A Long Weekend Archives - Page 8 of 12

Visiting Kentucky’s Shaker Village: What to Expect

05/08/2017 By: CCPearsoncomment

The Shakers haven’t lived on the property since 1910, but many signs of their presence are still very evident within the 3000 acres preserved for the use of visitors. Weekend calendars are full of activities from concerts to tours to hands-on activities for children, but during the week you can expect to take a deep breath and feel that you have stepped back in time.

A couple of weeks ago, Steve and I enjoyed 24 hours at Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill, near Harrodsburg, Kentucky. It was a welcome respite and change of pace after spending two very busy days in Cincinnati and before heading to another full schedule in Lexington, KY. Let me share some photos that will help you picture this very tranquil place and list some things that you can expect to find when you visit.

Spacious guest rooms that are clean and comfortable. The decor is neutral and lacking in gizmos and artwork, but the beds and chairs are chosen for comfort. You might be surprised to find internet and televisions, but both are included in the room rates. I smiled when I saw the brand of bathroom toiletries — Bee Kind. Fitting, don’t you think? Our room was in the East Family Dwelling. It would not be considered handicapped-accessible, and there was no elevator, so be aware of that before making your plans. Here is the accessibility statement issued by Shaker Village.

Sparse, but comfortable guest rooms with great bedding, easy-to-clean floors and spacious sitting areas.

Plenty of hot water and clean bathrooms.

Bee Kind toiletries.

A spacious sitting area.

East Family Dwelling.

2. Delicious meals at the Trustees’ Table. Meals are not included in the room rates, but they are a great option served right on the grounds within walking distance of your room. There is a large working farm on the property, so seasonal vegetables and other ingredients are incorporated as much as possible. Reservations are encouraged for breakfast, lunch and dinner, because diners are very likely to drive in from neighboring towns.

Homebaked bread and a vegetable relish is included with dinner.

Homebaked bread and a vegetable relish are included with dinner.

Tender chicken topped with micro-greens from the Shaker Village garden.

The famous Shaker Lemon Pie. Tart and fresh.

A generous portion of trout.

The Trustees’ Office is where the restaurant is found. Plus there are guest rooms upstairs and a gift shop and reception desk near the entrance.

Crisp bacon, soft-scrambled eggs, cheese grits and baked apples on the breakfast buffet.

Fluffy biscuits and pumpkin muffins served at breakfast.

3. Tours by knowledgeable guides. Examples of symmetry are everywhere. Shakers were strong believers in equality between the sexes, so even though there was clear separation between the spaces for men and those for women, those spaces were equal in size and accommodations.

Knowledgeable guide given a group tour.

Spiral staircase reaching up 3 stories.

Twin spiral staircases are on both sides near the entrance to the restaurant.

Symmetrical entrance doors at the Centre Family Dwelling.

Symmetrical staircases.

Centre Family Dwelling.

4. A gift shop, free parking, and plenty of space to walk, hike or ride horses. In the Preserve section of the property, there are 40 miles of trails for hiking and horseback riding. Guests can also shop for Shaker-style crafts and books on their history. The small building next to the Trustees’ Office, which is called the Post Office, AND the Trustees’ Office offer gift items and snacks. In particular, I wanted to find the recipe for Shaker Lemon Pie and was glad to see it in a small, affordable cookbook.

One section of the gift shop housed in the Post Office.

I’ve had a lot of thoughts about the many good things that were invented or implemented by the Shakers, and I also have some spiritual thoughts about their beliefs and practices. Check back in on Friday to read more.

Plan your visit to include some time in nearby Harrodsburg. The small town is filled with history from the well-preserved buildings of Main Street to Old Fort Harrod State Park and beyond. Harrodsburg is also a key location in two massive yard sales, the 400-mile sale along Highway 68 in early June and the other along Highway 27 in August.

Must-Eats in Cincinnati

05/01/2017 By: CCPearsoncomment

When Steve and I pulled into Cincinnati last week, I had three foods on my list of must-eats considered to be distinctively “Cincinnatian.” They were goetta, Graeter’s ice cream and Cincinnati’s version of chili. We happily found and sampled all of them, plus another as a delicious bonus.

Goetta, and specifically Glier’s Goetta, is pronounced “get-uh” and, according to their website, it “is a German breakfast sausage that blends the textures and flavors of pork, beef, whole grain steel-cut oats, fresh onions, and spices. It is slow-cooked daily and perfectly prepared when browned and served.” Glier’s produces 1,000,000 pounds of goetta each year, and 99% of it is consumed right in Cincinnati. That likely explains why the rest of us have never tried it. It is definitely an acquired taste, but I thought it was pretty good. You don’t expect your sausage to be crispy/crunchy, but goetta is, so be prepared for that. I do recommend that you try it. “When in Rome . . . .,” right?

We had it both mornings we were in the city. First at Hathaway’s Diner on the first floor of Carew Tower, and the next morning at the Symphony Hotel. I didn’t hear of anyone who made their own goetta at home. Glier’s definitely has this product firmly in its grasp.

Glier’s Goetta at Hathaway’s Diner.

2. Graeter’s Ice Cream is distinctive because of the French Pot Process used in making it. Read and see photos of that process here. Categories of flavors are: seasonal, classic, signature chip, low glycemic and sorbet. THE absolute signature flavor is Black Raspberry Chocolate Chip, and I can testify that it is truly wonderful. Steve and I shared a scoop after our dinner at Montgomery Inn Boathouse (a place you will read more about in coming days). We also went into a stand-alone Graeter’s location in Fountain Square — just to browse, of course.

Black Raspberry Chocolate Chip Ice Cream by Graeter’s

3. Cincinnati has a highly unique chili recipe. It is served over a plate of spaghetti pasta and is topped with grated cheddar cheese. In this form, it is referred to as a Three-Way. The chili itself has a cinnamon hint to it, and some speculate that cocoa is also included. If you add a layer of beans OR onions, it becomes a Four-Way, and if you add BOTH beans and onions, it is then a Five-Way. I had been warned that “nobody likes sweet chili,” so we chose the Five-Way. I could still taste the cinnamon, but the beans and onions helped to make it more similar to the chili from my neck of the woods. In this category, as with Glier’s Goetta and Graeter’s Ice Cream, Skyline Chili appears to have a tight grip on the market. There are other places around town serving chili, but Skyline is a local favorite. Camp Washington Chili was also recommended, and we’ll have to try it on a return visit. So much to see and eat. So little time.

Cincinnati-style chili at Skyline Chili

As for the bonus, we had dinner one night at The Eagle on Vine Street, just a couple of blocks from our hotel, and decided to order their spoonbread. Oh my goodness. It is made in an iron skillet like cornbread but is less dense. Then while it’s still hot, it is smeared with a generous serving of maple butter that seeps into the bread and makes it totally worth the calories. While you’re at The Eagle, go ahead and splurge on their fried chicken. EXTRA good.

Spoonbread at The Eagle.

When you go to a new city, I urge you to do your homework and find out what special dishes the locals enjoy and determine the best places for trying those foods. It will enrich your visit tremendously.

Auburn B & B Owners Exhibit Christian Hospitality

04/21/2017 By: CCPearson6 Comments

In a recent visit to “The Loveliest Village on the Plains,” I had the delightful privilege of touring the Crenshaw Guest House and sitting down with its very warm and personable owner, Sarah Jenkins. Crenshaw Guest House is a B & B located at 371 N. College Street, near the railroad tracks running through downtown Auburn. It is within easy walking distance of the shops and eateries frequented by students and all manner of university folks and is within a REASONABLE walking distance of Jordan-Hare Stadium and Auburn Arena for football games, basketball games, concerts and the like. Not only is it conveniently located, it is also packed with Auburn University history.

Front exterior of Crenshaw Guest House on N. College St. in Auburn, AL

It was built in 1890 by Bolling Hall Crenshaw who was a professor at Alabama Polytechnic Institute (which later became Auburn University) and authored several mathematics textbooks. A later owner was Frances Speight Sugg Verma, granddaughter of Cliff Hare (see the reference to Jordan-Hare Stadium above). And, more than 20 trees on the property were planted by former Auburn football coach, Pat Dye, who drops by every year to “check on his trees.” This place screams “A-U-B-U-R-N!”

But, it was a quote on the Crenshaw Guest House website, that really drew me in and made me want to take a closer look. Speaking of owners Steven and Sarah Jenkins: “Their main reason for purchasing the Crenshaw House is to share Christian hospitality and provide a comfortable, clean home away from home for current and future friends visiting Auburn.” I absolutely loved that statement, so my first question to Sarah when I visited was this, “Tell me what Christian hospitality looks like to you.”

Steven and Sarah Jenkins, owners of Crenshaw Guest House in Auburn, AL

Without missing a beat, Sarah said that to her it meant “making sure people feel welcomed, loved and accepted.” She said that their guests come from all different backgrounds — parents of university students, young couples/families, alumni, people interviewing for jobs — and she wants to “invest in them as people, talk to them, visit with them, see what’s going on in their lives.” She said that it could appear that time for such investing would be short, but that actually when guests come in for breakfast, there IS time to talk. She mentioned a couple from India who stayed recently. The husband was interviewing for a job, and they had only been married for a few months. The new wife proudly shared wedding pictures she had on her phone.

Scripture is strategically placed throughout the house, and both Steven and Sarah readily and naturally work into their conversations how God brought them to Auburn and how they became owners of Crenshaw. Sarah said, “We had never had owning a B & B on our radar, yet God kept opening doors, and we walked through them. Even in decorating the rooms, God provided. Guests will remark about various items, and we share how God provided exactly what we needed for that spot. One time I found a vintage suitcase, and it made me smile. God cares about the big things, but He also cares about the little things.” I loved the way Sarah so easily and gratefully acknowledged God in everything she said during our time together.

She said that they don’t blatantly try to evangelize. They just welcome people, and share what God is doing in their lives. She mentioned how important relationship-building is, and that they have a LOT of repeat/returning guests as a result of the relationships that have formed.

As a side note, Sarah said that they don’t ban alcohol on the property (guests may buy their own and bring it in), but they also don’t SERVE alcohol.

I asked her about inspections and health ratings, etc. She said that she was her own personal CLEAN POLICE. I believe it. The place was spotless! In addition to washing all the sheets and towels after every guest leaves, she even washes the bedspreads and shower curtains!! What a way to “go the extra mile!” She’s also a big Chlorox user and goes over every surface that a guest might have touched. This habit comes directly from her previous years as a pre-school teacher at Prestonwood Baptist Church in Dallas, Texas. She was also well-taught by her mother, who comes for a visit and says, “What can we clean today?” The oft-used phrase “cleanliness is next to godliness” is actually nowhere to be found in the Bible, but I’d say that Sarah’s approach to the atmosphere she has created at Crenshaw Guest House is a perfect example of how that saying can be modeled. It is a very clean place to stay, and Sarah is obviously a Spirit-filled woman. Just as a word of explanation, Steven is definitely involved in owning this B & B and often fills in with entertaining guests and serving breakfast, but he’s also a full-time software engineer with a cottage in the back of the property that serves as his office.

Sarah mentioned that in addition to the joy of meeting people through the B & B, she also appreciates the university students they are able to employ during busy times. These strong, able-bodied young people help with cleaning, serving breakfast and yardwork and are a great blessing to the Jenkins family.

As for the future, Sarah says, “We’re here until God tells us to move.” I hope they will be there for a long time to come, touching the lives of all their guests with excellent examples of Christian hospitality.

1 Peter 4:9 “Be hospitable to one another without grumbling.”

Romans 12:10-13 “Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; ¹¹not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; ¹²rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer; ¹³distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality.”

Even the back entrance is welcoming.

Auburn Area Eateries and an Art Museum

04/17/2017 By: CCPearson1 Comment

I’m not quite ready to compare Auburn, AL to Franklin, TN, but in one respect, they are similar. Every time I visit either one, I find new places to eat. Some small. Some large. Some casual. Some gourmet. Some trendy and sleek. Some very plain. On a recent weekend on the Plains, I tried several cafes and restaurants that I had never noticed before.

AMSTERDAM CAFE at 410 S. Gay Street.

When you walk in the door, you will notice a connection between this place — or at least the NAME of this place — and Vincent Van Gogh, a famous painter who lived from 1853 to 1890. He was born in the Netherlands, and in fact, The Van Gogh Museum is in Amsterdam. Several of his self-portraits adorn the walls of the dining room (reproductions, of course. Who in the world could afford an original??). One has been slightly altered to fit into the Auburn football atmosphere.

Van Gogh dressed to play football for Auburn

The place was hoppin’ when we arrived after 8 p.m. on a Thursday night. I can only imagine what it’s like on game weekends, so plan ahead and make reservations.

Turkey wrap with sweet potato chips

Crab cake and avocado croissant.

I had my eye on the Crab Cake and Avocado Sandwich since it had made the list of “100 Dishes to Eat in Alabama Before You Die.” Steve chose the Amsterdam Turkey Wrap, and we both had the housemade sweet potato chips for our sides. The server suggested dipping the chips in honey mustard sauce. Great idea! A delicious combo. Check out the menu on the website. You can spend a little or a lot at Amsterdam Cafe.

BIZILIA’S CAFE at 134 N. College St.

Blueberry muffinini

This place specializes in paninis. I happened by after a morning stroll around the campus and was lured by their muffininis. The man at the order counter mentioned blueberry, chocolate chip or banana nut. I thought the blueberry one sounded good. It was a muffin that had been sliced and griddled with butter and was served nice and warm. If I were a coffee drinker, I believe it would have been great with a cuppa Joe.

WAREHOUSE BISTRO 105 Rocket Ave. in Opelika.

You’ll have to get in the car and drive to this one, and yes, it really IS in a converted warehouse. Plus, there are warehouses forming an industrial park all around it. Warehouse Bistro has been in existence since 1993 and is a great place for casual fine dining — two words that don’t often go together. We were there with a number of Steve’s classmates from veterinary school, so we enjoyed our meal while laughing through endless stories about doctoring animals and sharing tales of practice woes and successes.

Front patio at Warehouse Bistro.

The menu is impressive, and reservations are recommended but not required. It is closed on Sunday and Monday but is open Tuesday-Thursday from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 and on Friday and Saturday from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.

Our meal consisted of the Bistro Salad — field greens, tomatoes, artichoke hearts, cucumbers, smoked bacon, red onions and Feta cheese with a balsamic vinaigrette dressing.

Bistro Salad

Gulf Black Grouper — sauteed and topped with jumbo lump crab meat and Hollandaise sauce.

Black grouper topped with crabmeat

Blueberry Bread Pudding — served warm with Creme Anglaise poured on top.

Blueberry bread pudding

A beautiful facility on the Auburn University campus is the JULE COLLINS SMITH MUSEUM OF FINE ART 901 S. College Street. It is open every day except Monday. While you are strolling through the amazing exhibits, you may wish to have lunch at the Museum Cafe (a limited menu but a tasteful, relaxing atmosphere). It serves salads, paninis or soups, etc. from 11:00-2:00 Tuesdays through Fridays. A Museum Gift Shop is also in the building if you’re looking for extraordinary gifts for friends.

On April 6, 2017, construction began on a performing arts center directly across the street from the museum. When it opens in 2019, it will serve as a wonderful venue for touring Broadway productions, as well as concert space for operas, symphonies, dance, along with student and faculty recitals. This section of South College Street will form a cultural arts district for the university campus. Exciting days ahead for students, alumni and visitors from all over.

7 Outstanding Reasons to Visit St. Simons Island, GA

01/30/2017 By: CCPearson2 Comments

Last April, Steve and I were invited to participate in a press trip to St. Simons Island, a place that was completely new to us. The purpose of the trip was to introduce travel writers and bloggers to a part of the Atlantic Coast which is unknown to many. We absolutely loved it! The setting, the resort, the historical connections, the quirks, the special people and the FOOD were all amazing. If you go — and I hope you will — let me mention 7 things you should not miss.

King and Prince Beach and Golf Resort. I have written about it extensively here. But, I want to mention it again, specially because of the over-the-top cuisine of Chef James Flack. It helps, of course, that he has abundant seafood literally in his back yard (the Resort IS oceanfront), but his culinary skills and imagination take dishes to new heights. I don’t think I had ever seen such beautiful food, without even considering the incredible taste.

One section of historic King and Prince Resort.

Bounty from the Atlantic.

2. Cap Fendig. Whether you want a relaxed trolley tour on land or a boat tour to spot dolphins on your way to Sidney Lanier Bridge, Cap Fendig should be your go-to source. He is a native of St. Simons and knows the place through and through. We got to experience his knowledge in both settings and enjoyed him thoroughly. Such a great personality.

Cap Fendig’s trolley

Sidney Lanier Bridge

Boat in the port on St. Simons Island

Sidney Lanier Bridge

Cap Fendig’s boat

Cap Fendig teaching his guests about his island

3. Visit Christ Church on Frederica Road. Read about its storied history here. Such names as James Oglethorpe and John Wesley immediately get your attention. You’ll find descriptions of stained glass windows, one of which is an authentic, unsigned Tiffany creation, and of the gorgeous needlework wall hangings. And when you sit in the pews, you will enjoy knowing that former U.S. Presidents Coolidge, Carter and Bush may have sat in the same spot. The adjoining cemetery is also a fascinating place to spend some time. Be sure to find the burial spot of Southern novelist,Euginia Price. The words on her tombstone are: “After her conversion to Jesus Christ, October 2, 1949, she wrote ‘Light … and eternity and love and all are mine at last.” Indeed.

Pew in Christ Church

4. Visit Fort Frederica National Monument. Yes, this is the place where the British defeated the Spanish in 1742, which meant that Georgia remained a British colony. But, the National Park Service has expanded the guest experience to include much more. It is open every day except Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day from 9:00 to 5:00. Plan to spend a couple of hours, and I guarantee you’ll come out feeling smarter than when you went in.

Fort Frederica

5. Go to the beautiful Visitors Center and see the mermaid tree spirit carved by Keith Jennings beside the building. There are other tree spirits scattered throughout the island. Ask questions in the Visitors Center or read more here. Don’t worry. We were told that these carvings do NOT harm the trees. Seems implausible, but that’s the information we got.

Interior of the Visitors Center

6. Visit the St. Simons Island Lighthouse, take the colorful, informative tour, and climb to the top if you’re feeling energetic. Lighthouses are not a part of our Alabama culture. Maybe that’s what makes them doubly intriguing to me. This one is really beautiful. And, of course, my Silver Fox made the climb.

7. Enjoy dinner at Georgia Sea Grill. This is another place to find delectable seafood prepared by an accomplished chef. Check out a few of the dishes we sampled with our tablemates. So, so good.

Look at the size of those scallops!

Georgia Sea Grill

Look at your calendar. Pick out some dates. Start planning a visit to St. Simons Island. You’ll be glad.

Hormel, a Blowtorch, and Saucy Mama

01/09/2017 By: CCPearson1 Comment

When you have a large group of Food Bloggers from all over the country gathered together for a big Summit before the World Food Championship competition kicks off, the sponsors of such an event become critical to its success. Two such sponsors that I particularly enjoyed were Hormel and Saucy Mama.

Naturally, I had heard of — and TASTED — Hormel products for many years, but they cranked their presentation up a huge notch with a demonstration of cooking via a blowtorch. Yes, a BLOWTORCH. Only, to be super cool, they called their monster torch the BRO-TORCH. In order to cook several dozen hot dogs at once using a blowtorch that could shoot flames for 25 feet, we went outside (not a bad deal considering we were in Orange Beach) WITH a fire marshall in tow to be sure we stayed safe and scorch-free. We didn’t eat those hot dogs, but I can assure you they were well-done.

Once we were back inside, a medium-sized blowtorch was used to make a delicious Hawaiian-style chili where fresh pineapple and several vegetables were broiled using the torch then mixed with some Hormel chili. The smell was amazing, and everyone wanted a sample. It was DELICIOUS!!

I now have my own much-smaller blowtorch at home. Baked Alaska, Creme Brulee and some yet-to-be-determined concoctions await.

In another activity on the opening day of our Summit, bloggers were asked to create a tailgate-style recipe using one of the products by Saucy Mama. Then, we practiced photographing our creations. Mine was a Tropical Roll-up, featuring sliced ham, toasted macadamia nuts, crushed pineapple and Saucy Mama’s Orange Habanero Sauce. In MY opinion, it was pretty tasty, but thank goodness, we were not being judged on our efforts.

Other important sponsors included Wickles Pickles, Bubba Burger, Challenge Butter, Wampler’s Farm Sausage Company and the happy egg co. My daughter Julie (who raises chickens, along with her 7 children) would have loved the happy egg display and talk. The company boasts of being the first free range egg brand to be Humane Certified, and they give their hens ten times more space than most other free range brands. No wonder the eggs taste so fresh and . . . . HAPPY!

I thoroughly enjoyed the Food Bloggers Summit and appreciate the generosity of all its sponsors.

Gourmet Oysters from Murder Point in Bayou la Batre, AL

01/02/2017 By: CCPearsoncomment

Steve and I LOVE raw oysters. Fried oysters, oyster stew, oyster dressing, oyster po’ boys, etc. are all great, but the raw ones are extra-special. Until a few weeks ago, we’d only eaten them raw, served in an ice-filled tray with cocktail sauce and crackers. But, when we visited Murder Point Oyster Farm, we saw them come directly out of the water where they were shucked on the spot and handed to us in their purest, freshest form. With just a hint of saltiness, they were plump, buttery and delicious.

Oyster farming is hard work!! Dr. Bill Walton, affectionately known as “Dr. Oyster,” is an expert in this field and has proven to be a huge resource for oyster farmers along the Gulf Coast. The fact that he’s associated with Auburn University makes him particularly good — in my humble opinion. 🙂

Murder Point is owned by the Zirlatt family, and we had a chance to meet Rosa, the matriarch and her son Lane on the morning we visited. Try to imagine what it must be like to do your farming in a wetsuit or in waders that go up to your armpits. Oysters at Murder Point are grown in baskets that are suspended just below the surface of the water. Those canisters are “shaken up” regularly which encourages the shells to grow deeper rather than wider and discourages barnacles from forming. So, the shells on these oysters are remarkably clean and unblemished. As a result, the oyster residing inside grows to perfection. So much so, that in some restaurants, they are sold for $3.00 each!! The Murder Point oysters are definitely deserving of a gourmet market. You can read much more about the oyster farming process on the website here, plus there are entertaining and informative videos.

Farming oysters means spending a lot of time in the waters of the Gulf checking the baskets of oysters.

The final product of all that work — shucking and sharing the plump, buttery oysters — with Zane and Rosa standing side by side.

And I have to add that I was very impressed with the Zirlatt family — its closeness and the work ethic so evident. I liked Rosa immediately. She was involved in so much of our visit, but especially in showing us the baby oysters in the “nursery.” I learned that she has 11 grandchildren and cooks lunch for the whole family every Sunday. I’m sure that contributes greatly to their family bonding. Good for her!! And her son Zane has boyish good looks, a great smile and obviously loves his work. This family were formerly shrimpers and were looking for a way to diversify. They found it in oysters.

Lane Zirlatt talks to food bloggers about his passion — growing oysters.

Rosa Zirlatt scoops up a handful of baby oysters to show the curious bloggers.

I’m afraid I’ve now become something of an Oyster Snob and doubt that any will ever live up to the standards at Murder Point. If you get a chance, for goodness sakes, try them! Amazing. Fisher’s in Orange Beach and 5 Point Public House Oyster Bar in Birmingham feature them, as well as other “discerning” restaurants around the country.

Follow them on Twitter #butterlove.

Bayou la Batre, Alabama — Shrimp and Crabs

12/26/2016 By: CCPearsoncomment

I’ve been to Alabama’s Gulf Coast at least a dozen times. Those waves, that dazzling white sand, and the fresh seafood draw me back over and over. I’ve also been to Mobile and spots along Mobile Bay, but I had never visited Bayou la Batre until last month. All of the food bloggers who were gathered in Orange Beach for a conference were loaded on a bus early one morning, and we made the 1 1/2 hour trip to the tiny town that has such an incredible impact on the seafood industry for our state.

The population boasts a whopping 2500 +/- mix of Asians, whites, blacks, native Americans, Hispanics, Creoles and Cajuns, and out of that there are 829 shrimpers, oystermen and fishermen who make up the Organized Seafood Association of Alabama. Try to imagine the economic, physical and psychological damage caused by Hurricanes Rita and Katrina in 2005 and then the BP oil spill in 2010. You have to truly love that life and be dedicated to it to survive and continue year after year. Yet, they do, and somehow God’s providence as seen in nature replenishes what is lost, and the seafood production goes on.

A quick review of the plot of the movie “Forrest Gump” will remind you of why Forrest entered the shrimping business after his tour of duty in Vietnam. His friend Bubba Blue talked non-stop of his dream of owning a shrimp boat and of making his living by hauling in catch after catch. When Bubba was killed, Forrest left his own hometown, fictional Greenbow, AL, for Bubba’s hometown, the very real town of Bayou la Batre, to fulfill that dream for his friend. He and his beloved Lt. Dan went into business together. Lt. Dan invested some of the profits into a “fruit company” that turned out to be Apple, Inc. and both of them became multi-millionaires. Along the way, viewers got a great glimpse of the shrimping process and its highs and lows.

Those images were in my mind as we rode into Bayou la Batre, and what we saw made the mental pictures even more vivid.

Our group got a closeup look at Olympic Shellfish Company, owned by John Grevenitis which processes tons and tons of crabs. And, we visited Graham Shrimp Company, owned by Ernie Anderson. Both were gracious hosts who spoke with justified pride about the work done by their companies.

We got to Olympic Shellfish in time to see a number of Asian workers finishing up for the day.

Olympic Shellfish — crab processing

Hard at work prying meat out of crab shells.

Olympic Shellfish

One by one.

A freezer full of processed crab meat.

And at Graham Shrimp Company, we saw several shrimp boats conveniently docked, having just unloaded their catch. Then, we went inside to watch the sorting/deheading/flash-freezing process.

A shrimp boat hugging the dock at Graham Shrimp Company.

Some shrimp are pink.

Some shrimp have black tails.

These boxes are labeled and ready.

In both places, we were completely impressed with the efficiency and cleanliness of the plants. I can very comfortably recommend shrimp and crabs caught and processed in Alabama. Happy eating!

HERE COMES THE JUDGE

12/05/2016 By: CCPearson2 Comments

When I was selected to attend the 2016 Food Bloggers Summit in conjunction with the World Food Championships in Orange Beach, I was thrilled. Even though I don’t technically consider myself a food blogger, I have written a lot about food and restaurants here and in other publications, and I have 45+ years of experience being a cook in my own home. And with the growing interest in and popularity for the Food Channel on TV, I couldn’t wait to get an up close view of what great chefs were doing.

Judge Connie about to go into action.

To add to my excitement, I learned that on the last day of the summit, we as participants would be invited to attend a judging certification class and be seated as judges for the first round of the dessert competition. DESSERTS. Did you hear me? For a fluffy, prissy, Southern grandmother, that session had my name written all over it. Bring on the sweets!!

Well, it didn’t take long to learn that there is much more to being a judge than just tasting a dish and giving it a thumbs up or a thumbs down. The World Food Championships uses the E.A.T. judging criteria. 35% of the score is based on EXECUTION, 15% on APPEARANCE, and 50% on TASTE. Each entry was to be judged on its own merit, ranking it on a scale of 1 to 10 in each of those three categories, and it was NOT TO BE COMPARED to any of the other dishes. Believe me, that is much harder than it seems. Especially when 5 different dishes are presented in a very quick procession. While we were at the judging class, we were asked to score two different chef-made burgers. Look at the ones we sampled. I was starving. They were both amazing, but if you look closer, there are subtle and specific ways to judge a superior burger. Color, combination of ingredients, even the size of the bun had to be considered. I don’t know which one ended up with the highest score, because we had to hurry on to the actual competition. But, I will say that both chefs created wonderful burgers. Oh, and as a side note, no, we weren’t expected to eat ALL of both burgers. Mercy, no! We were given much smaller sections of each one to taste.

Bleu cheese burger. Yummy!

Italian burger. Look at the size of that beast!

There were 37 teams of chefs competing in the dessert competition, and 8 different teams of judges were seated to rate the entries. I would love to have seen and sampled all 37 entries, but I doubt that ANYONE could handle that much dessert! Talk about a sugar rush!

The first category was called the Structured Build. The chefs were told in advance that they would be expected to submit their version of orange crepes for this round. Look at the variations on that same theme that my team had to score.

This chocolate crepe was delicious, and the fresh orange gave a great flavor balance.

Chocolate crepe with fresh oranges.

What a pretty dish this one was! It got very high scores for appearance.

An unexpected take on orange crepes.

Orange crepes in sushi form? Only a very imaginative chef would have thought to do that.

Orange crepes in the shape of sushi??

One team decided to go very traditional, but I don’t have a photo to share of that one. You would have had to taste each one, I realize, but based on appearance alone how would you have rated these entries?

Then, the chefs were given a certain amount of time to present their Signature Dessert. Some of these photos were fuzzy because the desserts were whizzing by, but maybe you can get some idea about the wide variety. My team judged 5 dishes in this round.

Spice cake with ice cream and served with a very strong beer. ???!!!

A tiny, light strawberry tart.

Sorry for the blurriness. This was a nutty, oatmeal bar with a mint sauce and basil.

A cupcake filled to the brim with goodies, even raspberries.

Chocolate lava cake with whipped cream and berries.

In a last-minute serendipity, Steve was allowed to take the judging class and judge with a different team in this dessert competition, too. Since we are now both E.A.T. certified, I hope we will have more opportunities to judge in the future. Other categories besides desserts, by the way, were bacon, barbecue, steak, chili, seafood, burgers, sandwich and recipe creation. Are there any budding chefs out there who want to enter in 2017? Check the website for lots of information. You can even see a list of this year’s participants and the scores of the Top 10 in each division.

Out and About in New Orleans’ French Quarter

09/26/2016 By: CCPearson2 Comments

Many of you are frequent visitors to this one-of-a-kind part of our country. I remember a veterinary conference that we went to the year the World’s Fair was in New Orleans. Could it REALLY have been 32 years ago??? We borrowed my parents’ motorhome and found what had to have been the noisiest campground ever built that was situated under the interstate somewhere. What WERE we thinking? We visited Matt and Katie several times when he was in school at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, but we had not been back since Hurricane Katrina. Now, we’ve been to NOLA twice in 2016, in mid-March and in mid-September.

Cathedral in Jackson Square — iconic symbol of New Orleans.

Typical architecture in the French Quarter.

Colorful store window in the French Quarter.

We LOVE the music on every street corner and the incredible food. Oh my, the food!! We’re not picky. Give us Cajun, Creole or a mixture of both. We like it all. However, the raunchy night life and the people who work hard to outdo others in crazy, outrageous behavior and dress? Well, those aren’t our favorite parts. And, truthfully, when it starts to get dark, I begin to feel a little bit uneasy. Yes, I know. I’m showing my age. But, anyway, I wanted to share some photos from our two recent visits.

Popular mode of transportation favored over driving your car — a bicycle taxi. With all of the narrow, one-way streets and scarce parking spaces, this is a great way to go.

The Court of Two Sisters has a very famous brunch. I’d love to read some reviews from you all. Is it worth the price?

Spices, spices. Gotta have ’em. Many restaurants tout their own secret blends.

Oh, and one suggestion when you’re wandering the streets. Carry a wad of $1-dollar bills with you to place in the jars/hats, etc. of the street musicians. After all, I am a BIG SUPPORTER of musicians, aren’t you? And, go by Krystal or McDonald’s near Canal Street and get a sackful of hamburgers. Pass those out to the homeless people you see. I suspect it will do more good than your money, at least temporarily. If you find a sober, homeless person, give him/her a hamburger and a prayer.

Musicians on every corner, and most of them are quite good.

Bourbon Street — a rowdy place that I can’t recommend.

Could they possibly be trying to sell pralines?

For more information, here is the link to my article in MilesGeek.com about Gumbo Shop, a WONDERFUL place to eat.

And here’s my article in Trip101.com about Hotel Mazarin in the French Quarter.

And, if you decide to venture north out of New Orleans and tour the amazing plantations between NOLA and Baton Rouge, here, here, here and here are 4 more Trip101 articles that can help with your planning. Plus, you will find plenty of blog posts published in www.conniewasthere.com in April and May about Plantation Country and Baton Rouge.

No, I don’t recommend Hard Rock Cafe when you’re in the midst of culinary heaven, but some folks just want a burger.

Outlandish outfits of rock stars at the Hard Rock Cafe.

Deuce McAllister actually played college football for Ole Miss but then was drafted by the New Orleans Saints of the NFL. This is one of his business ventures in the Quarter.

Hotel Monteleone lit up at night.

Getting ready for Easter.

« Previous Page
1
…
6
7
8
9
10
…
12
Next Page »

Tags