Chef Jeff Carter, The 2nd Appalachian Homecoming, Pesto Festo, Slow Food TN Valley.

S11:E31.7/27/2024

The 2nd Annual Appalachian Homecoming celebrates Modern Appalachian Cuisine, Music, and Art. August 1-4. My guest, Chef Jeff Carter, Executive Chef with Dancing Bear Appalachian Bistro talks about the 2nd Annual Appalachian Homecoming. Including:

• Jim Lauderdale and the Po Ramblin’ Boys and Dinner on August 1st at Dancing Bear, Townsend.
• Bacon at the Brewery Dinner with Darrell and Allan Benton of Bentons Smoky Mountain Cured Hams, Chef Jeff Carter of Dancing Bear Appalachian Bistro, Chef Trevor Stockton of RT Lodge, Chef David Rule of The Appalachian at the Peaceful Side Brewery, Maryville August 2nd.
• Appalachian Homecoming August 3rd at Dancing Bear beginning at 9:00 am with Panelists, Chefs, and an Appalachian Lunch followed by immersive workshops in foraging, art, mountain craft, and music.
• Bluegrass Brunch, August 4th.
• Ending with the 15th Annual Pesto Festo benefitting Slow Food TN Valley Sunday evening at Dancing Bear. All events are ticketed https://dancingbearlodge.com/event/appalachian-homecoming-2024/ for more information.

Links:

2nd Annual Appalachian Homecoming - https://dancingbearlodge.com/event/appalachian-homecoming-2024/

15th annual Pesto Festo Benefitting Slow Food Tennessee Valley - https://dancingbearlodge.com/event/appalachian-homecoming-2024-sunday/

Emi Sunshine ( Sang our theme song when she was 9-years-old) - https://www.theemisunshine.com/

Chef Jeff Carter, Executive Chef, Oldham Hospitality including Dancing Bear Appalachian Bistro

Paw Paw Fruit and sentimentality, Ridgewood BBQ, Allan Benton’s sentimental office furniture, and more.

S10:E34. 9/2/2023

Paw Paw Fruit and sentimentality, Ridgewood BBQ, Allan Benton’s sentimental office furniture, and more.

We set the table in this episode with Paw Paw Fruit and Sentimentality. Sometimes called the Mountain Banana with a taste that is a cross between a mango and a banana. Paw Paw is an indigenous fruit to North America and is a real treat if you can find it. Amy's guest, Charlie Kwit, a Professor of Biology from the University of Tennessee offers a scientific perspective on the Paw Paw.
Allan Benton, Owner of Benton’s Smoky Mountain Country Hams in Madisonville, Tennessee tells us why he is sentimental about his office furniture.
Fred Sauceman has a potluck radio segment on the Blue Cheese dressing that is served as an appetizer at Ridgewood Barbecue in Bluff City, TN. I (Amy Campbell) share directions on how to make Paw Paw butter. (Keep scrolling for that)

Charlie Kwit: Professor of Biology Charlie Kwit: https://eeb.utk.edu/people/charles-kwit/

Benton’s Bacon link: https://www.shop.bentonscountryham.com/

Fred Sauceman: Fred Sauceman: https://www.facebook.com/fred.sauceman

Fred Sauceman Ridge Wood BBQ book link: https://www.amazon.com/Proffitts-Ridgewood-Appalachian-Barbecue-American/dp/0881466271

Avi Askey, Owner of Overhill Gardens: http://www.overhillgardens.com/

Nourish Knoxville food guide link: Nourish Knoxville Food Guide: https://www.nourishknoxville.org/local-food-guide/

Overhill Gardens: http://www.overhillgardens.com/

Emi Sunshine (Sings our theme song): http://theemisunshine.com/

Paw Paw Butter recipe from: Canning Homemade! Sustainable Living and Preserving the Future.
http://www.sbcanning.com/2013/10/paw-paw-butter-canning.html


Ingredients:

1. 5 lbs pawpaws
2. 2 cups water
3. 1/2 c bottled lemon juice
4. 3 c sugar
5. 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions:

Wash and peel pawpaws, put in a stainless or enamel pot, with 2 cups water and 1/2 cup lemon juice, without removing seeds. Cook until soft, run through a sieve or food mill. Add pulp back to the pan, add sugar, and cook down on low until mixture thickens. (About an hour) Turn off the heat, add vanilla, and stir well.

Ladle into prepared pint or 1/2 pint jars to 1/4 inch headspace. Remove air bubbles, and add more preserves if needed to reach the correct headspace.

**Water bath suggested time of 10 minutes.
**You must make sure each jar is sealed following your hot water process. Do not use old lids, use new lids every time you can.**this is only a suggestion, please always refer the the Ball Blue Book for USDA recommended processing times.

Paw Paw Fruit gathered by me (Amy Campbell) in my Mother’s antique colander. Photo: Amy Campbell.

Slow Food TN Valley, Four Daughters Farm, Cornbread Salad Recipe, Appalachian Homecoming

S10:E28. 7/15/2023

Slow Food TN Valley, Four Daughters Farm, Josh Lowans recipe for Cornbread Salad, Appalachian Homecoming at Dancing Bear Lodge and Appalachian Bistro.

Today, we are setting the table with slow food. Food that takes time to grow and time to prepare. Guests today are Sarah Bush from Slow Food TN Valley, Rachel McCroskey of Four Daughter’s Farm of Walland, TN - and Josh Lowans with his wife Meagan’s recipe for cornbread salad.

Sarah will tell us about the international organization called Slow Food and the TN Valley Chapter of this organization - and Rachel McCroskey, a young farmer, will let us know about her family farm called Four Daughters Farm and how they farm. And Josh Lowans is also a farmer, forager, and a man of the woods - he works for Salubrious Farms in Walland, TN, and he walks us through how to make cornbread salad - with these tomatoes in season right now - it is the best time of the year to enjoy cornbread salad.

I also had some news about the upcoming Appalachian Homecoming event on the first weekend of August, with many farmers and chefs discussing modern Appalachian cuisine and farming.

Links:

Appalachian Homecoming at Dancing Bear Lodge and Appalachian Homecoming: https://dancingbearlodge.com/event/appalachian-homecoming-2023/

Slow Food TN Valley: https://slowfoodtnvalley.org/

Four Daughters Farm: https://fourdaughtersfarmtn.com/

Emi Sunshine (sang and musically arranged our theme song when she was 9-years-old!) https://theemisunshine.com/

Townsend TN: https://www.smokymountains.org/

Corn Bread Salad Recipe:

This recipe is one that Josh Lowans shared with Amy. His wife Megan makes this dish often for their family and the recipe comes from her.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 pan day old cornbread (Josh recommends using benton’s bacon lard rendered from an entire pound of Benton’s bacon. Megan prefers to use Three Rivers Cornmeal)
• 2 - 3 really ripe tomatoes, diced
• 1 can pinto beans drained, not rinsed
• Fresh corn cut off of the cob
• Shredded cheese of your choice
• Ranch dip (make your own with herbs of your choice, sour cream and mayonnaise)

To assemble, layer in this order:

• Crumble cornbread and place in bottom of serving container
• Layer pinto beans on top of the cornbread
• Layer cut corn over the beans
• Layers the diced tomatoes over the corn
• Layer of ranch dressing
• Layer of bacon (use Benton’s bacon if you can get it)
• Cheese on the top

Tips:

• Chill for 2 hours before serving.
• Don’t use ranch dressing, it is too runny, Josh Lowans recommends using ranch dip and making your own. He recommends to make it thick so the dish won’t make the dish soggy Looks pretty in a clear glass serving container

Sarah Bush and Tayler Franke, board members of Slow Food TN Valley. Photo: Amy Campbell 2022.

Farmer Rachel McCroskey Co-Owner of Four Daughters Farm, Walland, TN. Photo: Amy Campbell 2020.

Tennessee Chicken Recipes and Roy Milner, Blackberry Farm Brewery

S10:E25. 06/24/2023

Setting the table on this episode with chicken. Guests on this topic include:

• Lois Shuler Caughron and her daughter Ruth Caughron Davis. Lois is known as the last woman out of the cove. Lois and her late husband, Kermit Caughron, were the last settlers to move from Cades Cove after establishing the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
• Aliceson Bales of Bales Farm, Mosheim, TN, with her recipe for Buttermilk chicken and how to make chicken broth.
• James Beard Award-winning food writer Ronni Lundy reads from the chapter Honest Fried Chicken from her 1991 book Shuck Beans, Stack Cakes and Honest Fried Chicken: The Heart and Soul of the Southern Country Kitchen.
• Roy Milner (Chief Fermentation Officer at Black Berry Farm Brewery) with a mini visit on the nature of his work. Roy will be a presenter during the Saturday educational portion of the Appalachian Homecoming. A three-day celebration of Modern Appalachian Cuisine with guest chefs including Sean Brock, demonstrations, and authentic Appalachian prepared dishes, with music including that 14-year-old super talent Wyatt Ellis from Maryville, TN, also community and educational presentations. Allan Benton will also be there. And this all happens along with the annual event Bacon at the Bear benefitting New Hope Children’s advocacy - that event takes place at Dancing Bear Lodge and Appalachian Bistro on Saturday evening.

LINKS:

• Appalachian Homecoming, August 4-6, 2023): https://dancingbearlodge.com/event/appalachian-homecoming-2023/
• Bacon at the Bear: https://dancingbearlodge.com/event/8th-bacon-at-the-bear-2023/
• Cades Cove Preservation Association (Lois Caughron and Mrs. Davis are very involved with this organization): http://www.cadescovepreservation.com/
• Aliceson Bales, Bales Farm: https://balesfarmstn.com/
• Ronni Lundy: http://www.ronnilundy.com/
• Emi Sunshine (She musically arranged and sang the Tennessee Farm Table theme song when she was 9 years old!) https://theemisunshine.com/

Roy Milner (Chief Fermentation Officer at Black Berry Farm Brewery) with a visit on the nature of his work at the brewery. Roy will be a presenter during the Saturday educational portion of the Appalachian Homecoming, August 4-6, 2023 at Dancing Bear Lodge and Appalachian Bistro, Townsend, TN.

Allan Benton’s Tennessee Prosciutto, made in Madisonville, Tennessee.

S10:E23. 06/10/2023

Allan Benton’s Tennessee Prosciutto, made in Madisonville, Tennessee.

On the show today, we are setting the table with Tennessee-made Country Ham or "Tennessee prosciutto." Our featured guest on the show today is Allan Benton of Madisonville, TN. Allan shares his story on how he learned what the word prosciutto meant and how he positioned his product to the world of fine dining. Allan's prosciutto goes toe to toe with some of the most expensive, well-known prosciuttos from all over the world.

From Radio Bristol's Farm and Fun Time show, recorded live from the Birthplace of Country Music, storyteller Tony Marr's heirloom recipe segment on Leftovers.

Links: Benton’s Smoky Mountain Country Hams: https://bentonscountryhams2.com

Dancing Bear Appalachian Homecoming Event: https://dancingbearlodge.com/store/appalachian-homecoming/

Radio Bristol’s Farm and Fun Time Program: https://birthplaceofcountrymusic.org/radio/programs/farm-and-fun-time/

Emi Sunshine sings our theme song: http://theemisunshine.com/

Buck Dancing, square dance calling, Christmas Tree farming Leo Collins, owner of Blue Bird Christmas Tree Farm in Heiskell, Tennessee

S9:E41.12/03/2022

Our featured guest is Buck Dancing, square dance calling, Christmas Tree farming Leo Collins, owner of Blue Bird Christmas Tree Farm in Heiskell, Tennessee, and Fred Sauceman’s Potluck Radio series features Allan Benton and Allan Benton’s Red Eye gravy recipe.

Bluebird Christmas Tree Farm: http://bluebirdtrees.com/

Fred Sauceman: https://www.facebook.com/fred.sauceman

Newspaper story written by Mary Constantine about Leo Collins: http://www.knoxnews.com/story/life/2017/11/22/christmas-tree-farms-opening-season-knoxville-east-tennessee/862657001/

Photo: KNS, Newspaper story written by Mary Constantine about Leo Collins: http://www.knoxnews.com/story/life/2017/11/22/christmas-tree-farms-opening-season-knoxville-east-tennessee/862657001/

Chef David Olson, Creator of Live Fire Republic, Chef Joseph Lenn, Fred Sauceman

S9:E24. 07/02/2022

Chef David Olson, Creator of Live Fire Republic, Chef Joseph Lenn, Fred Sauceman

• Chef David Olson is a nationally-recognized American Culinary Federation Chef, television personality and social network influencer, award-winning recipe developer, live fire grill master, international adventurer, and the creator behind “Live Fire Republic.” Chef Olson lets us know how to cook chicken over live fire that is always juicy, not dry.
• Chef Joseph Lenn. Owner of JC Holdway in Knoxville, TN, and winner in the past of Best Chef Southeast by the James Beard Foundation. Joseph loves to fish, especially fly fishing for trout, and he will let us know how he cooks a trout on an open fire in the woods. And about his annual ramp hunt and cook he does annually with Allan and Sharon Benton (of Benton’s Smoky Mountain Country Hams)
• And Fred Sauceman’s Pot Luck Radio series features a specialty of the White Trolley Cafe in Corinth, Mississippi. The Slugburger.

Links:

Live fire Republic: https://livefirerepublic.com/

J.C. Holdway: https://www.jcholdway.com/

Fred Sauceman: https://www.facebook.com/fred.sauceman

The White Trolly Cafe: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g43735-d943344-Reviews-White_Trolley_Cafe-Corinth_Mississippi.html

Emi Sunshine (sings our theme song): https://theemisunshine.com/

Chef David Olson creator of Live fire Republic: https://livefirerepublic.com/ and Amy. 2022.

Chef Joseph Lenn, Owner of J.C. Holdway: https://www.jcholdway.com/ with a good’un. Photo: from Chef Lenn’s instagram page.

Mother’s Day Stories and Old Fashioned Recipes

S9:E17. 05/07/2022

Today, we set the table with some good food and memories in honor of Mother’s Day. First, we’ll visit Mary Lynn Snyder, who shares memories of growing up in the R.C. Tway coal mining camp outside Harlan, KY. Then, she’ll share her Mother Ruby’s cooking ways and a recipe for “Mama Ruby’s Creamy Lemon Pie.” Also on the program - Fred’s Sauceman shares a lovely audio essay in memory of his late mother-in-law, Elsie Maddux Derting. And I share a story and recipe about my late mother, Edwena Janie Clayton, Mississippi, and kilt salad for supper.

Fred Sauceman: https://www.facebook.com/fred.sauceman

Recipes:

“Mama Ruby’s Creamy Lemon Pie” from Mary Lynn Snyder

Ingredients:

• 8-9 inch baked pastry shell, can use grab cracker crust
• Three egg yolks (reserve the egg whites if making meringue)
• 14 oz can of Eagle brand sweetened condensed milk (Ruby used Pet brand)
• 1/2 c. real lemon juice from concentrate
• a dab of yellow food coloring
• 2 cups of whipped topping (Ruby used meringue)

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees
• In a medium bowl, beat egg yolks with milk and lemon juice, and add a little food coloring
• Pour into the pastry shell
• Bake for 30 minutes, cool, and top with whipped topping *If using meringue, top with meringue before placing it in the oven to cook. Refrigerate before serving, and refrigerate leftovers.

Kilt Salad:

Ingredients:

• A “mess” of Fresh greens. The term “mess” refers to the amount you would use for your family. A family of 4 with a hearty appetite would need about a 1/2 a paper bag full of fresh greens. These cook down to roughly a 6th of their size, so it takes a good amount. These greens can be any greens you can find. Dandelion, lambs quarters, spinach, kale, young poke, collards, etc. Most watery lettuces are too soggy, so I use a more hearty green. Do not use frozen. Triple wash the fresh greens. If you use collard greens or kale, remove the large spines from the leaves. Chop the greens. Try to get the water off of them as well as you can with a salad spinner or a colander. If you still have some water on them, it is ok; they do not need to be super dry. But, if you have standing water in your pot of greens, pour that off.
• 1 pack of bacon fried crisp, drained, and crumbled. Reserve the grease in the pan, and keep the grease hot.
• Salt and pepper to taste.
• Hard boil six eggs, peel, and slice.

Directions:

• In a large bowl, place the chopped greens.
• Pour the hot bacon grease all over the greens (about 1/2 cup)
• Toss the greens and bacon fat very quickly to cover all of the greens and to “kill” the greens.
• Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Top with crumbled bacon.
• Serve with hot cornbread, vinegar, and sliced boiled eggs.

This recipe comes from watching my Grandmother (Mildred May of Jackson, Mississippi) prepare this in her kitchen.

The late Elsie Maddux Derting. Photo: Fred Sauceman.

Mary Lynn Snyder. Photo: Mary Lynn Snyder Facebook page.

Allan Bentons Tennessee Prosciutto

S9:E12. 04/02/2022

How does a struggling self-described hillbilly ham smoker turn into THE man on hams and bacon? Dearly loved by locals, chefs, and customers across our nation, here is his story of taking a wise chance with his business and how that has paid off.

http://bentonscountryhams2.com/

Allan Benton actually does use a computer at times.  Amy took this picture of him at Benton's Smoky Mountain Country Hams, Madisonville, TN. http://bentonscountryhams2.com/

Here is a picture of Amy’s “Smoky Mountain Sushi” TM.

Tyler Rogers - Chattanooga Tennessee Chair-Maker

S9:E7. 02,26,2022

Tyler Rogers from Chattanooga, Tennessee, makes wooden chairs, the old-style way with hand tools. His chairs are as beautiful as they are functional. Tyler also shares his Grandmother Wyoline Lewis's squash casserole recipe. Also, Fred Sauceman shares ham smoker Allan Benton's Red Eye Gravy recipe.

Links:

Tyler Rogers https://www.instagram.com/tr.chairmaker/

Fred Sauceman: https://www.facebook.com/fred.sauceman

Allan Benton https://bentonscountryhams2.com/

Emi Sunshine (sings our theme song): https://theemisunshine.com/

Tyler Rogers with the chair he made 2021. Connect with Tyler on instagram @tr.chairmaker. Photo: Amy Campbell.

A closer look at Tyler Roger’s chair. Photo: Amy Campbell.

Tyler Rogers working on shaving down legs for a chair. Photo: Amy Campbell.

The book Tyler references in the podcast and snacks he had for our visit. Photo: Amy Campbell.

Allan Benton’s Tennessee Prosciutto, made in Madisonville, Tennessee.

Season 8, Episode 29. 08/07/2021.

Allan Benton’s Tennessee Prosciutto, made in Madisonville, Tennessee.

On the show today, we are setting the table with Tennessee-made Country Ham or Tennessee prosciutto.

Our featured guest on the show today is Allan Benton of Madisonville, TN. Allan shares his story on how he learned what the word prosciutto meant and how he positioned his product to the world of fine dining. Allan's prosciutto goes toe to toe with some of the most expensive, well-known prosciuttos from all over the world.

I'll share with you an easy appetizer that I have developed and named Smoky Mountain Sushi. It is not made with seafood, but rather country, ham, collard greens, and black-eyed peas. Keep scrolling for the recipe and a link where I demonstrate how to make this on WBIR Channel 10.

From Radio Bristol's Farm and Fun Time show, recorded live from the Birthplace of Country Music, storyteller Tony Marr's heirloom recipe segment on Leftovers.

Fred Sauceman's Pot-Luck Radio series features Joyce and Nancy McCarroll. They ran the restaurant at Traveler's Restaurant in Traveler's Rest, South Carolina, until 2018.

Benton’s Smoky Mountain Country Hams: https://bentonscountryhams2.com

Radio Bristol’s Farm and Fun Time Program: https://birthplaceofcountrymusic.org/radio/programs/farm-and-fun-time/

Fred Sauceman, maker of the “Pot Luck Radio” segment: https://www.facebook.com/fred.sauceman


Recipe for Smoky Mountain Sushi: Keep scrolling

“Smoky Mountain Sushi” cooking demo video: Here is a link to my Television cooking demo on WBIR TV10: https://www.wbir.com/article/life/food/recipes/smoky-mountain-sushi/51-e7fad395-ee34-42e8-9c07-dc5d4cb7b25b

Emi Sunshine sings our theme song: http://theemisunshine.com/

Tommy Bateman (left) and Allan Benton cut ham at Benton’s Smoky Mountain Country Ham, Madisonville, Tennessee.