Rebekah

Georgia and Texas Collide at Hottie Hawg’s Smokin’ BBQ

Published on July 15, 2013July 16, 2013 by RebekahLeave a comment

Hottie Hawg’s Smokin’ BBQ
Atlanta, Georgia

Barbecue restaurants are a dime a dozen in the South, but not all of them shine. A bit off the beaten path, I was recently invited to visit Hottie Hawg’s Smokin’ BBQ in Atlanta, and while the menu did include some typical side dishes, like mac & cheese and potato salad, the real surprise came in the blackened Mahi-mahi fish tacos, the whole fried okra and the chocolate pecan pie. It was a combination of the menu’s unpredictability and the atmosphere’s eclectic, neighborhood vibe, set to the sound of live rhythm and blues that caught my immediate attention. The smell of smoked pig hovering in the parking lot indicated a good time before we even walked through the doors.

I enjoyed a glass of red wine, served in the best goblet! It’s the little things.

From left: Kurt, Katelynne and me.

I’m Rebekah Faulk and that’s my boyfriend Kurt and I above, along with Katelynne, our server. We visited Hottie Hawg’s on a Saturday night. As soon as we walked in, we heard, “Hey y’all. Welcome to Hottie Hawg’s! Just have a seat wherever you’d like,” followed by another voice from the bar who hollered, “Welcome to Hottie Hawg’s!”

We took our seats close to the small stage just a few tables away from the lively bar, where we were entertained with old school blues all night long by Steve. Jam on, brother.

THE STAFF:

The owner, Kyle, otherwise known as Boss Hawg shows off the ribs and chicken cooking in the smoker.

A waitress preps a table for arriving guests.

Chef Charles is from Georgia.

Shortly after sitting down, we were greeted by Chef Charles, better known by the staff as Chuck. Eager and excited to share his creations, Chuck was from Hinesville, Ga. Then later, Kyle, the owner, AKA Boss Hawg, made his way to our table. We told him to pull up a chair, and he grabbed a beer from the bar and joined us. A straight-shooter and native Texan, he was laid back and easygoing. His passion and drive was infectious, and it was apparent that Hottie Hawg’s was his heart. He could tell you every detail about the Stump’s Smokers they use to cook the meat, the local artwork on the walls and the menu items. Boss Hawg was in his element. “There’s Texas. There’s Georgia. We put it all together,” he said. Here, he explains how the magic happens:

THE FOOD:

Clockwise: Andouille sausage, sliced brisket, chopped brisket. In the center: Beer Can Chicken.

Clockwise: Fried okra, tomato salad and Texas toast.

The fried okra was served whole with a side of spicy ranch.

Pulled pork topped with the mustard-based BBQ sauce.

Pulled pork seasoned with Hottie Hawg’s Don’t Stop Believing Dry Rub.

Brunswick Stew: Thicker and richer than most, the Brunswick Stew had a baked bean-like consistency.

Tomato salad with cucumbers and raw onion.

The Mahi-mahi fish tacos are served with a Lonestar coleslaw and jalapeno aioli, tucked inside a soft tortilla shell.

Hawg Balls. Translation? Fried mac & cheese.

Inside the Hawg Balls, you’ll find creamy and soft mac & cheese.

Chocolate pecan pie with a handmade crust.

Best known for their sliced brisket, ribs and smoked chicken wings, Hottie Hawg’s Smokin’ BBQ is the three-time reigning Taste of Marietta champion, having won the competition consecutively from 2011-2013. Their stand out side dishes include fried okra, collard greens and Brunswick stew. You can expect to pay anywhere from $6-$25, depending on your appetite. We shared two meat combos including sliced brisket, chopped brisket, beer can chicken, pulled pork and andouille sausage. My favorite? Beer can chicken. The smoked flavor of the skin was crispy and slightly charred, and the chicken, perfectly moist. On brisket, my favorite was chopped because I found it easiest to eat. Boss Hawg compared the Texas style brisket to steak, explaining it this way—“If you’re a rib eye fan, you’ll probably like the chopped brisket. Filet mignon fan? You’ll liked the sliced.” The chopped brisket tends to contain more fat. Served on a cutting board, the meat combo came complete with your choice of two different sauces: Carolina-style mustard or Georgia style tomato-onion. Many of the menu items are Southwestern influenced, and the meats and cheeses are as locally sourced as possible.

THE ATMOSPHERE:

The view from the road.

The menus are written on chalkboards throughout the restaurant.

Wood stacked outside awaiting its day in the smoker.

Flat screen TVs show the game.

Photographs of past cooking competitions, flowers and a collection of skull heads are on display at the main entrance.

A combination of Dallas Cowboys paraphenalia and trophys decorate the indoor beams.

Hottie Hawg’s on a Saturday night.

Customers enter through the deck.

From the moment you walk in at Hottie Hawg’s, you feel comfortable. It’s unpretentious. Nothing fancy. It’s down home, local, informal, casual. It’s where the firemen hangout…an atmosphere where everybody knows everybody. Oftentimes folks think Atlanta is all white table cloths and candlelight, but not so. Sports memorabilia, tag plates and ball caps grace the walls. With a sexy pig for a logo, Hottie Hawg’s brings a fun, party vibe to the outskirts of town.

THE BAR:

A sample of the famous Hawg-a-Rita.

Grab a drink at the bar!

Red wine served in a fantastic goblet.

The restaurant offers some rather “spirited” drinks, like the Rusted Out Muffler and the Adios Mother @%#$&. From the Hawg Balls to the 32 oz. Hawg-a-Rita, Hottie Hawg’s really follows through with the pig theme of things. For instance, the 18-Squeeler:

It’s a 35-foot BBQ rig, fully equipped with grills, refrigeration, an air-conditioned kitchen and flat screen TVs!

Open for just three years, Hottie Hawg’s Smokin’ BBQ, has more than 3,000 Facebook fans. They even offer brunch! Be sure to check them out on Lifetime this Tuesday, July 16 for the premiere of Catering Wars. I’ll be rootin’ for ’em.

Note: I was invited to review Hottie Hawg’s BBQ and our meal was comped.

Get the Local Vibe at 40 East Grill

Published on July 6, 2013July 6, 2013 by RebekahLeave a comment

40 East Grill
Statesboro, Georgia

Local restaurants are the jewels of small towns. You may have your go-to dish at a well-known chain, but exploring indigenous places to eat–that’s where the magic happens. The truth is, I love Red Lobster’s Seaside Shrimp Trio and the Crispy Chicken Tacos at Chili’s. I can’t go to Cracker Barrel without ordering hash brown casserole as my side dish. However, no matter where I travel, these great restaurants will only offer more of the same. To understand the real picture of a city’s culture, people and food, you’ve got to venture outside the chain-restaurant-comfort-zone. It’s there, at places like downtown Statesboro’s 40 East Grill, you’ll find homegrown flavors, and in this case, experience the true vibe of small town America with a modern twist.

Offering lunch and dinner, 40 East Grill opened in August 2012. With a locally focused menu that changes every few months, they pride themselves on cooking with a fusion of native products featuring B&G Honey Farm, cheese from Flat Creek Lodge and beef produced by Southeast Georgia farmers. Chicken and seafood are other great options. My go-to lunch combo is She Crab Soup paired with the Three-Cheese Panini, pictured below. I often add a side of crispy sweet potato fries to round out the meal. My co-workers and I have made 40 East Grill a regular lunch stop. It makes for a fantastic date night too.

The menu, presented on a clip board with a clothes pin, even includes fun drink choices outside the norm, like an Arnold Palmer (half tea/half lemonade) or blended coffee. Most recently, they’ve added a bacon, egg and cheese sandwich to the menu! That’s not something you see every day and that’s exactly what’s to love about 40 East Grill…it’s creative, classy and unpredictable. The restaurant’s best sellers include the Southern River Farms Ribeye , Chicken Pot Pie and the Maryland Style Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes topped with a lemon beurre blanc.

THE FOOD:

Buffalo chicken sandwich served with crispy sweet potato fries.

The buffalo chicken sandwich is topped with a cold tomato slice and ranch dressing.

A great lunch combo! She Crab Soup with half a sandwich.

Grilled ham & cheese panini. Warm, crunchy and melt-in-your-mouth fabulous.

Dinner is served! Pasta in a tomato-based sauce topped with Parmesan cheese.

THE ATMOSPHERE:

Utensils are bundled in black napkins with a clothes pin. It’s all in the details!

The featured wall art was created by Georgia Southern University’s Art Department.

A typical mid-day crowd at 40 East Grill.

Community support and outdoor dining are big attractions.

The front entrance is bright with natural light.

40 East Grill has a quaint, urban feel that’s trendy and warm with exposed brick throughout, a welcoming chalk board at the entrance that lists daily specials, original hardwood floors, earthy paint colors and modern lamp lighting. Outdoor seating is available with a great view of downtown Statesboro, onlooking the Emma Kelly Theater and Averitt Center for the Arts. Live music happens often too, varying from country, rock and bluegrass. Even the talent is local! Additionally, the ladies restroom is among the cutest I’ve seen complete with a luxurious crystal chandelier and vessel sink.

THE BAR:

Happy hour is every evening from 5 – 7 p.m. Stop in for a signature cocktail at the 18 foot copper top bar, like the 40’s Perfect Margarita or Cucumber Melon Martini. During Happy Hour, wells and house wines range from $2 – $3. Not quite ready to go home? Stay for chicken parmesan or a 12-ounce bone-in, pan seared pork chop and watch a game on the flat screen TVs.

Wild Berry Pie filled with fresh blueberries and blackberries, topped with whipped cream cheese. Photo credit: 40 East Grill. — Wild Berry Pie filled with fresh blueberries and blackberries, topped with whipped cream cheese.
*Photo credit: 40 East Grill.*

Aside from delicious food, the thing that sets 40 East Grill apart is the service. Time and again, I’ve been impressed by the servers’ attention to detail and willingness to go the extra mile. They’re consistently well dressed, friendly and accommodating. The restaurant is open Monday – Friday from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. and 5 – 9 p.m., also on Saturdays from 5 – 9:30 p.m.

When quality like this exists in your own neighborhood, it’ll make you think twice before venturing out-of-town.

Paula Deen is Not a Racist Y’all

Published on June 22, 2013June 22, 2013 by Rebekah5 Comments

Me and Paula hanging out in her gift shop in historic Savannah, Georgia.

I’ve never met Paula Deen, but this I know: She is not a racist. I write this post on the heels of yesterday’s breaking news–that Food Network will not be renewing her contract.

Like many of her fans, I too am from the South, her native state of Georgia. We share a love for Southern comfort food, seafood and the coast. For years, I’ve cooked from her cookbooks, eaten at Savannah’s The Lady and Sons, visited her gift shop and looked forward to Saturday mornings when I could sit down and learn from her as I watched Food Network. I’ve spent many an hour in the kitchen following her recipes and laughing with my Grandma over how long it took me to bake her lemon cake, and how easy they made it look on TV. I can’t count the number of times I’ve eaten a delicious cake or herb-roasted pork tenderloin with the family, and upon that first bite of pleasure uttered the words, “It’s a Paula Deen recipe,” as everyone tasted in agreement. I’ve read her book It Ain’t All About the Cooking and have found myself in her as I admired her rags-to-riches story. I’ve tasted some of the best food I’ve ever put in my mouth from Paula Deen’s Southern Cooking Bible. Paula Deen is a nationwide household name. As fans, we feel a connection to her, relate to her and associate good memories with her food and her name.

Just this week before the news was revealed, I made known my ambitions to cook with Paula on her Best Dishes Food Network show. She has been a huge inspiration for me in the kitchen and without her, I wouldn’t be the cook I am today. Paula paved the way for many Southern TV food personalities that have come and are coming after her. For that, I’m thankful.

I believe Paula Deen is a kind-hearted, generous and caring woman. Her fans–black and white–are loyal. Those that know and love Paula admire her courage. I believe her apologies were sincere. When reading the fan’s reactions to the news on Food Network’s Facebook wall just yesterday, one comment said it all: “Leave my Paula alone. Yes, I am African-American.”

Paula, Michael, Jamie and Bobby…if any of you read this, know that this morning we sit around our breakfast tables saddened. We’re wondering how this will affect Jamie and Bobby’s Food Network shows, how we’ll ever be able to watch the network again without hearing Paula’s laugh and seeing her familiar, friendly face. No matter what lies ahead, we love you all and will always be fans. Know that our thoughts and prayers go out to your family.

Paula Deen is not a racist, and that’s just the truth y’all.

Statesboro Cooks Starring Rebekah Faulk

Published on June 18, 2013June 18, 2013 by Rebekah10 Comments

This is it y’all! History in the making. Me on TV!! In this episode of Statesboro Cooks, I star as a guest host.

The show will air on local cable, Channel 99 at the following times throughout the month:

Monday 7:30 p.m.
Tuesday 1 a.m.
Wednesday 1 p.m.
Thursday 7:30 p.m.

Statesboro Cooks is a multimedia communications team production. My next appearance will be in September. Thank you for watching!

Pastured Poultry Week: So God Made a Farmer

Published on June 11, 2013June 12, 2013 by Rebekah3 Comments

Brandon Chonko (right) and I (left) with the chickens at Grassroots Farms.

You’ve probably eaten chicken this week. Am I right? In the United States, eight billion chickens are consumed each year. Whether it comes from the grocery store, the drive-thru or the family farm, poultry is most likely a regular part of your diet–but make no mistake. Nutritionally and taste-wise, there’s a big difference in factory farm chicken and pasture-raised chicken. I speak from personal experience, thanks to Brandon Chonko of Grassroots Farms.

It’s Pastured Poultry Week and Sunday, my boyfriend and I took a road trip about 40 miles South of Statesboro through Georgia’s farm country to a one-man pastured bird operation to get a first-hand look at white and red chickens, broad breasted turkeys and Pekin Ducks. I even learned about farmer Brandon’s Great Pyrenees, Lefty, a livestock guard dog named for his lazy left eye.

Lefty is a nocturnal livestock guard dog. He roams the farm throughout the night protecting the pastured birds and alerting Brandon if there’s a disturbance. Lefty woke up just long enough to greet us and slobber-splash us with a shake of his jaws.

In the video below, Brandon talks with me about his passion for healthier food and provides some locations where you can taste his pasture-raised birds on the Georgia Coast and in surrounding areas. Regarding taste, Brandon says, “We’re raising an old school chicken that’s not going to be tough like a stew hen or a yard bird.”

What We Learned:
We learned a great deal about pastured birds on our visit, some fun facts too:

A pasture-raised French red bird’s life span from birth to processing is about 70 days.
Unlike domestic animals who usually overcome being the “runt of the litter,” chicken runts never hit a growth spurt. They remain little. How funny is that?!
The only chicken hatchery with authentic French Label Rouge Birds in the United States is located in Pennsylvania at Freedom Ranger Hatchery, Inc. The chickens in the photos below are born in Pennsylvania and raised in South Georgia. Brandon gets them when they’re one day old.
The natural body temperature of a French red bird is about 104 degrees (No wonder they like Georgia)!
Broad breasted turkeys become Thanksgiving size in 5 months.

Lefty checks on his friends.

Gobble, gobble!

The Pekin Ducks and chickens are housed in the same cage.

A mix of white cornish-cross chickens and French red birds are raised at Grassroots Farms.

The cages are moved by truck every day and a half to ensure fresh forage.

North Beach Grill
After leaving the farm, we went to North Beach Grill on Tybee Island to try their Free-Range Jerk Chicken Entrée, made with the chickens we’d just seen on Grassroots Farms. Unfortunately when we got there and ordered, they were fresh out of the free-range chicken. Disappointment doesn’t describe our emotion!! Like I shared with Brandon though, we were bummed but it’s just a testament to how good his product really tastes! We’ll definitely try again soon.

Fantastic place, I’d go back again!

Great menu items.

North Beach Grill is right on the beach.

From the Farm to the Plate:
A true Southern fellow, Brandon didn’t let us leave the farm empty-handed. He sent us back to the Boro with a dozen farm eggs, a whole French red bird and two boneless skinless chicken breasts. You can bet I put them to good use! When I tell you this is the best salad I’ve ever eaten, it’s no lie. I featured the chicken in two ways. Just like Brandon recommended, I seasoned the chicken breast with kosher salt and pepper, then cooked it in the skillet in about 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Hearty, rich, succulent white meat with a crispy skin was the result. Using the yolk of one of the fresh chicken eggs (laid just the day before), I made a balsamic vinaigrette to dress my local greens. I didn’t even miss the cheese!

From the farm to the plate…

White meat like whoa.

SOME KINDA GOOD!

So God Made a Farmer:
Eating local, homegrown food just has a way of making you thankful–for Georgia farmers like Brandon, for Farmers’ Markets where you can gain access to healthful ingredients and for the reminder that convenience food can’t compare to the crops that come from Georgia soil or the meat raised on Georgia turf. Supporting local helps you, the farmer and our environment. Paul Harvey says it best:

From the Farm to the Plate: A Day in the Life of a Pasture-Raised Chicken

Published on June 7, 2013June 7, 2013 by Rebekah1 Comment

Pastured Poultry Week kicks off this Monday, and I invite you to come with me as I follow the life of a chicken from the farm to the plate.

Organized by Compassion in World Farming, a global organization working to end factory farming, and Georgians for Pastured Poultry, the event aims to help promote and celebrate humane and sustainable pasture-raised poultry for one week each year.

Local Farmer, Brandon Chonko has invited me to visit his South Georgia farm in Tattnall County–Grassroots Farms, where he raises 1500 chickens, ducks and turkeys and supplies them to more than 15 restaurants in the state and throughout the South. Many of the restaurants he supplies are in the Atlanta area, and some are even on the Georgia Coast, where I’ll be enjoying my pastured poultry dish, at North Beach Bar and Grill on Tybee Island.

Learning about the food we eat, where it comes from and how it’s raised is really fascinating to me. If you’re like me, you may be wondering what exactly a pastured bird is and why there’s a whole week set aside for their awareness. Farmer Brandon explains:

"I love working outdoors with animals. I also love being able to market to such talented chefs." -Brandon Chonko — “I love working outdoors with animals. I also love being able to market to such talented chefs.” -Brandon Chonko [Photo Credit: Andrew Thomas Lee]

“Pasture-raised or pastured birds actually live 24/7 in fresh pasture. They are housed in small batches in portable housing. They get moved frequently to ensure fresh forage. Also, we use a French breed of chicken that are known to be active foragers. They are bred to live outdoors, not in a chicken house. Pastured birds are healthier, need no antibiotics, are active and taste better. They have a long life. They are what chicken dinner Sundays used to consist of prior to the rise of the industrial chicken.”

Learn more about Grassroots Farm’s Humble Roots story.

Pastured Poultry Week is in its second year, and has expanded to include more than 50 Georgia-based chefs and over 25 chefs from New York. If you’d like to experience the taste of a pasture-raised chicken and support Georgia’s farmers while eating cleaner, visit Halyards or Tramici Neighborhood Italian on St. Simons Island. You can also see a complete listing of participating restaurants on the Georgians for Pastured Poultry website.

I’m headed to the farm Sunday, and will venture out to the beach next week to eat that chicken. I’ll keep you posted!

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Downtown Statesboro is Alive with South & Vine Public House

Published on June 4, 2013June 12, 2015 by RebekahLeave a comment

UPDATE: South & Vine Public House caught fire on Tuesday, August 26, 2014. Owner Seni Alabi Isama has now opened a new restaurant in Statesboro called 441 Public Kitchen and Bar. More on the fire here: South & Vine Public House Burned But Not Broken.

South & Vine Public House
Statesboro, Georgia

Great things are happening at the intersection of South Main and West Vine streets in downtown Statesboro. Open for just four months now, one Georgia Southern alumnus and his team are making a big impact on the community, with a focus on flavor and a philosophy on fresh that you won’t believe until your taste buds live it. With more than 1,000 Facebook likes, South & Vine Public House is a food experience Savannahians will soon be driving to Bulloch County to discover.

You won’t find the menu online because it changes daily based on ingredient availability and the owner’s intuition. No matter what’s featured, you can be guaranteed it will be made with local ingredients and cooked to perfection by Chef and Owner Seni (pronounced Shanney), Head Chef Stephen, who formerly worked at Emma’s Fine Dining & Lounge, and Sous Chef Sebastian, a Miami native.

This is a restaurant that gets it.

THE FOOD:

Head Chef Stephen puts the final touches on entrees before the plates are delivered to tables.

South & Vine Public House’s World Famous Chocolate “Chip” Cookies: Dead sexy. Desire on a plate, that is all.

When the bread hits your table, it’s apparent the loaf has been baked day-of.

Served with a room temperature honey butter that glides on easily, little to no effort is involved in spreading.

This plate features angel hair pasta (by special request) and meatballs with a simple, tomato-based, slow simmering sauce even Italy natives could appreciate. Topped off with sprouts.

I ordered the special of the day: cornmeal encrusted red snapper with a tomato-avocado salsa over Freeman’s Mill grits. The tall stack of goodness is grated sweet potatoes with shavings of fresh Parmesan cheese.

Fried Green Tomatoes are served with a bacon-mushroom cream sauce and a paprika oil. Absolutely delicious, and I don’t even like mushrooms!

At South & Vine Public House, food is the main event. From Hunter Cattle Company beef, ground in-house, to the made-from-scratch ketchup and mayonnaise, these folks are really cooking. The menu features what’s in season, so when an item runs out, it’s all gone. Dine here if it’s flavor you seek, an appreciation for quality ingredients, beautiful presentation and healthy portion sizes paired with appropriate prices. Excellence reveals itself in each menu item’s texture, plating and taste.

THE BAR:

Long day? Have a drink!

Created by two Statesboro natives, this hometown beer is summery and light.

Smooth and dangerously delicious, the Glorious Gin & Tonic is named for the ingredients–gin from Brooklyn, N.Y. and Jack Rudy Cocktail Company’s Small Batch Tonic, handcrafted in Charleston, S.C. The splash of lime ties everything together.

Happy hour is from 4 – 6 p.m. daily, featuring 25% off the entire bar and all appetizers.

THE ATMOSPHERE:

A Saturday night at South & Vine.

The booths seat six comfortably.

Exposed brick creates a modern look & feel.

A casual environment, you’ll find a small vase of fresh flowers at each table and utensils wrapped in white linens. The restaurant has an open concept floor plan including a “window” into the kitchen, and a chalkboard placed behind the hostess stand highlighting daily specials. Seating includes tables, booths and a bar area overlooking South Main Street. Attention is even given to the clean, tastefully decorated restrooms (which I always appreciate).

THE STAFF:

Meet Head Chef, Stephen Griffin (left) and Sous Chef, Sebastian Alzate (right) on the job.

Chef/Owner Seni Alabi-Isama (left) with Head Chef, Stephen Griffin (right).

The team at South & Vine is welcoming and knowledgeable about the menu. Owner Seni and his wife, move about the restaurant conversing with customers, making mental notes of names and faces. It’s a place guests feel comfortable and leave satisfied.

We parted with this subtle note of hospitality, a hand-carved “flower vase” made of Walker Farms’ rainbow carrots, compliments of the chef.

Crack This: Farm Eggs vs. Store-Bought

Published on May 22, 2013July 23, 2013 by Rebekah5 Comments

I’ve eaten eggs from the grocery store my entire life. I’m sure at some point in my childhood I’ve tasted an egg fresh from the chicken coop because my Grandpa raised chickens, but that was before my palate was experienced enough to appreciate the difference. It’s true that when you’ve never experienced better, you don’t know what you’re missing.

So, when my good lookin’ boyfriend showed up at my door last week with one dozen, light brown and cream-colored farm eggs in one hand and a beautiful bouquet of flowers in the other (I know…keeper), I set my sights on cooking the eggs just the way a farmer recommended: in a little bacon grease with salt and pepper. I’ve never tasted anything like these eggs…it was pure eggstacy (had to do it!). Seriously, the flavor is out of this world, and sure to make you crack a smile (okay, okay). During cooking I found them to be more fluffy than a store-bought egg. Produced by free-range chickens, farm eggs are more nutritious because the chickens are able to roam freely and eat a natural diet. They contain no added hormones or fillers and are not processed.

One meal that exemplifies comfort food for me and really lets the farm egg shine, is the tried and true bacon, egg and cheese sandwich. A fancy meal has its time and place, but it’s not always the five-star, fine dining plates that trip my trigger. Sometimes, a good ol’ familiar meal is the only thing I need to feel centered, satisfied and one with my kitchen again. Served with a side of cheese grits, breakfast for dinner has never been better.

Here’s how I make the classic McDonald’s biscuit-turned-sandwich at home:

Thick cut, hickory smoked bacon
Nature’s Own Honey Wheat Bread
2 Farm Fresh Chicken Eggs
Blackberry Jelly (I used homemade jelly from the Amish country that I got from a quaint market, but Smucker’s works great if you don’t have that).
Kraft’s Sharp Cheddar Cheese, sliced

Cook three strips of bacon in a skillet on medium heat until just crispy (I like mine slightly underdone). Remove from the pan and drain on paper towels. Pour off some of the grease, reserving enough to cook the eggs, about 1-2 tablespoons. Whisk the eggs together in a small bowl, season with salt & pepper. Pour the eggs into the pan and let set. Cook for about 2 -3 minutes on each side, flipping once for even browning. Meanwhile, slice or grate the cheddar cheese and toast two slices of bread. Spread toasted bread with blackberry jelly, then build the sandwich. Serve with a side of cheese grits for optimum enjoyment!

And remember, when building the sandwich, it’s all about good architecture! Somehow, the sandwich tastes better when cut into a triangle shape too. At least, that’s the way mama always sent me to school, with a neatly packed cut-in-half sandwich in my brown paper sack.

Have you ever tasted a farm egg? If so, how would you describe the difference?

Table Talk and Family Ties

Published on April 17, 2013May 1, 2013 by Rebekah4 Comments

Our Easter Sunday dinner spread of pork tenderloin, mayonnaise biscuits, cream corn, fried okra, sautéed zucchini and squash, macaroni and cheese and pound cake with sweet iced tea.

We all know the saying, “If these walls could talk,” but if my family’s kitchen table could speak–boy, could it tell some stories. I’m fortunate enough to have been raised eating around the family table, and every day I’m thankful my parents made it a priority.

From left: Daddy, cousin Justin and Grandma Dot. Mama, the ultimate hostess, scurries in the background ensuring everyone is taken care of.

In homes across the world, the kitchen table, much like the front porch, is an iconic, central hub, especially in the American South. Formal dining rooms are different. I’m talking about the table in our eat-in kitchens–the one we cook just steps away from, where we stack our bills at the end of the day, where kids complete their homework, where the family pet begs for that taste of human food.

table1 — Family gathers in the kitchen to celebrate my Grandma’s 75th birthday.

When I think about the people in my family who’ve sat around that same oak, oval-shaped table year after year–even the loved ones who are no longer with us–and all the abundant food that’s been presented on the table top, when I consider the memories it holds, the conversations it keeps and the prayers its heard, I feel ultimately blessed to have experienced that togetherness and I recognize those are the moments that make a house a home.

Grandma Dot makes a wish on her 78th Birthday.

table2 — Enjoying my 26th birthday with my traditional chocolate chip muffin at the kitchen table on April 6, 2009.

It’s around the kitchen table that we’ve celebrated birthday after birthday, eaten holiday meals, opened Mother’s Day cards and decorated Christmas cookies. It’s there every time I visit home. Like an old friend, it’s the one constant that’s part of the family too, ready to welcome us, inviting us to sit for a spell and stay a while. There, I eat my mom’s homemade chocolate chip muffin with one candle for breakfast each year, there I introduce new friends to the family. It’s the ultimate place boyfriends are bring-home-to-mama-and-daddy tested. We set it with our everyday dishes and fine china. We adorn it with fresh flowers and fruit in its center. There, we hold hands around it and bow our heads to pray.

Without it, home would not be the same.

My mama, Debbie, with Ewok and her Mother's Day tulips. — My mama, Debbie, with Ewok and her Mother’s Day tulips.

Sure, I’m one to curl up on the couch with a bowl of cereal now and then in front of my TV, but nothing beats sitting down to a home-cooked meal and a place set just for you, to share good food with the people you know and who know you and where you came from.

So much of my life has taken place at the family table and often, it’s the memories associated with that central element that have created the values and traditions I cherish today.

So here’s to you table….and thanks.

What’s your take on the family table? Can you relate?

Join the Grass-Fed Beef Conversation with Hunter Cattle Company

Published on March 23, 2013January 6, 2014 by Rebekah11 Comments

Hunter Cattle Company
Brooklet, Georgia

In my everyday life, I’m connected–connected to my friends on social media, my emails and text messages. Like a large percentage of the human population, I too have a smartphone that I couldn’t do without. Over the weekend however, I experienced a different kind of connection, one I don’t experience often enough–to land and food–at Hunter Cattle Company in Brooklet, Georgia.

The cast iron skillet is a work horse in my kitchen.

Despite the rain, I put my boots on and ventured about 14 miles Southeast of town to taste my first grass-fed hamburger and meet the good folks behind this family owned and operated farm I’d heard so much about. On my ride down the two-lane country roads to get there, I passed cotton fields and pecan orchards and a deer that never had a chance. I came upon the 350-acre property and turned onto the dirt road that led me to MooMa’s Farm Store. Immediately, I spotted a few cats–one golden, fat kitty asleep under a bush and another gray kitty purring happily curled up in a ball on the porch. Having grown up in rural Georgia myself, I felt at home as I entered the screeching screen door to the store. Cast iron pans served as wall art on the outside of the red barn-like exterior.

A few family members of Hunter Cattle Company in front of MooMa's Farm Store. From left: Kristan, the oldest daughter; Del, "Pa"; Debra, "MooMa"; and Anthony, the oldest son. — A few family members of Hunter Cattle Company in front of MooMa’s Farm Store. From left: Kristan, the oldest daughter; Del, “Pa”; Debra, “MooMa”; and Anthony, the oldest son.

Over nine years ago, Del and Debra Ferguson along with their oldest son and daughter (pictured left), found the land and decided to relocate there to raise their families and grow their own food. Today, the family’s “accidental business” provides grass-fed beef to restaurants all over Southeast Georgia, many right here in Statesboro like Chops on Main and South & Vine Public House and at Savannah’s popular Green Truck Pub and Moon River Brewery.

The natural color of these eggs are beautiful! It takes 24 hours to lay an egg, and one chicken produces one egg per day.

Local businesses like Sugar Magnolia Bakery also sell Hunter Cattle Company’s free-range eggs. They participate in the Statesboro Mainstreet Farmers’ Market (which kicks off April 6 this spring!) and the Forsyth Farmers’ Market in Savannah. Most recently, Hunter Cattle Company earned the University of Georgia sponsored 2013 Flavor of Georgia Food Product Contest in the meat category for their pork sausage. They’ve been featured in Southern Living magazine, The South magazine and Savannah magazine among countless other news outlets, solely by word of mouth.

Now, about that hamburger. I could try and describe the flavor to you, but I like the way my butcher friend, Chad of Carne Bellingham, described the difference between grass-fed cattle vs. “factory” farm meat best: “It’s like Chips Ahoy versus mom’s homemade cookies.”

My grass-fed hamburger served with mac & cheese and sweet tea.

Hunter Cattle Co. is committed to providing the healthiest, best tasting beef, pork, poultry, and eggs to their customers. It shows!

I ate every bite.

Hunter Cattle Company’s passion for education is evident. Their animals receive no added growth hormones, steroids, or antibiotics and are not subject to feedlots or cages. Committed to the humane treatment of all the animals, the pigs and chickens are free to roam and graze and are raised on Georgia grass. After spending just a few hours at the farm, I was enlightened to learn:

Factory farms use 80% of the United States’ antibiotic supply for livestock
If cows, chickens and pigs are given the ability to roam freely and eat what they were created to eat, they are healthier, and as a result so are we!
Livestock living conditions and diet are key factors when considering healthy benefits of American meat

I will certainly never look at a package of ground beef at the grocery store the same again!

If you’ve never had the opportunity to see a newborn baby pig, it’s a must. The pigs were my favorite part of the day.

They even have peacocks and turkeys!

This beautiful peacock was perched up on the smoker.

Gobble, gobble!

Me hanging out next to the Massey Ferguson tractor on the farm.

Chickens laying eggs.

I loved the chicken coop!

If Southern hospitality describes anyone, it would be the Ferguson family. They fed me, showed me around and even sent me home with a Hunter Cattle Company T-shirt. By the end of my time there, I was hugging their necks and feeling like one of the family. Whether you’re local or not from around these parts, make time to visit Hunter Cattle Company. From birthday parties to overnight accommodations, they have it all. Most importantly though, you’ll be reminded what it’s like to hear the chickens peck, smell the cow manure and watch little boys drink from a garden hose.