Travel

Preservation Warrenton presents....2006 Spring Home Show

Mon, 17 Apr 2006 18:10:00 GMT

I enjoy traveling around this state and visiting with folks in their homes. I enjoy listening to their histories, eating their food, and then bringing home some good recipes and decorating tips. No time is better for this than the spring and not many places are more hospitable and beautiful than the Warrenton, N.C. Spring Tour of Homes.
     But for me, Warrenton is more than a small, historic, N.C. town just short of the Virginia state line. The three years I lived in Warrenton influenced the way I look at life, home, and history.
     After my freshman year at Henderson High school I moved 20 miles northeast to Warrenton. While in high school I had a part-time job. I worked in a shop on the Main Street of town, the Polk-a-Dot Shop. The shop was in a very narrow building that sold nick-knacks for the ladies and 45 rpm records for gospel and blues lovers. The name was Polk because the original owner of the shop was a descendent of our 11th president’s family, James Knox Polk (1795-1849).
     When I moved to Warrenton, Mr. Polk had already died but Mrs. Ann Polk kept the shop going. On a few afternoons and on Saturdays she trusted me to run the shop. She also exposed me to a bit of southern pride; with much love and enthusiasm she shared the Polk family home and furnishings with me. She never once referred to the furniture as antiques. She called them “family pieces”. I learned then that it is was not the dollar value of the furniture that mattered; the real thrill was the story behind each heirloom. I adored the way the furnishings represented a clear and visible connection to the intangible past.
     I left Warrenton in 1972 and Mrs. Polk has since died but there are still wonderful folks in Warrenton that carry on the tradition of sharing their homes’ history. On Saturday, April 29th from 10am to 5pm and Sunday, April 30th from 1pm to 5pm, nine Warrenton families and the historic churches on Main Street will open their doors to share their stories with the attendees of the 2006 Spring Tour of Homes.
     Four fabulously decorated homes constructed in the 1900’s and five antebellum homes make up this year’s spring tour. For the Warrenton tour it is best to start right downtown at the historic former residence of master builder, Jacob Holt. The Jacob Holt residence (1855) is now a visitor’s center and there you will find tour tickets, directions to all the homes, light refreshments, a heritage quilt display and a video, “Warren County, North Carolina: The First Three Centuries.” If you are a novice at historic home touring, the Jacob Holt house you will give you the exposure you need to start cutting your baby teeth on the architects and craftsmen that are specific to the antebellum era in and around Warrenton. And if you take the tour on Saturday, you will learn that lunch is provided on the lawn of the Wesley Methodist Church. The ladies will be serving chicken pasta, fruit cup, Chinese cabbage and desert. I have provided the recipe for the chicken pasta below. It is quite yummy with grapes, green peas and celery. I suggest throwing in a few walnuts or southern pecans, just to keep the crunch going!
     Just around the corner from the Jacob Holt home is The Fitts-Mordecai-Plummer House. This 200 year-old lady is hard to miss. Just look for her two-pair of tall double-shouldered chimneys. The only problem with making this your first private residence on the tour is that you will not want to leave. Owner, Richard Hunter has spent many hours in the name of Preservation Warrenton. He and Mary are most gracious and knowledgably host and hostess.
     The four other private residences that are in town are: The historic Halifax House, Ford Cottage, Whitsome, and the 1920’s Boyd-Burrows home. Halifax House is owned by Judy and Charlie Edwards. They also own one of Warrenton’s most fabulous larger homes, Dun-Mor. If the Halifax House furnishings are anything close to their fabulous Dun-Mor home, it will be well worth the trip from Raleigh. The Ford Cottage is owned by antique shop owners, the Millers; need I say more! And the Boyd-Burrows House on Main Street has a fabulous addition and this homes front porch swing is a good place for the husbands to sit and watch the world go by while their wives dream of their own new gardens and home additions.
     On the road to Shady Oaks, you will want to stop by Whitsome. Both of these homes are must sees. Be sure to ask how Whitsome’s Federal style home’s architectural details are related to Montmorenci. During its heyday (1830’s) Montmorenci was considered the most “lavishly detailed” home in Warren County. Montmorenci was dismantled years ago and the suspended stair case became part of the DuPont family museum, Winterthur, in Wilmington, Delaware. The staircase was redesigned as an oval rather than the circle (as it appeared in Montmorenci) and the stair case is now a two story, rather than one.
Please refer to the picture on my website..
     Shady Oaks is owned by John and Barbara Kennedy and if there is ever a restoring legend, here it is. When I lived in Warrenton this home looked beyond repair but the Kennedy’s found just the right materials and craftsmen to reincarnate this fabulous home and grounds.
     Just out of town are two homes built on what the locals call Country Club Road. The Wemyss Home was one of the first built across from the Warrenton Country Club and is owned by the son of Gladys Wemyss, best know as the proprietor of Warrenton’s flower shop. Besides fabulous flowers, Todd and Claudia Wemyss have made several architectural updates.
     The Bugg House has just been recently decorated by designer Jim Schmalenberger. He came from Warrenton via Wannamaker’s in Philadelphia and has been putting his mark on North Carolina ever since. According to Jim, who is now “retired?” designing and decorating are “a bus man’s holiday”. The Bugg house has Jim’s stamp inside and out, with a unique new pergola and herringbone brick sidewalks. If this home proves to be the traditional Jim Schmalenberger, each room will flow into the next, all looking like the furnishing’s were grown there rather than purchased and placed there.
     Warrenton is just an hour northeast of Raleigh and if you can’t make it to the tour, Warrenton has a fabulous historic Bed and Breakfast, the Magnolia Manor. www.magnoliamanorbnb.com. Owners, Larry and Shelia Carver will give you a tour of their manor. They may even give you a peak at photo’s from some of their past events and interesting guests; weddings, quilters, foxhunters…….all Southern, all wonderful!

Recipe for Chicken Salad Pasta
3 cups chicken broth
2 chicken breast, skinned and boned
5 ounces small shell pasta
1 cup mayo, Dukes of course is best!
½ tsp celery salt
¼ tsp pepper
½ tsp Dijon mustard
2 celery sticks, diced
1 cup green peas, cooked ever so lightly
1 cup of seedless grapes cut in half.
Cook chicken in broth, drain and chill. Save broth, cook pasta in broth. Rinse and cool pasta, cut chicken in cubes.
When chicken and pasta has cooled assemble with the above ingredients and toss. Serves 12

Miss that old fashioned country store? Visit the Farmer's Market.

Sat, 01 Apr 2006 19:55:00 GMT

Have you been to the NC Farmer’s Market lately? The State Farmer’s Market is on Lake Wheeler Road in Raleigh and is a cornucopia of delights. No matter what the weather, or the season, there is always home-made or home-grown food, flowers, plants and crafts. And something you cannot get many other places; hard-working folks that have an up-close and personal relationship with the products they sell.
There are not many places left in this world where you can make eye-contact with a human-being and his/her fruits of labor at the same time. Sure, in the work-place we get to pat ourselves on the back for our contribution in the corporate chain, but the folks you see at the Farmer’s Market are head of their R & D departments, their own labor force and they are their marketing Vice President, all rolled into one. They are a unique group of individuals that supply the goods and services you will need to keep a fire going, plant a vegetable or flower garden, serve home-made desserts, jellies, cakes and pies, to your family and guests or they provide you with fresh produce in which you can then cook or can your own.

The Farmer’s Market is all we have left of what was once a mainstay of North Carolina; the country store. When I grew up in the country we did not get to “town” much so we depended on the local gas station/store to stock hoop cheese, neighbor’s honey, ham, and boiled peanuts. In the spring there were bedding plants for the vegetable garden, home-made birdhouses and most of all there were people to converse with about growing the crops and canning the spiced apples. The country store is where our family smiled, said hello, and listened to the wisdom and charm of those around us.

The feeling of a hometown country store is one of the things that make the Farmers Market a great experience. Most of the vendors proudly display their hometown name right along-side the name of their business. The Wise Produce Co. hails from Mt. Olive. The Robert’s produce booth established their business in 1926. They are from McGee’s Crossroads. Other small towns represented include Warrenton, Louisburg, Smithfield, and Cleveland.

The thing to do is pack up the family (especially if they are your mother-in-law visiting from out-of-town) and eat lunch at one of the picnic tables at the “grab and go” N.C. Seafood Restaurant or at the State Farmer’s Market Restaurant for a “waited on” dining experience. You might try Steve’s pinto beans, fried chicken, fried okra and home-made banana pudding. After lunch, put your little ones in the stroller while you and your in-laws laugh and talk with proud American farmers, crafters, gardeners, cooks, and storytellers of our state.

Secrets for successful shopping at the Farmer’s Market
1. Take the opportunity to multi-task by socializing, shopping, and enjoying the fresh air, all-at-once. Most of the vegetable and fruit stands are part of the 30,000 square foot open-air farmer’s buildings. There is also a 15,600 square foot climate controlled building.
2. Take the kids and and any out-of-towners. Even folks from North of the Mason-Dixon line enjoy the fresh-air, good eats, and fun folks at the Farmers Market. It gives us a chance to hear how it was when and where they grew up or even how they “do it in NYC”.
3. Visit Nancy Jo’s homemade pies and cakes, they are about the best I have tasted. The 10-layer chocolate cake is just as moist and good as my friends Grandmother, Clyde made, yes her name was Clyde.
4. Check out the Farmer’s Market seasonal stock of plants for the garden. The forsythia and jasmine are bright yellow right now and fresh cut flowers are on the way. When fruits and vegetables are out-of-season you can find a selection of greenhouse fruits and vegetables (i.e. tomatoes) or imports from Florida (like the strawberries you will find now). The vendors always know where their produce is grown. Asking questions is always a good way to strike up a conversation.
5. Buy in bulk; volume buyers can take advantage of the Truckers (building 4) or the Wholesaler Terminal around back. The general public is welcome as long as they are buying in bulk.
The Farmer’s Market is open Monday through Saturday, 5 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from 12 noon until 6 p.m. Hours are often extended during the summer. For more information including a list of upcoming events check out their website at http://www.agr.state.nc.us/markets/facilit/farmark/raleigh/

Charleston Food+Wine Festival, Bill Neal's Cheesy Grits

Wed, 15 Mar 2006 20:37:00 GMT

     There is one Southern vacation spot that is definitely, not overrated. Charleston, S.C. deserves all the kudos it receives. Less than 5 hours by car it meets all three of my requirements for either a short getaway or extended stay:
1. Charleston is restaurant rich.
2. Charleston’s low-country cuisine is delicious
3. There are many good hotels and B&B’s within walking distance of these great restaurants.
     Between meals Charleston offers a wonderful historic downtown area filled with antique homes, historic churches, museums, and an aquarium. Most all is accessible by walking or, even better by horse-drawn carriage. If history and museums are not at the top of your list, you can shop for sweetgrass baskets in the open-air market, art in a barrage of trendy shops, or clothes in those very familiar chain stores we have come to love and depend on.
After your evening meal, you may want to stroll along Battery Park. With the Cooper River on your left, some of Charleston’s finest homes will flank your right. There you will find a line of “painted ladies”, a brilliantly- colored row of Victorian homes aptly called Rainbow Row.
     All this adds up to one dynamite place to hold the first annual Charleston Food and Wine Festival. On March 2-5, festival organizers chose to bring out the best of the best in Charleston and surrounding areas. Several North Carolina chefs came down to host a few of the events. Chefs Ben and Karen Barker took time off from one of North Carolina’s finest, Magnolia Grill, in Durham, N.C.
     For the Friday night festival kick-off some of the most famous local restaurants opened their doors to diners and their kitchens to guest celebrity chefs. Famed restaurants like S.N.O.B. (Slightly North of Broad, (Street)) Cypress, FIG, and the Charleston Grill hosted a Dine-Around. For $150.00 those patrons were treated to a four-course meal, (including wine pairings) prepared by one of the famous chefs. The ticket also included an invite to “Bubbles and Sweets” hosted by Charleston Cooks! While sampling champagne and tasting the sweets there was a cigar bar for those that dared or you could just “feast your eyes” on the displays prepared by the pastry chefs.
     If patrons to the festival found the Friday night kick-off a little too pricy, the Saturday (or Sunday) all-day pass of $25.00 was another option. Upon paying your $25.00 you were handed an empty wine glass, for the tasting, and a directory of the events. This was a great way to sample a great variety of the grape while discovering which restaurant makes your favorite low-country dish (like shrimp and grits). There were free chef demos every couple of hours but if you wanted a little more, for a little more money you could attend a special show by the famous chefs and wine specialists.
     The cooking tip of the day came from Tory McPhail of Commander’s Place in New Orleans. He solved one of my worst problems in the kitchen. I always have trouble cooking rice on my Viking gas range. The cooking eye is so hot I can’t keep the rice from burning, even on the lowest setting. Tory’s solution is to bring the rice to a boil on the stove top and then to put it in a pre-heated oven at 300 degrees. Cook it in the oven for the amount of time you would normally cook it on your stove top. This is also a good way to save stove top space when you are trying to cook many items at one time.
     The travel tip of the day came from a couple of my travel buddies, Steve and Becky Bowles. The South Carolina Visitors Center offers a one-weekday-only deal for staying in Charleston. Upon entering South Carolina stop by the center and ask them to find you a room for the night. The Bowles has stayed at some of Charleston’s finest for a fraction of the regular price. The visitor’s center number is 800-774-0006 and their website www.charlestoncvb.com
If you are like me and can’t wait until your next visit to Charleston for some of that good low-country cooking, try Bill Neal’s cheese grits.
From REMEMBERING BILL NEAL: FAVORITE RECIPES FROM A LIFE IN COOKING by Moreton Neal. Copyright (c) 2004 by the University of North Carolina. Used by permission of the publisher.  www.uncpress.unc.edu
1 cup stone ground or quick grits (not instant)
4 cups water (or milk for creamier grits)
1 cup cheddar cheese
4 T. butter
½ t. salt
1/8 t. white pepper
¼ t. Tabasco sauce
Cook grits according to package instructions for 1 c. grits. Turn off stove and add the remaining ingredients to the sauce pan. Stir until just mixed and serve immediately.
Cheese grits are the basic ingredients of Bill Neal’s famous shrimp and grits. For the busy man or woman you can turn this into an easy version of shrimp and grits: sauté shrimp in garlic, season with a little lemon juice and parsley. Before adding shrimp to cheese grits, flavor the shrimp with a little barbeque sauce. If you don’t have any shrimp around taco sauce also works to make great grits.
See photos for pictures of the Charleston Food and Wine Festival.

For great reading check out a copy of Moreton Neal's book. It is a good way for newcomers to the South to learn about Southern cooking and it's history. For us natives it is the pepper to our salt, just that right amount of spice, skill and inspiration that gets our Southern juices flowing.

NC Wine Country

Thu, 01 Dec 2005 21:42:00 GMT

Southern Secrets From 10/05

I love to travel the back roads of North Carolina, but when I don’t have time to take the back roads I try to find at least one place off the beaten trail to stop and “smell the roses.” On my most recent road trip from Holly Springs to the North Carolina Mountains I took one such quick diversion that resulted in a wonderful new experience; visiting one of Yadkin Valley’s charming vineyards.

Just a stone’s throw off Highway 421 heading toward Wilkesboro and Boone is Laurel Gray Vineyards. On this 84 acre family farm you will find a 75-year-old milking parlor that has been converted into a wine tasting room. Outside sits more remnants of the past: a quaint old red barn, a pond, and porch with rocking chairs, all surrounded by the beautiful foothills of Yadkin County.

Laurel Gray is the first of four family-owned vineyards known as the Swan Creek Wine Trail. Kim Myers and her husband, Benny, own Laurel Gray. Benny’s ancestors moved to the Yadkin Valley in 1773. They settled only 8 miles away from what is now Laurel Gray. But it was their travels through the U.S. and England that helped them realize their dream of growing grapes for making wine.

Kim is the wine tasting manager, tour guide, and design artist for the beautiful wine bottle labels. Immediately upon meeting Kim you will know it is all a labor of love. And she is just as enthusiastic about the wine as she is proud of the valley she lives in. As a matter of fact Kim shared with me one of the valley’s best kept secrets. Nestled in the heart of the Swan Valley Wine trail is an Amish community that has a deli that makes fresh sandwiches, pies, baked goods and homemade quilts.

If you would like to stop by for a tasting at Laurel Gray they are currently pouring the Barrel Fermented Chardonnay, 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon and their new 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon and their 2004 Syrah. The tasting is $6.00 and that includes a souvenir wine glass with the Laurel Gray logo. If you would like Kim to arrange a private tour of the vineyard or have a picnic basket waiting you must call in advance. I have included directions to the Amish store below, just in case you forget to ask Kim.

Before you leave the vineyard make sure you take notice of the Jackson Perkins tea roses that are in bloom from now until the first frost hits. Kim says the 70 rose are planted near vineyards because they are indicators of pests that may be on the way to the grape vines. The frost comes early at 1,100 feet elevation, so don’t wait too long or you will miss your chance “to smell the roses.”

Kim Myers recipe for Sangria
2 cans of frozen orange juice concentrate
1 can of lemonade concentrate
1 can of limeade concentrate
1 large can of pineapple juice
1 liter of club soda
2 bottles Laurel Gray Cabernet Sauvignon wine

The vineyard is past Yadkinville off 421 at exit 267. Just follow the signs. Take your bikes if you like. Biking is a great way to make the 5 mile loop around the Wine Trail and Amish Country.

Phone 336-468-9463.
Monday and Tuesday closed
Wednesday 1:00-6:00
Thursday, Friday 10:00-6:00
Saturday, Sunday 10:00-5:00
www.laurelgray.com

Directions to the Amish Store: take exit 267, go left on Windsor road, (Laurel Grey Vineyard is to the right). Follow Windsor road to St. Paul’s Church road. Just before the turn you will see Shiloh Church, the Shiloh General Store is right behind the Church. Please drive with care there are many horse and buggies on this part of the road.