11 August 2013

After a few very busy weekends, it was nice to get back in the kitchen today. This weekend was busy also, but I was determined to make Sunday Supper happen. The weekend began with a going away party for our friend, Meghan Griffin, who had worked at the Cherokee County Historical Society for seven years. Lucky for all of us in Canton, Meghan is not going far since she is now our new Director for the Canton Main Street Program. We are all very excited, and I am ecstatic that this talented and hard working young lady is staying in Canton! After her party at the Painted Pig Tavern, a few of our friends joined us at one of our favorite places, Taqueria Oaxacana 2 on Marietta Highway. I truly believe they have some of the best, and most authentic, food in town. The amazing food was only made better by the company of dear friends; including Pat Gold, Jennifer Dunn, Carmen Tanner Slaughter, Cory Wilson, John Clark, TJ Cochran, and Dyanna and Ethan Diggs.

Saturday began with a customary trip to the Canton Farmers Market, where we enjoyed a cooking demonstration by Sandy McGrew. Sandy prepared a fresh pasta salad with produce purchased at the market. It was very tasty, and her demo was extremely entertaining. After the market, we came home to One Britt to enjoy the pool for a few hours before being disrupted by yet another thunder storm. Unfortunately, the weather also cancelled the outdoor movie in Brown Park. With umbrellas in hand, we proceeded to  a very packed Goin' Coastal for dinner and had dinner at the bar. As always, the food and service were great, and we enjoyed Tina Kell's butter pecan cheesecake for dessert. We finished dinner just in time to attend the Nathan Ware CD Release Concert at the Cherokee Arts Center. The show was great, and it ended on a very sweet note: an onstage proposal to his girlfriend, Alana Jacobs. She accepted, and the crowd gave a standing ovation. Congratulations to Nathan and Alana! After the concert, we passed through Main Street on our way home, and every parking space was filled. It is so nice to see so much activity in downtown Canton!

Sunday began with another wonderful breakfast at Keithsburg Cafe. After breakfast, I went into the office for awhile to catch up on some work while Jeff went over to Boling Park to run six miles. He is training for a half marathon in November! After work, I went to Publix and Cherokee Market to gather supplies for tonight's Sunday Supper. While at Cherokee Market, we enjoyed the always amazing BBQ from Scott Boys! Russ Scott has a way with pork, and I can't get enough of his food. For tonight's Sunday Supper, I wanted to cook something different. I have been craving Indian food, and since there are no restaurants anywhere around Canton, I decided to cook it myself. I spent most of the afternoon preparing an authentic Indian curry with chicken. I served it with coconut rice and a side of dry fried Indian spiced okra. The okra was tedious but amazing! I also made some homemade hummus for an appetizer and served it with toasted flat bread, radishes and cucumber. I also picked the first ripe figs from my tree today, so I made an upside down fig cake for dessert. Everything was delicious, and it was nice to enjoy yet another Sunday Supper on the Side Porch at One Britt.

The Menu:

- Indian Curry with Chicken and Coconut Rice

- Fresh Hummus with Local Cucumbers and Radishes

- Dry Fried Indian Spiced Okra Sticks

- Upside Down Fig Cake with Honey Whip Cream

The Recipe – Dry Fried Indian Spiced Okra Sticks

Ingredients:

- 1 1/4 teaspoons garam masala
- Vegetable oil, for frying
- 1 pound young okra—halved lengthwise and cut into long, thin strips
- Kosher salt
- Lemon juice

Preparation:

Wash the okra and air dry thoroughly. When dry, cut into long, thin matchsticks.

 In a large, deep skillet, heat 1 inch of vegetable oil to 350°. Working in batches, fry the okra strips, stirring a few times, until golden and crisp, about 4 minutes per batch. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the fried okra to a large paper towel–lined plate to drain. 

Sprinkle with garam masala and kosher salt. 

Toss with a squeeze of lemon juice and serve immediately.