Today

It’s Monday and I missed yesterday. Don’t matter.

If your a peaceful soul, peace will come.

Joseph Arthur, http://www.josepharthur.com/video/ja-slideaway.html

Get passed the Letterman intro and listen

A Southern Christmas

Was the Friday before Christmas and all through the South, a whole lot of folks were running their mouth.

The stock car races were done and not a soul could care, not even the guy with a mullet for hair

The hounds were asleep up under the bed with dreams of big bones in their tiny little heads

Big mama was pissed and Daddy was drunk and he fell asleep in the back of his truck

When out by the outhouse came a big stink, made Daddy stand and try real hard to think

Away from this scene he had to dash, he thought Big Mama was kickin his ass

Daddy ran and he ran and then fell in the snow, how long he laid there he didn’t know

When he did stand up he said “where did ya go?” he thought he was huntin a buck and a doe

But what he did see were some tiny deer and a little fat guy looking kinda queer

He was quite confused and he lay back down and for hours didn’t hear another sound

He dreamed and he snored and though of Exgirlfriends, he could not remember, were there eight or ten?

He thought of their names and made a list, there was Nancy and Patty and Betsy and ….

It took him a minute but he came up with others, there was Lisa and Sally and somebodies mother

He was dreaming of them and it made him real happy then his dreams turned dark and he thought of his pappy

Poor pappy was laid up in the county jail, just a waitin for someone to go his bail

Daddy didn’t have a nickel or dime to his name so poor pappy just lay there going insane

I forgot when I started that this poem was so long, I thought I would rewrite it, boy was I wrong

I guess what I really wanted to say, hope you all have a good Christmas Day!

‘Tis the Southern Season

Like I said a few post back I love the Holidays. There is nothing better than having all your work done, all your shopping done, all your driving done and being able to spend about three or four days, doing nothing but sit around with family and friends that drop by.

I remember Christmas as a little kid, that would have been in the 60’s. I remember my Mom and Dad didn’t have any extra money and I remember never being disappointed.

I remember the year my brother and I got bikes. His was green and mine was blue. I remember when my sisters got a little bitty, blue, stereo. This was my introduction to pop music and whatever my sisters listened to was what I listened to. Today we all have a similar taste in music.

When I was growing up parenting was a lot different then now, we just didn’t get to deep into heavy subjects. I think that was a sign of the times and a southern thing. That’s not to say my folks were not the best parents a kid could have. They may not have said it, but I learned it from their actions.

Like I said, there was no extra money and my Moms best friend was her banker. I can still remember his name, Ronnie Harrison, God bless his soul. That made no difference. We, my brother and sisters, learned what was important. Each other. And we learned through watching our parents how to handle our problems. Face them, fix them and move on. Nothing ever was a problem for long around our house and I think that attitude has served me well.

So I can’t wait to get to Mobile and see everyone, it will be the first time in a while we have all been home for Christmas at the same time. I can’t wait to wake up Christmas morning and do it the way it is always done. No matter who is at Roper Street that year, someone will be elected, or told by Mom to pass out the gifts, once we got them all out we take turns opening them, one at a time.

But for me the best part is after the gifts are all open and it sinks in, there is nothing I have got to do for the rest of the day but sit and visit. This feeling really hits when I smell the sausage cooking for Christmas breakfast. Just like it has been for as long as I can remember.

Southern Smarts

Two business men in NY are sitting down for a break in their soon- to-be new store. As yet, the store isn’t ready — only a few shelves are set up.

One says to the other, ‘I bet any minute now some tourist is going to walk by, put his face to the window and ask what we’re selling.’

No sooner are the words out of his mouth when, sure enough, a curious hill-billy from the south walks to the window, has a peek, and in a Southern drawl asks, ‘What’re y’all sellin’ here?’

One of the men replies, ‘Oh! We’re selling assholes here.”

Without skipping a beat, the southerner says, ‘Well, I see y’all’re doing really good, you only got two left!’

NEW YORKERS (Bless their hearts) SHOULD NOT MESS WITH SOUTHERNERS !…

Thanks Danny!

Southern Circle

So here’s a good one. Two guys walk in a bar. Just kiddin, but this is funny.

I gota friend who calls me every now and than with materials I can use to build furniture from. Lumber, old shutters, all kind of stuff.

About four or five months ago he called me and insisted I meet him at a antique market that had just gone out of business. It was near his restaurant and he had worked with the folks that ran the market. They had left some stuff behind and told him he could take what he wanted. So he calls me and tells me there is neat shit I need to get. Well it took a few days and a few phone calls for him to get me to meet him. When I did I wasn’t really excited about most of the materials. Some cool stuff, I just didn’t know what I would do with most of it.

There were 2 vegetable cart made of wood and on casters. There was a rolling, metal ladder. The kind a airplane mechanic might use. There were also two, 3′ tall old cast iron post . Looked like they might have been old diner counter stools, without the seats.

Well I took it all and dumped it outside at my shop and haven’t thought much about it. The iron post are very cool and I have tried to use them in a custom job, but the right job hasn’t come along yet.

So the other day my friend that had hooked me up with this stuff called and wanted a bed made for his wife for Christmas. Oh, sorry, that would be Hanukkah.

Anyway we designed a bed using the iron post and the lumber from the veg carts. He made me give him a huge discount since he “gave” me the materials.

I wonder if he had this planned all along. I will post a photo when finished.

Southern Culture

I love the holidays. I love music and I love the great friends I am so lucky to have. That being said I had a lovely day Saturday.

Stacey and I joined some friends for lunch and a concert by the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. The Orchestra was joined by the ASO Gospel Chorus. It was a wonderful show. The chorus was made up of singers from local choirs. It was obvious that a lot of work had gone into this concert and that the chorus loved what they were doing. That love for their art and the skill of the ASO, together, resulted in beautiful music. I am very happy we were invited to join our friends, it was a great day. I plan on doing it again next year.

Events that bring us altogether are what life is all about for me. It’s not the event, it’s the friends gathered. It’s not always a happy event, sometime we come together to mourn. A friend we have lost or someone who is suffering, is a time when we all need our friends around. Most are happy times and like I said it doesn’t matter why, lets just get together.

Southern Sundays

I love it when Sunday morning last til about 8:30 or 9 p.m. I like to start those days with a large plate of grits and eggs, bacon, toast, jelly and juice. Read the New York Times and maybe something else. Watch t.v. or a movie and end the day with a large plate of eggs Benedict. I haven’t had a day like that in a while. I am due. Been working way to many hours.

I finished the tailgate cocktail table. I built the undercarriage and painted it black. I distressed that and put a protective clear coat on next. I sanded and cleaned the part of the tailgate to be the surface. I painted the word FORD on it and distressed that once it dried. I then clear coated the top a few times. Here’s a photo. Remember you can click on photo and enlarge it. Then you will see the licences plate is Alabama and from 1959.

I am also working on a large order for a bakery/deli. I am building a bread unit, about 23′ of counter top made from antique pine and 17 table tops 24 ” square. These are for the lunch and coffee area and will also be made from antique pine. Finished with paste wax. The counter top will have to be finished with something more durable. This is a fun job. Big stuff, the bread unit is about 10′ wide and 8′ tall. A metalsmith will finish the unit out with steel. I will take photos.

JK

I’m not sure where I ran across a copy of Talk Stories, I think it was in the airport. I am sure that I noticed the authors name as someone who had written for the New Yorker Magazine. By the the time I was getting the New Yorker in the mail Jamaica Kincaid wrote full length pieces and not very often. But I remembered her name. She had written a piece about gardening. I think it was about a seed catalog that she used.

Anyway I found this book and found a beautiful voice. Talk Stories is a book of 77 short pieces that Jamaica Kincaid wrote for the New Yorker column, “Talk Of The Town”. She wrote the column from 1974 til ‘83. I love the way she wrote these columns. It was almost as if you were reading a list, a list written by a very good writer. At the time she began writing Talk of the Town, I think she was just starting to write. So this is how she cut her teeth, learned her chops if you will.

I had been reading the New Yorker and the Talk column for years before I found her book. Looking back, not one other Talk writer was able to do what she did for that column. She made the most mundane events, political rallies and such, sound like a fun day in the city. She always wrote in the “we” voice, I don’t know why, maybe she was told to.

I quit taking the New Yorker about a year after the war. I am so tired of hearing about how we botched that effort to hell and back. I guess that is the same reason I don’t listen to NPR’s show Fresh Air as much as I used to. Both of these vehicles were once a great source for information into the arts, science and current events. Not so much these days. I look at it as another casualty of the war.

Anyway if you get the chance check out this book Talk Stories. It’s good stuff.

Southern Condiments

There is a South everywhere. And usually those Souths have flavors distinct to it’s culture. I remember chutney since I was a little kid. We didn’t eat it at our house, but I always saw it at the store and I think my grandfather ate it. As I got older, I remember seeing it at farmers markets, flea markets and anywhere handmade country crafts were sold. Chutney is probably something that has been prepared in southern kitchens forever. There is probably a type of chutney connected to the south. I don’t know much about it, I just remember seeing it around.

Chutney is originally from South Asia. It has made it’s way around the world bearing many different names. It’s called relish some places and it’s called salsa others. It is usually made to be eaten fresh using local ingredients. A chutney made in our South would have been prepared to be stored. Usually, fruit, sugar and vinegar are cooked down to a reduction.

I guess what I am trying to say is people are all the same. Everywhere. They just make their chutney a little different than you and me.

This is how Stacey does it. She uses Kumquat (usually JoAnn’s) . It is great with everything. Cheese, grilled meats, toasted breakfast breads. Hell, it probably tastes good on ice cream. Stacey took this photo of her latest batch of Kumquat and Jalapeno Chutney. Her recipe follows. I also found an article on Chutneys in the December Gourmet. On page 156 there is a recipe for a Kumquat Chutney made with ginger. We have been using ginger around this house a lot lately.

Yield - 2cups Long Shelf Life

1 1/4 pound Kumquats sliced 1/8″ thin (do not peel) (can take seeds out - I don’t)

1 Jalapeno - julienne

1/2 cup Rice Wine Vinegar

1/2 cup Sugar

Salt

Combine Vinegar and Sugar in a non-aluminum pan and bring to boil.

Bring to boil until all the vinegar has evaporated. Once the sugar begins to take on the slightest hint of brown, add the kumquats and jalapeno. Toss until kumquats begin to turn limp (about 3 to 5 minutes).

Season with salt (to taste. Allow to cool. Store in air tight container.

Happy Birthday,from the Southside

Last night we had a Birthday party for my oldest sister. My other oldest sister told me she was the oldest now that she turned 49. I really didn’t know she was 49 and I didn’t know one could be older then a person at some point of their life and then have the younger person somehow become older then the person who was once oldest. But Pam said so, so I believe it. The person that was once my oldest sister would not lie to me, would she?

Anyway the important part was the party and all the good stuff we had. We all started with cocktails of course. Ginger and Mary Ann’s. For these drinks you take 2 jiggers of bourbon, 1 jigger of fresh ginger juice, poured over ice in tall glass. Add Limeade til glass is almost full and top off with a little sparkling water, mix well, drink many.

We also enjoyed a very large party tray of assorted meats and cheeses, with a loaf of fresh baked ciabatta bread. We had Italian meats such as, Capicola, Prosciutto, Sopressata and Salami. The cheeses we had were, Gorganzola Dolce, Pecrino, Taleggio and a blue cheese from the Basque region.

We sipped Processo and white wine and had a really good time celebrating Kim’s birthday. To bad she wasn’t there. Wish she could have been there so we could have told her “We love you and Happy Birthday”. Maybe next year.

About last night…..

Last night we ate at the Feed Store again. It was as good as the first time and we got a chance to speak with the head chef. The guy is passionate about what he does. He ask what we ate and as we told him he gave us a little background on each dish.

We had Crab Cakes with Shrimp and Andouille sausage, with a sweet potato Aioli. We have had eight dishes so far at Feed Store and this is the only one Stacey says was just O.K. It was good, and reminded me of a dim sum dish. It is also the only dish not prepared in-house.

We also had a Duck confit with Pomegranate BBQ Sauce, cracklin chip, which I missed, and cornbread and slaw. Another great dish, it was like pulled duck in a really good BBQ Sauce.

The fried Calamari with homemade Pepper Vinegar and crystallized Ginger was real good. There was no dipping sauce and none was needed, it was already drizzled on the Calamari, as in “Pepper Vinegar”. There was a nice pile of Crystallized Ginger which went great with a bite of the Calamari.

We tried the Panzanella, it’s like the classic day old bread salad with a homemade vinaigrette. At the Feed Store they take a small cornbread muffin and deep fry it. That’s right, deep fry it. In the mean time, and this is what the chef said, he’s got a pot of Ham Hocks that have been cooked down. Once that’s done he pulls the meat off and mixes it with his vinaigrette. It was like a fine french wine with hints of dirt and dung. So he takes this Ham Hock Vinaigrette and tosses it with lovely mixed greens. Nice and fresh. With tomatoes. This salad is especially good. I bet one could do something like it at home.

The waitress talked us Stacey into a IceBox Apple Crumb delicious as shit desert. It, like the rest of the meal was really, really good.

Tree Man, Only in the South.

Check this guy out. He was at Serenbe Sunday. Word is he is part of a large, annual festival, the Renaissance Festival. I guess he some how fits in with jousters and people speaking like Shakespeare. He was very cool and spooky, the way he moved. You could see his eyes and he would stop and just stare at you for a second. There were a lot of people around and everyone got real quite. My friend commented on how everyone kinda whispered. Some of the kids were really scared and some loved him. There were lots of photos taken.

I think you to can hire him for you kids birthday party. This is his web site http://toddkeyjuggles.com/walkingtree.html Check out the video of the Treeman in action.

Southern Changes

The other day I tried being a king for a while.

Then I tried being a queen for a while. I wore sun glasses so no one would recognize me.

I was doing a good job at being a queen when I almost put my foot in my mouth. I knew I had to be careful or I would really get into some trouble.

Well it wasn’t long before I was tired of being a women so I became a dog. Now that was fun, I chased a squirrel and bit it. Then I went out of town and left myself with the dog sitter. She rocks, and is very sexy.

Well all good things come to an end and I just decided to be Tracy, again.

So So Stupid

I had been fighting with my computer for about two days. It had gotten hold of something and was acting up. I called my geek and e-mailed my other geek for help. Both had the same advice, run hardcore anti-everything security checks and clean it out. Well I have been “cleansing” for about three days now and there are still problems. But the really bad part is for the first two days I didn’t know I could run Foxfire without any problem. My regular Internet connection was so slow it was as if time had stopped, again damn-it. Hence erratic post last week. Yea I could have posted all week and didn’t realize it.

But, I gotta tell you I got a lot of work done. Cleaned and organized my shop, which is a never ending task. I also painted three new paintings for the Serenbe Artist Bizzare, which was yesterday. I also made a tray from a tree that is falling apart in my neighbors yard. Check out these photos, the first is the part of the tree that has fallen, it’s shaped as if it were a large piece of bark from a tree but it is actually part of the tree itself. The second photo is the finished product. I sold three of these yesterday. If you click on photo that will enlarge it.

Dia Beacon, New York

On our last trip to New York, just a couple of weeks ago, we made a day trip to a museum that is about 80 mile north of the city. The place is called Dia Beacon and it is the Dia Foundations Beacon N.Y. location. They have a location in the city and this location we visited houses their large format and site specific pieces.

So we got up Sunday morning and I must say, I was a bit hung over. The first thing I did, while Lisa and Stacey got ready, was go out and get a slice of pizza. Joe’s Famous, known for it’s hangover curing powers. That slice and a bacon, egg and cheese croissant did the trick.

Then it was off to Grand Central Station to catch a train up the Hudson River to the Dia Beacon. This was quite a train ride. The Hudson is a mighty river and the train ran right beside it for most of the trip. That would be one hell of a commute everyday, it was beautiful. It was a good time of the year to see the colors of the trees as they changed for the season. The river itself is something to see, at one point we saw an old castle that had been built in the middle of the river. It was nothing but a shell, but you could tell exactly what it once was and it was very cool looking, just sitting out in the middle of all that water.

Click on this link to the Dia to learn more and to see the art on display. We were not all that happy with what was on display, but that didn’t ruin the trip for us. There was some art we enjoyed and the building it was all in was great. It had been a box spring factory and around 2002 Dia moved in. It is a huge space with tons of natural light. Acres and acres of old hardwood floors that show the wear and tear of the years as a production plant.

I think the train ride there and back, as it was getting dark were really the highlights of this trip. To bad we don’t have more train service in America, I would love to be able to hop on a train down to Mobile or over to Birmingham. I guess the demand just isn’t there. Instead we all just hop in our car. So sad.

Southern Lit

I remember my Mom taking us to Fairhope when we were kids. My cousin used to take her kids, our god children, but Dauphin Island is a lot closer to them now.

My Mom would load us into whichever car someone in the family had given us and she would take us “over the bay”. We would swim from the “beach” at the foot of the very large “Cement Pier”. I remember lots of time spent at the “Cement Pier”

Then when I was in High School I remember taking dates to eat at a restaurant on the pier. So I have a history with Fairhope. Swimming at the pier. Eating at the pier. I remember a guy catching a Sheep-head fish at the end of the pier. My little brother and I watched as this guy reeled in this very angry fish. My wife, what’s her name, went to Fairhope High. So did her twin brother, what’s his name.

I think the last time I was in Fairhope was about 7 or 8 years ago and I was hanging out with a chef friend of mine. We were just loafing, checking out antique stores and stuff. I remember how we thought the guys who ran one of the shops thought we were gay, not that there’s anything wrong with that.

Well now days Fairhope is an artist colony. Lots of writers. Probably lots of other artist as well, but I only know of the writers. Sonny Brewer comes to mind first. Then I think of Frank Hollon, some folks think he’s the funniest writer in the world.

We were there the day after Thanksgiving looking for another meal. We were actually visiting with Staceys’ brother and his family. Man did they feed us. We had pork roast, we had black-eyed peas, we had greens and cornbread and best of all we had gumbo. My sister in law made it and I think it was her first time. She went to her Paw Paw to learn how to cook it the way he did and man did he learn her. To top it off, she added the left over turkey, that along with sausage made for a very good gumbo. It was an excellent second Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving = Southern Food for the Heart and Soul

Down to the deeper south for the holiday and a really good meal. My family has been preparing and eating basically the same meal longer then I’ve been around. My Moms family had a maid named Ida when she was a child and Ida cooked most of the meals. It was no different for Thanksgiving. The main thing I remember was the dressing. It was so good and seasoned with sage. She taught my Mom to cook, including the Thanksgiving feast. My Mom taught anyone that wanted to learn the same recipes. The dressing is simple, like all the dishes for Thanksgiving, but if ya want it to taste like Idas and Moms, you gotta do as they did. Today I bet there are ten or so people in my extended family that can prepare that dish just like Mom learned to.

This year my Dad cooked most of the meal. That’s not unusal, Dad does a lot of cooking these days. The dressing was good and tasted just like I remembered it tasted. The rest of the meal was made up of other family recipes. My grandmothers spinach cassrole, rice and gravey, turkey of course and a new twist on sweet taters. Dad stuffed hollowed out orange rinds with the sweet taters and then topped that with a pecan, burbon, butter sauce and baked it for awhile. Man that was a good dish. It was all good and I ate two plates of everything and then took a plate home for a midnight meal.

We had a good time, it is always fun to get together with the Loud, I mean Hartley family. We ate, drank and sang songs about eating a plate of red beans and rice twice. We all agreed that was a good idea.

This is just the start, we have a extended holiday season this go ’round. After Christmas we have Mardi Gras to look forward to. Mardi Gras comes early this year, Feburary 5th. Most folks don’t like it this early in the year and wish it were later in Feburary, which sometimes it is. I think I’m gonna like it early but we will have to see.

Back in the South

The Brooklyn Bridge is an amazing example of engineering. There are a handful of bridges that lead one in and out of Manhattan, but the Brooklyn Bridge is the only one I have seen up close.

The Brooklyn Bridge was completed and opened May 24, 1883. That day 150,000 people walked over the bridge. Only 1,800 vehicles crossed that day. The toll was 5 cents. The 4 main suspension cables used are 15 3/4″ in diameter and were referred to as wire rope. 3600 miles of wire were used to make the cables. They were designed by John A. Roebling, as was the whole project. When Mr. Roebling died from infections caused by an accident at the site that crushed one of his feet, his son took over and complete the job. The total span of the bridge is 5989 feet. It was the first cable bridge ever built.

These are just a few facts about the Bridge. It’s history is very well documented as it was the largest undertaking, by far, of it’s kind at the time. 20 to 30 people were killed during construction. There were probably lot’s more, but not all were reported or recorded.

The Brooklyn Bridge was built using many different engineering techniques for the first time ever. Saturday was another big day for the Brooklyn Bridge, It was our first time to walk over it, into Brooklyn. It was a great walk and you should do it every chance you get.

Do I sound Southern? she asked…..

Do I look stupid, he ask?

We got to JFK Airport about 7 p.m. Friday night. It wasn’t as cold as I had expected. We got a cab to Lisa’s APT. Lisa was at work and I knew she had worked til 10:30 the last two nights, I didn’t expect to see her til about 11 p.m. or so. We actually took a cab to the bar around the corner from her APT, and got a key from her friend. The Minetta Tavern.

We then let ourself in, dropped the luggage and went straight out for a Falafa sandwich. We got one from Maomons and one from Kings. I couldn’t tell the difference. Five Bloody Marys on the flight and I was just hungry.

But we ate it all and then went back out and got a baba ganoush. It was all so very good. Then we decided to go for a walk. A couple of blocks up Bleeker and we came across the PINKBERRY . It is a high tech, Asian comic book influenced, yogurt parlor. They offered their original flavor or green tea flavor with a plethora of fresh toppings. We both got the original flavor with different toppings. They ask my name at the check out counter and I told them “Tracy”. I decided I wanted to change my name to “Kim”. The young lady said that was fine. And the fellow scooping our yogurt, said “I don’t blame you” pointing to his name tage “look at my name”. It read DANA. The yogurt rocked. And as walked up the street eating it, a group of girls asked us “Hey, where’s the Pinkberry ?” .

Then Lisa came home, we hugged and talked for a moment. We told her we planned to walk across the Brooklyn Bridge the next day, she said she was with us. We then all went to bed.

Stacey and I have our own personal bedroom in the West Village, NYC, as far as we are concerned. Right now Lisa has a 1 bedroom APT and she always gives us the bedroom when we come to see her. We always spend a few nights and go to bars, restaurants, and private parties. We always have very much fun and expect the same for this weekend. A walk across the Brooklyn Bridge and a train trip straight up the Hudson River to the DIA museum in Beacon. It’s about an hour and a half north of NYC.

Leaving the South

Trying to anyway. Get out of town, that is. Going to NYC for a long weekend. Got some fun stuff lined up to do. And of course get to spend time with Lisa, that’s always fun.

The hard part is getting things in order before I go. I was trying to get this bed done but can’t quit get there.

I just finished two paintings, but don’t have time for customer to come check them out. I was working on two swings and got one delivered yesterday, the other will have to wait for next week.

Whats a guy gonna do? I’m gonna get on a plane around 3 p.m. for NYC, and worry about the other stuff next week, that’s what I’m gonna do. Thanks, have a nice day!

Southern Colors

The temperature is perfect. The humidity is gone. Still no rain to speak of. But we do have this going for us. Color. Beautiful fall colors. The trees will just get keep changing and go through an array of reds, golds, greens and yellows, before all the leaves fall, slowly decompose and start all over again. All for your viewing pleasure. I took these photos this a.m. in the front yard, enjoy!

SOSOSOUTHERN.COM Time Zone, always a day behind.

This is the Monday report, as in Colbert, thank you very much . I accept your apology.

We are going to NYC for a few days and want to go to one of the neighborhoods in Brooklyn that has become a mecca for a particular food. I know it goes from hood to hood on ethnicity and the food follows. If you got a favorite neighborhood in Brooklyn let me know.

KCRW, Public Radio on the net. Free feed, live or otherwise, tons of great radio shows. My favorite is “Morning Becomes Eclectic”. It’s free. You only need a speaker for your computer.

M. F. Hartley’s Baked Oysters on the Half Shell. I was talking to my Mom the other day, she said she was taking the Oysters Shells out of the dishwasher. I’m like, what, Oysters Shells out of the dishwasher? Then I remember, my Dads makes this awesome Baked Oyster Dish. He uses a citrus vinegar marinade on the Oysters he has bought already shucked. He puts them in shells he has used for years. He tops them with bread crumbs and Pamagino Cheese and bakes them, they are very good. So that’s why my Mom was removing the cleaned shells from the dishwasher. He had made 40 of them and 8 people ate every one of them. I bet they had a few Vodka Martinis to go with the Oysters.

Bury me in my compost heap. I don’t know where this came from, but what do you think?

Dreams: Lizard on pier at the bay. Jumps on me, dosen’t hurt. I push it in the bay and it swims away. I’m dreaming and thinking I don’t wanna go back in that bay. Iguanas?

Another Dream: Some asshole stole my fence. I dreamed I was at our cottage in Mobile and I walked out the front door and down a road that was my front walk with lots of trees and I looked back and someone had stolen my white Pickett fence.

Feedin the masses is kickin our asses, just givem a parade and some cocktails!

Champagne and Tangerine cocktails. My brilliant wife came up with this. My Sister and her like to have Mimosia’s. Well, Stacey went to the fresh juice shop and got a quart of fresh squeezed Tangerine juice to mix with, instead of O.J.

The Feed Store, Southern Food at it’s Finest

We have been eating at this restaurant for a few years now, since it first opened. It’s been about 5 years and they have been through a lot of changes. First thing we liked about it was the bar. The whole place has been renovated perfectly. Modern touches where they work and old brick and plaster walls tell just how old the building is. They haven’t changed the decor and don’t need to. They have changed the menu and the staff fairly often. The last chef was there about two years and was decent. Some of the early chefs were good as well, like I said we have kept eating here for years. It is usually good, it is close to our house and never crowded. Well, that’s how it usually is. The other night it was slammed, so we left and went back this Friday night. No problem getting a table even if it was a weekend night.

We were there because last Sunday at the Les Dames event down at Serenbe, we came across the booth where the Feed Store was serving. I brought it to Stacey’s attention and we stopped, looked in and said “hi” when the chef said “hi” to us. I ask if he was in fact the chef at the Feed Store, he confirmed he was. I said he must be new as we eat there often and have never seen him around. He let us know he had been there about a year, which means we had eaten his food. We told him we lived in the hood and we ate, on and off for years at the Feed Store. He told me we needed to return soon because he and his intern Cooper were kicking ass.

I started writing this post about the Feed Store a few months ago. It was the last time we had dined there and I thought I would write about it. As I got into it, I decided that it was not that special and shelved it for awhile. After last Friday nights visit, it was time to take it off the shelf, they did kick ass.

When we went Friday night we agreed that if they were slammed, like last time, we would go elsewhere. They were not slammed so in we went. I am very glad we did. We had been checking out the menu we had picked up at the Les Dames event and knew what we wanted before we got there. So Stacey picked out a bottle of wine and I went to the bathroom. The bathroom is great. I know that sounds strange, but I know some folks who pay lots of attention to the condition of the restrooms at restaurants. These were in good shape, like always they were clean, very clean. The flush on the toilet and sink you wash your hands at is hands free. I love that. Means I won’t infect anyone with the strange virus I carry.

Got back to table after playing with the hands free stuff for a while and Stacey had ordered. I was having Country Fried Beef Short Ribs, with Buttermilk Mashed Taters, Mushroom Gravy and Heirloom Beans. Stacey was having Red Brick Ale Braised Pork, Brown Butter squash, Black-eyed peas and Seasonal Poached Pear. We were gonna start with Buttermilk Fried Organic Chicken Livers. Hell yea, I was as happy as a little girl!

Stacey also ordered a bottle of Rose, it was o.k. the wine list is the only thing a little lacking and that can always be fixed, as a matter of fact I may take things into my own hands, I will let you know how that goes.

Anyway, Buttermilk Fried Chicken Livers, man how long has it been since I had Fried Chicken Livers? I bet the last time I was a kid and my Mom cooked them. These were delicious, they were fried Buffalo style, as in Buffalo Wing sauce, they were served with a tidy little compote of Carrots, Celery and Blue Cheese, there were more than enough for two.

We could have stopped there, but at the time didn’t know how filling the Livers were. I think we were in a food stooper and just wanted more. So we both cleared our plates when they served the entrees. Both were sooooooo good. The pear on Stacey’s was pureed and was perfect with the very tender pork. The chef told us he had actually brewed the beer that the pork was braised in, but that was against the law so he advertised otherwise.

I don’t know if you have ever had a Beef Short Rib Country Fried, I had not, but why you don’t see this offered at any good Southern food restaurant is beyond me. It was so good and the sides were perfect, mashed taters, gravy and sugar snaps.

We are so happy to have these guys cooking in our neighborhood. They have knowingly come into a cool space that has had problems over the years. They know what they are up against and are ready for the challenge. If they keep it up they are gonna do really well. One of the good things, for us right now, is weekdays they are gonna be busy with conventioners and slower on the weekends, that is til the locals find out. My mission is to try the whole menu, one dinner at a time.

That’s What I Like About the South

I ask my neighbor, Mr. Pilot, would he please let me use his leaf blower. I wanted to stay on top of the leaves this year. The trees are pretty, but it all falls, along with acorns, and all that gets hard to blow or rake if ya don’t stay on top of it. Well next thing I know, he’s blowing my yard, and I got a large yard.

Around dark, I was in my shop and heard the dog’s barking and peeked out to find my neighbor from across the street coming in the gate, telling the dogs to leave her alone. She was dropping of a dish of chicken enchiladas with a pumpkin sauce. She had made it for dinner once and we had talked about it a few days ago. Kinda trading recipes and we told her that one sounded good. Low and behold she had cooked some up for us and it is the bomb. I love enchiladas, I love pumpkin, I love food like this.

Neither of these neighbors are from the south. Both come from the north more or less, but it just goes to show ya, not all southerns are from the south. And that’s what I like about the south.

Let’s go down to Alabama
Let’s go see my dear old mama
Fryin’ eggs and cookin’ hammy
That’s what I like about the South

She’s got baked ribs and candied yams
Sugar-cured Virginia hams
Basement full of those berry jams
And that’s what I like about the South

[ fiddle ]
Ham hocks and turnip greens
Hog jolls and butter beans
Mardi Gras down in New Orleans
That’s what I like about the South

Down where the trees grow tall
Where everybody says y’all
Walk on in with that Southern drawl
And that’s what I like about the South

Here comes old Parson with all the news
Boxback coat and button shoes
All paid up with his union dues
That’s what I like about the South

Did I tell you about the place called Doo-wah-diddy
But it ain’t no town and it ain’t no city
It’s awful small but it’s mighty pretty
Doo-wah-diddy

[ piano ]
Well I’m not here to criticise
I’m not here to sympathise
But don’t tell me them no good lies
Cause a lyin’ gal like you can devise

Every time I pass your door
You act like you don’t want me no more
You just raise your head and sigh
Well I’m gonna trackin’ right on by

That’s what I like about the South

Southern Waters Run Deep

We are having a water war here in the southeast. Georgia has it all, Alabama and Florida want some of it. Since Alabama and Florida are down stream, so to speak, if Georgia doesn’t release enough from all the damn dams then Alabama and Florida suffer. Here we go again. I just wish that once I could see someone be proactive and stop this stuff from happening. Don’t we have people we pay to think about problems like this, as in our government agencies. Isn’t this what our tax dollars are supposed to take care of.

Somebody do your damn job for once. We can’t be this stupid over and over again can we? It seems we don’t get anything right when it comes to issues like this. Issues that we have people in place to take care of. Issues we throw dollar after dollar at. Running a country, a state, a city is like running a business. It is running a business for god sakes and our government sucks when it comes to running a business. Time after time they prove to be incompetent. Yea I know vote them out. Right and the next guy is gonna be any better. I don’t think so. If I ran my business like we run this country, I would be out of business.

Halloween, Southern Style

Les Dames of the South

The Les Dames d’Escoffier International held the 7th annual Afternoon in the Country yesterday. It took place south of town at Serenbe. It is the second time I donated art for the silent auction, which gets Stacey and I admission to the event and is well worth it. This is a fun and delicious affair. All the top restaurants are present, they have all set up shop and are feeding the masses. I ate great food and drank some really good wines, until my eyes popped out of my head. I am not kidding, my eyes actually popped out of their sockets. Stacey consumed so much she spontaneously combusted, that’s right she burst into flames. But we still had fun.

Like I said, last year was our first time and we couldn’t wait for this year. We enjoyed food prepared by Pangea, Pura Vida, Krog Bar, Repast, Restaurant Eugene, The Feed Store, Alons Bakery, Bella Cucina, Bold American Food, Canoe, Food Studio, Joel and more. This is less than half of the restaurants that were there. There were also about 5 or 6 wine distributors pouring wine, we had some really good Rose.

This event is also fun because you know so many people involved. Whether they are feeding you, running the event or just there for the food and wine, it seemed we knew just about every other person there. Lots of farmers, and lots of foodies and of course everyone is in a great mood. How can you not be? Serenbe is the perfect place for this event. It is about a 30 minute drive south of town and the trees are changing colors and it is truly in the country. The Chattahoochee Hill Country to be precise.

They also have a cake raffle and the cakes are incredible. There were about 30 different cakes and we won a cake baked by Alon Balshan. He is the owner of Alons Bakery and a friend and a client. Soon I will build a bunch of tables, bread racks, ect for his new location.

Check out the photo of this cake we won. We got home and called all our neighbors to come over for cake. It was huge and we needed help. Stacey took one layer to work this a.m. It was a Apricot and almond cake with a very thick chocolate frosting. Man it was goooood!

NYC

I love this city. No matter what time it is or where you are at in this city, you can open your window and you are gonna hear something. It is most likely gonna be the traffic, probably a bus, either stopping or accelerating, both cause a tremendous sound. You might hear people talking, you may not be able to make out what they are saying , but you can hear them.

We live, when we are in the city that is, directly behind a coffee shop. They import all their coffee from Puerto Rico. All day, everyday I smell some really good coffee being roasted and it stinks. It’s a fact, roasting coffee stinks, but later when they brew it, then it is pure haven.

It’s amazing the sounds of the city. It never stops here and that’s a good thing. I am sure if I woke one afternoon and all was quite, well then I would have to worry. I don’t know what I would do without this city. It is a center for me. I can reason with the insanity I hear and read about everyday when I have this city to bounce it all off of. It’s like this place is so, so large, so loud, so fast, that all pales in comparison. And it ain’t like I am even trying to compare. I been places, I ‘ve seen things and none of it compares.

Last night at the hot-dog stand, Grays Papaya that is, we were just standing there eating our dogs, minding our own business when in comes this tall guy with a camera crew. Well he’s some famous chef and they are doing a little work for his weekly show. But he’s causing a scene and no one can really move or enjoy their dogs. Next thing you know, two guys who are part of the neighborhood street gang start yelling at these guys, telling them to get their camera and crew out of there and let us all just enjoy our dogs. The chef and crew, in true NYC style just ignored them, so the guys from the gang beat their ass and sent them on their way with a bloody nose and a broken camera. This city is on my side!

A friend shared this site with me, check it out. These are flat chalk drawings the appear to be 3D! http://gprime.net/images/sidewalkchalkguy/

Boo

I don’t know why we like to scare each other. I wonder if it’s a southern thing or does everyone, everywhere like a good scare? I wonder if other countries celebrate Halloween by scaring each other? I don’t think so.

In China, Halloween is called Tend Chiech. In Hong Kong it is called Yue Lan, it is know as the festival of the hungry ghost. In Mexico Halloween is known as “El Dia de los Muertos” it is a joyous day, a day to remember those pasted. Hell, France doesn’t even celebrate any holiday like Halloween. Most countries celebrate Halloween as some kind of nod towards the dead. Down here in my south, we get drunk and scare little kids.

It’s been happening for a few years now. It started small, Stacey and I, well just I, got board just handing out candy one Halloween and took it to the next level. I put on this old man mask I had and hid in the bushes. The rest is history.

And tonight we plan on making more history. Stacey has got a few new toys for us to use to scare anyone dumb enough to come to our front door. She bought a fog machine, a ghost that runs up and down a line between two trees and a really scary witch that screams and dances and lights up. I will take a photo and post it tomorrow.

This has gotten to be an event and we don’t even have to invite friends, they just show up for the show. Lots of guys now come dressed up and ready to help. They are rewarded with a beer and a bowl of homemade gumbo, if they do a good job!

So whatever you do tonight- DON’T SHOW UP AT MY HOUSE!

Southern Fried

I love to have a Martini, but I can only have one at the most, cause after two I’m under the table and after three I’m breaking in to my neighbors house!

So, Stacey and I are sitting out on the front porch having a cocktail. It’s about dark and like any good southern I’m on my third martini by then. All the sudden we hear a fuss coming from somewhere close. It’s coming from across the street and it sounded angry. Shit, goddamn, motherfucker, you no good yellow-belly sap sucker! We quickly realized it was our neighbors pet-sitter, and she was having trouble getting in the house. She is also so our pet-sitter and my friend. So, naturally I asked if she was o.k. Well, actually, Stacey asked her if all was o.k.

Anyway, next thing I know, I’m explaining to my neighbors neighbor that it is in fact o.k. if we break into this guys house because she, my friend, is the pet-sitter and she is locked out.

Of course I have called my neighbor, the guy who owned the house I was about to break into. He informed me that the sitter had left a few messages that had transgressed from pleads to threats of murder, if he didn’t answer his “goddamn”. phone, and tell her where the “fucking” keys were. He asked me to please help the sitter get in and that there was only one window to get in. He further explained that his new 50″ plasma TV was hanging on the wall right under this window. Please, oh god please, he begged, don’t jump on my TV.

Like I said, I love to have a martini, but after three, can ya really expect me to be able to climb a ladder, open a window and jump in the window and miss the the TV directly under the window ?

It was my neighbors lucky day!

Last of the Southern Bohemins

O.K. so we went to Mobile Friday night to see a movie. It was a documentary on the life and times of Eugene Walter. Like I said a few post back, the name of this film is The Last of the Bohemians by Robert Clem. It was a pretty good film. I met Mr. Clem afterwards and spoke with him. I ask him how he chose to do a film on Eugene, his reply was that he had written a movie based on a autobiographical novel by Alabama native William March. Both the book and film are called Company K and they are a graphic account of a soldiers experience of World War I. He said during that project he learned of Eugene and decided he wanted him to be his next project.

This was the first showing of the film. I believe Clem will do a little more work on it and then fully release it. I doubt it will play in a theater, but I bet when it is released you can get it on Amazon.com.

Stacey did a little photo shoot of downtown Mobile Friday night during their ARTS!ALIVE evening. Enjoy!

There was an iron pour in the streets.

Finding My Religion, Southern Style

I have always thought, Religion, Buddhist, Tibetan Monk whenever I heard the words Dalai Lama. Those two words actually mean “Ocean of Wisdom”. But I have always thought the Dalai Lama was all about Religion, I never new of his political position in the world. I grew up as a Catholic and was never exposed to other Religions of the world, well there were the Southern Baptist and all I really knew about them was that they were not supposed to dance, drink or gamble.

Sunday, Stacey and I went to hear the Dalai Lama speak, here in Atlanta. It was billed as the “First Emory Summit on Religion, Conflict, and Peace-building”. Yea, that’s what I said, “what”? In a nutshell it brought together five of the most knowledgeable people in the world on different Religions. Jews, Hindus, Catholics, Muslims and Buddhist were each represented by some of the leading thinkers of their faith.

I didn’t know what to expect and someone made the comment that they did not think it would that big of a deal, they were there because someone in their family had invited them. Well I wonder if that person was as impressed with the event as I was.

The panel was made up of Rabbi David Rosen, he was a very good speaker, rather long winded but I liked what he had to say. Dr. An-na’im represented Muslims, of course, His Holiness the Dalai Lama represented Buddhist and Professor Rajmohan Gandhi, the grandson of the Mahatma Gandhi represented Hindus. Sister Joan Chittister spoke for Catholics. This lady was awesome. She is a well known activist for women in the church and in society.

H H Dalai Lama didn’t speak the most, as I thought would be the case. He started the conversation out with some thoughts on our mission in life. Then each of the other speakers was to give comments on this subject form their faiths perspective. What they all agreed on was this, no one faith is the only way to God. They also all agreed wars must not be fought in the name of religion and we must all, always show reasonable compassion to everyone. It’s that simple, now get on with it!

Southern Bohemian

So it’s today and this is where we are. Three days behind and trying to get out of town for the weekend. Friday night in Mobile, a film about Eugene Walter will be screened at an very old temple. I am not sure if it was a Masonic Temple or what and I have never really been in the main part of the building. Stacey and I want to see this film so we are just gonna go to Mobile for about 24 hours. My back is almost 100% better, but I need to get back and get things done. I need to finish two custom paintings, one is a pair of dogs and the other a wedding themed piece. I also have to build a full size bed, two twin bed swings, a coffee table, using an old Ford pickup truck tailgate for the top and a pedestal for a piece of art. All of this by Thanksgiving. No prob!

In Mobile we plan to see a film about Eugene Walter like I said. The film is by Robert Clem, it is named Last of the Bohemians. I have no idea what to expect, but looking forward.

It is also the semi annual event ART! ALIVE. Check out this page and read all about whats happen Friday night in downtown Mobile. I wish I could stay and enjoy it all, but this has to be a quick trip.

Pain in my Southern side.

Sorry, I really want to write something witty and insightful for you guys, but I hurt my back yesterday. I was in the middle of the tough task of picking a piece of paper up off the floor and BAM! I was also in the middle of writting a little something on our visit with the Dalai Lama Sunday. It will have to wait as I have NO pain pills and sitting at computer hurts like hell! Thanks and feel free to feel sorry for me.

PIG I IS

Last night I went out back to turn the shop lights off, it must have been about 1 a.m. Well just as I hit the switch something hit me. I must have been out cold, when I came to I looked like this and Stacey looked like that! It could mean only one thing, we were in France !

More on Eugene Walter

There is so much info out there about Eugene it is staggering. I picked up one of the books I had been looking at while writing about him the other day and quickly remembered what a great read it is. The book is Milking The Moon, A Southerner’s Story of Life on This Planet. It was written by Katherine Clark as told to her by Eugene. How lucky was she, getting to hear all those stories first hand from Eugene. They are great stories and this is a great book. If you don’t have it get it. If you have it read it. If you have read it, reread it.

I am gonna keep writing about Eugene for a while. There is to much to ignore, and it is all such rich material. I ordered the cook book he did for the Time Life series about southern cooking. It is from 1971, I can’t wait to get it and check out Eugene’s work.

This is from the forward of the Milking the Moon book.

The Monkey was his favorite animal. The highest accolade he pressed on the girls around the Cafe Tournon, across from the Hotel Helvetia where he lived, was that they were just a step or two below being “Queen of the Monkeys.” They adored him. He invited them in for candlelit suppers in his tiny one-room apartment, the light reflecting on the gold stars he had pasted on the walls. He knew a lot about Southern culinary delights, gumbos, and so forth, but he was poor, and so for all the intended elegance of these little suppers, he did miracles with no more than an onion, a carrot or so, and some oysters. A remarkable stew would come of this, not much of it for sure; one truly learned that taste was far more important than volume.

These are the words of George Plimpton, referring to his contemporary, and his dear friend Eugene Walter.

Cesar Salad Southern Style

Tonight we had a Seizure Salad, not to be confused with a Cesar Salad. This is the turbo charged version. We found this recipe years ago in a Wine X magazine. The magazine was pretty cool, but it struggled and I’m not sure it’s still around.

This is a really good salad and easy to prepare, it is not for those afraid of bold flavors. I like the way you use the salt and pepper and a bowl with a rough surface to help grind all of the ingredients into a dressing. To make it Southern style, try using the Piggly Wiggly brand Olive Oil !

3 thick slices of slightly stale sourdough or rustic style bread cut into cubes
3 T olive oil
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2) Place bread cubes in a large bowl and add olive oil. Toss until the oil is evenly absorbed.
3) Place croutons on a baking sheet and bake in the oven for 20 minutes, or until golden brown.

Salad
1/4 t salt
1 t coarsely ground black pepper
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 t anchovy paste
2 t Dijon mustard
1 egg yolk
1 1/2 T freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 t Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup olive oil
1 1/2 t red wine vinegar
1 LARGE head romaine lettuce, thoroughly dried
Croutons (see recipe)
1/2 cup grated Italian Parmegiano-Reggiano
1) Add salt and pepper to the salad bowl. Grind garlic (with back of spoon) against the wall of the bowl until it becomes a paste.

Follow same procedure - add anchovies, grind, add the Dijon, egg yolk, lemon juice and Worcestershire sauce one at a time.

Make sure that each ingredient is blended into a paste with the previous ingredients before adding next.
2) Add oil and vinegar. Blend well.
3) Tear or slice lettuce leaves into bite-sized pieces and add to the salad bowl. Toss thoroughly with dressing.
4) Add croutons and cheese, toss again, then serve immediately.

That’s it. It is not difficult. Just use the best cheese you can find. Also use Anchovy paste, it is not hard to find, and is worth the effort.

A Southerners’ Southerner

I wish Ken Burns would have picked someone other then the women he did to represent the deep south on his show about the war. I wish Eugene Walters was alive and could have done it. He probably had the same slow, molasses coated voice that she had.

He ’s the kind of person I want to be my spokesperson for the deep south. He was a real mans man, no pun intended. The guy did everything, went everywhere, embraced his southerness and wrote many books about his south.

He was born in Mobile, Alabama in 1921. He was in the army, stationed in the Arctic Circle. He lived in NYC, in Greenwich Village, in the 40’s. Can you imagine the Village in the 40’s? All the Hipsters, Bohemians, Poets and Artist setting the stage for the 50’s and 60’s. Blazing the trail for the Beatniks and the Hippies.

He also helped George Plimpton, who started the Paris Review, get it off the ground and going. This was in the 50’s, he lived in Paris and one can only imagine who he hung out with and the parties they had. Paris in the 50’s was wide open and jazz musicians from all over the world were living there.

Then he took his Southerness to Rome. Italy that is. He was known to always have an herb garden where ever he lived. He loved to cook and entertain, and he love to prepare southern dishes for his high minded, international friends. A cook book he wrote, American Cooking: Southern Style, was a best seller for the Time Life book series.

In Rome, he worked for a guy named Federico Fellini. He did set design on most all of Fellini’s movies and was in a few. He played the “tacky American journalist who keeps pestering Marcello Mastroianni”, in Fellini’s 8 1/2. He said he was in over 100 hundred films while in Italy. He stayed in Rome 23 years, then returned to Mobile, Kingdom of the Monkeys.

Look, I have read the books and seen the movie, so to speak, and this guy was the real deal. The above dosn’t even scratch the surface. He did so much, knew so many and made a real difference. I hear his name often here in Atlanta and he is a real inspiration to groups like the Southern Foodways Alliance. I am sure in the near future he will be celebrated more and more, and I am very glad of this. I would not mind if he’s the kind of guy that comes to mind when people think about Southerners.

Monday Report

Stayed in Atlanta this weekend, for what seems like the first weekend in a long time. Saturday I did the Organic Farmers Market. The weather is changing and I like the cooler temps. Not as many people out Saturday morning, maybe because it was a little cool.

Other than the market we didn’t do to much. Spent lot’s of time on the front porch, as you can see from this photo.

Sunday slept in to the very late hour of about 9:15. We got going fairly early, heading out to one of the many neighborhood festivals and street markets. I bought this little monster at the Chandler Park Fest. It a type of Racoo pottery. The guy explained the process he used, but it was to much info for a Sunday morning. I just liked it and didn’t care so much how he made it. Here is a photo of it.

I sold a couple of pieces of furniture Saturday morning, no art. Which is strange, latly it’s been the other way around. So as you can see not much to report, kind of a quite weekend.

Kingsized Bed

So this is the bed I wrote about last week. It is made from 6″ square antique pine post on each corner. The headboard has a panel of assorted antique ceiling tiles and the remaining lumber is salvaged from a Mardi Gras float. I painted it white and sanded it for the distressed look. The headboard is almost 6′ tall. Click on the Flickr cube to the left for a better photo of bed.

Iron Chef, Southern Style.

We had fun last night. Our friend, Wynn the Wine Guy, invited us to a taping of a pilot for a t.v. show. It was a show some locals are trying to do based on, of course, Iron Chef. It starts with an interview with the challanger before the cook off. Sounded like a decent idea. Oh, that and we were on the guest list.

So we went. It was held at an event hall. It was like a large bar, with a double kitchen in the rear part of the building. Towards the front, two over-sized chairs were place side by side with a microphone in middle. This was the interview stage. It wasn’t really much of an interview. The host just got the challenger to start talking about himself and let him go. That could have been a problem, but, since the challenger was Butch Raphael of Pangaea Sandwich Shop, it was cool.

See Butch is one of the most interesting people I have ever met. He has quit a history and I am gonna do a post all about him soon. But, first I want to tell you about tonight, cause this was something one dosn’t get the chance to do often.

So we arrive kinda of early with Wynn. Wynn, blends, bottles and markets his own wine and he was serving some last night. He was also a judge for the cook off. I am also gonna do a post all about Wynn, and not even mention Ty, very soon. So first things first, we check out the place, paying close attention to the double kitchen. I love a commercial kitchen, here it was two for one. Two huge stoves with burners, grills and griddles. And two ovens. And two double door coolers. Hell it was as if this double kitchen had two of everything! I really liked this place.

Before the interview they had starters, beer and wine. Wynn’s wine of course. Butch prepared the starters. I didn’t see the beer option. They were pouring Wynns Rose and his Spanish white, Vida Nuvea. The Rose is also Spanish, made from the tempranillo grape. Tempranillo is a fairly big red and I think big reds make good Rose. The white is fresh and kinda green with almost a bubble to it. It is effervescent if you will, and you should.

In the south we like bacon. Everywhere in the world, we like bacon. Anything wrapped in bacon and cooked is good. I like to wrap bacon in bacon and then cook that. Butch served candied bacon as a starter. It was like crack and 3 seconds after I ate one, I wanted another. I ate about twenty strips. They were half the size of a full piece of bacon and stiff with a sugar coating. I am not sure what else was used , but I hope Butch will tell us, I plan on turning the whole world on to this shit!

So first they did the interview part. Really, Butch talked about where he came from and how he became a chef. Like I said, really interesting stuff, I will go into detail in a day or two. Then it was back to the double kitchen for the cook off.

It was done a lot like the t.v. show. The secret ingredient’s was hanger steak. Each Chef had 30 minutes to prepare as many dishes as they could using hanger steak and a pile of other ingredients. So they went to work and folks were encouraged to ask question as they cooked. Folks did ask all kinds of questions, Butch answered most and the other chef did a few. That is until time got tight on time and they were trying to plate the food.

The judging was the same as Iron Chef. Points were given for taste, presentation and originality. I was down on the challengers (Chef Butch) end so I didn’t really get to see what the other chef prepared. Butch did a twisted/southern dish with chicken fried hanger steak that was served on top of BLUECHEESE GRITS and topped with garlic chips. Yea, the blue cheese grits were good. Stacey decided we are gonna perfect this dish and use it often. Between the candied bacon and the grits, Butch was going southern with a twist and I liked it. He also did a roulade. Cutting the steak thin and rolling it with oaxacan cheese. He started this in a skillet and finished it in the oven. That was served with a red wine and butter reduction. His third dish was blackened curry crusted hanger steak. Served on top of an arugula salad with a apple, onion and radish relish.

This was good stuff and, except for the blue-cheese grit dish, they were also beautiful to look at. It didn’t matter Butch lost. I demanded a recount and really raised hell about it until the folks running the show threatened to call the police and have me arrested.

But otherwise, it was cool to see them film this. The double kitchen scenes were the best. I ask one of the guys filming what they were gonna with all the footage and he said they would compile a montage of different shots and try and sell the idea as a show. They are doing another show in two weeks and I plan on being there.

Southern Accents

There is a song on the great album “Unchained” by Johnny Cash, named Southern Accents. He is know to have said it should have been the anthem for the south instead of Dixie.

The song talks about how every aspect of the singers life has a southern accent. Not just the way he speaks, but everything. It’s true, and what it makes me think is that we are not any different than anyone else in this world, we’re just from the south. Yes some of our customs, transgressions if you like, old and new, may be questioned by others, but we are no different then anyone else, we’re just from different parts of the world. We are from the south, and we do things with a southern accent, and that’s the difference. We celebrate that difference. We don’t run from history, we know the history of everyone, everywhere, has questionable moments, but we look forward, with a southern accent.

So last night we attended the taping of a pilot for a t.v. show. It was a take off on Iron Chef, with a southern accent. The twist on this show is that the challenger is interviewed before the cook off. So it got me to thinking how everywhere, everyone is basically the same and wants the same things from life. Different cultures are always being bashed for being different. That’s all there is to it, they are different and that alone turns people off. Now I get pissed off when the south and southerners are labeled rednecks. The biggest redneck I ever met was from New Jersey. I’m sure there are what one would call a redneck from everywhere. It’s not the locale that makes you who you are, it only adds flavor to who you are. An asshole is an asshole, I don’t care where you are from. Asshole is just another word for redneck.

But what got me to writing this is the fact that down south here, folks are working on t.v. shows, running huge companies, raising families, wait a minute that’s not true. What really got me to writing this was the job I did yesterday repairing my toilet. See, I replaced a toilet in our house a year or so ago. It never worked very well. When you flushed it huge bubbles came up and not much went down. I asked questions and did research and was told the air vent was stopped up. When you flush the air in the pipe has to go somewhere and if it can’t leave through the vent, it comes back up through the toilet. Well, for a year I have tried every trick I have read about or had been told to try. Nothing worked. So it hit me yesterday, a way to fix my toilet, with a southern accent.

So what I did was, drain the water from the toilet bowl, crank up my heavy duty, backpack leaf blower and stick the blower hose in the toilet and turn it up to top power. Well the back cover of the tank went flying as well as lots of water, the dogs ran for their life and Stacey came racing in to see what was going on. I was soaking wet, the room was soaking wet, but the toilet was working just fine. Thank you very much!

Little Rock

That’s where Stacey and I spent the weekend. Just hanging out with oldest sister, eating, drinking and trying to stay out of jail. OK, so there was really no chance of anyone going to jail, but we tried.

Like I have said before, I like to visit Arkansas, and I like Little Rock. Each time I go I find something else I like about it.

This time it was David Family Kitchen. We called to get the location and we were told 23rd and Roosevelt ave. We thought it might be a rough neighborhood, we hoped it was rough cause you always find good soul food in the hood. Well it wasn’t rough at all, in fact it was a beautiful neighborhood. It was marked by signage as the Little Rock Historical District. The homes were awesome. They were old and big and all different styles of design. There was also a beautiful cemetery that appeared really large. Next time I am there I plan to visit it. I’m thinking a long walk after a huge meal of fried chicken, meatloaf, black-eyed peas, mac and cheese, lima beans, cream corn, spinach casserole and cornbread. That’s the kind of stuff we had at DFK. And it was great.

We also ate a the local oyster bar. It was a dive and that’s what attracted me to it. Once again, places like soul-food joints and oysters bars should be dives, in tough neighborhoods. Well this place was a dive and the fried oysters and shrimp were good, but I must say the gumbo, and etouffee really, really sucked. I know gumbo and I know etouffee and not only did this stuff suck, but it didn’t come close to being what each was named. We didn’t let that bother us, we were glad we tried it, marked it off the list.

I can’t wait to get back and try Juanita’s Mexican Restaurant I found on the internet that the locals say is the best!

Let me tell ya ’bout my dawgs

I am talking Brown Boy, George, She She. These are my dogs, I’m supposed to be taking care of them, but I think they are taking care of me. Here’s the line up.

Brown Boy. One day in 1987,. I was working at the pawn shop on Peters St. in Atlanta and I found this little black dog out front, I brought her in the shop and feed her. She was a small puppy and I knew right where she came from. The auto parts place across the street. It was basically an in-town junk yard. So I took this little black dog home and took care of her for the next 18 years. Brown Boy is her grandson, her name was Black Girl.

Brown Boy or Brownie or Brown or Mr. Brown Boy actually has a brindle coat. He has long, thick hair. He is a lover, as all my dogs are.

George, if you have met George I don’t have to tell ya. If you haven’t, the first thing your gonna do when ya see George is smile. He has that affect on everyone when they first meet him. He is a well dressed, kinda well behaved mix of Basset Hound and Black Lab. He is like a big black and white Basset. I found George roaming the streets and have been taking care of him for about 3 years now. Right now he has a bum foot he can’t walk on unless he needs to get upstairs to eat! Then he seems alright.

She She is a coyote. No shit, I went to the mountains and found and wrestled She She away form her full grown coyote mother. I really found her in my front yard, but my vet said she looks just like a coyote. I did some research and she does. She is also a murderer! I swear, she kills all kinds of small animals. She even eats the rabbits she catches. But really she is a lover also. She She thinks she runs the show, but Geo and Brown will let her know who the new comer is when ever necessary.

Dogs are good to have, if you don’t have any get yourself a few. It’s easy, they are everywhere and you can always go to the humane society and save ones life.

Transplants

No, not bone marrow, not again thank you very much. I’m thinking about people, friends and clients who live here in Atlanta, but are not southerners by birth.

This morning I met with Krista, she and Jake are the owners of Tajmahound. They make dog treats and other goodies for your pet. They are about to open a new store in the Kirkwood neighborhood, in the city of Decatur. These guys have been at it for 5 years or so and growing their business at a nice, steady pace. I have worked with them before, helping build-out their first retail space. They are both from the New York/New Jersey area, but now they are living here in the south. They are two of the nicest folks you could ever meet. Doing business with them is easy and I always look forward the next time we get together for drinks, business or whatever. They truly have the heart and soul of a Southerner.

Now I just hung up the phone after speaking my friend Ute, she is on her way down to my place to talk about something she wants built. So I’m gonna get a couple po boys for us. She read about them on this blog and told me she wanted to try one.

I have known Ute for 7 or 8 years or so. I have built furniture for her and we have become friends. Her dogs name is Rusty and paid a visit today as well. I have also traded some custom work for a weeks stay at her home in the Basque region of France. She is from Germany. Her husband is from Spain. They seem to have homes all over the place. Their latest is in Figueras, Spain. That is where Salvador Dali is from. They are currently renovating this place.

The place in France is in the foothills of the Pyrenees Mountains, very near Saint Jean de Luz and not to far from San Sebastian, Spain. That is one of my favorite cities in the world. If you ever have the chance to go - by all means do it. It is a beautiful, rugged town on the Atlantic coast. It is full of tapas bars and friendly, beautiful people. I want to live there and repair the old wooden boats to make my living.

Ute is a really cool person. She is also a very kind person. I think she does a lot of volunteer work here in Atlanta. And anyone who would share their home with you has to have some kind southern blood running through them.

St. Simons Island.

My friend John and my other friend Rhonda, yea they are married, have a restaurant there, Black Water Grill. That’s really all you need to know. Go every chance you get. Everything they serve is always the best in the world. It is as simple as that, no matter what, at Black Water it will be very good. Always.

The great chef Mario Batali once said “If you go to a restaurant and the foods good and you go back and it is different, then that place sucks”. I agree, consistency is the most important thing.

John has worked in the most wicked restaurant conditions in the world and made it work, hell, he more then likely made it fun. So Black Water Grill has probably been a walk in the park. Other than the long hours.

I have never had anything but a great time and good food at Black Water. Any time someone mentions St. Simons, I ask if they know Black Water and the answer is always yes, we love it.

When Rhonda say’s “Hey ya’ll”, well, you know your right at home. These guys are old friends. So are Keith and Mikey, the folks we were gonna try and meet at Black Water Grill last weekend for a birthday dinner for Mikey. We could get there but getting home Sunday was gonna be a problem. No seats on the plane, so we couldn’t make it. But we will get over that way soon, cause I’m jonesing for an andouille corn-dog and some shrimp and grits.

Almost went to St. Simons Island!

That’s another story for another day.

This is the Monday Report, thank you very much! Here are some photos of the stuff I talked about last week - jobs I was working on.

The bench/coffee table made from slabs of wood with raw edge is something I have been doing lately. This table has no nails or screws. It is held together by joints and glue.

The light bulb picture is a commissioned piece for a guy who writes books about Idea Spotting. Sam is a good friend and a client. Doing this painting for him was a pleasure.

The Angel painting sold this weekend at the organic farmers market in Midtown Atlanta. I have been selling my wares at this market for about 10 years. I have made a career in this parking lot. The folks that bought the Angel painting were in town for a Emory University reunion. I wanted to tell them of my history with Emory but didn’t get the chance. Another brilliant couple.

Every chance you get listen to “This American Life” on NPR. You can listen to it anytime on their website. Also, always watch the television show “No Reservations” with Anthony Bourdain. Good stuff, all of it.