Lemon Creamed Honey.... mmmmmmmmmm!!!

Walked outside and brought in a big bowl of fresh cilantro yesterday evening. I love it when I can bring some into the kitchen – even for the heck of it! Just a few sprigs rinsed off under the sink and set somewhere to catch a draft – drives everybody crazy! Next thing ya’ know – somebody starts up the round of decision making with a suggestion of something to make – like Pico De’ Gallo! Before Jen moved out to learn about life – LOL – this house had a furious non-stop Mexican Standoff going on around here for years. Three human beings under the same roof with their own preferences and ideas for how one recipe should be made. It wasn’t pretty. But the one fact that never failed – the stuff never survived around our house for more than two days. And it just didn’t matter who the chef was! The trouble I’m having at the moment is this. The cilantro is going crazy. Heck – I’ve even got a couple of Jalapeno peppers out in the garden I could pick. Have a really nice red onion in the crisper. And wouldn’t ya’ know – the tomatoes aren’t ready. And by the time they finally get out of bed – I’ll have had to seed another round of cilantro. One of my struggles is being so far from my favorite place that I just love to go this time of year – Horn O’ Plenty in Maryville! Oh, my goodness! They have it all in this really tight and tiny corner shop that all the main traffic in town passes. You can be walking through all their selection of flowers and plants outside on the lot when the light turns red on Broadway – and get a bit of a comedy show for free. It actually makes me wonder, sometimes, about the wrecks that happen at that intersection. But when you look up at all the cars waiting in line at the red light from either side – you can count back a minimum of five or six on each side with eyes staring and/or necks stretching. Everybody’s checking out the lot at Horn O’ Plenty to see if they’ve gotten any new stuff in for that day! The majority of the produce they sell during this time of year comes from local individuals and small farms. They’re a great supporter of Grainger County Tomato Farmers, too! That’s where I go to get my tomatoes for making my fried green tomatoes! Baskets and baskets of ripened tomatoes are lined all around the store during the season. Many folks without gardens come in to buy cases of the tomatoes to take home for canning. Same happens with the Georgia Peaches that show up each year. But my sense of respect is so deep for many of the individual gardeners that enjoy growing uncommon varieties of beans and other vegetables brought in for sale. Some of those folks are actually raising treasures from saved seed of heirlooms that have been passed down in their family! One of the other fun treats that can be found are the fresh–baked-from-scratch breads and pastries! There’s a lady up around Sevierville that bakes and delivers her breads every day. She uses recipes passed down from descendents that settled in Cades Cove and surrounding areas of the Great Smoky Mountains. One other lady brings in home-made fried pies! And, Darlin' - let me tell you - Hostess has nothin’ on her! I have to be really careful. I only allow myself to buy one and call it my special treat for my trip to Horn O’ Plenty! If I buy more for later – I’m as good as a dead dog. Later will never come. I buy my jars of Sourwood Honey from there to do my pickling, too. I love that Honey. But I began buying a new find for myself, a couple years ago! The one I buy is the Lemon Creamed Honey. And there are several other flavors, as well. It’s made by Smokey Ridge Aparies and Crafts. You have to chill it to harden it – or – warm it to soften it up. I love putting this stuff on a piece of celery! But I am in my absolute glory when I warm it for spreading on a piece of buttered toast! And it has a creamy taste - sort of along that same line as the creamy Lifesavers. Hmmmmm….. Dwayne begins his round of days off tomorrow. And I’m getting one day out of my cage to go mingle around the human race – for a change. He never likes to go where I want to go – despite the fact that I never refuse to go where he wants to go. So – I’m taking a day to go off and run around doing something I enjoy doing and hardly ever get to do! I’ve never been to the Knoxville Museum of Art. This summer heat gives the perfect reason for that choice – something inside with air conditioning! I think I’ll go ahead and just make a circle – head to Maryville and make one of those favorite stops at Horn O’ Plenty! OHHHHH….. I heard the interview, yesterday, about the Headliners for this year’s Foothills Fall Festival! Two of the big names – Rodney Atkins - Alan Jackson! Others are Kansas – Little River Band – The Trailer Choir and Justin Moore! The organizers seem concerned that they may have a sell-out before the early ticket sales period of time ends. Go check out www.foothillsfallfestival.com for more details. This is one event in East Tennessee that keeps growing and growing and growing. Folks plan vacations for attending this festival!

Okay… time to go plant my stuff at Farm Town! Have a great day, everybody!