CARL WHITE'S CAROLINA BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION

TV HOST ENJOYS A BIRTHDAY

There are some things which cannot be learned quickly, and time, which is all we have, must be paid heavily for their acquiring. They are simple things, and because it takes a man’s life to know them, the little new that each man gets from life is very costly and the only heritage he has to leave.
                                                                                           Ernest Hemingway

By Doc Lawrence

NORTH WILKESBORO, NC-This in bedrock America, a Deep South counterpart to the landing long ago by Pilgrims in New England. Early settlers here were independent-minded, hardy men and women who loved land and the fruits of the soil. They remain today “God-fearin’” people, as my ancestors would say, and what they believed and built had permanence. Their progeny is all over this region of North Carolina and no person embodies all that makes North Carolina so special than TV’s Carl White who celebrates his birthday this weekend.

“Life in the Carolinas,” Mr. White’s highly popular brainchild is syndicated throughout North and South Carolina, reaching millions of homes, delivering a light-hearted, high-quality program that showcases everything from the arts and folkways to Yadkin Valley wines and Bluegrass music. Not since Charles Karult’s CBS program,  “On the Road," has there been a television series that honors the grassroots culture of a region. Karault, also a Tar Heel, had an eye for humor and poignancy, gifts skillfully employed by Carl White.

While quite contemporary, White’s “Life in the Carolinas,” has spiritual roots in Karult’s. "On the Road" which became a regular CBS News feature. Karult wore out six motor homes during his tenure, but Mr. White’s Lincoln Town Car is holding steady after five years. Much like Karult, the show is produced by a small, albeit gifted crew and where possible, Interstates are avoided (they “allow you to drive coast to coast, without seeing anything" Karult said), in favor of back roads, in search of Carolina’s people and their way of living.

My first encounter with Carl White was in the deep and dangerous waters of the mighty Tuckasegee River in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina near Sylva. I was trout fishing in icy waters when I met the host standing in the stream, holding his microphone. With a cameraman positioned on a nearby rock like a sniper, he inquired if I was having any luck and where I was from. Although the current was swift, and the rocks needed for balance were slippery, the interview remained light-hearted and at times funny.

We never fell in the river. A friendship began.

CARL WHITE'S CAST AND CREW

After many bottles of what Carl White calls “good Carolina wine,” and all night story telling occasionally with strangers is such places like the Outer Banks, downtown Charlotte, Lake Oconee south of Atlanta and points in between, I’ve yet to hear him speak one mean-spirited word or make a cruel reference to anyone, a pretty high claim to clean living in a media culture dominated by empty talking heads. White is a composite of what makes North Carolina such a special place: Classic old school media and celebrity in the tradition of Andy Griffith, James Taylor, Doc Watson, Thomas Wolfe, Earl Scruggs, Ava Gardner, David Brinkley, Charlie Rose and Mr. Karult.

A few days during production at Merrily Teasley’s gorgeous Balsam Mountain Inn near Western Carolina University included mountain dancing, sing-alongs, food and wines and an opportunity to give and receive, the secret ingredient for making new friends. True to Carl White’s formula, the mixture was balanced: Families, technicians, Native-Americans, actors, cooks, musicians and one genuine celebrity, Grammy-Award winner David Holt, the talented host of Public Radio’s “Riverwalk Jazz.”

At dinner, a toast was proposed, observing that life was a wonderful interaction between “good hopes and precious memories.”

DINNER AT BALSAM MOUNTAIN INN

Carl White’s “Life in the Carolinas” could be the biggest tourism bargain not just in the two states but also anywhere in the country. Each show reaches the

multitudes with a message that something wonderful is going on by the hour in these nooks and crannies of America’s heartland, beckoning us to come visit and stay awhile.

I join Carl White’s many friends in celebrating. Time and distance mean nothing this weekend. I have a bottle of delicious RagApple Lassie wine from the Yadkin Valley and every sip pairs perfectly with a toast to North Carolina’s extraordinary messenger to the world. He gives his time and resources and this weekend we give our gratitude.

Happy Birthday, Carl!

HEMINGWAY IN JULY

Papa’s Birthday

"It is good to have an end to journey toward; but it is the journey that matters, in the end."        Ernest Hemingway

By Doc Lawrence

KEY WEST. The guy is still around. His island home here stays packed and images of him are omnipresent. Less than a hundred miles south in Havana, Ernest Hemingway is just as popular and revered.

Today is the birthday of the Nobel Prize winner and his fame keeps on growing. Along with his popularity is just as much challenge of his skill, storytelling, technique and lifestyle. Hemingway was always bigger than life anyway and the man who said, “there is no friend as loyal as a book” likely wouldn’t be particularly concerned with critical commentary,

The lines can be long here at his home, easily the most visited place on the island. Everything remains in place and you can even buy some interpretive art from sidewalk artists. I have a one called “Papa with a hangover.” It will be framed and occupy a hallowed place by my keyboard.

I have visited his home in Cuba and in Key West. Beyond the books, typewriters, Picasso paintings and celebrity mementoes, I was impressed by his limestone wine cellar in Key West and the full bar he maintained in both homes. Papa, as he was universally called, had a love for life that was nearly as strong as his fascination with death, dominant theme in classics likes The Snows of Kilmanjaro and For Whom The Bell Tolls.

Hemingway adored women and disdained weak men. His boat, the Pilar, was named for the strong gypsy woman, the bravest soldier in For Whom the Bell Tolls. Friendships included Ingrid Bergman, Karen Blixen and Gertrude Stein. His admiration for Ava Gardner landed her career-making roles in The Sun Also Rises and The Snows of Kilmanjaro.

 

Papa's Key West Home

Cocktails are appropriately associated with Papa. Beginning with his early Paris days, he and his entourage, particularly F. Scott Fitzgerald, drank at places like Harry’s New York Bar, the birthplace of the Sidecar, a venerable cocktail that is still popular.

Havana was paradise for this man. Hemingway’s lifelong routine was to rise early, write until mid-afternoon, walk to his neighborhood bar, and, over cocktails, share stories with locals. Although one of the world’s best known celebrities, Papa was comfortable with grassroots people, whether Cuba, Spain, Africa, Cuba or America. Guys and gals he knew in bars appeared in great stories like The Old Man and the Sea and The Sun Also Rises. “Don't you drink? He wrote.  “I notice you speak slightingly of the bottle. I have drunk since I was fifteen and few things have given me more pleasure. When you work hard all day with your head and know you must work again the next day what else can change your ideas and make them run on a different plane like whisky? When you are cold and wet what else can warm you? Before an attack who can say anything that gives you the momentary well-being that rum does? The only time it isn't good for you is when you write or when you fight. You have to do that cold. But it always helps my shooting. Modern life, too, is often a mechanical oppression and liquor is the only mechanical relief.”

Would we have the daiquiri or mojito today without Hemingway?  His years in Havana and Key West were energized by his love for rum. Papa wrote “My mojito at the Bodeguita” in Spanish on the wall in La Bodeguita del Medio where it remains today. The Papa Doble, called the Hemingway Daiquiri was crafted in Havana’s La Floridita, a favorite hangout during his years on the island.

During visits to Paris, he regularly stayed at the Ritz. Papa’s preferred cocktail there was the Montgomery Martini. Craig Boreth writes in his marvelously entertaining The Hemingway Cookbook: “Like James Bond, Hemingway, too, had his special martini: the Montgomery. Named after the World War II British General, Sir Bernard Law Montgomery, who would not attack unless he outnumbered the enemy fifteen to one, Hemingway’s martini contains that same proportion of gin to vermouth.” Papa’s ingredients, according to Boreth, were Gordon’s Gin and Noilly Prat Vermouth.

Hemingway left some profound observations: “There are some things which cannot be learned quickly, and time, which is all we have, must be paid heavily for their acquiring. They are the very simplest things and because it takes a man's life to know them the little new that each man gets from life is very costly and the only heritage he has to leave.”

On a July afternoon, the heat calls for rum. A daiquiri or mojito? The mojito, a first cousin of the mint julep, seems appropriate for a toast. A salute to all that Papa gave us.

TAILGATING DOWN SOUTH 2013

A New Season of Kickoff Feasts

By Doc Lawrence

ATHENS, GA- Like all college towns, everything is quiet at the moment, a brief  Dog Days interlude before the start of college football, just beyond the horizon. When the first home game in the Classic City begins, many thousands will be satisfied with the delights from the pre-game tailgating, great food increasingly as creative as many of the items on top restaurant menus, all served with ample portions of wine, cocktails, beer, sweet iced tea and goodwill.

Frank Spence, a former Atlanta Braves and Atlanta Falcons top executive is a familiar face here and occupies the lofty position of being the unofficial historian for the tailgating nation. Franks story is even more compelling because it ties in the Civil War Sesquicentennial. “Tailgating here is a hallowed culinary ritual,” according to Mr. Spence,  “ it’s core heritage, vital bedrock and a high-octane picnic as Deep South as grits with red-eye gravy.”

Frank Spence believes that the 1861 “Great Skeedadle” and the law of unintended consequences launched the first tailgating party. A native of Nashville, Spence was referring to the Union Army retr

eat after the first battle of Manassas. “Congressmen, accompanied by beautiful women, set up colorful tents for a fancy hillside picnic to view the assumed quick destruction of the fledgling Confederate Army. Unaware of the looming defeat, party wagons-forerunners of today’s caterers- arrived loaded with picnic baskets filled with fancy food, and cases of expensive French Bordeaux, Burgundy and Champagne. Reacting to the sudden bad turn of events, lawmakers and their ladies fled back to Washington’s fortified safety, abandoning the unpacked goodies. Exhausted Southern soldiers
removed the food and wine from the rear of the wagons and celebrated, going home after the war to share the amazing memories.”

Thus, says the ebullient Mr. Spence, tailgating was born.

Last year. among the wonderful tailgating recipes we found, Josh Butler, Florida’s “Top Chef” under three governors, had the winner in his “Dog Island Grouper Burger.” The search has already started for dishes with this much imagination, local connections and flavors. The local features are impressive: Dog Island is a short distance from FSU’s stadium, Butler
is a home grown chef who serves what he prepares to tailgaters and dish includes local ingredients with everything prepared just before kickoff.

I’ll start the new season at Tuscaloosa, Athens, Tallahassee, Clemson and Knoxville. That’s just the beginning. It’s a long way from August to the bowl games of December and January.

As in past years, appropriate wines and cocktail recipes will be showcased.

All recipes are welcome. If you have photos of people enjoying the feast, send them and we’ll use them. editors@docsnews.com .

May your team go undefeated in 2013!

THE DALAI LAMA RETURNS TO GEORGIA

THE DALAI LAMA AT EMORY THIS OCTOBER

By Doc Lawrence

ATLANTA-You might see him dining at Mary Mac’s, the venerable shrine of Southern cuisine on Atlanta’s fabled Ponce de Leon Avenue, or speaking impromptu to huge gatherings at Centennial Olympic Park across from CNN’s headquarters. But, he’s most accessible on Emory University’s campus where he maintains a close association that includes prestigious faculty status.

His Holiness the XIV Dalai Lama, Presidential Distinguished Professor at Emory University, returns to Atlanta this October for a series of public and campus events, including programs on responsible citizenship, ethics and education. Emory’s president, James Wagner, made the announcement recently: "The Dalai Lama has made invaluable contributions to our understanding of what it means to be an ethical citizen of the world. We are looking forward to the return of Emory's Presidential Distinguished Professor and the opportunities for our faculty and students to engage with him on these vital issues."

Two public events are scheduled for Tuesday, October 8, 2013 at The Arena at Gwinnett Center.  In addition, the Dalai Lama will spend two days afterward on the Emory University campus teaching students and engaging with the faculty.

The Dalai Lama last visited Emory in 2010 for a series of events on science research and meditation, creativity and spirituality, interfaith dialogue, and a teaching on compassion. In 2007, he was named Presidential Distinguished Professor at Emory, the first university appointment accepted by the 1989 Nobel Laureate. His appointment was an outgrowth of the Emory-Tibet Partnership which was founded in 1998 to bring together the best of Western and Tibetan Buddhist intellectual traditions. As Presidential Distinguished Professor, the Dalai Lama continues to provide teaching sessions with students and faculty during Emory's study-abroad program in Dharamsala, India.

Often referred to as “our professor,” by Emory students, faculty and alumni, both actor Richard Gere and Pulitzer Prize winning author Alice Walker described His Holiness as a role model and a source of inspiration. during a 2010 panel session at Emory.

FEAST THE 4TH

Jim Sanders Georgia Brunswick Stew

 By Doc Lawrence

ATLANTA. He was the unchallenged “father of fine wine” not only in Atlanta but the entire Southeast region. A French-trained chef, Jim Sanders stayed true to his Southern roots, producing a cookbook pairing the great dishes of the South (his recipes) with the great wines of France. No counterpart exists today.

Each July 4, Sanders served his barbeque pork along with his treasured recipe Georgia Brunswick Stew, something he learned during his childhood days in Covington, Georgia. It is the traditional accompaniment to genuine Deep South barbecue and his recipe is credible.

INGREDIENTS:

1 four-pound baking chicken

4 pounds ground pork

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce

1-tablespoon chili powder

1 tablespoon thyme

1 tablespoons cayenne pepper

2 cups chopped onions

1 cup red wine, preferably Rhone style

3 to 4 tablespoons bacon drippings 

36 ounces tomato juice

4 ounce tomato catsup

3 cups cut corn

Kosher salt and black pepper

PREPARATION:

Boil the chicken until it is very tender, cool, de-bone and chop the meat finely. Meanwhile, in a large pot over medium heat, braise the pork until half done. Add half the chopped onions, one chopped garlic clove, chili powder, thyme, cayenne pepper and a generous sprinkling of kosher salt and black pepper. Continue to braise until the meat is well browned, stirring every few minutes to break up any lumps and combine with chicken. Add the tomato juice and catsup and simmer for 11/2 hours. Add the rest of the chopped onions, another chopped garlic clove and simmer for another 30 minutes. Taste for salt and spoon off the fat before serving.

WINES:

Beaujolais goes well with Brunswick stew. It does not fight the spices and it has a lot of refreshment value. Otherwise, fairly heavy red wines like Cotes du Rhone complement the spice and flavors nicely as do several Italian reds like Chianti, Bardolino and Montepulciano.

NOTE:

Over three decades, Jim Sanders taught thousands in his wine classes in Atlanta, a rich mixture of governors, members of Congress, physicians, Georgia Supreme Court Justices and regular men and women. Although a product of the Deep South, Jim was more French than anything. After World War II-he was wounded five times in the Pacific campaigns-he went to France, bicycled the countryside and found his passion in wine and food. He learned to cook in Lyon and Paris and met Armand Cottin, president of Labourie-Roi and through this brotherly friendship, developed his own cuvee of 179 Burgundies garnering numerous awards. Each day, in the rear of his retail wine shop in Atlanta’s Buckhead, Sanders served most anyone who came in wonderful dishes he prepared along with pours from countless bottles of perfectly paired wines. There was no charge.

Jim’s wines, all under his JSANDERS label, are sold exclusively in Atlanta’s Sherlock’s Wine Merchants.

On the eve of his death in 1999, Jim Sanders entrusted me with his priceless wine notes, lectures, stories and recipes.

Celebrate America. Enjoy the Fourth of July!

A FEAST FOR GREAT MEN

DAD’S SPECIAL DINNER

By Doc Lawrence

Sunday is a wonderful day in America. We gather to celebrate dad. They come in all sizes, ages and for many, they remain precious memories. Nothing thrills Dad more than having you with him and here in the Deep South, we celebrate these moments with a feast. No doubt Dad has some favorites, but I asked Chef Lara Lyn Carter to provide something special from her South Georgia kitchen that is original, tasty and just begs for some wonderful wine.

The gourmet celebrity chef on WALB-TV in Albany, Georgia created these and even unveiled her Georgia version of pesto: “Yes, there is a southern version of pesto. Use pecans and local olive oil for amazing flavor!”

 South Georgia Pecan Pesto Grilled Bread

2 cps fresh basil leaves (packed)

¼ cup toasted pecans

1 clove garlic chopped

Juice of 1 lemon

½ tsp. salt

¼ tsp. fresh ground black pepper

1 cup Georgia Olive Farm Olive Oil

½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1 loaf of your favorite bread (I use ciabatta)

In food processor blend basil, pecans, garlic, lemon juice, salt and pepper until finely chopped. With the food processor still running add olive oil to obtain a smooth but still thick consistency. Transfer mixture to a bowl and blend in cheese. This can be made a day ahead.

Split the bread and spread and toast under the broiler until warm and cheese is golden. You can also use this pesto with pasta, chicken, fish, or vegetables. With pesto the possibilities are endless!

Gulf Coast Roasted Red Snapper

4 eight-ounce red snapper fillets

4 tablespoons of Georgia Olive Farms Olive Oil

2 teaspoons of salt

1 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper

1 cup of sliced cherry tomatoes

½ cup of chopped fresh basil

¼ cup finely chopped fresh sweet Vidalia onion

2 lemons - 1 sliced and 1 for juice

Arrange fish on a baking sheet that has been lined with foil and coated with a non-stick cooking spray. Drizzle fish with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Arrange tomatoes, onion, basil, and lemon slices on top of the fish. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. Remove fish from the oven and squeeze the juice of 1 lemon over the fillets.

Doc’s Wine Pairing

The complex yet very compatible flavors in Chef Lara Lyn’s recipes make wine selection even more fun. It’s searing hot in the Deep South this time of year and the right white wines work better with these delights.

Viognier is widely available. Either the French originals or a great Viognier from North Carolina’s Yadkin Valley legend, RagApple Lassie will bring big smiles when dad and others at the table enjoy the celebration.

Another choice is rosé. Not even remotely related to white zinfandel, this is the real deal. Try a bottle from Provence, chilled of course. It’s lovely poured in a crystal stemware and the flavors and body fit quite well with our fruits from Gulf waters.

                     
HAPPY FATHER’S DAY!

FATHER'S DAY 2013

        WORLD’S GREATEST DAD

By Doc Lawrence

He’s a wizard at the grill, pours appropriate wines with any meal, loves fishing and adores his family and friends. Because he’s so generous, we want to give him something that shows not only appreciation and honors him as a practical and talented man.

Give him a bottle of Patrón Reposado, the world's number

one ultra premium tequila. He’s sure to make some custom Margarita’s and the flavor is a nice option for tequila drinkers looking for more complexity and smoothness in their cocktails.

For more than 40 years, T. Colin Campbell, PhD, has been at the forefront of nutrition research. Like all of us, Dad isn’t getting any younger and if he’s looking for creative ways to work more fruits and vegetables into their menus, The China Study Cookbook (BenBella Books, May 7, 2013) offers hundreds of appetizing simple-to-make recipe options for breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert.

Grilling and outdoor dining minus those gnats and mosquitoes is possible using the new Stinger Insect Zapper Lantern, a portable, cordless and rechargeable bug zapper. This unit uses both black UV light technology, which has been scientifically proven to eliminate up to 40% more flying insects than white UV light, and an Octenol lure, that work together to dramatically reduce the amount of mosquitoes and flying insects in Dad’s personal spaces. 

A companion device is the Stinger Portable Bug Zapper, a hand-held device that kills insects on contact with 3000 safe volts of zapping power. The racket incorporates a flexible rubber neck for use on walls or other flat surfaces, while the angled head easily reaches into corners. It operates on batteries and eliminates insects without leaving a mess.

Sandeman Port, whether the 10, 20, 30 and 40 years old Tawnies, are great gifts for dad, the consummate gourmet who enjoys an elevated lifestyle. (He’s earned the right!)

Some of our best bonding moments with Dad are over a glass of wine. Estancia Pinot Noir and Chardonnay are produced by a winery committed to renewable energy. They reduced their carbon footprint while not compromising the high-quality vino. Solar technology generates 75% of the winery’s energy, keeping 1,492,335 pounds of greenhouse gases out of the air annually, the equivalent of taking 237 vehicles off the road, planting 27,000 trees or 248 acres of forest, powering 164 homes, and not driving 2.6 million miles.

Gillette’s Fusion ProGlide Styler is a high-tech affordable device that reduces shaving discomfort plus extra grooming features that actually work well. With the first 3-in-1 power groomer, the Fusion ProGlide Styler trims evenly, shaves closely and edges accurately.

Few accessories are more welcome by Dad, a snappy dresser, than a beautiful wrist watch that functions well. Armitron, a trusted brand, has a line of stylish high fashion watches including more rugged models for outdoor wear.

The consummate kitchen wizard, Dad will love the advantages of the Chef’s Choice Electric Food Slicer. The model 615 efficiently slices a variety of foods including meat, vegetables, bread and cheese. The perfect solution for home chefs open to options for preparing meals, entertaining cost effectively, controlling portions and enjoying freshly sliced foods.

.

The Spice Lab has gift sets of sea salts that have function and place in Dad’s kitchen. The range of selection is impressive and is one of the best bargains out there. Easy to order online: thespicelab.com. Dry aging beef can be done in Dad’s refrigerator. It’s a simple procedure that takes an ordinary steak to the level of Morton’s or Palm restaurants top selections. Visit the company website for this one: http://golbsalt.com/dry-aged-beef-kit/

We acknowledge aging and many other health complications with more openness and acceptance. Dad may have diminished hearing caused by anything from service in the military to a sports injury. Instead of ignoring it, why not help him regain the comfort of good hearing with one of the hi HealthInnovations premium digital hearing aids, featuring state-of-the-art digital technology equal to or superior compared to many much more expensive devices. Leveraging UnitedHealth Group's scale, hi HealthInnovations obtains high quality hearing aids at a significant volume discount and transfers the cost saving directly to customers. This eliminates many of the markups that are placed on hearing aids by distributors and other intermediaries.
hi HealthInnovations premium digital hearing aids include fully automatic digital algorithms that adapt to Dad’s  environment and a number of other comfort advantages including a noise reduction system. Best news is this can be ordered online, and any needed adjustments are available locally.

Dad can make the perfect pizza using the grill-top pizza kit. The round stone allows him to cook his masterpiece on the grill to create a crispy, bubbly delight. From Mr. BBQ,

It includes 15" grill-top pizza stone, over-sized spatula, and pizza cutter, ideal for gas grills and indoor ovens. Widely available.

A portable camera is one of the handiest devices for Dad, the skilled photographer. There are times when too much bulk won’t work. The Vivitar S1527 is compact, affordable and gets the job done anywhere.

Grooming and hygiene products for Dad have never been better or more available. With so much to select from, check out the line of designer products at the Body Shop, www.thebodyshop.com. The Absinthe brand skin products are high quality, containing Community Fair Trade ingredients.

Dad’s great conversation piece is Dad’s well-stocked bar. Giving him something other than a useless gizmo or a bottle he doesn’t like isn’t much of a choice. Jim Beam’s latest expression, Jacob’s Ghost White Whiskey is one of the better spirits products out this year and Dad’s who enjoy a smooth pour sipped neat will treasure a bottle of this delightful elixir. George Dickel Tennessee Whisky is a mainstay in America with a history of wonderful taste and pure enjoyment.

No gift, regardless of the cost, means as much to a good-hearted father as our being with him. Take time to visit. Treat him to brunch. Propose a toast telling him you love him. The days dwindle down and these moments are precious.

NOTE: Unless otherwise noted, all items are available through Amazon or are easily located through Google.

Enjoy Doc’s Georgia Journey:

http://mycookingmagazine.com/gourmet-highway-a-magnolia-at-andalusia/