWbuM2FZU-DrqtY8g8ks66hgioRamIZ9JK329k0cH0sOtepw/s1600/IMG_20190921_174400126+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="860" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV7R2d8JJA_Gkqea4Tp43N7z-NAWYqdpbcTOhCaV8sfsMtAp_8MN0zgubW0OUTJ05htyfb5m38dIKvE8VbEN7OwfzHJSmzWbuM2FZU-DrqtY8g8ks66hgioRamIZ9JK329k0cH0sOtepw/s400/IMG_20190921_174400126+%25282%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Congregation members and guests linger after eating supper to enjoy each other's company.</td></tr>
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In addition to satisfying the appetites of a church and the local community, chicken pie suppers (yes, they are not called "dinners") have also enriched social connections as well as contributed to fundraisers and building programs. According to <a href="https://moravianarchives.org/" target="_blank">Moravian archives</a>, churches in Winston-Salem held chicken pie suppers as fundraisers as early as 1920.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHRGN3Nk9jl1VH3omOcQ8UCig22pwrwiDGl0i6nWHH2s-r3dm8ypun80lk8Z55NcaqVarn9Mod2CYGXkhYjRM89bgOmuX-Ryl2dSeI8HqVAr6H40TY7tyISNnu59BBu6LOwBtSzvrtmMQ/s1600/IMG_20190921_174329629+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Moravian cole slaw" border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHRGN3Nk9jl1VH3omOcQ8UCig22pwrwiDGl0i6nWHH2s-r3dm8ypun80lk8Z55NcaqVarn9Mod2CYGXkhYjRM89bgOmuX-Ryl2dSeI8HqVAr6H40TY7tyISNnu59BBu6LOwBtSzvrtmMQ/s400/IMG_20190921_174329629+%25282%2529.jpg" title="Moravian cole slaw" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A tangy Moravian cole slaw is served family style at each table.</td></tr>
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Enjoying the pie at <a href="http://fairviewmoravianchurch.org/content/" target="_blank">Fairview Moravian Church</a> in Winston-Salem, which I still consider as a “neighborhood church,” with its congregation made me appreciate even more how Moravians have enriched our culture—religious, social, musical, culinary, and other aspects. I’m glad that the chicken pie served more often than at only Christmas.
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3JlssVvm17sTbmdt9IS6692x5NmJ5S768ut9Ng7I0-GxeIF8zOGipJdauNUGCC-xTQy8gxb7zmUAROLNak3HvBkmA0eTbo5SExH5UNl0kTrJKk5ShdL8-EM4eclDmXn9nzIMlYFkOjI4/s1600/IMG_20190921_174251601+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="893" data-original-width="1600" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3JlssVvm17sTbmdt9IS6692x5NmJ5S768ut9Ng7I0-GxeIF8zOGipJdauNUGCC-xTQy8gxb7zmUAROLNak3HvBkmA0eTbo5SExH5UNl0kTrJKk5ShdL8-EM4eclDmXn9nzIMlYFkOjI4/s400/IMG_20190921_174251601+%25282%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Placemats come complete with the Moravian blessing (on lower left corner).</td></tr>
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<i>Note</i>: Several recipes are available online, including, <a href="https://www.ourstate.com/moravian-chicken-pie-recipe/" target="_blank">this one recently in <i>Our State</i> magazine</a>.<br />
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<br />Ray Linvillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01860661401478445293noreply@blogger.com06550 Silas Creek Pkwy, Winston-Salem, NC 27106, USA36.127336 -80.29230510.059386499999999 -121.600899 62.1952855 -38.983711tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9088968680325094008.post-35114748788775676012019-08-03T03:30:00.000-04:002019-08-04T11:36:41.940-04:00Temperance Hall: A Place to Debate and Proclaim Vows of Abstinence Old historic structures always have a tale or two to tell. Temperance Hall, listed on the <a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/nationalregister/index.htm" target="_blank">National Register of Historic Places</a> in 1973, near <a href="https://www.townofwagram.com/" target="_blank">Wagram, NC</a>, has had an important role in its community for decades. Although it's a simple brick building, it has many stories to tell.<br />
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Formally known as the Richmond Temperance and Literary Society Hall, this historic structure in <a href="https://www.scotlandcounty.org/" target="_blank">Scotland County</a> is believed to be the only structure in North Carolina built to house a temperance society. The hall was the scene of lively debates in its early days and is still used for meetings of civic groups.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTWPmsoQ4ORhBBKn1OVdlbk45Vc2Aw1Rpcheazcl5RKCGLPBO_Qv6HanXutq8US7VP16flwlMaDLzIv9KhyphenhyphenPtWZvePVTwVlC8zk2IY844X8I-yPTiBOLpIOOalYSmHZO_NO7iD7WdZLyc/s1600/IMG_20190502_150535305.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTWPmsoQ4ORhBBKn1OVdlbk45Vc2Aw1Rpcheazcl5RKCGLPBO_Qv6HanXutq8US7VP16flwlMaDLzIv9KhyphenhyphenPtWZvePVTwVlC8zk2IY844X8I-yPTiBOLpIOOalYSmHZO_NO7iD7WdZLyc/s400/IMG_20190502_150535305.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The simple structure of Temperance Hall was completed in 1860.</td></tr>
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To elevate the moral and cultural life of its community, the Richmond Temperance and Literary Society was founded in 1855 in what was then lower Richmond County in an area settled in 1773 by <a href="https://www.ncpedia.org/highland-scots" target="_blank">Highland Scots</a>. Built of hand-molded local bricks, the hall is still standing in tribute to its sturdy construction in 1860 by the Scottish descendants, although it was sacked five years later by U.S. soldiers advancing toward Fayetteville during <a href="https://www.ncpedia.org/anchor/shermans-march-through-north" target="_blank">Sherman’s Carolinas Campaign</a> of the <a href="https://www.ncpedia.org/history/cw-1900/civil-war" target="_blank">American Civil War</a>.<br />
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Influenced by the temperance movement<https: temperance-movement="" www.ncpedia.org="">, the charter members vowed to “neither make, sell, buy, nor use as a beverage any intoxicating drink whatever.” The cultured and worried citizens at that time were troubled by the “deadly influence” that alcohol consumption was “exerting over the morality of our country and seeing the ravages that it is daily making in our midst.” Within a few years of organizing, the society built the small one-story, one-room hexagonal building with sixteen-foot sides near what is now the town of Wagram. Here they met and coordinated their “uncompromising hostility to intemperance and untiring zeal for the advancement of literature.” </https:><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidYKsR5fxhYX0DSLPSPcG6S-UIdpBP93beIFLZDozNqBUx_DD8qOhac2Wv6rL2W_BVMbvXFpcyhYkMzgDcCnXjh_VaQ0-DOoqgKBGvIBUpqzC27pvlg97f-jna67KxSZ-OEz-1QuX2xTs/s1600/IMG_20190502_150520529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidYKsR5fxhYX0DSLPSPcG6S-UIdpBP93beIFLZDozNqBUx_DD8qOhac2Wv6rL2W_BVMbvXFpcyhYkMzgDcCnXjh_VaQ0-DOoqgKBGvIBUpqzC27pvlg97f-jna67KxSZ-OEz-1QuX2xTs/s400/IMG_20190502_150520529.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The finial on the roof portrays the twin aims of the Richmond Temperance and Literary Society.</td></tr>
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<https: temperance-movement="" www.ncpedia.org=""><br /></https:>
<https: temperance-movement="" www.ncpedia.org="">The society’s twin aims are illustrated at the peak of the building’s roof by a wooden finial that represents an inverted wine goblet on top of a closed Bible. Both pieces of the finial were reportedly shot down by Sherman’s troops, and pot marks made by their bullets fired during target practice can still be detected on the hall’s exterior. The interior ceiling was once painted blue with a constellation of gold stars; each star represented a member of the society. However, if the member broke the vow of abstinence, the star was painted black. (Several stars had alternating coats of gold and black.) When a member died, the star was gilded with silver. </https:><br />
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<https: temperance-movement="" www.ncpedia.org="">The society continued to meet in the hall until the 1890s. In 1899, the area around Wagram became part of the new Scotland County, and the hall found a new role until the 1920s as a school for white students (as segregation ruled during the Jim Crow era). After many years of neglect and decay, the hall was restored as accurately as possible in 1959 by reconstructing a two-tier wooden platform that supports a lectern used by speakers, adding a cast-iron stove similar to the one that originally heated the hall, and rebuilding the pairs of recessed bookshelves on the northeast and south walls. In its role as a museum today, it serves a symbol of cultural attitudes of a bygone era. </https:><br />
<https: temperance-movement="" www.ncpedia.org=""><br /></https:>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4CA6Qdo4KbVMIEvj4-VicMn-qFmmupfPZ9X-vTwhCQ_dLmf9lewtA7lQcnKpWsZC6RTZHEzPcPTuJWB2LOwKleQtXvVz4BBfp05Dr577Xyv3eH3AHR6AMNdoSIWTLHjp-IjkQHSpYgFo/s1600/IMG_20190502_150409279.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4CA6Qdo4KbVMIEvj4-VicMn-qFmmupfPZ9X-vTwhCQ_dLmf9lewtA7lQcnKpWsZC6RTZHEzPcPTuJWB2LOwKleQtXvVz4BBfp05Dr577Xyv3eH3AHR6AMNdoSIWTLHjp-IjkQHSpYgFo/s400/IMG_20190502_150409279.jpg" width="224" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A two-tier platform with lectern was reconstructed in 1959.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<https: temperance-movement="" www.ncpedia.org=""><br /></https:>
<https: temperance-movement="" www.ncpedia.org="">The <a href="http://visitnc-soul.com/soul/john_mcneill_house.html" target="_blank">restored home</a> of North Carolina poet-laureate <a href="https://www.ncpedia.org/biography/mcneill-john-charles" target="_blank">John Charles McNeill</a>, a Scotland County native and grandson of Scottish immigrants, was moved to the site of Temperance Hall in 1960 and serves as the visitor center for both properties. </https:><br />
<https: temperance-movement="" www.ncpedia.org=""><br /></https:>
<https: temperance-movement="" www.ncpedia.org="">Although hexagonal, the hall is architecturally significant because it is a diminutive version of the octagonal mode popularized in North Carolina <http: html="" www.octagon.bobanna.com=""> in the mid-1800s by the concepts of Orson Squire Fowler, who analyzed that an “octagon house” <https: he_octagon_in_the_houses_of_orson_fowler="" publication="" www.researchgate.net=""> (a term that refers specifically to octagonal houses built in North America during this period) with its eight sides encloses more space than a square one with equal wall space. </https:></http:></https:><br />
<https: temperance-movement="" www.ncpedia.org=""><http: html="" www.octagon.bobanna.com=""><https: he_octagon_in_the_houses_of_orson_fowler="" publication="" www.researchgate.net=""><br /></https:></http:></https:>
<https: temperance-movement="" www.ncpedia.org=""><http: html="" www.octagon.bobanna.com=""><https: he_octagon_in_the_houses_of_orson_fowler="" publication="" www.researchgate.net="">The Richmond Temperance and Literary Society still meets all these years since its founding, although now only annually. The hall is about 1½ miles west of US 401, which is Main Street in Wagram, off Old Wire Road near Spring Hill Cemetery.</https:></http:></https:><br />
<https: temperance-movement="" www.ncpedia.org=""><http: html="" www.octagon.bobanna.com=""><https: he_octagon_in_the_houses_of_orson_fowler="" publication="" www.researchgate.net=""><br /></https:></http:></https:>
<https: temperance-movement="" www.ncpedia.org=""><http: html="" www.octagon.bobanna.com=""><https: he_octagon_in_the_houses_of_orson_fowler="" publication="" www.researchgate.net="">
Temperance Hall has survived decades as the area around it has changed, and its history is quite phenomenal. Although meetings held in the hall today no longer promote abstinence, its continued use guarantees that its history is not yet complete and it may inspire more tales for future generations to tell.<br />
</https:></http:></https:><br />
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<i>Note</i>: The post is influenced by two articles about Temperance Hall that I have written. One is an <a href="https://ncpedia.org/temperance-hall" target="_blank">entry uploaded in June 2019 in <i>NCpedia</i></a>, the online encyclopedia about North Carolina. The other is an article published in the <a href="https://issuu.com/outreachnc/docs/outreachnc_0519_issuu/20" target="_blank">May 2019 issue of <i>OutreachNC Magazine</i></a>.
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Ray Linvillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01860661401478445293noreply@blogger.com019700 Old Wire Rd, Laurinburg, NC 28352, USA34.866956370130382 -79.4028870346679734.860442370130379 -79.412972034667973 34.873470370130384 -79.392802034667966tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9088968680325094008.post-5665809665799615302019-07-22T12:30:00.000-04:002019-09-24T20:48:23.386-04:00Snappy Lunch: Where a Pork Chop Sandwich Is King<a href="https://www.mountairy.org/" target="_blank">Mount Airy, NC</a>, is the destination for travelers who want to enjoy and preserve the legacy of “Mayberry,” the small town made famous by <i><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0053479/" target="_blank">The Andy Griffith Show</a></i>. The city is the birthplace of <a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0341431/" target="_blank">Griffith</a> and has been nicknamed as <a href="https://visitmayberry.com/category/attractions/mayberry/" target="_blank">Mayberry</a> for inspiring the fictional N.C. town where the show is set.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivuTs79abZgg3J_9hawKkwyMtR_RHKxvV_ck2-AjZxS7fWgfy7S3XY_tQj-ztbIr6gaIrS4RyVH4xy3Waw36qQwTS2wng9YIQZc2zhuh1LrDX6Jhp5pJa0p3wsf1v9cREvmQctLhf77E8/s1600/IMG_20190719_140125279_BURST001+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1178" data-original-width="1600" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivuTs79abZgg3J_9hawKkwyMtR_RHKxvV_ck2-AjZxS7fWgfy7S3XY_tQj-ztbIr6gaIrS4RyVH4xy3Waw36qQwTS2wng9YIQZc2zhuh1LrDX6Jhp5pJa0p3wsf1v9cREvmQctLhf77E8/s400/IMG_20190719_140125279_BURST001+%25282%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<h3>
The Andy Griffith Show</h3>
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Fans of the show step back in time when they visit Mount Airy, which now hosts <a href="http://www.surryarts.org/mayberrydays/index.html" target="_blank">“Mayberry Days”</a> each September, and stroll down Main Street that looks almost like it was created for the show. Most also plan a visit to <a href="http://www.thesnappylunch.com/" target="_blank">The Snappy Lunch</a>, which is next door to Floyd’s City Barber Shop.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyuR0mOrEhehEh2mawzROiIF33LrK1rQ34FBEsfPajGm4eBc9MpWHCwiNPP7IoCCLO-ejZC6R-Gj8Yt9ju-Iig22rQpG1PRUXuH_a3OAJ85s0DsQiFuJU2-wfEY2I-nLQT7a6ws4davV8/s1600/IMG_20190719_130114976.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyuR0mOrEhehEh2mawzROiIF33LrK1rQ34FBEsfPajGm4eBc9MpWHCwiNPP7IoCCLO-ejZC6R-Gj8Yt9ju-Iig22rQpG1PRUXuH_a3OAJ85s0DsQiFuJU2-wfEY2I-nLQT7a6ws4davV8/s400/IMG_20190719_130114976.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A vintage sheriff's car is usually parked on Main Street.</td></tr>
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The diner was made famous on <i>The Andy Griffith Show</i> when Andy suggests to Barney that they get a bite at The Snappy Lunch. (Show fans can see the scene in “Andy the Matchmaker,” an early episode.) Griffith also mentions the diner in his version of the song “Silhouettes.” Surprisingly, the diner is the only Mount Airy business ever mentioned on the TV show.<br />
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<h3>
Pork Chop Sandwich</h3>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNMWVmim3FWYmLQbyNpa5SPCZV_NHCmMmRuNYkfbF7vtf4EnE9SJoFidudDl_nb5pDg5F_2SGJiDZwIIPI-s8hdLpmKqjaoIXeLDtB_738svpmF2OIPXhDrxNWHjCKRe0_wnqJOHXuRDw/s1600/IMG_20190719_140330847.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNMWVmim3FWYmLQbyNpa5SPCZV_NHCmMmRuNYkfbF7vtf4EnE9SJoFidudDl_nb5pDg5F_2SGJiDZwIIPI-s8hdLpmKqjaoIXeLDtB_738svpmF2OIPXhDrxNWHjCKRe0_wnqJOHXuRDw/s400/IMG_20190719_140330847.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Snappy Lunch is decorated with memorabilia from the 1960s.</td></tr>
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The fried pork chop sandwich is the <a href="http://www.thesnappylunch.com/menu.php" target="_blank">menu item of distinction</a>. All the way includes chili, cole slaw, mustard, onion, and tomato. (Lettuce and mayo are also available.) Considering its celebrated status, it is served unceremoniously—simply wrapped in waxed paper. A variety of other sandwiches are on the menu, but few customers order them. Almost everyone having lunch when I was there ordered the famous sandwich.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHrfe5dHkI2tBZfvcTOCJn6DqaJoodYK7ClgPRkf61m-CRV5FGzhvBRJxmjnR9iFUhVln30NfF7E0nRjY3UGN0lr6kywtEK0NnXvKtoynjO35aGCfnzelDVgmux3BAaGDSXa8uQqHnhSo/s1600/IMG_20190719_133101544.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHrfe5dHkI2tBZfvcTOCJn6DqaJoodYK7ClgPRkf61m-CRV5FGzhvBRJxmjnR9iFUhVln30NfF7E0nRjY3UGN0lr6kywtEK0NnXvKtoynjO35aGCfnzelDVgmux3BAaGDSXa8uQqHnhSo/s400/IMG_20190719_133101544.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The pork chop sandwich is the most popular item on the menu.</td></tr>
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The <a href="http://www.thesnappylunch.com/menu.php" target="_blank">menu</a> itself is as simple as the trademark meal. The only “side” available is a bag of potato chips. No fries, no potato salad, no beans, no dessert. Beverages are served in Styrofoam cups. Memorabilia from the 1960s displayed on the walls and the mid-century vinyl chairs at Formica-topped tables also give the diner an authentic feel.<br />
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<h3>
Diner History</h3>
In four years, the diner will celebrate the <a href="http://www.thesnappylunch.com/history.php" target="_blank">100th anniversary of its opening</a> in the location where it has always been: 125 North Main St. In its early days, customers were local workers and students. (Local schools did not yet have cafeterias.) Then a hot dog sold for 10 cents (now $1.60), and a bologna sandwich (now $1.90) was a student’s bargain for only a nickel. Griffith often talked about getting a hot dog and a soft drink at The Snappy Lunch when he was young.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ60GAR9XZm1KEMFwyaH-zm0AflLNsOSRr213Gh5y8KYEv76RFkkq9UqjBiB8jtSKMWsvs3RctR4lIklWVN6KV3B3ULdFREud9Jm-bP-IcCxQ0FUmwS-tXgQp5r6UaqtnQHaiatSSyWvQ/s1600/IMG_20190719_131330567.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ60GAR9XZm1KEMFwyaH-zm0AflLNsOSRr213Gh5y8KYEv76RFkkq9UqjBiB8jtSKMWsvs3RctR4lIklWVN6KV3B3ULdFREud9Jm-bP-IcCxQ0FUmwS-tXgQp5r6UaqtnQHaiatSSyWvQ/s400/IMG_20190719_131330567.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The diner will soon celebrate the 100th anniversary of its opening.</td></tr>
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I still remember my first visit to <a href="http://www.thesnappylunch.com/" target="_blank">The Snappy Lunch</a>. I marveled at how it is “locked in time” and adds to the old-timey atmosphere of Mount Airy. If you haven’t been before, now’s the time to go.<br />
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Note: This post is influenced by a more detailed article about The Snappy Lunch that that I wrote for <i>OutreachNC Magazine </i>published in its <a href="https://issuu.com/outreachnc/docs/1019_outreachnc-issuu/16" target="_blank">October 2019 issue</a>.<br />
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Ray Linvillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01860661401478445293noreply@blogger.com0125 N Main St, Mt Airy, NC 27030, USA36.4996431 -80.60743830000001310.4316936 -121.91603230000001 62.5675926 -39.298844300000013tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9088968680325094008.post-75753040606643578412019-02-27T12:30:00.000-05:002019-04-19T10:54:08.542-04:00Searching for Key Lime PieKey lime pie seems to be growing in popularity and is served at quite a few restaurants today. They don’t have to be in Florida (although it is the official pie of the state) or even in the American South. However, the pie seems to be the best on one of the Florida Keys. The most southernly the location is, the better the pie seems to taste.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjToicM8PDDTpddfuJBIgN-8g1MOngHBToHW4MlNmozigED3vWa0WBXBPwbFlNy04TQ6EKkRWTktacHZaIDVOTfxFkBTZHT9iMGszYvleBhF7VwfbckXYne9Ria8US_KXazrbYsjyvmHOY/s1600/IMG_20190302_115623780+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1051" data-original-width="1600" height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjToicM8PDDTpddfuJBIgN-8g1MOngHBToHW4MlNmozigED3vWa0WBXBPwbFlNy04TQ6EKkRWTktacHZaIDVOTfxFkBTZHT9iMGszYvleBhF7VwfbckXYne9Ria8US_KXazrbYsjyvmHOY/s400/IMG_20190302_115623780+%25282%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Columbia Restaurant in St. Augustine, Florida, is one of several restaurants in Florida that serve the pie.</td></tr>
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On a trip through the Florida Keys, my wife and I were watching for signs where Key lime pie was being served. The more homemade the sign was, the more enticed we were to stop. As we drove from Key Largo to Key West and returned, the first option for food had to be Key lime pie. If it wasn’t on the menu, we weren’t interested in eating there.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQcOqvlRwxNab0jzy5VIzg-uhHJQEgMWMWTquODg0A6ogpIHSOpotnBSRZ-xZMs6V82vVYN20JCSLjHpfX4lmrHTRcUj_mzHEiGIBRLcJuYqrMx-NTGZVlrttxkmGVpLp_BX64eJzmQVo/s1600/IMG_20190227_121636144+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1112" data-original-width="1600" height="277" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQcOqvlRwxNab0jzy5VIzg-uhHJQEgMWMWTquODg0A6ogpIHSOpotnBSRZ-xZMs6V82vVYN20JCSLjHpfX4lmrHTRcUj_mzHEiGIBRLcJuYqrMx-NTGZVlrttxkmGVpLp_BX64eJzmQVo/s400/IMG_20190227_121636144+%25282%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I found my favorite pie in Islamorada, Florida.</td></tr>
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For me, the best Key lime pie was served in Islamorada, a village that stretches 18 miles across five keys. At the Islamorada Fish Company, I found the perfect Key lime pie, served with a graham cracker crust (not a pastry crust, which I don’t prefer) with a lime slice and a dob of whipped cream (not meringue or extra cream to avoid diluting the lime flavors) in an attractive white ceramic cup.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJaoeaBxdn1O8JtA6B3EvKsLfFcUnCYIN4CmyIjTj7JMrD_jybuzdGBqzAAdb7wkVsoZEb9RhWBc2W8h1HiTDAcXbrRf6VRjcOb9egZNuq-8-dg6qfbJ3xzR-z65ypiqxfNgmSEYEKsVk/s1600/IMG_20190227_115749947.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJaoeaBxdn1O8JtA6B3EvKsLfFcUnCYIN4CmyIjTj7JMrD_jybuzdGBqzAAdb7wkVsoZEb9RhWBc2W8h1HiTDAcXbrRf6VRjcOb9egZNuq-8-dg6qfbJ3xzR-z65ypiqxfNgmSEYEKsVk/s400/IMG_20190227_115749947.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A table at Islamorada Fish Company that overlooks the Gulf of Mexico is the best place to enjoy the pie. </td></tr>
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Although some people think that Key limes grow in only Florida, they are grown primarily in Mexico and Peru. Although they are named for the Florida Keys (the small, low islands located off the southern coast of the state) where they also grow, they are not indigenous to the area. They vary in size and color and are smaller in size and harder in texture than the more common lime (<i>citrus latifolia</i>).<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0eupYmxDSDioGGCEgtTRmtfRoIm2zOdiFgV3p-ndCF9gsbKbAybqMRBoS0bt9pOp3udFtmCB5KqpjxGea0H2FRs7cd1_Oa4C8u3sTVHC_7WzFImnv4QF4g1fasf3YtwijVZq22xaA6q0/s1600/mapkeylimetreattcitrusgrowingregions+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="704" data-original-width="1260" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0eupYmxDSDioGGCEgtTRmtfRoIm2zOdiFgV3p-ndCF9gsbKbAybqMRBoS0bt9pOp3udFtmCB5KqpjxGea0H2FRs7cd1_Oa4C8u3sTVHC_7WzFImnv4QF4g1fasf3YtwijVZq22xaA6q0/s400/mapkeylimetreattcitrusgrowingregions+%25282%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Key limes are grown primarily in Mexico and Peru.</td></tr>
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The juice of Key limes with egg yolks and sweetened condensed milk creates a magnificent dessert. The original recipe didn’t call for the mixture to be cooked because during mixing a reaction between the acidic lime juice and the proteins of the egg yolks and milk cause the filling to thicken on its own without baking. However, pies today are usually baked for a short time because consuming raw eggs can be dangerous.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWVf5lyxz1rjfWXqO-Cd1yFelMC2R7WyDu7_SEoOp05ZKNylQ1BLsqyGT2F0suHgqOXPMlRhY1rsu5enx6BDmFX9vgo8Xbsz29L9Aj_FXxzwLr9Pb0SAUURcnR1vUJHueNglfys-sEiT8/s1600/IMG_20190301_135707730.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWVf5lyxz1rjfWXqO-Cd1yFelMC2R7WyDu7_SEoOp05ZKNylQ1BLsqyGT2F0suHgqOXPMlRhY1rsu5enx6BDmFX9vgo8Xbsz29L9Aj_FXxzwLr9Pb0SAUURcnR1vUJHueNglfys-sEiT8/s400/IMG_20190301_135707730.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The city of Marathon, set on 13 islands in the Florida Keys, is the home of Sweet Savannah's, which always have pie ready.</td></tr>
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I always check to see if Key lime pie is on the menu of restaurants even in locations outside of Florida; however, whenever a restaurant in the Florida Keys indicates it serves the pie, I stop.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitiy48dp3TyBOLbNrGFnyN7lydh5rk1MTAwh7faxULUBoZErd42rlmtCSkWA_xur99rR1fTOXfEwbCAB0GZ6b8zYdYpRmHYG34otgnCKEiRD4WnAyPKJlGQEGOylok7PsuJIKqkrpKKPc/s1600/IMG_20190301_104935950.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitiy48dp3TyBOLbNrGFnyN7lydh5rk1MTAwh7faxULUBoZErd42rlmtCSkWA_xur99rR1fTOXfEwbCAB0GZ6b8zYdYpRmHYG34otgnCKEiRD4WnAyPKJlGQEGOylok7PsuJIKqkrpKKPc/s400/IMG_20190301_104935950.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Whole pies are available for takeout in Key West, Florida.</td></tr>
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<br />Ray Linvillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01860661401478445293noreply@blogger.com081532 Overseas Hwy, Islamorada, FL 33036, USA24.9144341 -80.6403575-1.1548829000000005 -121.94895149999999 50.983751100000006 -39.331763499999994tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9088968680325094008.post-13845023313202431812019-02-24T11:30:00.000-05:002019-05-01T11:19:35.617-04:00Finding a “Swamp Fest Platter” at a Fish CampFish camps once were common in the South in coastal areas where commercial fishing crews worked until the early parts of the last century. Huts (or cabins) for the workers at some camps were built to last only one season of fishing, and others were more permanent and often could last more than a dozen years. In addition to housing for workers employed in the fishing industry, some camps had accommodations for their families who would spend summer months there on vacation. Other camps in the Carolinas were simple campsites where textile mill workers and their families fished and fried their catches when they had free time.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7WQTpTWCP4JAutmcdY5wBUAIvF4LqIrj8bSWKg1iZzjbAfrcO7wtR-wprwxaAOHrcZNXRSok1IcOC1ja5oc7bLQnIcck4oweHr_WpdNmozUdNnrKng-z-uo1omqZWLZGiNtwI_lEB-UE/s1600/IMG_20190224_135601468_BURST000_COVER_TOP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7WQTpTWCP4JAutmcdY5wBUAIvF4LqIrj8bSWKg1iZzjbAfrcO7wtR-wprwxaAOHrcZNXRSok1IcOC1ja5oc7bLQnIcck4oweHr_WpdNmozUdNnrKng-z-uo1omqZWLZGiNtwI_lEB-UE/s400/IMG_20190224_135601468_BURST000_COVER_TOP.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Relics of old fishing equipment are on display outside Clark's Fish Camp.</td></tr>
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Some fish camps evolved into family-style seafood restaurants where local clientele would be served reasonably priced meals. Although the fish camps were usually located on waterways, lakes, or rivers, most bought their fish from wholesalers and farms. Although many of these restaurants have closed as they faced competition from chain restaurants, a few such as <a href="http://www.clarksfishcamp.net/" target="_blank">Clark’s Fish Camp</a> on the banks of Julington Creek in <a href="https://www.visitjacksonville.com/" target="_blank">Jacksonville</a>, Florida, are still thriving.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYF_w28aAP_1Ln2mDxYR-4DExQxPqFIK5D_aVrRrOA3MXwzRASPkJtg8SnfDh_Uxt6IqNAbolcBCt7v7APQYJZs0hYzCqknickmSkfCEVivNvy9cCaj0DIQua3Wgt1DoQOi92j_aBRJkc/s1600/IMG_20190224_135554073_BURST001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYF_w28aAP_1Ln2mDxYR-4DExQxPqFIK5D_aVrRrOA3MXwzRASPkJtg8SnfDh_Uxt6IqNAbolcBCt7v7APQYJZs0hYzCqknickmSkfCEVivNvy9cCaj0DIQua3Wgt1DoQOi92j_aBRJkc/s400/IMG_20190224_135554073_BURST001.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The rustic exterior wall of Clark's Fish Camp adds to the fish camp atmosphere.</td></tr>
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Originally a bait and tackle shop, Clark’s maintains a fish camp atmosphere with very simple and rustic features. Lilly, a five-foot alligator, makes her home in a large aquarium known as Lilly’s Pad that also houses turtles and fish. Also on display is the largest private taxidermy collection in America – lions, bears, tigers, monkeys, giraffes, deer, bobcats, and other amazing animals -- although the food is what makes this restaurant a destination for tourists and brings back local clientele.
The menu includes everything imaginable.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4X4t7FMeO4m18G6YS_3sX_jr0ln-Uu59ek09Yer04zz_qksroD2R2fYDDFZatVgxFtnA8jB1jgJIGywPkXdzYSW3u10-9lgdsTXuB3Z6R_igXYdHWiWd2JycdJ3ZJshnlFbS8GsDglHw/s1600/IMG_20190224_135413873.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4X4t7FMeO4m18G6YS_3sX_jr0ln-Uu59ek09Yer04zz_qksroD2R2fYDDFZatVgxFtnA8jB1jgJIGywPkXdzYSW3u10-9lgdsTXuB3Z6R_igXYdHWiWd2JycdJ3ZJshnlFbS8GsDglHw/s400/IMG_20190224_135413873.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The simple entrance to Clark's refers to its history.</td></tr>
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My wife and I indulged on a “swamp fest platter” loaded with gator tail, soft-shell crab, frog legs, conch, calamari, catfish, and hushpuppies. Other platters can also include clam strips, oysters, shrimp, scallops, and crab cakes. Signature dishes feature trout, tuna, and salmon.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgneZpt7oUfnB24qdJog1z69FOg9JVj6k5ZTQw0C1vPJVKJEam1PnQcMgRJ4XaBHjapLzARmf81N_JGGhOYU-htD4djZKRK_WJeKzR1E1QgE0dASSGkrvZL-J_J_QWiGO_K54a-Rb7w2po/s1600/IMG_0514.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgneZpt7oUfnB24qdJog1z69FOg9JVj6k5ZTQw0C1vPJVKJEam1PnQcMgRJ4XaBHjapLzARmf81N_JGGhOYU-htD4djZKRK_WJeKzR1E1QgE0dASSGkrvZL-J_J_QWiGO_K54a-Rb7w2po/s400/IMG_0514.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The swamp fest platter cam loaded with frog legs, gator tail, soft-shell crab, conch, calamari, catfish, and hushpuppies.</td></tr>
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Eating by the banks of a creek with slowly flowing water added to the ambiance of the rustic building that houses Clark’s. The extensive menu is very popular, and it makes many customers wish that such fish camps were still more common.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd-If92VSnoFX6eElQzmE6Tp7ZQddQvT-tIbDW36_mjuXZHqf7Cj9l1tN5Y6sWO39vhq81dcdZEoy7YbaEQC4wkrzYg1KAIFHXpDLJb8DvJhkqvd26ca14MEm5NQXVrVi_PHtVmKGZbIk/s1600/IMG_0517.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd-If92VSnoFX6eElQzmE6Tp7ZQddQvT-tIbDW36_mjuXZHqf7Cj9l1tN5Y6sWO39vhq81dcdZEoy7YbaEQC4wkrzYg1KAIFHXpDLJb8DvJhkqvd26ca14MEm5NQXVrVi_PHtVmKGZbIk/s400/IMG_0517.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Key lime pie is the best way to finish a meal at Clark's Fish Camp.</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKJLB0pnxSiOzGKNUe4JcCThLpR4tuiMdzWceE-VPckQnT1RzKktPnybNhbhGZfifkmcWKcGi4ajHl-1VES0-HjnDDeJRBQ6PxfqrbhtkDz8AoS49uA9Db6BiqBF3sRdl_DqWRfgXUkMU/s1600/IMG_20190224_135254331.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKJLB0pnxSiOzGKNUe4JcCThLpR4tuiMdzWceE-VPckQnT1RzKktPnybNhbhGZfifkmcWKcGi4ajHl-1VES0-HjnDDeJRBQ6PxfqrbhtkDz8AoS49uA9Db6BiqBF3sRdl_DqWRfgXUkMU/s400/IMG_20190224_135254331.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Two baby alligators swim near the entrance to Clark's.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCYEhs-bRelNT-VOCZRqm0o9W27i5FIRZTk2_sxRrCiE9XFXjwHSYDHh6LaxJBmOq3gt6xhclbVVJFWoedpz2pxOjusV-5ues-yxhGLLF7A25qdZLb-TIBMLqUKlZbhPnemyK7jHeRPFA/s1600/IMG_20190224_135216384.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCYEhs-bRelNT-VOCZRqm0o9W27i5FIRZTk2_sxRrCiE9XFXjwHSYDHh6LaxJBmOq3gt6xhclbVVJFWoedpz2pxOjusV-5ues-yxhGLLF7A25qdZLb-TIBMLqUKlZbhPnemyK7jHeRPFA/s400/IMG_20190224_135216384.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stuffed animals overlook the long rustic bar.</td></tr>
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<i>Note</i>: Click on the links for history of fish camps in <a href="https://www.ncpedia.org/fishing-camps" target="_blank">North Carolina</a> and <a href="http://www.scencyclopedia.org/sce/entries/fish-camps/" target="_blank">South Carolina</a>.Ray Linvillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01860661401478445293noreply@blogger.com012903 Hood Landing Rd, Jacksonville, FL 32258, USA30.1346485 -81.59603214.0653314999999992 -122.9046261 56.2039655 -40.2874381tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9088968680325094008.post-34769917655018389702018-06-23T10:30:00.000-04:002018-06-27T11:31:33.173-04:00Appreciating Gospel Music at the Annual Benson SingWhen I arrived in <a href="https://www.townofbenson.com/2149/Benson-Today" target="_blank">Benson, NC</a>, I anticipated a great musical experience at the <a href="http://www.gospelsingingconvention.org/" target="_blank">State Annual Singing Convention</a>. Because the event has such a long rich history, the Benson Sing is a premier event to attend each June.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiPAaCVKSRnn3dUHSfdDWW1YpWtqlM4B4ey-jqtXl_ph-KjNMwlknVDEga9jaH5WTxI4McuHfARnWoxOTNqIxSyrr-xk6Ky8zOPh7XW2gTvc5Q4iqxlo6Gjj8jwLS9Ue4MwaTBMc6N-Wc/s1600/IMG_20180623_112352089+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1104" data-original-width="1600" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiPAaCVKSRnn3dUHSfdDWW1YpWtqlM4B4ey-jqtXl_ph-KjNMwlknVDEga9jaH5WTxI4McuHfARnWoxOTNqIxSyrr-xk6Ky8zOPh7XW2gTvc5Q4iqxlo6Gjj8jwLS9Ue4MwaTBMc6N-Wc/s400/IMG_20180623_112352089+%25282%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A historical marker in the grove commemorates the initial event held in 1921.</td></tr>
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The event, begun in 1921 in a tobacco warehouse, takes place at the Singing Grove in downtown <a href="https://www.townofbenson.com/2149/Benson-Today" target="_blank">Benson</a>, which includes a 54-acre <a href="https://www.townofbenson.com/2148/A-Brief-History-of-Benson" target="_blank">historic district</a> on the National Register of Historic Places. It’s easy to appreciate live music in such a picturesque setting where the main stage is in the center of the oak-filled town park, and tall, old trees provide abundant shade.
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU9BoEMW2EVpHaaIBR2jnWCoMWiIm8pLa-huIhpO4xENVUVnJ2y7o4dNupoDGwHk2s_mAclBvOoxCAx5JMg5C7tHhQx32dYHhSG8zed60ztlJqHHnxqcOvMCuzOluqrhFOS1khhAzmW_Q/s1600/IMG_20180623_155535249.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU9BoEMW2EVpHaaIBR2jnWCoMWiIm8pLa-huIhpO4xENVUVnJ2y7o4dNupoDGwHk2s_mAclBvOoxCAx5JMg5C7tHhQx32dYHhSG8zed60ztlJqHHnxqcOvMCuzOluqrhFOS1khhAzmW_Q/s400/IMG_20180623_155535249.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some spectators set up their own chairs in the grove.</td></tr>
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Held on the weekend of the fourth Sunday in June, the <a href="http://www.gospelsingingconvention.org/" target="_blank">Benson Sing</a> is the oldest and largest gospel sing in the United States. One of the
oldest annual music shows in the country, it is even four years older than the
Grand Ole Opry in Nashville. For the inaugural event 97 years ago, two choirs
performed for a crowd of 200 on that day. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe94y4Zogbfhz3or4I0JgERr8z8w1tmjAqP_uboAduCbb2APOZ5qJ1PDLlPwj5i_omrSoOTE67uf1JfgoKs6rBcRTdVrGzZn04RM4SUOWd6AvAaHKFEvt0U9Lg0pA4MqI_7XEHawNM23Y/s1600/IMG_20180623_111247850.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe94y4Zogbfhz3or4I0JgERr8z8w1tmjAqP_uboAduCbb2APOZ5qJ1PDLlPwj5i_omrSoOTE67uf1JfgoKs6rBcRTdVrGzZn04RM4SUOWd6AvAaHKFEvt0U9Lg0pA4MqI_7XEHawNM23Y/s400/IMG_20180623_111247850.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Trophies on the center shelf of the stage await the winners as a quartet performs.</td></tr>
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The Sing has since expanded to three days, and two local
radio stations broadcast live during the competition. The popularity of the
convention has waned from its peak in the 1940s and 1950s when 10,000
spectators were common. However, its format is very attractive: the Sing is free
for both contestants and spectators. Area businesses underwrite all expenses
and sponsor the trophies. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVxRKfkzO9U7JUtS-zo4JuihFeHZ07uV8Lg38JY2ouf8ixbbYpdhchJmiZQw27HjnWpWJIS_Grjio6WJGxmZ-cFcfXd26LnygLYwPVuTeBn5yFTeAQTF7Oa9BB8z0DrJkR3vL7exxk8vM/s1600/IMG_20180623_112138681.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVxRKfkzO9U7JUtS-zo4JuihFeHZ07uV8Lg38JY2ouf8ixbbYpdhchJmiZQw27HjnWpWJIS_Grjio6WJGxmZ-cFcfXd26LnygLYwPVuTeBn5yFTeAQTF7Oa9BB8z0DrJkR3vL7exxk8vM/s400/IMG_20180623_112138681.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Although the Sing encourages first-time entrants, several groups are semiprofessionals who sell CDs of their award-winning gospel songs at display tents in the grove.</td></tr>
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Trophies are won by participants who <a href="http://www.gospelsingingconvention.org/convention-rules/" target="_blank">compete in several categories</a>, which may change from year to year depending on the number of
entrants. The larger the ensemble, the more I appreciated its singing. Because
solo acts are not permitted, the smallest group is a duet. Next are trios and
quartets. A family group includes five or more members related to each other. A
special category is a junior group; its members must be younger than 17. The
largest group is an adult church choir.
Each group sings no longer than five minutes, and the winner in each
category takes home a trophy.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A church choir is the largest competitive category of the convention.</td></tr>
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The opening night, which has no competition, features a
“singspiration,” a 30-minute performance by six professional ensembles each. On
the second night, a nationally acclaimed ensemble called the host group gives a
two-hour concert after an opening act.</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Xsj_xlGZb-uYcuHUSIVpdHux0HzB4pHhMbYZoxy2A_iW3ObxnQ_Vtgel1iqoWH8gz8LIb9sIsNW3E1gmJ4UsOixL28Zz6S8LpKv5YVbQtEo5gd_oHbQZHo6TVeFOxbPpvaJCPGoRWPg/s1600/IMG_20180623_110808282.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Xsj_xlGZb-uYcuHUSIVpdHux0HzB4pHhMbYZoxy2A_iW3ObxnQ_Vtgel1iqoWH8gz8LIb9sIsNW3E1gmJ4UsOixL28Zz6S8LpKv5YVbQtEo5gd_oHbQZHo6TVeFOxbPpvaJCPGoRWPg/s400/IMG_20180623_110808282.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A sign-up board sets the order for an informal "round-robin" session.</td></tr>
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On Saturday and Sunday, <a href="http://www.gospelsingingconvention.org/convention-rules/" target="_blank">singers compete in categorie</a>s for
trophies. The highest scoring groups that compete on both days (they must sing
a different song each day) are eligible for the overall grand champion and
consolidation trophy. The grand champion is typically a quartet from within
North Carolina, although trios have also been successful and the past winner
was from Florida. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH5UWrE9Y991gFS8jIr-1Mardn9SaZCIbvNa_kH2F5MHGZhsMILve6ce4rxudGW-GHiESLFIvsvxZv66X4ubhJpoMXLE7nnwdzxU7p5a9qz-Cyx2QXplY5i4spWP5iQzAK2ybnyHvbwUk/s1600/IMG_20180623_160414293.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH5UWrE9Y991gFS8jIr-1Mardn9SaZCIbvNa_kH2F5MHGZhsMILve6ce4rxudGW-GHiESLFIvsvxZv66X4ubhJpoMXLE7nnwdzxU7p5a9qz-Cyx2QXplY5i4spWP5iQzAK2ybnyHvbwUk/s400/IMG_20180623_160414293.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A bluegrass category was added in 2017 to the Benson Sing.</td></tr>
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When I arrived on Saturday morning, a session of
non-competitive singing, known as “round-robin,” was underway. This time is
informal and gives the groups an opportunity to become familiar with the stage
and setting before the <a href="http://www.gospelsingingconvention.org/convention-rules/" target="_blank">actual competition</a> begins. As spectators come and go,
they casually chat with each other and greet musicians who are not singing.</div>
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Being at the 98th annual <a href="http://www.gospelsingingconvention.org/" target="_blank">Sing</a> and listening to the harmony
of talented vocalists was a special experience, and the city park of oak trees
is the ideal setting to appreciate gospel music. <a href="https://www.townofbenson.com/2149/Benson-Today" target="_blank">Benson</a> will continue to be a
fitting host for this historical musical event.</div>
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Ray Linvillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01860661401478445293noreply@blogger.com0Benson, NC 27504, USA35.3821067 -78.54862100000002635.2785547 -78.709982500000024 35.4856587 -78.387259500000027tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9088968680325094008.post-16765970216592308792018-04-21T15:00:00.000-04:002018-05-02T21:15:19.287-04:00Ice Cream Since 1915<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh48LQGjTiZaeMHyTpcoVpTyUCkyplVJz3Imk1J9lTa_8Ki1TDTjFySkmBdd6nUZ7MnLPq6MmB3h9im4rqsyfGSGihCHHVw_5el11Vf04PaCH7Vm-FSn5iXMBPmS2OHolmZi3_3oga9UhQ/s1600/IMG_20180421_151518908+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="160" data-original-width="115" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh48LQGjTiZaeMHyTpcoVpTyUCkyplVJz3Imk1J9lTa_8Ki1TDTjFySkmBdd6nUZ7MnLPq6MmB3h9im4rqsyfGSGihCHHVw_5el11Vf04PaCH7Vm-FSn5iXMBPmS2OHolmZi3_3oga9UhQ/s200/IMG_20180421_151518908+%25282%2529.jpg" width="143" /></a><br />
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The small, ordinary sign “Tony’s Ice Cream and Sandwiches” on the northeast corner of a nondescript yellow brick building in downtown <a href="https://www.cityofgastonia.com/visiting/history/city-history.html" target="_blank">Gastonia, NC</a>, poorly describes for passersby what treats lie inside. As I was driving through Gastonia after attending a <a href="http://linvilleonbbq.blogspot.com/2018/04/kingsmountain2018.html" target="_blank">barbecue cookoff</a> in nearby Kings Mountain, a parking lot packed with rows of cars grabbed my attention.
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3ZmzulsLmkArsquA8Wt75RZexWYSxZOjBGPOm1QgvJyK0tQknAK6AlN8oI6PpkQMIJigX3cz3Pe9zUet3ioi3HdSXfxCuVfk2FeFOsefiT3GD2nGI5Y67r6b-T1RaAQYc2U3IPedEDEM/s1600/IMG_20180421_152204453.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3ZmzulsLmkArsquA8Wt75RZexWYSxZOjBGPOm1QgvJyK0tQknAK6AlN8oI6PpkQMIJigX3cz3Pe9zUet3ioi3HdSXfxCuVfk2FeFOsefiT3GD2nGI5Y67r6b-T1RaAQYc2U3IPedEDEM/s400/IMG_20180421_152204453.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The streetside sign modestly indicates the location of a long-time favorite.</td></tr>
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Then I saw several people walking out as they licked tall Styrofoam cups or drank from straws. (Only later did I learn that the cups were carrying milk shakes.) I immediately made a U-turn to see what I was missing. When I saw a sign on the wall that says, “Since 1915,” I knew that I needed to go inside to verify its accuracy.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic3Q0IFaF8M_iuN7vHrOKJ0qFWibK_eDITVAmJQUkDgc2cc6Z8Hmx4uaTPMEUboYeKq__B_KZn9g1gb_WGXjPeXDZmFJ_7s6F7In28b-G_XEdPc12Rc8oFFolMRIBUEMri9MH5n66iFdA/s1600/IMG_20180421_145017859+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1111" data-original-width="1600" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic3Q0IFaF8M_iuN7vHrOKJ0qFWibK_eDITVAmJQUkDgc2cc6Z8Hmx4uaTPMEUboYeKq__B_KZn9g1gb_WGXjPeXDZmFJ_7s6F7In28b-G_XEdPc12Rc8oFFolMRIBUEMri9MH5n66iFdA/s320/IMG_20180421_145017859+%25282%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An exterior wall of Tony's proclaims its service for several generations.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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The interior of the store looks like only modest renovations have been made over the decades. A vintage 1947-era pink and green neon clock told me that mid-afternoon had arrived, although the long lines at the counter indicated that it was <a href="http://tonysicecream.com/menu/" target="_blank">prime time for ice cream</a>. Every booth – covered in its original red vinyl – was also occupied.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitIZ6DI5IyI2qNMy28z9inf2Oe1pv_nPSZ6tsfeEC9fBBNCfKvT_HHSc8QLBUwp0kSZYMTEwvC8PSMRSRCo6TQQCfiT52jcF0PbnCKnGahKWlLo8xAqLN2a0_Kmt5ZYWo-k9nVgJ_FSX4/s1600/IMG_20180421_145129302.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitIZ6DI5IyI2qNMy28z9inf2Oe1pv_nPSZ6tsfeEC9fBBNCfKvT_HHSc8QLBUwp0kSZYMTEwvC8PSMRSRCo6TQQCfiT52jcF0PbnCKnGahKWlLo8xAqLN2a0_Kmt5ZYWo-k9nVgJ_FSX4/s400/IMG_20180421_145129302.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The line of customers waiting for ice cream never seems to end.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
A display that says Tony’s Cheerwine ice cream is “delicious” convinced me that I should choose that flavor. This choice is unusual for me, but <a href="https://cheerwine.com/" target="_blank">Cheerwine</a> is an area favorite and has a cultural connection. Because many customers were enjoying milk shakes, not ordering at least one would be a mistake. Fortunately, my wife agreed and ordered a shake that we shared – and it was better than the ice cream cup. Each milk shake is made with three scoops of ice cream, which is fresh because it’s made in the plant next door to the restaurant.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaoxxaZGN3gh82GbEFKXZh1PnnXltB7Blazw2Oz7PIKr33sDC2pa9a0QnIFyaSSwoHiVQCvy5wqNVnVG-U-_90Xi7uk52oohOUf0gKos1-MlGb7WduwV_qB1GfA8Yw0IRg637GYGieFAI/s1600/IMG_20180421_145215057+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="943" data-original-width="1600" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaoxxaZGN3gh82GbEFKXZh1PnnXltB7Blazw2Oz7PIKr33sDC2pa9a0QnIFyaSSwoHiVQCvy5wqNVnVG-U-_90Xi7uk52oohOUf0gKos1-MlGb7WduwV_qB1GfA8Yw0IRg637GYGieFAI/s400/IMG_20180421_145215057+%25282%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The historic wall clock has kept time for decades.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfn_VO2Ky-n87DFbudU-BC9yJtUOULZ1Bo9_Czj9cHoI36icZtQDAriuddpktzAYCFO5kWP6oka_uJPFDDMRfdkADx7bY88kppxByUKEWXb0b6rALlhI9vqKvGHq8poED9DEE4RzUp3oU/s1600/IMG_20180421_145958981+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1439" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfn_VO2Ky-n87DFbudU-BC9yJtUOULZ1Bo9_Czj9cHoI36icZtQDAriuddpktzAYCFO5kWP6oka_uJPFDDMRfdkADx7bY88kppxByUKEWXb0b6rALlhI9vqKvGHq8poED9DEE4RzUp3oU/s200/IMG_20180421_145958981+%25282%2529.jpg" width="179" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cheerwine was my choice<br />
of ice cream flavor.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
For more than 100 years, the business has been <a href="http://tonysicecream.com/history/" target="_blank">family-owned and -operated</a> as it still is by the third generation of the founding Coletta family. Carmine Coletta, an immigrant from Glasgow, Scotland, came to America in 1911 and began making ice cream in 1915 that he sold from push carts and horse-drawn wagons, which were taken to mill villages, ball games, carnivals and camp meetings. Trucks replaced wagons in the 1930s, and the current building was opened in 1947 by the second generation of Colettas. In 1976, ownership was passed to the third generation, the sons (Robert and Louis) of Antonio (or Tony as he was known and for whom the business is named) Coletta, the youngest son of the founder.
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjru4RcyvP8MMVmnjhVTRAxC0CwGu5JfspZvdkAxgB1qka2nAx9JFqIpB20f403DcRAUfkZln2CPK-JL1_g_F5LhIh15ojPEeVkCwErEe671AzD2V8B6xtiE8aj0Yemk2-R-bURGQYCYGQ/s1600/IMG_20180421_150204222+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1157" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjru4RcyvP8MMVmnjhVTRAxC0CwGu5JfspZvdkAxgB1qka2nAx9JFqIpB20f403DcRAUfkZln2CPK-JL1_g_F5LhIh15ojPEeVkCwErEe671AzD2V8B6xtiE8aj0Yemk2-R-bURGQYCYGQ/s320/IMG_20180421_150204222+%25282%2529.jpg" width="231" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A milk shake has more ice cream that you can imagine.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In the <a href="https://www.cityofgastonia.com/visiting/history/city-history.html" target="_blank">Gastonia</a> area,
<a href="http://tonysicecream.com/" target="_blank">Tony’s</a> is a cause célèbre. It’s been successful for more than 100 years
and was cited recently by the <i><a href="http://www.gastongazette.com/news/20180317/counting-down-gaston-countys-10-oldest-restaurants" target="_blank">Gaston Gazette</a></i> as one of the 10 oldest restaurants in the county. If it retains
its loyal following, it’ll continue to be celebrated for many more years.</span></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1bvO8mLJ485fdyigwejYOXUQl_P0aHVcauooqC3rtXvG5Tws9rWq9vVo_T4xHw2maRrUs5rT061JQe_OBKilg76VEVZ5O_PqdwXpDCKnpeyMXRsdZoBLuvCaOYbH723U52rg-NI-3Pro/s1600/IMG_20180421_152103571.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1bvO8mLJ485fdyigwejYOXUQl_P0aHVcauooqC3rtXvG5Tws9rWq9vVo_T4xHw2maRrUs5rT061JQe_OBKilg76VEVZ5O_PqdwXpDCKnpeyMXRsdZoBLuvCaOYbH723U52rg-NI-3Pro/s400/IMG_20180421_152103571.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Trucks at the plant next door waiting to begin their next deliveries are . . .</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2ozcVFwMCtGO397b92g6Kggb5N0r3_5D2SwH22oU7vT6HdJSD7ADoqDSja43r2h2FWFPZeVb1g6b51ej-4Y639c_UZo065pL-Yc7LldqUD_BEJ4-4zNK6DrLgl9RfgkrBBL8e6_dck90/s1600/earlytony.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2ozcVFwMCtGO397b92g6Kggb5N0r3_5D2SwH22oU7vT6HdJSD7ADoqDSja43r2h2FWFPZeVb1g6b51ej-4Y639c_UZo065pL-Yc7LldqUD_BEJ4-4zNK6DrLgl9RfgkrBBL8e6_dck90/s400/earlytony.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">much more efficient than earlier delivery techniques.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />Ray Linvillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01860661401478445293noreply@blogger.com0604 E Franklin Blvd, Gastonia, NC 28054, USA35.2625642 -81.1732425999999835.2621592 -81.17387309999998 35.2629692 -81.172612099999981tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9088968680325094008.post-70651171227147636332017-12-24T12:30:00.000-05:002017-12-27T15:32:42.406-05:00Bluegrass on Christmas Eve<div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Bluegrass musicians play the tunes of carols at Christmas at
a Lutheran church established by German immigrants? Where and why does this
happen, you ask.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGIlWD_7gstCNMelOtf7Wcbyh49RRYqEEABNFuJ3cktq4PRnyV8u0o31KRwVNJARyuH_B1t1T742103BImCazOO5EY7YeiWJNZLrj-vqvVrp4_GRyI6Lk9N5N7m7F-2tjQGAIHDXj0QSI/s1600/IMG_20171224_113353751.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGIlWD_7gstCNMelOtf7Wcbyh49RRYqEEABNFuJ3cktq4PRnyV8u0o31KRwVNJARyuH_B1t1T742103BImCazOO5EY7YeiWJNZLrj-vqvVrp4_GRyI6Lk9N5N7m7F-2tjQGAIHDXj0QSI/s400/IMG_20171224_113353751.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A bluegrass service is held annually on Christmas Eve in Newton, NC.</td></tr>
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The church is located in <a href="http://www.newtonnc.gov/history.php" target="_blank">Newton, NC</a>, a well-established city
that received its charter in 1855. Almost a century earlier a group of German
immigrants, mostly from Pennsylvania and sharing Lutheran and Reformed (now
United Church of Christ) faiths, arrived in what was then the wilderness of
North Carolina. About 1759 they organized the first church in the colony west
of the Catawba River, and the congregation erected their first church, known as
the <a href="https://archive.org/stream/tombstoneinscrip00wilf/tombstoneinscrip00wilf_djvu.txt" target="_blank">Dutch Meeting House</a>, after obtaining the deed to the property in 1771.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDKYKYvHhI1w5anFZp1EwgT8msWfcOZ2rMWqeVsbAfAfLQOyHJsTCUEhdqYmf2b0W3acEvVOjGh8o8pijUarMscKH3ZtAJQxiFaeSXr1TdtC-hPzy31cU1Sb0JE0fT4SbDH8UFI931Coo/s1600/IMG_20171224_113413535_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDKYKYvHhI1w5anFZp1EwgT8msWfcOZ2rMWqeVsbAfAfLQOyHJsTCUEhdqYmf2b0W3acEvVOjGh8o8pijUarMscKH3ZtAJQxiFaeSXr1TdtC-hPzy31cU1Sb0JE0fT4SbDH8UFI931Coo/s400/IMG_20171224_113413535_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Historic Church is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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In 1818, a replacement two-story log weather-boarded church
was built with a separate, now repurposed, slave gallery. It is still the
oldest existing church in North Carolina west of the Catawba River and is now
known as the Historic Church of <a href="http://www.oldstpaulslutheran.org/page/180016546/180105457/Church-History-and-Information" target="_blank">Old St. Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church</a>,
whose congregation now regularly meets in a nearby brick building built in
1952.</div>
</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvIbnPV4II5_4Iptk79dUCiPKkTBxcwp4JDuKZxMVQLNxz6WpgSyKcHtC6FxIdtxb2Dn3zzOt5vs4eaGKNWR2C3tmUHaAfPWipUmpMcjiMCxAyE6tNxs8XcZTaNncqV5FJTOozcyn5A0I/s1600/IMG_20171224_124036961.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvIbnPV4II5_4Iptk79dUCiPKkTBxcwp4JDuKZxMVQLNxz6WpgSyKcHtC6FxIdtxb2Dn3zzOt5vs4eaGKNWR2C3tmUHaAfPWipUmpMcjiMCxAyE6tNxs8XcZTaNncqV5FJTOozcyn5A0I/s400/IMG_20171224_124036961.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The award-winning Sigmon family fills the church with the sweet sounds of strings.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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The initial congregation met without a pastor until 1776,
when John Arndt, a veteran circuit rider, traveled from Lutheran settlements
near Salisbury. In 1781, he became a full-time missionary to the region west of
the Catawba and preached in the German language, the common speech of local
families for several generations.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_cNubICAo5bemmhTr0JYZwqXh6B74XzbAax7UwvRc9FPFZ62AvCM5bPquwsDz13L2tJtePcYRbz6URftP8c185KaPyCnQFrHqRjkhBenUREojHtPsJWNDPQ71cJUJA-MVRrx4HdQWvCE/s1600/IMG_20171224_113010397.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_cNubICAo5bemmhTr0JYZwqXh6B74XzbAax7UwvRc9FPFZ62AvCM5bPquwsDz13L2tJtePcYRbz6URftP8c185KaPyCnQFrHqRjkhBenUREojHtPsJWNDPQ71cJUJA-MVRrx4HdQWvCE/s400/IMG_20171224_113010397.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The language spoken initially at the Historic Church was German.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Much like the shift from German to English, the music of the
service also changed and now includes bluegrass, known for having been born in
the Appalachian South with roots in Irish, Scottish, and English music. Several
times during the year (May, July, October), the congregation conducts bluegrass
worship services at the historic church. On Christmas Eve, it has also
conducted a bluegrass worship service since 2011.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb2OCLelNIKVZVLkcEq4JRs9iITN6UzMv6AsnUL_edDzYmnu-kOie-7xqWIKwYnkoENI-s14DhWwnKIYkL4KzgOk5qchEO_7_xCFVxVQTrJIzLF84EYZPKo2by8sZDzv0lCBPypRvoCKI/s1600/IMG_20171224_114231844.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb2OCLelNIKVZVLkcEq4JRs9iITN6UzMv6AsnUL_edDzYmnu-kOie-7xqWIKwYnkoENI-s14DhWwnKIYkL4KzgOk5qchEO_7_xCFVxVQTrJIzLF84EYZPKo2by8sZDzv0lCBPypRvoCKI/s400/IMG_20171224_114231844.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The second level was a slave gallery before the end of the American Civil War.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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The bluegrass services make the Historic Church come alive.
The old structure is still as solid as the year when it was constructed.
However, now the language spoken inside is English, and the sounds of banjo,
fiddle, string bass, guitar, and mandolin accompany the voices of the carolers.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLbI-IGpYgR7wzuAJzI2Wn4vOJ7ix-CZTb4rn6KXxHKKhj66M1s3rWBtMhFy1kmnLDdTTEC4RR8m6Q0mMSytDx2Q4LCeGWUcGYL9hBtkDxlWu2KFOSF4Kt6zD7Iht4f4KziMNPeAIRxlQ/s1600/IMG_20171224_113211862.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLbI-IGpYgR7wzuAJzI2Wn4vOJ7ix-CZTb4rn6KXxHKKhj66M1s3rWBtMhFy1kmnLDdTTEC4RR8m6Q0mMSytDx2Q4LCeGWUcGYL9hBtkDxlWu2KFOSF4Kt6zD7Iht4f4KziMNPeAIRxlQ/s400/IMG_20171224_113211862.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A bluegrass worship service has been held at the Historic Church since 2011.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Ray Linvillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01860661401478445293noreply@blogger.com12035 Old Conover-Startown Rd, Newton, NC 28658, USA35.677664357325213 -81.24481674726558835.574455357325213 -81.406178247265586 35.780873357325213 -81.08345524726559tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9088968680325094008.post-53880265508907415262017-10-12T16:00:00.000-04:002017-12-29T09:07:06.545-05:00Can I Win a Food Contest at the State Fair?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV8TlFo7T9991PE0ltMkRp9BZfjhRfILNsoUJIWUZ9O2h_3D6rls_mj898PQSuelAYM5U-3oyOx4UT_dRmhhXweMLaL81fDgJuBdprMdAPjPe0Xhxudh5kNjmBR4nSAdLjJdmiL9nUAJY/s1600/IMG_20171012_151813317.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV8TlFo7T9991PE0ltMkRp9BZfjhRfILNsoUJIWUZ9O2h_3D6rls_mj898PQSuelAYM5U-3oyOx4UT_dRmhhXweMLaL81fDgJuBdprMdAPjPe0Xhxudh5kNjmBR4nSAdLjJdmiL9nUAJY/s200/IMG_20171012_151813317.jpg" width="200" /></a>Entering a food competition at the state fair has never been high on my “bucket list” – until this year. Because I’m not a cook, know little about winning recipes, and seldom want to show my food projects to a judge, I’ve been content to observe winning entries and read about the winners. However, this year I was inspired to enter and compete.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_LEMF_TZZbT5rIOvFatzzB_B_hNtizlbTlDMzo7gLfM9HifAi9TRswWDqTxB29q5E20Vz0E-kBsUOIlIEaC2b8m_UvS-EV6eMZyoZpaANa5ydktbKlhD52zd8Yo_reaRyFXQn0lZbN6I/s1600/IMG_20171012_151754801.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_LEMF_TZZbT5rIOvFatzzB_B_hNtizlbTlDMzo7gLfM9HifAi9TRswWDqTxB29q5E20Vz0E-kBsUOIlIEaC2b8m_UvS-EV6eMZyoZpaANa5ydktbKlhD52zd8Yo_reaRyFXQn0lZbN6I/s400/IMG_20171012_151754801.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ribbons are ready for the winners.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
For this year, I decided to enter the <a href="http://www.ncstatefair.org/2017/Competitions/documents/CookingContest.pdf" target="_blank">cooking competitions</a> at the N.C. State Fair coordinated by the <a href="http://www.ncstatefair.org/" target="_blank">N.C. Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services</a>. Specifically, I was attracted to the <a href="http://www.ncstatefair.org/2017/Competitions/documents/Peanut.pdf" target="_blank">contest</a> sponsored by the <a href="http://info.ncagr.gov/blog/tag/n-c-peanut-growers-association/" target="_blank">N.C. Peanut Growers Association</a> that was held on Thursday, October 12. Each entry was to be “a delicious breakfast recipe that is filled with peanut flavor and will be sure to get your morning started with a smile.” I could place in a contest that featured peanuts, right?<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinY0JF5b35ucC-ZfI4s2WpHncM2Z8kFXXKQW00_SiQQJaSuP-c-FcBGSZuZfLS4jBOV2hSSpSG19UE8f1FbrU6tDkaMDZsouuDrAKQIctbvR0R5Tu0oWInISfg60__xKeXG074ZCzrD7E/s1600/IMG_20171012_163348481_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinY0JF5b35ucC-ZfI4s2WpHncM2Z8kFXXKQW00_SiQQJaSuP-c-FcBGSZuZfLS4jBOV2hSSpSG19UE8f1FbrU6tDkaMDZsouuDrAKQIctbvR0R5Tu0oWInISfg60__xKeXG074ZCzrD7E/s400/IMG_20171012_163348481_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cooking contests are held annually at the N.C. State Fair.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
The first critical step is to submit a recipe by the deadline, which was ten days before the date of the contest and meant that I had to brainstorm about possibilities even a month in advance. After evaluating several options, I picked a favorite, which I called “Peanut Buttery Breakfast Pizza,” that I hoped would be a winner.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJijWpNdA91UjSVjJBq3giGWXpNS-2OlncN42RyedyjfgtFAkeHVvLIwuQzjLzwg1WPACw_ACLbP08LRTasZmECO5KnGn-sTJ9nxIg7A_xbreem8wpJ9_bCroLXu1TgrRcjey9SpxoL3o/s1600/IMG_20171012_125737840.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJijWpNdA91UjSVjJBq3giGWXpNS-2OlncN42RyedyjfgtFAkeHVvLIwuQzjLzwg1WPACw_ACLbP08LRTasZmECO5KnGn-sTJ9nxIg7A_xbreem8wpJ9_bCroLXu1TgrRcjey9SpxoL3o/s400/IMG_20171012_125737840.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My entry starts to take shape.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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The recipe starts with a package of soft tortillas about five inches in diameter. After spreading a tablespoon of peanut butter on each tortilla, banana slices are added to half of the tortillas (the remainder are saved to use as “tops”). A little honey is drizzled and finely chopped peanuts are sprinkled over the tortillas with bananas. Next, the tortillas without banana slices are placed over the other tortillas. Finally, the doubled tortillas are sliced into quarters.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm-S-vj4L0-B14cwP2t3vIcUYYlNx8fux6K-JQw4ap6Uu5a6VzQTuZB99awkfC5a2gIM2vtKJLhNyNSCtVnjG-_irfSqwUx-4kfPTCOSSll7c8vJUvJ7ESUtOBysrwVIEceusYDJa02Gg/s1600/IMG_20171012_130937305.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm-S-vj4L0-B14cwP2t3vIcUYYlNx8fux6K-JQw4ap6Uu5a6VzQTuZB99awkfC5a2gIM2vtKJLhNyNSCtVnjG-_irfSqwUx-4kfPTCOSSll7c8vJUvJ7ESUtOBysrwVIEceusYDJa02Gg/s400/IMG_20171012_130937305.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Doesn't my entry look like a winner?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
On the day of the contest, entries are turned in mid-afternoon, and judging takes place an hour later. <a href="http://www.ncstatefair.org/2017/Competitions/documents/Peanut.pdf" target="_blank">Judging</a> is based on flavor and taste (50%), creativity (25%), and ease of preparation (25%). I felt good about the flavor/taste category (what is better than peanut butter and banana flavors?) and the ease of preparation (the entry only took me about 10 minutes to prepare). Each recipe needed to contain at least one-half cup of peanuts or peanut butter, and entries needed to serve six to eight judges. The winning recipes were awarded cash prizes: $200 for first place; $150, second; $100, third; and $50, honorable mention.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT6o7GKv3g3bi0SuX4xvKoAEMZJaMVrtMedtX8bWkHjccrdtC9LwQB7l3aLH8CJoGtXFFoLOQFpMTD9YX0KwzbNTmBDJQfeJH1TtOgc7uTngNDrlc35opBlifvpLEUjtzVYjAreXSU2lg/s1600/IMG_20171012_151631221_BURST000_COVER.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT6o7GKv3g3bi0SuX4xvKoAEMZJaMVrtMedtX8bWkHjccrdtC9LwQB7l3aLH8CJoGtXFFoLOQFpMTD9YX0KwzbNTmBDJQfeJH1TtOgc7uTngNDrlc35opBlifvpLEUjtzVYjAreXSU2lg/s400/IMG_20171012_151631221_BURST000_COVER.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I proudly turn in my entry with high hopes.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
I was amazed at the creativity of the winners. <a href="http://www.ncstatefair.org/2017/Competitions/documents/PeanutRecipeFirstPlace.pdf" target="_blank">First place</a> was spicy peanut butter and banana breakfast braid. <a href="http://www.ncstatefair.org/2017/Competitions/documents/PeanutRecipeSecondPlace.pdf" target="_blank">Second place</a> was peanut butter French toast with nutty pig candy. <a href="http://www.ncstatefair.org/2017/Competitions/documents/PeanutRecipeThirdPlace.pdf" target="_blank">Third place</a> was peanut butter and jelly pop tarts. One recipe, peanut butter and banana waffles, received honorable mention. Although all are creative, the level of preparation doesn’t seem that easy. At least I was on the right track by combining peanut butter and bananas. If I compete again, I need to give more consideration to creativity, which seems more influential than only 25%.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAbw4QG9nOKAhk4cLXmJ0L7gcNB_dxw7Es2qBq6bB6HRAH0ZX67YMEBNdezjnua2DMC8iENzB888V-HfF2__b5peJxjHpKyvVANcrta22rh6JFjKIxY1Vc1srODMMJ05R_c_fUnRCfb4o/s1600/IMG_20171012_173043649_BURST000_COVER_TOP+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1163" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAbw4QG9nOKAhk4cLXmJ0L7gcNB_dxw7Es2qBq6bB6HRAH0ZX67YMEBNdezjnua2DMC8iENzB888V-HfF2__b5peJxjHpKyvVANcrta22rh6JFjKIxY1Vc1srODMMJ05R_c_fUnRCfb4o/s400/IMG_20171012_173043649_BURST000_COVER_TOP+%25282%2529.jpg" width="290" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lisa Prince, host of the TV program <i style="font-size: 12.8px;">NC Flavor</i><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">, announces the winners.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Although I left empty handed without receiving a prize, at least I got to see what the contest is like and didn’t have to buy an admission ticket to the fair. A major benefit of entering the contest is free admission to the fair – plus the experience gained to compete next year.
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJzZOHZOZiDO3NHUu1l0OcEdrx67BBEl_T6ROMLMlrM8H-6-DrgbPoAIi_GcdxtHC39PnL2ynUbQ2-2qM-aZ_WludopEPnrBQbaOTrCpq8vzzkljZ7wFHjkzMfbbVM6GTHkTg_pi9HV_k/s1600/IMG_20171012_163834125_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJzZOHZOZiDO3NHUu1l0OcEdrx67BBEl_T6ROMLMlrM8H-6-DrgbPoAIi_GcdxtHC39PnL2ynUbQ2-2qM-aZ_WludopEPnrBQbaOTrCpq8vzzkljZ7wFHjkzMfbbVM6GTHkTg_pi9HV_k/s400/IMG_20171012_163834125_HDR.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Meanwhile, the carnival-like food attracts the attention of the fairgoers more than a cooking contest.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Ray Linvillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01860661401478445293noreply@blogger.com01025 Blue Ridge Rd, Raleigh, NC 27607, USA35.795287 -78.7072439.7273645 -120.015837 61.8632095 -37.398649000000006tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9088968680325094008.post-48481394995791070612017-10-01T16:00:00.000-04:002017-12-29T09:04:55.616-05:00Picking Wild Persimmons and Making Pulp<div class="MsoNormal">
Persimmon picking is definitely a
skill. Not everyone can do it – or is interested. It takes patience and
perseverance. A little knowledge of the local landscape also helps. Equally
important is keeping procrastination tendencies in check.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjra4WbaxdwOmsEHrZ4IvA0knDsoplWAfzfiDlFkCgL5tXVt7PN13JiLbbpQXREeUJeHmWKmjjokwr904tjSGaFzeTAYDZLd_ONeL5QJTTAHfCD8Ke97c-5QCnWBKKba50mB6Q7EX2zabs/s1600/IMG_20170922_171221046.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjra4WbaxdwOmsEHrZ4IvA0knDsoplWAfzfiDlFkCgL5tXVt7PN13JiLbbpQXREeUJeHmWKmjjokwr904tjSGaFzeTAYDZLd_ONeL5QJTTAHfCD8Ke97c-5QCnWBKKba50mB6Q7EX2zabs/s400/IMG_20170922_171221046.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In the fall, fruit on persimmon trees is easily seen in bright sunlight.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
Who today really wants to go
outside in the cold and pick up fruit on the ground after it has fallen from a
tree, particularly when ripe, fresh fruit is so readily available in grocery stores?
The effort to pick persimmons probably is the biggest barrier for most people.
For me, it’s not the effort; it’s procrastination. If I don’t pick them
immediately after they fall, they quickly spoil.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTFFdmDgp2RfYzWrOJA-i-guoaf7mOPf1ALveM7gkzH1QklvRo9gDIkfx7_BxrR0y37t6N8zO60IUTGs4-t46LAXkvZDrtOePcjLvAqqpqrxZybmSJ6GJoYL3ulNiLHVKn1vnMUfQSgd8/s1600/IMG_20170922_172539182.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTFFdmDgp2RfYzWrOJA-i-guoaf7mOPf1ALveM7gkzH1QklvRo9gDIkfx7_BxrR0y37t6N8zO60IUTGs4-t46LAXkvZDrtOePcjLvAqqpqrxZybmSJ6GJoYL3ulNiLHVKn1vnMUfQSgd8/s400/IMG_20170922_172539182.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Picking up the fruit soon after it has fallen is important.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://www.ncfolk.org/2013/time-for-persimmon-pudding/" target="_blank">Persimmon pudding</a> is a favorite
dessert, but making it doesn’t happen unless ripe persimmons are brought home.
Knowing where persimmon trees are located is the first step, and then watching
as the fruit on them grows and shines with a bright bronze color is crucial. Native
to the eastern United States, persimmon trees like full sun and are often found
on the edge of woodlands.</div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVYw7K5nM93R9VeXRJ5czskQePQmrVojJ0AaUrlov7mUAWtMPtbQLz7fSn4sKOsdKD1Iv3Uh-IP84Anc__Qe4BNhLGTnPsuOvqyXyyFY88CZPn17vMMCUeUUyqKGV5QesM-HdieSZuatI/s1600/IMG_20170922_191326863.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVYw7K5nM93R9VeXRJ5czskQePQmrVojJ0AaUrlov7mUAWtMPtbQLz7fSn4sKOsdKD1Iv3Uh-IP84Anc__Qe4BNhLGTnPsuOvqyXyyFY88CZPn17vMMCUeUUyqKGV5QesM-HdieSZuatI/s400/IMG_20170922_191326863.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After <span style="font-size: 12.8px;">persimmons are </span>washed, they are ready for the pulp to be separated.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Wild persimmons, smaller
than those available commercially, are not completely ripe until very soft. It takes only a few minutes to pick a
bucket of persimmons. When you return
home, wash them and then prepare to extract the pulp by mashing the fruit in a
sieve or colander with a wood spoon or similar flat object. The riper the
persimmons, the easier the pulp separates from the seed. (A common kitchen tool
like a potato ricer works faster, but some of us prefer the old-fashioned method.)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRZ3pCX-byR6IhyjFestL0sWwqiCVIRH7NQ_7RCY1jxRH0THw8GTUaazof0KSF4x-a-NyOavG1Q5F7SjEofVrDc9U-ha1oIm0BT0yPqNwO7B2Xv7qep_U1fpL0UN_Sz-8AZE2kOzMQ6g4/s1600/IMG_20170922_190205623.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRZ3pCX-byR6IhyjFestL0sWwqiCVIRH7NQ_7RCY1jxRH0THw8GTUaazof0KSF4x-a-NyOavG1Q5F7SjEofVrDc9U-ha1oIm0BT0yPqNwO7B2Xv7qep_U1fpL0UN_Sz-8AZE2kOzMQ6g4/s400/IMG_20170922_190205623.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A wooden spoon and colander are all the tools needed</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
The reward for picking and
cleaning persimmons and removing the seeds is luscious pulp ready for
making <a href="https://www.ncfolk.org/2013/time-for-persimmon-pudding/" target="_blank">pudding</a>. Enjoy.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglRj-8ezGXj0mmNcWSdmxNEunjusZRldLTnRDS4G4Cy8iTlZbuPDsDX4BkbuIePkek9fdJbjkhU836RzXbWiJI5XIGDeJhT4kf_A86ISOW_E3js-sdcEzTRaoHWf3dGX-UWREBI2AhlnI/s1600/IMG_20170922_192245478.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglRj-8ezGXj0mmNcWSdmxNEunjusZRldLTnRDS4G4Cy8iTlZbuPDsDX4BkbuIePkek9fdJbjkhU836RzXbWiJI5XIGDeJhT4kf_A86ISOW_E3js-sdcEzTRaoHWf3dGX-UWREBI2AhlnI/s400/IMG_20170922_192245478.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Only seeds are left after separating the pulp.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzNH_vZarjvk68m_TqwBQxC325kIRXf42GfGikya8gclZk95nLwgIQfSlD6gVX4LNGDYtO57mFcmZE-ha8hi_JDQArItHh3kDhrQv1tJJN3IsNbQ9vqKUbehzUehWNOt7M-RNMM6LO1vM/s1600/IMG_20170922_192549867.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzNH_vZarjvk68m_TqwBQxC325kIRXf42GfGikya8gclZk95nLwgIQfSlD6gVX4LNGDYtO57mFcmZE-ha8hi_JDQArItHh3kDhrQv1tJJN3IsNbQ9vqKUbehzUehWNOt7M-RNMM6LO1vM/s400/IMG_20170922_192549867.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pulp, fruit, and tools are the key elements.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Ray Linvillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01860661401478445293noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9088968680325094008.post-58577513660095583632017-07-22T11:00:00.000-04:002017-07-27T12:30:49.947-04:00Finding a Squash Pie<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGvucQIAjbcoiPxFj50vbewjeVFZi4LfuvyPBtpaiOuZxVSVw7QUHdNxjDIhVXuJ9P_1RSgvE5e4w3F0tKWi3kZj_jNZBJxE-XlqE3sVKbs1W8hDdxql-YJsblFSHvYvfqYXfhEfv7g98/s1600/squash.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="208" data-original-width="277" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGvucQIAjbcoiPxFj50vbewjeVFZi4LfuvyPBtpaiOuZxVSVw7QUHdNxjDIhVXuJ9P_1RSgvE5e4w3F0tKWi3kZj_jNZBJxE-XlqE3sVKbs1W8hDdxql-YJsblFSHvYvfqYXfhEfv7g98/s200/squash.JPG" width="200" /></a>Imagine getting a daily allowance of vegetables and enjoying dessert – both at the same time. Some desserts are so sweet and hardly have any food value, not so with a traditional squash pie.<br />
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A pie made with yellow summer squash may not be familiar to many people. I confess that it’s not a pie that I remember eating, much less ever seeing before.<br />
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How do you think children who need encouragement to eat vegetables would react when they see a piece of squash pie? Walking by a potluck table when I was young, I’m sure that I would have skipped over it, but now that I’m older, I know better.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nestled among apple dumplings, peach cobblers, and sweet breads, a squash pie for sale in Galax, Va., caught my attention.</td></tr>
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Because one of my favorite pies is sweet potato, both in childhood and as an adult, I’m tempted to try a dessert made with a vegetable because it likely is based on a long-standing family tradition. Plus it reminds me of a time when desserts could be made without expensive ingredients if they included creativity, love, and maybe a vegetable.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tables at the farmers market in Galax attract an early crowd when it opens on Saturday morning.</td></tr>
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When I was meandering along the tables of foods for sale at a farmers’ market in downtown <a href="http://www.galaxva.com/" target="_blank">Galax, Virginia</a>, the label “squash pie” immediately caught my attention. Topped with a baked meringue, it looked like something that I’d enjoy.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Marie Jones smiles at the table with her foods for sale.</td></tr>
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The 95-year-old lady who was selling it made buying it an easy decision. She said that she’d been making squash pies since she was old enough to walk. <a href="http://www.visitgalax.com/" target="_blank">Galax</a>, a small town in southwestern part of the state, also seemed the perfect setting to find a homemade dessert.<br />
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When I got home, I enjoyed the sweetness of the pie, which is from the natural sweetness of the squash, not from sugar. The recipe is quite simple. In addition to sliced squash pieces, the pie includes margarine, eggs, and a dash of sugar. Because so much squash is included in the pie, it’s very dense and filling.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After the pie has been taken home and cut, a piece look delicious.</td></tr>
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The taste of the squash pie is as good as that of a squash casserole. Of course, you have to be a fan of yellow squash to like either. They both deserve a place on a summer dinner table, but it you can only serve one, serve pie.
Ray Linvillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01860661401478445293noreply@blogger.com0Galax, VA 24333, USA36.6612387 -80.92396710000002736.5593377 -81.085328600000025 36.763139699999996 -80.762605600000029tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9088968680325094008.post-88192227805629277202017-07-21T11:30:00.000-04:002017-07-27T12:24:15.169-04:00Peach Dumpling -- Delicious but Is It a Dumpling?Stopping at a roadside stand that sells fresh peaches is a frequent occurrence for anyone who lives or travels through the Carolinas, particularly the Sandhills region. This area is remarkable for growing succulent peaches, much better than those that grocery stores bring in from distant states.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Johnson's Peaches has been in business since 1934.</td></tr>
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In addition to buying a bushel or a peck, many people buy something else: peach ice cream, peach jam, peach preserves, anything that can extend the pleasure of enjoying peaches. When I stopped at <a href="http://www.johnsonspeaches.com/" target="_blank">Johnson’s Peaches</a> in <a href="https://www.townofcandornc.com/" target="_blank">Candor, NC</a>, on the menu board was something I don’t remember seeing before: peach dumplings.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The banner "Peach Dumplings" caught my attention when I was parking the car.</td></tr>
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Because peach cobbler is one of my favorites, I couldn’t leave without buying some dumplings. Lunch plans kept me from eating them immediately, so I had them packaged to enjoy at home with supper. (Of course, a better idea is to eat them on site – with peach ice cream, naturally.)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMsVIfAFp8WDc1oMaqXRgYXAWDMUgxY3rFoWfusAoZy7K3LMN52TmQ7Qpb-V5Is2jroe-XvkkbqTJa1bEVNec1YsK2yAh3dh2Q3PBhTH3aPlaCtfxTa2CVltmwKmhnhiPd5hlNyNxmzAc/s1600/menuenclosed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="731" data-original-width="1600" height="182" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMsVIfAFp8WDc1oMaqXRgYXAWDMUgxY3rFoWfusAoZy7K3LMN52TmQ7Qpb-V5Is2jroe-XvkkbqTJa1bEVNec1YsK2yAh3dh2Q3PBhTH3aPlaCtfxTa2CVltmwKmhnhiPd5hlNyNxmzAc/s400/menuenclosed.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What to order? A peach dumpling looks enticing.</td></tr>
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Before ordering, I had reviewed the recipe for peach dumplings in a brochure that Johnson’s provides to its customers. Peach quarters are rolled in crescent rolls and baked in a mixture of sugar, water and butter with a topping of sugar and cinnamon sprinkled on top.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Johnson's recipe for peach dumplings includes a peach quarter wrapped in a crescent roll.</td></tr>
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However, the peach dumplings that Johnson’s sells are different than those made using the recipe. When the server prepared the to-go box, I watched as she scooped a serving from a large rectangular metal tray – no individually wrapped peach quarters. With the pastry crust on top, it looked like what I know as a cobbler but with less breading.<br />
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Although I wanted to taste peach dumplings, the order that I took home was more to my liking – more peaches, less pastry. The peaches were superb, as expected. In business since 1934, Johnson’s knows how to please its customers.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOfe18v9O1UG2fq4_y84dwf7pUhUQymoYS3NV4NmajO8gHzwaqoP88ra-FuT3wDlfSWXYIhXldyFb7CbD37cjTPhz38KrHgW3BesrWPbb2GDrTv4pOCJlS4nSjWbFmD1Q6KTuXfwXWNVI/s1600/IMG_4413+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1425" data-original-width="1600" height="355" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOfe18v9O1UG2fq4_y84dwf7pUhUQymoYS3NV4NmajO8gHzwaqoP88ra-FuT3wDlfSWXYIhXldyFb7CbD37cjTPhz38KrHgW3BesrWPbb2GDrTv4pOCJlS4nSjWbFmD1Q6KTuXfwXWNVI/s400/IMG_4413+%25282%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A peach dumpling from Johnson's is delicious, but is it a dumpling:</td></tr>
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The next time that I stop at <a href="http://www.johnsonspeaches.com/" target="_blank">Johnson’s</a>, I’ll make sure that my lunch plans don’t interfere with eating a dumpling there – and I’ll also order peach ice cream with it.
Ray Linvillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01860661401478445293noreply@blogger.com01255-1499 Tabernacle Church Rd, Candor, NC 27229, USA35.227731413947396 -79.72723342998045835.201789413947395 -79.767573929980458 35.253673413947396 -79.686892929980459tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9088968680325094008.post-18451066557575616722017-06-02T18:00:00.000-04:002017-06-25T22:34:34.625-04:00A Beacon for Favorite Foods and Entertaining Service<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOKJJ0DtieixoSBQYcqUPV2_5nDvxj84TOrn9YHKxm8KVBg_0xpYv5AZT_J-9qZcmKjV7LqaWttw6IObroO-VSBMoCYMg39cAdAtOfF7IwQ1CE9i2oAt2hJ5irMz6538qkhYSvBElhx3g/s1600/IMG_4371+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="895" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOKJJ0DtieixoSBQYcqUPV2_5nDvxj84TOrn9YHKxm8KVBg_0xpYv5AZT_J-9qZcmKjV7LqaWttw6IObroO-VSBMoCYMg39cAdAtOfF7IwQ1CE9i2oAt2hJ5irMz6538qkhYSvBElhx3g/s200/IMG_4371+%25282%2529.JPG" width="111" /></a>When you enter <a href="http://www.beacondrivein.com/" target="_blank">The Beacon Drive-In</a> in <a href="http://www.cityofspartanburg.org/" target="_blank">Spartanburg, SC</a>, the sounds of the caller who takes order from customers as they arrive immediately captures your attention. As he barks their menu choices to the kitchen staff, they push their trays down the short line to the cashier. By the time they arrive, all items have been promptly prepared and served.<br />
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With a motto of “Where the Food Is Always Good,” the Beacon has been a local favorite since <a href="http://www.beacondrivein.com/our-history" target="_blank">it opened in 1946</a>. As it grew in popularity, it was moved to a new location and then expanded three times. Now the second largest drive-in in the United States, it serves a million customers each year. With a seating capacity of 350, customers are constantly coming and going, regardless of the hour, often in a line extending out the door.
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The caller at the head of the order line barks each item to the kitchen crew.</td></tr>
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When the drive-in opened, its menu was limited, but today the menu is so extensive that a new customer needs several minutes to decide among the choices: burgers, BBQ, chicken, and seafood are popular. Gizzards, beef hash, and other regional favorites are on the menu, which also includes several specialty items, such as homemade chicken stew.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The kitchen crew prepares orders as customers move towards the cashier.</td></tr>
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Plates include two sides and “a-plenty” dishes (similar to combos of fast-food establishments) include french fries and onion rings to guarantee you are full “a-plenty” when you finish your meal. Because the Beacon serves more iced tea than anyone else in the country, I had to order it. Just the sugar needed for making its sweet tea is astonishing: 3,000 pounds each week.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ8LyOAPg-mBVk3Oq0eSevi5wqQZSbhZlbY7Vjvmb2dVLu5mFaGp7liSuesELe0rd01rihpSWz9H8523MvNEHjisMYDTS5Fs3sEnCEl6Y0P9TliOtahDceCYYVsb-i9JywMhd4q00QgE4/s1600/IMG_4364.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1196" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ8LyOAPg-mBVk3Oq0eSevi5wqQZSbhZlbY7Vjvmb2dVLu5mFaGp7liSuesELe0rd01rihpSWz9H8523MvNEHjisMYDTS5Fs3sEnCEl6Y0P9TliOtahDceCYYVsb-i9JywMhd4q00QgE4/s400/IMG_4364.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The menu is more extensive than many new customers expect.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Because the Beacon has contributed so much to local culture, the road where it is located has been renamed for its founder, John B. White Sr. In addition, an adjacent street has been designated to honor its long-time caller, <a href="http://www.goupstate.com/news/20130902/hundreds-celebrate-life-of-jc-stroble-a-spartanburg-original" target="_blank">J.C. Stroble, who died in 2013</a> at age 71 after working 57 years at the drive-in.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG6b91KRFp0TJe1e2BaExym69QYqcHxiwePN2H9vXnzzmIU_1dtJiejZMW-t7wpJ756QPRbe9N__JA3SknihnsIklMNgYo4MWlmrGzBkDMFoinWTE46vB_HKvNeq0msrDdSaGsLAlZvv4/s1600/IMG_4369.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1196" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG6b91KRFp0TJe1e2BaExym69QYqcHxiwePN2H9vXnzzmIU_1dtJiejZMW-t7wpJ756QPRbe9N__JA3SknihnsIklMNgYo4MWlmrGzBkDMFoinWTE46vB_HKvNeq0msrDdSaGsLAlZvv4/s400/IMG_4369.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tray for two: flounder with onion rings, hushpuppies, chicken stew, slaw, hash tray, and peach cobbler.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Stroble, known as the “<a href="http://www.goupstate.com/article/NC/20130902/News/605142145/SJ/" target="_blank">Beacon Barker</a>” for how he shouted orders to the cooks, began working at the drive-in as a carhop when he was 14. Although he lost his sight to glaucoma at age 37, he continued to work, and his signature style helped to make the Beacon a celebrated institution. Because Stroble was such a Spartanburg icon, he was featured on a segment of CBS Evening News in 2011. Similar to Stroble, several other employees have been long-term veterans of the Beacon with more than 50 years of service.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOiD22tb8X85p0UjujUTerEXGLBnxr-EfjvDvuBxCHrLKD2bjqCDm6-pk7mxrIaraIDAWQCMvMCc0AvKVlilgJoU4qBrmfUiepcx4anKm-2kagr5zoQyFjoOx7bUstidHm_GvJYE9aB7Y/s1600/IMG_4368.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1196" data-original-width="1600" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOiD22tb8X85p0UjujUTerEXGLBnxr-EfjvDvuBxCHrLKD2bjqCDm6-pk7mxrIaraIDAWQCMvMCc0AvKVlilgJoU4qBrmfUiepcx4anKm-2kagr5zoQyFjoOx7bUstidHm_GvJYE9aB7Y/s400/IMG_4368.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Beacon sells more iced tea than anyone else in the United States.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Eating at the <a href="http://www.beacondrivein.com/" target="_blank">Beacon</a> is more than enjoying food. Listening to the caller, watching customers move through the line and gaze intently as their food is prepared, and being in the midst of repeat customers and first-time arrivals are just as much an integral part of a visit to the Beacon.
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlr64avOVpukm4uyL01yrrfhPhbQpVHojI_KV1hL15BhxbXEiQARecauJHCFZjWEYNIpbEnwtN1hheKN5xVXct-HCnnNTDeMk7lyh0e1PjCoMz1xJb5ywmK__Pnb5zdbAVK8hZpsidfi0/s1600/IMG_4373+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="777" data-original-width="1600" height="193" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlr64avOVpukm4uyL01yrrfhPhbQpVHojI_KV1hL15BhxbXEiQARecauJHCFZjWEYNIpbEnwtN1hheKN5xVXct-HCnnNTDeMk7lyh0e1PjCoMz1xJb5ywmK__Pnb5zdbAVK8hZpsidfi0/s400/IMG_4373+%25282%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A million customers a year have easy access to the Beacon at its current location.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Ray Linvillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01860661401478445293noreply@blogger.com0John B White Sr Blvd, Spartanburg, SC, USA34.9283432 -81.96362149999998834.9023077 -82.003961999999987 34.9543787 -81.923280999999989tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9088968680325094008.post-62637041839641847362016-12-31T09:00:00.000-05:002017-07-27T12:28:40.820-04:00The Day Before New Year’s Day: Getting Ready<div class="MsoNormal">
Starting the New Year right is so important. What’s the most
significant first step? Eating ample servings of collard greens and black-eyed
peas guarantees good health and fortune (or so we have been told).</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMlxHnNunEZcTvu_LD8J5EWF6w8e-P6dkIieFl3OM_5WDxPlBAYpmybr9VHECyvq2DPd0FEbeAC7r6a3swLpMevEVEl_4y0RPxutoF1juafRfAWJUmtfXHQSQEqv8wZrdhLF9vCQPlgBI/s1600/xcollpea.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMlxHnNunEZcTvu_LD8J5EWF6w8e-P6dkIieFl3OM_5WDxPlBAYpmybr9VHECyvq2DPd0FEbeAC7r6a3swLpMevEVEl_4y0RPxutoF1juafRfAWJUmtfXHQSQEqv8wZrdhLF9vCQPlgBI/s200/xcollpea.jpg" width="200" /></a>The explanations for the symbolism of collard greens and black-eyed
peas are many and vary by cultural traditions, many brought into the
South. In some families, the greens represent paper money and the peas
represent coins. (Special hint: serve also with cornbread, which can represent
gold.)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
Waking up on January 1 and deciding to start the year right
is critical. However, even more critical is preparing the greens and peas in
advance so that they are ready on New Year’s Day. Don’t wait until the start of
the year to check the pantry. It may be bare! </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Preparing on December 31 guarantees that you are
set on New Year’s Day. The need to cook collards for a long time is
another reason to prepare them the day before. Preparing black-eyed peas, on the other
hand, is a cinch (as long as you have them on hand).</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBD-vUKFYlKxvBuJyIrPOJMGuGFUVCljLHuc1th2etI6Q4RUfgTjozvBoqvW2z1cDO_BLKEfNpyG-DK_y_rj5oC9sEVmJ58MhxTNDKqCRquYNCF7RO-3x9inXamWqpAcgdp4dZdPcyGAc/s1600/xcollardroll.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBD-vUKFYlKxvBuJyIrPOJMGuGFUVCljLHuc1th2etI6Q4RUfgTjozvBoqvW2z1cDO_BLKEfNpyG-DK_y_rj5oC9sEVmJ58MhxTNDKqCRquYNCF7RO-3x9inXamWqpAcgdp4dZdPcyGAc/s200/xcollardroll.jpg" width="200" /></a>On New Year's Day, have greens and peas ready to serve family and friends at anytime
during the day. (A purist may even want them for breakfast.) If you have a
special family gathering, bring stuffed collard wraps or rolls as appetizers (a
filling of black-eyed peas and rice is tasty) so everyone can have a promising start
for the new year.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNN-mXu1CcNAWkatIAPDbRxAivO-zKNsEG7QsrJLRs0uSUGUMwVmfgZk41qMj2_vZ-2YAwgmsz3HbWoa6qxI9PXFObNZAr1E2rcd38O1yaT1OTarVvumtgcVUrUhQ9I5FI-lGiN55SjVQ/s1600/xcollmaxton.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="143" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNN-mXu1CcNAWkatIAPDbRxAivO-zKNsEG7QsrJLRs0uSUGUMwVmfgZk41qMj2_vZ-2YAwgmsz3HbWoa6qxI9PXFObNZAr1E2rcd38O1yaT1OTarVvumtgcVUrUhQ9I5FI-lGiN55SjVQ/s200/xcollmaxton.jpg" width="200" /></a>Even after January 1, look for opportunities to
celebrate with collards and black eyed peas, such as by attending a festival.
North Carolina even has two festivals for collards: one in <a href="http://www.aydencollardfestival.com/" target="_blank">Ayden</a> and the other
in <a href="http://linvilleray.blogspot.com/2011/11/maxton-collard-festival.html" target="_blank">Maxton</a>. (To see recent photos of the Maxton Collard Festival, <a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/112463874714647580256/MaxtonCollardFestival?authkey=Gv1sRgCLelmdXAmeXQ1wE#5678360068468171810" target="_blank">click here</a>.) Georgia also has two: one serves the <a href="http://www.collardgreensculturalfestival.com/" target="_blank">metro Atlanta region </a>and the other is on the coast near Savannah in <a href="http://www.visitportwentworth.com/" target="_blank">Port Wentworth</a>. In addition, South Carolina has one in <a href="http://gastonsc.org/home/" target="_blank">Gaston</a>. To celebrate the black-eyed pea, Mississippi’s festival is held in Mantee each October, and Texas has a <a href="http://www.athenstx.org/things-to-do/6th-annual-fall-festiva" target="_blank">black-eyed pea festival and cookoff</a> also in October.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Starting the New Year correctly is so vitally important.
Teach your children that they need to each their fair shares of collard greens
and black-eyed peas before the sun sets on January 1. If they do, life is good.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<hr />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If you are preparing collards for the first time, follow
this approach and adjust the next time based on your taste preferences.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Ingredients</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
3 pounds collard greens </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
½ cup ham or pork pieces</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
3 tablespoons vegetable oil</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
1 quart hot water</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
2 teaspoons salt</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
3 teaspoons brown sugar</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Directions<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal">Initial
setup</li>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="circle">
<li class="MsoNormal">First,
buy only local collards.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Wash
the leaves thoroughly (and more than once to remove sand and any grit).</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Remove
the stems and any bad spots. </li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Roll
up several leaves and make “ribbons” by slicing them about an inch apart.
(Greens can also be chopped or shredded.)</li>
</ul>
<li class="MsoNormal">Cooking</li>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="circle">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYQgrzsebGRJTaBoA9-cvH4tZhGTGkHN2oer3MtyVQwJdWjaV2kygAa2AbujxARinK6j1PQSd8j4Ax9BWB_RPeyeEWgsS9WqcUh3I1XdA_AACuXwpgQ6GHa8WlAlRPeWeBwGpJaJ6Wg7M/s1600/xcollardcook.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYQgrzsebGRJTaBoA9-cvH4tZhGTGkHN2oer3MtyVQwJdWjaV2kygAa2AbujxARinK6j1PQSd8j4Ax9BWB_RPeyeEWgsS9WqcUh3I1XdA_AACuXwpgQ6GHa8WlAlRPeWeBwGpJaJ6Wg7M/s200/xcollardcook.jpg" width="200" /></a>
<li class="MsoNormal">Cook
leftover ham pieces slowly in oil until crisp.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Add
water and simmer for about 15 minutes.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Add
cut greens and bring water to a boil.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Sweeten
with brown sugar and apple cider vinegar.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Cook on
low heat for at least an hour with the pot covered.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Add
water as necessary to keep greens well covered.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Stir occasionally and submerge greens with a spoon (because they float to the top).</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Remove
from heat when leaves are tender. (Leaves will be floppy and have a kelly green color.)</li>
</ul>
<li class="MsoNormal">Last
step</li>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="circle">
<li class="MsoNormal">Save broth (known as <i>pot likker</i>) for your friends who appreciate its
nutritional value.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Chop
collards into smaller pieces before serving if you like.</li>
</ul>
</ul>
Ray Linvillehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01860661401478445293noreply@blogger.com0