Christmas Cranberries

Christmas has come once again! It’s a time for joy, faith, peace, and love.  Most importantly, it’s the time to celebrate Christ’s arrival and the beginning of His amazing journey toward the salvation of the world.  It’s a beautiful time of year, and one I love to share with friends and family. Of course my favorite thing to do for loved ones is to cook. What can I say? Food is my love language.

This year I played with several new recipes and focused on one very special ingredient: cranberries. Of course I’ve served cranberry sauce with Christmas dinner every year. It’s a delicious holiday staple, native to North America, and the clean, tart taste breaks up the heaviness of the other holiday foods. But I’m ashamed to admit that I’ve always used canned cranberry preparations. Maybe it was habit. Maybe I was intimated by the texture, but this year, I broke out of the yoke of processed food bondage.

My inspiration for elevating this ingredient started with my travels this year. As you may recall from previous installments, I had the pleasure of spending time in both Nova Scotia and Wisconsin. These lovely, northern locations are both cranberry producing areas, and I brought home some choice flavors to save for the Christmas season. From Nova Scotia, I brought Lake Rossignol Cranberry wine from the Lunenburg County Winery at Hackmatack Farm. From Wisconsin, I brought Fireside Jam, a delicious blend of cherries and cranberries, purchased from The Summer Kitchen’s booth at the Dane County Farmer’s Market.

To build the rest of our holiday meal, my family and I made an expedition to the Dekalb World Market in Atlanta. My regular readers might be getting the idea that this is one of my favorite finds in Georgia, and they would be right. I’m generally a huge advocate of local food, but the atmosphere, incredible variety, and great prices at this international market have become something of a moral splurge for me.

After stocking up on Sunday afternoon, we spent most of Monday (Christmas Eve) preparing a big family meal. It included mascarpone chive mashed potatoes, green bean and artichoke casserole, double cranberry apple sauce, and a grilled beef tenderloin all served with whole wheat rolls and cranberry wine. The mashed potato recipe came from a fellow food blogger at http://www.goodlifeeats.com, although I did add extra mascarpone cheese. The green bean casserole preparation was the same as described in my November 2012 Thanksgiving post. And although I modified it a bit, I have to give props to http://www.myrecipes.com for the original cranberry apple sauce idea.

Double Cranberry Apple Sauce

6 small to medium Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and diced to 1” cubes

1 (12 oz) package of fresh cranberries

3 tsp lemon juice

1 cup granulated white sugar

3/4 cup water

¼ tsp ground ginger

1 cup sweetened, dried cranberries

Combine the apples, fresh cranberries, lemon juice, granulated sugar, ginger, and water in a large sauce pan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, stirring often.  Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes or until the cranberries pop and the mixture starts to thicken (still stirring often). Remove from heat. Mix in the dried cranberries for texture. Pour the mixture into your serving dish and chill in the refrigerator. Serve cold.

My husband was the grill master for our tenderloin. He and I agree that the most important trick for any meat course is to start with a high quality cut. Don’t be afraid to ask your butcher what they have in the back. In our case, we had a perfectly sized section cut from the middle of the loin by the helpful people at the Dekalb Market, and we still spent less than at a traditional grocery store. We seasoned it simply with salt, freshly cracked black pepper, and garlic powder and cooked it to a medium rare over hot charcoal.

The cranberry wine was a nice touch with dinner, and the cranberry jam was perfect over toast for Christmas Day brunch. Speaking of Christmas Day, I have to take a second to brag on my foodie loot for the year. Instead of stocking up on candy that I shouldn’t eat, my family has gotten into the habit of exchanging nuts, dried fruits, and fun snacks (like the green bean and plantain chips pictured below). I’m excited to say that I also received a set of sustainably produced bamboo kitchen utensils, two new pans, two small spatulas, an herb chopper, a fun set of monster bag clips, a pie crust design cutter, and an adorable set of glass jars for herb storage. For some great culinary ideas, I received the Cooking Behind the Fence cookbook from Oak Ridge, Tennessee and the two-book set of Julia Child’s historic Mastering the Art of French Cooking. The piéce de résistance of the morning, however, was my new food processor. I’m sure these goodies will inspire a host of fun blog topics for 2013. I hope you’re looking forward to it as much as I am.

From my family to yours….Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

Photos by Jenn Ballard

Happy, Happy Birthday

It’s almost Christmas, and it’s already been an exciting December.  I started the month by hosting my very first five-course meal to celebrate my 29^th birthday.  The meal started with a variety of cheeses, wine, and beer while everyone arrived and mingled. It continued with a wilted green salad and bacon vinaigrette dressing; a rustic mushroom soup; an entree of fig and goat cheese stuffed pork tenderloin and roasted vegetables; and a whiskey-cherry upside down cake.  I’d like to take this opportunity to thank everyone that made this celebration possible. It was by far the best “grown-up” birthday I’ve ever had.

The mushroom soup was delicious and super easy! The recipe came straight from my fellow bloggers at http://blog.seasonwithspice.com.  The tenderloin was also incredibly straight forward. I made it with figs from my own yard (frozen back earlier in the year) and seasoned goat cheese instead of the blue cheese recommended in the original recipe (http://www.whatwereeating.com).  The whiskey-cherry upside down cake is one of the more complicated cake recipes I’ve made, but it is totally worth the effort. For great directions on this culinary treasure, see www.endlessimmer.com.

After the birthday excitement, my husband and I celebrated another first. We bought a live Christmas tree for the very first time.  We visited Jack’s Tree Farm in Talking Rock, Georgia and picked out a fresh white pine.  Unfortunately, when we arrived home, we discovered that our tree stand was not quite large enough for our selected tree.  It spent the night in a stock pot of water before being set upright and decorated.   Aside from the natural beauty and lovely smell of a live Christmas tree, there’s a lot of peace of mind for this nature-loving hippy in knowing that this tree is produced sustainably and can be composted after the holidays.

 

Photos by Jenn Ballard, Jamie Brantley, and Maria Evola

I've Got Plenty To Be Thankful For....

Bing Crosby once sang "I've got plenty to be thankful for," and this year I'd have to agree with him. My husband and I have been blessed with two good jobs, a roof over our heads, and the best families we could ask for. We had a wonderful November full of birthdays, anniversaries, and Thanksgiving, and we're looking forward to the rest of an exciting holiday season. We celebrated Thanksgiving on the farm here in Georgia. Our meal had some great classics like fried turkey, mashed potatoes, skillet seared Brussels sprouts, and pecan pie. I also got to try a couple of new dishes:

Souffled Pumpkin Pancake
adapted from a recipe on Foodnetwork.com

5 Tbsp butter

1 Tbsp brown sugar
1/4 cup pecan halves
2/3 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ginger
dash of cloves
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
4 eggs, separated
2/3 cup buttermilk
1 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup pumpkin puree
maple syrup for serving

Melt 2 Tbsp of butter in a 10 inch cast iron skillet over medium low heat. Add brown sugar and stir until the sugar starts to melt. Add the pecans and stir to coat them with the mixture. Cook 2 minutes and remove from heat. Set pecans aside and save skillet for pancake.

In a small mixing bowl combine the dry ingredients (flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, sugar, salt). Melt the remaining butter. In a separate bowl combine the butter, egg yolks, buttermilk, and vanilla.  Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Add pumpkin puree and combine well.

Beat the egg whites to soft peaks (add a dash of cream of tartar if desired). Fold the egg whites into the pumpkin mixture in two parts. Mix carefully. Pour into skillet. Sprinkle top with pecans. Bake at 350 F for 20-30 minutes.  Service in slices with warm maple syrup.

My family and I usually have cinnamon rolls on Thanksgiving morning while watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade.  This recipe was a really tasty change of pace for our breakfast.

Green Bean and Artichoke Casserole
adapted from a recipe on MarthaStewart.com

1 lb green beans (fresh: washed and trimmed to 1-2 inch pieces or frozen: cut green beans)

2 Tbsp butter
3 Tbsp all purpose flour
2 large cloves of garlic, minced
2 cups milk
1 can (12-14 oz) artichoke hearts in water, drained and quartered lengthwise
ground cayenne pepper
ground black pepper and kosher salt
1 small canister of French fried onions




Boil green beans in salted water until tender, drain and set aside.  In a dutch oven, melt butter, add garlic and cook until softened but not browned! Add flour and mix to make a blond roux. Add milk and bring to a boil, stirring often. Reduce heat and allow to simmer (stirring often) until mixture has thickened. Add a dash of cayenne pepper, salt and black pepper to taste. Add green beans and artichoke hearts to the mixture and fold until well combined. Pour filling into a baking dish. Top with French fried onions, and bake at 425 F for 7-10 minutes or until filling bubbles and topping is lightly browned.

I've been working on tweaking this recipe for the last couple of weeks.  I think it's really top notch, and I'm excited to share it with the rest of my family on Christmas. I hope everyone enjoyed their Thanksgiving as much as we did. I would love to hear from my readers. Please post your favorite Thanksgiving day recipe or memory.

"You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God." 2 Corinthians 9:11

 

Photos by Jenn Ballard

In The Mood For Fall

Fall is my favorite time of year, and it's been a super busy October for us. Deer season is in full swing, and the garden has finally frozen back.  Only the Brussels sprouts have been left behind at our house, but that doesn't mean all the produce in the area is finished.  To get ready for Halloween, my husband and I went to Washington Farms in Watkinsville, GA. This is the same you-pick farm that I wrote about previously.  It turns out that they are just as useful for pumpkins in the fall as they were for strawberries in the spring. We decorated the pumpkins in a new way, hoping they would last through Thanksgiving. Pecans are another important fall crop here in the south, and there's nothing like fresh pecans for a nice fall pie. My favorite recipe for pecan pie is my Grandmommy's. You can find it, along with her perfect pumpkin pie, in my Thanksgiving 2011 post.

 

My husband at Washington Farms; our pumpkins decorated for Halloween; and me dressed as Rosie the Riveter for a costume party. Happy Halloween everyone!

Photos by Jenn Ballard

 

In the spirit of a beautiful fall, I'm going to share another recipe that I really look forward to this time of year. It came from my Grandma Martin, and she calls it "One Dish Dinner." There are probably as many versions of a one dish dinner as there are casseroles, but the general idea is that a meat, a vegetable, and a starch are all prepared in a single dish for convenience sake.  Technically, chicken pot pie and shepherd's pie would also fall into this category, but my grandma's version is a hearty, southern take on the idea. I've tweaked it a bit, and the recipe below is my version. I think it still captures the spirit of the original dish, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I do on cold fall evenings.

 

Grandma Martin's One Dish Dinner

1 lb ground beef

1 10 oz can Rotel(R) Diced Tomatoes and Green Chilies

1 10 oz can tomato sauce

2 cups frozen English peas

1/4 yellow onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

salt, pepper, Tabasco

12 uncooked biscuits (homemade or pre-made both work - refrigerated not frozen!)

 

Directions:

Break apart and brown the ground beef in a deep skillet or dutch oven over medium to medium high heat. Season to taste with salt and pepper as it cooks. When the beef is nearly finished, add the onion and garlic. Stir frequently to prevent the garlic from burning. When the onions and garlic are soft, reduce the heat to medium low and drain the excess fat. Add the Rotel(R), tomato sauce, Tabasco sauce(R), and peas. Bring to simmer. Add more salt and pepper if desired. When ingredients are warm and well combined, place raw biscuits on top of the mixture. Cover the dish and cook for approximately 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. The meal is ready to serve when the biscuits are fluffy and the insides look done. The outside of the biscuits will not brown because of the moisture; this is normal. Serve a biscuit covered in hearty stew and enjoy!

 

"Grandma Martin's One Dish Dinner"

Photo by Jenn Ballard

 

Note: Some people don't like the texture of the biscuits cooked over the dish. This is my favorite part, but others prefer the liquid portion poured over an oven cooked biscuit. I have also used a large jar of homemade, restaurant style salsa instead of the two canned products. This works well if you have some on hand.

Late Season Crops

The tomatoes have died back, and the cool weather is arriving day by day. This has brought about a resurgence in a vegetable that I dearly love: the eggplant. This year I started two eggplants in pots. When the yellow squash died back in early summer, I moved them to the garden. They were pretty quiet most of the hot season, but now they are starting to really take off. As a result, I am forced to find new things to do with them. My traditional approach to eggplant is to make eggplant fries. These were always a great change of pace for my husband and I when we lived in Missouri  and a common request from my vegetarian friends for dinner parties.








Eggplant Fries:
1.  Slice 1-2 large eggplants (skin on) into strips (roughly 3/4 X 3/4 X 3 inch)
2.  Dip the strips into a whisked egg dredge (I did say vegetarian, not vegan)
3.  Take the strips directly from the dredge into a mixture of white corn meal, salt, ground black pepper, and cayenne pepper (proportions to taste)
4.  Drop the breaded strips into hot vegetable oil and cook until golden brown
5.  Drain on paper towels and serve
(Note: these do not reheat well so eat 'em while they're hot)

Obviously, you're not going to make eggplant fries to go with everything. So, I've had to expand my eggplant range to include a classic meal: eggplant Parmesan.  My inspiration for this recipe came from a similar recipe on http://smells-like-home.com.

Eggplant Parmesan:

2 large eggplants
4 eggs
4 cups of Panko breadcrumbs
1 cup of freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 Tablespoon Kosher Salt
1/2 Tablespoon fresh ground black pepper
1 Tablespoon dried oregano
1 cup all-purpose flour
vegetable oil
Your favorite spaghetti sauce
fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced and pressed lightly to remove excess water

1. Wash and slice 2 large eggplants (skin on) into 1/2 inch medallions
2. Press each slice firmly between clean paper towels to release excess moisture
3. Prepare a three-step dredge with flour and 1/2 tablespoon of salt in the first bowl, whisked eggs in the second, and a mixture of bread crumbs, pepper, oregano, and remaining salt in the last bowl. Put the slices through each of the three bowls, coating well at each step
4. Using a brush or paper towel, lightly coat a baking rack with vegetable oil
5. Place breaded slices on the baking rack over a cookie sheet and bake at 425 F for 30-45 minutes, flipping over half way through
6. Allow the eggplant slices to cool slightly
7. Lightly coat the bottom of a square, glass baking dish with spaghetti sauce
8. Lay eggplant slices out in a single layer on top of the sauce
9. Spoon approximately 1 cup of sauce over the slices
10. Place a single layer of thinly sliced mozzarella over the sauce
11. Repeat the process with  eggplant, sauce, and cheese until the baking dish is full (ending with a layer of cheese on the top)
12. Bake together until the sauce is bubbling and the cheese has browned (approximately 15 minutes)

This a great option for vegetarian dinner parties but still not something to make all the time. A much easier, everyday use for eggplant is to grill it as a side dish. The way I learned to do this is to wash and slice the eggplant vertically. Using a sharp knife, make partial thickness cuts to score the flesh. The cuts should be an inch apart, going vertically down the eggplant and then crossing over at 45 degrees.  Brush the cut surfaces with 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil, sprinkle with salt and dried thyme.  Cook on a hot charcoal grill, cut side down, over indirect heat for 45 minutes to 1 hour (moving to direct heat to finish if necessary). Serve with a vinaigrette dressing and a soft, herb goat cheese.

My last eggplant experiment was a pretty lofty one. I saw the picture on http://foodgawker.com and followed the link to http://dine-dash.com. The finished product was very attractive, but pretty bland. I have some ideas for spicing it up next time. For the basic recipe, you thinly slice an eggplant and three zucchini squash.  Arrange them in a flower shape inside a pie crust with a thin layer of tomato sauce on the bottom. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and thyme. Bake at 350 F for 35 to 40 minutes. I used my homemade spaghetti sauce instead of the recommended tomato sauce. It worked really well, but next time I will use more. I will also slice the vegetable pieces thinner and toss them in the olive oil, salt, and thyme for a better coating before arranging them in the pie crust.  One thing I learned pretty quick about this recipe: don't overbake it. The crust will be very light brown when it's ready. Overcooking makes the eggplant skin tough. Lastly, serve this with fresh Parmesan. I think this recipe has a lot of potential if you can make the flavor match the wow factor of the appearance.

 

 

Photos by Jenn Ballard

The Land of Cheese and Beer....

It seems like no time at all since my trip to Nova Scotia, but I've headed out again, this time to America's Dairyland (better known as Wisconsin). I'm finishing up a five week stint in Madison, and I've made some excellent discoveries.  First and foremost has got to be the Dane County Farmers' Market (http://dcfm.org/). Being the veritable connoisseur of farmers' markets that I am, I feel confident saying that Dane County is the stuff of legends. It is reported to be the largest producer-only market in the country, and I think I would buy that. On Saturday and Wednesday mornings during the summer, vendors line the sidewalks surrounding the state capitol building. Being Wisconsin, a large number of the vendors sell dairy products (easily some of the best cheese I've ever eaten), but an equal or larger number peddle fruits and vegetables of every ilk. The rest are a smattering of fresh flowers, potted plants, baked goods, canned foods, honey, and at least one rather notable pasta vendor.  If you get your week's fill of produce but you're not quite ready to leave the atmosphere of the market, the opposite sidewalk is dotted with artists, musicians, and food carts.  The local stores, restaurants, and museums continue the vibe and offer air-conditioned retreats from the Midwest summer.  If there are any drawbacks to the DCFM, they would be a lack of free parking due to the downtown location and the crowd. To avoid the crowd, arrive early.

While walking around the market, I came across two local businesses that I feel obligated to share. The first is a funky little clothing store called City Shuz at 106 S Webster Street. It carries a beautiful selection of vintage-inspired shoes, Tom's shoes, and even some clothes I've seen at Modcloth.com. The second is a great restaurant called The Coopers Tavern at 20 West Mifflin Street (http://thecooperstavern.com). I had really high expectations for this establishment, but all of them were blown away when I took my mom there for brunch! She had the ham sandwich with stout grained mustard, red pepper mayonnaise, and Gouda on a pretzel roll.  I had the Scandinavian Benedict, a version of eggs Benedict with Bourbon-curred salmon instead of Canadian bacon. The most incredible thing about my selection was that you actually noticed the English muffin! What kind of English muffin grabs your attention away from perfectly poached eggs and a creamy dill Hollandaise? The perfectly fresh, soft, and made-in-house kind! Top to bottom, both dishes took relativity ordinary offerings and elevated them with subtle but complex twists and fresh ingredients.  Being a tavern in Wisconsin, there was also a very nice selection of beers to accompany any meal.  I would highly recommend this restaurant if you're in the area.

A third local business that I want to highlight looks out on the downtown area from across the breadth of one of Madison's several lakes. Lakeside Fibers at 402 West Lakeside Street has a beautiful selection of yarns and patterns for any knitting or crocheting enthusiast (http://www.lakesidefibers.com/). Not into that sort of thing? Go to Lakeside Fibers anyway. The coffee shop in the back looks out on the lake with a beautiful view and peaceful, arty vibe.  Their coffee, loose leaf tea, or cheese platter are sure to satisfy.

On one of my last weekends in Wisconsin, I drove up to Baraboo to visit the home site of Aldo Leopold and the famed Sand Counties of Wisconsin. Down the road from "the shack" is a beautiful education center and gift shop. You have to go there first to pay your admission.  Then, you can hike around the home site, remembering the places described in Leopold's work, and see the beautiful Wisconsin River. If you're not familiar with Leopold's writings, please see my April 2010 blog "Books that Change Your Life."

I guess that's about it for my time here in Wisconsin. It's been a good trip, but I'm glad to be heading back to the South.  The garden's been going crazy with tomatoes, and I think it will be time to tackle some canning when I get home.

Photos by Letitia King and Jenn Ballard

 

Squash, squash, and more squash

After my oh-so-exciting excursion to Nova Scotia, I returned home to Georgia to find our yellow squash growing in a state of overwhelming abundance. We tried just about every way we could imagine to cook squash, and found a couple of really great options, including sautéed, stuffed, and curried. Even still, it doesn’t take long before you just can’t eat any more squash, and after weeks of picking, washing, chopping, blanching, and freezing, we were pretty much done. But we are well stocked for the winter!

 

 Our stuffed squash was a variation on a recipe from http://farmflavor.com.

Stuffed Squash
3 medium-large yellow squash
1 small, green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 sweet yellow onion, chopped
1 small, fresh tomato, chopped
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs
4 slices of bacon
kosher salt
ground black pepper
butter

Preheat oven to 400 F.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer whole squash for approximately 10 minutes or until soft. Remove squash and allow them to cool. Slice the squash in half lengthwise. Scoop the majority of the flesh from inside each half (leaving enough so the sides don't collapse). Chop the flesh that you removed and set aside.

 

In a skillet, fry the bacon until just crispy. Set aside to cool, then chop. Remove all but 2 Tbsp of the bacon renderings from the pan. Saute the onions and peppers for a few minutes in the renderings. Add the chopped squash and garlic and cook until all parts are just soft. 

 

In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked vegetables, bacon, tomato, cheese, and bread crumbs. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Place the squash shells on a baking sheet. Spoon the filling in the shells until slightly heaping and well packed. Sprinkle with additional panko crumbs and drizzle with melted butter. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until squash is tender and crumbs are lightly browned.

 

Easy Squash on the Grill:

2-3 thinly sliced yellow squash

1 thinly sliced yellow onion

kosher salt

fresh ground black pepper

olive oil

 

Combine the sliced squash and onions on one half of a large sheet of aluminum foil. Drizzle with oil and season liberally with salt and pepper. Toss lightly. Fold the remaining half of the foil over the top of the vegetables. Seal the edges by folding over 2-3 times. Place the foil packet on indirect heat from a hot charcoal grill. Allow to cook 15-20 minutes, turning several times and flipping at lease once. Open packet carefully. If all of the vegetables are tender, serve.

 

We also made a fantastic Indian-style squash curry. I won't reproduce that recipe here because (having less experience with Indian food), I followed the instructions as written on http://simpleindianrecipes.com. I encourage you to look it up!  I served this curry with fresh Naan bread from the international food market in Atlanta (http://www.dekalbfarmersmarket.com/). If you live in or visit the Atlanta area, you should definitely check out this foodie paradise.

Once the summer heat finally put an end to the squash frenzy, it was time for tomatoes!

Photos by Jenn Ballard

Lobster and Eggs

One of the best things I tried in Nova Scotia was lobster and eggs. It's exactly what it sounds like. The morning after a big lobster feast (in our case a midnight lobster feast), you break down the remaining, already-steamed crustaceans and reheat the meat in butter over the stove. Then, pour on scrambled eggs, salt, and pepper.

After the lobster and eggs, I got to experience brushing my teeth in the Nova Scotia salt water. Apparently this is a very important ritual for visiting coastal Nova Scotia. My thanks to the friend who sent me these pictures after my last post.

Photos by G. Boyd

Atlantic Canada

Let me start with an apology for the break in my blog entries.  I’ve been traveling a lot lately, but boy, has it given me something to write about!  I recently returned from a two week business trip to Nova Scotia and New Brunswick.  I can’t and won’t go into the details of my work, but I will say that it was a great opportunity to see Atlantic Canada.  I arrived and departed from Halifax (a great airport) and spent a few hours exploring the city.  I visited the historic Saint Paul's Anglican Church (http://historicsaintpauls.ca/) as well as several nice shops and tourist spots along the waterfront.

I would like to have seen more of Halifax, but I'm not sorry that I spent the majority of my time in smaller communities around the province. I had the opportunity to visit Sheet Harbour, Shag Harbour, New Minas, Kentville, and Wolfville, among others. It was a marvelous trip, and one I would recommend to anyone looking for an out-of-the-way vacation.  Since a picture is worth a thousand words, below are some of my best shots and a few accompanying stories.

The Nova Scotia coastline is one of the most beautiful areas I’ve ever seen. The tides are quite dramatic, and there are picturesque boroughs around every bend. This picture was taken at Port Dufferin near Sheet Harbor.

I had the very special opportunity to visit some of the more remote coastal islands. This isn’t an opportunity that the average tourist will get, but I saw some amazing places in the process.  If you do want to visit areas like this, you'll need to have a proper guide and the right gear.

Of course you can’t have all work and no play…. It was lobster season during my visit. I had the opportunity to meet several of the local lobster fishermen. I watched them work and enjoyed the freshest, sweetest (and cheapest!) lobster of my life. I got schooled in the proper way to cook and eat this delicious crustacean, but lobster wasn’t the only culinary adventure I had. I also tried several new things including salt cod, solomon gundy, fiddle heads (immature fern leaves prepared as a green vegetable), and partridge berries.

During my stay in Wolfville, I had the opportunity to walk around town and visit nearby Acadia University.  There were lots of charming shops and B&B's. It had a great appeal for both tourists and younger, college types.  One of the best places I found was a used clothing store on the main street: Jane's Again Boutique. It had reasonable prices, a great variety of sizes and styles, and possibly the classiest selection I’ve seen (http://www.janesagain.com/). 

The University has a beautiful campus, and I would definitely recommend a visit to the K.C. Irving Environmental Science Centre. I ended my trip by attending a local lobster boil and concert. I found the people in Wolfville, and all of Nova Scotia, to be wonderfully helpful and welcoming. I know it's a trip I will never forget and one I certainly hope to repeat.

Photos by Jenn Ballard and G. Boyd (Jenn and Lobster Fisherman)



For the Beauty of the Earth

Music by: Conrad Kocher

Lyrics by: Folliott S. Pierpont

For the beauty of the earth

For the glory of the skies

For the love which from our birth

Over and around us lies

Christ our God, to Thee we raise

This our hymn of grateful praise

For the wonder of each hour

Of the day and of the night

Hill and vale and tree and flower

Sun and moon and stars of light

Christ our God, to Thee we raise

This our hymn of grateful praise

For the joy of human love

Brother, sister, parent, child

Friends on earth and friends above

For all gentle thoughts and mild

Christ our God, to Thee we raise

This our hymn of grateful praise

For Thy church that evermore

Lifteth holy hands above

Offering up on every shore

Her pure sacrifice of love

Christ our God, to Thee we raise

This our hymn of grateful praise

Stream in the Smoky Mountains

Photo by Jenn Ballard

 

Sustainable Living with Tips from "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life"

With spring well underway and summer quick on it's heels, it's an exciting time around the farm.  We recently planted our vegetable garden with the seedlings I started in egg cartons.  I've mixed more herbs and vegetables into my traditional landscaping, and I'm really looking forward to freezing back a lot of homegrown food for the winter.  In fact, I've already frozen back some delicious, local strawberries from Washington Farms in Watkinsville, Georgia (http://www.washingtonfarms.net/).  Picking strawberries there was a really fun experience, but there are a lot of local farmers with similar setups.  A quick internet search in your area might reveal some great surprises!

As I've mentioned before, I'm a really big fan of the local food movement.  My interest started when I read the book Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life by Barbara Kingsolver et al.  I was prompted by an NPR interview with the author, but I would recommend it to anyone who eats food in the US.  This book gave me an entirely different perspective on the environmental (and political) impacts of trucking food all over the country.  It reads something halfway between a documentary and The Old Farmer's Almanac.  As a result, it gives a lot of practical advise about farming, shares some great recipes, AND inspires the reader to scrutinize what they eat and at what cost.  The book discusses the rampant loss of food diversity and asserts the idea that our country's dependence on foreign oil would be greatly reduced if we didn't feel the overwhelming right to consume fresh strawberries in January (among other frivolousness food selections - my paraphrasing not their's).  I don't know how true this is exactly, but it certainly makes you wonder at how unsustainable our food selections and lifestyles have become.  Moving to Georgia has given me the chance to work on this in my own life, one fresh strawberry at a time!  To read more about this book and the ideas of the sustainable food movement, check out: http://www.animalvegetablemiracle.com/ and http://www.slowfoodusa.org/index.php.

My new location has given me the chance to do something else that reduces my carbon footprint. "The farm," as I like to call our little spot in Georgia, came equipped with three clothesline posts.  A little spray paint and some new rope later, I can skip using my drier on the weekends.  Driers, in general, are very inefficient  appliances, but a lot of people worry that the sun will bleach their clothes.  I've learned that this isn't an issue if you hang them wrong-side-out.

There are lots of other things I would like to do to continue reducing my carbon foot print, but I would love more ideas.  Please share your ideas for sustainable living on this blog.  Happy Spring!

 

 

Photos by Jenn Ballard (Excluding book cover)

Homesteading in the Deep South: Spring

This is my first spring on the farm here in Georgia, and it's been really exciting to see what plants are on the property.  I was pleasantly surprised to find redbud, flowering quince, forsythia, and several other species that I have yet to identify.  I recognized dogwood, camellia, irises, and daffodils last summer, but watching them bloom this season has been really nice. I've been able to keep fresh flowers in the house almost every week without spending a dime!

I've also been getting ready for the summer growing season.  I've harvested the last of my winter radishes (which had all gone to seed anyway....) and put out my spring lettuce.  I've turned the soil for my new herb garden and started vegetable seeds in recycled egg crates (a great trick if you haven't tried it). My figs are starting to leaf out, and I'm hoping to make some tasty stuff with those this year. If you have any good fig recipes, please pass them along. I'm looking forward to a beautiful Easter and a very productive summer in the garden. Here are a couple of pictures from the farm. Hope you enjoy!

Some of my icicle radishes from the winter

The beautiful, red camellias next to the house

Beautiful, white flowers from the yard. Does anyone know what these are called?

Budding figs

Dogwoods at Sunset

All Photos by Jenn Ballard

In my heart wherever I may roam...

As a follow-up to my last blog, my mom thought it would be fun to share a little of my own history in the Mountain View area.  This is me, circa 1985, at one of the Blanchard Springs swimming areas.

Mountain View, I Hear Your Music Ringin'

After writing about food and travel for two years, it's a real treat to write this article about one of the best vacation spots I know: Mountain View, Arkansas.  I've been going to this small town in the Ozarks since I was a baby.  The area features several notable attractions, and it's a perfect, affordable family getaway.  The points of interest I'm referring to include the town itself (a hub of folk music and local arts), the Ozark Folk Center, Blanchard Springs Caverns, and world-class fishing.

In case you're not familiar with the area, Mountain View is located in Stone County, Arkansas (picture credit: www.city-data.com/city/Mountain-View-Arkansas.html).  It's nearly due north of the capital city and hidden away in the beautiful high country.  Mountain View is the self-proclaimed "folk music capital of the world" and for good reason.  The town kicks off the tourist season with a spring bluegrass festival.  This is followed by an annual folk festival, and throughout the summer, anyone visiting the town square after twilight will be serenaded by bands and patchwork groups of local musicians playing traditional mountain music.  Pull up a chair (guitar, banjo, or bass) and enjoy...no cover charges here!  The shopping is also pretty nice, especially if you like local arts, crafts, jewelry, or antiques.  You can visit any time of year (I actually love spending Thanksgiving and Christmas here), but the tourist season tends to quiet down after October's Beanfest and Championship Outhouse Race.  Next month will be the 50th Annual Folk Festival, and I would encourage everyone to check it out! (www.yourplaceinthemountains.com).

The Ozark Folk Center is another nearby gem.  It's operated by the Arkansas State Parks system and has the purpose of educating visitors about the skills, crafts, and lifestyles of early Ozark settlers. There are classes, craft shows, and demonstrations throughout the year. There are comfortable cabins for rent, a nice gift shop, and a wonderful restaurant.  There is also a large auditorium where the Center hosts concerts and live radio broadcasts of folk and bluegrass music.  To find out more about the schedule of events, check out http://ozarkfolkcenter.com/.

Blanchard Springs Caverns is a USDA Forest Service operated park that features a beautiful public cavern system.  For a relatively modest price ($12.50 for children/seniors and $25.00 for adults), you can tour one of two trails through the heart of the cave. For the more adventurous, there are wild cave tours available at certain times of year. In addition to this feature, there are beautiful camp grounds, picnic areas, swimming areas, trails, and a unique fishing opportunity at the CCC constructed mirror lake.  This is one of my favorite places to camp during the week or in the off season. During the peak of the summer rush, I like to go to the nearby Gunner Pool or Barkshed camping areas for a slightly less crowded experience.  To get more information about what this recreation area has to offer visit http://www.fs.usda.gov/main/osfnf/home.

Mirror Lake, Blanchard Springs Caverns

I really love everything about this area, but the thing that brought my family here originally was the fishing.  My grandfather started using Jack's Fishing Resort in the mid 1960's. He eventually became a part-time guide, and my dad has followed in his footsteps. Jack's is a classic family resort complete with hotel, camper sites, playground, restaurant, canoe rental, and full service fishing dock in Allison, Arkansas.  It sits on the White River, a fishing spot with a really unique story.  Following upstream damming that dramatically reduced the temperature of the river, the federal government started a long term mitigation project for the loss of the warm-water fishery.  This has included the stocking of trout throughout the upper white and has resulted in a terrific recreational opportunity.  To learn more about this resort and to get out on the river, please check out http://www.jacksresort.com/.

I'm taking the time to write about these family classics now because my husband and I recently took a spring break trip back to the area.  It was just as great as I remembered! We drove from our home in Georgia and stopped for some fantastic, local BBQ in Dora, Alabama (http://www.greentopbbq.com/).  We got to Mountain View around dinner time and spent the next three days fishing, camping, and eating great camp food!  Below are some pictures of our trip. I hope you enjoy them as much as we did.

Cutthroat Trout caught on the White River

My husband and I on the dock at Jack's

Great Blue Heron on the White River

Preparing great camp food from the day's take.

Turtle on a tree along the White River.