Tastes of the past.

To surprise my Dad for his 60th birthday (video to come), I flew down to Burningtown, NC, this past weekend...you know that place I've mentioned as my cozy haven away from home? With the stone hearth-ed fire place heating the A-frame and 100 year old trees towering over you? Where the night is so quiet you sleep sounder than a newborn. Where the dogs and cats live the life (many humans say they would like to die and come back to this earth as one of Patsy's pets. Ha.), and honeybees pump out Sourwood-filled jars by the dozen. Where fresh veggies are earthed from the garden daily in the summer and fall months, taken straight to the kitchen and then devoured into your belly minutes later -- doesn't get any fresher than that. There are different flowers and trees blooming almost year round, producing the purest of smells in the mountain air and the most delicate and natural hand-picked arrangements.


This place is full of life -- it's all around you.

It's also the place we celebrated my dad's 60th birthday...because well, he lives there! Lucky duck. For this monumental occasion Patsy and I debated over the menu for days...weeks maybe...until it was decided. To match the Yellow Chocolate Cake tradition my grandfather started many moons ago, we wanted to pull from Barry's childhood and make this feast truly special -- maybe tug on his heart strings a bit even.

Fried bologna sandwiches it was! Dad recalled these from his growing-up days in Athens, GA, and probably as early as his L.A., days, too. It's a simple and delicious combination of fried bologna (obvs), sliced american cheese (which was probably government cheese back in the day -- with 7 young mouths to feed you had to take what you could get!), mayo, and untoasted slicing bread -- we had wheat and white options. Back then I'm sure it was white only (and probably from the government, too). We also sliced tomatos and separated lettuce for those looking for a bit of fiber & nutrients with their fat & chemicals ;)

MmmmmmmMMMM were they tasty. Wish I had a pic to share. Good thing I didn't plan Cleanse Round 2 over this particular weekend --- I'm assuming bologna (fried, at that) doesn't fall within a cleanse menu.

We set out chips, cheese and crackers, a veggie plate with hummus and ranch, fruit salad, etc....the normal birthday party snackings. Slow-cooked pork loin, homemade mac n cheese and potato salad balanced the old with the new, but the sandwiches were the definitely main attraction and the biggest hit I think.

To continue the theme, old fashioned candy littered the dining room table -- candy cigarettes, Bit 'o Honeys, Mary Janes, Taffy, Teaberry Gum, those awful button things stuck to the paper that looks like receipt paper, and of course, Dad's all-time favorite, hands down, #1 stocking stuffer & easter basket filler, first choice in the grocery line -- Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. The man is obsessed.


It was a perfect weekend, filled with mouthwatering tastes from the past, perfectly executed surprises, special friends and devoted family. Happy Birthday, Dad. Hope it was the best one yet!

XOXO
-ERSM

P.S. Patsy, the surpreme bee-keeper, caught this swarm while I was down visiting!! Amazing!