There we were, just taking a side road in Collector, New South Wales, in Australia to avoid the major highway nearby, when we stumbled upon…what the???? standing out in the middle of a field was the Dreamer’s Gate and the ferro-concrete sculptures of Tony Phantastes.  Check out these views:

http://www.michaeljohngrist.com/2010/06/the-half-built-ruin-of-the-dreamers-gate

http://atlasobscura.com/place/dreamers-gate

I had been doing things like hypertufa and concrete stepping stones for decades, but Tony Phantastes just blew me away. Then I ran across the product “Darjit” developed by Brent Sumner and his students from Alchymia, North Island, New Zealand. Check out these links:

http://www.alchymia.co.nz/darjit.htm

http://www.darjit.com

Wow! This is way beyond hypertufa!  Since then, I have been taking classes, reading, and developing my own techniques and recipes. Attached is my frog earth oven that I just constructed last fall for pizza and bread. The idea of functional sculpture really appeals to me.  The frog prince is at the end of a path in which you come around the corner, and there he is, in all his blue splendor (re: Mary Travers’ “I’m in Love with a Big Blue Frog”).

Suddenly, I see ferro-concrete all around me, from bridges to water parks to Hogwarts at Disney…..

Art Tucker

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Tickets are now available for General Admission & Premium Programming! Many premium workshops sell out early, so be sure to reserve your place in order to attend our most popular programming.

Starting in mid-May, this year’s presenters will begin contributing guest posts to this blog. Sign up for the Festival E-Newsletter to receive updates.

Just in time for fall harvest celebrations, the Historic Division of Mars has partnered with Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello to offer you a deliciously educational Twitter sweepstakes. Every day beginning Sunday, September 9, through Thursday, September 13, you can enter for a chance to win free admission for two to the Heritage Harvest Festival at Monticello on Saturday, September 15, as well as a full set of American Heritage Chocolate. The American Heritage Chocolate product line, inspired by an authentic 18th-century recipe, is manufactured by Mars Chocolate North America and sold at the Monticello gift shop.

HOW TO ENTER:

• Follow @Choc_History, the official handle of The Historic Division of Mars, on Twitter
• Re-tweet the sweepstakes message posted by @Choc_History every morning, Sept 9 through Sept 13, or simply tweet them with the hashtag #HH12Giveaway
• Stay tuned for daily winner announcements! We will select one lucky winner every day in a random drawing.

Click here for Official Rules >>

Don’t have a Twitter account? You can get one for free at twitter.com >>

Unknown to most, chocolate has been an integral part of American history—in a way that it’s even more American than apple pie. Not only was the cocoa bean discovered in the Americas and brought to Europe by Columbus, but 17th and 18th-century Americans actually saw chocolate as an important part of their everyday diet.  

America’s founding fathers were captivated by chocolate. Thomas Jefferson was a great advocate for the chocolate drink and is quoted as saying: "The superiority of chocolate, both for health and nourishment, will soon give it the preference over tea and coffee in America which it has in Spain."

On Saturday, September 15, Mars Chocolate History Research Director, Rodney Snyder, who has spent more than 25 years researching cocoa for Mars, Incorporated, will share his knowledge of chocolate history with the visitors of the Heritage Harvest Festival at Monticello. Throughout the day, Rodney will be demonstrating the colonial process of turning cocoa beans into the chocolate drink.

Additionally, 2–3 pm, Howard-Yana Shapiro, Ph.D., Global Director of the Plant Scienceand External Research at Mars, will do a special presentation on the state of the cocoa farming industry. His lecture will focus on the mythology of chocolate, describing the unique relationship that people have had with this tropical treasure and the remarkable role it has played in human culture through time.

Join us at the Heritage Harvest Festival at Monticello for an exciting journey through chocolate’s rich history and experience a true chocolate drink from American Heritage Chocolate, created by Mars Chocolate North America and inspired by an authentic colonial recipe.

For more interesting facts about chocolate history, visit us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/TheHistoricDivisionofMARS or at http://americanheritagechocolate.com.

• Cocoa Sustainability and the Cocoa Genome with Howard-Yana Shapiro (Saturday, 2:00–3:00 p.m.) Free Workshop
• Bean to Beverage Chocolate Demonstration with Rodney Snyder (Saturday, 11:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m.) Free Workshop
• Bean to Beverage Chocolate Demonstration with Rodney Snyder (Saturday, 3:15–4:15 p.m.) Free Workshop
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Homebrewing and craft-beers are all the rage across the country. Paired with the popularity of “locally-grown food”, it’s no surprise that many people are interested in growing their own hops.  The really big commercial hop yards are located in the Pacific Northwest, but contrary to what some of the “experts” will tell you, you can grow your own hops in the eastern United States.  If you want to do this on a commercial scale, there are some real challenges that you need to be willing to face, and in my opinion, it is only economically feasible because of the interest craft breweries have in making specialty brews with locally grown hops.  But if you are a home brewer, medicine maker, or just love growing something new and different, growing hops is not a big deal.

Hops (Humulus lupulus) are long, vining perennial plants that grow like kudzu during the spring and summer and die back to their perennial roots every fall.  The plant produces big, dark green leaves and papery cones.  The cones, which are what you harvest, are full of aromatic oils and bittering agents that make beer flavorful.  There are many different varieties of hops that have different brewing properties and horticultural aspects, such as disease resistance.  Because the east coast tends to be hot, humid, and rainy during the summer time, there is more pressure from diseases here than in the Northwest, so selecting varieties resistant to the more common hop diseases is important. 

You can grow hops easily in your backyard.  Putting in a small commercial yard will take some capital and work.  Choose a site with good water drainage and exposure to lots of sunshine.  Most importantly, hops need something very tall to climb.  Some folks build trellises specifically for hops.  Home gardeners often let them grow up on the side of porches or established fences.  The taller you can let the plants grow, the better.  Wherever you plant them, think ahead to how you plan to harvest the cones when they are mature.  Be sure you can reach all parts of the plant with ladders or have a way to lower the plants to you.  The cones must be harvested at the peak of maturity and either used immediately to brew “fresh hop” or “wet hops” beer or the cones must be dried. Putting the cones on screens in front of a fan is sufficient in many cases. 

Hops are fun to grow, a great conversation piece, and have the potential to make a tasty beverage.  In addition, hops are used medicinally, in cosmetics, and for decorative purposes.  A very versatile plant!

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For most gardeners in the Mid-Atlantic area, fall is a great time to plant the garden all over again.  By reusing the space vacated by spring and summer crops, gardeners can make the most of their gardening space and have delicious crops all fall and even winter long. 

The vegetable garden gives one great final burst of energy to get done what it can before the first frost comes.  Be sure to get out and harvest the last of the produce before it succumbs to the low temperatures.  Great handfuls of tomatoes hang ever patiently waiting for a heat wave to ripen them.  Now is the time to end their long wait, harvest them, and bring them in to ripen off the vine, or better yet enjoy a feast of fried green tomatoes.  In their place, sow hardy greens such as kale, spinach, mustard and turnips.  Row covers can extend production into even the cold months of winter.   Perennials prepare to hibernate below ground for the winter by storing the energy in their leaves in their roots (and bulbs, corms and tubers).  When they have finished their time in the garden, it is time to remove the debris and give it second life in the compost pile (if it is not diseased). 

To help get the ball rolling for all of the activity that can take place in the fall garden, just remember (in no particular order) that

Clean up debris and compost if it isn’t diseased
Organize storage sheds, garden notes and left over seeds
Mulch beds and plants after the ground is frozen
Plant spring-flowering bulbs, evergreens and garlic (sow some leafy greens, too)
Overwinter cool season vegetable crops with row covers
Sharpen and Store garden tools (after they are cleaned, of course!)
Test the soil in your garden and lawn

Record your garden successes and failures for next year
Enjoy fresh produce while it lasts
Water trees and shrubs (especially evergreens) to reduce winter damage
Apply lime and fertilizer according to test results
Remove spent plant parts and compost them
Divide perennials
Save seeds from favorite plants

Fried Green Tomatoes

Fried green tomatoes were a great favorite of my grandmother.  She would make large platefuls for our Sunday family dinners in the early summer and late fall.  This recipe is very similar to what she prepared.  For a twist, put a fried tomato or two between slices of toast with some lettuce, bacon (turkey or otherwise) and a little light mayo for a green tomato BLT.  

• 4 green tomatoes, cut in 1/4-inch slices
• 1 cup flour
• 1 egg beaten with 1 cup skim milk
• 1 cup yellow cornmeal
• 1 teaspoon each salt and black pepper
• Canola oil for frying

Yield:  5 servings 

1. Assemble ingredients. Spread flour on a sheet of waxed paper or on a plate. Put the egg wash in shallow dish.

2. Spread the cornmeal on a sheet of waxed paper or plate, add salt and pepper, and mix well.

3. Dredge the tomato slices in flour and shake off the excess.

4. Dip each slice in the egg wash and drain off excess, and then coat with the cornmeal, shaking off excess gently. Place on a tray and set aside.

5. Heat the oil in a large heavy (preferably cast iron) skillet over a medium flame. When hot,   add the tomato slices. Do not overcrowd the skillet. Cook several minutes, until golden, then turn. Drain on paper towels and serve while still hot.

Recipe from University of Missouri Extension Service

The photos in this post are from our local community garden Manna Meal. They are great at making the most of their space. They harvested a little over 3000 pounds of produce from about 1.5 acres last year. All of the food goes to a soup kitchen that feeds over 400 people a day, 7 days a week, 365 a year. You can read more about Manna Meal at mannameal.com.

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If you have a shady area in your yard, you can easily grow your own forest medicinal herbs. Even if you have no plans to make medicine, most forest herbs are beautiful plants that are a joy to grow. And by so doing, you are helping to conserve these valuable plants. One of the easiest woodland botanicals to grow is bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis). 

Bloodroot is a charming little plant with large, waxy, deeply lobed leaves. It is one of the first plants in the woods to emerge in the spring with a showy bright white flower. For me, it is always a thrill to see the first bloodroot bloom each spring!  Even after the flower dies down, the patch of bloodroot provides a delightful mix of color and textures on the forest floor. 

As the season progresses, bloodroot develops an unusual seedpod that sticks straight up from the plant. When the seeds are ripe, the pod bursts open, depositing the seeds on the ground. Each round, shiny, black seed has a fleshy, white appendage, called an elaiosome. Ants are attracted to the elaiosome and will carry the seeds off to eat it, while at the same time “planting” the seed! I like to collect my seeds and plant them where I want them. In order to do this, I make little collection bags out of bridal veil fabric and slip those over the seedpods before they are ripe. Once the seed are collected, they need to be planted immediately or stored in such a way that they don’t dry out. I store mine in moist sand buried in a bag in the ground or, for the very short term, held in a cup in the refrigerator. 

Bloodroot is also propagated by planting pieces of the underground rhizome. When the fleshy rhizome is cut or broken, it oozes a red sap that really does look like blood. It will stain, and for some people, irritate your skin. The fleshy rhizome is the part of the plant that is used to make medicine or dye.

Bloodroot is a medicinal herb, a source of dye, and a beautiful ornamental. I encourage you to plant some of your own this fall.

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I grew up on kosher dills and stories of my great-grandfather’s crocks of sauerkraut that bubbled in the attic all through the winter. When I asked my grandmother how to make pickles, she said to put the cucumbers in a crock with water and dill and add enough salt until it is just before you gag. Turns out, I gag easily. Without enough salt to kill spoilage bacteria, the cucumbers were a stinky, slimy mess in no time.

I learned how to make pickles from books and talking with older Vermonters. I was part of the back-to-the-land movement, and I think the neighbors got a kick out of the young hippies who asked endless questions and didn’t seem to have much in the way of commonsense.

Today the DIY movement has sparked a revival of interest in all kinds of food preservation—pickling, canning, freezing, root cellaring. While access to land is a far more challenging problem than it was when I was younger, access to quality fresh fruits and vegetables, directly from the farm, has never been easier. It makes sense to put by food in the summer for enjoying throughout the winter.

I have a new book out this summer called The Pickled Pantry. It contains recipes and instructions for all manner of pickles—fresh-pack, fermented, freezer, refrigerator—and even recipes that incorporate pickles, like kimchi fish stew.

Over Memorial Day weekend I pickled a case (that’s 48 pounds) of pickling cucumbers into dill chips, bread and butters, and curry chips. I take these pickles with me when I do workshops or when I go to book signings at book stores. I have 60 pint jars of pickles in a corner of my dining room.  Which, of course, points out one of the big issues with food preservation: storage.

People often ask how long it takes to write a cookbook like this, which has about 150 recipes. The answer is usually, “All my adult life.” If the book covers a subject I care passionately about – cooking vegetables, making pickles, preserving – then, truthfully, I’ve been at it since I left my mother’s house, a long, long time ago.

But all along, through busy summers and leisurely ones, I had one quest: to make the perfect dill pickle. Have I succeeded? You be the judge.

No-Fail Half-Sour Dill Pickles
Makes about 2 quarts

Vinegar gives a kick-start to the pickling process in these quick and easy pickles, guaranteeing success. If you’ve never tried fermented pickles, this is definitely the recipe to start with. You can multiply this recipe as many times as you like, but these pickles are best enjoyed at 1 to 2 weeks, so it makes sense to make small batches as the cucumber season progresses.

4 cups water
2 tablespoons pickling or fine sea salt
1/2 cup distilled white vinegar
1 dill head or 6 sprigs fresh dill
4 garlic cloves, peeled
8 cups whole pickling cucumbers

1. Heat the water and salt in a saucepan, stirring until the salt is fully dissolved. Add the white vinegar and let cool to room temperature.

2. Slice 1/16 inch off the blossom end of each cucumber. Cut into spears.

3. Pack a clean 2-quart canning jar or crock with the dill, garlic, and cucumbers, in that order. Pour in the brine. Weight the cucumbers so they are completely submerged in the brine.

4. Cover the container to exclude the air. Set the jar where the temperature will remain constant: 65° to 75°F is ideal.

5. Check the jar daily and remove any scum that forms on the surface.

6. The pickles will be ready in 2 to 3 days, although full flavor will not be reached for a week. If your kitchen is reasonably cool, you can leave these pickles out for up to 2 weeks. If the brine starts to become cloudy, refrigerate immediately to prevent spoiling. The flavor of the dill and garlic will continue to develop. The pickles will keep for at least 3 months in the refrigerator.

Recipe is from The Pickled Pantry by Andrea Chesman (Storey Publishing). © 2012 Andrea Chesman. Used with permission by the author.

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My interest in food began as an eight year old when my mom let me put a piece of toast with peanut butter on top into the toaster. It melted the peanut butter and tasted wonderful! I was on my way to trying new flavor combinations – which led me to starting my own restaurant.

The best aspect of cooking for me is pride and ownership in each dish, and creating a menu that people take the time and effort, with so many choices in the area, to choose l’étoile for lunch or dinner. A great feeling indeed.

My major influence in the style of cooking is Julia Child. I love French country cooking, the simplicity and the great flavors from staple items. I love the techniques of French cooking, structure and discipline will yield great results. I hope to share this with the guests at the Heritage Harvest festival this September. To be on location and cooking with produce from the gardens at Monticello is an honor and I am very excited to be part of this great experience.

Website: http://www.letoilerestaurant.com/
Facebook: L ‘etoile C’ville.
Twitter: @letoileva

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Ten years later I’ve had the opportunity to develop my message and my approach to teaching about early African American foodways and their impact on our culinary history and gardenways.  Every day presents new lessons and insights from the distant past.  Now I am embarking on a journey to the Deep South to look for more heirlooms, to encourage community gardens and farmers to grow more African American heirlooms, to promote racial reconcilliation and healing and to find out more about my enslaved Ancestors.  The Cooking Gene Project blends contextual genealogy, heirloom gardening, culinary history and social justice into one cohesive project that looks at the impact of enslaved African Americans on Southern/American culinary history while looking at the long term influence and legacy and what it means for our contemporary best practices in food, community development, health and spirit.  Having been an Edna Lewis Lecture guest speaker for the Thomas Jefferson Foundation at Monticello and a three time presenter at the Southern Exposure Heritage Harvest Festival, discussion with fellow heritage-food enthusiasts have fermented into a project like this where we look back in order to move forward.  I hope in being able to trace my Ancestors experience through food I can encourage others to do so and help bring us all to a greater understanding of our common culinary DNA. 

Our team could really use your help.  We only have a few days left to reach our funding goal.  By visiting our Indiegogo page we hope you will consider contributing to our campaign.  This year’s Heritage Harvest Festival will benefit from the project with a special class on using heirloom gardening to promote contextual genealogy.  We want to teach people how to use food to trace their roots–no matter what their background!  The past ten years have been just the start of a larger learning and sharing experience and we have so enjoyed learning with and from our friends at SESE and growing the plants that teach people about our heritage while making a way for a better future for all.  Please be sure to visit our campaign site and contribute whatever you can.  Our project is the only one of its kind and we hope if you follow us on the blog you will join us for some of our "Southern Discomfort Tour!"

Michael Twitty
Afroculinaria.com

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