You are currently browsing the tag archive for the ‘southern’ tag.
Since Spring has sprung and we’re in the midst of showers and sunshine, what better time to chat about Southern Gardens than now. I have extensive photos of my Great-Grandmother {Nana} and her rose gardens in our family collection, and have been so inspired by the beautiful, white climbing roses at Serenbe where we got married. That will be the next garden I tackle, however this year I decided to replant my herbs and go a little further with my vegetables this year in the tiny, square container garden my husband built for me a few years back. I’ve been busy posting photo updates on my Instagram, and pinning some of my favorite garden inspiration as well for ideas!
Southern Living has long been a staple for our Southern home {as I know it has for yours} and Senior Gardens Editor, Steve Bender {aka The Grumpy Gardener} is joining us to chat all about the essentials for growing a Southern Garden today!
As I planned for and planted my own herb & vegetable garden this year, with little thriving success over the past few, I got the chance to ask Steve a few questions, tips & pointers. Here is what he had to share …
What are your favorite plants & flowers to grow in the South?
Native azaleas, angelonia, coleus, oakleaf hydrangea, clivia, Japanese maple, Lenten rose, daffodils, crepe myrtle.
What are your favorite fruits & vegetables to grow in the South?
Blueberries, figs, Japanese persimmon, sweet peppers, lettuce, okra, basil, rosemary.
What epitomizes a truly Southern garden?
A garden with plants well-adapted to the region that expresses the personality of the owner as well as Southern gardening history.
Tell us your top tips for a successful garden in the South?
Give plants what they like — sun or shade, dry soil or wet soil, mild winters or cold winters. Don’t mix plants that have different likes.
What is your favorite thing about gardening?
My favorite thing is it helps you relax and forget about everything else going on in the world. Your garden is your refuge.
What are some of the most creative garden containers or elements that you’ve seen?
There are so many old junky things that make really cool containers — like boots, colanders, bathtubs, suitcases, coffee pots, etc. Last year at P. Allen Smith’s place in Arkansas, I made a beautiful mixed planter out of a bedpan.
When is the best time to plant your garden?
The best time to plant is when it’s right for the plants and right for you.
What is the best way to prepare your plot for planting?
Good soil is everything. Before planting, loosen the soil to a foot deep and mix in lots and lots of organic matter, such as chopped leaves, ground bark, composted manure, garden compost, and sphagnum peat moss.
Who inspired your love of gardening?
My Dad. He was a big gardener and I followed in his footsteps.
How are you carrying on the tradition of gardening?
My garden has lots of pass-along plants given to me by family, friends, and complete strangers. Every time I see one of those plants, I remember the time I got it and the person who gave it. I share my plants too.
#southernchat: Southern Gardens (Monday, 4/29/13, 9:00 pm edt.)
Q1: What elements truly epitomize a Southern garden?
Q2: What are your favorite plants, flowers, fruits & veggies to grow in your Southern garden?
Q3. Who or what inspires your Southern garden?
Q4: What are some of your favorite pots & creative containers for growing a Southern garden?
Q5: What tips & tricks have been passed down to you for growing the best garden?
Images via Shabbiness to Fabulous, KaraRosaLund, Pinterest, Flora & Fauna, Garden Artistry, Williams-Sonoma, Crush Cul de Sac
There is nothing I love more than finding other Southern artisans, designers & business owners that are passionate about their business. I believe the cultural and craft of the South inspires companies and products that are truly meant to tell a story, and Sweet Six Candy Co. is no different.
I have loved meeting Jenny DeWitt on our weekly #southernchats and really have enjoyed watching her business grow. This week’s Southern Sweets #southernchat will feature Jenny as our guest, and I couldn’t be more thrilled. Her beautiful candies are family recipe inspired and I just love their round tin packaging, too. I hope you enjoy sitting back and reading more about Sweet Six! 
How did you come up with the name of your business?
I was actually gifted the domain name sweetsix.com and wondered whether it might work for a candy. When I realized the original recipe had six ingredients it just made sense. Also, if someone happens to be searching online for sweet sex and misspells it, I think that gives me a fair chance of making a sale. You just never know.
What inspired you to go into the business of sweets?
Last year, I started a personal home economics journey. I taught myself canning, started a small vegetable garden, learned to make cheese, bought a sewing machine, and finally got my mother to share her secret candy recipe with me. It’s a recipe she invented back in 1956 and had never written it down. We worked on it for about a month to get the measurements just right and I started giving samples and small batches away to friends. Everyone said I should start selling it. So, I worked on a label and branding with a designer friend of mine and opened up an Etsy shop back in September. The response has been great.
What do you love most about being in the sweets business?
Honestly, I love that look on people’s faces after they take their first bite of Sweet Six. It’s as if they light up with happiness. I also love the experimentation part of the research and development process. Testing new flavors and combinations is really interesting. Sea salt was a complete failure, while the newest flavor, ginger, was so much fun to figure out.
Are there any characteristics of southern sweets that stand out above the rest?
I’d have to say dependability and creativity. You always know it’s going to be good and a little bit different than anything else you’ve tried. Southern cooks are not afraid of sweets. In fact, I don’t know a Southern cook who is afraid of anything in the kitchen. Whether they follow the spidery handwriting of their grandmother off of a hundred-year-old recipe card or fly by the seat of their pants, southern cooks are fearless. That comes out in the dishes they makes and most definitely in the desserts.
What are your most popular candies?
Right now I have eight flavors of Sweet Six and the most popular flavor has been No.2 Espresso. I know people who buy it to use in their coffee as sweetener or as an after-dinner treat. I make it with a locally roasted espresso beans. It’s pretty intense. During the winter holidays, No. 7 Pumpkin Spice is really popular. It’s great crumbled on top of Sweet Potato Pie or ice cream.
What can we expect from you next?
I’m excited to start adding new types of candies to my repertoire this summer. I’m working on lollipops right now. I’m playing with flavors like rose and saffron. I’ve started doing custom wedding favors which is a lot of fun. I think it would be amazing to come up with a unique and exclusive flavor combination for someone’s big day or event.
If you love Southern food, there’s a good chance you take the taste of a biscuit very seriously. A staple in the Southern kitchen from breakfast to dinner, biscuits also allow each person to personalize theirs with honey, gravy, and different preserves. Most biscuits are made with the same ingredients: flour, buttermilk or milk, and some kind of fat or butter, but within the preparation is where many secret steps and family traditions take root.
Being a most adamant fan of breakfast & brunch, for me it doesn’t get much more Southern than the biscuit. I love the notion of a flour-covered countertop, a strong tin biscuit cutter, and a warm biscuit just out of the oven in time for the meal to be enjoyed fresh.
This week we’ll be talking ingredients, secrets, favorites, and traditions for our biscuit #southernchat. I hope you can join us in the chat and that we might encourage you to share a special recipe of your own, or make your own biscuits for you and your family. Join in this week for our biscuit #southernchat at 9:00PM est this Monday 3/18/13.
#southernchat: biscuits (Monday 3/28/13 9:00PM est)
Q1: If you had to describe a Southern biscuit in three words, what would they be?
Q2: What’s the secret to making biscuits from scratch?
Q3: What is your favorite local restaurant to find the best biscuits in town?
Q4: What are your favorite spreads/toppings for biscuits?
Q5: What’s your favorite meal or recipe that includes biscuits? Feel free to share links!
Giveaways: This week we have TWO extra-special giveaways this week! Just join in the chat by using the #southernchat hashtag sometime from 9:00-10:00pm est on 3/18/13 and you’ll be automatically entered to win. Two lucky winners will be chosen at random.
The first is thanks to Southern blogger, Kate Spears of Southern Belle Simple and the International Biscuit Festival to be held 5/15-18 in Knoxville, TN. They are kindly giving away a pair of tickets to Biscuit Boulevard for one of our lucky #southernchat friends to enjoy! Now that is one celebration I’d love to take part in {judges needed?}.
The second is thanks to our friends at Pillsbury, who are giving away a fun gift basket to one lucky #southernchat friend this week! I personally love their flaky layers biscuit, which is my favorite quality of a true Southern biscuit, and they’re so perfect when you’re in a pinch for a quick, home-cooked meal!
Image via MyRecipes.com
It’s that time of year again, when we celebrate one of my most favorite things … pie! This Thursday, March 14th, is National Pie Day, so what better our topic for this week’s #southernchat than pie. A quintessentially Southern treat, pie has graced the dessert table at many a gathering filled with some of our favorite local ingredients, from pecan to peach to apple and more.
For me, pie is a time-honored art that truly is passed down thru the generations. I shared my own Nana’s (Great Grandmother’s) Pie Crust recipe many years back on the blog, and to me it’s the best because it’s what we grew up enjoying. I’ve heard many secrets to the perfect pie crust … cold butter, cold water, lard, shortening … who knows what really makes “the best” but I’m all for trying them all! And, I love seeing some vintage pie accessories like wheel crimpers & cutters, pie saves, and good old tin pie plates. My go-to is this Emile Henry pie dish from Williams-Sonoma that I got as a wedding gift and it makes any pie look even lovelier. There are so many variations on pies, too. The whoopie pie, Chattanooga’s own MoonPie, and my friend Abby Dodge even wrote this beautiful book on Mini Pies, too! And, one of my favorite things is a skillet pie, baked right into a cast iron skillet.
This week we’re celebrating all things pie – from ingredients, to secrets, to favorites – so I hope you can join in the fun, and that we might just inspire you to share a pie recipe of your very own, or even make one from scratch this week! Join us for a special #southernchat at 9PM est this Monday, 3/11/13 to chat all about pie!
#southernchat: pies (Monday, 3/11/13, 9:00 pm est)
Q1: What are your all-time favorite kinds of pie?
Q2: Share some links to some of your favorite pie recipes from sites & blogs {yours included!}
Q3: Across the South, who serves the best pie around? Restaurants, chefs & more!
Q4: What is the secret to baking the best made-from-scratch pie? Tips & tricks welcomed.
Q5: In the South, good food is tied to great memories. What are some of your favorite memories that include pie?
{ If you’re interested in sponsoring the southern pie chat, or to learn more about #southernchat, see upcoming topics, to be a guest or host another giveaway, click here to learn more!}
Southern Pies: Garden & Gun bourbon pecan pie / Scratch bakery in Durham, NC / 3.14 Pies in Charleston, SC / My Nana’s Pie Crust Recipe / Moon Pies from Chattanooga, TN / Pie Shop in Atlanta, GA / Emile Henry Artisan Pie Dish from Williams-Sonoma / Mini Pies Cookbook by Abby Dodge
If you know me well {or .. not so well} you know that jars are simply one of my favorite things! When I was little, I loved playing in my grandmother’s pantry because she kept nothing in it’s original packaging but instead transferred everything to be stored into various sized glass jars, which were labeled and reminded me of a candy store – it was beautiful. And today, I do the same with many of my baking ingredients. And, of course I package my own IceMilk Aprons in their very own jars as well as a nod to this special fondness I have.
Funny story. So, I get preserves jars by the truckload from a small town grocery store or from our local hardware store to hand pack each of my aprons. My husband is kind enough to go there and load them up in his pickup truck and bring them home for me. The folks at the store are certain we are moonshiners. It makes me laugh every time, though I have kind of gotten into the Moonshiners show {anyone else?} …
Canning and preserving is on the list as one of the top 10 trends of 2013 and is oh-so-chic! With farming and farmers markets being so popular these days, I’m not surprised! Williams-Sonoma has a special section on their agrarian site just for Canning & Preserving. Mason jars are being used on everything from weddings to packaging to entertaining. Blackberry Farm has a preservationist on staff. So, whether you love Ball, Mason, Kerr, Weck or other jars, take your pick and jump right into this fun, southern-inspired craft. Some of my favorite things come in jars and I included them above for you to enjoy, but I’d love to know what else you have that I haven’t yet discovered! I hope you’ll join in our #southernchat this week to talk about all things jars, preserving, canning & more!
#southernchat: jars & canning (Monday, 2/18/13, 9:00 pm est)
Q1: When you think of jars, what is the first thing that comes to mind?
Q2: What kind of jars are your favorite? Brands, shapes, sizes & more!
Q3: Have you ever tried canning & preserving? If not, would you give it a try? If so, any tips to share?
Q4: I shared some of my favorite things in jars, so what are your favorite things in jars?
Q5: What are some of the most creative things you’ve seen done with jars?
{ If you’re interested in sponsoring the southern jars & canning chat, or to learn more about #southernchat, to be a guest or host another giveaway, click here to learn more!}
Jars + Canning:
Phickles Pickles, Emily G’s Jams, Bella Cucina pesto, IceMilk Aprons, Ole Smoky Tennessee Moonshine, St. Helena Olive Oil Co. Sea Salt, Blackberry Farms Grain and Nut Granola for Williams-Sonoma, Canning for a New Generation book.
With love in the air and Valentine’s Day this week, what better thing to focus on than Southern artisan chocolates. A little something sweet for your sweet {or for yourself!} the craft of chocolate making is alive and well in the South today.
We have beautiful Cacao boutiques here in Atlanta, and the space is just as fabulous as the chocolates themselves. And, I got my first Olive & Sinclair as a gift from sweet Courtney at Pizzazzerie, both from Tennessee! And, though they are not made here in the South, the beautiful Mast Brothers Chocolates can be found in so many wonderful sweet shoppes here and have a southern-inspired craft look and feel so I just couldn’t leave them out! One of my favorite little beach towns is Apalachicola, FL, where the Apalachicola Chocolate Co. even further romanticizes the notion of chocolate – and you must ask them about their “chocolate oysters!” And, the fun Wild Ophelia chocolates have so many southern-inspired flavors like southern hibiscus peach, beef jerky, New Orleans chili & smokehouse BBQ.
#southernchat: artisan chocolates (Monday, 2/11/13, 9:00 pm est)
Q1: What kind of chocolate lover are you? Chocolate lover to chocoholics welcome!
Q2: Who are some of your favorite chocolate makers?
Q3: There are so many chocolate flavors & combinations out there, what are your favorites?
Q4: What are the most important elements when you’re selecting an artisan chocolate to gift?
Q5: More sweet #southernchat topics to come! What other southern sweets topics would you love to see?
{ If you’re interested in sponsoring the southern artisan chocolate chat, or to learn more about #southernchat, to be a guest or host another giveaway, click here to learn more!}
Artisan Chocolates: Olive & Sinclair, Cacao, Mast Brothers Chocolates, French Broad Chocolates, The Chocolate Lab, Wild Ophelia, sweeteeth.
If there is one thing we love here in the South, it is the fine array of bourbon & whiskeys we mix, sip and enjoy for everydays and special occasions alike . There are so many liquor brands scattered throughout the hills and valleys of the South, both big and small, well-known and still-to-be-discovered. And, when I dug in a bit to put the collection together for this week’s chat, what I loved most was the nostalgic look and feel of their defining logos. So, for our hour-long #southernchat this week, I hope you’ll join in the “cocktail hour” and cheers to some of the best in southern spirits!
#southernchat: cocktail hour (Monday, 1/28/13, 9:00 pm est)
Q1: What are the first words that come to mind when you think southern bourbon & whiskey?
Q2: There are so many makers of southern bourbon & whiskey. Big & small, let’s share them all. Who are some of your favorites?
Q3: What are your favorite southern-inspired cocktails?
Q4: Sipping in the south doesn’t need a special occasion, but what are your favorite times or occasions to enjoy a drink?
Q5: Time for a little nostalgia. Name a southern drink & the memory it’s tied to for you.
{ If you’re interested in sponsoring the cocktail hour chat, or to learn more about #southernchat, to be a guest or host another giveaway, click here to learn more!}
And, a little fun to leave you with, I simply loved the simplicity and wit in this little piece of art below!
Southern sips: From top, left to right: Southern Comfort, Makers Mark, Jim Beam, Chattanooga Whiskey, Wild Turkey, Jack Daniels, American Spirit Whiskey, Four Roses Bourbon, Knob Creek.
A southern staple for gentlemen everywhere, the bow tie is now back in vogue for the masses. With so many styles, from prints to plaids, this classic neckwear piece is really making a statement for those confident enough to rock it. And, there are some companies jumping in to ensure the bow tie tradition remains alive and thriving for us all to enjoy, each one giving their own personal twist. We’re celebrating the bow tie this week, join @heirloomed on Twitter on Monday at 9:00 PM est for #southernchat all about bow ties!
#southernchat: bow ties (Monday, 1/21/13, 9:00 pm est)
Q1: Bow ties are back, but never left the wardrobe of the truly southern gentleman. What’s the best thing about a bow tie?
Q2: There are some great companies making bow ties today. Who are some of your favorites?
Q3: Prints, plaids, solids & stripes. What is your bow tie style preference?
Q4: Who are some of your favorite bow tie wearers out there?
Q5: Proper bow tie etiquette is important! What are your favorite occasions for wearing a bow tie?
{ If you’re interested in sponsoring the bow tie chat, or to learn more about #southernchat, to be a guest or host another giveaway, click here to learn more!}
Bow ties: From top, left to right: Southern Proper, Otis James, Collared Greens, Dogwood Black, State Traditions, Southern Proper, The Tie Bar, Social Primer for Brooks Brothers, Vineyard Vines.
It is no secret … I love the south. A quintessential Southern moment is surely that of a front porch filled with rocking chairs, friends & family telling stories, chit chatting away. So, I invite you join us on the Twitter “front porch” for our new #SouthernChat series each Monday at 9:00pm est.
Each week we will have a new guest join us for the chat – from southern craft artisans, companies & brands, bloggers, musicians, chefs and more! We will spend the hour-long chat getting to know our guest, meeting new friends and greeting old friends, and chatting thru a few questions that we’ve compiled in advance of the chat. Most weeks, our chat will include a chance to win a southern-inspired giveaway {special thanks to some of our southern sponsors, partners & guests}.
Joining the chat is easy, simply tweet with us each Monday evening using the hashtag #SouthernChat. Perfect for southern sites, brands, bloggers, for southerners or just those that love and appreciate the south! You can always visit us at heirloomed to see who the latest guest will be, to check out the questions for the week & all the details – and follow along with us on Facebook (heirloomed) and Twitter (@heirloomed) and by using the hashtag #SouthernChat.
For the first installment of #SouthernChat, we will have no guest and just get right down to finding our southern friends online, kicking off the chat and talking about all things southern for the new year! You can join in the conversation with these questions …
Monday, 1/7/12 (9:00pm est) – Kicking off #SouthernChat!
Q1: Nice to meet y’all! Share with us who you are, where you are & your connection to the south.
Q2: Who are some of your favorite southern people, blogs, companies, places, etc. on Twitter?
Q3: What do you love most about the south?
Q4: Happy new year! What great things do you think we’ll see coming from the south in 2013?
Q5: What do you want to see from #SouthernChat this year? Guests, topics, giveaway suggestions welcomed!
This week’s giveaway is from my company, IceMilk Aprons. Chat along with us and you’re entered to win a full adult Rollings of Cinnamon apron (an $85 value) – one lucky person will be chosen at random to win!
I’d love to hear from you if you’re excited about joining in the chats, if you have special guests you’d like to see in the series, or if you are interested in being a guest yourself! Simply click here for more information about being a guest or sponsoring one of our upcoming #SouthernChat events.
Garden & Gun is hands down one of my favorite magazines. It’s a diverse and beautiful magazine that truly captures the essence of the south. This month they launched a new Southern foodie subscription program called Sideboard and I’m thrilled to announce that we’re partnering with Garden & Gun on this new tradition!
Sideboard is Garden & Gun’s way of sharing the good eats they feature in each issue with you all year long. Sideboard features a handpicked selection of Southern staples sent every 6-8 weeks for a total of eight seasonal packages throughout the year.
Included in the welcome package sent to each new Sideboard member is an IceMilk Apron, exclusively for Garden & Gun. Our limited edition apron is from our new heirloomed collection and includes an embroidered G&G signature detail. In addition, the package includes a set of Southern Expression kitchen towels, and an assortment of some favorite recipes from the magazine.
The aprons reflect part of my own personal aesthetic that the magazine speaks to as well, a little bit of outdoors and a focus on fine detail. And, being such a long-time fan of the magazines I am so honored to be a part of this new southern tradition.
There are few things in this world that are better than southern food and I can’t wait to keep you all updated on Sideboard as it continues to evolve! For more information on this exciting program, be sure to check out their site for more info.
icemilkaprons.wordpress.com 