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IN THIS
ISSUE
Summer 2013
TO THe reSCue: Lindsay Ghee adopted a puppy and discovered a calling. 8
HearT Of GLaSS: Local artist turns difficult medium into works of art. 10
LIVING HISTOrY: Jerry and Judy Klug lovingly restored an 1864 Jacksonville home. 18
CONSTaNT GarDeNer: Braxton Harris turns lot into showplace. 26
LILY-PaLOOZa: Summer means it’s time for Oriental and asiatic lilies to show off. 34
THeN aND NOW retracing routes from the 1941 WPa guidebook to alabama. 42
eaT THe HeaT: We dare you to try some of Calhoun County’s spiciest dishes. 48
Summer BreWS: Six locally available craft beers to help beat the heat. 54
a PurefOY feaST: Garfrerick’s revives Southern classics from historic hotel. 58
BarN aGaIN: fine examples of the iconic farm building are in our own back yard. 72
aLSO IN THIS ISSue ParTY PIX: Photos of Derby Day at Longleaf Botanical Gardens, Children’s Services beer tasting, Noble Street festival sponsors’ tent, Bowl for Kids’ Sake, edible evening for education and more. 62
2
LIVING Summer 2013
SLIP SLIDIN’ aWaY: an ode to a vanishing Southern undergarment. 16
NORTHEAST ALABAMA VOLUME 2, SPRING 2013
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EDITOR Lisa Davis ldavis@annistonstar.com WRITERS Harvey H. Jackson Erin Williams Madasyn Czebiniak Patrick McCreless Ben Cunningham Sherry Blanton Lisa Davis Pat Kettles PHOTOGRAPHERS Trent Penny Bill Wilson Jerrod Brown Shannon Tucker Courtney Davies Ken Elkins ILLUSTRATOR Margaret Poplin DESIGN Angela Reid Williams PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Patrick Stokesberry ADVERTISING MANAGER Dollie Robinson drobinson@annistonstar.com 256-235-9236
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6
LIVING Summer 2013
P.O. Box 1885, Anniston, AL 36202
1501 Noble Street ...256-237-8572 Insurance & Billing ...256-236-6005 Fax ..........................256-241-3002 Fax ..........................256-241-0015 24-Hour Paramedic Service Emergency & Non-Emergency Local & Long Distance Transport Medicare & Medicaid Approved Provider All Types Insurance Filed Major Credit Cards Accepted Wheelchair Accessible Transportation Available
CONVERSATION
TO ThE RESCuE
Lindsay Ghee adopted a puppy and discovered a calling by Erin Williams
L
ast summer, Lindsay Ghee, a 25-year-old Alabama concerning animals. I’d like to change the law student and Miss Oxford USA 2013, breed-specific legislation law where they discriminate went with her friend Chassidy Bowen against certain breeds of dogs. If they are found in on a routine visit to adopt a dog from the a shelter, they are required to euthanize them — or Calhoun County you’re not allowed to have a animal shelter. certain breed in your home, They wound up taking home or they’ll confiscate the dog. every single dog in the shelter, laying the framework for You kind of sound like a nonprofit organization they an Alabama version of Elle named 4Legs4Justice. Woods from Legally Blonde. Together, they pull dogs from shelters (usually “high [Laughs] I’ve actually gotkill” shelters, said Ghee — ten that a lot! If that helps me “their days are numbered”) change the laws in Alabama, and, after getting them fixed, then I hope she helps. microchipped and vaccinated, seek to place them with How do you plan to leave owners. your mark in your family’s “We did not intend to law firm? start a rescue, but I just felt so Well, I guess my first mark much empathy and compaswill be my passion and the sion for these dogs,” Ghee work that I do for my anisaid. mals — that’s one thing that Lindsay Ghee and Chassidy Bowen After she graduates from I think sets me apart from all the Birmingham School of Law, Ghee plans to return of my other sisters. My dad’s niche is that he did a lot home and join the family law practice alongside her for the environment. He founded and wrote the bill for father, Doug Ghee, three sisters and a brother-in-law. Alabama’s Forever Wild land trust. Coldwater Mountain, the new bike trails – it’s named after him. [Its full So wait — you wanted ONE puppy, and came name is the Forever Wild Coldwater Mountain Doug home with 25? Ghee Nature Preserve and Recreation Area.] He has Twenty-five dogs at one time, yes! We gave them a great love for nature and preserving wildlife. I just all baths and then we had lots of community support hope to one day create something as good as he did. from other rescues, and they told us what to do, and He’s my role model. that we should not give them away for free. We talked about it, and we decided that the puppies chose us, What do you do to enjoy yourself? and that this is what we’re supposed to do. I love to go hiking with my dogs, I love to bowl — I’m a pretty good bowler — and I love to play pool, and You were named Miss Oxford USA in July 2012, I love to bake and cook. We’ve been raising money and competed in the Miss Alabama USA pageant, for our puppies; we bake homemade cakes from which serves as a preliminary for the Miss USA pagscratch and sell them for donations. My specialty and eant. How did you prepare for the competition? my favorite is red velvet. I can make a homemade — I just dove headfirst. Luckily, I already had a platfrom scratch, the works — red velvet cake with cream form with my puppies, so I was doing it for the pupcheese icing. pies. I did not take home the crown, however I gained lots of good friends — and Miss Auburn USA 2013 Nuts or no nuts? actually just fostered a dog for us. No nuts — unless requested! What type of law would you like to practice? I hope to do a lot of family law, work closely with DHR, and then I want to change laws in the state of
8
LIVING Summer 2013
To learn more about 4Legs4Justice, contact 4Legs4Justice@gmail.com or visit the group’s Facebook page.
rtin, AAMS®
visor
xchange Boulevard 6203 4
Having More Retirement Accounts Is Not The Same SHARON MARTIN As Having 321734 More Money.
When it comes to the number ofMore retirement accounts you have, the Having Retirement saying “more is better” is not necessarily true. In fact, if you hold multiple accounts with various brokers, it can be difficult to keep Accounts Is Not The Same track of your investments and to see if you’re properly diversified. As Having More Money. At the very least, multiple accounts usually mean multiple fees. When it comes to the number of retirement accounts you have, the saying
“moreto is better” is notJones necessarily true. Inhelp fact, if solve you hold all multiple Bringing your accounts Edward could that. with various brokers, can beifdifficult to keep track of your Plus, one statement accounts can make it easier toit see you’re moving investments and to see if you’re properly diversified. At the very least, toward your goals. multiple accounts usually mean multiple fees. *
Bringing your accounts to Edward Jones could help solve all that. Plus, one *Diversification does not guarantee a profit or protect against loss. statement can make it easier to see if you’re moving toward your goals.
*Diversification does not guarantee a profit or protect against loss.
To learn why condolidating your retirement accounts To learn why consolidating your retirement accounts to Edward sense, Jones makes calllocal your local financial to Edward Jones makes callsense, your financial advisor today. advisor today. Vester M Martin III, CFP® FinancialSharon Advisor Martin, AAMS® .
Financial Advisor 1419 Leighton Ave Suite C Exchange Boulevard Anniston,240 ALOxford 36207 Oxford, AL 36203 256-238-2980 256-835-5694
Vester M Martin III, CFP® www.edwardjones.com Financial Advisor
1419 Leighton Ave Suite C Anniston, AL 36207 256-238-2980
Member SIPC
The long-awaited memoir HOUSE AD of H. Brandt Ayers, publisher of The Anniston Star t Aye rs , ir o f H . B ra n d
ed m em o r e lo n g- aw a it e A n n is to n S ta p u b li sh er o f th we to explaining who r anybody ever has come as close as nor William Winte “Brandt Ayers has as we do.” — Gover and why we act Southerners are
Fifty years of e fe at D L o v e w it hthe In observing ra l a So ut he rn Li be e Mak in g of changing South from Ayers’ hometown of Anniston, Alabama
ated Old y from the segreg relates his journe in which H. Brandt Ayers the New South, n, atio iliz civ d minte ton to h and Washing South to a newly leig Ra m Fro e. ship rol s and he had a leader d the key figure ere cov ers Ay dges beyond, . An aerword bri Anniston and hts rig il civ for s ent struggle w South to Presid witnessed the key Ne the of e anc disappear the years from the first term. Barack Obama’s e as close as t Ayers has com l memoir, Brand and Southerners are “In this insightfu we o wh ing to explain anybody ever has do.” why we act as we ssissippi governor , former Mi — W F. W s of a newsthrough the eye tionary tale, told ld be a force of bound up in a cau cou all , er son pap les y his t tor od tha part his always understo “Part memoir and rthy tale.” . Brandt Ayers uation to that wo newspaper owner as a kind of punct author ry, sto paperman and al son s per g journalist and thi nin d win tol zehe e Pri tim er h Pulitz good, and it is hig — R B,
Books are available at The Anniston Star • $29.95 also available at newsouthbooks.com/ayers, amazon.com ./ .
STAFF MEDICAL SERVICE 321611
LIVING Summer 2013
9
HearT
Of
GLaSS
Lori Cummings turns molten glass into works of art by Madasyn Czebiniak • photographs by stEphEn gross
10 LIVING Summer 2013
The Oxford Lumber family of stores invites all area residents and visitors to visit one of our locations for your home improvement needs. OXFORD LUMBER/ACE HARDWARE 313193
OxfOrd Lumber 1400 Barry Street Oxford, AL 36203 (256) 831-0540
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As a customer appreciation Snip this coupon and get a 10% discount at any of our stores on any non-sale hardware item. Does not apply to lumber and building material items or mark downs.
LIVING Summer 2013
11
L
ori Cummings lives in a glass house. A clear crystal chandelier hangs over the long dining room table, which exhibits brightly colored glass bulbs and other figurines delicately resting inside of deep glass bowls. The bulbs sparkle in the light, illuminating the wall of merchandise on the other side of the room, where necklaces, rings, vases and other glassworks peek out from in and behind display boxes. Cummings’ home is where her self-made business, Ziwi Glass, comes to light. “I just wanted something unique for a name and decided to make up a word. To me, Ziwi is fun to say,” Cummings said. “You can’t say it without going ‘wheeee!’” Cummings will make anything you desire in her studio — a modest room in the back with a kiln, sketch table and cutting board — as long as it isn’t too big. Anyone can visit and shop around. “I’m still amazed I can do it,” said the 29-year-old Anniston native. She became interested in glass art when her mother asked her to take a class with her more than nine years ago. “It’s a very hard medium to control. When it gets hot, it drips like honey. You really can’t touch it,” Cummings said. She uses three different methods to make art: glass-fusing, glass-blowing and stained glass.
ANNISTON PARD
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FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THIS FACILITY AND THE MANY OTHER PARD PROGRAMS CALL (256)236-8221
12 LIVING Summer 2013
Marissa Davis
Marissa Davis
Hayden Howell
Marissa Davis
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University at Montgomery Hayden Howell
Ethan McCarty
Riley Ann McBride
Tommy Lipscomb
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Ethan McCarty
Riley Ann McBride
Graham Nelson
Emily Rogers
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University
Eckerd College
Johnson & Wales University
Presbyterian College
United States Military Academy – West Point
University of Florida
University of Montevallo
University of West Alabama
Troy University
Jacksonville State University
Sewanee, The University of the South
Tulane University
University of Maine
Vanderbilt University
Lynn University
Mississippi State University
University of Alabama
University of North Alabama
Duke
Pennsylvania State University
Samford University
Spring Hill College
Centre College
Florida Southern College
Louisiana State University
Palm Beach Atlantic University
Rhodes College
University of Denver
Emory University
Mercer University
Birmingham-
Cumberland University
Georgia Institute of Technology
Furman University
The Ohio State University
Berry College
Bryan College
Southern College
College of Charleston
Maryville College
Shorter University
University at Montgomery
Tusculum College
University of Alabama at Birmingham
University of Mississippi
University of South Alabama
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Peyton van Ekris %PI\ ;SSH½R
Katherine Westbrook
%PI\ ;SSH½R
Emily Rogers
Anna Turner
Peyton van Ekris
Katherine Westbrook
Erin Phillis
Peyton van Ekris
Austin Petrey
Graham Nelson
Emily Rogers
Graham Nelson
Ali Morris
Erin Phillis
Ethan McCarty
Tommy Lipscomb
Ali Morris
National Merit Finalist
George McMillan
Anna Turner
Ali Morris
Austin Petrey
Riley Ann McBride
Wilson Landers
National Merit Finalist
George McMillan
Tommy Lipscomb
∙ Georgia Institute of Technology ∙ Jacksonville St ∙ ∙ University at Montgomery ∙ Berry College ∙ BirminghamJohnson Wales University ∙ Louisiana State University ∙ Lynn Unive ∙ ∙ Southern College Bryan College Centre College ∙ ∙ Maryville College ∙ Mercer University State ∙ ∙ Mississippi ∙ University ∙ ∙ Cumberland The Ohio State University Beach Atlantic University ∙∙ University Pennsylvania State University College∙ ∙ofPalm Charleston ∙ Duke ∙ ∙ Samford University ∙∙ Sewanee, The University of Presbyterian College College University ∙ Rhodes University College College ∙ Eckerd ∙ Emory ∙ Florida Southern ∙ ∙ Shorter University ∙ Spring Hill College ∙ Troy University ∙ Tulane University ∙ Tusculum Furman University ∙ Georgia Institute ∙ of Technology∙ ∙ Jacksonville State University United States Military Academy – West Point ∙ University of Alabama ∙ University of Alabam ∙ ∙ Johnson & Wales University ∙ Louisiana State University ∙ Lynn University University of Denver ∙ ∙ University∙of Florida ∙ University ∙ of Maine ∙ University of Mississip Maryville College ∙ Mercer University ∙ Mississippi State University ∙ ∙ of North Alabama ∙ ∙ University ∙ of South Alabama University of Montevallo ∙ University ∙ University The Ohio State University ∙University Palm Beach Atlantic University ∙∙ Pennsylvania State of West Alabama ∙ Vanderbilt University ∙ Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State ∙ ∙ ∙ Presbyterian College ∙ Rhodes College ∙ Samford University ∙ Sewanee, The University of the South ∙ ∙ Members of the of Shorter University ∙ Spring Hill College ∙ Troy∙ University ∙ Tulane University ∙ Tusculum College 20 ∙ Class haveMilitary received scholarship offers in excess of at4 Birmingham million d United States Academymerit-based – West Point ∙ University of Alabama of Alabama ∙ University Members of the Class of 2013 have∙been offered acceptances by the∙ above and univer University of Florida Maine Universitycolleges Universityand of Denver ∙ University ofoffers have received merit-based scholarship in excess of of4 Mississippi million dollars University of and Montevallo University North Alabama University of South Alabama ∙the have been offeredofacceptances Discover Difference by∙ the above colleges and universites. a tour with Director SueVirginia Canter:Polytechnic scanter@donohoschool.com or 256-236-44 UniversitySchedule of West Alabama Vanderbilt University Institute and State University ∙ Admissions Discover the Difference ∙ Mary Jones
Daniel Kang
Jared Jones
Mary Jones
Wilson Landers
RaeAnna Hopkins
Mallory Landen Hayden Howell
Jade Dalton
RaeAnna Hopkins Jade Dalton
Paul Chong
Meredith Helms RaeAnna Hopkins
Alex Lalonde
Marshall Ghee
Daniel Kang
Alli Brascho
Meredith Helms
Paul Chong
Ante Bing
Adele Fink
Meredith Helms
Kristen Athon
Mary Jones
Marshall Ghee
Sunny Donti
Jared Jones
Cowan Angell
Marshall Ghee
Alli Brascho
Adele Fink
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Adele Fink
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Jade Dalton
Paul Chong
Alli Brascho
Ante Bing
Kristen Athon
Cowan Angell
Kristen Athon
University
Dono The
Please visit awww.donohoschool.com for information and driving directions to ourext. campus. Schedule tour with Admissions Director Suemore Canter: scanter@donohoschool.com or 256-236-4459 119.
Members of the Class of 2013 Please visit www.donohoschool.com for more information and driving directions to our campus.
have received merit-based scholarship offers in excess of 4 million dollars
Her current obsession is glass-blowing. “It’s really beautiful,” she said with a tender look in her eyes. “When I first started glassblowing, I dreamed for two weeks solid of just the glow. All that would be in my dreams was just that orange glow.” Long-stemmed glass grass blades, jewels for necklaces and rings, and half-finished bowls and vases are scattered across Cummings’ kitchen and dining room tables and countertops. The fridge is covered in papers held up by glass magnets designed by the children and wife of her favorite glass artist and mentor, Cal Breed, who owns Orbix Hot Glass studio in Fort Payne. A forest-green glass bowl rests on the floor, half-full of water for her large, cuddly, black dogs, Cody and Milo. “They’re good with the glass,” Cummings said as Cody licked her hand. “The only room they’re not allowed in is my studio.” She gestured to her feet, adorned in slender brown sandals. “All the time, I’ll step on glass. I’m bad about working barefoot and wearing sandals. I’ve gotten a lot of slivers in my feet that take days to come out,” she said. While glass-blowing, Cummings works with heat ranging from 1,000 degrees to 2,200 degrees. However, instead of wearing gloves, she prefers to go barehanded. ABOVE: The inside of a vase made by Lori Cummings of Ziwi Glass. RIGHT: Cummings works on a piece of glass in her studio in Anniston.
14 LIVING Summer 2013
“I’m trying to get used to the heat. At first I didn’t like it, but it’s grown on me. It’s kind of peaceful,” she said. Her favorite designs are the ones that occur when you mix hot, molten glass with frit glass. Frit is chunky, gravel-like glass. The result is blown glass objects in colorful patterns. “It’s like starry nights. It’s always kind of random patterns I really like,” she said. Four days a week, Lori works as a hygienist at the dental practice of her father, David Cummings. “It helped me out a little bit because I was used to working with my left hand, and in glass-blowing you work with both hands,” she said. “But it also makes me nervous because I work with my hands. I don’t want to be cutting them and burning them too badly where I can’t do my other job.” Cummings also teaches others to work with glass. She has taught fused-glass jewelry workshops at the Berman Museum of World History and Parker Memorial Baptist Church. “I have done study clubs in the past. I would be willing to do private parties and groups as well. The cost is usually $40 a person,” she said. When she’s not working or teaching, you can usually find her making the 90-minute drive out to Orbix Hot Glass, where she works as an apprentice.
This summer, she will also be attending a workshop at Pilchuck, a glass school just outside of Seattle. “I want to learn more about business skills and improve my glass skills.” She hopes her hobby can one day turn into a profession. Her mentor, Cal Breed of Orbix, once made the list of Oprah’s Favorite Things, something she eventually hopes to accomplish, too. “I just have to wait for the right person to notice me.”
ZIWI GLASS Contact Lori Cummings at 256-237-2851 or find Ziwi Glass on Facebook. Ziwi Glass paperweights, bowls, jewelry and ornaments are also available at Nunnally’s Noble Street Frame and Gallery, 1014 Noble St., Anniston, 256-237-5921.
ROUSSO FACIAL PLASTIC SURGERY 321564
LIVING Summer 2013
15
an ode to a vanishing Southern undergarment
Slip slidin’ away
A
ny female under 40 likely has never owned a slip — a dress-length garment with shoulder straps, worn under a dress or skirt. Victoria’s Secret could never be accused of having such a garment. A “slip” category does appear on their website, but nothing there comes close to what I knew in my youth as a slip. Slips were essential to my late mother. She never left home without one — nor did she ever miss the annual lingerie sale at Gayle’s, a locally owned women’s clothier. I always accompanied her on her annual lingerie pilgrimage, joining a crowd of frenzied feminine underwear seekers scuffling for the little pink silk charmeuse number or the elusive black slip worn only under dark clothing. In that era, there were no racks of hanging slips or thongs, or windows displaying scantily clad mannequins. All undergarments came in tissue-lined boxes stored behind counters, to be opened only by clerks upon customer request. On lingerie sale day, those hallowed boxes were pulled from behind the counter and piled on tables in the center of the store, whereupon a lingerie free-for-all ensued, somewhat akin to modern-day mud wrestling.
Gayle’s was not a particularly large store. On lingerie sale days, there was inadequate dressing room space to accommodate the frenzied lingerie crowd. Women stood in the aisles trying slips on over their clothing. There was an art to this: Slips were folded in half lengthwise, then both straps were hung over one shoulder to check for correct length and size. One particular sale day, Mother made her purchases and exited the store with me in tow. Continuing down the street for additional shopping, we were approached by an unknown gentleman. With blushing face and hushed voice, he inquired, “Ma’am, are you aware, ahem, you have a slip hanging over your shoulder?” A mortified moan escaped from my mother — more likely due to the fact that a strange man had seen a personal, private piece of underclothing rather than the unintentional shoplifting she had just committed. As my maternal grandmother aged, my mother became more involved in assisting her with daily living. Mother became appalled at the state of Mama’s slips. When the annual lingerie sale rolled around, her obsession became securing a decent slip for Mama. When any gift-giving occasion arose, she always recommended that her fellow siblings buy Mama a decent slip. When Mama died and the family went through her things, they found a cache of decent slips stored in their original boxes, tucked neatly away in a cedar chest. Apparently Mama subscribed to the school of saving good underwear to be worn only in the event of accident or death. Although I wonder what happened to them, I can’t say I miss slips. In my elementary school days, girls wore dresses with sashes tied in the back and the requisite slips underneath. These were simple, low-necked, by pat shapeless, one-piece garkEttlEs ments in the one-size-fits-all category. Only on bitterly cold days were long corduroy trousers allowed. These were worn underneath the slip, covered by the requisite dress. (Where were the fashion police when you really needed them?) Girls were taunted if their slips showed from underneath their clothing. They always showed. There was no way to avoid slip exposure when turning flips on the monkey bars. Perhaps that is why boys and girls played in separate groups on the playground. Even after girls graduated to the real thing with adjustable straps, the slip still exposed itself, peeking from underneath the bottom of a dress or by a random strap hanging rakishly from the shoulder. The last slip I owned was not even a full one, but the bottom half of a full slip held up by an elasticized waist. This also always showed. Such slips were never the correct length. Achieving the correct length meant rolling up the elastic at the top of the garment so that one’s middle looked like the Michelin tire guy. Perhaps slips became extinct because it is no longer taboo to show one’s derriere. More likely, however, it’s due to global warming.
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ExAMpLE bASED oN SurvEy. EACH DEALEr SETS ITS oWN prICE. MAy vAry. are for a 2013 at CadillaC ats signing. 2.0l tUrbo with an msrP of $00,000; 00 monthly Payments $0,000. oPtion to PUrChase at lease end your forpAyMENTS an amoUnt toPayments be determined lease ally mUst aPProVe lease. taketotal deliVery by 1/3/13 $0,000. oPtion to PUrChase at lease end for an amoUnt to be determined at lease signing. ally mUst aPProVe lease. take deliVery by 1/3/13. lessee Pays for exCess wear. Payments may be higher in some states. not aVailable with some other offers. residenCy restriCtions aPPly. ©2013 general motors. all rights reserVed. C higher in some states. not aVailable with some other offers. residenCy restriCtions aPPly. ©2013 general motors. all rights reserVed. CadillaC®, ats® 3
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LIVING hISTORY four owners since it was built. After the Forneys it passed to the Caldwell family, then to the Weaver family in 1924. Homer Weaver was a comptroller for the Profile Cotton Mill. The Weavers lived there the longest, adding on rooms and bringing in electricity and indoor plumbing. In 1999, the house passed to the Klugs. Jerry is a self-proclaimed history buff. He is past president of the Jacksonville Historical Society, and is a proponent of the establishment of a Jacksonville Historic Preservation Committee. After buying the house, the Klugs embarked on what would be a two-year renovation project. “This house had excellent bones, but it was pretty rugged,” Jerry said. The house is solid brick; at their thickest, the walls are 30 inches thick. The clay for the bricks was dug from the basement, then the bricks were formed and fired on the property and laid by artisan slave labor, Jerry said. Jerry admires the attention to detail that went into constructing the house. He brought a similar eye to the renovation. To repair the plaster on the walls, the Klugs brought a 76-year-old craftsman out of retirement. The walls were textured in a raised pattern known as “lace plaster.” It had been 50 years since the craftsman had done lace plaster, but he was able to match it — using a newfangled Styrofoam block. The Klugs talked another craftsman out of retirement to refinish the floors. Jerry also did a lot of the dirty work himself — sometimes too literally. While working on a plaster wall in the kitchen one day, he uncovered some odd bricks. He realized it was a fireplace, and quickly cleared enough plaster to lie on his back to try to find the flue. Then something went “whoosh.” Jerry found himself underneath a pile of bird nests, squirrel nests — and an explosion of black soot. Down in the basement was an old coal-fired steam furnace that couldn’t be saved. It took three men and a tractor to pull it out. The Klugs installed central heat and air, and carefully maintain the temperature and humidity in the house to avoid
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“I think about that when I go up and down these stairs every day . . . how many people have trod these stairs.” — JuDY KLuG ON ThE hOuSE ShE RESTORED wITh hER huSbAND
TOP: All of the doors are original to the house — the handles are glass with brass fittings. A message written between bricks on the front porch. ABOVE: Judy and Jerry Klug with their dog, Louie, an English Goldendoodle.
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LIVING hISTORY
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1. The master bathroom features a clawfoot tub and a walk-in shower. There was little closet space in the original house, so the Klugs turned a spare room into a dressing area. 2. The Klugs spent two years deciding on chandeliers for each room, taking care to match the size and style to the ambience of each room. 3. There are eight working fireplaces in the house, all of which have been converted to gas. The inserts are by a British company called Real Flame, and mimic the look of a coal fire. 4. The closets in the original house were only 18 inches deep. In this guest bedroom, the Klugs built an angled wall across a corner to add functional closet space. 5. The dining room was added on to the house in 1920s. The rocking chair in the corner has been in the house for more than 80 years.
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the constant gardener From an overgrown lot to a showplace
When Braxton and Millie Harris moved into their 1924 house in Anniston, it had been sitting empty for a couple of years, and there was no longer much yard to speak of. Now, 10 years later, Braxton Harris has transformed the two acres surrounding the house into a garden showplace. Paths lined with ferns and flowers lead to peaceful seating areas, while fountains burble in the background.
by Lisa davis • photographs by bill Wilson
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THe CONSTaNT GarDeNer There are plenty of what Harris considers the four “must-haves” of any Southern garden — dogwood, azalea, hydrangea and crape myrtle. But there are plenty of uncommon plants, as well. Among the trees shading the gardens is a Chinese parasol tree, so named because its large leaves really do work like an umbrella. It is striking for its smooth, green bark. It blooms at the top in the summertime. There are several Australian tree ferns, which would grow to tree height if they were in Australia, but here they spread out, only getting to four feet tall. “I try to have one of everything. I haven’t made it yet,” Harris said with a laugh. “I’m never really satisfied if I’m not doing something. There are 12 sitting areas. I never really sit in any of them.” That’s not entirely true. We spotted him enjoying a cup of coffee on the patio (which he built himself ) next to the koi pond (which he built himself ). The pond is swimming with 25 or 30 goldfish and koi, in exotic colors and patterns. There’s a second, smaller fishpond nearby. This is the Harrises’ favorite sitting area. “There is nothing more peaceful than sitting
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THe CONSTaNT GarDeNer out here listening to the waterfall,” Harris said. Harris is the founder of the Braxton Harris Company, which manufactures plumbing products. His wife, Millie Harris, serves on the Anniston City Council, and is also a well-known animal lover. She founded a nonprofit group called SAVE, which promotes spay and neuter programs for dogs and cats. Every spring, the Harrises hold a fundraiser in their gardens called “Cupcakes for Critters.” (See photos from this year’s event on page 32.) The Harrises have five shelter dogs. “Millie and I, we love animals,” Harris said. Their love extends to wildlife, as well. “People complain about chipmunks, but I love chipmunks,” Braxton said. “I don’t mind if they run around. I’ve seen them peeking in the koi pond. And squirrels — I catch them eating the sunflower seeds from my bird feeder. I don’t kill them. I don’t run them off. They’re just trying to survive. That’s nature.” Every spring, Harris goes to the pet store and buys lots of 25-cent goldfish, which he then places in pots and fountains — anywhere there’s standing water. The goldfish perform pest control by eating mosquito larvae.
“there is nothing more peaceful than sitting out here listening to the waterfall.” —braxton harris
A large pot holds a lotus about to bloom, and, sure enough, there are tiny goldfish darting about in the top of the water-filled pot. The more manicured gardens near the house give way to a natural garden up the hill, where a mulched path leads to another sitting area with a fireplace. When Harris dug out the koi pond, he hauled the dirt up here to use as the foundation. “This area used to be solid cane,” Harris said. Wisteria vines five inches thick were choking the trees. “It took me three years of cutting and poisoning to get control of it,” Harris said. Now, the area thrives with native Alabama plants, many of which Harris has transplanted from the wild. Cucumber tree — a large-leafed magnolia — is so named because its seedpods, when green, resemble cucumbers. Harris also went out in the woods to collect oakleaf hydrangeas, one of his favorites. “Alabama has more oakleaf hydrangeas in more areas than any other state,” he said. This year, for the first time, Harris is try-
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ing his hand at propagating plants. Flats and pots of seedlings — including 100 Japanese maples — line both sides of a stretch of garden path. Did he ever think of going into the nursery business? Yes, he said with a laugh, but he decided he’d rather make a living instead. So what is he going to do with all these pots of plants? “Give them away, I guess.” The garden path finally leads to Harris’ tool shed. There’s a hammock here, for when the weather is fine. Other times, Harris will sit under the shelter of the tool shed and watch it rain. Outside the shed is a mound of potting soil — “Super Soil” from Miller Sand and Landscape, which Harris buys by the truckload. In the mound stands a solitary pink plastic flamingo. “I always wanted one of those,” Harris said.
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THe CONSTaNT GarDeNer: CuPCaKeS fOr CrITTerS
Cupcakes for Critters in the garden of Millie and Braxton Harris’ home raised money to support S.A.V.E. (Saving Animals Volunteer Effort), an organization dedicated to reducing the population of stray and abandoned dogs and cats through support of spay and neuter programs. — Photos by Shannon Tucker
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THE SOUTHERN GARDENER
Summer is the time for Oriental and asiatic lilies to show off
Lily-palooza story and photographs by shErry blanton
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ThE SOuThERN GARDENER
W
hen some think of the traditional Southern summer garden, visions of blue hydrangea blossoms, fragrant gardenias or colorful roses come to mind. For me, however, warm days mean it is time for the lilies to shine with their amazing blooms in shades of red, pink or white — often with a scent that rivals the gardenia.
A glance at a garden catalog will show the huge choices in lilies; my two favorites are the Oriental and the Asiatic hybrid lilies, both associated with elaborate floral arrangements and bouquets. Although they look very exotic and delicate, they are an easy addition to any landscape. Both the Asiatic and the Oriental lilies have spectacular blooms. Asiatic lilies bloom earlier in the season; they have shorter stems (but still can reach several feet in height) and tend to be less particular about their growing conditions. The Oriental lily can reach 5 feet or more. The blooms of the Asiatic lily do not have the heavenly scent of the Oriental lily. Neither requires a lot of space, but, like human royalty, they make certain demands to thrive. When those demands are met, the gardener will be rewarded over and over for years to come. Lilies are bulbs. So buy quality bulbs — of good size, health and condition. Lily bulbs can be planted in late fall or early spring. In the late spring, they can also be purchased in pots already in bloom. I have seen magnificent pots in local garden centers. Regardless of whether you start your lily from bulbs or buy a pot of them already in bloom, both the Asiatic and the Oriental lily need about six hours of direct sun, but they prefer some relief from the hot afternoon sun. The phrase, “feet in the shade and faces in the sun” describes the best planting conditions. Lilies like their roots to be kept cool, so planting them among other perennials and shrubs works well. An Oriental lily came straight through the foliage of a Japanese maple in my
garden to bloom. Although Oriental lilies are fussier about their growing conditions than the Asiatic, both must have excellent drainage with good fertile soil. Amending their home with lots of organic matter is essential. Once you have added the amendments, turn over the soil and mix in well. The bulbs can be planted deep (up to 8 inches), which provides protection from marauding squirrels. Lilies do not want to grow in a place where water stands, but they require moisture and will pout if the bulb is allowed to dry out, even when not in bloom. Oriental lilies can get so tall that planting them in a very windy place will lead to disaster; a downpour or a heavy wind can leave them broken and bent. Staking an Oriental lily is a must; the Asiatic lily may not require staking unless it gets too tall and wobbly. After the bloom has faded, snap off the seed pod but — very important — leave the stem and leaves. When they have withered and turned yellow, they can be removed. Mulch your plant and let it rest over the winter. It is a good idea to mark it so the bulb can spend its winter undisturbed. If you do not have a spot to put a lily in the ground, it makes a good container plant. Lilies are an absolutely glorious addition to a garden; their charm and beauty will make the gardener smile. Sherry Blanton is a member of the Calhoun County Master Gardeners Association. She writes for the blog “Gardening Goings On” at AnnistonStar.com.
aSIaTIC Or OrIeNTaL?
Perennial bulbs such as this asiatic lily can fit into any garden; with the right growing conditions, these lilies will be with you for years. The little dots on the blooms are reminiscent of freckles.
‘Lollipop’ asiatic lily has a beautiful white face tipped with hot pink edges and is the first of the lilies to bloom in my garden. Who couldn’t love a plant named Lollipop?
The ‘Star Gazer’ is the queen of the Oriental lilies. When picked for arrangements, be sure to remove the anthers holding the pollen, as it will stain anything it touches a mustard yellow that can be almost impossible to remove.
This Oriental lily, ‘Casa Blanca,’ should be the star of a night garden. Its brilliant white blooms and heavenly scent will light up any landscape, even in the evening.
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W MEMORIAL 21
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tour No. 1
Northeast alabama
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back roads, then and now
Retracing routes from the 1941 wPA guidebook to Alabama by harvEy h. jackson photographs by stEphEn gross, bill Wilson and kEn Elkins
Though originally published in 1941, the WPa book can still serve as a guide to those wishing to explore alabams’s roads less traveled.
Bill Wilson
GuIDe TO THe DeeP SOuTH:
tour No. 1
Northeast alabama
T
oward the end of the 1930s, New Deal efforts to combat the Great Depression led to a host of job-creating programs. Among the more popular was highway construction; as the federal dollars came down from Washington, D.C., Northeast Alabama sought and got its share. To highlight the success of this effort — and also to put writers to work — the Federal Writers Project was given the task of creating guide books to each state. These books would include tours that would take travelers along the highways and byways of each region, so they could enjoy the beauty of the land, learn its history and see the progress being made. Some critics took issue with spending money on writers, but Harry Hopkins, the program’s director, silenced most of them with, “Hell, they’ve got to eat just like other people.” The books that these writers produced silenced the rest. Alabama: A Guide to the Deep South was published in 1941 and republished in 2000 by the University of Alabama Press. With a little effort, it can still serve as a guide for anyone who would like to motor around the state. Though new roads have been built since then, the old roads are still there, and in Northeast Alabama travelers who forgo the interstates and four-lanes can enjoy many of the sights and most of the communities that were there over 60 years ago.
vallEy hEad Enter the region from Georgia on U.S. 11 and you will wind your way through Wills Valley. Just as the Guide describes, the route is still “cradled” between mountains that are “heavily wooded with oaks, tulip trees and dogwood,” while lower down along the creek, “mountain laurel, azalea and rhododendron form a tangle of undergrowth.” There were few communities then and fewer now, for what commerce existed, mostly crossroad stores, has long since moved to interstate exits, leaving behind little to distract the traveler. Detour on State Road (S.R.) 117, which was only “graded and graveled” back then, and you soon find yourself in Valley Head, where the Guide-highlighted Winston House, built in 1836, is now a bedand-breakfast inn called Winston Place, which the hosts tout as being well located between Birmingham, Chattanooga and Atlanta. That convenient location was important for another reason, for it put Valley Head and the surrounding area right in the center of the “moonshine triangle.” Back in the 1930s, the Guide explained, though “Reformation hymns rock the walls of desolate little valley meeting houses,” in dry DeKalb County, “many a family has its still” where they run off “corn likker that’s ‘smooth as a breeze goin’ down.’” Folks
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Edwardsville made enough for themselves and a little extra to sell in the big cities on each point of the triangle. Today, though the county remains dry, two communities sell alcohol legally, so make-your-own is becoming a lost art.
mEntonE Then it is on up the mountain to Mentone, which had “long been a popular summer resort” —much as it is today — and in the 1930s was also “a small summer
collinsvillE
Weiss Lake
Winston Place colony of artists and writers.” As a side trip, the Guide recommended driving down from Mentone to Little River, where for 50 cents you could take a boat trip downstream “past solid masses of magenta rhododendron and mountain laurel.” Spring
and summer were considered the best times to see the outdoors, though today Mentone, with expanded accommodations for visitors, has year-round activities going on. The Guide did not recommend a side trip like the one taken by Birmingham newspaperwoman Myrtle Miles, who was chosen to direct the project. Seeking out writers, she made a trip to Mentone in search of Covington Hall, who was one of the better known radicals in the South. To seek him out in his isolated cabin, she hired a “native” to show her the way through what she described as “a mountain jungle as thick as may be found in Alabama,” and then through “cornfields and winding paths that led through brooks and brush that left one wondering at times whether I would ever get back.” The trip proved successful. She found Hall, hired him and safely returned. Following the Guide off the mountain, a left turn on a graded, gravel road took you to River Park and Desoto State Park, then on to Fort Payne, which today is usually associated with the band Alabama but in the 1930s was attracting the mills that would eventually make it the “Sock Capital of the World.” Although foreign competition has closed most of the mills, Fort Payne is still a lovely town and a great base for exploring Little River Canyon National Preserve.
Back on U. S. 11 and heading south, you reach Collinsville. Time your trip to get there on Saturday for Trade Day, which is widely regarded as one of the preeminent outdoor markets in a region that has its share. There you can find anything from antiques to junk. Even if you don’t find a treasure, you can have a good time looking while you munch a hand-dipped corndog that aficionados declare to be the best. As evidence of a diversity that was not there when the Guide was written, you can also get surprisingly good Mexican food. Time your visit to coincide with leafwatching the second weekend in October, and you might find yourself in the middle of the Collinsville Turkey Trot, which celebrated its 100th anniversary last year. According to the Guide, to wrap up “the biggest trade day of the year,” locals would take “choice turkeys and guineas” to the roof of the town’s tallest building and “set them one by one on a gangplank,” whereupon they were forced to walk to the end to be “shooed off by the master of ceremonies.” Down below there was “a mad scramble among the crowd [as] spectators attempted to calculate the fowl’s probable landing,” for whoever caught a bird got to keep it. A few years ago, protests from animal rights advocates brought an end to the plank-walking. However, you can still win a turkey (frozen) if you catch one of the bird Beanie Babies that are thrown instead. You can also try to catch a greased pig, ride a mechanical bull or just enjoy watching, shopping and eating.
lEEsbUrg From Collinsville you could drive on down to Attalla and Gadsden. The Guide did not recommend one route over another, but rather laid out the best roads and told readers what they would find if they followed them. Today, if you want to get off the beaten track, take S.R. 68 to Leesburg and then on to Centre. The land you pass through is much different than it was in 1941. After Alabama Power Company built Weiss Dam across the Coosa River, upscale houses began to replace what the Guide described as “the almost primitive homes of mountain farmers.” Today, Leesburg claims to offer everything from “lakeside living and breathtaking mountains to the benefits of small town life.” The people who recently retreat there remain “isolationist by nature,” just as the “pioneers who arrived even before the
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tour No. 1
Northeast alabama
Indians departed.” However, thanks to better roads and cars, they have not lost touch with the larger cities they came to the lake to escape. Modernization has not diminished the beauty of the countryside, but no longer is the Leesburg area populated by farmers who (according to the Guide) were content to “stay at home, tending their fields, hunting, or at worst doing a little ‘moonshining.’” Gone too are most of the “traces of Elizabethan speech . . . folk customs, superstitions, and music [that bore] the stamp of old England” threequarters of a century ago.
piEdmont to FrUithUrst Outside of Centre, turn south on S.R. 9, and follow it through Piedmont and into the Choccolocco Valley, one of the most beautiful drives in the region and one which has not lost its small farmcrossroads store character. S.R. 9 deadends into U. S. 78. Turn left (east) and you pass through parts of the Talladega National Forest. This was once the gold mining center of the state, and commerce was conducted on the “pinch” basis — a “pinch” of gold dust, held between the thumb and finger, would buy you a drink of whiskey. When richer deposits were discovered farther west, the prospectors moved on; however, when the price of gold spiked in the late 1930s, a new wave came in. But the gold was low-grade, and the brief boomlet ended almost as quickly as it began. Next you reach Heflin, the current county seat of Cleburne, then east through Edwardsville, a former county seat and a wild and woolly town during gold rush days. By 1941 it was almost deserted. A little further east is Fruithurst, where late in the 19th century Scandinavian and
Josh Laminack at Laminack Vineyard
46 LIVING Summer 2013
A 1939 Alabama highway map illustrates the state’s scenic attractions. Polish immigrants, backed by northern money, attempted to raise fruit, especially grapes, which would be turned into wine. The enterprise was not profitable; the two wineries burned and finally state prohibition ended the effort. Recently a new winery opened — the Fruithurst Winery Co. — and the folks of Fruithurst have set out to try again. From Fruithurst, drive east through Muscadine, named for the grapes that grow there, at which point you will pass out of the eastern portion of Northeast Alabama. The drive has taken you through a region much changed since the Guide was written, and yet one where there remains a landscape, towns and even people that the writers of the Guide would recognize. The present overlays a still visible past, and that makes the trip worthwhile. Harvey H. Jackson will pick up his WPA guidebook and explore another region of Alabama in the fall issue of Northeast Alabama Living.
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EAt thE hEAt
We dare you to try a sampling of calhoun county’s spiciest dishes
by patrick mccrElEss photographs by trEnt pEnny, bill Wilson, stEphEn gross and coUrtnEy daviEs
Well, I’m still alive. As a long-time connoisseur of all things spicy, I jumped at the chance to sample five of the hottest foods in Calhoun County. I failed to take into account, however, the abuse my body was about to endure. Don’t get me wrong; everything I ate was quite tasty. Also, I am a veteran when it comes to spicy food. Still, no man should eat foods of such raw, nearly radioactive levels of heat more than twice a week, and certainly not twice in one day, as I unfortunately did. I maintained enough mental and physical fortitude to develop a heat scale for what I ate, with level 1 being “barely noticeable” to level 5 being “nuclear apocalypse.” So gentle reader, if you have no constitution for spicy food, I suggest you quickly turn the page. But, if you think you can handle a barrage of flavor bombs to the face, read on.
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STATE OF ALABAMA DCNR-STA 315858
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EAt thE hEAt
thai onE on panang curry. spice level: 4.5 (supernatural heat)
Sam Sutchaleo prepares Panang Curry at Thai One On in Anniston.
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Thai food is known for its spicy kick, and Thai One On in Anniston is no exception. The restaurant offers a wide selection of authentic Thai dishes, some spicy and some not. You can choose the level of spice you want, from 1 to 5, with 5 being insanely hot. I ordered my favorite Thai dish, panang curry, which starts off at spice level 3. While that sounds like middle-ofthe-road spice, trust me, it is not. Within just a few bites, your body starts to sweat and the roof of your mouth feels like it might fall off. It’s incredible. The dish is served with white rice and green and red peppers with a choice of chicken or beef. Sam Sutchaleo, owner of Thai One On, said he uses his own blend of curry and spice sauce and coconut milk to make his panang curry. “It’s not just a curry paste that comes out of a jar,” Sutchaleo said. “And we can add more pepper to the curry to make it more spicy.” Thai One On: 911 Noble St., Anniston, 256-770-7256
EAt thE hEAt rocco’s sandbagin at canE crEEk tex-mex burger. spice level: 5 (nuclear apocalypse) Inside McClellan at the Cane Creek Golf Course, Rocco’s restaurant offers a solid selection of Tex-Mex and American dishes. You might also get to hobnob with some local bigwigs while you’re there, if you are into that sort of thing. On the menu, in big bold red letters, is a warning that the TexMex burger is “EXXXXTREMELY HOT.” In reality, there are no words in the English language to truly describe the power of this burger. At first glance, it looks like a typical burger with all the standard toppings, including cheese. But look closer and there are several jalapeno peppers. But those are nothing. Simple child’s play. The real danger comes from the far stronger habanero peppers on top. “Habaneros are about 1,000 times hotter than jalapenos,” said Rocco Gomez, general manager of Rocco’s. “Some people play games to try to eat it, but one out of 20 can eat the burger.” One bite for me and I was done. Yes, it tasted amazing. But within seconds after the bite, the fiery heat hit my mouth in full force. A persistent heat radiated in my chest as if I had bitten off a piece of plutonium. Not only that, but I lost most of the feeling in my lips for about 45 minutes. The burger is not for mere mortals. Rocco’s Sandbagin at Cane Creek. 2247 Galloway Gate Road, Anniston, 256-820-9315
Rocco Gomez shows off his Tex-Mex burger.
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EAt thE hEAt strUts
Struts cook Toby Cray
ass-kickin’ wings. spice level: 3.5 (deliciously spicy) I have never been a wings fan, since I find eating around the small bones somewhat tedious. As such, I had never had Struts’ Ass-kickin’ wings. They turned out to be worth the trouble. The wings were cooked perfectly and the meat was juicy and tender. The Ass-kickin’ sauce was also quite flavorful, but not overly spicy. At least, not for me. I only had a couple and barely broke a sweat. However, I could tell that the wings’ heat is cumulative, meaning the more you eat, the more intense the spiciness will become, so pace yourself if you choose to order them. Ryan Fritts, owner of Struts, said his father came up with the hot sauce for the wings. Fritts said the sauce contains a mixture of Frank’s RedHot sauce and a unique blend of different spices. “The wings, they are our number one item on the menu by far,” Fritts added. Struts: 500 Forney Ave. NW, Jacksonville, 256-782-0106 and 88 Ali Way, Oxford, 256-8358102
cootEr broWn’s rib shack ribs with hot barbecue sauce. spice level: 4 (heaticide) Oh, how I love Cooter Brown’s ribs. So sweet. So succulent. So magical. Sometimes I wonder if they come not from a pig, but rather a mythological beast, like a unicorn or a chimera. Typically, I choose to eat the ribs with the mild sauce. But on occasion, I have had the hot sauce. You don’t really notice the heat at first. It sort of sneaks up on you like a ninja. The heat builds quickly; by the third rib, you are perspiring profusely and your lips are numb. And yet, you can’t stop eating. The ribs won’t allow it. In fact, they demand you finish them. They’re that good. Tim Johnson, who owns Cooter Brown’s with his wife Barbara, said she came up with the rib’s sauce through trial and error. The sauce includes cayenne pepper along with red and white pepper. “We wanted to make it spicy but not make it crazy hot,” Johnson said. “We wanted people to still have some taste buds left.” Cooter Brown’s Rib Shack: 8464 Alabama Highway 204, Jacksonville, 256435-1514
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Cooter Brown’s cook Donnie Monroe flips a rack of ribs on the grill.
EAt thE hEAt Wright dairy copperhead cheese. spice level: 3 (smokin’)
David Lefler with Copperhead cheese at Wright Dairy.
Wright Dairy in Alexandria is a working dairy farm that makes its own cheeses and ice creams. The Copperhead cheese, created just a couple of months ago by owner David Wright, is made with orange habanero peppers. Wright made about 480 pounds of the cheese, 10 percent of which is the habanero. The cheese itself is a whitish cheddar that is rich and creamy like all of Wright’s other cheeses. Marbled among the cheese is the orange habanero, and like the cheese’s namesake, it bites. But although the habanero is what makes Rocco’s Tex-Mex burger so deadly, here it is not as powerful. “The butter fat in the cheese soaks up a lot of the heat and makes it milder,” Wright said. “But it’s still not for the faint of heart.” Indeed, Copperhead is considerably hotter than Wright’s popular and previously hottest cheese, Desert Storm. After a few bites of Copperhead cheese, I was hooked. Something tells me it would be great melted on a burger or a chicken breast. Wright Dairy: 241 Cane Creek Farm Road, Alexandria, 256- 820-1020
ETOWAH COUNTY TOURISM BOA 321705
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From left: Blue Pants Workman, Avondale Streetcar Kolsch and Good People American Pale Ale at Cheaha Brewing Company in Anniston.
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SummER
bREwS
Six craft beers that will help you feel fine by bEn cUnningham photographs by trEnt pEnny
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W
hen the sun sears Alabama in the summer, a cool, crisp beer can provide a few gulps of comfort. A drink may not actually lower the temperature, but if the flavor’s just right it can make you forget how hot you are. The lingering smokiness of porters and stouts probably won’t help, and the exciting hops of an India Pale Ale might just make it feel hotter. Light and refreshing — that’s the ticket. Here are six suggestions to help you cool off this summer. (Availability notes aren’t exhaustive.)
sweetwater road trip
This seasonal offering from Atlanta’s Sweetwater Brewing combines ale fermenting temperatures with lager ingredients — in this case, the Pilsner and Vienna malts common to some of America’s and Europe’s favorite beers. Road Trip is crisp, refreshing and dangerously easy to drink more of. Available in bottles at Publix in Oxford, and by special order at Tyson’s Fine Wines and Things in Anniston.
back 40 peach Wheat Back Forty Beer Company in Gadsden brewed this as a spring seasonal – its first such release — but the response was so overwhelming the company had to brew another batch in June to meet demand. It uses Chilton County peaches — 120 pounds for a 30-barrel batch — making the flavor “peachy without being fruity,” according to a brewery spokesman. Available on tap at the brewery’s taproom, 200 N. Sixth St. in downtown Gadsden.
straight to ale he ain’t hefe Huntsville’s Straight to Ale offers this hefeweizen through the spring and summer. The German style uses wheat along with barley for a lighter malt profile, and the special yeasts that ferment it — which you’ll find floating right in the cloudy, unfiltered beer — give it flavors of banana and clove. Available on tap at Heroes: An American Grille, 8896 McClellan Blvd. in Weaver
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An Avondale Streetcar Kolsch beer is poured from the tap at Cheaha Brewing Company in Anniston.
blue pants Workman
avondale streetcar kolsch
Madison’s Blue Pants Brewery has adapted the “California Common” style to Alabama. Developed in the Golden State’s frontier days when ice was rare, the style used lager yeast to ferment at warmer-than-normal temperatures, more like ale. The result for Blue Pants’ Workman, a seasonal, is a beer with the fruit-like esters of a craft ale and the crisp finish and mouthfeel of a lager. Available on tap locally at the Peerless Grille, 15 W. 10th Street in Anniston, and at Cheaha Brewing Company, 1208 Walnut Ave. in Anniston.
This German style, a light-bodied, lightly hopped ale, is a perfect match for summer — crisp, only slightly bitter and generally low in alcohol. It’s native to the German city of Cologne, an island of pale ale in a nation known for its love of lagers. Birmingham’s Avondale Brewing makes its version of Kolsch year-round, but it’s perfect this time of year. Taking a sip is a bit like biting into a cool, juicy apple. Available on tap at Cheaha Brewing Company, 1208 Walnut Ave. in downtown Anniston.
Need a little
good people american pale ale This version of the standard pale ale from Birmingham’s Good People Brewing resists the tendency toward hyperhopping that is common to many craft brewers. Its malt profile is also relatively light. That all makes for a medium-bodied beer that’s a little more relaxing to sip on a shady porch than craft brewers’ more intense offerings. Available in cans at the Wine Cellar in Anniston, and the Grub Mart in Jacksonville.
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BAKED LIMA BEANS WIth tOMAtOES 4 slices bacon 2 cups lima beans 1 cup canned tomatoes mustard and salt 2 tablespoons chopped green pepper 1 small onion chopped Wash beans. Cover with cold water. Cover. Heat slowly to boiling. Cook slowly until beans are tender. Drain. Save liquid. Pour beans into a well-oiled casserole. Combine tomatoes, green pepper, and onion. Pour over beans. Add sufficient liquid to nearly cover beans. Season to taste. Place bacon slices across the top. Bake in slow oven (350 degrees) about two hours. 8 servings.
GOOD BRUNSWICK StEW
Garfrerick’s Café revives Southern classics from a historic Talladega hotel
A Purefoy feast by Pat kettLes • photographs by bill Wilson
L
ong before Holiday Inn and McDonald’s, the hospitality industry was made up of small mom-and-pop operations. Some offered just a bed for the night, while others approximated full-service hotels complete with air conditioning, private baths and a restaurant where decent meals could be had. Most of these hotels are long-forgotten — bypassed by modern highways. But not Talladega’s Purefoy Hotel. This establishment lives on through the late Eva B. Purefoy and Louise P. McClung’s cookbook of Southern haute cuisine, The Purefoy Hotel Cook Book, first published in 1937. Robert and Eva Purefoy’s first foray into the hospitality industry was in 1916 in Monroeville, where they operated a hotel until 1920. By all accounts, the Purefoys were quite successful. They outgrew their facilities and sought a larger space for their hotel and restaurant, settling on Talladega. They opened their new hotel on May 17, 1920. Their critical acclaim rapidly grew beyond the confines of Talladega. Life magazine ran a feature article on the Purefoy in its Sept. 12, 1949, edition. According to the article, as many as 525 people were served on most Sundays. One guest said a Purefoy supper could put five pounds on in one evening. Guests sat around large tables, where as many as 30 dishes were passed family-style. Hotel guests paid $1.65 for this feast; non-guests paid $2.10. Robert Purefoy died in 1939. Eva Purefoy continued operating the famous hotel until 1944, when she sold to her brother-in-law, Edward T. Hyde, citing poor health. The hotel closed in 1961 and was subsequently torn down. In 1949, Eva Purefoy briefly opened a hotel and restaurant in Anniston. It was called the Noble Inn Hotel (although on the license taken out to run the establishment, Mrs. Purefoy planned to call it The Noble Arms). The Noble Inn was situated near 11th Street and Leighton Avenue, on the site
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1 quart boiling water 1 pint chopped tomatoes 1 hen or 2 small chickens 3 slices bacon 2 onions 6 ears of corn (cut from cob, or 1 can corn) 2 cups rich chicken stock 1 cup bread crumbs (grated fine) 1 teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon brown sugar ½ teaspoon pepper ½ teaspoon white pepper ½ pod red pepper 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce Place the chopped fine onions, the skinned tomatoes and the jointed chicken into a large soup pot. Add the three slices of bacon, which has been cut in small pieces. Add quart of boiling water and let simmer until tender. Remove chicken from the liquid when cool enough to handle. Cut meat from bone into small pieces. Return to kettle, add corn and boil 20 minutes. Add stock, bread crumbs, sugar, salt, peppers and Worcestershire sauce. Serves 10 to 12.
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where Grace Episcopal Church’s parish hall is now located. The building later burned, but the hotel and restaurant had already closed. Rita Springer of Anniston remembers as a young lady dining at the Noble Inn with her mother. She recalls mountains of food served family-style, much like the spread served in Talladega. The Purefoy Hotel Cook Book contains recipes for making one’s own Port wine by mixing a quart of Welch’s grape juice, two pounds of sugar, one package seeded raisins, two quarts cold water and one yeast cake. Instructions say to let this mixture stand for 14 days, stirring twice a week. After 14 days, filter and let stand. A suggestion follows that an additional 30 days is a good length of time for the filtered mixture to stand, although, “The longer the better.” The most charming parts of The Purefoy Hotel Cook Book are the helpful hints on cooking, gardening, sewing and a host of other things for running a household. Did you know that beating a little cornstarch into egg whites along with powdered sugar will prevent a meringue from falling? Or that submerging limp celery in ice water along with a thin slice of Irish potato will perk it right up? Or that, “when you’ve about given up in despair and your cloth fails you, try removing the tarnish between the tines of a silver fork with a pipe cleaner,” or “the white of an egg will remove chewing gum from anything, including hair, without a trace,” or if you “mark your hose with colored embroidery thread, you will never be guilty of wearing mismatched ones again?” The cookbook was written in a more innocent era, when one worried about fallen meringues and mismatched hose more than calories or cholesterol. This year, Dave Garfrerick, of Garfrerick’s Café in Oxford, served dishes from The Purefoy Hotel Cook Book for buffet brunches on Easter and Mother’s Day. Garfrerick’s mother grew up in Talladega and often reminisced about meals enjoyed at the Purefoy. Garfrerick received his copy of the cookbook as a gift from his late mother. Garfrerick’s lunch included a recipe called Beautiful Carrots, which is a simple take on glazed carrots. Purefoy lovingly instructed the cook to handle the carrots with care. Her obvious respect for the food she prepared was inspiring, says Garfrerick. When Purefoy served 30 different dishes to hundreds of dining guests, she was assisted by a small army of cooks and helpers, but her recipes in truth are for simple Southern fare. Here are some select recipes from The Purefoy Hotel Cook Book that have appeared on the buffet at Garfrerick’s. Garfrerick did tweak a few of the recipes by using vegetable oil in lieu of bacon grease, or leaving out sugar in recipes involving corn because today’s corn is much sweeter than corn available to Purefoy. Garfrerick also pleads guilty to adding a bit of garlic to some recipes. Note that these recipes are as published in the cookbook. Modern cooks accustomed to precise measurements might be challenged by the instruction to use an amount of butter that is “hen egg size.”
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Dave Garfrerick holds a plate of Purefoy dishes.
tALLADEGA SPOON BREAD Put on to boil 1 quart sweet milk in double boiler. When it begins to boil stir in rapidly one pint corn meal. Take from the fire and add salt, 1 tablespoon sugar, butter size of egg and, when sufficiently cool, add four well-beaten eggs. Put in a buttered dish or pan and bake to a nice brown. Serve hot with a spoon. Have batter 1 inch thick in pan when cooked.
BEAUtIFUL CARROtS 6 medium size carrots 1 heaping teaspoon sugar 3 level tablespoons butter ½ teaspoon salt Scrape carrots carefully so as not to destroy any of the shape. Rinse and put in a small covered pot (preferably porcelain) with enough hot water to cover them. Cook about an hour and a half, until tender; should cook down very low. Add sugar, butter and salt, let stand for about 15 minutes in the seasonings. Take out carefully and place on a hot platter. Take some of the green foliage and stick in the top of the carrots, a piece about 3 inches long. These are very pretty served on the plate at a course dinner.
StEWED tOMAtOES 1 can tomatoes 1 large onion 2 tablespoons vinegar 2 ⁄3 cup sugar ¾ teaspoon salt Pepper as desired 2 tablespoons of butter Combine ingredients and cook with lid on to tender onions, stew until they are thick.
PUREFOY CREAMED CORN 12 large ears of corn ½ cup bacon drippings 2 tablespoons butter ¼ cup sugar 2 teaspoons salt Cut corn very lightly, then scrape with a dull knife. Put in porcelain-lined vessel with four cups of boiling water and ½ cup bacon drippings. Cook till half done, add butter, sugar and salt. Cook from 30 to 40 minutes over slow heat, stirring constantly to keep from burning.
YELLOW SQUASh CASSEROLE 3 cups squash 2 eggs 1 cup evaporated milk 1 cup grated cheese 2 cups cracker crumbs ¾ stick butter or margarine 1 teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon black pepper 1 cup chopped onion Cook squash until tender before measuring. Drain off water, add butter, salt, pepper and milk. Mix all together, then add beaten eggs, onion, cheese and cracker crumbs. Pour into a greased casserole dish and bake at 375 degrees for about 40 minutes.
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PartY PIX derby day at Longleaf Botanical gardens
Juliette Doster and Twyla
Tammy Doering and Twyla
Kentucky Derby Day, a fundraiser for Longleaf Botanical Gardens, featured mint juleps, derby pie and a hat competition for men and women. — Photos by Shannon Tucker HOW TO SUBMIT PHOTOS Email high-resolution photos and a description of your event to Lisa Davis, ldavis@annistonstar.com. Sarah Cavender, Anniston Mayor Vaughn Stewart, and Cynthia McCarty with Tallaseehatchee Twilight
Lisa Light and Twyla
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Josephine Ayers and Twyla
PartY PIX children’s services beer tasting
Jessica Horn, Stacy Roland, Shannon King
Children’s Services held a Cinco de Mayo Beer Tasting at Anniston Country Club, featuring sample brews from nine regional breweries. Proceeds benefited the Parris Children’s Home for displaced children in Calhoun County. — Photos by Shannon Tucker
SOLD HARRIS MCKAY 321510
Gary Potts pours a cup for Cory McWhorter
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We handle non life-threatening accidents & injuries; physicals for school, employees, & DOT; drug screens; workers comp cases; well woman exams; male exams; and testosterone screenings • Walk-Ins Welcome • No Appointment Necessary • Open 7 Days a Week • Accepting Medicaid, Medicare & all other Major Insurances • X-Rays and Lab on site
Located at 650 Valley Cub Drive, Alexandria, AL (Next to Downey’s Pharmacy in Alexandria)
(256) 848-3443 LIVING Summer 2013
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PartY PIX Foothills camp fundraiser
Jack Kettles and Mike Phillips
A wine and beer tasting at Tyson Fine Wines and Things raised money for Foothills Day Camp, a project of Grace Episcopal Church that seeks to provide a summer camp experience for youth who would not otherwise be able to attend camp. — Photos by Shannon Tucker
Russ Jackson, Regina Page, Kim Wade and Gillian Bond
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Debby Knoll and Linda Zinn decide which beer to sample.
PartY PIX noble street Festival sponsors’ tent
Scenes from the sponsors’ tent at the Noble Street Festival and Sunny King Criterium bicycle races in downtown Anniston. — Photos by Trent Penny
KL BROWN 288725
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www.klbrownfuneralhome.com LIVING Summer 2013
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PartY PIX Bowl for Kids’ sake
Clay Johnson
Michelle King from the AOD Federal Credit Union team
Heather and Parker Shatus
Cathy Penn and teammate Mark Helton
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Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northeast Alabama held its annual “Bowl for Kids Sake” fundraiser at the Anniston Bowling Center. — Photos by Shannon Tucker
PartY PIX edible evening for education
Pat, Wes and Sawyer Brooks
“Edible Evening for Education,” a fundraiser for the Oxford Education Foundation, featured foods and drinks from a variety of area restaurants. — Photos by Shannon Tucker
Riley Holland enjoys her sandwich with Justin Holland.
Cheyenne Rice
David Conrad and his daughter, Raegen, serve lasagna.
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PartY PIX West anniston Foundation gala
The West Anniston Foundation hosted its first annual Scholarship Gala Fundraiser at Classic on Noble. Past and present scholarship recipients shared their stories. Dinner was followed by dancing to the music of T.A.D. of Jazz. — Photos by Shannon Tucker
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PartY PIX Visual arts society membership dinner
The Visual Arts Society’s annual membership meeting included a casual soup supper at the Berman Museum. The VAS supports the arts at Jacksonville State University and the community at large. — Photos by Shannon Tucker HOW TO SUBMIT PHOTOS Email high-resolution photos and a description of your event to Lisa Davis, ldavis@annistonstar.com.
Mary Ann Sampson won a food-themed basket at the dinner.
Members fill bowls with homemade soups.
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Lori Cummings and Leigh Cummings show off their raffle prizes.
JOINT POWERS AUTHORITY 313090
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SOuThERNISmS
bARN AGAIN
Some of the finest examples of the iconic farm building are in our own back yard
B
by harvEy h. jackson
ack in the 1990s, I got involved with a Smithsonian Institution traveling exhibit of photographs of American barns. Since the goal was to encourage folks to save these iconic farm buildings, they called the program “Barn Again.” When I told one of the folks down from Washington that I thought the clever play on “born again” would appeal to evangelical Alabamians, he didn’t know what I was talking about. I decided that it would take too long to explain, so I didn’t. Nevertheless, thanks to the Smithsonian, I was able to go around the state looking at barns. The finest turned out to be in my own back yard. Between my home in Jacksonville and the Tennessee line are some of the biggest and best barns in the state. There are a number of reasons for this, but at the top of the list is climate. Down in South Alabama, it is warm enough to let stock stay out during the winter. But up here, it gets pretty frosty, so the farmers who could, built barns. Like early houses in our region, barns began simply enough. First there was a single room or “crib,” usually made of logs like the farmhouse. Then a second crib was built alongside. The roof was extended from one “crib” to the other, leaving a walk-through like the “dogtrot” so common in frontier dwellings. Later, other cribs could be added, just as rooms were being added to the home. As sawed lumber became more available, the barns got bigger and bigger. A Black Belt planter might announce his prosperity with a columned mansion, but a Northeast Alabama farmer built a big barn to notify neighbors that he was a man of consequence.
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Regional barns became famous for more than their size. Often built close to the roads that paralleled the ridges and mountains, promoters were quick to realize that barns were natural billboards. So they approached farmers and offered free paint jobs – if the painting included advice to travelers to use Martha White SelfRising Flour, chew Bull-of-the-Woods tobacco, drink R. C. Cola or, of course, “See Rock City.” Before Interstate 59 was built, Highway 11 carried travelers from Birmingham to Chattanooga, and along that route advertisers announced the wonders that awaited up on Lookout Mountain. Many are still there. Nearly half of the state’s surviving “See Rock City” barns are along Highway 11 in DeKalb County. Barns are more than agricultural buildings. Historically, they have also been playgrounds for children, places where young folks escaped for romantic trysts and points of reference for people who live far from the farm. Barns have entered Margaret Poplin our vocabulary. Even city folks know what it means when someone asks if you were “raised in a barn.” In some parts of the country, suburbs have spread out into what was once farmland, and barns have fallen victim to the sprawl. Less so in Northeast Alabama, where Smithsonian researchers discovered that most barns did not need to be saved because few had been threatened. They also discovered the feeling among locals that anyone who might want to replace old barns with something new and slick and metal-shiny should be “taken out behind the barn” and taught otherwise. Harvey H. (“Hardy”) Jackson is Eminent Scholar in History at Jacksonville State University and a columnist and editorial writer for The Anniston Star.
OUR COMMUNITY Benefits
More Than $25 Million In Employee Wages And BeneďŹ ts $27.7 Million In Uncompensated Care Paid In Excess Of $1.2 Million In Taxes OUR PEOPLE t 321 Associates t 174 Physicians on Medical Staff t 16 Volunteers
OUR FACILITY Invested $10.2 Million for facility and service improvements over the past five years These benefits highlight some of the many ways that Stringfellow Memorial Hospital positively impacts our community. Our associates, physicians and hospital volunteers work hard to provide the highest quality care available to our patients. We are proud to have served Northeast Alabama since 1938.
QUALITY t Chest Pain Accreditation t American Heart Association Get with the Guidelines Silver Award
GIVING BACK t Raised $6,750 in Fundraising in 2011 t Donated $14,061 in Sponsorships in 2011
STRINGFELLOW memorial hospital
301 East 18th St. Anniston, AL 36207 Phone: 256.235.8900 This Hospital is owned or invested in by physicians.
StringfellowMemorial.com
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