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Thursday, October 9, 2014
Down and Dirty Sorghum molasses returns to local markets
Posted By Alison Leininger on Thu, Oct 9, 2014 at 11:05 AM
As a girl in Ohio only reading of it in novels, I had to imagine sorghum as dark, sticky sweetness poured over southern breakfasts of biscuits and grits. But I've lived below the Mason-Dixon line for nearly 15 years now, so when I heard that this year's crop was coming in I thought it was high time I educated myself.
Part of a family of grasses that includes corn and sugar cane, different varieties of sorghum produce grain, animal feed or molasses. When Christy and Michael Underwood started their farm in Lawndale eight years ago, they embraced the area's longstanding culture of molasses sorghum as part of a move toward self-sufficiency. "It's a sugar we can produce," says Christy, adding with a laugh, "You need some sweetness in your life."
Sorghum cane, which can grow as high as 14 feet, is a utilitarian crop. Seeded in May and harvested in October, it grows in relatively poor soil with minimal care, resists both drought and pests, and can serve as fodder for pigs or cows. Still, for small farms like Underwood, harvest and processing are a laborious operation.
Thursday, October 2, 2014
Liquid Diet Drink This: 715
Posted By Lauren Blake on Thu, Oct 2, 2014 at 1:39 PM
Found: Stagioni (715 Providence Rd.)
Ingredients: Bulleit Rye, Green Chartreuse, Domaine de Canton, muddled cherries, fresh lemon juice, grapefruit bitters
The Tuscan-style revival home that now houses Stagioni was originally the residence of North Carolina native and socialite Blanche Reynolds. Her gorgeous villa served as an outpost for lavish parties and intimate gatherings, in which she went to great lengths to ensure good spirits were had all around. Rumor has it that the mansion’s swimming pool sometimes doubled as a champagne trough.
Down and Dirty A fresh look at ginger
Posted By Alison Leininger on Thu, Oct 2, 2014 at 12:31 PM
Let me re-introduce you to ginger. This member of the Pumpkin Spice brigade, known for making cookies snappy and dressings "Asian," is about to make its annual debut in our local markets. Available for just a few weeks, the fresh version looks nothing like the dead roots in grocery store aisles, and is worth getting excited about.
- Courtesy Mary Roberts at Windcrest Farm
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Recipe: Rose Water Tea Cookies 1
Cookies, tea and shouting. In that order. Ascending order.
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Photos: Mint Museum's Allure of Flowers After Hours
A peek into a fancy foodie fundraising event that incorporated flowers into, well, everything.
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Dish on this: Charlotte-based chefs join ACF Culinary Team USA 2016
As fall approaches, local chefs prepare for a culinary battle in Germany.
