The farmhouse at Strong Stock Farm at twilight

I think I breathed an audible sigh of relief the other night when, after a bounteous dinner on the porch of a historic farmhouse, I heard author John Egerton talking about Southern food.

“Take the warnings of the food police with a grain of salt,” Egerton said. “And a dash of Tabasco and a little clove of garlic!”

Egerton, who 13 years ago founded the Southern Foodways Alliance housed at the University of Mississippi, was the guest of honor at the inaugural membership dinner of the 1910 Society, an organization for those who have contributed $1,910 or more to Ijams Nature Center over the past year. (Ijams was founded in 1910, as you may have guessed.)

John Egerton, center, with Alan Carmichael and Mary Thom Adams of Ijams Nature Center

Egerton, an award-winning journalist and author who has written a slew of books including “Cornbread Nation,” “Speak Now Against the Day,” and “Southern Food: At Home, on the Road, in History” describes himself as “one of the better known obscure writers of Tennessee.”

Egerton will be in town again later this week when the Southern Foodwriting Conference convenes here in connection with the International Biscuit Festival. (Click here for a schedule of events.)

Last week on the porch of Strong Stock Farm in northeast Knoxville, Egerton shared a few of his opinions about Southern food and he quoted from an essay he had written with the wonderful descriptive title, “Notes from the Hot Bread Zone.” Egerton quoted former Tennessee Governor Robert Taylor (who fondly was called “Our Bob”) as describing the Mason-Dixon line as “the dividing line between cold bread and hot biscuits.”

There is no doubt where Egerton himself comes down. Here are some of his remarks:

• “Southern food is mocked a lot because it is contrary to trends. But Southern food has got to change or it will die. Nobody wants to spend all day in the kitchen anymore.”
• Egerton advocates a return to cooking demonstration agents. “When you have someone asking, ‘Where do you get egg whites?’ we’re in trouble,” he said, claiming that a young woman reading a recipe recently asked that very question.
• “All children should know how to cook and clean the kitchen.”
• “Don’t throw out the classics,” he advised. “Enjoy them in moderation. Southern food is not the equivalent of crack cocaine.”
• Egerton said he is not an expert on food. But he added, quoting historian Shelby Foote, “The only qualification you need to write about food is a good appetite.”
• Another great quote Egerton offered, this one from the 1912 edition of the “Alliance Cook Book” published by the ladies of Wallaston Unitarian Church: “Bad dinners go hand in hand with total depravity, but a properly fed man is already half saved.”

George Kern, the president of the Ijams board of directors and grandson of H.P. Ijams, welcomed guests to Strong Stock Farm, which has been continuously operated by his family since 1792. Kern’s sister, Martha Kern, and her family live at the 950-acre farm today and raise the grass-fed beef which served as the main attraction of our dinner. (Click here for another story about Strong Stock Farm.)

The first chairs of the 1910 Society are Victor Ashe, Ann Startwell and Robbie Moore. Ijams’ executive director, Paul James, also spoke and said he is conducting research on the family that founded Ijams Nature Center. That should be interesting.

Here are a few photos from the enchanted evening.

One view from the porch of Strong Stock Farm. It's hard to believe such a large tract of farmland is located in Knox County barely 10 minutes from downtown.

The Grassroots Gringos entertained before supper.

Church pews were set up for listening to the band.

Scott Baerns of The Pour Guys shows the St. Germain elderflower liqueur which was mixed with moscato, a sparkling white wine, for the evening's signature cocktail.

Karyn Adams and her husband, Bruce Cole. Karyn is the chair-elect of the Ijams board.

Kim Donahue of The Pour Guys passes pimento cheese mixed with Benton's bacon on toast.

I guess this is some of that Southern food some equate with crack cocaine! I swear I only had one.

Jim and Carol Cortese

Great idea! Instead of the usual cards with table numbers, the centerpieces each featured a clock set to a different time. The time on the clock was the table number!

Here is table one.

Each clock was unique.

Table five

The scene at dinner. So much fun.

Rita Cochran was responsible for the decor and the scrumptious dinner. A former restaurateur (remember the Crescent Moon Cafe downtown?), she now works at Ijams, which is expanding its food operations.

The cold, crisp salad featured strawberries, walnuts and something called coffee gouda, which was a new cheese to all of us at my table.

Here is some of that grass-fed beef tenderloin, roasted and served with sauteed mushrooms, Sweetwater Valley cheddar grits and braised rainbow chard.

For a salty-sweet ending: chocolate cake in a jar with salted caramel frosting. Wow!

Ellen and George Kern

Polly Ailor Tullock and John Niceley. He is Martha Kern's husband and runs the farm with her.

Martha Kern and her son, Rush Niceley

This is Martha's beloved dog, Petey, doing his meercat immitation!

Victor Ashe, left, and Laurens Tullock

Sam Adams and Frances Adams-O'brien walked outside as dusk fell to look at the evening's so-called super moon.

It was lovely.

Thanks to Chez Liberty for donating the wine for the evening and to Downtown Wine + Spirits for donating the St. Germain liqueur.

Sherri and her book, Under the Fig Leaf

Scads of folks shelled out $50 each and headed over to Sherri Lee’s fantastic gardens the other evening for the inaugural Great Gardens Party. The beneficiary was the Knoxville Botanical Garden and Arboretum. The theme: figs, of course.

Sherri loves figs — and she loves gardens. We saw figs on trees, bought Sherri’s cookbook on figs, and ate hors d’oeuvres and desserts featuring figs. Some folks even bought fig trees — and other garden plants bearing edibles such as blueberries. But the stars of the event were Sherri’s stunningly beautiful gardens, located off Houser Road. Here, come take a look!

Betsey Bush, left, another avid gardener, poses with our hostess, Sherri Lee.

Although hot, it was a beautiful evening for a garden party.

Sisters Jackie Wilson, left, and Nancy Cann were staffing the silent auction table and selling cookbooks.

Dr. Harold and Joyce Robinson Diftler pose with Rachel Ford, right, my "date" for the evening. Alan was otherwise occupied.

Mickey Mallonee, left, and Shelba Murphy

From left, Bob and Melynda Whetsel, Carol and Jim Cortese

Rachel and I grabbed a glass of wine — Yay, they had pinot grigio instead of chardonnay! — and headed over to Sherri’s unbelievable boat house.

The antique door to the boathouse came from Pakistan, according to Sherri's architect, Ron Hutchins.

The upstairs portion of the boathouse is screened in and features hanging beds!

It has a fairy tale quality, doesn’t it?

Rachel tried out one of the beds.

Frances Adams-O'Brien tried out the other.

Even with a breeze and in the shade, it was hot!

We ran into Lezah Pinnell up there.

Have you ever seen a cuter door stop?

We decided to check out the food, which was by Rex Bradford Jones of Abner’s Attic. It was just fabulous.

On the way to the buffet table, we passed one of Sherri's fig trees.

You know how little spoons containing just a bite have been all the rage the past few years? Jones purchased a very clever display to hold the spoons. These were fig bites.

Here's a close-up. It contained fig, honey and a walnut on mascarpone cheese with an edible flower garnish.

These little tomato puffs were delicious.

Caprese salad on a stick!

And something Jones called an "edible orchard."

The desserts included homemade fig newtons, of course.

Andrea Cartwright and Dr. Alan Solomon, another avid gardener.

One of the gardens features this big aviary.

Here are the residents.

We started on a path toward what is called the "secret garden."

We passed this pretty vista.

And this view of the house.

When we arrived at the secret garden, we found this cute little playhouse!

On the lawn there we ran into Dorothy Stair and John Kelley.

They were enjoying this view of the fountain.

I love topiary animals!

The gardens feature lots of great statuary.

Look at this unusual tree! It's split, but seems to be thriving.

And this intriguing specimen has a hole that goes all the way through it!

The hole

The party from afar

Allison Burchett and Mike DeVoto were chatting when we rejoined the group.

Rachel greets Deanene Catani, left, and her daughter, Cate.

Melissa and Keyes Williamson, the new executive director of the Knoxville Botanical Garden

It was a lovely time.

]]> http://bluestreak.moxleycarmichael.com/2012/05/10/figs-and-fun-greet-botanical-garden-fans/feed/ http://bluestreak.moxleycarmichael.com/2012/05/07/beer-cupcakes-and-the-history-of-civilization/ http://bluestreak.moxleycarmichael.com/2012/05/07/beer-cupcakes-and-the-history-of-civilization/#comments Mon, 07 May 2012 12:55:31 +0000 Cynthia Moxley http://bluestreak.moxleycarmichael.com/?p=12937 Because our husbands have accompanied us to many wine-tasting events, my friend Dawn Ford and I agreed to reciprocate by taking them to a beer tasting the other night.

Carol Costello, a professor in UT’s Culinary Institute and director of the organization’s wine and beer education program, had sent me the invitation. The tasting was at the UT Visitors Center (formerly the UT Faculty Club) on a rainy Wednesday night and it was packed. I had no idea what a treat was in store as Oscar Wong, the founder and owner of Highland Brewing Company in Asheville, North Carolina, stepped to the front of the room.

Wong, an energetic 72-year-old retired structural/civil engineer,  has a glint in his eyes and easy laughter. He is a spellbinding storyteller. During less than two hours we tasted five beers, had a meal featuring dishes cooked with beer (including cupcakes), and discussed fascinating economic development issues in Asheville and the importance of beer in the history of the world. It was a whirlwind.

Oscar Wong

Wong started Highland Brewing Company in 1994 as a hobby after retiring and selling his consulting company. Highland Brewing, which employs 34 people, produced 23,000 barrels of beer last year and expects to double that amount this year. Its beers are distributed to seven states in the Southeast. (In East Tennessee, it is distributed by Cherokee Distributing Company, a great Moxley Carmichael client and one of the sponsors of the beer tasting.)

I’ll just hit the highlights of some of the most interesting and amusing things he said:

• He was born in Jamaica in 1940, the son of two Chinese parents. He is a graduate of Notre Dame. “My parents are Chinese. I was born in Jamaica. I run a Scottish brewery in Asheville, North Carolina,” he said with a chuckle. “Only in America.”
• He grew up drinking beer at the family table, having his first taste at age seven. “Chinese drink and eat everything,” he laughed. “The only thing on four legs that we don’t eat is the table!”
• According to Wong, only two cuisines in the world taste best with wine — French and Italian. “All the other cuisines in the world go best with beer,” he said.
• There are 10 existing craft breweries in Asheville, causing the city to win the title “Beer City USA” three years in a row by an industry publication. This designation caught the attention of some large breweries which expressed interest in opening locations in Asheville. As part of his volunteer job with the city’s chamber of commerce, Wong found himself on a committee tasked with recruiting — and ultimately landing — Sierra Nevada and New Belgium breweries. Those two companies, the second and third largest craft breweries in America,  received tax incentives to locate in Asheville, opportunities the 10 existing breweries did not enjoy. Wong shook his head at the irony, but said he thinks the new companies will “raise the bar” for the other breweries. While Highland produced 23,000 barrels last year, the Asheville satellites of Sierra Nevada and New Belgium will produce 300,000 to 400,000 barrels a year.
• Kitty Price, who is in sales with Highland, accompanied Wong to the tasting. She said that the reason Asheville is so well known as a brewing center is because it has such good water.
• Wong said the thing that will prevent Highland from expanding much beyond the seven states to which it now distributes is transportation. “Transportation is a pain,” he said. “It is not good for the beer. And it is not good for the bottom line.” He said Highland’s craft beer is like fresh baked bread. “It has no preservatives so it starts to deteriorate as soon as it comes out of the barrel,” he said.
• Consistency from batch to batch is what separates the good brewers from the not so good ones, he said. “Agricultural products vary from crop to crop,” Wong noted. “How well you compensate for the variations determines how good you are.” He says even wine makers will admit that beer is more difficult to make than wine.
• Now the history of civilization part. “Beer has been a cornerstone of civilization,” he said. “If you were from the country, you were using it to conserve protein. If you were from the city, it was safer to drink beer than water because it was boiled.”

Wong didn’t say this that night, but I love this quote attributed to him on Highland’s website: “In wine there is wisdom, in beer there is strength, in water there is bacteria.” Ha!

Kitty Price and Oscar Wong

The first beer, Little Hump Spring Ale, was paired with cheddar cheese for our tasting. Kitty Price said all Highland's seasonal beers are named for protected mountains in North Carolina.

Wong said ales like this are more “in your face floral” than the other beers. I liked it.

The second beer was Oatmeal Porter, matched with the gruyere cheese.

“Oatmeal is not just for breakfast anymore!” Wong quipped.

The event was a sell-out and had a waiting list.

Dawn gives it the old college try. (We are wine drinkers.)

The third beer, Kashmir IPA was Wong's favorite. We enjoyed it with parmesan cheese.

This last beer was very interesting: Black Mocha Stout. It was served with mascarpone cheese with chocolate sauce. It is a dessert beer!

Carol Costello invited us to the buffet, which was prepared by second-year culinary arts students from Pellissippi State. Chef Tyler White, pictured here, oversees that program, which is offered in cooperation with UT.

Several kinds of pizza were on the menu.

And focaccia.

The brisket, which had been cooking for 10 hours, was served with a barbecue sauce made with seasonal beer.

Chicken kabobs.

These cupcakes were made with Porter.

Dinner was served with a Gaelic Ale.

Rosa Mar, right, and Pam Treacy in the buffet line.

Megan Venable Smith with her cupcake.

Richard Ford enjoyed the cupcakes, too.

John and Rhonda Clark

Carol called these "Tennessee tartans" and gave them as gifts to Kitty and Oscar.

And everyone who attended got a glass like this to take home.

Haha! Carol's earrings were shaped like frosty beer glasses!

Pat Wood

The sanctuary of St. John’s Cathedral in downtown Knoxville was filled to capacity on Sunday afternoon as friends gathered to remember the life of developer Pat Wood. The ushers were seating folks in folding chairs set up in the side aisles by the time the 3 p.m. service got underway. Wood, 83, passed away last week after 21 days in the hospital. His memorial service, according to the Very Reverend John C. Ross, was “Pat Wood’s kind of event.”

Kim Wood McClamroch, his daughter, painted a portrait of her father as an all-American up-from-the-bootstraps success story. She had us laughing out loud, as surely Pat Wood would have liked. Her father, she said, was the oldest of three boys. He was born in 1928 during the Depression. He had his first job, working at a service station, when he was 10. When he was 14, he was operating heavy equipment. “Work was his passion,” she said of her father. “He always said good things come to those who wait — but you’d better work like hell while you’re waiting.”

McClamroch said her father had three paper routes when he was in school. Additionally, he sold vacuum cleaners, was a short order cook, owned a restaurant, baled hay and even was a delivery boy on famed “Thunder Road.”

She recounted a story about when he was 10 years old and his father purchased a milk cow. It was Pat’s job to milk the cow twice a day — in the morning and at night. He didn’t like that chore. So he told his parents that he’d learned at school that the cow would produce more milk if it was only milked once a day. That caused the cow’s milk to dry up and the cow was sold for beef. Which led to a saying that would become a favorite of Pat Wood: “You don’t miss the milk until the cow runs dry.”

“I never saw Dad beaten down by life,” McClamroch said. Even when he lost his son. “Grief is a fact of life,” she quoted him as saying. “But it doesn’t have to be a way of life.”

She said her father always was curious and challenged himself, even taking courses at Pellissippi State Technical Community College as an adult. But most of all, he valued relationships. “You gotta dance with the one who brung you,” he’d say. That’s how she explained his relationship with Rodney Lawler, his business partner of 37 years.

McClamroch characterized her father as “the ultimate deal maker — he was always about the deal.” She said he won the money to start his business, the Wood Agency, in a poker game.

She also described her father as “authentic - he was who he was with everyone.”

Pat Wood’s step-son, John Trotter, characterized the older man as “my best friend for 25 years.” He told how when Pat Wood invited his step-son to go into business with him, Wood took him to a local tailor to have some suitable clothes made. Trotter didn’t like the pants Wood had selected for him. They had an elastic waist. “I call those old man pants,” Trotter told him. “I call them Sansabelt,” Wood responded. Trotter insisted that men of his age wore belts with their pants and he wanted some pants with belt loops. When Wood saw the cost of the pants Trotter selected, he sniffed, “I think you can do without the belt loops!” Trotter said he was shocked a few years ago when Wood was voted one of the best-dressed men in Knoxville!

The Very Reverend Ross said Wood was an eternal optimist. “Where others saw little value, he saw opportunity,” he said. Wood was known for his many clever sayings. One was, “Hoe to the end of the row.” Ross said Wood did that himself, fighting valiantly for three weeks in the hospital.

Here are some other well-known Pat Wood sayings listed in the program of the memorial service:

• If it were easy, everybody would be doing it.
• Your word is all you have.
• If you kick enough bushes, you’ll get a rabbit.
• No is just a prelude to yes.
• It’s nice to be important, but it’s more important to be nice.
• Can’t make a good deal with a bad man.
• Money don’t buy class.
• Remember, we all put our pants on the same way — one leg at a time.
• Don’t go cleaning someone else’s house until you got yours sparkling.

I have known Pat Wood since I moved to Knoxville as a reporter in 1980. At first I covered him because of his involvement with the 1982 World’s Fair — he was a member of the board. Later, I knew him as a businessman and philanthropist and as one of Knoxville’s legendary “12 White Men” whom, it is said, make everything happen around here. Over the years, the thing that continued to strike me most about him was that he was always smiling. Knoxville is a little less bright this week because of his passing. My deepest condolences to his great family.

The 2012 Symphony Show House

The Knoxville Symphony League’s 25th anniversary Show House is open and it’s one of the best ever. If you are interested in design — or just in having an unusual and engrossing day, I recommend you get with a friend or two and head over there.

What makes the Show House so intriguing is that each room of the 6,000-square-foot home is fashioned by a different designer. You literally can spend hours just taking everything in. It will be open through May 13.

If you go at lunch time, stop by the on-site tea room. It is open Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. The Show House itself is open from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 1 to 5 p.m. on Sunday.

The Symphony Show House this year is located at 1952 Oakleigh Way, which is off Duncan Road. Cost to get in is $15 at the door. Or, if you want to go more than once, get a season pass for $25. Or, get together a group of six or more and get a special luncheon tour. (For info on that, click here to go to the Show House website.)

Want to buy the Show House? No problem. It only costs $2.6 million — and that’s without all the beautiful furnishings. The architect is Haden Reid. Builder is Robert A. Dew. The News Sentinel is presenting sponsor of the Show House. The Show House is a pro bono client of Moxley Carmichael. Funds raised at the Show House benefit the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra.

Here’s what we saw at the preview party last Thursday. Enjoy!

Sondra Nanney, left, is chairman, along with Jane Venable, of the Show House. Here, Sondra is pictured with Linda Royston, the Symphony League's treasurer.

Janet Vail, left, and Willene Chalmers helped welcome guests to the preview party.

Angela Pugh, this year's League president, models the blue booties everyone must wear in the Show House.

Martha and Bob Breazeale get prepped to enter the home.

Alan Carmichael surveys the master bedroom. Wow. It was designed by Betsy Graziano who says it borrows elements from the glamorous Regency Hollywood look.

This fluffy chair in the master bedroom is made of Tibetian sheep fur. (I'm pretty sure my cat would like it!)

Linda McEntire and Melissa McEntire-Mayes designed the dining room.

Loved this touch on the ceiling of the dining room.

A quartet from the Knoxville Symphony helped set a lovely mood. They are, from left, Diane Zelickman, John Michael Fox, Ihsan Kartal and Jennifer Bloch.

Here are Mary Coulter, left, and Jane Venable with Alan.

I fell absolutely in love with this antique china in the kitchen. Scott Bishop of Westwood Antiques decorated the room.

Here is a closeup of the pretty dogwood pattern which I was told was produced in occupied Japan back in the 1940s.

Sally McFalls and Stefani Hopson designed the veranda, which opens onto a beautiful wooded view.

I had to touch these lush hydrangeas just to be sure they were real!

Sheena McCall, left, posed with Rachel and Terry Ford on the veranda. Rachel is executive director of the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra and does a fantastic job.

Peggy and Joe Wilson pause for a photo.

Designer Shelly Laux was responsible for this guest bedroom.

From left, Sam Young, Mary Sue Greiner, Mary Kay Greiner and Michael Greiner. Siblings Mary Sue and Michael work for the Knoxville Symphony.

Alan's favorite room was the laundry room because it also was the dog's area. We have a weakness for animals. Janet Greer was responsible for this room.

Volunteer Tricia Kilgore of Koko Fit Club welcomed guests to another guest bedroom. This one was designed by Paige Stephens.

Harold and Theresa Stone

Designer Carol Hudson poses by the aviary featured in a bedroom that she furnished.

Every Symphony Show House features a piano. This one is in the music room designed by Wolfgang H. Schaber and Diane D. Dalton.

Alan and our friend Susan Seymour

We peeked out the upstairs window to see the partiers below. Those two cars also are for sale.

We went downstairs and grabbed a shot of Betsey Bush, left, and her daughter, Sarah Nuckolls, in the buffet line.

The turkey sandwiches on sweet potato biscuits really got Alan's attention.

I know this photo looks blurry, but it's the smoke rising from these awesome twice-stuffed new potatoes. Rex Bradford Jones was the caterer. The "League Ladies" love him and it's easy to see why.

Kent and Susan Farris taking a break to grab a bite.

It's funny how just a sprinkle of spring-colored candy corn can transform a plate of bite-sized desserts.

Alan and Dr. Bill Laing were admiring each other's jacket. They both bought them at John H. Daniel.

Don't miss the gift shop! Mother's day is coming up, you know!

Sue Whittle, left, and Pat Jobe, along with Charleene Edwards, are in charge of the gift shop.

Many gift items, like this pig, have musical themes.

Wow. A violin lamp.

A violin purse

Another violin purse

Some items are just fun!

Thanks to Kim Davis, left, and Julia Shiflett who were chairs of the preview party. Great job, ladies!

Alan opening the door to our culinary adventure.

Say what you will about controversial Knoxville chef Bruce Bogartz, but you have to admit one thing: the guy is a creative culinary mastermind. He proved it once again last weekend when he made good on an auction item he had donated to the University of Tennessee School of Music.

The item: a special dinner for 10 to be prepared and served at the location of the purchasers’ choosing. Alan and I were the purchasers. We selected as the location Bogartz’ tiny restaurant, Rouxbarb, at 130 S. Northshore Drive. (This is part of the fulfillment of my New Year’s resolution to use up all the items I’ve purchased at charity auctions! I’m definitely making progress. Click here to see one of the other redemptions.)

So, on Sunday, with the restaurant closed, we collected on our purchase. See if you don’t agree about Bogartz’ culinary creativity.

By the way, I mentioned to Bogartz that I was unaware of his interest in and commitment to the UT Music School. “I’m not,” he said, shaking his head with a chuckle. “But have you met Glo?” Glo Klarich is Bogartz’ charismatic hostess and event planner and she is passionately committed to the UT School of Music. A human force of nature, it is understandable how it has come to pass that Glo has convinced Bogartz to generously donate this tony auction item to the cause every year. Maybe you should consider buying it this year!

Now THIS is what I like to see in a reservation book! The restaurant was closed except for our party. The bar was set for 10.

Chef Bogartz was just putting the finishing touches on his three innovative appetizers when we arrived.

The king crab gazpacho shooters contained big lumps of crabmeat. This was such a fresh and summery dish.

Truffled shortbread with wild mushroom butter. (I love truffle oil.)

Brown butter barbecued shrimp. Awesome.

One of our guests, Jim Nichols, fills his plate during the cocktail hour.

Richard Ford and Phyllis Nichols

Gene Rump and Leigh White

My appetizer plate. OMG!

Then it was time to move on to dinner. Get a load of this first course: seared jumbo scallop served on a sweet potato funnel cake with caviar creme fraiche.

This scallop was perfectly cooked. And, what can I say? I love caviar!

Chef Bogartz in his element.

Here is how I like to seat the guests, when it is possible: boy-girl-boy-girl, nobody sits by their spouse. I learned this from Natalie Haslam, an extraordinary hostess.

Jon Roach, left, Phyllis Nichols and Alan Carmichael

Dawn Ford and Jim Nichols

Leigh White and Richard Ford

Gene Rump and Mintha Roach

Salad was spinach and arugula with smoked pecans, Locust Grove cheese (apparently quite a famous item) and Andersonville strawberries.

You are not going to believe this entree. Prime filet “carpetbagger” stuffed with Maine lobster tempura, caviar remoulade with asparagus and baby potatoes.

Incredible combination

I learned a new way to order steak that night. Alan and I usually get our steaks medium rare. But Gene ordered his “rare-plus,” which is between rare and medium rare. “It’s a New Orleans thing,” Gene explained. After she heard Gene order that way, Phyllis did the same thing.

Thanks to Jessica Martin, who helped Chef Bogartz out on Sunday.

Before dessert was served, Chef brought out a Mason jar filled with an after dinner drink that looked like water. It wasn't.

Leigh enjoying the surprise. Or water.

That got such a good reception that he pulled out another little something in a juice bottle. Yum.

I think my guests would appreciate me pointing out that not everyone partook of the after dinner tasting opportunity. But those that did really enjoyed it!

Let's just say dessert was out of this world: key lime chess pie served with strawberry sorbet.

A word about the wine. Chef Bogartz sent me the menu in advance and I had the guys at Downtown Wine + Spirits match some wines for me.

They recommended a sparkling wine to start. This has become one of our favorites and everyone loved it.

This muscadet also has become a frequent selection for us. They recommended it to go with the scallop course. It was delicious.

We hadn't had this cabernet sauvignon before, but the guys said it had proved to be a crowd pleaser at their in-store wine tastings. Our group thought it was a great pairing.

Adam Colvin from the Colvin Family Farm in Cumberland County had an impressive assortment of produce Saturday.

Although the Market Square Farmers’ Market doesn’t officially open until this week, several of the regular farmers showed up this past Saturday to give us a kind of “sneak peek.”

The weather was iffy, which was unfortunate because it also was the day for the Dogwood Arts Festival’s annual Chalk Walk when artists of all ages spread over Market Square and Krutch Park creating amazing works of art on the sidewalks. When the rain did come in a torrent without much warning, many works of art were ruined because the downpour swamped the plastic folks hurriedly taped over their fragile chalk masterpieces. It was sad. But many came back on Sunday to finish them — or start over.

Even the rain couldn’t dampen spirits this weekend, though. The return of the Market Square Farmers’ Market just heralds such good things that I couldn’t get the smile off my face for two days. I noticed many others in the same frame of mind. So here’s a look at just of few of the wonderful weekend activities in my favorite place — downtown Knoxville.

Bob Due was back, thank goodness. We bought some of his green onions and used them on a salad for lunch.

Aren't they beautiful?

Rick Rickerman had a wide assortment of loaves from which to choose. We selected an asiago with sun-dried tomatoes and herbs. It is awesome.

The Cruze Farm girls had a cute "milk bar" set up and were doing a brisk business.

Folks were raving about the biscuits available at the Cruze Farm booth. "It's like India on a biscuit," Charlotte Tolley said describing a curried concoction they were selling.

We bought strawberries from Janet King of King's Hydrofarm in South Knoxville.

Lucy Wisner of Wisner Farms has the most amazing focaccia. We bought this one and had it for lunch on Saturday and Sunday. I can't wait to get more next week.

Napping Cat Flower Farm is back with these sweet bouquets. I'm so glad.

This is the best thing I've had all year! Shannon Meadows of Mountain Meadows Farm told me how to cook it: Warm a little olive oil in a pan, throw in a minced garlic clove and the broccoli rabe with a little salt. Saute five minutes -- at most. It was delicious.

Gregory Blankenship of Gregory's Greenhouse offered to repot the herb garden I bought from him last year.

Isn't it beautiful?

Sad sign. Every year the Farmers' Market commissions a poster by Yee Haw Industries. This is the ninth and last year. Yee Haw is closing.

After the shopping spree, I strolled around to check on the progress at the Chalk Walk. It looked like they were off to a good start.

Ivan Cornejo had started with a beautiful eye.

And then — boom! — the downpour!

Everyone scrambled to cover thier work. But the sky had just opened up with buckets of water coming down.

This one was ruined.

I watched the artist draw tears on this one. I'm sure he felt like crying, too.

But, in a few hours, the rain stopped and folks stayed outside enjoying themselves. The Dogwood Arts Festival said for the artists to come back on Sunday, the original rain date.

Some folks passed the time watching the marimba player in Krutch Park.

Others strolled around looking at the new art installed as part of Dogwood's "Art in Public Places" program. This piece by Mark Krucke is called "Fortitude." I like it.

I went back on Sunday to check on the Chalk Walk and saw some amazing things. See if you don’t agree.

I loved this portrait of Pat Summitt by Lauryn Darby.

This one is by Chris Bell.

This colorful piece is by Kalyn Smith, Erik Vass and Emily Hoffman.

Here is Ivan Cornejo finishing up his piece.

I liked this cute octopus by Leah Davis, Haley Stephens and Natalie McQuicken.

And this adorable fairy by Meiling Finn, which won the first place prize in the middle school by a single artist category.

This portrait of Albert Einstein by Anna Simanis was impressive.

So was this portrait of a woman by Keith Anders.

Andrew Tyler, who is only six years old, created this Spider Man.

All in all, another great downtown weekend.

Here are some links to the farms mentioned in this blog post. Just click on the name. Colvin Family Farm. Bob Due’s Terraced Gardens Farm. King’s Hydrofarm. Mountain Meadows Farm. Gregory’s Greenhouse. Cruze Dairy Farm. Wisner Farms.

Dawn Ford enjoying the jewels on our field trip to Jewelry TV.

You would think that folks who work around the beautiful products at Jewelry Television would wear a bunch of jewelry themselves, wouldn’t you? But they don’t.

In fact, they only are allowed to wear one piece of jewelry when they come to work — and it has to be the same piece every day. And a photo of that piece is placed on the back of their name badge — so it can be checked by security as they enter and leave their work posts.

This is just one of the tidbits I picked up when a group from the Executive Women’s Association took a field trip to Jewelry Television recently. Here are some other things we heard:

• When looking at colored gemstones, the lighter colored ones usually are less expensive than the darker colored ones. That’s why Shawn O’Sullivan, the grader at Jewelery Television, likes to joke, “Add more color to your wife!”
• The gemstone tanzanite is becoming so rare that sometime during our lifetimes,  it no longer will be available. Already the really deep blue tanzanite is very rare.
• There are more kinds of gemstones today than in the past. For instance, there are three kinds of blue topaz.
• Probably because of the economy, the sales of gold jewelry are going down while the sales of silver jewelry, which is less expensive, are going up.
• Jewelry Television, started in Knoxville in 1993, is the only network that sells jewelry and gemstones 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It is number four in television sales and is number one in the world for the sale of loose gemstones.
• The distribution facility at 9600 Parkside Drive ships out between 20,000 and 25,000 packages every day, mostly by Federal Express.
• Jewelry Television employs about 1,200 people in Knoxville and 100 more in Thailand. It reaches 85 million homes.

A third of our group listening to an introduction by Sandra Foster of Jewelry TV.

Here is a closer look at Sandra.

Brazilian fire opal. The darker shades are worth more.

The fun part of the tour -- the gemstones!

Dr. Margo Uri Simmons seems pleased.

Linda Underwood

My favorite: blue topaz

From left, Phyllis Nichols, Michelle Henry and Pam Reeves

Citrine

Wanda Moody

Green amethyst

Regina Dean, right, and Celeste Herbert

Cabochons are gemstones that have been polished and shaped rather than faceted.

This is Jewelry TV's grader, Shawn O'Sullivan.

The shipping department, under constant camera surveillance.

A conveyor belt helps fulfill the orders.

This giant amethyst was in the entrance to the television studio portion of the building.

We watched from behind a window.

Here is what a typical show looks like to viewers.

The hosts look at statistics which constantly tell them how sales are going -- while they are on the air.

To show the jewelery off to its best advantage, it is photographed in something called a lightbox.

You can see how much difference the perfect lighting makes.

After the tour, we were taken back to -- where else? -- the Gemstore!

They gave us champagne and a 10 percent discount! From left, Margo Uri Simmons, Elaine Streno, Diana Condon and Andrea White.

Maureen Patteson, left, and Susan Edwards

Lynne Fugate, left, and Jeannie Dulaney shopping.

Because it is my favorite color, I was tempted. But I resisted!

Crescent Bend, also known as the Armstrong-Lockett House, is at 2728 Kingston Pike. (This pretty photo is from the website of Gables & Gates Realtors.)

As you no doubt have noticed, we are in the midst of the 150th anniversary of the Civil War. Through 2015, the bloodiest war in U.S. history will be commemorated in various ways by numerous civic organizations. I am learning a lot about the war and its effect on Knoxville, which was occupied by both sides at various points during the war. It was not a pleasant place to be.

Last week, the Knoxville Symphony League staged one of its “Elegant Dining” events at historic Crescent Bend, also known as the Armstrong-Lockett House, on Kingston Pike. The dinner was a sell-out. And a surprisingly enlightening and pleasant evening.

Dr. Joan Markel

After a tour of Crescent Bend, the first home built on Kingston Pike, we had a charming dinner prepared by members of the Symphony League, and an enchanting concert of Civil War-related tunes by a dulcimer band. Then Dr. Joan Markel, Civil War curator of the McClung Museum, shared a few sobering facts with us:

• More Civil War battles were fought in Tennessee than in any other state except Virginia. Knoxville always was under siege.
• Knoxville was a town of 4,000 people, about equally divided between being loyal to the Union and the Confederacy.
• During the war, between 8,000 and 10,000 troops entered Knoxville — and they took a huge toll on Knoxville’s infrastructure. “These troops needed food and places to stay,” Markel noted. They began wholesale cutting of trees and taking of horses, mules, crops and livestock. They basically trampled the town with little regard for the residents or the residents’ property.
• Crescent Bend, she said, was “ground zero.” “You could look out the front door and see the progress of the war,” she said. The home, built in 1834 and located on 600 acres on the north side of the Tennessee River, was occupied at first by the Union Army who used it as a command center and hospital. On Nov. 18, 1863, Union Brigadier General William P. Sanders was mortally wounded on Crescent Bend farmland and died the next day at Lamar House hotel in downtown Knoxville, the current location of the Bijou Theatre. In the days following Sanders’ death, the Confederate Army took control of Crescent Bend and it became a Confederate command center.
• 

  This Rococo style Philadelphia clock at Crescent Bend dates to 1750. It is said to keep accurate time today, although, to tell the truth, the time it showed was wrong when we visited.

  Many of the troops who poured into Knoxville were country boys who had not been exposed to certain diseases that are more common in urban environments. They encountered food shortages and diseases in the unsanitary and crowded conditions in war-ravaged Knoxville. Of the 1,600 Confederate soldiers buried in East Knoxville’s Bethel Cemetery, Markel said, “far more died from disease than from war.”

• The war was being fought for causes that were not particularly dear to the hearts of most Knoxvillians, Markel said. Even many of the Union supporters here also were supporters of slavery. They thought it was protected by the Constitution. Because Knoxvillians were not passionate about the issues of the war, a lot of them changed sides during the struggle. They were opportunists — or perhaps just wanted to survive. Joseph Mabry, owner of the historic Mabry-Hazen House in East Knoxville, for example, sold provisions to the Confederate Army. Until the Union Army took control. Then he sold to them!
• Crescent Bend also is thought to have been a stop in the Underground Railroad. A secret compartment under the main staircase is said to have hidden runaway slaves on their way north to freedom. According to those at Crescent Bend, the  household itself was divided during the war, with one son being a slave broker and the other being against slavery and participating in the Underground Railroad.

Markel, who has lived in Knoxville since 1990, is an expert on the Civil War in East Tennessee and she has some interesting theories on how Knoxvillians have come to view the Civil War over the decades. “Knoxville was at war for four years and there was no home front: you had to pick sides,” she said. “So, it was legal to kill each other for four years and then it’s over. There was no grief counseling or anything like that. You were just expected to go back to what you were doing. The way East Tennesseans chose to deal with it was by not speaking of it.”

Markel said it is difficult and confusing to try to untangle the history of the Civil War in Knoxville partly because of the local habit of naming children after relatives like uncles and brothers. So the same family names pop up over and over in various combinations: Mabry, McClung, Armstrong, White, Lawson, McGhee and others. “In Knoxville, genealogy is not so much about the family tree as the family kudzu,” she quipped.

The scholar wrapped up with an observation on historic Old Gray Cemetery where many Civil War soldiers are buried. “For four years, they were at war. And now they are side by side for eternity.”

It was a fascinating Wednesday night.

From left are Harriet and Fred Hodge, Dr. Joan Markel and Patricia Jobe.

Don Williams, Jeff Fletcher, center, and Sherri Lee during the social hour.

Angela and Jim Pugh

The so-called "blue bedroom" was the master bedroom and is located on the first floor of Crescent Bend, which was unusual in those days. It was necessary, though, because Mrs. Armstrong was ill and couldn't manage the stairs.

This is the drawing room.

This rare black lacquer bookcase in the drawing room dates to 1710.

A 1770 piano. It was very rare to have a piano in this country at that time. In 1834, it was valued at $150. The chair is very famous, listed as one of the best 100 documented pieces of American furniture.

A guest room upstairs

And then it was time for dinner. The place settings were simple and Spring-like.

It was a full house.

We all loved the salad: arugula with edamame, cranberries and feta served with a lemon vinaigrette.

Two of our tablemates, Debbie and Ralph Henn, moved here from Baton Rouge three years ago. They love Knoxville.

Cynthia and Pete Sowa, also seated at our table, moved here from California two years ago.

Another couple at our table, Kathy and Doug Alexander, moved here from Atlanta three years ago. They were looking for somewhere with good medical facilities, water and SEC football. Knoxville fit the bill!

Here's the entree prepared by Symphony League members: Chicken Marseilles, wild rice with asparagus and almonds, and marinated carrots. Dessert was old fashioned apple pie.

The Sweet Sounds. Charlotte Davis on autoharp, Pat Payne and Susie Wadell on Appalachian dulcimer, and Dottie Sampsel on hammered dulcimer.

We learned a few tidbits about some of the selections.

• “Home Sweet Home” was written in 1823 and was a favorite of both Union and Confederate armies. It was played by the brass bands and sung by the troops.
• “Dixie” was the most popular Confederate song. It was written by Daniel Emmett and was dearly loved by Abraham Lincoln.
• “Battle Hymn of the Republic” was based on a tune sung at Methodist revivals. It was the most popular Union song and continued to be sung during the World Wars.
• “Aura Lee” was a war ballad by W.W. Fosdick and George R. Poulton. It was later sung by Elvis Presley with new words, “Love Me Tender.”

Dottie Sampsel on hammered dulcimer

This lovely glass piece is by David Goldhagen of Hayesville, North Carolina.

In my 32 years in Knoxville, I’ve never seen a better Dogwood Arts Festival Art Fair on Market Square. This year, the art is as good as it’s ever been and the food and entertainment have been elevated many levels.

A welcome addition this year is the Publix Culinary Arts Stage located on Union Avenue across the street from Coffee & Chocolate. In anticipation of entering the Knoxville market within the coming year, it’s impressive that the much anticipated grocery chain already is making its presence felt with this highly visible sponsorship. If I were the other grocery stores in town, I’d definitely take notice.

Another eager participant in this year’s Dogwood Arts Festival is the Asheville restaurant Tupelo Honey Cafe, set to open its doors in Knoxville in late summer on the southwest corner of Market Square. Tupelo Honey not only has a booth in the fair, but it brought its personable executive chef, Brian Sonoskus, to the Publix Culinary Arts Stage Saturday to make one of his unique warm pimento cheese dishes. Tupelo Honey is about to launch a Pimento Cheese of the Month Club where, every other month, members will receive a different creative pimento cheese, some charcuterie and artisanal crackers. I, for one, am signing up! If you’d like to as well, keep an eye on the Tupelo Honey Cafe website (click here) for details.

The Market Square Arts Fair ends today at 5, so get on down there and check out all the fabulous art, food and fun. Here’s a quick run-through to get you in the mood.

These pretzels are by Rick Rickerman, who sells bread every week at the Market Square Farmers' Market. (I can't wait for it to re-open!) The presence of items like this represent the upgrade in Dogwood Arts Fair food this year.

But, don’t worry, the old favorites are still available.

There still are lines for corn dogs and funnel cakes!

And Orange Julius is in a visible location, as usual.

But we had real food trucks this year from both Petro’s Chili and Chips and Savory & Sweet.

Folks in Knoxville have been loving Petro's since the 1982 World's Fair! Now the truck takes the spicy treat all over town.

The Savory & Sweet truck is a new addition to the Knox food scene.

Nori was a fresh new food vendor this year.

Cruze Farm was giving out free ice cream samples.

Drop by the Tupelo Honey Cafe booth to sign up for a newsletter and join the loyalty program.

Here’s a look at some of the art for sale.

Need a new purse? Rudy Tell of Cosby, Tenn., has tons of great ones.

Kathy Veverka of Florence, South Carolina, makes these lovely baking and serving pieces. I have several myself and have given others as wedding gifts.

Popular painter Heather Whiteside has a booth offering her prints for sale.

These beautiful stoneware baskets were drawing a crowd yesterday to the booth of Mary Curtin of Bristol, Tenn.

These paintings of endangered Hawaiian owls were only a small part of the colorful wares being sold by Marc Villaneuva of East Point, Georgia.

Jared Weaver of Lenoir City, Tenn., calls himself the Canjo Man. Here he demonstrates his canjo playing! They are one-string instruments made of old cans!

Here is a close-up. Yet another use for Spam!

I loved the fanciful characters made of rocks by Steve Rhule of Andersonville, Tenn.

More beautiful pottery. This is by Mike and Karen Baum of Lebanon, Ohio.

Anne Freels was offering cornshuckery demonstrations, but not while I was there. I loved her cute witches, though.

Over in the Publix Culinary Arts Stage tent, an amazing outdoor kitchen is set up.

Acme Block and Brick provided this cooktop.

A grill with all the bells and whistles completed the envy-inspiring outdoor kitchen.

This ice sculpture featuring dogwood blossoms may not be there today. It was starting to melt a little by mid-afternoon on Saturday.

Tupelo Honey Executive Chef Brian Sonoskus, left, and owner Steve Frabitore in the culinary tent. Frabitore said he can sense the excitement Knoxvillians feel about Tupelo Honey Cafe opening here in late summer.

Here is the warm pimento cheese Chef Sonoskus demonstrated. It is paired with a tasting of Robert Mondavi merlot.

Chef’s recipe for that warm pimento cheese is at the end of this blog post.

Music of all kinds is non-stop at the event.

Mid-day Saturday, we caught the band Pistol Creek Catch of the Day. Not only were they musically talented, they were hilarious!

My friend Tim Young was among the scores of volunteers helping out. He was selling beer and water.

Festival mascot, Dogwoody, poses by the official festival car.

OK. Here is the best deal of the day. Pay $2 — yes, $2 — and gain admission into the Robert Mondavi wine tasting. You get to try five kinds of Mondavi wine — our favorite was the pinot noir. Wine tasting today is at 3:15 in the culinary arts tent. Go early!

The Robert Mondavi wine tasting starts with fume blanc. You get gourmet pretzels as palate cleansers and wonderful dark chocolate to taste with the three red wines. Yum and fun!

OK. Here is that warm pimento cheese recipe from Tupelo Honey Cafe:

WARM PIMENTO CHEESE

AND CHIPS - from the Cookbook

8 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon stone-ground mustard
1 teaspoon mustard powder
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
1/2 cup finely diced roasted red bell pepper
Tortilla chips, for serving

Combine the cheese, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, stone-ground mustard, mustard powder, salt, pepper, parsley, and roasted bell peppers in a large bowl. Transfer to a microwavable dish and microwave for about 20 seconds, or until hot. Or put in a baking dish in a preheated 350 degree oven for about 15 minutes, or until heated through. Serve with the tortilla chips.

MAKES 2 CUPS

Here is Sunday News Sentinel story about the Market Square Arts Fair: click here.

Here is another blog post about the Art Fair by my friend Rusha Sams: click here.

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