September 2017 • Page 2 of 2 • Deep Fried Kudzu

September 12, 2017September 12, 2017

Revolving Table Restaurants + Wayne White Art News (yes, those go together here)

Revolving table restaurants — the ones with the giant lazy susan in the middle on which large communal dishes are passed with the gentle push/pull of the mechanism to diners all seated ’round — are literally few and far between.

While we’ve visited time and time again Walnut Hills in Vicksburg (our last visit in late December:)

The food has been mostly bland and boring. I love most any greens any way — and I don’t mind at alllll if vegetables have been cooked for hours and hours until they are babyfood soft — but from the sides to the mains (incl the fried chicken) it was just not at all delicious. Not bad, but not great. And this goes through my head too: is it worth the calories? Nope.

On the table this day: catfish, rice & gravy, yam pone, purple hull peas, fried corn, fried okra, green beans, turnip greens, coleslaw, macaroni & cheese…

…chocolate pudding for dessert. It pains me to say this all wasn’t great because revolving tables is a thing that should go on forever. Forever, forever. We’ve met so many nice people this way…it’s hard not to get to know people you may otherwise never have any interaction with when you’re asking them to spin you those collards again. But it’s just not as fab as it used to be. Or as fab as I made it in my mind just because I love this whole concept.

Here’s my go at it — just a bite or two of everything so it doesn’t get crazy and there’s room if something’s really fab. But also: spending $22pp means this is just not a great value if you aren’t on the football team and feel like attacking the table. Annnnd it seems crazy wasteful, too.

Besides Walnut Hills in Vicksburg, there’s also the Dinner Bell in McComb, Mississippi (my fave of the two left in MS):

plus Bea’s in Chattanooga:

and finally, Buckner’s Family Restaurant in Jackson, Georgia, which is right off I-75, maybe 45 minutes S of Atlanta.

Not only was it good, the people there were super friendly and nice, and the place was really, really clean.

It’s hard for food to look wonderful on melamine plates in this lighting, but trust me — pretty great.

Back to Chattanooga for a sec: Wayne-O-Rama has been extended to September 30 (yes! See you there later this month!) and the Wayne White ‘Thrill After Thrill’ exhibit at the Hunter has been extended so it’s now closing December 31.

September 7, 2017September 17, 2017

Timeout: The Young President Polk

Have to show this one. Running through some pics and found this one of Shugie late last year doing a school presentation as President James K. Polk, complete with a long jacket we took from his Abraham Lincoln costume and a wide ribbon we used as his…I don’t know…do you call that kind of necktie a cravat? Anyway. Presh.

September 4, 2017September 12, 2017

Visiting the Amish Community of Ethridge, Tennessee

Pics from our latest visit to the Amish community around Ethridge, Tennessee:

There are no sales on Sunday, but you’re welcome on other days to drop by any of the homes that have signs outside advertising their wares — there’s no reason to feel as though you need to get on one of those buggy rides to visit the community, and the map that’s given out at the visitor’s center doesn’t have all of the homes listed on it. The best thing to do is just to take your time and drive casually along to see what interests. Here, I’ve gotten watermelon preserves, muscadine, and scuppernong jelly.

BTW, we’re going to be going muscadine picking sometime soon since this is the season. You can find u-pick farms at this site or if you know of a muscadine winery in your area, they may let you come do it at their own farm if you call/check first.

We’ve gotten to know several of the families here from visiting with them previous times. That’s to say we’re not swapping holiday cards, but most all of them are friendly and are happy to chat for a while if you like and they’re not too busy.

On one of our first visits to Ethridge several years ago, we purchased two of these fab rockers. The man who built them just wrote us a letter when they were ready to be picked up — no phones, no emails — and we have enjoyed them ever since. They cost a fraction of what they’re sold for at rustic furniture stores if you purchase them direct from the Amish makers (and it just feels good to do it, too).

I made this map of some of the better roads to travel on looking for things in the community, so feel free to use this as part of your guide. This part of the year is a great time to go because there’s an abundance of fruits and vegetables, baked goods, and baskets/quilts/etc.