Travel East Texas ~ Road Trip Addition

 

    One of the great American pastimes is to take a family road trip.  You never truly realize how big the United States is until you hit the open road. My daughter and I made this road trip to visit her college before dropping her off.  Our road trip took us through 21 States.  You read that correctly 21.  We travelled from Texas to Maine and back.  We took a different route there than we did on the way home, which is part of the reason we hit so many States in one trip.  

    One of our favorite stops to make on road trips are the little, small town coffee shops along the way.  Since being a previous coffee shop owner, it's always fun to see how people style their shops and what they have to offer.  For me the best way to see if the coffee is any good is to order a cappuccino.  You can determine if the espresso is roasted well, how well they can create the foam and if the drink is too hot.  Of course, we would often grab a quick bite to eat or use this stop as a mealtime, since sometimes breakfast on the road is not what you expect.

    While the miles fly by in the car, we either listen to music and sing along or we use this time to listen to a book.  All in all, on our road trip, she, and I each read seven books.  Don't worry, we had plenty of time to talk, listen to each other and bond while traveling.  For us reading is a perfect way to spend time together and then discuss what we read.  It's part of our bonding process.  Even now when one of us reads a book we think the other will like, we let each other know.  

    All that time in the car means we must take some time to get out and explore along the way.  We didn't really stop too much on the way out since we had to arrive in Castine, Maine by a certain date and time.  But we did explore a little and found some great restaurants along the way.  On the way home we took a little more time to do some sightseeing, outside of Maine.  Castine is just beautiful.  The girl is really going to enjoy her time in Maine, so long as she can make it through the winter.  The city sits right on the edge of the water and offers water sports, boating and a great community environment.  A wonderful place to visit or live.  The towns that are close by also offer great wonderful exploration, we really enjoyed Bar Harbor. 

    I have always loved the show Gilmore Girls, and so we stopped off in Washington, Connecticut to check out the city that the show's location was based around.  Even on a Sunday morning, this little area was busy.  We stopped in for a late breakfast at Marty's cafe.  Bought some books at the bookstore and then just wandered around and took some pictures that highlighted the points of interest in Washington.  The bookstore, had a section dedicated to Lauren Graham's books for readers to pick up and enjoy.  Along with a children's section and stationary.  It was a great stop and we both enjoyed the visit. 

    From there we headed down to Philly.  We figured we would stop by and see the Liberty Bell and walk around the city and enjoy some vegan Philly cheesesteaks.  Yes, vegan Philly cheesesteaks are a thing.  Made with mushrooms and vegan cheese with onions, they were delicious.  The only thing that dampened our time in Philly was the rain.  We left the umbrella in the car and had blocks upon blocks to walk before making it back to our car.  Needless to say, we were wet and so was our food.  

    All through our travels we stayed in bed and breakfast establishments.  After all, what a great way to see how other people run their businesses and pick up some pointers.  Each bed and breakfast were different.  Many are started from an old home that is remodeled into the space it is now.  At some locations we had the whole house to ourselves.  At another we were there with other guests as well.  Breakfast was different at each stop.  Two of them cooked breakfast and served it out, just like we do.  Another had a set menu that you could specify what you wanted, and another had granola.  That might sound odd but it's the truth.  The bed and breakfast we selected in Castine offered a continental breakfast, which really surprised me.  I would have thought they would have put in a little more effort into the food than they did.  Next time we will check out the other bed and breakfast option in Castine.  

    Our favorite overnight stop was just outside of Philly, at Alpenhof Bed and Breakfast.  They had such a unique house design and it was decorated in a such a way that was reminiscent of a mid-evil castle.  They have been operating as a bed and breakfast for over twenty years.  We hope to make that mark one day as well.  Their property and home were well appointed for guests to visit, find a spot to read or walk in the garden.  They even had a swimming pool for guests to enjoy.  We really enjoyed our stop here and would highly recommend if you are ever out that way to make a stop there as well. 

    Since we did not want to drive back through Tennessee, we headed further South towards Georgia.  We stopped in a little town outside of Charlotte, North Carolina called Shelby and we could not believe how similar it was to Sulphur Springs.  The bed and breakfast there is named after the streets it sits on.  The downtown was close enough to walk down to, and the square, was full of shops and dining.  A little bigger than Sulphur Springs, but still made us think of home.  We ate at a great woodfired pizza place and wandered the streets downtown before heading back to get some sleep.

    We had such a great adventure, driving down the road and exploring the country where we live.  No two cities are alike, and no two bed and breakfast stays are alike.  Each one brought something different to the table, with each one leaving a memory for us to look back on together.  While it might take longer to reach your destination, never underestimate the road trip.  It might be the best way to explore different parts of the country.  Grab a friend, some snacks, and a map, then hit the road.  We suggest staying at bed and breakfast to be able to get a better feel for the area in which you are visiting.  Typically, they are run and owned by locals who can point you in the right direction. Happy and safe travels.  

Herb Infused Cocktail ~ Rosemary Apple Cider Toddy

    

 

    Fall has finally arrived and along with it comes cool days and nights.  This month's cocktail is a great way to warm up at the end of the night or around the fire pit.  Warm up with this month's Herb infused cocktail a Rosemary Apple Cider Toddy.  

    This one is so simple to make you can make it in a big batch to serve for a party or just warm it up for yourself as you wind down in the evening.  The flavors of fall are warmed up for you with apple cider and cinnamon notes that make you feel warm all over.  Grab some friends and prepare this drink for everyone and enjoy it while watching the flames and celebrating the wins of the season.  

    A hot toddy is thought to originally be found in India, while still under British control.  The use of a fermented palm sap, heated with hot water and additional spices created this popular cold weather drink.  As this drink found it was around the world, doctors started to prescribe it to their patients as a 
"healing elixir."  Brandy, water, cinnamon, and sugar were the part of the first prescribed drinks by doctors.  Overtime they have evolved into a hot drink with lemon, honey, whiskey, and spices.  I know, I have used this drink in the past to easy a sore throat. 

    For this drink you can make your own apple cider or purchase a premade bottle at the store.  I will say I did purchase a bottle since I did not have time to make my own.  I think that my own apple cider would be a great way to add in more of the rosemary to the drink.  The rosemary could be added at any point in the process depending on how deep you wanted the flavor to be.  The rosemary gives this drink a woodsier taste or just a hit of the herbal flavor if you only used as a garnish.  Either way works, it just depends on what you are looking for in the final flavor.  We added some rosemary while heating the apple cider to really bring it out in the drink.  

   Rosemary Apple Cider Toddy

6 ounces Apple Cider

1 ounce Whiskey we used Teelings

1/2 ounce fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon honey (optional)

Garnish with lemon slice, cinnamon stick, rosemary, or apple slice.

Heat up your apple cider and rosemary to a low boil.  When done pour directly into your glass, add in whiskey and lemon juice.  Stir in the honey if using.  Garnish with your rosemary, lemon, apple, and cinnamon stick.  

    I personally found it too sweet to use honey in the main part of the drink, but to each their own.  If you enjoy a sweeter drink, then I highly recommend using honey.  Local honey is best, since it will add in a bit of an allergy reducer, since the bees would have been attracted to local pollen.  No local honey, no sweat, just use what you have on hand.  

    As always please drink responsibly and have a designated driver.  Enjoy this holiday treat with friends at the Tipsy Oak Lounge Thursday - Saturday from 4-8 p. m.  We can't wait to serve you.  

History of Halloween

 

    "Samhain (a Gaelic word pronounced “sow-win”) is a pagan religious festival originating from an ancient Celtic spiritual tradition," and is now celebrated as Halloween (history.com).  Over the years customs have changed and the celebration of the changing seasons, and life after death have moved away from a pagan perspective to consumer driven celebrations. While Samhain was tied to the last harvest and relighting the hearth fires, after they burnt out, from a communal fire, that tradition has been adapted into what Halloween represents today.

    In the past, fire has been seen as protection and fuel for the home life in many cultures and was celebrated throughout, even as the pagan history started to meld away into the past.  Bonfires would still be built to help keep away fairies and witches as a form of protection.  Fire was thought to be good magic from the sun, that helped to grow the crops and provide life for the people.  Today, we use fires to heat our homes or create ambience when we desire.  Few people cook in their homes on a fire now a days and so the community's traditions of creating a large fire are relighting the hearth have gone away.

    Now we find a bit of the fire from the past in the use of Jack-o-lanterns.  The first Jack-o-lanterns were created out of turnips, and later switched to pumpkins.  The first Jack-o-lanterns were originally lit by coal and set out on sticks.  These Jack-o-lanterns were created to keep out a tricky character named Stingy Jack who Irish myth states he tricked the Devil and has been left to wander the world never going to his resting place after death. 

    As Christianity became more in practice the Catholic Church, through Pope Gregory, created holy days to keep the populace from fully participating in pagan rituals.  All Saints Day on November 1 and All Souls Day on November 2, keep alive the pagan traditions while putting a Christian spin on such a celebration.  While now October 31 is also known as All Hallows Eve, with many of the underlying traditions still celebrated but with the original intent lost to the past. 

    The Celtics were not the only ones to have found celebrations between life and death.  After all the Day of the Dead, or El Día de los Muertos,  is widely supported in Mexican cultures as a way to honor the dead when the boarded between the two worlds is thinner, and those that have passed can come back and celebrate with their loved ones.   The Mexican celebration is not a change or continuation of Halloween  but more of a chance for loved ones to celebrate and show respect for those that have passed, with food and drink in honor of their lives.

    When it comes to trick-or-treating, the Celtic traditions are thought to have started this process as well.  The custom to give tokens or parts of the harvest to the spirits wandering the earth during the time when the spirits are closest.  The treats are meant to help entice the Spirits to not create harm or mischief and help the harvest last through the dark days.  Once Christianity took over, the unmarried young men would walk around town calling for treats and wore masks hiding their identity.  From here the tradition of wearing costumes was born.  

    So,
gather your ghosts, fairies and witches and head on out to your Halloween celebrations.  Many of the traditions we now celebrate are rooted in much older traditions founded before America was developed as a country.  The pagan origins are just that, how the traditions developed over time and changed with the culture of the world.   Be safe while trick-or-treating this year, go as a group and make sure you have a light to be easily seen.  

    

    

Let's Eat ~ Food Trucks Lou's Country Food

 

    When you head West on Hwy 11/Wild Cat Way in Sulphur Springs, just behind Lowe's you can find Lou's Country Food.  Lou's food truck has been operating for the last four years, while on her day's off from her first job.  When you see her window open be sure to stop by for some good home-cooked, Southern food.  Her specialty is chicken fried steak, that she hand batters, and buys locally.  She makes all her own food and loves to cook for others. Her love of cooking is what brings her to her food truck on her day's off.  In a perfect world she would cook for those around her every day.    

    Before Lou opened her food truck, she and her father had a restaurant in Como called Butch and Lou's; that she closed shortly after his passing.  Now you can find her cooking up all your country favorites in Sulphur Springs.  Her hours are not always the same since she works her food truck on her days off.  Be sure to give her a call 903-335-6334 to place your order or to see if she is open.  When she is open, she will be serving up food from 10 a.m. to 7 p. m. or 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.  Lou's takes cash or card when you order. 

    You can find all your home cooked favorites on Lou's menu. From sandwiches, burgers, and full meals as well as tasty sides to complement all her main choices.   A hot item are the orders of Pittsburgh hotlinks, get them while they last.  Of course, her plate of the day goes quickly as well.  A crowd favorite is Chicken fried steak, which she was out of, when we stopped by, so we ordered the next best thing, Chicken fried chicken.  

    Since burgers are always a crowd favorite, we ordered a cheeseburger with everything on it.  Boy it did not disappoint.  One more boys said it even matched In-and-Out for flavor and substance.  The cheeseburger we ordered came with everything a good burger should have, lettuce, onions, and tomatoes.  Plus mustard since everyone needs a little bit of condiments on their burger. 

    The Chicken Fried Chicken was cooked just right and battered to perfection.  The chicken was moist, and the portion size was filling.  My seventeen year old, was full by the end of his meal, now that's saying something.  His plate came with two sides and he selected fried okra and French fries.  You can even select a roll or corn bread to go with your plate.  Of course, don't forget the gravy.

    We also ordered a BLT, after all who does not love bacon.  Both kids said that was probably the best thing we ordered. The sandwich was loaded up with plenty of bacon, and just the right amount of lettuce and tomato, to complement each other well.  The bacon was nice, thick, and crispy.  The perfect sandwich for lunch or dinner.

    If you are ever in Sulphur Springs and Lou's is open, be sure to stop by and order any of the great items on her menu.  We do not feel like you will be disappointed at all by her offerings, portion sizes or taste.  Thanks, Lou, for the great food. 

    

Your Garden ~ Elderberry Syrup

 

    Cold and flu season is rapidly approaching, and we want to start the season off with the best immunity we can provide.  Of course, we are not medical professionals so listen to your doctor, but we feel elderberry syrup can make the difference.  Elderberry syrup along with a heathy diet and washing your hands regularly can help reduce your chances of becoming sick as well as has seen a decreased length of time of a particular illness.  The reduced time a person is sick leads to increased productivity and an overall feeling of wellness once an illness has passed you by.  Who would not want to reduce the time they are sick?  I know I would. 

   To help with that, we make our own Elderberry syrup using berries we grew on our family farm or those that we found and harvested from the roadside.  Elderberries are an often wild grown, edible plant with multiple health benefits. The main reason we use and make Elderberry syrup is to help prevent flu and colds.  If someone happens to get the flu or a cold, we increase the amount of syrup they take.

    I like that Elderberry syrup can be made from fresh, frozen, or dried berries.  Since we harvested our own berries from plants that we grew, once they are a deep purple color, we remove them from the stem and get rid of any leaves and freeze for later use.  The stem and the leaves can be toxic if consumed so be sure you are only saving the berries.  

    The syrup is simple to make and easy to store.  You can make a big batch and water bath them for later use or just make what you need for your family to make it through the season.  I usually make two-quart sized jars for our family of seven during the cold and flu season.  Once those sniffles arise everyone takes a couple of teaspoons in the morning before school.  That way their immunity stays strong, and hopefully prevents any further issues.

Elderberry Syrup

3 1/2 cups water

2/3 cup dried elderberries (1 1/3 cup fresh/frozen)

2 tablespoons grated ginger (1 tsp ground ginger)

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

Honey to taste

Pour everything but the honey into a saucepan and cover with a lid.  Bring the mixture to a boil, uncover, and reduce the heat and let it simmer for 3-45 minutes, until the liquid has reduced by half.  Remove from the stove top and let it cool.  Once cooled transfer to a jar, be sure to "squeeze" the liquid from the berries before putting in the jar.  Once strained add the honey and mix it well.  Close the lid and you are all set.  If you want to water bath the jars when completed do this now.  

    We store our syrup in the fridge while in use.  A standard dose if 1/2-1 teaspoon for kids, and 1/2-1 tablespoon for adults.  If sickness strikes take a normal dose every 2-3 hours a day until better.  You can order dried elderberries online to make your syrup at home.  Or visits your health food or farm store to see if they carry readymade syrup.  Gummies could also be a good option for your family, just be sure to read the labels.  

Herb Infused Cocktail ~ Sparkling Sage Pear

     

    Fall is by far my favorite season, and I can hardly wait for it to kick in, here in Sulphur Springs, and around the state.  All the festivals, food, and fun that can be had in fall; let's not forget the cooler temperatures.  Plus, the colors of fall are just so warm and inviting, they make you want to sit around the campfire and tell stories, roast marshmallows, or enjoy a fall cocktail.  

    October's cocktail is full of fall flavor.  Sage, and pears, really come into their own in the fall season.  One of the last, non-citrus family fruits to ripen on the tree are pears.  With multiple varieties grown around the globe, pear can be used in so many different applications.  Pears can be baked and eaten with a touch of cinnamon.  Made into a crip to enjoy for dessert or breakfast.  We chose to use the pear this month as a highlight to our cocktail of the month.  

    We blended up fresh pears, to make the pear nectar for this drink.  The fresh pears give it a heavier, more full feeling, and it holds on to the flavor longer.  We also used sage as our herb this month, because of the woodsy, strong flavor the herb lends to the vodka when infused.  There is no specialty liquor that has sage in a bottle, so you must make your own on this one.  If you want to make this drink at home be sure to plan ahead.  

   To infuse your vodka, cut some sage and place it in a jar.  Fill the jar so that the sage is fully covered.  Tighten the lid and place it on a windowsill to speed up the process.  The vodka I used sat by the window for about a week before I made my cocktail.  Depending on how strong you want the sage flavor to be, will be determined how long you let it sit.  

    This recipe also calls for ginger simple syrup.  Just like always one to one on the sugar to water ratio, add in your fresh chopped ginger and a tablespoon of lemon juice, to a pot on the stove.  Let all the sugar dissolve and the mixture heat up.  It's as easy as that to bring our the ginger flavor for this drink.

    Sparkling Sage Pear

3 ounces Pear nectar

2 ounces Sage infused vodka

1/2 ounce Ginger simple syrup

1/2 lemon

Sparkling water or ginger ale

    Combine all the ingredients, except for the sparkling water, into an ice filled shaker cup. Shake it up  well.  Once completed, pour into two iced filled glasses, and top it off with sparkling water.  Garnish your drink with slices of pear and sage.  

    Of course, if you do not want to make this drink at home you can always stop by the Tipsy Oak Lounge located at the Oaks bed and breakfast and order one, or two.  This drink can also be made without the liquor, and into a delicious mocktail for everyone in your group to enjoy.  As always drink responsibly and have a designated driver.  Cheers!

Your Garden ~ Canned Peppers

    

    As summer is draws to a close, about the only item still producing with any vigor in our garden happens to be peppers.  There are so many peppers, that I was at a loss for what to do with them all.  I figured that canning some up for later was the best plan.  I gathered my supplies and got to work.

    For this process, I used whatever peppers I had on hand, that would go to waste if not used relatively quickly.  Of course, you can be more discerning in your pepper selection and go all out on one variety over another or mix and match like I did.  My focus was on using what I had available so as to not create more waste or pass off too much food to the chickens or pigs.  

    I figured that no matter what, which ever peppers I happened to use would not go to waste and can be used in a variety of ways.  On tapas at the Tipsy Oak Lounge, various breakfast dishes for our overnight guest at the Bed and Breakfast, or just as a healthy snack for the children. Plus, we could always gift them to friends and family to enjoy. Who doesn't like a homemade treat, even in veggie form.

    To get started, I washed them all off, so they would be ready to slice and dice. Then I prepared the jars with the pepper corns, mustard seeds, garlic cloves, coriander seeds by evenly distributing the items between the four jars.  Then I started the water, salt and sugar on the stove top and brought to a boil and added the vinegar and cooked that together for about a minute.  While the water was coming to a boil, I sliced the peppers into strips and placed them in the jars as I moved through the process.  I tried to get an even amount of items into each jar, of each pepper option.  I will say I did use only sweet peppers, no hot peppers in this batch.  Maybe on the next one I will mix and match or just do hot peppers.  

    After the jars were filled with peppers, I added the water and vinegar solution had cooked. I poured an even amount of the water into the jars.  I closed the lids and I was done.  I plan to store my peppers in the fridge which is why I did not do a water bath to seal the jars.  Once the lids had sucked down into the jar, into the fridge they went.  I don't have a lot of pantry space available, so this was my best solution.  Now if I did have space, I would have given my jars a nice water bath, for their preservation.  

    As a bonus these peppers are ready to eat relatively soon after jarring.  We opened one up this past weekend and they were perfect.  Just the right amount of brine and flavor and still crisp, how I wanted them to be.  

    We hope that you will preserve your extra produce to use later in the year when nothing is growing as well.  Preservation provides for a family long after the harvest season has ended and before the new growing season starts.