Around the Table - Autumn Moodswings
Welcome back! Go ahead and take your seat. I’ve put some extra napkins out today as this week’s offerings are extra juicy. Can you smell the apple pastry in the oven? I'll share the recipe with you before you go. Let me just give the pot one last stir ... perfect! Everything’s ready, so let’s let's dine, shall we?
COCKTAILS
Fine wines will be flowing at the Third Annual HopeHealth Wine Tasting slated for 6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 30 at Osbornes. Tickets are $30 and include plenty of yummy eats. Please mark your calendars now and plan to attend as this event benefits one of the Pee Dee’s most worthy causes — fighting AIDS/HIV. Call Carl Humphries at (843) 667-9414 if you need more info.
APPETIZERS
Italian holiday:
If you’ve ever picked up a home & garden or cuisine magazine, chances are you’ve seen Vietri. It’s caught the eye of famed foodies such as Paula Deen and Giada De Laurentiis. It will catch yours, too! OK — classed closed.
In any event, Hobnob’s Italian Holiday nights will feature Chef Randy of Bittersweet Herb Farm, a culinary advisor from Hobnob’s cheese purveyor, wine, cheeses and delectable Italian hors d’oeuvres, and a Vietri consultant will be on hand to showcase the beauty of this tableware and other products. Suzanne also wanted me to let you know that Hobnob’s Red Barn location at the Pee Dee State Farmer’s Market has expanded to make a great venue for your holiday parties, bridal luncheons, etc.
Dates are filling up quickly, so don’t delay if you’re interested. Call Suzanne to save your date at 664-0486.
Seafood: There’s a new seafood place in town that delivers — literally. Carolina Seafood Co. is a small storefront operation located at 1385-B Celebration Boulevard next to the convenience store/McDonald’s on Cashua Drive. It seems to be largely intended as a take-out business and advertisements for the business say they offer a delivery service and online ordering! Some of the menu items include shrimp and grits, seafood pastas, clam chowder, crab cakes, crab legs, Calabash shrimp and fried favorites like oysters and scallops. If you’ve tried it, leave me a comment. I’d love to know what you think!
ENTREE
Last weekend was gorgeous, a perfect time to head to the Upstate and visit my daughter Nina, a senior at Clemson, and her man, Gabe. But first, Michele and I had to endure the hectic, nutty, uncoordinated effort that defines the packing and departure procedures of every excursion we attempt. With two busy full-time
working schedules and an independently minded 6-year-old to deal with, it’s the stuff of comedies — and sometimes tragedies. There’s always lots of finger-pointing, gnashing of teeth, a bit of cursing (out of child’s earshot, of course) and a ridiculous amount of clothing and toys being stuffed into, and subsequently regurgitated by, a hodgepodge of suitcases and duffel bags. I always declare a departure time that’s at least an hour prior to the actual time I want to leave as Michele is only on time for work and work-related functions — and nothing else. Often, though, we still manage to blow the deadline. This day was no different. We were all grumpy by the time we hit the road, and I fussed about Michele’s driving all the way. Sometimes even a short trip doesn’t seem worth the stress, you know?
It didn’t help that, all the way there, I had to share footspace with a canvas bag filled with spices, olives and olive oil for Nina, who loves to cook just like her mother. She also is a major tree-hugger who inherited a green thumb from her Uncle John Wiersema, one of the world’s leading taxonomists, and so she plants a pretty sweet garden in the backyard of her cozy home. The night of our arrival, she welcomed us with eggplant parmesan featuring her own eggplant, and a lovely salad brimming with her homegrown peppers, tomatoes and lettuces. (We brought the wine so she wouldn’t have to stomp the grapes ...) As we sat down to eat, the day’s prior stresses and aggravations began to fade ever so slightly ...
Now, Nina and Gabe are the outdoorsy type. Nina studies environmental science and natural resources, and Gabe is a kayaker and former river guide. So I should have been prepared for some serious outdoor activity the next day. The ol’ knees ain’t what they used to be, so I was a little hesitant when she revealed we were hiking to Brasstown Falls on some pretty steep, narrow and rooty trails. I begged, instead, to head to Greer for Oktoberfest — I really thought I’d win her over, too, after describing the German beer, brats and such we could enjoy without too much exertion. But the threat of weight gain and oompah bands strengthened her resolve. We were going hiking.
Relying on a hiking stick and a few helping hands as needed, I begrudgingly picked my way down the trail with some minor discomfort, a bit of grumbling and a few close calls with poison ivy. My extreme sports-lovin’ grandson Jordan would have leaped off a few ledges if Michele hadn’t have had a tight grip on him. I was not a happy hiker, pining instead for the smell of sauerkraut and the cheesy sound of accordions.
Then, a miracle happened — I turned around and came face to face with those gorgeous falls! Even if I had broken a limb on that hike, it would have been worth every tedious, knee-throbbing minute. For real.
Afterward, we dropped in at Bryson’s U-Pick Apple Orchard in Mountain Rest and did some serious apple picking. With about 10 varieties ripe and ready, we hit the hills with buckets and bags. Jordan, who had gotten cranky after falling into the water at Brasstown and getting his shorts wet, had been fussing all the way to the orchard, declaring that he wasn’t going to get out of the car when we got there. Ha! We could hardly keep up with him. With a huge grin, he plucked joyfully, munching an apple or two along the way, not even aware that his shorts were drying in the warm autumn breeze as he worked. With a trunk filled with apples and a couple of jugs of some of the best cider I’ve tasted in years, we drove back to the house.
Nina was quietly basking in the glow of her nature day. Michele and Gabe were chattering about microbrews. Jordan’s shorts were dry. I was planning to bake a major apple pie ... or maybe a deep dish dumpling.
And it would be a magnificent pastry, infused with the flavor of mountains and warm sunshine, fresh air and waterfalls. And love. In her subtle, luminous way, Autumn had steered me back to that place where myself and my family and the earth were one.
The trip back home would be a good one.
TAKE OUT
Libby’s Deep-dish Apple Dumpling
This will typically make two crusts; however, for this dumpling, keep dough in one piece.
For pastry:
3 cups plain flour
½ cup vegetable shortening, chilled
½ cup butter, chilled
1 teaspoon of salt
½ cup ice water (more or less as necessary)
For filling:
4 large apples, or 6 medium apples, peeled and sliced
¼ cup sugar
½ cup brown sugar
¼ cup butter
2 tbsp. cinnamon
¼ tsp. nutmeg
For drizzling:
Maple syrup
In a large bowl, toss cut apples, sugars, and spices. Set aside. In another bowl, cut shortening and butter into flour. (Baker’s note: I took lessons in pie-making from my sister-in-law, Lori, whose pie-making expertise is quite renowned in the family and beyond. Her crusts are the flakiest ever! She taught me to cut the fat into the flour with my fingers rather than utensils, and to keep the mixture very coarse, larger than the pea-size clumps normally recommended.) Once shortening and butter have been coarsely incorporated, add the water a tablespoon at a time and mix gently with a wooden spoon until you have a slightly sticky dough ball. (Baker’s note: Add more water as necessary, careful not to get mixture too sticky or leave it too dry.)
Turn out onto a floured board, being careful not to overhandle or knead the dough as it will make it tough. Roll out the dough ball with a floured pin, turning at intervals to flour the underside to prevent sticking. You can also lightly flour the top of the dough round to manage any stickiness. Transfer dough round to a deep dish pie plate by rolling one edge onto the rolling pin. Continue to slowly roll the round up around the pin; carefully center and unroll into pie dish. Fill with apple mixture, dot with remaining butter and drizzle with a few tablespoons of maple syrup. Gently fold pie crust over the apples and crimp.
Bake on the center rack in a 350 degree oven until golden brown and bubbly, about 30-45 minutes. (Place cookie sheet beneath to catch drippings.) If desired, you can brush the crust with melted butter and sprinkle with sugar a couple of minutes before removing from the oven. Remove from oven and cool for few minutes on a rack. Serve warm with maple syrup.
Like to cook? Try these great recipes!
DESSERT
Don’t forget these fun food affairs:
S.C. Sweet Potato Festival, Oct. 11, Public Square in Darlington
Taste of Dillon County, 5 to 8 p.m., Oct. 16, City Wellness Center, Dillon
Kingstree Pig Pickin’ Festival: Oct. 16-18, Kingstree
Pee Dee International Festival, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Oct. 18, Francis Marion University
MOOD MUSIC
This blog was written to the sounds of:
"Making Pies" by Patty Griffin
"October Road" by James Taylor
Next week’s menu: The smell of fresh tortillas is in the air ...
Posted by
on 10/08 at 02:57 PM
