05 May 2013 – Cinco de Mayo

It has been a fun and eventful weekend! On Friday night, we went to see one of my favorite singer and songwriter, Iris Dement, at Variety Playhouse in Atlanta. She was exquisite and sang a lot of songs from her latest CD, "Sing the Delta." Even better, we enjoyed seeing the concert with some very dear friends: Jerry Burns, John Clark, Cory Wilson, Vanessa and Josh Brackett, Carmen Tanner Slaughter and Jennifer Dunn.

We came back on Saturday for the 10th Annual Kentucky Derby Day at the Rock Barn, a fundraiser for The Cherokee County Historical Society. This is always a fun event, but the Historical Society knocked this one out of the park! The food by Event Wise Catering was delicious, and the hat parade was fabulous. Our friends Sandy McGrew and Jennifer Dunn even made the top ten, and their hats were great. The silent auction went very well, and my Bill's Sunday Supper for Four item even caused a slight bidding war! Congratulations to Richard Ryan for winning the bid, and we look forward to cooking for he and his friends in the near future. The Painted Pig Tavern also did a great job on the Bourbon tasting, and the entire party was a ton of fun. Afterwards, we enjoyed dinner and drinks upstairs at the Downtown Kitchen with Harry and Rebecca Johnston, Wanda Roach, Peggy and Mark Moore, Rick Roberts, Stefanie Joyner, Eric Ballinger, Cory Wilson and John Clark.

Today, Jeff and I had a nice brunch at the Painted Pig Tavern, and we proceeded to Carniceria Ramirez 2 to get supplies for tonight's Cinco de Mayo Sunday Supper. This old-fashioned grocery store caters to the local Hispanic community. Feli Ramirez and her staff offer friendly, helpful service. The meat market in the back of the store features freshly butchered meats and the store's bakery specializes in Mexican desserts and cookies. They even make their own mole paste, one of my favorite Mexican culinary treats. This little grocery on Marietta Road is really great, and I love shopping there. I found everything I needed for tonight's supper, and I made tlayudas, a specialty in Oaxaca, Mexico. We really love this dish at Taqueria Oaxaquena 2 which features great authentic Mexican food, made from scratch by the owner, Estefana Nolasco. I think their tlayuda is probably the best single dish in Canton, so I wanted to try and recreate the dish myself. I found the awesome corn tortilla flatbread at Ramirez Grocery, and they had all of the other necessary ingredients. I served the tlayudas with fresh made quacamole, ensalada nopales (cactus salad), and homemade tamales. For dessert, I made churros con chocolate, and we even had a piñata on the side porch! Our friends Sandy McGrew, Gary Mullet, Cory Wilson and John Clark joined us for dinner, and a good time was had by all.

Adios amigos!

The Menu:

- Tlayuda con Tinga

- Tamales

- Enslada Nopales (Cactus Salad)

- Chunky Guacamole

- Churros con Chocolate


The Recipe – Chunky Guacamole

Ingredients:

- 1 tbsp white onion
- jalapeno
- 3 ripe avocados
- 2 tbs chopped cilantro
- lime juice

Preparation:

1. Grind 1 tbsp. finely chopped white onion, 1 packed tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro, 2 tsp. finely chopped jalapeño, and 1 tsp. salt together in a molcajete until all the ingredients are well ground, or use a fork to mash the ingredients to a paste in a bowl.

2. Cut 3 ripe avocados in half. Twist the halves to separate them and remove the pit with the tip of the knife. Place an avocado half, cut side up, in your palm and make 3 or 4 evenly spaced lengthwise cuts through its flesh down to the skin, without cutting through the skin. Make 4 crosswise cuts in the same fashion.

3. Scoop the diced avocado flesh into the molcajete. Repeat with remaining avocado halves. Gently fold the avocado into the chile–onion paste, keeping the avocado pieces fairly intact.

4. Add 2 firmly packed tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro and 1 tbsp. finely chopped white onion.

5. Fold together all the ingredients. Taste and add salt, if necessary.

6. Serve immediately, directly from the molcajete (or bowl), with tortilla chips.

7. I love my molcajete!

28 April 2013

Last week was intense at work. Grant Design Collaborative is very busy, and that is a blessing. My team is working over time, and they continue to amaze me. It's hard to keep up at times, but we continue to work as a stealth team. I am so lucky to be surrounded with such capable, talented and committed colleagues. When Friday finally rolled around, I was exhausted but ready for the weekend. We wound down the week, with a relaxing happy hour at the Painted Pig Tavern. Afterward, we hosted a spontaneous tribute to the late George Jones on the Side Porch at One Britt. As we toasted the fact that "he stopped loving her today," a few great friends showed up to bring a hectic week to proper closure.

Saturday arrived and provided a much needed lazy interlude. After a couple of naps, we sojourned to Town Center Mall for a little shopping for the Cherokee County Historical Society's annual Derby Day event. It is truly the greatest party of the year in Canton. We found some great deals and look forward to dressing for the occasion. Since it is the organization's biggest fund raiser of the year, I decided to donate a "Bill's Sunday Supper" for the silent auction. Hopefully, someone will enjoy bidding on a Sunday Supper on the Side Porch at One Britt, and I will enjoy cooking a fabulous dinner for a very worthy cause.

After an afternoon of shopping, we enjoyed an outstanding dinner at The Butcher and Baker on the Marietta Square. This new restaurant exemplifies the local farm to table culinary concept, and I highly recommend it. For starters, we devoured a pork belly Bahn Mi – heaven in a steamed bun! Our entrees included a New York strip with savory bread budding and an ocean fresh Cobia with ramp risotto. The meal was truly divine, and it hit the right notes on many levels. After dinner, we returned to One Britt to a relaxing movie night. We enjoyed a few Nutter Butter cookies while we watched "">The Impossible," the story of a tourist family in Thailand caught in the destruction and chaotic aftermath of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. It is an amazing movie about the triumph of the human spirit.

During the movie, the rain and thunder moved in and has not stopped. While dampening some typical Spring endeavors, the rainy Sunday seemed to grant permission for internal projects. After an over indulgent breakfast at Cracker Barrel, I returned home to tackle one of the biggest adventures: cleaning my closet. Just like my dear friend, Sandy McGrew, I think a bomb exploded in my closet around three years ago. The sojourn required a couple of bloody mary's, and I was honored to have my best friend, Cory Wilson, join me for the duration. He kept me on task and folded my "keepers" professionally and without sarcasm. Of course, he inherited a few nice couture treasures in the process, but he earned them.

I asked Jeff about what would be an appropriate Sunday Supper for the rainy day, and he instantly replied, "spaghetti." Therefore, I thought about that for the rest of the day. So after my closet was somewhat pristine, I ran over to Publix to gather the ingredients for tonight's Sunday Supper. A couple of weeks ago, we picked up some amazing spaghetti from Star Provisions. This spaghetti is imported from Italy, and it is the best pasta you will ever enjoy. I paired it with a rendition of "Jo Mama's" spaghetti sauce from the Food Network, and the results were heavenly. For starters, I prepared a Spinach Salad with warm bacon vinaigrette, and I made a cheesy garlic bread for the side. John Clark declared the "best Sunday Supper ever," but I closed with a superb Peanut Butter Pie. I referenced a few recipes and decided to strike my own course. Using the leftover Nutter Butter cookies from Saturday night, I made a pie crust for this Southern delight. It worked very well, and the pie filling delivered on so many levels.

So, it was a rainy Sunday night on the Side Porch, but the warmth and companionship of great friends delivered more great memories. Here's to lazy, rainy afternoons. We need them from time to time.

The Menu:

- Spaghetti with Italian Sausage and Mountain Valley Ground Beef

- Organic Spinach Salad with Warm Bacon Vinaigrette

- Georgia Peanut Butter Pie with Nutter Butter Crust

The Recipe – Peanut Butter Pie

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream or cool whip
1/4 cup sugar
8 ounces cream cheese
1 cup crunchy peanut butter
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 Nutter Butter Pie Crust
8 Reece's Peanut Butter Cups - rough chopped

Instruction:

Crust:

Process two cups of Nutter Butter cookies in a food processor or place in a zip lock bag and pound with a skillet or mallet until you get fine crumbs. Combine with 1/4 cup melted butter and form pie crust in pie pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 14-16 minutes. Cool on a rack before adding filling.

Filling:

Whip cream with 1/4 cup sugar or use Cool Whip. Mix all other ingredients until smooth and fold in whipped cream until well blended. Pour mixture into Nutter Butter crust. Top with chopped Reece Cups and chill for several hours. Before serving, top with fresh whipped cream and slice.

21 April 2013

It has been a beautiful Spring weekend in Canton! We spent Saturday in the picturesque foothills of North Georgia, beginning with lunch at Two Brothers BBQ in Ball Ground. It was delicious as usual, and afterward, we stopped in Jasper for the ArtFest celebration. We strolled Main Street looking at all the art and walked over to the Woodbridge Inn for a craft beer. Hans Rueffert was out front grilling us some mouth watering food, and the grounds were dazzling. While there, we ran into our friends Arthur and Amelia McIntyre, and it is always great to see them. Amelia actually started the ArtFest a few years ago with her outstanding work with the Sharptop Arts Association. It's nice to see this juried show growing stronger every year, and it got me thinking about the upcoming Canton Festival of the Arts! Mark your calendars for May 18-19, and don't miss this annual event in Brown Park. From what I hear, the Artist's Market is totally filled, and there will be a Literary Celebration, Serenity Gardens, Interactive Children's Experience, and a Beer and Wine Garden!

After we left Jasper, the day was too perfect, so we had to do some more exploring of the backroads. We happened upon a new vintage and antique shop in Talking Rock, and I found some great albums plus a promotional 45 single of Olivia Newton-John's "Something Better to Do" from 1975. Needless to say, I was ecstatic with this find, and it took me right back to my early teenage years. Emboldened by my treasure, we decided we were too close to Ellijay not to stop by Cartecay Vineyards. After catching up with our hilarious friend that works there, DeAnna Bagwell, we purchased a nice bottle of 2009 Merlot and enjoyed it on their outdoor patio while listening to acoustic music. This little vineyard is an unexpected joy, and it's close enough for a short road trip. Check it out, and tell DeAnna that Bill Grant sent you to listen to some of her outrageous stories!

On our way home, the day just kept getting better when we stumbled upon a quaint little farm stand that featured the season's first homegrown vegetables from Florida. Apparently, the guy goes down to Florida every week until the produce starts coming in on his own farm in North Georgia. I bought some beautiful cherry tomatoes, new potatoes, yellow squash., zucchini and some of the first Vidalia onions. Tonight's Sunday Supper featured all of these vegetables, and I was fortunate to have a Georgia Heritage Pork Loin in the freezer from Mountain Valley Farm. After doing some gardening this morning, I really worked up an appetite.

Here's everyone's weekend was equally serendipitous and that you all found "something better to do" than yard work!

The Menu:

- Mountain Valley Heritage Pork Loin with Garlic and Rosemary

- Baked Bacon Wrapped Vidalia Onions

- Baby New Potatoes in Rock Salt Water

- Roasted Cherry Tomatoes

- Paremesan Baked Squash and Zucchini

- Cheddar, Sour Cream and Chive Corn Muffins


The Recipe – Bacon Wrapped Vidalia Onion

Ingredients:

- Vidalia Onions

- Thin Sliced Bacon

- Butter, Salt and Pepper

Preparation:

Trim the tops and bottom off of the onions. Peel, wash and cut a small well into the center of each onion. Wrap each onion with one to two strips of thin sliced bacon and secure with a toothpick. Add one tablespoon of better to each well. Salt and pepper, and then wrap each onion in aluminum foil, leaving a small vent at the top for steam to escape. Add to a grill or bake in a 350 degree oven for around 55 minutes. Allow to cool a few minutes before serving.

14 April 2013

It has been a beautiful weekend. Saturday was picture perfect, except for the pollen count, but today's rain is clearing the air a bit. I struggled with the record breaking pollen count of over 8,000 all week, but yesterday was too beautiful to stay inside. We spent most of the afternoon in Atlanta's Westside district. After a delicious lunch on the patio at JCT. Kitchen, we walked over to White Provisions for a little retail therapy at Room & Board and Billy Reid. Before heading back to Canton, we did a usual stop at Star Provisions. This wonderful little shop is just out front of Bacchanalia, and it is operated by their chef and owner, Annie Quatrano. Annie has amazing taste in the hand curated kitchen and housewares, but the store also carries some amazing food products. In addition to an outstanding variety of heirloom cheese, meats and other imported culinary items, they also feature some local organic produce from Annie's farm and other Georgia growers. Yesterday, I was delighted to find some amazing jumbo asparagus, colorful Swiss Chard, and Baby Radishes. All of these items made their way into tonight's Sunday Supper.

After leaving Star Provisions, we made a final stop at Harry's Farmers Market in Marietta. I have been craving fresh Halibut since I had it for the first time this season at Goin' Coastal. I love it prepared with their soy miso broth, so I did my version of the same dish tonight. While it was a little different than Zach Kell's version, I have to say I did it justice! I served my halibut over stir fried chard, brussel sprouts and radish greens. With a little edamame for color and texture, it was tasty and healthy. At Harry's, I also found some sweet and perfectly ripened strawberries from Mathews Farm in Georgia, so I prepared a strawberry short biscuit for dessert in honor of Loretta Lynn's 81st birthday! It is just like strawberry shortcake, but I used a sweet buttermilk biscuit instead of cake. It was a delectable ending to a great Sunday Supper, and it seemed like something Loretta would have concocted in her Crisco kitchen.

After a nice dinner, we were excited to watch the premiere of Anthony Bourdain's new show on CNN, "Parts Unknown." I really enjoy his travel journalism, and he will be showcasing some amazing destinations as part of CNN, including his first location of Myannmar. The show will be on Sundays at 9 PM, so check it out. Tomorrow, I travel to Michigan to present a very detailed brand strategy for a new client. My team has been working very hard on this presentation, and I am excited to present their work to our client. Thanks to Matt DeFrain, Elizabeth Seidle and Kurt Seidel for all of the great work they do for Grant Design Collaborative.

In addition to being very busy at work, we have a lot of repairs going on at One Britt. Our new roof was installed a couple of weeks ago, and now the house is getting a much needed coat of paint. Hopefully, it will all be completed in time for some amazing Spring and Summer Sunday Suppers on the Side Porch! Until then, I wish everyone a productive and tasteful week ahead. Eat well, and count your blessings.

The Menu:

- Fresh Alaska Halibut in Ginger Soy Miso Broth

- Stir Fried Local Organic Swiss Chard and Radish Greens

- Roasted Baby Radishes

- Jumbo Asparagus with Brown Buttered Breadcrumbs

- Georgia Strawberry Short Biscuits


The Recipe – Jumbo Asparagus in Brown Buttered Breadcrumbs

Ingredients:

- 1 pound jumbo asparagus, peeled and trimmed
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup homemade breadcrumbs
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh flat-leaf parsley

Instructions:

Fill a saucepan or deep frying pan large enough to hold all the asparagus with generously salted water and bring to a boil over high heat. Meanwhile, fill a bowl large enough to hold all the asparagus about three fourths full with ice cubes and water. Add the asparagus to the boiling water and cook the stems until tender but still slightly crisp, 3 to 4 minutes, testing by removing a spear with tongs, cutting off a small piece from the stem end, and carefully tasting it. With tongs or a large skimmer, remove the asparagus from the boiling water and immediately immerse the stems in the bowl of ice water. Leave them there for several minutes, until completely chilled. Drain the asparagus well. In a sauté pan large enough to hold the asparagus, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter over medium heat. Add the asparagus and sauté, turning it with tongs, until it has heated through, about 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer the asparagus to heated serving plates. Add the remaining butter to the pan and cook over medium-high heat until it begins to turn golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the breadcrumbs and continue cooking until the mixture begins to turn a deep golden brown. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and spoon the buttery breadcrumbs over the asparagus. Garnish with parsley and serve immediately.

31 March 2013 – Easter Sunday

I hope everyone had a happy Easter weekend! Our weekend was busy but fun. On Friday night, we met our friends TJ Cochran, Matt Blinn, Cory Wilson and John Clark for Mexican food at Viva Mexico. We also ran into our friend and neighbor, Pat Gold, and her son, Michael. After dinner, we went over to TJ and Matt's house for cocktails and egg dyeing. We had a great time, and I enjoyed foraging their yard to find the ingredients to produce a natural, grass dyed egg.

Saturday was filled with projects at One Britt. Jeff and a few helpers spread a truck load of mulch in the backyard beds. It looks great, but we are going to have to get another load delivered for the front yard. I spent the day doing several loads of laundry and changing the bed linens. In the afternoon, I ventured over to Cherokee Market for some fresh produce and local pork. Unfortunately, they had sold out of pork chops, but I found some great cabbage, baby spring Vidalia onions, potatoes and brussel sprouts. If you have not been to this great little farm stand, you should give it a try. If you go on Thursday through Sunday, treat yourself to some awesome local BBQ at the food truck outside. Grab an A&W root beer or Nehi soda along with some chips inside to go with your pulled pork sandwich.

On Saturday night, we enjoyed a delightful gathering at Harry and Rebecca Johnston's home to celebrate the Spring visit of their daughter, Ann Johnston Cloud. As usual, the hospitality, food and conversation were all first class. We had a great time chatting with many friends and getting to know Ann. Afterward, we attended our second party of the evening to celebrate Jennifer Dunn's birthday. A lot of our other friends were there, and we all played a hilarious game, Cards Against Humanity. It was a lot of fun!

I got up early on Easter morning to bake a carrot cake to take the gathering at the Brown Family Farm in Jasper. Although it was a bit rainy, the fun, food and fellowship were heartwarming. We hid eggs for the kids between showers, and after lunch, there was just enough time between the rain for the kids to hunt the eggs. They were not phased by the damp grass and mud, and everyone had a good time.

We arrived back to One Britt late in the afternoon, and I began to prepare tonight's Sunday Supper. I decided that a rainy Easter Sunday was perfect for a little soul food, so I prepared some smothered pork chops, mashed potatoes, stewed cabbage, baby spring Vidalia onions and cream biscuits for dinner. For dessert, I made an upside down skillet peach cake. The main course was delicious and satisfying, and the weather cleared long enough to allow us to enjoy supper on the Side Porch. Cory and John brought a nice Old Vine Zinfandel and an exquisite Cabernet from Argentina. The pork chops, cabbage and peach cake recipes came from the new Lee Brothers Charleston Kitchen cookbook. As usual, their recipes and stories are divine.

After we rested for a while after the main course, I went inside to prep the upside down skillet peach cake. Jeff had turned it out onto a cake stand prior to dinner, but I decided the top needed to brown a bit more. I must have been channeling my mother, so I decided to place it, cake stand and all, into the oven under the broiler while I made the whipped cream topping. I checked on it a couple of times, and the progress was satisfactory. As I was adding the finishing touch to the whipped cream, a little syrup from some canned organic peaches, I heard a heart-wrenching noise from the oven. You guessed it, the glass cake stand had shattered in the hot oven, and the cake and pieces of glass were everywhere. Deflated and embarrassed, I scanned the kitchen for a Plan B. I returned to the Side Porch with some Cadbury Eggs and Lindt Chocolate Carrots from Jeff's Easter Basket. My dinner companions were gracious, as always, and even consoled me with compliments on how well the chocolates went with the Argentinian Cabernet. At least I got some good photos of the cake before the disaster ensued, but after all, isn't that what Easter is all about: disaster and recovery? None of us are perfect, but I am blessed with dear friends and family that laugh at my mistakes and love me anyway.

My shattered glass is always half full, and I wish all of you a healthy and hopeful Spring awakening!


The Menu:

- Smothered Pork Chops

- Sour Cream Mashed Potatoes

- Stewed Cabbage with Locally Smoked Pork Necks

- Roasted Baby Spring Vidalia Onions

- Simple Cream Biscuits

- Upside Down Skillet Peach Cake with a Substitute
of Easter Basket Chocolate


The Recipe – Roasted Baby Spring Vidalia Onions

Ingredients:


- 15 baby Vidalia onions or other large-bulb spring onion, ends trimmed and halved lengthwise
- 1 teaspoon(s) fresh thyme leaves
- Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1 tablespoon(s) unsalted butter

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place onions in a baking pan. Sprinkle with thyme and season with salt and pepper. Add butter in slivers, especially around bulbs. Roast onions until tender, browned, and caramelized, about 35 minutes. Transfer to a warmed platter, and drizzle with pan juices.

24 March 2013 – Winter Into Spring

Spring officially began this week, but the weather continues to be somewhat tedious. It has been rainy and gray all weekend, but at least One Britt has a new roof. After discovering some hail damage, Keith Pritchett Roofing made good with some beautifully installed architectural shingles.

It has been a busy and productive week. I spent Wednesday and Thursday in Chicago reviewing two client showroom projects for NeoCon 2013. This will be my 29th NeoCon, and walking into the Merchandise Mart always brings a mixture of comfort and anxiety. I'm sure the Grant Design Collaborative team will deliver the goods, as always. I returned home in time to attend the Cherokee County Historical Society's Historic Preservation Banquet on Friday night. Some amazing homes and businesses were honored for their efforts to restore and preserve our historic assets. As the newly inducted president of the organization, Jeff Brown did a great job at handing out awards to the worthy recipients. After the event, we enjoyed a much-needed fireside night cap with some great friends and neighbors.

Saturday included a great brunch at Keithsburg Cafe and an awesome dinner in Roswell at Rasa Sayaang. This authentic restaurant specializes in Chinese and Malaysian cuisine, and the food is addictive. After an amazing dinner, we returned home for a nightcap and a movie. We finally took the time to watch Life of Pi. It is an inspiring film, and Ang Lee never disappoints. Open your heart and soul, and watch this movie.

Sunday festivities began with my ritualistic viewing of CBS Sunday Morning. In the midst, I explored recipes for Chicken and Dumplings. After a few minutes on Google, I realized the day was not getting any younger. I procured the necessary ingredients from Publix, and began to perfect the Southern art of Chicken and Dumplings. The preparation was complex, and it included the inspiration of such accomplished Southern cooks as Edna Lewis, Nathalie Dupree and my mother, Franny Betty. I combined and reduced all that I know into a concoction of stewy love and little pillows of divinity. To top it off, I explored and reproduced the cheddar cheese drop biscuits by Art Smith that we devoured two weeks ago at Southern Art and Bourbon Bar in Atlanta. Oh, My, God. Shut your mouth delicious! I am proud to be a Southern cook, so measure me by my dumplings and biscuits. Tonight, they measured up for a magical gathering of friends: Carmen Tanner Slaughter, Sandy McGrew, Gary Mullet, Cory Wilson, John Clark and, of course, Jeff Brown. Palm Sunday provided many blessings.

Now we move from Winter into Spring, and I wish you all a delicious renewal. I'm ready.

The Menu:

- Cream Cheese Wrapped in Apple Smoked Bacon

- Southern Chicken and Black Pepper Dumplings

- Strawberry Shortcake Martini

The Recipe – Art Smith's Cheddar Cheese Drop Biscuits:

Ingredients:

2 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
10 tablespoons (1 stick plus 2 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter, divided
1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese, divided
1 cup low-fat buttermilk, more if needed

Instruction:

Preheat oven to 425°F. Place 10-inch cast iron skillet in the oven to heat.

Whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a mixing bowl. Cut in 4 tablespoons butter using a pastry blender or two butter knives, until it reaches a crumbly consistency. Stir in half of the cheese. Make a well in the middle of the ingredients and pour in the buttermilk. Stir until just moistened, adding an extra tablespoon of milk if needed.

Using a pot holder, remove the hot skillet from the oven and place two tablespoons of butter in it. Swirl to melt the butter. When the butter has melted, use a 1/4-cup measure to drop batter into the pan. It's fine for the biscuits touch. Melt remaining butter and brush tops of biscuits with melted butter if desired. Bake 14 to 16 minutes until lightly browned.

03 March 2013

All in all, last week was physically and emotionally cruddy. I literally had the "crud" all week with a terrible cough. I finally surrendered and went to Medical Associates of North Georgia on Thursday, and I was diagnosed with a bronchial infection. Apparently, there is a lot of this going around. After losing my voice completely on Friday, I am finally beginning to feel a bit better. On the emotional side, I have visited Darby Funeral Home twice this week. The first time was for my friends Carrie Budd and Mike McGowan who lost their son, Adam Budd way too early. The second time was a visitation for my friend Jeannie Lathem Adams who lost her long battle with cancer. Jeannie was a remarkable and inspiring lady, and she was a huge advocate for Canton and, especially, our historic neighborhood. I rallied long enough to make her visitation on Thursday, but my persistent cough kept me from attending her service on Saturday. I heard it was lovely, and she will be greatly missed by her family, friends and community.

On the positive side of things, the Canton Main Street program hosted the initial First Friday of the year in downtown Canton. We made a valiant effort, but it was simply too cold to attract a large crowd. I want to give a special thanks to Canton's Chief Floyd for bringing the volunteers some hand warmers from the fire station! We hung in for a while but retreated to The Painted Pig Tavern for libations. The Canton Theatre was filled with a young crowd for a Call of Duty tournament that was sponsored by Audio Intersection, and it was great to see the next generation enjoying the new projection equipment. The restaurants did very well, and we hope the weather will cooperate for the next First Friday in April. Today, I joined my fellow downtown Canton businessman and friend, Bobby Greene of Greene's Blueprinting, as a judge for the Dizzy Dean Little League parade floats. Bobby is a great guy, and he does a lot of great work for Main Street, the Cherokee Arts Center and many other worthy organizations in the community. It was very cold for everyone, especially the parade participants, but we all had fun. Good luck to all of the Dizzy Dean teams!

After a cold and challenging week, I really needed some good comfort food for tonight's Sunday Supper! At our last visit to Mountain Valley Farm in Ellijay, I bought some beautiful grass fed stew beef, and it has been waiting in the freezer for the right occasion. So I made a big pot of beef stew for dinner. I added a local beer, Sweetwater Georgia Brown, to the stock, along with the beef and organic vegetables. I also added some organic kale to the stew, and it was healthy, delicious and filling. To go along with the stew, I baked some fresh focaccia bread with rosemary from the herb garden. It was well worth the effort and helped to "sop up" the earthy stew base. The "beef stew for the soul" really hit the spot, and I am hoping for a healthier and happier week ahead for everyone.

As for tonight, I dedicate this Sunday Supper to the loving memory of Jeannie Adams. Rest in peace my friend.



The Menu:

- Georgia Grass Fed Hearty Beef Stew with Organic Vegetables and Kale

- Rosemary Focaccia

- Angel Food Cake with Florida Strawberries


The Recipe – Hearty Beef Stew

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons Olive Oil
1 tablespoon Butter
2 pounds Stew Meat (Preferably Grass Fed)
1 whole Medium Onion, Diced
3 cloves Garlic, Minced
1 bottle Beer - your choice
4 cups Beef Stock
1-2 cups Additional Water (as needed)
1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
2 tablespoons Tomato Paste
1/2 teaspoon Paprika
1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt
Freshly Ground Black Pepper
1-1/2 teaspoon Sugar
1-2 splashes of Hot Sauce (optional)
4 whole Carrots, Washed, Unpeeled, And Roughly Sliced
4 whole New Potatoes, Quartered
2 stalks Celery - rough chop
Small bunch of Kale - rough chop (optional)
Minced Parsley (optional)

Preparation:

Heat oil and butter in a large pot over medium-high heat. Brown meat in two batches, setting aside on a plate when brown. Cut pieces in half. Set aside.
Add diced onions to the pot. Stir and cook for two or three minutes until softened, then add garlic for another minute. Pour in beer and beef stock, then add Worcestershire, tomato paste, paprika, salt, pepper, hot sauce and sugar. Add beef back into the pot. Stir to combine. Cover and simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. The liquid should cook down to a thicker state. If it gets too thick/reduces too much, add additional water as needed.

Add carrots, celery, potatoes and kale, then cover and cook for an additional 30 minutes. (If stew gets dry, just add a cup of hot water at a time to replenish the liquid.) Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.

Serve in bowls next to crusty French bread, focaccia or cornbread. Sprinkle with minced parsley, if desired.