The Tin Roof Cafe

The sky is the limit!

2012-02-06T10:40:00.001-05:00

Or,rather, the mason jar is the limit for root expansion. In an effort to squelch the debate, one of our rosemary sprigs shot up over the past week, ending tens of days of speculation regarding whether or not the sticks would live and sprout or go the way of the do-do bird. The good news is ten percent of our crop lived! Of course we only planted ten rosemary sprigs, so we will enjoy this one little survivor until I forget to water it or remember to plant it outside!

Pinterest and Egg Salad

2012-01-30T18:06:00.000-05:00

I am trying out Pinterest, and I love it! There is so much inspiration for not only new food, but everything else in life too...But let's talk about food. Today I saw a link for World's Easiest Boiled Eggs. Here it is:
http://momonamission.me/?p=649 , and it works! Did you know I took the Cobb Salad off the menu because I am so bad at boiling eggs? The peel stuck to the egg everytime, and half the egg white would tear off, and it just was not presentable. Well, not anymore! Look at these glorious boiled and peeled eggs:

And the insides look perfect:

I learned something new from Chef Brent today. You know the grey/green ring that can appear around the egg yolk? That means they are over-cooked. I'm very familiar with that ring. These eggs, on the other hand- fantastico!

So I went to work, and if you are wondering what the missing ingredient was on this Facebook picture:

It was the beautiful eggs for Egg Salad!

That's better.

I used mayo, mustard powder, whole-grain mustard, chopped celery, chopped red onion (and then I added some red onion slices), paprika, and some fresh parsley making a random appearance in our warm January garden.

Then, I put the egg salad on Wheat with mustard, lettuce, tomato, and provolone cheese. I think I made this one too messy to put on the panini press, but it was certainly good as a cold sandwich!

So, thank you Mom on a Mission for sharing your hard-boiled egg instructions and thank you person who pinned it on Pinterest. I have finally learned how to easily boil my favorite food!

...Cobb Salad reappearing soon at The Tin Roof Cafe...

How do you root a rosemary sprig?

2012-01-26T15:59:00.001-05:00

I wasn't sure if the Rosemary plants outside would last all winter, so I wanted to see if I could get some sprigs to grow inside. So December 7, I planted these:

10 Lovely Little Rosemary Sprigs
I just pulled some random sprigs, dipped them in rooting powder from our local Co-op, and stuck them in glass jars with soil from a bag and a little cardboard for drainage purposes. As a fairly new gardener, I was completely naive and optimistic enough to think this may work! Obviously, I have a lot to learn.

As the weeks passed, some green sprigs starting turning a little brown. I kept checking on them until I was certain they were brown as in dead, and not brown as in "just processing the new environment, but surely they'll pull through." And, sure enough, I would pull the rosemary stick out, and it was just that- a dead stick- not even a trace of root. They started decreasing in number.
One day, we did find an exciting new development: Mushrooms growing around one of the sticks.

So we moved it into the back room by the mop bucket and let it grow just to see what would develop. It was very interesting until I forgot to water it, and then the mushrooms died too.

So, we are now down to 2 plants.

But I think one of them is going to make it!! It seems like there is some new growth on the plant on the right. I can't tell you how badly I want to dig it up just to see if a root really did grow. But I'll just leave it be until it stops being green. As for the plant (planted stick?) on the left, I don't think it will live, but it has stayed impressively green for a good 6 weeks now, so there's a chance!
Okay, in full disclosure, the left sprig may have had a better chance if I had not pulled it out to see if there was a root. And we couldn't tell if it was fuzzy dirt or a new root, so I stuck it back in. That's why I think only one of these may live.
Have you grown plants from a sprig? Any advice appreciated!

Challenge: Curry Chicken Salad!

2012-01-19T18:22:00.000-05:00

So the results are in....and...Curry Chicken Salad A won! Whose is it, you ask?? Well, it didn't have this:

Nice cuts and cubes of red onion, chicken, celery, green apple, heated curry powder, etc.. So the winner's didn't look like this:

So pretty and creamy...

But the winner's Curry Chicken Salad did start like this:

And finish like this:

Raisins, Shredded Chicken, Almonds, etc...

Can you tell whose is whose??

The contest went like this:

Each curry was tested anonymously. Testers then had to drop a penny into the correlating jar for their favorite Curry Chicken Salad. Oh, this was a suspenseful day!!

Especially after I had issued this taunting Facebook Challenge:

We're having a Challenge: Curry Chicken Salad. Brent made his version. I made my version. We need samplers tomorrow. There will be a vote- and a pronounced winner. Not that we're competitive or anything...but on the (far off) chance that I win, I will ridicule him about his culinary school tuition. lol!

Curry Chicken Salad A and Curry Chicken Salad B

And the winner is:::

CURRY CHICKEN SALAD A!

Like I mentioned above...And guess what?
I WIN! i win, i win, i win!! lol!! Oh, I'm going to be hard to work with the rest of the week!! I won!! Thank you, friends. The vote was 14-7 for Curry Chicken Salad A!! As in, Curry Chicken Salad Awesome. Curry Chicken Salad Absolutely fantastic! Curry Chicken Salad And that's why i love our guests. Enough? Nope. Not yet. But I won't make you suffer through more gloating. After all, Chef Brent is the one who didn't win today! Now, he gets to make Breakfast for my Sunday School class on Super Bowl Sunday!! woo hoo!! I'm happy all over again!!

I'm being so not nice! So here comes the friendly sportsmanlike part: Even though I won (Big time!), I think our final Curry Chicken Salad will have elements from both recipes. I learn stuff from Chef Brent every day because I didn't graduate from culinary school, therefore I have a ton of questions about food! And it definitely makes it easier to experiment with food when you have a trained chef on standby. For example, who knew you were supposed to heat curry powder a little before using? I mean you don't have to, but it kind of makes the flavor better. And while I don't like cubed chicken in my chicken salad, I might like the little bitty bits of red onion and celery, chopped to perfection. Anyway, we'll iron out the details and look forward to serving this Curry Chicken Salad as our February special! Thank you again for catching up with us and sharing in the fun!
Sincerely,
Curry Chicken Salad Champion (aka Summer)

P.S. If you would like to visit our Sunday School class at 9:30 on Sunday, February 5 at FBC, Sevierville...breakfast will be French Toast Bread Pudding and Yogurt & Granola Parfaits. Yum!

Resolution Jars

2012-01-17T14:33:00.000-05:00

Did you make a New Years Resolution? How's it going for you? I didn't make one, but then I found out Chef Brent had 3- impressive. His biggest resolution is to quit smoking, then there was drink 8 glasses of water a day and eat salad at least once a day. So I decided I needed a resolution: No dessert except for Sunday. And in an effort to encourage him to break up with nicotine, I came up with resolution jars. For every time we broke our resolution, we put $1 in the other person's jar.

Empty Jars = a Great Start to the game.

But I've had an unfortunate realization since we started. The cafe is a fantastic place for Brent to work with his resolutions- no smoking, lots of salad and water. This makes him smarter than me. Because it is not so easy to work here and not eat Dessert! Seriously?? I really didn't think this one through.

And it cost me. 3 painful dollars to be exact. So far. :/

And then C.J. came in Saturday, and asked about the jars, so look what we have now:

The only problem C.J. has is that he's such a good kid, he doesn't have a vice to resolve against! Thus, he cannot break his resolution. Thus, no money for him. But that didn't stop him from teaming up with Brent yesterday, and look what I found this morning in my jar:

Hershey bar, sugar packet, Coke bottle cap- they are really trying to get more money from me! But Im into day 2 without dessert now. This is ridiculous. Why would I say no to dessert of all things?

Oh, I now have to warn you of 2 things:

1) I get a little fussy when I'm staring at cake all day and can't have it.

2) If you come into the cafe one day this week and it smells like cigarette smoke, it's because I stooped to their low, low level and lit one up and blew smoke in Brent's direction.

This brings to mind another warning:

3) If I try to smoke, I will probably start choking for hours.

Oh, and 4) This is a non-smoking restaurant, so it's not allowed anyway.

In conclusion, Chef Brent seems to be very good at resolutions. Would someone please remind me of this when 2013 rolls around?

Arugula Pesto and Winter Garden

2012-01-11T14:20:00.000-05:00

We have certainly had a mild winter so far! I'm not sure if that's why our arugula is prospering or if this is just typical. But I like it! I went out to check on it yesterday:

Growing like crazy! And this makes me laugh- Do you remember the neat little rows it started in? And then the kiddos were playing in the dirt one day and "rearranged" some of the seeds. You could really see it here:

This was late October. And the good news is that after a few months, it doesn't seem to matter where the seeds landed- the whole bed is full. Because I am new to gardening and expecting everything to freeze up and die any day now...I went ahead and started trimming it some.

I'm not the best trimmer. Here is my sweet Lucy-bear after her latest trim:

I know it looks tragic, but as long as she feels beautiful, that's what matters, right? And I repeatedly remind her what a gorgeous little girl-dog she is, so her self-esteem hasn't suffered. Bless her little doggie heart. Trip to the groomer coming soon...

Back to the garden, though...

I chopped and chopped and chopped, completely filled my basket, and there is still quite a bit out there for another day! And the basket is deceiving- it holds A Lot of Arugula.
Let's break for story-time. It was Christmas morning and I sat down beside my momma in church.
This is my momma:

With her sister Glenda many moons ago. Before she ever could imagine she would have a daughter as talkative as me. Just kidding. (Glenda's on the left. Mom's on the right.)

Back to Christmas morning this year. She looked exhausted.

Me: Are you okay?
Mom: Yes, I've just been so busy getting ready for Christmas dinner with this, and this, and looking the spinach, and this.
Me: What the spinach?
Mom: Looking the spinach.
Me: What the spinach?
Mom: Looking the Spinach! You know- washing every spinach leaf to make sure there's no sand- looking at it and washing it! I can't stand gritty stuff in my spinach.
Me: Bahahahahaha!! What about looking At the spinach, Over the spinach, Through the spinach, or just Washing the spinach?
Mom: (laughing a lot too) I just call it Looking, I've always called it Looking. It's Looking the spinach.
Me: I love you Mom. :D
And I do. She has always cleaned and cooked our food this thoroughly! But that conversation struck me as so funny that day! Maybe from lack of sleep myself? I don't know, but it was funny. Having said that, I completely agree that nobody wants dirt or grit in their salad greens. So I thoroughly looked the arugula over as I washed and dried it. It's clean.
So, what to do with good, clean, fresh from the garden arugula?
I had gotten a tweet from The Food Network with links to some really great pestos. So instead of having to figure out how to use all of it today, we made pesto to use over the next couple of months!

Yum!

And I'm not planning to eat all of it today, but it was so, so good on ciabatta with bacon and gruyere cheese. Oh my. I'll save you some!

Butternut Squash Soup

2012-01-10T14:18:00.001-05:00

I Love this soup!!

Grow little Cabbage, Grow!

2012-01-10T13:08:00.001-05:00

What are the chances this will grow into adulthood?

Snow Day in the Smokies!

2012-01-03T10:17:00.000-05:00

I woke up, looked out the window, and said,"yep- no snow." So I went about my routine of coffee and morning news as I mentally prepared for what was to be my first post-holiday workout. When I finally felt ready to face the day, I opened the door to a driveway full of snow!! How did I not see this earlier? I don't know, but look who was loving it:

Rufus, the Wonder Dog ;)

After letting Rufus and Lucy run around for a bit (don't eat the yellow snow!), my husband and I strapped on our stocking gifts- Yak Traks! Have you ever used these? They came highly-recommended from my sister.

Ok- you can't really see them here, but they have metal rings on the bottom- kind of like snow-chains for the feet. And we started out for a morning walk!

My little camera phone doesn't show the sky as beautiful and snowy-gray as it was this morning. It was really lovely with the clouds settling around the mountains and a good dusting of snow all around.

Here is another view of the roads around the hill we live on. Not going to drive anytime soon!

After a good look at the snow and getting our fingers sufficiently frozen, we headed back home...to coffee and french toast. Yum! I tried to go to the gym- I really did! There's always tomorrow.

I will be at work today thanks to my awesome new shoe supplements, so if you're out and about, come see us! We'll be there 11-4. Happy Snow Day! :)

Loaded Potato Panini...Coming to a Cafe near Dollywood this January!

2011-12-30T11:30:00.001-05:00

Cooking on Fox43 Morning Show...take 2!

2011-12-29T19:47:00.000-05:00

Today was a really exciting day! The fabulous folks at WBIR asked me to come back for another cooking segment on their Fox43 Morning News program. I barely slept last night- maybe it was the nerves, the excitement, or the comforting cup of coffee I had just before bedtime. My husband advised against it, but I Needed it. Oh well, I was prepared and early, and if you know me, you know that's kind of a miracle. (As is the fact I have a cafe. Never ask my friend Courtney about the fudge incident of 1998. The incident that turned us both against my cooking for many, many years.) (Ok, it wasn't That bad...)(Now that I think about it, Courtney, have you eaten my cooking since then?;)

Anyhoo, today I made a Loaded Potato Panini, and it will be our January Feature! I will post the video soon, but here are some photos from the morning:

Prepping for the segment

The prepared panini ready to go on the press

A super-quick photo with WBIR's Brittany Bailey, Abby Ham, and Mike Witcher.

Do you ever wonder what people are like when the cameras aren't rolling? No? Me either...

In entirely unrelated news, these people are So friendly! And they seem to have a lot of fun at work. It's fantastic to be around people who love what they do, because that means we have at least one thing in common. :) Because it certainly isn't height. I think God made me freakishly tall so I could eat more. I do love to eat...Thank you, God!
Speaking of food, it's supper time. Gooood night y'all. :)

My Christmas Gift :)

2011-12-25T15:44:00.002-05:00

I've been waiting... for a day like this... to come into my life...

So I have a reason to indulge!

In full- and somewhat sheepish- disclosure, I've eaten several red velvet cupcakes this week. :/ The good news is the extra cushioning made the fall from the diet-wagon a little softer on my derriere. I'll get back on the wagon soon. As soon as 2012 gets here. One more week of cupcakes before the new year should last me at least another few months of good dieting, right? (Just smile and nod if you need to.)

CAROL FOR YOUR COFFEE!

2011-12-21T15:32:00.000-05:00

When I started this game, I was nervous about the bazillions of gallons of milk we would be going through here at the cafe. All you have to do is come in and sing your favorite Christmas carol for a FREE 12 oz Frosted Mint White Chocolate Mocha or 12 oz Hot Chocolate. But it turns out, not everyone likes to sing in front of a crowd...or in front of a whopping staff of 2. However, we did have some Carollers- full of Christmas cheer- who took us up on it! Thank you everyone who is carolling for your coffee (and chocolate)! Only 2 more days of this super-fun (especially for me) game! ;) Here are some of the videos:

Great song!

Not only did they carol for their coffee, but they enjoyed their FREE holiday drinks over a lovely game of Scrabble- what a fun family! :)

Some of our CNB crew enjoyed FREE Hot Chocolates and Frosted Mint Mochas!

But, how could you not enjoy all that peppermint-y, whipped cream-y goodness?

Then, what to our wondering eyes and ears did appear!

What a fun surprise!

And look who got a free Frosted Mint, White Chocolate Mocha! :)

And, of course, I took the opportunity to remind Santa how good I've been this year- what with giving away coffee and chocolate for a song and all...

2 Days Left to Carol for your Coffee!! We'll be closed Saturday, Sunday, and Monday! Merry Christmas!! :)

We have a winner!!

2011-12-17T14:51:00.002-05:00

Congratulations Tonique!!

C.J., our Christmas elf, drew from 16 names in the mug! Thank you all for playing- we're doing this again soon!!

If you want something else FREE, we are doing "CAROL FOR YOUR COFFEE" all week next week. Come in and sing your favorite Christmas carol for a FREE 12 oz Frosted Mint Mocha.

Merry Christmas Friends!!

Win This Coconut Cream Pie!!

2011-12-17T11:54:00.001-05:00

Just leave a comment on this post, and we will select a random winner from the posts at 2:30 today!

Good Morning Smoky Mountains!

2011-12-10T08:22:00.001-05:00

CONGO SQUARES

2011-12-08T15:36:00.001-05:00

Do you have a few treats that you consider holiday must-haves?! Congo Squares and Fruit Punch are 2 staples at my Grandma's Christmas Eve Dinner. And I'll just say I have no idea why they are called Congo Squares.

They are square, so that part makes sense. Anyhoo, here is the recipe.
It says the yield is 48. I ended up with 16, so they must be cutting bite-size pieces! I also used butterscotch chips in my batch because that's what I had on hand...that's a variation my momma started, and it's so good!

There is a word of caution, though...Be so careful not to overcook! They harden a little after taking them out of the oven, and I have had to gnaw my way through some brick-like squares before. (Because I really wanted one, that's why.) Usually I get the cooking time right by my 3rd batch of the season at the latest.

Oh my... the truth comes out about my baking skills...or lack thereof, as my siblings may say. :)
Let me know how you like these if you try them!

Cranberry Christmas Salad on WBIR/Fox43 Morning Show!

2011-12-07T09:47:00.000-05:00

Now Serving...Cranberry Christmas Salad

2011-12-06T08:15:00.001-05:00

Thank you WTNZ Fox43 for letting me prepare this salad on your show this morning!

I just love food! And for Christmas, I love festive food. So we're making a Cranberry Christmas Salad today...and it's a fresh salad, not the jiggly kind. Nothing against jiggly salads, thighs, etc - that's just not what we're making today. Our Christmas salad has green spinach, red(dish) craisins, and plenty of other great flavors. Here is the finished product:

It looks simple, and the good news is- It is! Because I'm not a complicated recipe kind of girl at this point in my life. But I do like to play with food, and that is how this started. I had cranberries:

12 oz, to be exact.

And, I had been making cranberry sauce for our November panini, so it seemed an easy transition to make Cranberry Syrup.

Put 12 oz cranberries, 2 c sugar, and 2 c water in a pot.

Boil until cranberries burst and simmer for a few minutes:

This is when the cranberries just begin to burst and your kitchen begins smelling very good!

After simmering, strain the solids from the syrup.

Now you have about 2.5 cups of delicious cranberry syrup that can be used in different things. For example, try Iced Cranberry Tea by adding 2 oz cranberry syrup to 6 oz sweet tea, and pouring over ice. You can adjust the measurements for your taste.
But for our salad, I made a Cranberry Vinaigrette!
Add 4 oz Cranberry Syrup, 7 oz olive oil, 1 oz balsamic vinegar, 2 tbsp white vinegar, 1 pressed garlic clove, and salt to taste. Whisk it together in a bowl or in a "Measure,Mix, and Pour" from Pampered Chef. I love those for salad dressings!

Before putting the salad together, toast the chopped pecans.

I put them in a single layer on a baking sheet in a 350 degree oven for about 7 minutes. As soon as you can smell them, take them out of the oven so they don't burn.

For the salad, I used 10 oz Fresh Spinach, 1 cup Craisins, 6 slices cooked and crumbled bacon, 1 cup Toasted Pecans, and 4 oz Crumbled Goat Cheese.

I would recommend tossing the Spinach leaves in the dressing before adding the other ingredients. The smaller ingredients fall to the bottom of the mix, so it's not quite as pretty if you toss it all together. And add the goat cheese as the final topping to keep it bright and white!

Of course I didn't decide this was the best method until after I tried it. The good news is that it still tasted fantastic. Let me know how yours turns out! Or if you want to try ours, we will be serving it Monday- Saturday from 11 am- 4 pm at The Tin Roof Cafe. Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-05T21:33:00.001-05:00

Just Beet It...

2011-12-03T12:57:00.000-05:00

I have a new love of roasted beets! Have you made them before? They are so earthy and fantastic-tasting...especially with goat cheese. Last year, I roasted some because I found a recipe using a citrus vinaigrette and goat cheese, and it was very enjoyable for those of us who like roasted beets. (I can't help but think of Monica's face when she tried the beets, though- it was the most awesome combination of "that's disgusting, but I'm so sorry I don't love your beets" that I've ever seen. Love you, Monica! :)

But back to the exciting food- Chef Brent kicked the beet salad up a notch this year. You roast the bulbs by cutting the stems off, adding olive oil and salt, then wrapping them in foil. Roast in a hot oven for about 45 minutes until tender. Cool for a few minutes, then use a paper towel to rub the skin right off the beets. And if you have disposable gloves, they are a good option here- beets are very colorful! Okay, here comes the good part:

Slice the Beets

Using a little biscuit cutter or something like that, cut your beets into pretty circles

Blend some goat cheese with a bit of heavy cream to make it spreadable, then pipe it or spoon it onto the first beet layer. Then add another round of beet, then another round of goat cheese, etc...

Once you have the layered beet/goat cheese mixture, let it chill while you cut orange segments. When we took the beets out of the fridge, the beets had colored the goat cheese- so pretty! Just quarter the beet stack and layer it on top of salad with the orange wedges. Our salad this day was from the garden- arugula, chives, parsley, beet greens... then Brent added chopped walnuts, balsamic vinaigrette, salt, and a little olive oil. It was so so yummy!

I tried to make one at home and it wasn't nearly as nice- looking, but the taste was very enjoyable. It did have roasted beets, after all! Now the question, if we make this at the cafe, what are the chances you would try it? ;)

Friendship Tea

2011-12-01T08:00:00.002-05:00

Powdered Orange Drink, Lemonade, and Tea aren't ingredients you see around the cafe...um, ever. But I made an exception because I was craving some Friendship Tea. It's also called Russian Tea.

If you want to try it, here's the recipe I used:
1 1/2 c sugar
1 1/2 c Tang
1/2 c Nestea Instant Tea
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp allspice, ground
1/2 tsp cloves, ground
1 c. Lemonade Mix

Like I said, there's not much healthy, natural, or wholesome about it. Oh, I didn't say that, but now I have. :)

If you don't want to stay up awhile, use Decaf Instant Tea. I used Caffeinated and had some on my way to midnight Black Friday shopping. It started wearing off around 4:30 a.m., so it was a perfect addition to the ridiculously fun shopping trip! Lol!

Here are the ingredients mixed together:

And I will warn you here that the Orange, Lemon, and Tea powder is so fine that the air becomes much fruitier as you whisk...and a fine layer of powder settles on everything around the bowl. Maybe it's called Friendship Tea because you are saving your Friend from having to clean up the dust!

Anyhoo, I use 2 tbsp for a 12 oz mug, and fill the rest with boiling water. It really is a good treat for a cold night! It can be a great hostess gift too- Just package it in a pretty jar, tie it up with a special mug, holiday ribbon, and whatnot, and you're set. Hope you enjoy!

Gimme some sugar!

2011-11-29T16:41:00.000-05:00

We had the opportunity to participate recently in SUGARFEST, a Winterfest event planned by our awesome Sevierville Chamber of Commerce. For a $5 entrance donation, guests could receive samples of over 30 desserts! Here is Sophia with her plate-o-sweets:

Looks yummy!

We had our cafe booth, and Mary Lou had outdone herself with a Red Velvet Cake, Chocolate Cake, and Strawberry Cake, so we gave out samples of those and at the end of the event, each full dessert was auctioned off to continue the fundraising efforts for the E.L.F. Scholarship program.

Also at our booth were Geanine & Hannah Cruise. Geanine had made a Lemon Pound Cake with Citrus Glaze and super-amazing Coconut BonBons! Yumm-o!

It was a really fun morning and great way to kick off the holiday season...or should I say our holiday appetites?! Plus, we got to be interviewed on Fox43 news for a minute and the booth was shown on WBIR's news at noon! It was a great chance to let more people know about the cafe. Thanks to everyone who came out this year- we're already looking forward to participating again next year! :)

Fresh from the herb garden...

2011-11-23T16:06:00.000-05:00

As a new gardener, I'm still surprised at how much flavor is growing right outside our door in late November!
Today, I cut arugula, parsley, chives, oregano, sage, and rosemary. It smells fantastic!

Turkey Day!

2011-11-23T10:37:00.001-05:00

We're getting the turkey ready to roast with fresh sage from the garden, salt, and olive oil...scrumptious!

Potato Leek Soup

2011-11-18T14:13:00.001-05:00

Wiht bacon crumbles...and for mine, I add red pepper flakes...need some hot spice on this cold day!

Why to hire a chef

2011-11-16T14:42:00.001-05:00

1) On slow days, he makes pizza. This one has goat cheese, caramelized onions, rosemary and arugula from the garden, and bruschetta- this is really,really good. I feel guilty not sharing it. Almost.
2) I'll think of more after pizza. :)

Oh my- look what Jeff & Patti sent!

2011-11-15T16:53:00.001-05:00

My aunt and uncle have been to the cafe. And they saw our metal folding chairs. And look what they sent us this past week...

Real Chairs!! Thank you Aunt Patti and Uncle Jeff!! And thank you John and Ashley for helping clean them up and load them on the trailer! And thank you Grandma and Aunt Sandy for hauling them up from Georgia in a Uhaul! Woohoo! :)

No more metal folding chairs...unless we have a group of more than 50 or so...but then we'd need to add on to the cafe, so we're good for now.

And they didn't send just these 8 beautiful wooden chairs, they also sent 12 beautiful chairs with wooden seats and these fantastic coffee mug cutouts on the back:

I'm so, so thankful! And I bet anyone who's had the pleasure of using the old, metal folding chairs on a winters day in this barely-insulated, 100+ year old farmhouse will be so thankful too!! No more frozen rears! Oh, it's a good time at the cafe.

Now that we're looking so fancy, I thought we needed a few more things to spiff the place up. So we bid adieu to our clorox-stained aprons that were still attempting to promote our giftshop we closed almost 3 years ago. Thanks to Rita at C&F Sales, we now have these:

New aprons!!!

Then, I went crazy and bought this from Loralei's on Main:

A beautiful new chalkboard for daily specials, soups, etc... This will be so helpful! Have y'all been to "Loralei's on Main"? If you like the cafe's style, I think you'll be a fan of a lot of Lorie's things, also!

Back to our new stuff, though, I'm so excited that we finally have:

BUSINESS CARDS!

Thank you http://www.laurelpetty.com/ for the fantastic design!

Wow. Those new chairs really lit my purchasing fire! (not sure how that works since they were a gift...anyway.. :) We even put a paid ad in The Mountain Press' restaurant guide. For the cafe budget's sake, I hope to switch from cafe splurges to Christmas shopping soon, but in the meantime, I'm going to just enjoy the fact that the cafe has a basic promotional tool again, our guests don't have to worry about falling through their chairs, and our aprons look clean! Hallelujah!

Thank you friends for putting up with us even when we don't have all of our ducks in a row. We are making progress, and I'm so thankful! :)

Arugula

2011-11-12T12:11:00.001-05:00

Is here and fantastic- now, what to use it in?

November Special

2011-11-05T12:12:00.001-04:00

Roast Turkey, homemade cranberry sauce, and goat cheese on Brioche Roll. ;)

I have a little bee in my bonnet...

2011-11-03T14:33:00.001-04:00

There really aren't many things in my everyday life that move me to publicly voice my opinion. So few, in fact, that many people may assume I don't have many opinions. But, as everyone does, so do I. I've just learned to suppress my opinions really well, so as not to cause a stir and to avoid confrontation.   And there's always the sound advice from Abe Lincoln that has pulled me back from the edge- just in case I start to spill my opinions: "Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt."
But, really, I have this annoying little bee that I need to get out of my hair!

I'm a local Sevier County girl.  I've lived in Sevierville my entire left except for 4 years at college (just a county over) and 4 months in Colorado. My mom, my grandparents, their parents, etc...all Sevier County peeps. I'm just saying this to say that when I speak as a local, I have a really good idea of what that means.

Throughout my life, there were days I didn't appreciate my hometown. This had more to do with wanting to discover new cultures and enjoy new adventures than the town itself. The good news is that as I grew up in Sevierville, I was able to travel quite a bit. Tourism is our industry, so it only makes sense that we travel, also- I call it research.  And after "researching" many cities and countries, I absolutely love coming home to the Smoky Mountains.

"But what about the traffic?" You get used to it like you would in any town- there are backroads or a few days a year, you may stay closer to home. "But what about the always-packed Walmart?" Well, have you looked around other stores lately? I stopped at a different store-that-shall-remain-nameless in a neighboring town-that-shall-remain-nameless the other day. It was so dreary- maybe I just caught it on a bad day- with people getting off work and dragging around the store. But give me my Sevierville Walmart anyday- people are moving and happy- they are on vacation and have places to go and things to see!
And how many other towns celebrate every holiday to the extreme?? I'm spoiled. In order to move me now, I would need another town with Christmas lights on every surface in town for at least 3 months of the year. And I would need a lot of -fests. Winterfest, Springfest, Harvestfest, Create-your-own-fest, etc... And I would need Dollywood. Because sometimes I need kettlecorn, stat. I just take my handy-dandy season pass- the one that you don't have to pay for parking and you get a discount on food- hop on Veterans, take a tram, and I'm enjoying that sweet and salty popped corn before you know it. Okay- I don't do that everyday, but I do love Dollywood.

Oh, I've gotten so excited about Sevierville, I'm off-track- back to the buzzing in my bonnet...I love good food. There, I said it. I LIVE IN SEVIERVILLE AND I APPRECIATE GOOD FOOD. And, guess what? I'M NOT ALONE. Don't look so surprised, Chef. Close your mouth and hear me-  There are people living in Sevierville, in Sevier County, in the Smoky Mountains of East Tennessee who appreciate fine food.
Do we have more chain restaurants and gravy boats than you can shake a stick at? Yes.  Do we love donuts, too? Yes. Is one of the most popular places to eat in a gas station? Yes. But, hear me again, we ALSO appreciate the taste of fresh-from-the-garden, chef-created, maybe even on a white tablecloth, hard-to-pronounce-but-we'll-try-it-anyway food. We just don't want it served with a side of stuck-up.
Don't let the fact that I make casual sandwiches in a casual farmhouse atmosphere confuse you. I've eaten well in my life. I'm not a chef, I'm not a food expert, I'm not a judge- I'm an eater/diner/patron who got bored with my real job and thought a local cafe would be fun- even with the limited culinary knowledge I possess. And, I'm not going to be quiet when I hear people say that chef-driven restaurants will not work in this town. If you don't believe the local girl ranting on her blog, ask a new citizen who has moved here from another town, and I bet you'll find a similar request- More quality, local dining establishments, please! Ask a guest travelling in their motorcoach, staying in a cabin, or shopping at Tanger- more good food, please! Ask the diners currently eating downstairs as I type- more options, please!
I'll agree that it's not a well-trodden path, an easy road, etc.. and some education about new foods may be required- but isn't that the joy of serving unique food? I love serving food that some of our guests have never tried. It's even better when they thought they didn't like something, but when prepared without a can opener, it turns out they do. Honestly though, even saying that, I'm probably offending most of my guests because, as I may have mentioned, people here do know and love good food.
In conclusion, if I could add one thing to my hometown, it would be more chefs, more eateries, more cafes, more coffeeshops, etc... I'm not sure I could love my hometown more, but I'd be willing to try. ;)

Feeling so grateful for my hometown, my neighbors, and my guests as I step off my soapbox,
Summer

Autumn Garden- Progress Report

2011-10-27T23:23:00.000-04:00

I can't take a lot of credit for anything happening in the garden right now. Some of the herbs that are doing so well are only growing because the tomato/other plants that were suffocating them have been removed.
The new sprouts are courtesy of Chef Brent and CJ's planting on a slow afternoon. Here are some earlier and later photos:

The bright yellow on the left is oregano, front 3 plants are parsley, mid-right is chives. (The very front right is not supposed to be there- a weed?) And there are 2 big holes in the middle of the bed from the humongous tomato plants that were removed.

These plants have been getting bigger now that sunlight can reach them!

The rosemary and sage just keep growing- I'm ready to use the sage with some turkey for November...stay tuned...

A little cabbage sprout!

I think the animals like the little cabbage sprouts.

A little beet sprout!

As of today, there are many more little beet sprouts- I'm really excited about beets- I realized last year that I Do like them! But how do I know when they are ready? Any knowledge is appreciated!

Look at these little arugula sprouts! I may be most excited about the arugula- I just love it! They planted a lot in professional little rows, but as it's coming up, we can tell what dirt the kids were playing in the other day:

Hmmmm... one side is not as orderly as the other... :D As long as kids are having fun in the garden, I'm okay. Lord knows, I tore out enough of Mamaw's plants back in the day. But when you're little, how do you know what's a plant sprout or a weed? I didn't get to help weed much after that...

I'm ready to eat some arugula soon, though- I went to lunch with a friend the other day, and she had a grilled cheese- but it was amazing grilled cheese- Gruyere, Caramelized Onions, & Arugula. I'm looking forward to trying that at the cafe!

Cravings.

2011-10-19T09:56:00.000-04:00

It's time for me to work out again. With weights. Which is the first time I've really used a weight room since college, and I graduated in 1999. Oh my.
I started 2.5 weeks ago. (Do I look more fit? Yes, I thought so. ;) I would have written this blog earlier, but most of my body hurts too bad to move. Just ask Chef Brent and C.J.- if something drops in the kitchen, it stays there until someone else's muscles can bend down to get it. They are loving this exercise program, let me tell you!
But beyond the ridiculous pain of working out (oh, I'm such a wimp), is the new meal plan. And I know I've eaten enough cakes and cupcakes over the last 3 years to last some people a lifetime, but it's not easy to just stop cold turkey. Ah...cold turkey...you're just not the same, but don't leave me- I'm hungry.
My biggest craving?

Behold the Red Velvet Cupcake.

I just stare at it sometimes. If you've wondered where the strawberry, lemon, and orange creamsicle cupcakes went, it's my fault. I've only asked for Red Velvet lately. It just looks so yummy.

Even yummier up close.

And, I'm beginning to feel like my 4 year old niece. "Well, I just want to smell it"

And admire that cream cheese frosting from a little closer view.

Goodness, that's a beautiful photo.

YIKES. Have to snap out of it. Back to reality.

Reality wouldn't usually be so harsh if it could be followed by a cupcake. Trust me, I've tried to explain to my trainer that I needed just a sample to cure my craving. He made me do extra sets of exercises for suggesting it. I get in trouble a lot. Him: "Do 100 pushups" Me: "I'm not sure I can do a pushup" Him:"Get on the bicycle" Me: "ok" *smile*

But I've found a compromise of sorts. I'm allowed something green and turkey or chicken for lunch. But since I'm not eating the cupcake- and I figure there has to be something in the universal weight loss system that considers what you didn't eat when you get on the scale, right?- I've managed to spice up the meat and greens combo a little bit.

I'm having the new Pomegranate salad. The sweet red pomegranate seeds and creamy white feta cheese kind of remind me of the cupcake, so I'm really enjoying this lunch! Which makes no sense at all, but it's working for me. (The walnuts, red onions, and bit of balsamic vinaigrette are just there for fun.)

And so far things are going well at the gym, so I've not had to put my meal plan "specifics" under the spotlight. There are meat and greens in there, right? ;)

Sounds good. And now I have to go to work with the cupcakes. Wish me luck!

"Dirty Dancing" showing tonight!

2011-10-14T11:52:00.001-04:00

DO YOU LOVE ME? Then, BE MY BABY and bring your HUNGRY EYES over for THE TIME OF YOUR LIFE. You're welcome to STAY JUST A LITTLE BIT LONGER if you'd like to practice your lifts on the back lawn. Hopefully, SHE'S LIKE THE WIND and it's not an OVERLOAD. But HEY BABY, LOVE IS STRANGE, IN THE STILL OF NIGHT.... OH my goodness! I. Must. Stop. Now.

(But what a soundtrack!)

Join us tonight at 7:30 to watch Dirty Dancing on the back lawn! Kitchen is open until 10 pm with regular menu. Bring blankets, camp chairs, and bundle up around the campfire!

Tis the Pumpkin Season!

2011-10-11T10:00:00.000-04:00

We are really into Autumn now, and I feel a little bit guilty for just posting this, but we've been selling so many that we haven't had time to blog a lot, so long story short, the Pumpkin Panini is back!

yummmm....pumpkin spread....

on ciabatta bread with baked chicken, fresh spinach, and cheddar cheese...

It can get messy, but, oh my, is it tasty! And just on the menu until October 31!

How do you get the seeds out of a pomegranate?

2011-10-08T16:22:00.000-04:00

Sometime in the first year of the cafe, I had a Pomegranate flavored syrup for the Italian sodas. I had never used or eaten pomegranate, but I loved the color! Then, I saw a recipe somewhere using pomegranate seeds. And then, when I picked up some fall decorations last year, there were some fake pomegranates in the bunch. (Which brings up another point- If you're not decorating with fake fruit, are you really even decorating?) (i kid, i kid) But now, it is autumn once more, pomegranates are back on the shelves, and we have Chef Brent, who has a culinary degree. There has to be a way to get those seeds out! So in a last ditch effort to enjoy pomegranate as more than a fake decoration, I asked, and he said to cut it and whack it with a spoon. Done.

The pomegranate.

Slice it in half horizontally (I had already sliced this one and held it back together for the photo)

Whack the back of it with the back of a spoon repeatedly.

The seeds just shoot out! It works!

Fruit with seeds before spoon-smacking and empty shell afterward.

Bowl of seeds after emptying 2 pomegranates in less than 7 minutes! :)

I was so happy! And I had a bowl of seeds and nothing to do with them.

Have you had Pomegranate Seeds? To me, they taste like a combination of cranberries, apples, and grapes. Maybe I'm wrong. But I think I've seen them sprinkled on salads and such.

So I googled it. And we now have a fantastic salad to share with you beginning next Tuesday. (with new pomegranate seeds, of course- the supermodels above will be eaten by then!)

It has Spinach, Red Onion, Walnut, & Feta Cheese tossed in Balsamic Vinaigrette with chicken and sprinkled with the star of the show, Pomegranate Seeds!

Do you have other ideas? Do tell! :)

Autumn Sugar Cookies

2011-10-01T12:11:00.001-04:00

With Lemon and Orange Icing!

Trying to decide which is worse...

2011-09-30T16:37:00.000-04:00

The fact that they finally convinced me to try their creation of sugar cookie topped with hummus and sriracha sauce...or the fact that they really believed it was good.

Do you ever wonder how we come up with specials?

2011-09-29T19:24:00.000-04:00

It's a fairly complicated process. Ok- no, it's not. Take this one, for example:
Yesterday, Chef Brent roasted some pork loin for the Cuban sandwich.

YUM! But, we "have to" cut off the end piece to make sure it's okay.

It's okay.

In the meantime, I was talking about how I was going to K-town after work and hoped that I got to eat at my favorite bbq restaurant, Dead End BBQ. (It's on Sutherland- scrumptious!)

So, being from South Carolina, Brent asked us if we'd had mustard bbq sauce, and I really don't remember if I have, and CJ always wants food, so we twisted Chef's arm, and he cooked up a little something:

I'm not sure what all is in here- mustard, brown sugar, other stuff, but when it collided with roasted pork and rosemary bread, a special was born!

Like I said, we keep it pretty complicated here. ;)

We're going to make some more, and this bbq pork will be a Chef's Special this Saturday, October 1!

Is it just me...

2011-09-23T18:17:00.001-04:00

Or does this tomato look unhappy?

Fig-tastic!

2011-09-17T21:12:00.000-04:00

Aunt Tammy brought us some figs from her mother-in-law's fig tree. I like figs a lot, and I've tried them a few different ways- fancy rolled up with prosciutto and ricotta, tossed delicately on a salad, but really isn't your first thought always "fig newtons?" Maybe there is a more popular way in another city? another state? another country?? But, I found this recipe:

http://www.food.com/recipe/fig-newtons-homemade-134577

and it was decided. I made some cookies, not the traditional newton shape, but i used this recipe for the filling and the dough, and the cookies were really good. So good, that after giving away a few, we sold all of them-quite quickly. Since then, demand has been high- especially among the 4 or 5 people who got to try them. (ha!) It's easy to explain that we don't have more fig cookies because we used up all of our fig-gift, but it's so hard to see the disappointment on the faces of our fig cookie fans!

So, I asked aunt Tammy if she could find it in her heart- and on her mother-in-law's tree- to bring us some more. And, she did!

And, ta-da:

Homemade fig cookies! Of course, we're closed tomorrow and I'm off Monday, so here's the notice:

Fresh Fig Cookies on Tuesday!!

While they last. ;)

And, in coordinating Good News, Uncle Eddie sent over an entire basket of fresh peaches! I forgot to take photos because I was busy preparing them, but I rolled some of them up in this dough, also- and it's fantastic, too! I'm going to take him some Peach Cookies, but he sent plenty, so I'll make some for the cafe too!

I am so blessed to have aunts and uncles who share their harvest with me and with you!
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! :)

We should brag on our neighbors more often!

2011-09-14T17:43:00.000-04:00

Look what our neighbor Bob brought over today! He's been taking a glass-blowing class, and this is made to look like a raindrop splash- We Love It!! Thank you, super neighbor!

The Harvest

2011-09-13T18:27:00.000-04:00

In the previous post, I forgot to share photos of some of the harvest we enjoyed:

July 28- our first okra and a gigantic cucumber

August 2- Cherry, Roma, Regular, and Gigantic Tomato

August 6- I love this!

August 10- Those roma tomatoes went into homemade tomato jam. Those big Virginia Pink tomatoes went into many mouths.

We put some of the okra on the panini press with a little olive oil. When it came off the press, a little lemon and salt was added- and I could eat these all day!

August 31- I miss it already!

September 7- I think I forgot to share the story of the habanero pepper plant- but here is some of the harvest- and where the plant was located pre-compost pile- between the tarragon, sage, and rosemary.

The Learning Gardon- Season One

2011-09-13T18:17:00.000-04:00

Most of the garden is planted on May 19, 2011 with the help of SCHS' FFA Students- thank you students!

By June 10, the rest of the plants are in- thank you to our neighbor, Judy! :)

June 24- Seeing some green!

July 7- The tomatoes are beginning to form a jungle- I'm hoping the cucumber live

July 13- I had no idea tomatoes got this tall.

July 18- This is looking prettier- after some rain, I'm seeing more watermelon vines & some cucumber

July 30- Look at those okra crammed in there with the tomato plants- I defnitely need to rethink next year's layout.

August 6- I love this photo- everything looks so nice and green with the willow tree and the chicken coop in the backyard- would you even know the cafe was here?

August 10- In the front of this photo are the cucumber plants- out of 6 or 7 we planted, only 2 lived- thank goodness! Look at all those vines!

August 18

August 24- Starting to dry out now- we've enjoyed quite a few tomatoes, cucumbers, herbs, etc...

September 7 - And I finally made the executive decision to start pulling everything out- getting ready for some new autumn plants!

September 7- This is the bed the watermelon used to be in, and the tomato jungle was to the left.

Isn't it amazing how quickly it comes and goes? I took a community canning class at Walter State this year- I really recommend it, but I'm going to need a bigger garden if I'm going to keep any of it around!

I didn't document the entire garden on the blog, but it was fascinating to me- every bud, bloom, and fruit was exciting! The best part is getting to share what we grew and learning new ways to prepare it- Grilled Okra, anyone? It was fantastic! Creamy Habanero Pepper Spread? Yes, please!

I haven't planted our autumn seeds yet, but I'm already looking forward to the harvest...stay tuned!

The S plants

2011-09-13T17:47:00.000-04:00

I've mentioned our neighbor Judy before, and I wanted to update you on her Super Neighbor status... The last time I mentioned her, she had stopped in to help me plant the tomatoes and watermelons and everything else- it took her about .2 seconds. Then, one day, I'm sitting here typing away and got up for a break. As I walked through the cafe, movement in the garden caught my eye- and there was Judy! She was surprising me with new tomato plants, a garden chair and walking stick, and an "S" rock formation to decorate the garden- can you even believe it? I mean, what have your neighbors done for you lately? Or, maybe I should ask, what have you (and I) done for our neighbors? Well, this was a fantastic treat.

The tomato plants started growing, and I'm not the best at staking the plants, so I moved the chair over for this plant to lean on.

I'm not sure that plant understood it was to lean on the chair. I bought some little wire ring stands.

They worked for about a week, and then the tomatoes outgrew them and fell over. But,thankfully, these plants are late-bloomers. So I've torn out the other tomato plants, and brought the larger cages over. I hope this works!

In the hustle and bustle, some green tomatoes "accidentally" fell from the plant. Those may have been my most successful fried green tomatoes to date- they were scrumptious! If I can be patient, I'm still hoping for some red ones. And Judy was in last week and told me she planted some flowers out there too. I'm so looking forward to see what pops up this fall! Thank you again, Judy! :D

Well, look who decided to ripen...

2011-09-13T17:14:00.000-04:00

We'd been waiting on them so long, they felt like family...

The Watermelon!

We were finally able to cut into some and enjoy them!

And then I gave them all away- they are just so messy, y'know?

But now I know how to grow them if the need were to arise again...

And I have to say it was so cool when I received an email from a cafe friend following the last watermelon post. She blogs at http://aminuteattatime.blogspot.com/ and shared all kinds of helpful advice about when to know if the watermelon are ripe and how to keep them from rotting... I loved receiving that email because not only did I love the advice, I loved that someone was reading the blog! Thank you! :)!

I don't even completely Love watermelon...

2011-08-10T18:29:00.001-04:00

But I have become fascinated with this watermelon bed!! I've waited to see it ripen for soooo long. Except for when my curiosity got to me and I cut that baby one open. It was too soon- really, really too soon.

5/19/11 looks like a dirt pile with metal rings, but there are seeds under that soil! thank you Uncle Eddie for the seeds!

5/24/11 He did say to plant a lot of seeds because he wasn't sure they would take. So I planted a lot, and then bought 2 cantaloupe plants and another watermelon and planted in the same bed- just to make sure...

5/28/11 oh looky! a little sprout!

6/6/11 a lot of watering and rain, and some more little sprouts

6/10/11 getting bigger!

6/22/11...still had no idea what was coming...

6/29/11 at least the metal rings aren't looking so lonely

7/6/11 the rain certainly got something moving!

7/13/11 oh goodness- this is exciting- when do we get to eat watermelon?

7/13/11a little baby one! under the clover attached to the lower flower

7/18/11 Brent looking for more baby watermelon

7/20/11

7/28/11 Baby's getting bigger!

7/29/11 Now we can hardly see the metal rings, but look- a baby watermelon hanging inside!

7/29/11 Another watermelon- it's so fun trying to find them!

7/30/11 Is it a watermelon or a green cantaloupe? I'm so confused.

8/6/11 But really excited that we have such a big something in the garden!

8/6/11 Look how these vines have grown! I've had to pull them away from the tomatoes!

8/6/11 This baby watermelon had to take one for the team. Here's the conversation between my curious self and my um...less adventurous self: It looks green, right? yes. So that might maybe mean ripe? no. Maybe we accidentally picked up a dwarf watermelon variety? no. (Then, after seeing the entirely white interior...curiosity continued) Maybe it will still be delicious? No. Maybe I like the taste of sweet and tangy? Whatever you need to tell yourself. Maybe I could try to make something new and unheard of with it? Go ahead, but remember what ailed the pioneers...good luck with that. Maybe I'll just throw the rest away and always dream of what might have been? Good call.

8/10/11 More melon photos!

Growing in the rings

After a few days of not tending the garden and some more rain, the watermelon are finally multiplying!
Brent turned them this morning so we could see them- reminds me of eggs in an incubator.

So this is where we are today- still growing and multiplying, but not ready to harvest.

Aaaaaaggggggghhhhhhh. This takes forever. I'm going to tear out the basil and plant pumpkins- maybe they are faster?

"As the Okra turns..."

2011-08-06T11:55:00.001-04:00

Our neighbor, Bob, helped with this title. And, I will follow-up with the watermelon drama one day, but let's finish up with some okra first. Do you remember our 2 little okra plants that could? and the one that could not? Here's the refresher:
Stay with me Okra
well the other 2 lived

Well, the other 2 lived pretty well.

Until one was attacked from behind by an unassuming tomato plant. At least I assumed it was unassuming, and then WHAM, the okra is laying under a tomato plant.

huh. didn't see that one coming.

But I did get some tomato cage-things to try to separate the plants ,so it has slowly come back.

At some point in this process, there are really beautiful okra flowers that close up in the daytime and open again later. In my photo-deleting frenzy, I deleted them before posting them, so just use your imagination for now. Who knew okra flowers were so pretty?? :)

And I've already made fried okra twice- I got so excited about eating it that I forgot to take photos...next year I'm going to need more than 2 plants.

UPDATE:
I was wrong about the blossom closing during the day. Here is one of today's photos:

Aren't the flowers lovely?? :)

Tonight's Dinner and FREE Movie on the Lawn!

2011-08-05T14:57:00.000-04:00

Friday Night Dinner & Movie

You may also choose from a limited selection of our regular menu!

That's right...

2011-07-28T20:05:00.001-04:00

I'm trying to cook again! One fire so far, but the Princess Buttercup Pudding survived! we are serving butterscotch pudding tomorrow night at 7 as part of our Princess Bride themed dinner. as you wish.

Brunch!

2011-07-23T11:02:00.001-04:00

Asparagus, Tomato, and Mushroom Quiche today!

Ready for the grill...

2011-07-22T17:19:00.001-04:00

Beef "Chunk" Kebabs.... for Goonies... Chunk...hehee... :)

Garden Update...

2011-07-19T10:21:00.001-04:00

There are so many exciting things happening, and I just have to share some more photos of our first semi-successful garden!

Little Baby Cucumber! (It's the little spiny thing attached to the flower in the upper left quadrant)

Tomato should be red any minute now!

To fry or to let ripen?

Baby okra :)

Teensy watermelon! (It's kind of laying under the clover in the lower part of the photo)

Romas!

Hoping for more rain today, and more photos soon!

Brunch Photos!

2011-07-16T13:06:00.000-04:00

We have had some good food today! In addition to our regular menu, we are now opening at 10 am on Saturdays with a Brunch menu. Here were some of the options:

Banana Pancakes with Nutella Sauce, Whipped Cream, and Sliced Bananas. :)

Green Eggs and Ham! Eggs scrambled in Basil Pesto, served with Ham, Tomato, Cheddar, & Mayo on Ciabatta

Fruit & Yogurt Parfait topped with Homemade Granola

Monte Cristo! Ham, Turkey & Swiss on White, dipped in French Toast Batter, grilled and served with a side of Apricot Jam

Scratch-made Biscuits, served with Scratch-made Sausage Gravy...because we're in a farmhouse and Dad has been asking for this for 3 years!

And, from the bakery, muffins, scones, and quiche... yes, please!

These are a few photos, and we'll be changing it up as we go. Happy Saturday!

Brunch Menu!

2011-07-15T21:09:00.000-04:00

This is a Saturday addition to our regular menu, served 10 am -2 pm!

Brunch Menu 071511

Lost and found!

2011-07-14T10:32:00.001-04:00

These 3 items have been left on separate occasions at the cafe. If any is yours, please call us at 429-1800.
On a similar note, our new policy: we are not responsible for items left unattended over 30 seconds. Lol ;)

Cherry Tomatoes

2011-07-13T00:46:00.000-04:00

I've been wanting to show more garden progression, but the garden is changing so fast, that I keep thinking I'll wait a little longer. But I've finally decided to share the little cherry tomatoes:

This shows a few cherry tomato plants just after planting on May 24. Then, an animal came to visit less than 2 days later:

Well, that was unfortunate, but I left it alone to see what would happen and it started growing again. Soon, it's neigboring cherry tomato plant had some little green tomatoes!

(June 10)
Then, a few more:

(June 24)

Then, it rained and I didn't visit the garden for a few days. When I did go back, I found our first ripe tomatoes! That was fast!

But now, I'm waiting for the others to ripen. And waiting. And the tomato plants are turning into a tomato jungle:

And I'm still waiting for more ripe tomatoes! I'll share them this time, especially if you're with me when I find them... ;)

Desserts are flying off the shelves this week!

2011-07-08T21:50:00.000-04:00

So I obviously had to bake, right? I don't normally bake because it completely, absolutely forces me to eat more dessert. There's just no way not to eat dessert if I've gone to all the trouble to bake it. Do you have that issue too?
Well, now that I'm admitting I have a problem, I'll just say that when Mary Lou bakes, I eat that dessert too. My problem is bigger than originally admitted.
ANYhoo, I was craving pineapple upside-down cake. Because we had an open jar of pineapple rings. So I looked at some recipes and got to work!
I started by browning the pineapple rings in a stick of butter and 3/4 c. brown sugar. (I think I could have caramelized the sauce a little more.) Then, I put a pineapple ring in the bottom of a big muffin tin with some of the less-then-caramelized juice:

Then, I mixed the cake batter.
In a mixing bowl, I creamed 1 stick softened butter and 3/4 c sugar, added 1 egg, and 1/2 cup milk. Like I said, I was following several recipes at once. When I added the milk, the whole mess looked curdled, so I freaked out and threw the dry ingredients in and hit the blender at top speed.
Whew. That was a little stressful.
The dry ingredients were 1.5 c all purpose flour, 1.5 tsp baking powder, and .5 tsp salt- all sifted together.
After it started looking more normal, I calmed down and added the other wet ingredients- 1 tsp vanilla exract and some leftover pineapple juice.
It looked right. Okay- I did a finger-swipe, and it tasted okay too.
So I added some to the top of the pineapple, and threw it in the oven. Our convection oven cooks way too hot, so I set it 50 degrees below the recommended 350, and I just cooked it until the fork came out clean.
In the meantime, though, I almost burned the cafe down. The finger-swipe of the batter was good, like I said, and I thought, well, look at this- just enough for a little microwave experiment!
So I poured it in a ramekin and set it for 5 minutes.

That was about 4 minutes too long, obviously. The cafe filled with smoke, as did my throat, lungs, ears, and anything else around the kitchen. Sure, it's not the first time this has happened here, which reminds me of another reason I love it when Mary Lou bakes...
But soon, I heard the oven buzzer. (which sounds eerily like a smoke detector alarm) And, like a phoenix rising from from the smoke of my trashed ramekin, came these:

Yep, I might call them Phoenix Rising Pineapple Cakes... At least that's not overly dramatic. Okay no, I'll just call them Pineapple Upside-down cakes. They aren't bad. :)

We have harvest!!

2011-07-06T19:12:00.001-04:00

Sort of!
At least we have our first red cherry tomato... good sign for things to come!

The Dill

2011-06-22T18:27:00.000-04:00

The waterhose doesn't even compare to the progress the garden has made with these past few days of rain! I've taken pics of everything, but to start with, here's the dill just planted at the end of May:

Here's the dill after a few weeks with the waterhose:

And after a few days with the rain:

Do you like the comparison? There's more where that came from!
And I love dill- We add Basil Pesto to our tomato soup, but if we replace that with fresh dill, I super-love the tomato soup! And anything else I can put it in. :)

Loaded Potato Panini!

2011-06-22T12:00:00.001-04:00

Turkey, Bacon, Cheddar, Sour Cream and Chive spread on Wheat with Baked Potato slices on top!

Spill the Beans...Amy and Lauren!

2011-06-21T11:36:00.000-04:00

These lovely ladies have been in the cafe studying this week. And it worked out splendidly as we needed some taste-testers and they were willing and able! :) Here's a little more about them:

Names: Amy and Lauren
Hometown:
A- Colorado Springs, CO
L- Jacksonville, FL

What do you do?
A- Student @ North Florida
L- Student @ University of Florida

What makes you happiest?
A- The fact that Jesus delights in me. :)
L- Jesus & traveling & learning Italian

What are you passionate about?
A- Serving God through loving people, and I'm also passionate about saving enslaved people around the world.
L- Eating Italian, food, archaeology, and reading the Bible

Favorite Scripture:
A- Zepheniah 3:17
L- John 14:1-4

When was the last time you laughed out loud?
A- About a second and a half ago with my friend Lauren- how can one person be so great?
L- Trying to fill this out with Amy. Why is she so funny??

What are you having at the cafe today?
A- A wonderful cup of tea and a raspberry granola bite of delight.
L- Chicken Basil panini!!! & other delectables

How did you hear about us?
A- my sister Melissa
L- The Holy Spirit!

Any farmhouse stories?
A- One day I had the best day of my life here!
L- My friend & I got chased by a chicken while trying to do Bible Study

Anything else we should know?
A- It concerns me that I'm in a room full of birds.
L- I try to eat here every day.

One final word to describe you?
A- Redeemed
L- LOUD!!!

Thank you funny ladies for spilling the beans! And for trying our creations at the cafe!
Amy & Lauren are in town with The Navigators for their Smoky Mountain Summer program. There are over 100 Navigators in town this summer, and you may recognize them by their big smiles, great manners, and open Bibles. Thankful for y'all and I'm sure I'll be seeing you soon! :)

Tomato Pie

2011-06-20T17:33:00.001-04:00

...is delicious!

Where did I see this?

2011-06-17T16:33:00.002-04:00

I really can't remember if I was watching tv or reading a magazine when I heard of this strawberry bruschetta. I altered it a little with the ingredients we had, but it is really fresh and tasty!
Grilled french bread with strawberries, basil, feta cheese, and balsamic reduction. If you've seen this somewhere lately (originally with goat cheese), remind me! ;)

Look what's coming out of the kitchen today!

2011-06-17T16:30:00.001-04:00

Rasberry White Chocolate Granola Bars- our efforts to create a healthy snack were diverted when Brent discovered the white chocolate chips in the pantry... and the raspberry cream drizzle really finishes our less healthy granola bars well!
Really delicious treat for your Friday night! :)

Well...the other 2 lived...

2011-06-11T16:35:00.002-04:00

It took surprisingly little time for this okra plant to lose it's last leaf. Here are the 2 we still have:

It's safe to say we won't be having many okra dishes on the menu this year. ;)

Stay with me okra!

2011-06-09T22:51:00.000-04:00

I'm so thankful for the rain we are getting right now! And so is this little guy:

We have 3 okra plants, and this is the one that seems to be living day-to-day. Let's see how he is tomorrow. :)

Spill the Beans... Connie and Marla!

2011-06-06T13:31:00.000-04:00

I get to see these lovely ladies in several times a month! Here's the scoop:

Hometown/Current City?
Dandridge

What do you do?
Connie: Crafts, Read, Swim, Garden, Travel
Marla: works at Shifting Gears Bicycles in Sevierville

What are you passionate about?
Connie: Family
Marla: Bicycles, the National Park (I do bike patrol in Cades Cove)

Favorite Quote/ Saying?
Connie: Roses are Red, Violets are Blue...relatively
Marla: "I thought of that while riding my bicycle" -Albert Einstein

What are you having at the cafe today?
Chocolate Cake & Fruit Tea

Any Farmhouse Stories?
Connie: My grandpa used to tell us when we were small he locked Santa and the Easter Bunny in the barn!
Marla: A friend and I were here last summer after hours and you got your chicken out...it went straight to the cat food (chicken) while we yelled, "No, don't be a cannibal!"

Anything else we should know?
Connie: Great food, but you know that. :)
Marla: Breakfast is the second best meal of the day, behind dessert!

One final word to describe you?
Connie: Thinker
Marla: Spoke Junkie (yes, another bike reference)

It's so great to learn more about y'all Connie and Marla- thank you for sharing with us!
Marla, poor little Gertrude (the chicken who has now passed). That story made me laugh out loud- seriously! I'm not the best chicken farmer or outdoor pet owner in general. One day I'll try again with a better feeding plan! (not to mention coop safety plan!)

Thank y'all again and I hope to see you back soon! :)

It's time for Lemonade!

2011-05-31T18:06:00.000-04:00

So it's been time for lemonade for a week or so now, and look what came in today:

Lots of Lemons!
Cleaned off the juicer and got to work:

Er, I mean, Jada got to work with a smile!

Fresh-squeezed lemonade makes me smile!

(and it pairs nicely with homemade chocolate cake...especially if you have time for the sugar crash I'm expecting any minu

Like a Great Neighbor...Judy was here! :)

2011-05-27T16:55:00.000-04:00

There's more good news- I watered the sad-looking tomato plants, and a few actually survived! But I had also visited Home Depot to pick up a few things. It's amazing how quickly the buggy fills up when you are standing in front of the plants. The possibilities are endless! Leeks? Yes please. Okra- Ok, I'll fry something just this once. Tomatoes? I need more- welcome to the buggy roma, brandywine, and cherry. I don't love cantaloupe, but I probably would if I grew it myself-let's get a few. Lavender? I like the smell and I'm sure I'll dry it and put it in a pillow or something. Paul picked up a habanero pepper (just ask him about the habanero cheese at The Cheese Cupboard in the Village) and watermelon plant- just in case our seeds didn't take. I also picked up some citronella plants to use at a few outdoor tables.

So I started planting yesterday. I had my gardening gloves, knee pad, hand tools, shovel, watering can, etc... I dug two holes and then went crazy from the gnats. Ahh- but I had citronella. I broke off a few pieces, shoved in my hair, and...

It worked! I don't know if it's safe, but it couldn't make me crazier than the gnats were making me.
Well, I made my way back to the garden to find a neighbor/cafe friend had stopped by. She had seen me working and realized I had no idea what I was doing. (not her words- she was much more kind) :)
In about 10 minutes, without gloves, a knee pad, or citronella in her hair, she dug in and got our plants in the ground.

Not only did she work circles around me, she explained why to plant this here, that there, this on a hill, that away from this, etc... It was amazing. And done!

My happy face! :D

And even happier plants! Thank you Judy!! :D

Blooms!

2011-05-25T17:50:00.000-04:00

Now appearing at the cafe:

Rose Blooms!

Tiger Lily blooms!

Sprouts! (look closely) :)

Cucumber Blossoms!

What will I find tomorrow??

Planting the Soil

2011-05-24T17:38:00.000-04:00

I was left unchaperoned with the unplanted plants for over a week. The bad news: The tomatoes didn't survive it. :( The good news: But everything else came through just fine! Woo hoo!

More good news? The FFA Sevierian students came back and got to work tilling the compost into the dirt, and we got everything planted!

I wonder if I could learn to till?

Notice the difference in color between the dirt pile and the compost pile. :)

Lovely herbs- I believe we have some sage, basil, tarragon, rosemary, and cilantro in this bed.

We're trying some cucumber seeds (from Uncle Eddie!) in this bed.

Cucumber plants went in here- the goal is for them to grow up and around the wheelbarrow. Stay tuned....

The big picture. We don't have the middle bed planted yet. It's for tomatoes. After I get some to survive the pre-planting stages.
I'll keep posting as we make more progress! :D

I love Uncles and Dumptruck Drivers

2011-05-24T17:23:00.000-04:00

I have a lot of aunts and uncles. My mom was one of 14 kiddos and my Dad was one of 3. Most of the family lives here locally. It's great! Especially when I need gardening advice. And compost.
When I was describing our garden project to my uncle Eddie,he spent some time explaining his raised beds and telling me about his compost. Let me just say: I wish I had a better memory! He has so much information and experience and the best memory of anyone I know.
Anyhoo, I asked him how much he'd charge me for some compost and he replied that he didn't have any for sale. But he did have some extra he would just give me. (Did I mention I love having uncles?)
As you can see in our previous post, we had a good amount of dirt, but now I needed "soil." So we went and got some of the good dark black stuff from Uncle Eddie to mix in with the dirt.
Here's a cropped-and-still-not-great photo of me and Uncle Eddie:

He wasn't expecting us, but that didn't stop him from getting out one of his John Deere and helping us load some compost. And not only did he help us with that, he took the time to show us all around his workshop. Paul and I were really fascinated just seeing what all he does out there. It's amazing. "Well, I just took this big piece of steel, and built this amazing truck out of it." Okay, so that's not exactly what he said, but it might as well be- I was uber-impressed with what all he builds!
So, it was a great evening, and long story short

We got the compost. And my boyfriend was quite helpful too, in a tough, dumptruck-driving sort of way. ;)

Homegrown Produce Coming Soon!

2011-05-10T20:24:00.002-04:00

It's happening! We have partnered with students from SCHS' Severian Chapter of the FFA to create a Garden Lab on our back lawn!

After watching Jaime Oliver's Food Revolution and the movie Fresh last year, I thought it would be great to have local students involved with our garden at the cafe. Thankfully, teachers Misty Larrance and Daren Helton were interested in the experience for their students also!

After some site planning trips, the students were able to begin the garden today. Using railroad ties and dirt donated from my Dad (thanks Daddy!), they constructed and filled 5 beds.

Next up for me is to find some organic matter/ compost to mix in the good TN clay dirt, so we can get the plants in next Tuesday!

I'm so looking forward to sharing the harvest with cafe guests throughout the summer! More updates as the garden grows! :D

Almost Cuban

2011-05-09T11:53:00.001-04:00

Except it's on a croissant and pressed! Ham,pickle, roast pork, mustard, swiss cheese... :)

It's Pie-day!

2011-05-06T11:26:00.001-04:00

May the Fourth be with Bleu

2011-05-04T12:56:00.001-04:00

Celebrating Star Wars Day with this fantastic panini: turkey, bacon, avocado, tomato, and bleu cheese on ciabatta bread with homemade bleu cheese dipping sauce. If you're really into it, add a side of Darth Tater Salad. Lol.

Florentine Panini- Thank you Debbie!

2011-04-21T11:40:00.001-04:00

Debbie facebooked this sandwich for us to try. If you would like to try it also, come on over- it's delish!
Baked chicken, spinach, red onion, provolone cheese, and herbed mayo on ciabatta. Oh so tasty!
If you have another sandwich for us to try, let us know and we might give it a go ;)

Lemon Cupcakes!

2011-04-18T09:33:00.001-04:00

...and strawberry cake...and chocolate cake...homemade desserts today!

Relay for Life!

2011-04-16T12:20:00.001-04:00

Visit our little team member Gracie today in Pigeon Forge! She is enjoying the Rod Run in front of Pigeon Forge Motor Lodge. Her Lemonade stand is Donation Only and she also has Sweet Tea, Coffee, and Hot Chocolate! Proceeds go to Relay for Life!

Woohoo!

2011-04-12T12:38:00.001-04:00

Thank you happy guests! :)

Strawberry Shortcake Saturday!

2011-04-09T10:29:00.001-04:00

Fresh strawberries, sweet cream biscuit, and real whipped cream..hello breakfast! :D

Biscotti and Coffee

2011-03-30T16:47:00.001-04:00

Fresh-baked biscotti dunks well in our new Goodson Brothers coffee! Try the new roast and let us know what you think! :)

Hummingbird Cake

2011-03-22T12:21:00.000-04:00

Mary Lou made Hummingbird Cake for us. Have you had it before? Fantastic! It has Pineapple, Bananas, Pecans, and Cinnamon with Cream Cheese Icing. Scrumptious!

Spring Photos of The Tin Roof Cafe

2011-03-22T12:14:00.000-04:00

Wanted to share photos of the cafe today. It is such a blessing to work in this setting!

The Tin Roof Cafe in bloom :)

Forsythia in bloom along the front of the cafe

Front Porch with hanging flower baskets

Doors open, beautiful art, sunshine, screen doors...happiness!

Fresh Art!

2011-03-18T21:03:00.000-04:00

We've got some new art in by J. Austin Jennings! Here's one:

For spring, Jennifer brought several new paintings of fruit and flowers for our guests to enjoy! If you would like to know more about this artist or view more of her works, visit her website at www.2-artists.com.
Which brings me to my next point- her husband is an artist also. I received a postcard this week about a new exhibit and book release he is doing called "HolgART- Taking Off", a collection of images taken with the "Holga" toy camera. You can find out more at www.HolgART.com. Those are pretty cool photos, Randy! Congratulations!

Now, readers, do you do art or do you know anyone who does? Do you have any family-friendly pieces you would like to exhibit on the cafe walls? Just let me know- We have space and are looking for some fresh displays!

And, either way, come over and see Jennifer's new pieces- they really brighten up the cafe! :D

Lynn Stanger Photo Shoot! 3/19/11

2011-03-18T20:30:00.000-04:00

Click on the title of this link to find more information about Lynn's photo shoot at the cafe tomorrow or visit www.lynnstangerphotography.com to view her work!

Spill the Beans...Chaz & Kellye!

2011-03-18T20:26:00.000-04:00

Chaz & Kellye eat with us at the cafe on occasion, and it is time to get to know them a little better!

Names? Chaz & Kellye Huesman
Current City? Sevierville
What do you do?
C: Loan Officer
K: Performer

What makes you happiest?
K:Spending time with my husband and family
C: Making my wife smile

What are you passionate about?
C: Singing
K Singing, love, and Jesus! Antiques & Decorating.

Favorite Verse?
K: "But you, O Lord, are a shield about me, my glory, and the lifter of my head." Psalm 3:3
C: "In the beginning, God..." and John 3:16

When was the last time you laughed out loud?
C: Last night while watching Arrested Development
K: Today at lunch

What are you having at the cafe today?
K: The March special and March special latte! Yum!
C: The March special

How did you hear about us?
K: Mother-in-law
C: Friends

Any Farmhouse Stories?
K: When I was about 7, I fell off of our horse. Instead of letting go,I let it drag me around for about 5 minutes. I don't know why!
C: Yeah, when I was a kid I used to milk the goats. One of the goats, Sally, would drink her own milk when I turned my head.

Anything else we should know?
C: I love milk.
K: I love being creative and re-doing furniture!

One final word to describe you?
K: Honest
C: Unselfish

Thank you Chaz and Kellye for sharing your stories- finally some good farmhouse stories! :D Kellye, that's pretty cool that you re-do furniture- do you paint or upholster or refinish or all of the above? That sounds like a productive hobby! Thank you both again for participating and spilling the beans this week!

Signs of Progress!

2011-03-18T20:14:00.000-04:00

Look what I made- croutons! Can you tell we are working behind the scenes here at the cafe??
Of course, these croutons in particular were a little overdone, but now I know how long Not to cook them, so they should be perfect next time. Because how is a salad really memorable without an extra something like homemade croutons,right?
I'm learning many things we could do to make your meal even more memorable here at the cafe, and these burnt croutons are a step in that direction!

Some changes are coming soon, but the good food isn't going anywhere! :D

NEW BUSINESS HOURS

2011-03-09T18:38:00.000-05:00

Hello Friends,
We are now open for lunch only. Our new busines hours are:

Monday-Friday 11-4 pm
Saturday 11-3 pm

Our lunch-only hours will be in effect until this summer!

We will open at night if you would like to have a shower, party, or other event with us. You can call us for more information! 865-429-1800

See you soon for lunch!
Summer :)

Soup du Jour

2011-02-23T15:01:00.001-05:00

Racheal has been at it again with her creative chalkboards- and now you can find the Soup of the Day if we forget to mention it. :)
It's just to the left of the counter so it will be right beside you when ordering! Good job, Racheal- Thank you!

Spill the Beans...Nicole!

2011-02-23T14:58:00.000-05:00

Name: Nicole Samler
Current City: Kodak

TTRC: What do you do?
NS: Dancer

TTRC: What makes you happiest?
NS: My husband

TTRC: What are you passionate about?
NS: Performing & My Family

TTRC: Favorite Saying?
NS: Everything happens for a reason

TTRC: When was the last time you laughed out loud?
NS: Hanging out with my Mom

TTRC: What are you having at the cafe today?
NS: Turkey, Avocado, and Havarti

TTRC: How did you hear about us?
NS: Friends

TTRC: One Final Word to Describe You?
NS: Good Listener

Nicole really is a fantastic dancer & performer! I saw her in Black Bear Jamboree this past season, and she will be in Country Tonite for the 2011 season. If we could pick one group that has supported The Tin Roof Cafe the most, it might be local entertainers/performers. I think the performers from The Miracle theater probably kept us in business our first year! We called them the Miracles, literally. :)
So thank you Nicole, for participating in StB, and thank you all local performers for sharing your talent...and eating at the cafe! :),Summer

Red Hats On the Go

2011-02-18T17:10:00.002-05:00

Thank you lovely ladies for visiting the cafe yesterday!

Love is in the air- especially at The Tin Roof Cafe!

2011-02-16T20:21:00.000-05:00

So I missed Valentine's Day with this post, but lucky-for-me, we're not celebrating just the day, but the whole stinkin' Month-o-Love! So, let me share a few cafe love stories...

Joey & Jordan
Jordan is a "regular" here at the cafe- Chicken Salad Panini, no tomatoes. When she and Joey arrived at The Tin Roof Cafe on their first date, we were all whispering & excited- we being the cafe staff, of course. Then we saw them together again...and again...and some more. Of course we were really happy when Joey popped the question! These lovey-birds are engaged and planning to get married this summer- Congratulations you two!
Speaking of marriage,

This is Blake & Sarah. Blake is a friend from college as well as my eye doctor in Jefferson City! We didn't get to provide the setting for their first date, but they did have some frappes on the cafe's back porch on one of their first dates! And now they're married!

THUS...bringing your date to The Tin Roof Cafe is a good plan...especially if you like them. Not only will your date be impressed by your ability to pronounce "brie" and "ciabatta"**, but you will have plenty of time to fall in love as you wait patiently for your food. And, if you single folk hang around long enough, you may even meet someone to fall in love with like I did. (That was a good day.) :D

To everyone that visits with or without a date, thank you for letting the cafe and those of us that work here be part of your story. We love to celebrate your happy times with you!

xoxo,
Summer
**If you're on a date and can't pronounce "brie" or "ciabatta", just point. We won't tell. And trust us- it's good! :)

Spill the Beans...Sarah!

2011-02-16T19:29:00.000-05:00

Sarah is one of our favorites! A local student, we get to see her in here...studying,I'm certain...with the wi-fi. :D

TTRC: What do you do?
S: Go to school

TTRC: What makes you happiest?
S: Being outdoors/ Running

TTRC: What are you passionate about?
S: Playing the piano/ Running outside/ Music in general

TTRC: Favorite Saying?
S: "If you tell the truth, you'll never have to remember anything."

TTRC: What was the last time you laughed out loud?
S: Today (I'm always laughing)

TTRC: How did you hear about us?
S: My brother, Justin

TTRC: One final word to describe you?
S: Unique!

Thank you for participating, Sarah. We didn't know you played the piano- neato! And we're glad Justin found us, too.

Did you know students get a 10% discount at The Tin Roof Cafe? Just saying... :D

Spill the Beans...Karen & Tammy!

2011-02-08T12:09:00.000-05:00

We are starting a new column called Spill The Beans. We want to know more about you! And then tell the world. Lol. So we will try to feature someone every week in our newsletter and blog.

This week we are featuring Tammy Johnson and Karen Hill!

Question: Age?
Tammy: 1/2 of 100+
Karen: 100

What do you do?
Tammy: Hired Killer!
Karen: Nothing (ha!)

What makes you happiest? What are you passionate about?
Tammy: My family & Grandson Sawyer
Karen: Grandchildren & Music

Favorite Saying?
Tammy: My advice to young people: Savor the moment because life gets too serious too fast!
Karen: This too will pass!

When was the last time you laughed out loud?
Tammy: Today because I'm with my gal-friend Karen & she makes me laugh.
Karen: 1 second ago.

What are you having at the cafe today?
Tammy: Broccoli Cheese Soup- I love that it was pureed and not chunky!
Karen: Soup and Coke

How did you hear about us?
Tammy: This place is famous
Karen: Summer is part-mine.

Any Farmhouse Stories?
Tammy: What is a farm?
Karen: Yes.

One Final Word to Describe You?
Tammy: Spontaneous
Karen: Hoot

So, Dear Readers, I bet you have some questions now! I certainly need Karen to elaborate on her farmhouse stories. haha! And we should probably mention that Tammy is hired to kill bugs, as she and her husband own Johnson Pest Control!

And, in the interest of full disclosure, I have two more things to add. Tammy is my aunt- my Dad's sister- and I love her to bits. The trip I mentioned about Hawaii a few posts back was when she invited me to tag along on their Hawaiian family vacation several years ago- It was fantastic!
And, in a split second, most of you will be in love with Karen too- Our chicken salad recipe is HER RECIPE! Thank you Karen!
The first time I had Karen's chicken salad was when she hosted a Bridal Luncheon for my sister. The tables were set up on a beautiful day outside her home, and on each of our plates was half of a carved-out pineapple that held The Chicken Salad and fresh fruit. Not to mention all of the other goodies on the plate. What a treat!

Well, this is our first Spill The Beans. Thank you Tammy & Karen for being wonderful- I love you ladies!
Readers, Is there anything else you would love to know? Share your questions in the comments!
Have a great Tuesday! :)
Summer

Message in a Heart

2011-02-04T18:19:00.000-05:00

So it's time for Heart-Shaped Sugar Cookies again! Woo hoo! Are you as excited as I am?

We baked the first batch today. It's been awhile, and the icing proved a bit more difficult to use than I remember. There were some mistakes.

And, that got me thinking... Not everyone loves hearts.

Some people may feel like closing themselves in a room until February is over.

We just want to say, we hear you, and we've been there, too. So we made you a cookie.

And we will customize your sugar cookie with your own message if you need it. It won't solve your love issues, but it might make you smile for at least a minute during this month-o-love...as you're surrounded by the rest of us enjoying these:

Lol. Love ya! Mean it!
;),
Summer

Frogs Bees & Under The Seas Party & Event Planning

2011-02-04T11:00:00.000-05:00

Guess What?

Thank you ladies! These super gals have a fantastic business if you need help planning parties and events or just creative help in general. One of the showers they put together for a client was held here at the cafe- so beautifully decorated and detailed for a baby boy shower. Check out their site for all kinds of fun ideas and hire them if you want a perfectly polished event. Thank you again for letting folks know about us, Jennifer! :)

February Drink Specials

2011-02-03T20:02:00.000-05:00

Raspberry White Chocolate Mocha

Chocolate Cherry Mocha

Great board, Racheal! :)

What's ham got to do with it?

2011-02-01T19:02:00.007-05:00

We have a new panini on our February menu!
Ham, Pineapple, Walnut Pesto, Caramelized Onions, Provolone Cheese on Ciabatta. The walnut pesto is good.

It has some rice vinegar, sesame seed oil, and crystallized ginger in it. That made me want to call it a Hawaiian Ham Panini, but who knows if they really eat this stuff in Hawaii?

I did go once, so I know there are plenty of pineapples there. But what does Hawaii even have to do with our current month-o-love? ...Except there are a lot of lovey-dovey couples being oh-so-romantic there! Ta. Da. Love is in the air....

So, it's a stretch, but there you go- Hawaiian Ham Panini for Valentine's Day!
And, just for fun, a pic of one of my favorite loves fresh from bath time...LucyBear...doesn't she look unhappy with me?

I think it was the hairdryer...but I still love her. :)

See you soon and hope your hungry! Love, Summer