GEORGIA'S KOINONIA FARM

GIFTS WITH MEANING

“For I was hungry and you gave me food,
  I was thirsty and you gave me drink,
 I was a stranger and you welcomed me,
 I was naked and you clothed me.”
                           Matthew 25:35-36

By Doc Lawrence

Entrance to Koinonia Farm

AMERICUS, GA-These people walk the walk. It’s easy to tell others what they need to do to make the world a better place. Far more difficult is actually feeding, clothing and providing shelter for strangers unconditionally, without fanfare.

Welcome to Koinonia Farm, located on the marvelously fertile fields of rural Southwest Georgia, a short distance from the home of Jimmy Carter. Driving through the gate, a sign informs visitors that here is the birthplace of Habitat for Humanity.

Since it’s founding in the 1940’s, it has been a refuge for the lonely and oppressed. Koinonia is a place where rules are totally open-ended. Those who have suffered for whatever reasons and need security, Koinonia welcomes them with open arms and love.

My introduction was through Tom Key and Harry Chapin’s wonderful musical, Cotton Patch Gospel, based of the translations of the New Testament Gospels by Reverend Clarence Jordan, Koinonia’s founder. The inspiring performance became a road to Damascus experience that took me from Atlanta to Koinonia.

Peaceful Pecan Trees

Koinonia is the embodiment of all things sustainable and organic. Permaculture is de rigueur. Food comes from the nutrient-rich soil, the enormous aquifer and clean air. Ingredients and products that cannot grow here are sourced from like-minded entities. Their marketing and sales operation-lifeblood and very honest-is generated on site. This is pecan paradise and whether shelled, whole or made into bakery products, sales directly benefit someone in need.

Scene from "Cotton Patch Gospel."

Their mission statement says everything: “We are Christians called to live together in intentional community sharing a life of prayer, work, study, service and fellowship. We seek to embody peacemaking, sustainability, and radical sharing. While honoring people of all backgrounds and faiths, we strive to demonstrate the way of Jesus as an alternative to materialism, militarism and racism.” When the Civil Rights Movement was just cranking up, these beliefs drew shameful violence, mindless state and local government harassment and merchant boycotts.

The men, women and children of Koinonia never surrendered to evil.

My holiday gifts to friends and family include the cakes, pecans, condiments and even the books sold by Koinonia Farms.

Peruse their online catalog and you’ll find a meaningful gift.
www.koinoniafarms.org; (877) 738.1714

help.

CHAMPAGNE WITH THE CZARS

HOLIDAY DINING AT NIKOLAI’S ROOF

By Doc Lawrence

Alma Sucic (L) with Daniel Rudinger and Elizabeth Fairleigh

ATLANTA-Nikolai’s Roof occupies a hallowed place in the culinary history of not only Atlanta but also much of the Deep South.  A pioneer gourmet leader in Atlanta two decades prior to the ‘96 Summer Olympics, Nikolai’s, originally conceived with homage to Imperial Russia, still hovers high over street life, offering a startling gaze of Atlanta’s evening skyline. On a recent starry evening, it became clear that the mission of this landmark institution is to remain in the forefront of the city's fine dining venues.

Ushering in the holidays with style, Nikolai’s under the command of GM Daniel Rudinger hosted a dinner party featuring Champagne and sparkling wines. Laurent-Perrier, the fabled Champagne house supplied many memorable pours over nearly three hours of celebration in the best tradition of fine dining in Atlanta.

On display was the Laurent-Perrier gilded birdhouse, an impressive container holding a gift bottle that deserves a place under the Christmas tree of someone special.

Esteemed chef Stephanie Alderete’s creations began with amuse-bouche that included lobster bisque served with Francois Montand extra dry sparkling wine. After seating, Alma Sucic, an eloquent spokesperson for Quality Wine & Spirits, described the wines for the evening, offering a concise tutorial of Champagne.

Thus began the tasting of oysters, a threesome topped off with Royal Oestra Caviar, Orange Miso and Prosecco Mignonette and paired with Marc Herbart Blanc de Blancs Brut.

The stage was set for pours of Laurent-Perrier and the initial choice was the Brut Rosé NV, a bubbly that glowed fluorescent pink in the flute glasses. The items served included Foie Gras and Veal, garnished with sweetbread compote, black trumpet mushrooms with truffle honey and Sherry reduction.

The piece de resistance, Kurobuta Pork Tenderloin and Cheeks, blended seamlessly with a regal Laurent-Perrier Grand Siecle. A prelude for the finale.

Dessert was skillfully crafted for the occasion by Chef Alderete, a combination of festive flavors elegantly presented. Her Dark Chocolate Torchon with Bourbon Ice Cream hid a subtle salinity that beckoned for more sparkling wines. The Bigaro Moscato, an Italian rosé delight, balanced out the complex tastes, making this a perfect evening.

High above the busy streets and sidewalks of Atlanta, we gathered for a great feast, honoring the culinary heritage of Nikolai’s Roof established long ago and welcoming the continuation of things truly wonderful
through the ensuing holiday season and New Year.

"A LITTLE PRINCESS" STIRS AND SHINES

THEATRICAL OUTFIT’S HOLIDAY MUSICAL


"Let your heart be your compass
Let your laughter be your guide
Follow after what you’ve always loved
And I’ll be by your side."
                From-A Little Princess

By Doc Lawrence

Sara as Performed by Emerson Steele

ATLANTA-Tom Key, Theatrical Outfit’s artistic director, uses the words of Nelson Mandela to introduce the current production: “Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.”

Meet the plucky, privileged Sara Crewe, the lead character of “A Little Princess.” The daughter of a soldier-adventurer in Africa finds herself shipped away from her happy home to mind-numbing, dull Victorian-era London. Through song, dance and tales of magic and mystery, she brings joy to the other children but draws the wrath of the cruel headmistress who resembles a tyrant in a Charles Dickens novel. Set in World War I, Sara learns that her father, a British army officer, is dead. Her charmed life crumbles and with no assurance of room and board payments flowing to the facility, she’s forced to become an unpaid servant, a slave by another name, dressed in rags and living in a cold, damp room.

Sara, however,  is made of good stuff and does not allow her light of life to be extinguished. Through imagination and courage she overcomes adversity with the dignity of a true princess.

Young Sara, brilliantly portrayed by Atlanta native Emerson Steele, is the universal child, glowing with defiance and faith. Her voice will brighten your holidays. Combine her spectacular performance with a talented cast and brilliant choreography and music, you behold an event that will, to quote Mr. Key, “liberate the soul-stirring truth of theatre.”

“A Little Princess” is part of Theatrical Outfit’s Season of Courage, continuing its vision of creating compassion, one thought-provoking and soul-stirring story at a time.

Tickets and information: www.theatricaloutfit.org;  (678) 528.1500

SAM AND THE BIRTH OF ROCK MUSIC

A BOOK FOR THE HOLIDAYS

“It’s one for the money,
Two for the show,

Three to get ready,
Now go cat go!”
      Carl Perkins, Blue Suede Shoes

By Doc Lawrence

The first time I walked in Sun Studios, the fabled recording shrine on Union Avenue in Memphis, I recalled Bob Dylan saying that when he made his maiden entrance there, he fell to his knees and kissed the floor. For a photo-op, I was provided with one of Johnny Cash’s acoustic guitars by a relative of the man who author Peter Guralnick says invented rock and roll.

Perhaps no one person invented this music, but Guralnick makes a convincing case over his brilliant 700-plus page book that we would have some pretty bland music and a very boring world were it not for the remarkable efforts of Sun Studio’s Sam Phillips.

Sam with the young King

Just in time for the holidays, Sam Phillips: The Man Who Invented Rock 'n’ Roll, (Little, Brown and Company), is a tour de force of the South’s vernacular music, beginnings that have no end. 

For those millions who came of age assisted by the recordings and performances of Elvis, Johnny Cash, Howlin’ Wolf, Roy Orbison, Jerry Lee Lewis, Wanda Jackson, B.B. King  Carl Perkins and a few dozen more music legends, Guralnick’s expert storytelling connects the genius of Phillips with the destiny of these singers who might have fallen into the abyss of obscurity without his faith in their voices and talents.

Guralnick, who also wrote the critically acclaimed Elvis Presley biographies, Last Train to Memphis, and Careless Love, knows the landscape of rock music’s evolution. His biography of Sam Phillips, the visionary genius who steered the revolutionary path of Sun Records, documents the introduction of a sound the world was waiting for. An Alabama native, Sam Phillips, consistently color blind and blessed with an open mind, was able to bring forth white and black voices largely from the rural South, launching a celebration of integrated harmonies and rhythms that would forever transform popular culture.

B.B. King

For those who love good rocking day or night, this is the holiday gift that stimulates priceless memories and pays tribute to the one man who made everything possible. Thomas Jefferson didn’t exactly invent America, but as a Founding Father, he was instrumental in its creation. Trusting his better angels, Sam Phillips recognized the magic embedded in the amazing men and women, who, when given the opportunity, would put some everlasting joy in the universe.

A SOUTH BEACH GOURMET CELEBRATION

CHEF LARA LYN CARTER HITS A HOME RUN

By Doc Lawrence

Lara Lyn Carter Heads to South Beach

MIAMI BEACH-The 2016 South Beach Wine & Food Festival will bring more than 60,000 guests to over 75 spectacular events throughout a star-studded gourmet weekend soiree alongside the Atlantic Ocean. The 15th annual festival running non-stop on the last four days of February is a star-studded gourmet celebration showcasing the talents of the world’s most renowned chefs and culinary personalities plus the legends of wine and spirits.

And it’s now official: Celebrity chef Lara Lyn Carter is included in the prestigious lineup.

Lara Lyn Cater is a perfect fit for this global gourmet lifestyle event. A cookbook author, successful cooking show star in South Georgia and the host of Georgia Public Broadcasting’s hit series “Thyme for Sharing with Lara Lyn Carter,” the personable chef bubbles with enthusiasm on the cooking demonstration stage whether from her home kitchen TV set in Albany, Georgia to the big studios in Atlanta or her triumphant appearances at Telluride last summer.

Strolling Along the Festival Venues

What makes her selection to South Beach impressive is that this is one event that occupies a top tier ranking of glamour and success in the highly competitive world of culinary celebrities. Many top chefs from the world over want to be included but only a few make the cut.

What the South Beach Wine & Food Festival means to top chefs is what the major leagues mean to baseball stars. It’s where the big names appear, cook, hobnob and join in the celebration of good living. And, you would be hard-pressed to find a more inviting environment than the festival sites lining the topical beaches along the Atlantic Ocean.
 
Over the years of covering South Beach, I’ve enjoyed Emeril, Bobby Flay, Mario Batali, Todd English, Paula Dean, Giada, Guy Fieri (and even Willie Nelson) and dozens more. This year, I have the special honor of admiring the performance of Chef Lara Lyn Carter as she joins ranks with legends like Martha Stewart who hosts her highly anticipated Rosé Brunch, country music superstar Trisha Yearwood’s hosting her Southern Kitchen Brunch, and others like Giada De Laurentis, Michelle Bernstein, Stephanie Izard, and Alain Ducasse.

And there’s the top of the line wine seminars and luxurious tastings hosted by Wine Spectator.

Lara Lyn Carter is just beginning. A network television in the near future will be no surprise at all. Next February, Georgia is going to be on the mind of the throngs from the planet's four corners enjoying food, wine, sunshine and music at South Beach.

A FRENCH LUNCH IN THE DEEP SOUTH

Vive la France- Embracing Food, Wine and Travel

By Doc Lawrence

Alluring Martinique

ATLANTA-It’s known as the Fleur de Caraïbes. Located in the heart of the Caribbean archipelago, Martinique is a jewel in the Windward Islands. Bordered on the east by the Atlantic Ocean, its western coast is flanked by the Caribbean. The island is much nearer to the U.S. Southeast than France, but for a few hours on a lovely afternoon it seemed close to Atlanta.

The Normandy Coast

Atout France, the French tourism agency, came here to promote travel in France and Martinique with a group of lucky members of the press at the opulent Four Seasons in Atlanta’s booming Midtown. You expect nothing less than excellence from French hosts and accordingly, French wines were poured and food was served from a special menu presented by esteemed Chef Robert Gerstenecker.

The entrees included Bronzino, the delicious European sea bass and filet of loin steak followed by chocolate silk pie, a delightful finale. Wine glasses were never empty.

During lunch, the intimate gathering learned that despite the tragedy in Paris, travel to France and Martinique is loaded with cultural rewards with a bonus of recreational opportunities along the countryside.

Breathtaking Midi-Pyrenees

Imagine a Normandy vacation. Featuring one of the world’s most famous coasts with 80 sites dedicated to D-Day and the Battle of Normandy, it is known as the cradle of Impressionism. Normandy will glow beginning in April during the 3rd edition of the Impressionist Festival. There will be hundreds of events during the spring and summer featuring over 25 exhibitions showcasing portraiture displaying about 100 paintings by Manet, Monet, Renoir, Cézanne, Degas, Caillebotte, Fantin-Latour, Morisot, Cassat and many more.

Toulouse, the capital of the popular destination Midi-Pyrénées, is also Atlanta’s sister city. A bustling technological hub renowned as the home of Airbus and Aéroscopia, it enjoys a thriving arts and culture scene. Lourdes and the “Grand Sites” of the Pyrénées, include the UNESCO natural heritage site of the Cirque of Gavarnie and the Pic du Midi, a mountain in the Pyrenees famous for its astronomical observatory. The city of Albi boasts the Toulouse Lautrec Museum, the Episcopal City a UNESCO site dating back to the Middle Ages, and the nearby village of Cordes-sur-Ciel, a fortified town dating from 1222 perched on a hilltop. The beautiful sites along the Way of St. James, include Conques, Figeac, Moissac and Auch.

Martinique's Geraldine Rome with Greg McCluney

The horrible events in Paris took a back seat. The gracious hosts were emblematic of the French spirit that eschews uncertainty and fear. As my distinguished colleague Greg McCluney observed, “France is vast and diverse making any region an attractive destination.” While enjoying another glass of wine, we agreed that the perfect place to lose those winter blues would be two weeks in January on Martinique, France’s island paradise.

PARIS ON MY MIND

Vignettes of France in the South

By Doc Lawrence

“There is never any ending to Paris and the memory of each person who has lived in it differs from that of any other. We always returned to it no matter who we were or how it was changed or with what difficulties, or ease, it could be reached. Paris was always worth it and you received return for whatever you brought to it. But this is how Paris was in the early days when we were very poor and very happy.”
                  -Ernest Hemingway, A Moveable Feast

Marquis de Lafayette in LaGrange

The statue in downtown LaGrange, the lovely West Georgia city, is one of many tributes to the French leader who was instrumental in helping George Washington’s army win the Revolutionary War. Marquis de Lafayette was a hero to early Americans and drew crowds like today’s rock stars as he traveled Georgia and new country. Milledgeville, another showcase Georgia city, marks the spot where America’s first huge outdoor barbecue was held, honoring Lafayette, a special guest.

Last Saturday on public radio’s “A Prairie Home Companion,” host Garrison Keillor opened with remarks acknowledging Paris as a city that appreciated the joys of everyday living, gentle moments like dining with friends, the arts and music, a lifestyle he said that made them vulnerable to evil. Then, Mr. Keillor asked the audience in Cleveland, Ohio to stand as the band played the French national anthem, “La Marseillaise.” I rose from my living room chair as well, a special moment to think about all that is French in my little world.

Rodin's "The Shade"

On June 3, 1962, 106 Atlanta arts patrons died in an airplane crash at Orly Airport in Paris while on a museum-sponsored trip. At the time, it was the worst single plane aviation disaster in history. The French government donated a Rodin sculpture "The Shade" to the museum in memory of the victims of the crash. Today, Atlanta’s High Museum of Art is the leading art museum in the Southeastern United States and one of the most-visited art museums in the world.

Established in 1804 by Napoleon Bonaparte, the Père Lachaise in Paris contains the remains of thousands of celebrated artists, writers and musicians, including Edith Piaf, Marcel Proust, Frederic Chopin and Oscar Wilde. But the cemetery's most visited grave belongs to American rock legend Jim Morrison, a Florida native, who died in Paris in 1971. On any given day, hordes of tourists surround his tombstone.

The Maid of Orleans

The stunning gilded statue of Joan of Arc remains one of my favorite memories of New Orleans and the French Quarter. Millions have seen and photographed it. Not far from the Maid of Orleans is the Cabildo, the Louisiana State Museum where the Louisiana Purchase was signed. One of the most prominent exhibits is the death mask of Napoleon Bonaparte, who, many say, planned to escape from prison exile to live out his days in leisure as a French Quarter resident.

The antidote to sadness and loss can often be found in the Parisian lifestyle. Laissez-faire and joie de vivre suggest that freedom and happiness represent a preferred state of mind. My crystal glass is waiting to be filled. Nothing soothes the soul quite like great French wine. My choice is Moulin-A-Vent from Burgundy. The first sip is warming, infused with optimism.