There Goes Connie

Children. Music. Christmas.

12/15/2017 By: CCPearsoncomment

If ever three words were intertwined, then children, music and Christmas are certainly joined. Look no further than Luke chapter 2.

Verse 7 – “And she (Mary) brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

Verses 13-14 – “And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.’ ” In my mind, praising and singing go hand in hand. That’s why I include music in my three words.

If you haven’t had a chance to attend a musical program this holiday season, I hope you will find one before Christmas is over. For as long as I can remember, I have been immersed in rehearsing, performing, leading and listening to secular and sacred music with a Christmas theme. I love all the songs! As soon as radio stations start their 24-hour-a-day Christmas playlist, I’m a happy girl. Watching grandchildren sing their little hearts out during this season puts me over the top with contentment.

In the past week, I hit the Christmas Music Jackpot. On Saturday night, Steve and I went to “An Athens Christmas” at First Baptist Church, Athens, AL. In spite of the director and many of the choir and orchestra members having flu symptoms, they led all of us in a magnificent evening of worship.

On Sunday night, we got to watch four of our grandchildren sing in a Christmas cantata at Decatur Presbyterian Church. Perfectly angelic in my opinion.

Maggie (long dark hair) and Penelope (2nd row blonde hair).

Rosemary (middle row, 2nd from left) and Sam (bottom row far right)

Two nights later I was in Lagrange, Georgia with a group of travel writers, and we attended a performance by the Lagrange Symphony Orchestra featuring the grandson of Floyd Cramer on the piano and the great-niece of Chet Atkins on the guitar. The program also included a choir of elementary and middle school-age children and an audience-participation carol sing. I loved every minute!

As you read this on Friday, December 15, Steve and I will be on a plane to “do Christmas” in New York City. Soon after we check-in to our hotel, we plan to take the subway to Brooklyn for the Christmas Celebration of the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir. I am SO excited! I KNOW it will be a God-honoring, Jesus-focused event.

I realize I may be a tad over-the-top about this, but I think music has such power to uplift spirits. It speaks to me in ways mere words fall short. Even if you can’t carry a tune or play an instrument, let me urge you to sing along with the radio, go to a school or church music program, or, better yet, make your way to a worship service this coming Sunday. I can almost guarantee that carols will be sung.

Verses 10-11 – “And the angel said unto them, ‘Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.’ “

P.S. Well, the Friday night event in New York City didn’t happen. Flights were canceled, much to our dismay. The Brooklyn Tabernacle Christmas event will have to be moved to a future Bucket List. As it turns out, this means that we can attend “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” presented by the Central Baptist Choir and Orchestra at the Princess Theater in Decatur, AL. AND hear the cantata to be sung by First Baptist Hartselle choir. A silver lining, for sure. Merry Christmas, everybody!

A VIP Experience at Lulu’s in Gulf Shores, AL

12/11/2017 By: CCPearson4 Comments

Many of us who live in Alabama have spent a vacation or two on the Alabama Gulf Coast in either Orange Beach, Gulf Shores, Dauphin Island or Fort Morgan. And, during those days, we make it a point to eat at Lulu’s at least once while we are in the area. After all, Lulu’s is practically a destination in itself with frequent live musicians scheduled, a large gift shop, snow cones, a beach, a Mountain of Youth ropes course, frequent dolphin sightings and a dock full of gorgeous boats to admire. Steve and I have eaten there as a couple and with friends on several occasions, but when we were in Orange Beach while I was covering the World Food Championships, we were invited to visit with other members of the media group. What a treat!!

A lovely representative of the Gulf Shores Tourism staff greeted us and showed us to a table — with NO WAITING! There was a full, lively crowd because of the presence of a popular music group playing that night as a part of the Frank Brown International Songwriters’ Festival. The atmosphere was fun and celebratory — in NOVEMBER!!! You expect it from Spring Break through Labor Day and during Shrimp Fest, but we were way past that, and Lulu’s was still attracting great crowds. Lulu and her team are obviously doing things right. So right, in fact, that 700,000 people a year eat at Lulu’s.

Normally, when Steve and I go out for dinner, we each get an entree and we occasionally share an appetizer or a dessert — but not both. This is both a budget and a weight/health habit of ours. But, when you are a part of a group of food/travel writers, the restaurant wants you to sample lots of its specialties. We were HAPPY to oblige. 🙂

First came three different appetizers: Smoked Tuna Dip, L.A. (Lower Alabama) Caviar and Lulu’s “Holy Guacamole!” My goodness. We could have stopped after this course. So much flavor! The tuna dip is NOT made from canned tuna. Oh no, this tuna comes right out of the water. The guacamole was very fresh and delicious. And we loved the caviar made of black-eyed peas in a balsamic vinaigrette dressing. Of course, there are plenty of others to choose from, such as quesadillas, fried green tomatoes, crab claws, onion rings, boiled shrimp and gumbo, but we were trying to pace ourselves.

Smoked Tuna Dip

“Holy Guacamole!”

L.A. (Lower Alabama) Caviar — a.k.a.blackeyed pea dip.

For entrees, our group chose an oyster basket, a salad topped with popcorn shrimp, a salad topped with grilled fish, and grilled red snapper. It is important to note that Lulu’s is a prime supporter of the Fish Trax Marketplace. Read about it here. But, basically it means that you can track the QR code that comes with your plate of fish on your phone to find out when it was caught, where it was caught, and who caught it.

Red Snapper via the Fish Trax Marketplace.

Oyster basket.

Even though we were all thoroughly full and satisfied, there was the tiny matter of dessert. “Just a bite,” we all said. Well, we didn’t get just one bite, but three!! One was Key Lime Pie, one was Brownie in Paradise, and the last was Krispy Kreme Bread Pudding. Can you imagine the decadence?

Everything was wonderful. Our server was so helpful and lively, and the evening was a complete delight. I hope you’ll be able to try it for yourself soon.

Lulu’s also has locations in Destin, FL and in Myrtle Beach, SC.

One more thing. If you can’t visit soon, you might just want to order Lucy Buffett’s latest cookbook, Gumbo Love. Order it here from Amazon.

Are We Good Waiters?

12/08/2017 By: CCPearsoncomment

In the context of this post, a waiter = “one who waits.”

“YOU USUALLY HAVE TO WAIT FOR THAT WHICH IS WORTH WAITING FOR.” Craig Bruce

Most of the time, I consider myself pretty good at waiting. And, I’ve often said to Steve that the ANTICIPATION (and planning) of a trip is almost as good as the actual trip itself. I waited through my three pregnancies, and I waited for the births of 13 grandchildren. I am waiting, waiting, waiting for our new house to be completed. (Okay, so maybe that’s not a good example because my patience has worn pretty thin lately).

I’ve waited for health to return after sickness or surgery (for myself or a loved one), and I’ve waited for letters, checks or emails. I’ve waited on many phone calls through the years — boyfriends who promised to call, doctors with medical results, news that Steve or the kids had arrived safely to their destinations or were on their way home. During college, I waited for grades to be posted or the results of various auditions to appear.

I will confess that I waited anxiously for Christmas Day to arrive when I was a child, I waited anxiously for times when we’d fly to the States and hug on our family members when we lived in Ecuador, and I’ll admit that I had a prominently-visible count-down calendar on my desk as I awaited the day of my retirement.

But, my periods of waiting pale in comparison to those of two people in the Bible who are mentioned in Luke 2:25-38 — Simeon and Anna. I must stop here and give full credit to a blog post written by my cousin’s husband who stimulated my thinking today. His name is Danny Franks, and you can read some of his remarkable posts at dfranks.com. Danny is the Connections Pastor for Summit Church in Raleigh-Durham, N.C.

Simeon and Anna had both waited a long time for a Savior to rescue them. Decades of watching and waiting. Here are their stories from The Living Bible translation:

Luke 2:25-33 “That day a man named Simeon, a Jerusalem resident, was in the Temple. He was a good man, very devout, filled with the Holy Spirit and constantly expecting the Messiah to come soon. ²⁶For the Holy Spirit had revealed to him that he would not die until he had seen him—God’s anointed King. ²⁷The Holy Spirit had impelled him to go to the Temple that day; and so, when Mary and Joseph arrived to present the baby Jesus to the Lord in obedience to the law, ²⁸Simeon was there and took the child in his arms, praising God.

^29-31“Lord,” he said, “now I can die content! For I have seen him as you promised me I would. I have seen the Savior you have given to the world. ³²He is the Light that will shine upon the nations, and he will be the glory of your people Israel!”

³³Joseph and Mary just stood there, marveling at what was being said about Jesus.”

Luke 2:36-38 “Anna, a prophetess, was also there in the Temple that day. She was the daughter of Phanuel, of the Jewish tribe of Asher, and was very old, for she had been a widow for eighty-four years following seven years of marriage. She never left the Temple but stayed there night and day, worshiping God by praying and often fasting. She came along just as Simeon was talking with Mary and Joseph, and she also began thanking God and telling everyone in Jerusalem who had been awaiting the coming of the Savior that the Messiah had finally arrived.

I have a lot to learn about waiting. What about you? As we eagerly await Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day, maybe we should think about things in our lives that are worth praying for, anticipating, and yes, waiting for in the future. Naturally, I hope to live long enough to watch my grandchildren grow into strong, accomplished Followers of Christ. I want to see the impact they can make on the world. But, the older I get, the more I anticipate heaven. God promised Simeon that he wouldn’t die before he saw the Messiah. God has promised ME that when I die, I will see Him in all His glory. Hallelujah!! I know it will be worth the wait.

Photo credit: https://www.dreamstime.com/stock-image-bored-people-waiting-image27934571

BuzzCatz Coffee and Sweets in Orange Beach

12/04/2017 By: CCPearsoncomment

My best new discovery during our most recent trip to the Alabama Gulf Coast was BuzzCatz Coffee and Sweets at 25689 Canal Road, next to Cosmo’s. If you are a frequent visitor to the area, you have probably already enjoyed the other restaurants owned by Brian and Jodi Harsany — Cosmo’s Restaurant and Bar, opened in 2006, Cobalt Restaurant, 2008, and Luna’s Eat and Drink, which opened in 2016 about the same time as BuzzCatz.

Cosmo’s, Luna’s (both named for rescue pets owned by the Harsanys) and Cobalt all open at 11:00 a.m. seven days a week and stay open until 9:30 p.m, except on Friday and Saturday when they extend their hours until 10:00 p.m. So, it became obvious that a need for breakfast, coffee and sweets was waiting to be filled. Harsany wrestled with the name until he walked into the new place under construction complaining about feeling “buzzed” because of all the coffees he’d been sampling. As before, he wanted a cat theme in recognition of his love for 4-legged critters. Thus, BuzzCatz was christened.

Exterior of BuzzCatz next to Cosmo’s in Orange Beach.

I learned about BuzzCatz when I was doing research for Edible Lower Alabama before going to the World Food Championships in November. I was looking for chefs who would be competing from Edible’s coverage area of Montgomery to Mobile and the Alabama Gulf Coast. I found out Juanita Hendrix, who is the manager and assistant pastry chef at BuzzCatz, would be competing in the Bacon category. Chef Kimberly Asbury, head pastry chef at BuzzCatz, served as her Sous Chef in the competition.

Manager and pastry chef Juanita Hendrix and me.

Breakfast is served every morning at BuzzCatz from 7:00 to 11:00 a.m. Every morning has a different theme in terms of its daily special: Flap Jack Monday, Tortilla Tuesday, Waffle Wednesday, EGGstraordinary Thursday, French Toast Friday, Saturday Classic, and (woohoo, woohoo) Cinnamon Roll Sunday. And, we “just happened” to visit on a Sunday morning. For that particular special, you can have your favorite breakfast sandwich inside of a warm yeasty cinnamon roll. Oh yes! Steve had a blueberry biscuit, and we shared BuzzCatz’s version of Scotch eggs topped with Red Onion Jam.

Breakfast sandwich on a cinnamon roll.

Scotch Egg topped with Red Onion Jam

Red Onion Jam is made in-house every Saturday and Sunday. Juanita shared the recipe, and it was published last week here for Edible Lower Alabama.

The structured dish required by all contestants in the Bacon category at WFC 2017 was Quiche Lorraine. Here is the recipe concocted by Juanita and Kimberly for that competition.

Light lunches of wraps, salads and quiche are served to the lunch crowd, then the rest of the hours of operation are devoted to pastries and sweet delights of all kinds. And, don’t forget the coffee. It is roasted in nearby Fairhope where a signature blend has been created especially for BuzzCatz. Steve, the coffee drinker in our marriage, declared it to be exceptionally good.

House blend coffee

Housemade pop tarts

I highly recommend this little out-of-the-way place. It is clean, attractively decorated, and the food is exceptional.

Disclosure: I received a complimentary meal to facilitate this review. Just remember that I only recommend places I like and believe you would enjoy. Period. 🙂

P.S. Let me just give a quick shout-out to Priester’s Pecans which you will pass as you travel south to Orange Beach on I-65. Take Exit 142, and it is within sight. Here are just a few photos to remind you that you probably DO need to stop and pick up a bag from their latest crop — just in time for holiday baking.

Lottie Moon: Inspiration for Baptist Missionaries

12/01/2017 By: CCPearsoncomment

We often referred to her affectionately as “Aunt Lottie.” None of us had ever met her, but we were indebted to her just the same.

“We” consisted of all the Southern Baptist Ecuador missionaries assembled together in Salinas, on the coast of Ecuador, for our annual meeting. We were there thanks to the offering named for Lottie Moon which is received in thousands of Southern Baptist churches every year during the Christmas season. We who were on the field even gave to the offering ourselves. One way was during a Lottie Moon auction made possible by a visiting volunteer team. Not only did this team provide Vacation Bible School classes and activities for missionary children while we had our meetings. They also brought in coveted items that were relatively inexpensive in the States but either exorbitantly-priced or unavailable in Ecuador. For our fundraiser, these items were auctioned off to the hungry/greedy missionaries. I remember a jar of peanut butter going for $25 and a gallon-size jar of dill pickles bringing in $100, for example.

We were some of the very blessed ones among missionaries. We didn’t have to spend 70% of our time raising and keeping support from individual churches. No, we could concentrate 100% on the task at hand while our basic needs were provided through this offering — housing, a vehicle, insurance, gas, language classes, telephone, doctors and pharmacy, supplies for ministry and a small stipend for groceries and clothes.

But, why, you may be wondering, is the offering named the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering, and why is it taken at Christmastime?

Charlotte Diggs Moon (nicknamed Lottie) was a tiny woman from Virginia — 4 feet, 3 inches tall. She lived in relative luxury during her early years and was one of the first women in the South to earn a master’s degree. Her uncle once owned Monticello, after Thomas Jefferson, of course. She didn’t become a dedicated follower of Christ until she was in college. Her sister Edmonia was one of the first two single female missionaries appointed by the Baptist missionary board in 1872. Lottie followed her to China a year later. Edmonia stayed sick a lot and returned to the States for good in 1876, but Lottie worked among the Chinese people for 39 years, concentrating her efforts on education for the girls and sharing the gospel with the women and girls in the Shantung province. During those years, she endured wars, famines and plagues. She had to close her school twice for Bubonic plague outbreaks, then opened it again when the disease was contained.

Photo of Lottie Moon.

In her early years, she built relationships by baking cookies to give to the children. The children would eat the cookies and then take Lottie to meet their mothers. That gave Lottie a chance to share the gospel. She became known as “The Cookie Lady.” Here is one of the recipes thought to have been used by Lottie Moon.

Plain Tea Cake
(As made by Lottie Moon)
3 teacups of sugar
1 teacup of butter
1 teacup of sour milk
4 pints of flour
3 eggs, well beaten
1/2 teaspoon of soda
Flavor to taste. Roll thin.
Bake in a quick oven.

In the end, it was a famine that forced her to leave. She had starved over a period of time because she kept giving her food to the Chinese people. Some friends saw how bad her health was and put her on a ship headed to Japan and then to the States. She died in the Japanese harbor of Kobe on Christmas Eve in 1912 at the age of 72. The ship’s captain feared that if her body was embalmed it wouldn’t be allowed into the States, so she was cremated.

Lottie was my missionary heroine then, and she continues to be. Compared to her, my time on the field was much easier. The war in Iraq escalated in the first year we were there, but I didn’t starve, and there were certainly no famines or plagues in Ecuador while I was there. She wrote letters that took months to arrive and even more time lapsed before an answer came. I was able to use my computer to keep up with loved ones quickly. Somewhat similarly to Lottie, I worked primarily with women and children, but I certainly wouldn’t have been punished for speaking to men. And, most of all, I was not alone. Steve and I worked not only alongside each other but with a team of other dedicated missionaries.

I remain grateful for the example she set and will continue to support the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering every December.

Matthew 28:19-20 “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”

“The Stress Free Dinner Party” By Chef James Boyce at Cotton Row

11/27/2017 By: CCPearson6 Comments

I enjoyed the last cooking class I attended so much that I persuaded a friend to go with me for another one. The place was the same (upstairs at Cotton Row Restaurant on the square in Huntsville, AL), the chef was the same (James Beard nominee James Boyce), but the menu was completely different. And, this time there were 14 eager learners sitting in a dining room type of arrangement set with white tablecloths, china, crystal and LOTS of utensils.

Pots, pans, utensils and ingredients lined up before our class.

Chef Boyce treated us as if we were guests at a dinner party with the added twist of also teaching us as the 3-hour class progressed. Now, I will just go ahead and confess that I am WAY too cookbook/recipe-driven to ever invite 14 people over to sit down and watch me prepare their meal . . . from scratch . . . even making up the dishes as I go along. Nope. Not going to happen. And, of course, I am a “home cook” and not a trained chef. BUT, I did learn so many things I didn’t know and now have quite a few new tidbits that I’d like to share with all of you.

First, a few biographical facts about Chef James Boyce: One of his first jobs was as a dishwasher in a bagel shop. He actually got a college degree in chemistry but never used it except for a brief stint in a job testing ground water. He was drawn to food and cooking and was finally able to pursue that passion. He is from Poughkeepsie, NY, only a few miles from the Culinary Institute of America. He applied for and got a job working under Daniel Boulad of Le Cirque on a very part-time basis then worked his way up through various restaurants before earning the Executive Chef position for Loews Hotel at the age of 26. Along the way, he had the opportunity to cook in the homes of famous people in the Hamptons, such as the Rolling Stones and Tony Bennett. Wow! Chef James and his wife Suzan opened Cotton Row 9 years ago, Pane e Vino 8 years ago, Commerce Kitchen 6 years ago, and most recently they opened Galley and Garden in Birmingham. James and Suzan have 2 children. Their daughter has to stay on a gluten-free diet, so Chef James is very familiar with the limitations and possibilities for her. When he learned that one of our evening’s fellow diners had to eat gluten-free, he prepared the whole meal with that condition in mind. Chef James describes his style as “Southern cooking with French and California influences” and says that “cooking is mistakes” and “the best recipes are mistakes.”
Chef James Boyce preparing to serve a salmon filet.
After a few minutes for appetizers while we were introduced to Chef’s plan for the evening, we were seated at the table and served a succulent crab cake over a smear of pureed tartar sauce and topped with fresh chives. The breading in the crab cake was a gluten-free baguette from Publix. He promised to post his instructions for the crab cake on Cotton Row’s website or Facebook page soon, so be sure to watch for it. I’m quite sure it was the best I’ve ever tasted with the quality of the crabmeat being a key component.
Crab cake with chives.
Next he brought out a beautiful, large filet of silver salmon and cut it into 2 slivers per person. Then, he made a topping of minced shallots, fennel, olive oil, the juice of a whole lime, radishes and jalapenos. He showed us how to cut an onion/shallot by starting at the blossom end, keeping the root end intact. It looked so easy. Success appeared to hinge in small part to cutting know-how with most emphasis on the quality of the knife. He recommended A & V Seafood at 2000 Cecil Ashburn Drive in Huntsville as a great place to buy fresh seafood. (I suspect Steve and I will be making a field trip there soon). The salmon dish was served raw at room temperature. Chef Boyce also gave a short explanation about the 2 kinds of herbs — hard herbs and finishing herbs. Since then, I’ve been Googling and studying more about the differences and how they should be used.
Raw salmon with a dressing of oil, lime juice, shallots, radish slices, and jalapenos.
The next course was a saffron risotto with shrimp topped with shaved parmesan and toasted pumpkin seeds. The 2-oz. bag of saffron he used came in a tin container and cost $190 for those 2 ounces — high cost for high quality, no doubt. He did a wonderful job of demonstrating the process involved with the risotto. One important tip was to start with “cold rice and hot stock.” We heard about a website called www.Gilt.com where it is possible to buy very high-end kitchen equipment at reduced prices, and we learned that parmesan cheese contains more fat than brie. A surprise to all of us! Radicchio was new to me, too. It’s known as Italian chicory and appeared to be a cross between cabbage and lettuce. He sliced a portion of the head, shredded it and added it to the risotto.
Saffron risotto with shrimp, shaved parmesan and toasted pumpkin seeds.

Herbs, stock, cheese and rice waiting to be prepared.
Our main course for the evening was a chicken breast with a butter sauce, called a Beurre Blanc (he recommends Banner Butter which is available at Whole Foods). The sauce began with minced shallots and a reduction of beer. In the meantime, he prepared a salad dressing with muscadine juice, ginger and some rice wine vinegar. That was served over a salad of Bibb lettuce with some medjool dates and bacon. The Bibb lettuce was hydroponically grown by Father Kent, a Russion Orthodox priest who owns Gratitude Farm in Hanceville, AL. A very new ingredient to me was amaranth greens. Some have called it “the next kale,” and it can be sauteed with garlic somewhat like spinach. It is said to be rich in iron, protein and calcium, and I found the taste to be very pleasant. Garlic can transform any dish, don’t you think?
Chicken breast with a Beurre Blanc sauce over sauteed amaranth greens served with a Bibb lettuce salad.

Fresh vegetables waiting for our cooking class. The amaranth greens are on the left. The radicchio is on the right.
The dinner ended with a Gluten Free Bread Pudding drizzled with Cherry Sauce. That dish was prepared earlier and brought up from the restaurant kitchen. As with the crab cakes, it was made with stale, gluten-free baguettes.
Gluten Free Bread Pudding with Cherry Sauce.

I hope this post has made you want to check out several new businesses, websites or ingredients even further. Food is such a fascinating subject with so many astute farmers and chefs constantly coming up with dishes that are creative and delectable. Let’s get educated.

A & V Seafood Market Banner Butter

radicchio Gilt.com

amaranth greens Father Kent at Gratitude Farm in Hanceville

hard herbs soft/finishing herbs

Oh, and P.S. — Monthly cooking classes are planned at Cotton Row in 2018. Check the website for announcements. And, if you need just a little more persuasion read here about the first class I attended taught by Chef Boyce.

My Silver Fox is 70!!!

11/24/2017 By: CCPearson10 Comments

Yesterday, on Thanksgiving Day, Steve — my beloved Silver Fox — had his 70th birthday. That boggles my mind, and his, too, I’m sure. I didn’t meet him until he was already in veterinary school at Auburn and 21 years old. We married when he was 23. Even though I never knew him as a child or a teenager, I’ve seen the photos and heard the stories enough to know there has been a blessed consistency running throughout his seven decades. As a birthday tribute, I’d like to share “Ten Things Steve Loves”, so you can know him better, too.

Steve loves Jesus. He is a committed follower of Christ who spends time reading the Bible and praying every single day. Much of the rest of what I’ll type actually stems from this very first aspect of his life.
Steve loves his children and believes that they are the reason God put him on earth.
Steve with his 3 on his 70th birthday.
Steve loves his grandchildren. They are dear treasures to him, and he is committed to being a positive role model for them in everything he does or says.
Steve and Maggie on the last night of Cousins Camp.

Steve with Enoch, grandchild #13.
Steve loves nature, being outdoors, doing yard work, spending time on the river (specifically the Tennessee River) and fishing. His own dad passed along these particular traits through passion and much practice as Steve watched and practiced beside him. He’d rather not be cold, but he’ll brave the elements to be outside. He is also committed to staying active and healthy.
Steve loves Auburn — another passion shared by his father. About the only time you are liable to hear him yell is when Auburn is playing football.
Steve and me before an Auburn game.
Steve loves veterinary medicine — the profession God led him to pursue. Yes, he enjoys the animals and the skill he has to improve their lives, but he also loves the people he has met through that journey — the clients, employees and colleagues. He has written a book on this very subject that will be published soon. In my unbiased opinion, he is a very good veterinarian.
Steve pointing to his photo at the 45th anniversary of graduating from veterinary school at Auburn.
Steve loves the part of North Alabama where he grew up and claims to “speak Morgan County” fluently. He had an idyllic childhood in Decatur. His parents are deceased, but he and his brother David are still close and have a shared love and respect for each other. Steve is a proud Class of ’66 graduate of Decatur High School.
Steve and Birti sharing a piece of coconut pie from Big Bob Gibson’s in Decatur.
Steve loves, or should I say he values, wisdom and integrity. He is a man of few words who is also slow to speak. He keeps up with every penny he earns and spends, and being honest is worth more to him than any amount of money. In the areas of money and speaking few words, God must have had a great sense of humor to make ME his wife.
Steve loves good food and is the least picky person I know. Truly, he’ll eat anything. If he has a choice, he’ll stay away from fried foods and pork for health reasons, and he’d prefer not having cilantro or peppermint ice cream. But, in terms of what I’ve observed in most of the men in the world, I’d say he has a mighty short list of items he’d rather not eat.
Steve loves me, and I am oh, so glad he does. There hasn’t been a single second of our almost 47-year marriage that I have doubted that fact or had any reason to question his fidelity. I treasure every day we have together and love him with all my heart. Happy Birthday, Hon.
Steve and me on our cruise to Alaska.

Psalm 1:1-3 “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; ²But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night. ³He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper.”

8 Facts I Learned at the 2017 World Food Championships

11/20/2017 By: CCPearsoncomment

Food Sport is SERIOUS business!! Take a look at some of these statistics: During the week of November 7-12, 2017 at the World Food Championships in Orange Beach, AL, 8862 dishes were created and judged. 448 cooking teams participated with 51 of those coming from outside the United States. The event utilized over 400 certified judges and 400 volunteers which included students in 15 area culinary programs. Contestants were both professional chefs and home cooks, and their ages ranged from 14 to 71. The much-touted and very popular Food Network even came to town to document and film the action.
The Food Network filming the action.
A lionfish is edible. Yes. Something with 18 venomous spines can be cleaned and eaten. This fish has become quite a problem in the Gulf of Mexico because it has no native predators, can only be caught by spearfishing, and the females can lay up to 40,000 eggs every 4 days. We may not be able to eat them into submission, but something has to be done. Lion fish are devouring and crowding out the fish we DO want in the Gulf. NUISANCE GROUP is affiliated with Alabama Gulf Seafood, which is one of the sponsors of the World Food Championships. Nuisance stands for “nuisance, underutilized, invasive, sustainable, available, noble culinary endeavors.” Read more about their efforts here. Chef Chris Sherrill, formerly of the Flora-Bama Yacht Club and now owner of SALT Restaurant in San Roc Cay, is spearheading this effort. Steve and I had dinner there last week, and Steve tried lion fish for the first time. It was NOT his favorite, but he was a good sport about it.
Chef Chris Sherrill, owner of SALT Restaurant and organizer of Nuisance Fish initiative.

Lion fish with wild mushroom risotto.

A lion fish — fierce-looking but edible.
A new sausage is now in production that is delicious and actually very good for you. Wampler’s has an All Natural Sausage that contains 327 mg. of omega-3 fatty acids and 15 mcg. of selenium per serving, plus it is rich in DHA and EPA. The hogs are raised completely without antibiotics or growth hormones. The sausage has no gluten, no MSG, no nitrates, nitrites, preservatives, fillers or artificial ingredients. Let’s ask our local grocers to stock it.
Southern oysters are good year-round — not just “in months with an R in them.” Lane Zirlatt, co-owner of Murder Point Oyster Farm in Bayou La Batre, is both fervent and zealous about that fact. He says that the water temperature is such that his guys wear wet suits all but two months out of the year. Every sack of oysters has a traceable tag, so the restaurants can know exactly where they came from. In the summer, the law says they have one hour from the moment they come out of the water until they are refrigerated — based on the outside temperature. At Murder Point, they can get their oysters from the water to mechanical refrigeration in 15 minutes. In terms of a personal testimony, Murder Point Oysters are the best Steve and I have ever tasted. Lane brought some in for the media people at WFC to taste. He shucked them on the spot. Oh, so good! I noticed a little more salt in the taste this year, but after that initial burst of salt came the rich buttery creaminess. Lane explained that Hurricane Nate had stirred up a lot of salt in their area when it roared through a few months ago.
Lane Zirlatt shucking oysters.

Bag of Murder Point Oysters.

Succulent Murder Point oyster — salty and buttery
There are times when it is perfectly acceptable to “play with your food.” In fact, WFC had a lot of fun food games set up especially designed for children. In addition to a cake walk, the Planters Peanuts van and Oscar Weinermobile, there were tents for donut stacking, pumpkin bowling, egg tossing and corn shucking with oven mitts.
Pumpkin bowling.
There is a competition to suit just about any interested foodie. This year Granny Grilling (obviously for older ladies and judged by 20 young people under the age of 16) and Thrilla at the Grilla (pitting 10 first responders against each other) were added to the traditional contests under the headings of Bacon, Barbecue, Burger, Chef, Chili, Dessert, Recipe, Sandwich, Seafood and Steak.
Food can kill you. I know. Food is necessary to sustain life, but for some people, certain foods cause reactions that result in death. In recognition of this reality, WFC hosted a Food Allergy Symposium and brought in Celebrity Chef Elizabeth Falkner to discuss some of the major factors to be considered when cooking for those with food allergies. She demonstrated how to prepare dishes for those who can’t have dairy, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, soy, wheat, sesame and corn and suggested many delicious-sounding substitutes. She strongly recommended that diners with such restrictions notify a restaurant ahead of time that you are coming in for a meal. Most chefs will do their best to accommodate the needs, but even so, people with severe allergies must educate themselves very thoroughly.
Chef Elizabeth Falkner at the Allergy Symposium.

Dish prepared for food allergy sufferers.

Dessert prepared for those with food allergies.
Bacon is far more than just a long, skinny strip of meat sitting beside some eggs or pancakes. Since I am a certified judge for the World Food Championships, I had the very fun assignment this year of judging the Top Ten entries in the Bacon category. The judge sitting next to me, by the way, was Bill Stitt, owner of Bill-E’s Bacon in Fairhope, AL. His card reads: “When Berkshire Red Pigs and Chantilly White Pigs Get Together, Magic Happens.” I, of course, didn’t see his score card, but my guess is that he knew a good bacon dish when he tasted it. Oh my goodness! It has been a long time since I saw such an array of imaginatively prepared and heavenly-tasting dishes. Here are a few to make your mouth water.

Do you love to cook? Do you think you have a dish that you make better than anyone else? Do you have a competitive nature? Are you creative and willing to put unusual ingredients together? Are you an adventurous eater? Do you think you’d like to become a certified judge? Check out the World Food Championships website and start asking questions. Maybe I’ve convinced you to find your own place in the Food Sport arena.

“Twas the Week Before Thanksgiving”

11/17/2017 By: CCPearsoncomment

Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgivings, turn routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings.
~William Arthur Ward

Less than a week from today, after watching Macy’s Parade on TV, Americans will gather around groaning tables full of their family’s favorite Thanksgiving dishes, enjoy a bountiful meal together, hopefully get along with relatives and friends gathered for a few hours in the same place, say an extra-long prayer giving thanks to God, then get up and go on about the business of normal life. The hostess and her helpers will start cleaning up and putting away the massive amounts of leftover food, the men will begin to watch the day’s football games before falling into a tryptophan-induced coma, and the kids will head outside if the weather is nice or completely dismantle a cousin’s room if they are confined to the indoors. If the frenzied plans, decorating and shopping for Christmas haven’t already commenced, they now have permission to crank up to full volume.

Or, is that just what happens in MY family?

The bottom line is that far too often the giving thanks portion of Thanksgiving is pitifully short, almost an afterthought. As I reflect on everything that has happened in my life since LAST Thanksgiving, I feel compelled to spend time today telling you what I want to thank God for during this season.

I thank God for the healthy arrival of Grandchild #13, Enoch Jonathan Rodgers. God continues to bless all of the grandchildren with good health. They are learning and growing. They have good friends, loving parents, and they are all in church every Sunday morning. (And, oh, how very thankful I am for those churches!) Eight of them have accepted Christ as Savior, and the other five are in homes and environments where they are learning about God and His Son. We believe that they, too, will accept Christ when the Holy Spirit leads them.
I thank God for giving me another year with Steve. As each anniversary goes by, I realize what a special treasure our long marriage truly is, and I don’t want to take a single day for granted.
I thank God that our children are happy and healthy. They are in jobs/professions/life circumstances that are fulfilling, and they are able to pay their bills and provide for their children. They and their spouses are constantly seeking to know God’s will and put that into action in their lives.
I thank God for this FOURTH career path that is allowing Steve and me to see and experience so many wonderful places and meet such interesting people. Blogging and travel writing give me a great “excuse” to do what I already wanted to do. God granted us safety as we traveled this past year to Ohio, Kentucky, South Carolina, Washington State, North Carolina and Alaska, as well as the Alabama Gulf Coast. Blogging and travel writing also give me an opportunity to share my faith with people I might never have crossed paths with otherwise.
I thank God for friends who support me, cheer me on, challenge me and accept me. We moved farther away from some of those friends this year, but in the process they probably became even MORE dear to me. Some I see only on Facebook. Others I text with often. Still others I get to have lunch with occasionally. In each case, I know they are “out there,” and I feel their love and interest.
I thank God for the improvement in my health. This time last year I was 70 pounds heavier. Those extra 70 pounds were doing a number on my joints, my blood pressure and my lab results. I still have a few more pounds to shed, but I feel so much better and have more energy to enjoy all of these great blessings.

I could make a much longer list, but these are the ones that came quickly to my thoughts. I have no idea what the days between now and next Thanksgiving will hold, but I am certain that whatever happens will come as no surprise to God. He has ordered each of my days, and He’ll be with me through every one.

Psalms 107:1 – “O give thanks unto the LORD, for He is good: for His mercy endureth for ever.”

Colossians 3:15 – “And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.“

Colossians 3:17 – “And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.”

1 Thessalonians 5:18 – “In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”

Accommodations in the Maggie Valley area of North Carolina, Part 2

11/13/2017 By: CCPearsoncomment

Last Monday I gave you two suggestions for lodging in the Maggie Valley area. Today I’ll give you two more, both with particular attributes you might enjoy.

3. Lambuth Inn. Probably the opposite of the first two recommendations would be Lambuth Inn at 92 North Lakeshore Drive in Lake Junaluska, NC. It is stately and very distinguished, certainly not rustic in the mountain cabin sense of the word rustic. This is a place with giant, imposing white columns and expensive furnishings. As a matter of fact, it was placed on the National Register of Historic Places by the U.S. Dept of the Interior.

Stately exterior of Lambuth Inn.

I have heard about Lake Junaluska for years from my Methodist friends. Apparently, this is their version of Ridgecrest Conference Center, long held as important to the Baptists. It is a place where lives have been impacted spiritually, so it is special to many people.

Inspiration Point at Lake Junaluska.

Lambuth Inn is situated within sight of the lake, the Blue Ridge Mountains and the cross at Inspiration Point. Rooms have wireless internet, flatscreen TVs, coffeemakers and alarm clock radios. There are 131 sleeping rooms, a dining hall that serves buffet-style meals, a Christmas shop, and plenty of meeting and gathering areas.

Christmas Shop in Lambuth Inn.

Here are some scenes inside Lambuth Inn.

Large gathering area in the lobby of Lambuth Inn.

Large dining hall big enough to accommodate hundreds of retreat guests.

Another gathering room in the lobby area of Lambuth Inn.

4. Boyd Mountain Log Cabins and Tree Farm. Imagine the charm of staying in one of the six cabins scattered around the grounds of a Christmas Tree Farm. The cabins are open in all four seasons, but my mind pictures them covered in snow. This delightful place can be found at 445 Boyd Farm Road in Waynesville, NC. The cabins are completely furnished with a full kitchen, fireplace, cable TV, wireless internet, a washer, a dryer, a porch, a deck, a charcoal grill and an outdoor firepit. Guests are even treated to their signature Boyd Mountain roasted coffee. This would be a wonderful place for a secluded honeymoon or a writer or artist’s retreat. Various cabins sleep 2, 4, 6, 8, or 10 people.

Rustic cabin just perfect for a secluded retreat.

A cabin hidden between these trees.

Cabin beside the lake at Boyd Farm.

The owners live on the grounds. After all, someone has to oversee the constant care required by all of those Christmas trees.

Residence of the owners of Boyd Mountain Farm.

Take some groceries and just plan to live “off the grid” for a few days. It will refresh your soul.

Take a look.

Christmas trees in all stages of growth.

Christmas trees in the distance.

I hope you are getting the hint that Maggie Valley is a place you should plan to visit. Avoid the crowds of Gatlinburg some year soon and give it a try. I’ve told you about several restaurants. Now, you have ideas about places to stay. Downtown Waynesville is packed with interesting shops, too. Go and find your own favorites.

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