Season 5, Episode 39
November 10, 2018 “Sorghum”

In this episode, we are setting the table with a traditional, fall-time Appalachian culinary tradition. Sorghum.

Sorghum is not Molasses. It’s a sweet syrup all it’s own derived from a grass plant and it is harvested, and boiled off every fall in September in our region. Sorghum has a different taste according to where it is grown, the dirt it is grown in, the region it is grown in, and how it is processed. Not all Sorghum tastes the same.

In this show, we will hear from a cast of characters I’ve assembled here today to talk about this Appalachian “slow sugar” that is truly a taste, unique to our Appalachian region.

- We hear from Fred Sauceman and a visit from his friend Dr. Mike Fleenor, an orthopedic surgeon who grows and makes sorghum and has a “sorghum boil” every year in Washington, County, VA.

- James Beard Award winning food writer Ronni Lundy tells us about the differences between sorghum, and molasses.

- Mary Constantine Food Writer for the Knoxville News Sentinel shares tips on how to substitute sorghum in place of white sugar in cooking and shares a recipe for Butternut Squash and Apple Bake that uses sorghum by way of Ronni Lundy and her book entitled: “Sorghum Savor”.

- And Chef Matt Gallaher of Amelia and Knox Mason shares a delicious way to enjoy sorghum with biscuits.

Links for guests and subjects:

Appalachian Food writer Fred Sauceman: https://www.facebook.com/fred.sauceman

Mary “Dee Dee” Constantine: https://www.facebook.com/search/top/?q=dee%20dee%20constantine

Ronni Lundy: http://ronnilundy.com/

Chef Matt Gallaher of Amelia and Knox Mason Restaurants in Knoxville: http://www.knoxmason.com/index.html#team

Muddy Pond Sorghum Mill (one of the most well known, Tennessee Sorghum producers): http://muddypondsorghum.com/

Emi Sunshine: http://theemisunshine.com/

Blount County BeeKeepers Assoc: https://blountbees.wordpress.com/

Sponsor of The Tennessee Farm Table is Century Harvest Farms

and Century Harvest Farms Foundation located in Greenback, Tennessee.

This is Fred Sauceman’s friend Dr. Mike Fleenor, an orthopedic surgeon who grows and makes sorghum and has a “sorghum boil” every year in Washington, County, VA.