As I continue to travel Virginia’s highways and back roads – ever on the look for colorful weeds and plants – I have noticed an abundance of red clover, especially earlier in the summer. Red clover brings back lots of memories. As a boy in Lewisburg, WV, I was an avid quail hunter. Anytime we found a field of clover – used by West Virginia farmers for hay – there were quail nearby. Rabbits, too. … [Read more...]
Honey Baked Ham
I had forgotten how good a Honey Baked Ham can taste, but my sister-in-law, Laura Patterson, brought one to a family reunion and it was – as always – incredible. Honey Baked opened their first retail store in Detroit in 1957. The initial owner, HarryHoenselaar, actually patented the spiral-slicing process which is still prevalent. The Honey Baked Ham Company, LLC has since grown to over 200 … [Read more...]
I’ve Got the Butterflies!
I have never seen so many butterflies as I have this summer. It helps that we have a towering butterfly bush and that Nancy has planted several long borders of colorful zinnias, but we’ve got the butterflies. Yellow ones, black ones, orange and some small white ones. Unfortunately, few are Monarchs and most are Swallowtails. Monarchs lack any kind of extended tail – just rounded tail wings. … [Read more...]
Kirt’s Homemade Ice Cream
Summertime and ice cream. A perfect combination. On a hot night after dinner, there’s nothing like putting out a couple scoops from a Breyer’s carton of Rocky Road Ice Cream in a bowl, but for an extra special treat, it’s hard to beat a trip to an ice cream parlor - a place like Kirt’s Homemade Ice Cream. These folks do it right and they’ve been doing it right for some 20 years. This out of the … [Read more...]
Whitetop Laurel: Virginia’s Most Unique Stream
By Bruce Ingram Whitetop Laurel just might be the most unique trout stream in the Old Dominion. Located in Washington County in far Southwest Virginia near Damascus and Abingdon, Whitetop features mountainous scenery and classic trout habitat with plunge pools, runs, and pocket water. But as pristine as the setting is, the Virginia Creeper Trail runs along much of the stream, making … [Read more...]
Steamed Eggs for Egg Salad
This cooking tip bears repeating. Don’t boil eggs, steam them. My son Jimmie told me several months ago that if you steamed eggs, rather than boiling them for hard boiled eggs, the shells slipped right off. I accused him of using two-week old eggs, with shells that always come off easily. Nope. He said it made no difference. I tried it and it worked - once. Could have been luck. I tried it … [Read more...]
King of the Flats
In shallow water, they rule. As predators, they take no prisoners. They attack with vengeance. They are speckled trout. The King of the Flats. And fishing for these silver, black and purple beauties is as good as it gets now on the Outer Banks at Oregon Inlet. Capt. Reese Stecher, a speckled trout specialists, is putting his clients on lots of fish, big ones at that. Reese often fishes with … [Read more...]
I’ll Have a Beer!
My first memory of drinking beer was at Atlantic Beach in North Carolina. I was about 12 or 13 and Mom and Dad were having a beer and a sandwich out on the deck of a restaurant overlooking the ocean while I and my siblings were dodging the crashing waves. I came up to see them and watched Daddy drinking a Schlitz. I asked for a sip, he handed me the can. I grimaced as the ice-cold beverage slid … [Read more...]
Apple Cups
I do a little cooking for a family with three young kids. They are always on the go and they enjoy finger food – especially sweets – cookies and the like. Recently I saw a recipe called Apple Cups that looked interesting and I tried it. It was delicious, the kids loved it and it was amazingly easy to put together. You might consider a batch of Apple Cups for a picnic or event this summer. They … [Read more...]
The Furi Sharpener System
I cannot sharpen a knife. If I ever need a really sharp knife, I’ll go out buy a new one. New knives are sharp right out of the box, but I have never been able to put a keen edge on an old knife. Daddy could. About once a month, he’d get out an old whetstone with three sides and methodically sharpen every knife in the kitchen. More than once, I cut myself just opening the knife … [Read more...]
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