The House & Home Magaine: June/July 2019

Priceless

your complete home resource guide and lifestyle magazine Essex • Northern Neck • Middle Peninsula • Gloucester • Richmond • Williamsburg

OKRA A SOUTHERN STAPLE

Elder Lightfoot Solomon Michaux’s Dream FRONT PORCHES | HYDRANGEAS | MANITOU www.thehouseandhomemagazine.com

June/July 2019

An Award-Winning Builder in your Backyard!

THANK YOU for voting us Best of Virginia!

INTRODUCING AN AWARD-WINNING CONCEPT IN “SYSTEMS-BUILT” HOMES Our homes are constructed in a climate controlled environment using state of the art engineering. Virginia Building Solutions uses the same brand name building materials and builds to (or exceeds) the same building code requirements as any “on-site builder.” All VBS homes are shipped to the building site in multiple components, erected and installed onto the site built foundation by our experienced team, and completed by experienced Virginia Building Solutions contractors.

We specialize in custom plans, so bring us YOUR PLAN for a FREE FEASIBILITY REVIEW and estimate. The VBS Difference is that not only do we provide the building structure, VBS will complete the entire project from excavation to landscaping, build your porches, decks, garages, sunrooms and more, TURN KEY.

www.BestVaBuilder.com Toll Free: 855-870-HOME New Design and Model Home Center Toll Free: (855) 870-4663 (HOME) Email: info@vabuildingsolutions.com

3

Powhatan

Rocky Mount

2

Tappahannock 1 4

Williamsburg

“We are committed to providing a quality home and superior building system at a fraction of the time and cost”

VALUE 2

STYLE

ELEGANCE

June/July 2019

The House & Home Magazine

3

The House & Home Magazine

7

PUBLISHER James L. Blanks EDITOR Janet Evans Hinman CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Bob Cerullo Janet Evans Hinman Rebekah Madren Jackie Nunnery Linda Landreth Phelps Dianne Saison Deb Weissler ART DIRECTOR/DESIGNER Kirstin Canough ADVERTISING EXECUTIVES James L. Blanks: 804-929-1797 Hilton Snowdon: 804-384-6986 JLB Publishing, Inc. P. O. Box 2564 • Tappahannock, VA 22560 Office: 804-929-1797 • Fax: 1-888-747-2267 thehouseandhomemag@gmail.com

The House & Home Magazine is a free, four-color publication that specializes in providing home ideas, real estate, and lifestyle articles.

No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form without written permission from JLB Publishing, Inc. The information contained herein are opinions of sources and interviews.

JLB Publishing Inc. claims no reliability or accuracy to any information contained within. The House & Home Magazine is published for reference purposes only and is not materially responsible for errors.

The House & Home Magazine is published bimonthly and is distributed at over 500 locations throughout Essex, Northern Neck, Middle Peninsula, Gloucester, Richmond, and Mechanicsville as well as subscriptions, direct mail, and trade shows.

8

June/July 2019

Contents

The House & Home Magazine • June/July 2019

14 Ninth Annual Derby Day

18 Northern Neck Burger Sharing the Neck’s best burgers with the rest of America

20 Fish Tale

The Atlantic Sturgeon

24 Hydrangeas A history

30 The River is Calling You

32 Come Sit a Spell

The Southern charm and tradition of front porch living

36 Judging History The remarkable Richmond County Courthouse

42 Elder Lightfoot

Solomon Michaux’s Dream

www.thehouseandhomemagazine.com

48 Support for

Haven’s Sake Helping children heal, creating healthier adults

52 Treat Yourself to the Delicacy of Kings

58 Cooking is Science Study up!

66 Okra

Embracing the goodness and the goo

70 Become a Culinary

Master with our Apprentice Program

72 Manitou 79 Fine Properties 90 Gloucester Woman’s Club Caretakers of local history

94 Volunteers Make a Difference

At Riverside Tappahannock Hospital

The House & Home Magazine

9

10

June/July 2019

Northern Neck Satellite Services LLC Bringing quality Internet, Television, Home Automation and Home Security services to The Northern Neck & Middle Peninsula Since 2012 Visit our showroom @ 644A N. Main St, Kilmarnock, VA 22482 Call 804-450-4851 or on the web @ www.NNSSLLC.com

The House & Home Magazine

11

12

June/July 2019

The House & Home Magazine

13

NINTH ANNUAL

14

Derby Day

June/July 2019

Presented by

THANK YOU FOR MAKING THE NINTH ANNUAL “WINE & RUN FOR THE ROSES” WINE AUCTION AT THE MUSCARELLE MUSEUM OF ART A HUGE SUCCESS

W

ine & Run for the Roses is the largest fundraising event for the Muscarelle Museum of Art Foundation and a reminder of the invaluable role our members’ generous support plays in the continued growth and accomplishments of the Museum. Over the nine years of the auction, we have raised nearly three million dollars to support the Museum’s exhibitions, programming, and student internship program.

Our success is a reflection of the initiative, time, and passion of our supporters to whom we owe many thanks. Special thanks to all of our sponsors, especially our Presenting Sponsors MCV Foundation and VCU Health. We look forward to seeing you again next year for our Tenth Annual Wine & Run for the Roses wine auction on May 2, 2020!

In the meantime, we hope you will join us for the exhibitions, lectures, and events that your generosity makes possible.

For more information about the event and the Muscarelle Museum of Art, please visit muscarelle.org.

ABOUT THE MUSCARELLE MUSEUM OF ART The Muscarelle Museum of Art is located at 603 Jamestown Road on the campus of William & Mary in Williamsburg, VA. For more information, call 757-221-2700 or visit muscarelle.org. The Museum is open from 10:00 am until 5:00 pm Tuesday through Friday.

The House & Home Magazine

15

16

June/July 2019

The House & Home Magazine

17

NORTHERN NECK BURGER

Sharing the Neck ’s

By Jackie Nunnery

best burgers

W

ith its unique take on a classic menu, NN Burger has quickly become a regional favorite, racking up reader’s choice “best burger” awards for six years running. Setting off their hand-crafted burgers, Twister chips, and shakes is an equally unique atmosphere, which is both welcoming and engaging to all. However, this local favorite might not be ours alone for much longer. The folks at NN Burger are taking this “eatertainment” show on the road, offering franchise opportunities in all 50 states so you can get a taste of home the next time you’re out of town.

CRAFTED IN THE NORTHERN NECK Plato once said that necessity is the mother of invention. For Jay Wolfson, co-founder of NN Burger along with his cousin, Steven Sponder, the birth of their unique burger joint came out of one of Jay’s many family trips to the Northern Neck. Wolfson wanted a casual, craft burger and beer experience that adults would love right along with kid-friendly menu and surroundings. Realizing 18

with the rest of America

the opportunity, Wolfson and Sponder opened their first location in Kilmarnock back in 2013 and followed up with the flagship Tappahannock location in 2015.

SPECIALLY CRAFTED BURGERS AND MORE You simply can’t have burger in your name and not get that part right. They start off with fresh, high-quality meat, a proprietary burger blend from Schweid & Sons, one of the top producers in the country. What goes with the patties is where the NN Burger magic happens. The Sunrise Burger, topped with a fried egg, bacon, and a hash brown is a meal unto itself. The new Top Notch Burger, made with 1/2 pound of 100% wagyu beef for an ultra-juicy, almost buttery tasting burger, is topped with black peppered bacon jam, portobello mushrooms, aged swiss cheese, and roasted garlic truffle aioli. All this burger decadence is sandwiched between fresh-baked brioche buns. Definitely not your typical burger ingredients.

If you’re going to have burgers, then you need to have sides, and NN Burger treats them in the same over-the-top fashion. They’ve improved on one of the local favorites— twister chips—which are fried, ribbon cut potatoes, by adding a topping of black truffle oil, parmesan-reggiano, and roasted garlic truffle aioli.

June/July 2019

As a family-friendly concept, your menu has to have wide appeal. So, in addition to customizing your own burgers, there are Harvest Veggie Burgers, salads, and a kids’ menu, too.

Adults can wash all this down with a selection of beer, wine or mason jar cocktails. And in true NN Burger fashion, the draft beer comes with a frozen head. Almost like a beer slushy, the frozen beer foam is placed on top of the beer, keeping it cooler longer. Perfect for those warm evenings outside.

In addition to being voted “best burger,” NN Burger also has the distinction of “best desserts.” Kids (or the kid in us) can munch on sweet potato tots with marshmallow dipping sauce or enjoy one of 13 different hand-spun shakes. And if that’s not enough, there are the jaw-dropping Freakshakes. Aptly named, they are topped with a donut, whipped cream, sprinkles, and fun lollipops because…why not?

MAGICAL, MUSICAL EXPERIENCE That they would occasionally add sparklers to their shakes is part of the strategy and charm of NN Burgers. “Eatertainment” is not just about the food, it’s about the experience as well, and that starts before you even take a bite.

Your mama always told you to wash up before eating, and the automated handwashing station right in the dining area gets it done—washed and dried--in a fun,10 seconds flat. It’s also perfect for a quick clean-up after diving into those juicy burgers.

Now that the summer is in full swing, the dog-friendly patio means that even four-footed members of the family are welcome to join the family. Bowls of fresh water are always available and dog treats can be purchased inside. Whether you choose to feed your furry family member from the table, is up to you.

Socializing is a large part of the NN Burger experience, which is why so many sports teams make a visit to the eatery a part of their post-game plans (the 10% discount is pretty nice, too!) While they’ve always had customers posting pics, they now have a roaming photo booth, which allows people to take photos with a custom frame to post directly on to social media.

Not digitally inclined? Live every day from the NN Stage, the region’s best acoustic singer/songwriters perform, so you can kick back and enjoy before, during or after your meal. And on weekends there’s a roaming magician that performs magic right at your table. No matter how you choose to build your burger experience, it’s all designed to bring everyone at the table together.

SPREADING SOME COMMUNITY LOVE NN Burger has been generous about giving back to the community that has been a big part of their success. Their 365 Days of Giving program chooses a charity for every month. Each Sunday, $1 from every sale of their shakes and Freakshakes goes to that charity. Proceed Nights also allows area groups and charities to crowdfund through food.

Supporters come to the restaurant, pay for a wonderful meal and NN Burger gives the group 100% of the proceeds from the event. Everybody wins.

If you’ve never tried NN Burger before, you should definitely check out what your neighbors have been enjoying, and what you’ve been missing. And if it’s been a while, with so many changes it’s definitely time for a refresher course. You’ll be welcome. H The House & Home Magazine

19

Fish Tale

The Atlantic Sturgeon

By Deb Weissler

“We had more sturgeon than could be devoured by dog and man, of which the industrious by drying and pounding, mingled with caviar, sorrel, and other wholesome herbs, would make bread and good meat.”

STURGEON IN THE NEW WORLD Jamestown Rediscovery archaeologists have discovered that the early colonists took quick advantage of the tasty fish that was plentiful in the James River from May until October, when the anadromous fish would travel from the sea to the fresh waters of the fall line near Richmond to spawn.

Colonists recognized the species so similar to one that had already been so overfished in the Thames River that only the King could legally partake of its meat and roe. Here was a financial windfall free for the taking.

Archaeologists have since unearthed tens of thousands of sturgeon scutes (bony plates which line the bodies of sturgeon in five rows) in James Fort; proof that the large fish was a key 20

– CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH, 1609

source of food for the struggling colony. Some have called the Atlantic sturgeon “the fish that saved Jamestown” during the starving time of 1609, as it was one reliable food source that kept them all from dying.

As the colony eventually thrived, the settlers looked for a way to export this abundant commodity back to England, where its firm, sweet meat and abundant roe could make them rich. Trying various methods, including pickling and smoking, the settlers were unable to keep the fish edible during the threeto- four month journey back to England.

As the centuries advanced and technology improved, smoked sturgeon became a valuable commodity as the fish was shipped all around the eastern part of the country. From 1860 to 1900, unsustainable commercial fishing and the construction of dams in various rivers that restricted the spring and fall spawns proved nearly fatal. By 1920, there was simply not enough sturgeon left to support it, and the fishery collapsed.

June/July 2019

“Caviar was one of the reasons for the collapse,” explains Dr. Eric J. Hilton, Professor of Marine Science and Curator, VIMS Ichthyology Collection. “Caviar was one of the targeted commodities the Jamestown settlers thought they could base the new settlement on economically.

The rivers were thick with sturgeon but of course they could not get it back to England in a preserved state. Atlantic sturgeon have the fatal combination of being big and tasty, which immediately attracted commercial fishing for more than 200 years.”

Eventually coastwide moratoriums would follow. In 1925 Virginia banned all sturgeon harvesting of fish less than four feet long. When numbers failed to recover, a sturgeon harvest moratorium was issued in 1974 for all Virginia waters, both fresh and salt waters. Yet sturgeon numbers continued to decline, and by the early 1990s experts believed the Chesapeake Bay population of Atlantic sturgeon had been extirpated. The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission moratorium for Atlantic sturgeon in all US waters began in 1998. It seemed a sad ending for a once mighty fish.

STURGEON MORPHOLOGY The Atlantic sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus) is one of 25 species of sturgeon found worldwide today. With a long fossil record dating back to the Late Cretaceous, its distinctive scutes, skull bones, and pectoral fin spines indicate this robust fish has existed since the time of the dinosaurs.

In the necropsy lab of the VIMS Nunnally Ichthyology Collection, a lone juvenile sturgeon shares a coffin with an immature Great white shark and a sailfish.

Unfortunate casualties of watermen’s nets, their bodies have been rendered immortal, submerged in 140 proof ethanol alcohol.

A small piece of tissue has been extracted from one fin. Inside the fin, a series of rings much like tree rings can be used to determine the fish’s age. Its pit rosettes are filled with millions of electrical receptors and its four whiskerlike barbels provide proof that the sturgeon is a benthic or bottom feeder; its vacuum-like mouth suctioning up aquatic insects, clams, crustaceans, shrimp, mollusks, and some small fishes.

Very young sturgeon are born with The House & Home Magazine

mouths that project forward, studded with rows of extremely sharp teeth. When they are approximately two months old, they go through a remarkable transformation.

Their forward-facing mouth and teeth disappear as their jaws rotate downward to form a ventral mouth designed for bottom feeding.

It has a brown, tan, or bluish-black body with a whitish belly. Instead of scales, it is lined with five rows of bone plates that cover its head and body; one row along the back, one on either side and two along the belly. These bony plates provide impressive armor that discourage most predators. Males can

weigh up to 90 pounds and females up to 160 pounds. The largest known specimen was a 14-foot-long female caught in News Brunswick, Canada.

Sturgeon grow slowly but “they are also long-lived,” Hilton points out. “The Atlantic sturgeon can live upwards of 60 to 70 years and, typical of long-lived species, they don’t reproduce often. Males and females mature relatively late in life, so females may not sexually mature until they are ten years old or more, males a little bit younger. Males may return to the rivers to spawn every year or two; females may not return for up to five years between spawns. If they are ten when 21

they begin reproducing and only return every five years or so, a female may only reproduce ten times during their lifespan.”

Females can lay up to two million eggs, that stick to the rocky substrate of the river bottom. Once hatched, juvenile sturgeon stay in their natal river for about two years, slowly moving downstream before moving into the Chesapeake

22

Bay and eventually into the ocean’s open waters where they become coastal wanderers.

Scientists at VIMS, VCU, and other marine research groups have installed acoustic receivers in rivers that historically have supported Atlantic sturgeon. Live sturgeon have been surgically implanted with tags that are picked up by the receivers when the fishes

pass close by. It is this data that is raising hopes that the endangered fish is staging a comeback.

A bumper crop of juvenile sturgeon was detected in the James River this past fall. At the time, VCU Rice Rivers Center scientist Dr. Mathew Balazik found the data exciting but too early to proclaim that a sustainable recovery was taking place. The spring trawl counts have changed his mind.

“I am more positive. We are still continuing to catch sturgeon in good numbers and the young fish have made it through their first winter, which is a stressful time, so I am optimistic.”

Although Balazik’s work focuses on Atlantic sturgeon in the James River, he also monitors adult sturgeon in the Rappahannock. The removal of the Embrey Dam in 2004 near Fredericksburg has contributed to the sturgeons’ return to the Rappahannock as well.

“We can assume if their numbers are coming back in the James, we assume they will be recovering in the other Virginia rivers as well.” In fact, according to Dr. Hilton, sturgeon have been gillnetted as far north as the Pamunkey River that feeds the York River.

The Atlantic sturgeon population is composed of five distinct population segments: Gulf of Maine, New York Bight, Chesapeake Bay, Carolina, and South Atlantic. The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission manages this species, which continues to be declared depleted along the entire Atlantic coast. The term “depleted” is June/July 2019

used in lieu of “overfished” because other factors contribute to the sturgeon’s low numbers, including habitat disruption and loss, ship strikes, by-catches, and climate changes. It is believed that breeding populations still exist in at least 22 coastal rivers from Maine to Georgia and several more in Canada.

Due to water temperatures and other environmental factors that affect a fish’s metabolism, sturgeon in southern rivers reach sexual maturity earlier than those spawning up north, but don’t live as long.

It has been noted that in the Chesapeake region, there are two distinct populations among Atlantic sturgeon. One group spawns in early May while the other spawns in mid-September.

This mechanism appears genetically ingrained. In the fall, sturgeon experience a fast growth rate. In southern rivers, sturgeon can therefore reach a fair size before hunkering down for winter.

Come spring when the rivers warm, the young sturgeon are primed to feed on emerging food sources. Conversely, the spring spawn numbers are lower, perhaps an evolutionary mechanism from centuries past when the group was likely overfished. They also have an opportunity for a longer growth period over the warm weather months. Scientists are still attempting to understand the variables.

With the sturgeon fishing moratorium, there is a small but growing industry for farmed caviar in the US. At the moment, China and Russia lead the world in state-run raising sturgeon for their eggs. Within the last 5 years startup companies in the US are beginning to capitalize on the growing demand for premium caviar. The legal term “caviar” applies to sturgeon roe only; eggs from any other species of fish are just that— fish eggs.

As scientists conduct research on the biology, behavior, and ecology of the Atlantic sturgeon, the results are used to inform management agencies in order to enhance the recovery efforts of this remarkable fish. One funded effort has created new fishing gear configurations that maintain catch rates of targeted species but protect the Atlantic sturgeon.

Watermen working with Virginia Sea Grant are proof testing various apparatus for future applications. Through their efforts, perhaps one day the Atlantic sturgeon will no longer be considered depleted. H The House & Home Magazine

Shortnose sturgeon dorsal scutes. Courtesy of Virginia Institute of Marine Science

23

Hydrangeas A HISTORY

By Rebekah Madren

ALSO CALLED “THE MADONNA” OF FLOWERING SHRUBS, HYDRANGEAS HAVE A REPUTATION OF BEING “THE PERFECT SHRUB” — SHOW-STOPPING BLOOMS, ELEGANT FOLIAGE AND UNDERSTATED BEAUTY.

24

June/July 2019

KNOWN AS “GRANDMOTHER’S OLD-FASHIONED FLOWER,” HYDRANGEAS ARE A STAPLE IN VIRGINIAN LANDSCAPES

W

ho has not spent an evening, drinking sweet tea on Grandma’s porch, enchanted by her silver hair, but mostly … her blue hydrangeas? Known as “Grandmother’s Old-fashioned Flower,” hydrangeas are a staple in Virginian landscapes — and weddings.

But, they are not loved by our grandmas and brides alone.

The modern world is infatuated with hydrangeas; they win global awards and are featured in celebrity weddings. Also called “The Madonna” of flowering shrubs, hydrangeas have a reputation of being “the perfect shrub” — show-stopping blooms, elegant foliage and understated beauty.

No doubt, Virginians have good taste to love a plant that the world worships. Locally, the smooth hydrangea, or Hydrangea arborescens, is popular as a stand-alone plant in gardens. The oakleaf variety, Hydrangea quercifolia, makes a lovely informal hedge. Over an arbor, the climbing hydrangea flourishes, the Hydrangea anomala.

The House & Home Magazine

Additionally, the ever-popular Hydrangea macrophylla makes an unparalleled hedge with its floppy mopheads of blooms.

HYDRANGEAS IN NORTH AMERICA Two well-known hydrangea species, among others, grow wild in North America — the H. aborescens (smooth leaf) and H. quercifolia (oak leaf). Their actual cultivation began in the 1700s. An historic trifecta of our forefathers’ estates is proof: Mount Vernon, Monticello, and Montpelier all cultivated these hydrangeas.

Documents show that in 1792, George Washington planted a native hydrangea, H. arborescens, on the bowling green at Mount Vernon. Nearby, Thomas Jefferson was designing his gardens and walkways at Monticello. He also included these new shrubs. Today, heirloom H. quercifolia seeds may be obtained from the Thomas Jefferson Center for Historic Plants in Monticello.

Both men purchased their seeds and plants from their friend, William Bartram, of Bartram’s Nursery in Philadelphia.

Alexander Hamilton’s home, Montpelier, also benefited from Bartram’s nursery. Creamy white heads of H. arborescens still border Montpelier’s garden wall.

But, who was William Bartram? He was the son of John Bartram, and together, the Bartrams are remembered as perhaps the earliest and greatest American naturalists and botanists. In the 1700s, John and son William explored the American southeast and unspoiled southern Appalachian Mountains, collecting and identifying indigenous plants.

They documented two major native hydrangea specimens.

John first came across H. arborescens (smooth hydrangea) in the 1730s. This plant was described in Gronovius’s work, Flora Virginica, 1739. In 1776, William discovered H. quercifolia, the beautiful oakleaf hydrangea native to Georgia.

These two varieties of native American hydrangeas formed the groundwork for cultivated hydrangeas, which spread across the states. Concurrently, they were delivered in large volumes in the famous “Bartram’s Boxes” to England and Europe.

Interestingly, before the Bartrams supported the cultivation 25

of hydrangeas, Native Americans had long been using wild hydrangeas medicinally. From them, the colonists discovered their roots were useful as painkillers, as well as for kidney, bladder and other ailments.

EASTERN HYDRANGEAS MEET THE WEST Many hydrangeas are believed to have originated in Japan. Hydrangeas have a long, documented history there. They are often mentioned in poems composed during Japan’s Nara Period, 710-794 A.D. Japanese diplomats brought them to Hangzhou, China, during China’s Tang Dynasty, 618-907 A.D. From there, they were carried throughout continental Asia.

Hydrangeas hold a solid role in Japanese culture. The hugely popular Ajisai (hydrangea) festivals are celebrated in the blooming seasons of late spring and summer. Pink hydrangeas are given on the fourth wedding anniversary.

Hydrangea gardens often grace the grounds of sacred Buddhist temples. On April 8, Buddha’s birthday, amacha, or tea from heaven, is enjoyed. Amacha is brewed from leaves of the Hydrangea serrata.

Westerners collided with Japan’s hydrangeas via two adventurers from the Dutch East India company. Englebert Kaempfer (1651-1715) and later, Carl Peter Thunberg (1743-1828), were two physicians in search of new medicinal plants. Before their visit to Japan, the West was unaware of these magnificent ornamentals and their role in Japanese life. For centuries, Japan had not been open to foreigners on the island, for cultural and religious reasons.

But, Carl Peter Thunberg managed to collect two hydrangeas in Japan, on the pretext of foraging for fodder for his goat. He described them as Viburnum macrophyllum and Vibernum serratum.

Thunberg was later credited for the final names given to these most popular hydrangeas, Hydrangea macrophylla and Hydrangea serrata.

An unassuming Englishman brought attention to more Japanese hydrangeas.

Charles Maries 26

June/July 2019

was a hired “plant hunter” sent to China and Japan in the mid 1800s.

His mission was to gather specimens for the famous Veitch Nursery of Exeter, England. He returned with two hydrangeas from Japan — a mophead, H. macrophylla mariessii, which can still be purchased today, and a mountain hydrangea, H. ‘Rosea’.

Unfortunately, Veitch Nursery in Exeter was unimpressed with Maries’ hydrangeas.

These plants were then introduced in Paris, France, in 1901, at the Société d’Horticulture.

The hydrangeas took center stage. With admiration for these plants, French horticulturists began the quest to breed perfect showstopper French hydrangeas. Their success and enthusiasm mushroomed, spreading throughout much of Western Europe, and eventually throughout the world.

MODERN HYDRANGEA FAME Case in point — in 2018, a hydrangea received the coveted Plant of the Year Award at the prestigious Royal Horticulture Society Chelsea Flower Show. Based in the U.K., the Royal Horticulture Society is THE leading gardening charity in the world. They bequeathed a hydrangea called the Runaway Bride Snow White with first place. An H. macrophylla (big leaf hydrangea), this Japanese hybrid can produce six times the number of normal blooms.

Europe boasts two famous hydrangea hot spots. The Shamrock Garden Hydrangea Collection, at Varengeville-surMer in Normandy, France, is the largest collection of its kind in the world. Robert and Corinne Mallet, leading authorities on hydrangeas, have created and maintain this two hectare (five acre) garden as a research, teaching and resource center for hydrangea lovers.

The exotic Azores contain a hydrangea phenomenon. On the lovely Faial Island, thousands of deep blue H. macrophylla (mophead hydrangea) flourish in abundance in July and August. The island is nicknamed the “Blue Island”. Island families lovingly care for these shrubs to perpetuate this living museum.

In 2017, the world learned that fifteen new species of hydrangea were identified in the mountains of South America.

Hydrangea lover Daniel J. Hinkley, a well-known plant hunter and author, revealed this advance. Obviously, the story of hydrangeas continues to expand globally, though for most of us, the hydrangeas in Grandma’s garden hold the most meaning.

HYDRANGEAS 101 Tidewater Virginia is in growing Zone 7 and is a zone that is hydrangea friendly. There are three hydrangea species that are popular in our region. »» Hydrangea macrophylla — These are the “mophead” or “big leaf” variety. They have huge, showy blossoms and many exquisite colors. »» Hydrangea arborescens — One of the native North The House & Home Magazine

27

American species, these are small to medium shrubs that flower in the late spring and summer. They have serrated leaves, and are referred to as the “smooth leaf” variety. »» Hydrangea quercifolia — Another of the native North American plants, these are dubbed the “oakleaf” hydrangea. They are hardy in hot, dry summers and produce large blooms. Their magic also lies in their fall foliage—their leaves turn to red, orange and yellow with the shortening days.

Hydrangeas generally prefer partial shade to full sun. They can be planted anywhere — in pots, as an informal hedge, along foundations and fences, or as stand alones in a flower bed. Shrubs should be spaced three to ten feet apart.

This leaves room for the floppy blossoms to spread.

Hydrangeas have different pruning needs — some are pruned in late winter; others are best pruned after the first flowering. Be sure to check online or with a gardening center to find out when a specific hydrangea should be pruned.

28

June/July 2019

Hydrangeas lose their leaves in the winter, and can look sparse in the garden. Plant evergreens near them to keep the landscape looking cheery during cold months. If a very cold winter is predicted, spread extra mulch to protect the roots.

Hydrangea flowers can change

The House & Home Magazine

color, depending the pH of the soil (white hydrangeas do not change color, however). Alkaline soil will produce pink blooms; acidic soil will produce blue blooms. Soil can be tested for acidity. To make soil more alkaline for pinker blooms, add dolomitic lime to the soil. For bluer flowers, add soil sulfur or

aluminum sulfate. These products can be found at a garden center, complete with directions for use. A free way to make soil acidic is to save coffee grounds and egg shells from the kitchen, and mix them into the soil. This will also give you that hydrangea blue that is unmistakably unique. H

29

The River is Calling You!

Visit all Summer Long!

T

he Rappahannock. For generations, people have been drawn to these waters for work, for play, for sustenance. With 465 miles of shoreline to explore, and eight great picturesque towns waiting to welcome you, you’ll never run out of opportunities to explore the backroads, flow with the tides, or share the bounty of land and water with friends. Summer is here. It’s time to unplug, catch your breath, calm your mind, and live your dreams.

The river is calling, and it’s time to follow.

ONE WITH FLORA, FAUNA, AND FUN As beautiful as the waters of Virginia’s River Realm are to sit back and look at, they also beg you to get up close and experience them.

Whether you like camping, glamping, or something in between, there are campgrounds, cabins and cottages located on the shores throughout the region that will let you connect over a campfire, sleep under the stars, and put you within easy reach of family fun like mini-golf and waterparks.

Then there is Belle Isle State Park, with its mix of tidal wetlands, farmland and upland forests to explore by land and water. With its diversity in ecosystems, many call the park home, including heron, osprey, and bald eagles. You might even spot a white-tailed deer or two and or hear the gobble of wild turkeys on your travels.

If you want to leave the shore behind, Virginia’s River Realm is the place to do it. With 26 marinas dotted along the river to the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay, you have every opportunity to launch an adventure or take a leisurely cruise. With rental options readily available you can set sail, paddle, or motor along. It’s the boating capital of the Chesapeake Bay after all.

30

June/July 2019

UNIQUELY EXPERIENCE THE WATERS As much fun as it is to strike out on your own when in unfamiliar lands, sometimes it’s great to have experienced guides around to share their secrets of the place they call home. When you visit Virginia’s River Realm there are many opportunities to participate in tours or classes that provide insights or skills that are as distinctive as the region.

Whether you’re interested in sportfishing or sightseeing, chartered boat excursions are available that allow you to kick back and let the captains and their crews show you the best spots to catch the big one or see this little gem of Virginia’s coast from a whole new perspective.

For something completely different, you can experience the waters as generations have before with the Waterman Heritage Tour, which uniquely combines the history and ecology of the bay with working watermen as your guides. These captains are the real deal, and you’ll join them on their working vessels for a tour that is part science, part history, part sightseeing, and all enlightening. You’ll walk away from the experience with a whole new appreciation for your seafood.

Nervous about being on the open water? Always dreamed of sailing but don’t know how to haul in a jib sheet? The River Realm is the perfect setting for learning to sail, even if you don’t know fore from aft or port from starboard. Whether on your own or with your crew, you can learn how to captain your own vessel or just feel more comfortable out on the water.

If you don’t want your time on the water to end after sundown, there are opportunities to be lulled to sleep by the gentle waves of the Rappahannock. Charter your own sailboat and leave the roads behind. Travel by water to any number of marinas, dockside dining spots or picturesque waterfront towns for a truly one-of-a-kind B&B experience.

AT THE SOURCE: FOOD DOESN’T GET ANY FRESHER All this exploration can work up an appetite. After a day spent on the water, experience food directly from the source and experiment with the freshest ingredients possible. Meet and support the local farmers and fishermen who stock the area’s thriving farmers markets, seafood markets, and roadside stands. Sample the absolute freshest food the River Realm has to offer — fruits and vegetables, pasture raised meats, and catches of the day — are all available. Then create your own bay or farm to table experience with your fresh finds and gather your family and friends around the table to enjoy the bounty.

What’s great food if not accompanied by great wine? The agriculture of the region also includes vineyards. The topography and water contribute to the area’s unique viticulture and as a result, you’ll find wines as unique as the River Realm’s location on the map. You’ll see familiar wines — Bordeaux-style red blends, Chardonnays, or Merlots — but what makes them stand out are the unusual grapes — Petit Verdot, Viognier, or Cabernet Franc — that make Virginia wines taste like no other. Within the region, there are multiple stops on Virginia’s Chesapeake Bay Wine Trail, so you have ample opportunities to raise a glass to the vintners that are producing wines that are shaking things up.

A MEAL WITH A VIEW Indulge. Your time in Virginia’s River Realm is all about indulging your senses with sights, sounds, and tastes that are out of the The House & Home Magazine

ordinary. A visit to many of the area’s restaurants allows you to combine all three in one setting. You can shuck oysters and pick crabs while lounging next to the waters where they were harvested.

You can feast at a picnic table or dine in a 4-star setting. You can let the talented chefs prepare dishes that highlight the freshest of ingredients. You can enjoy this deliciousness while taking in the natural beauty that is the River Realm’s finishing touch.

FIND YOUR SHORELINE Virginia’s River Realm is waiting for you to make it your own. Get sand between your toes and feel the restorative effects of nature, or stroll down a scenic main street and browse the boutiques to get in some retail therapy. Visit the area’s many museums to hear about the people who’ve made history, or sit back in any one of the town’s parks for a little people watching. Don’t forget your four-legged family members because they’re welcome in the River Realm, too. From restaurants with dog-friendly patios to vineyards that feature dogs, the towns of Virginia’s River Realm are waiting to meet and greet everyone.

Walk, bike or boat. Play or relax, on land or in water, the choice is truly yours. With the miles of shoreline to discover and small-town charms to experience, you can spend all summer exploring. You’re sure to find one that speaks to you, one that says, “You’re home.”

To learn more about the places and people of Virginia’s River Realm and explore suggested itineraries, visit virginiasriverrealm.com.

# theriveriscallingyou

31

Come Sit a Spell

the southern charm and tradition of front porch living

By Jackie Nunnery

32

June/July 2019

P

orch swings, rocking chairs and pitchers of sweet tea. Afternoons on the front porch are as much of a tradition in the South as the hot, humid days that accompany them. And as the days begin to grow warmer and longer, it’s time to reclaim the front porch and get it ready for visiting with company or lazy afternoons napping.

THE HISTORY OF THE FRONT PORCH IS A HISTORY OF AMERICA The popularity of the front porch as a place to commune with nature, friends and family is a particularly American architectural feature and behavior. Understanding how they came to be is a history lesson in American architecture and how we came together as a people.

The United States owes it diverse forms of architecture to the melting pot of immigrants that settled here. We copied from the classical designs of the English, Italian, and Greek, along with many other regional styles brought from homelands.

As time went on and our nation matured, so too, did our interpretation of classic designs, evolving with American tastes and needs.

Our modern idea of the front porch as an outdoor “room,” has only been around since the mid-1800s. Originally, the word and idea of a porch came from the classical Greek portico, an entryway highlighted by a roof and supporting columns. As time went on, architects in the South realized they could take better advantage of the shade and breezes an outdoor roof could provide.

Expanding into deeper, fuller spaces, they shaded the home’s interior and allowed windows to remain open to take advantage of breezes, regardless of weather. As the idea of an outdoor room developed, streets were lined with homes and front porches, and the gathering spaces helped create a feeling of family and community. The era of front porch living was at its height.

The advent of air conditioning, television, and changing tastes in housing and landscape (with an emphasis on backyards and privacy) may have curbed their popularity, but the appeal of the front porch as a gathering place, especially in the South, remains.

THE POPULARITY OF THE FRONT PORCH AS A PLACE TO COMMUNE WITH NATURE, FRIENDS AND FAMILY IS A PARTICULARLY AMERICAN ARCHITECTURAL FEATURE AND BEHAVIOR

WHAT MAKES A PORCH SOUTHERN?

There are a few porch elements that are considered classically Southern, but most of what makes up front porch living in the South is the attitude of hospitality that goes with it — offering a welcoming and comfortable retreat for family and visitors.

A POP OF COLOR OVERHEAD Soft blue ceilings are probably the most distinctive feature of traditional Southern porches. And while it’s a feature that many agree needs to be there, not everyone agrees on why.

For some, the pale blue color is known as “haint blue” because it is believed that the color protects the home and its occupants from being harassed by haints, or restless spirits.

The House & Home Magazine

33

Depending on who you ask, this works because the color mimics water, which the spirits cannot cross, or it confuses the spirits because it looks like sky.

A less supernatural reason for the sky blue is to deter wasps and spiders from making a home on your porch. Some people swear by the power of blue to repel insects from their porch because it fools them into thinking it is blue sky.

While science has not shown the color to be effective, there is some science behind the practice, nonetheless. Historically when paints were used, they were milk paints, often with lye in the mixture.

And since lye is a known insect repellent, the paint was effective at keeping the bugs at bay. But even without a logical explanation, it’s a calming and traditional color that lightens and brightens a space.

GREENERY ALL AROUND And speaking of tradition, what’s more classic than hanging ferns on a Southern porch? Like charming jewelry, ferns enhance the beauty of front porches nearly everywhere in the South, probably because ferns love humidity, which Southern summers have in abundance.

There are other options, of course, but make sure to include plants. Not only does the color and fragrance add a welcoming touch to the setting, but some can also even help with unwanted guests, like bugs. Depending on time of year and the amount of light your porch receives, you can plant marigolds, chrysanthemums, petunias, citronella grass, lavender, basil, or mint (in a container to prevent its aggressive spreading) to discourage mosquitoes and flies from joining you and ruining your relaxation.

AND A PLACE TO KICK BACK Nothing says summertime in the South like spending time on a rocker or porch swing. There’s a reason why both have stood the test of time — nothing lulls you into an afternoon nap quite like their primal, gentle sway.

FRONT PORCH LIFE AND SOUTHERN HOSPITALITY

So much about the Southern front porch 34

June/July 2019

is social, and so much of Southern hospitality is about making visitors feel welcome and comfortable. In order to do this, there are things to keep in mind as porch season heads this way: Seating: If you don’t do anything else, at least make sure you have plenty of comfortable places to sit. Include a cozy conversational cluster tucked in a corner for those long talks with family and friends after Sunday brunch.

Tables: When guests stop by, you know you’re going to offer food and drink. Make sure you have a places to easily set things down.

Lighting: As the sun goes down, think about the ambiance simple lighting or candlelight can bring to your porch rather than harsh overhead lighting. It also works better for watching fireflies (lightning bugs in the South) as they come out.

Fans: Consider ceiling or floor fans for when Mother Nature fails to deliver a welcoming breeze. Not only will they help keep you comfortable, they’ll also help keep away bugs.

The House & Home Magazine

Little luxuries: Pillows, rugs and throws all go a long way to add comfort, texture and color, making the space inviting and welcoming for visitors.

Privacy: As much as front porch living can be about socializing, it should also be about recharging with a good book or a long nap. In order to do that comfortably, use a lattice wall with climbing vines, or taller shrubs to create a cool shady nook to catch a few winks.

CONTINUING THE TRADITION

Social gatherings with jokes told and stories shared. Watching children as they play in yards. Waving hello to neighbors as they pass by. Porches are a link to our past and a key to developing connections and building community. They’re also an opportunity to spend time out in nature instead of viewing from inside. It’s time to get busy clearing out the cobwebs and dusting off the furniture. It’s time to sit a spell and relax. H

35

Judging History

The Richmond County Courthouse, left of the adjacent Clerk’s Office, stands as one of the oldest original continuous use judicial buildings in the country.

THE Remarkable

Photos courtesy of Dianne Saison unless otherwise noted.

By Dianne Saison

RICHMOND COUNTY COURTHOUSE

F

or nearly three centuries, it has stood as a bastion of justice, a public meeting ground, and the home of decisions that have guided an entire region. Its historical significance has been touted in publications from the late 1800s to today, and at just over 270 years old, the Richmond County Courthouse remains as a cultural centerpiece LOOKING AT CIRCUIT COURTS in an area known as the STILL ACTIVELY IN ORIGINAL birthplace of our naPURPOSE CONTINUOUS tion.

USE, RICHMOND COUNTY Located in the heart of Warsaw, Va., where Main Street and Route 360 meet, the imposing brick structure is both a landmark and an icon to travelers and locals. Very few buildings of Richmond County Courthouse’s nature remain today, and while older judicial buildings are listed on the National Historic Register

IS ARGUABLY THE OLDEST SUCH HISTORICAL BUILDING IN THE UNITED STATES

36

in both King William and Hanover, both of those counties have built newer courts to replace them, only using those for occasional proceedings and government business in order to retain their significance. In Richmond County, however, the Circuit Court building is utilized much like it was when built in 1748 — with active criminal cases, jury trials, and other state legal proceedings held on a regular basis. In fact, if only looking at circuit courts still actively in original purpose continuous use, Richmond County is arguably the oldest such historical building in the United States.

Like many of its sister institutions, the current courthouse’s beginnings were steeped in the holdovers of British rule. In the early 1600s, local courts on the Northern Neck and Middle Peninsula were empowered with deciding not only civil and criminal disputes, but with assessing taxes, appointing militia, approving land use, and mediating conflicts between property owners over titles, boundaries and estate ownership. Their extent reached so far as to determine even the prices charged at local hotels and restaurants for lodging, food and drink. Justices served in multiple community roles — with seats on the local church vestry, as delegates to the House of Burgesses, and as the June/July 2019

The porticos on both sides of the courthouse, now bricked in, were once open and used as a shelter to tie up horses and a place to gather during court day.

The natural lighting allowed in by the tall windows around the court room, a beloved feature of current and past judges, allows areas like the jury box, pictured here, to be bathed in sunlight.

The House & Home Magazine

county sheriff. At that time, court was the center of public life and local government. Its members were appointed by the royal governor, with approximately a dozen justices serving each court. The majority of appointees were local landowners with little or no legal training, something lawyers of that day often bemoaned. The lack of training, however, did not hinder the ability of local representatives to forge important decisions that affected the region and the nation in its fight for freedom and autonomy.

In June of 1774, at the Richmond County Courthouse, officials adopted resolutions against taxation without representation and the Boston Port Act. Under its roof, prominent landowners and businessmen agreed to no longer purchase any good from the East India Company, with the exception of saltpeter, the principle ingredient of gunpowder.

According to historical documents, in celebration of their decision, Richmond County freeholders “decently” concluded their momentous decision “with the drinking of nine toasts.”

While the decisions made within their walls were frequently vast, the courthouses themselves were often diminutive, with tightly packed quarters and very little in the way of comfort or convenience. Before the construction of the current Richmond County Courthouse, a smaller one — built in 1692 and long since lost to the ravages of time — was located outside of the main town (originally Richmond Courthouse, the town changed its name to Warsaw in 1938).

In March of 1748, however, under the supervision of Landon Carter, Esq., of Sabine Hall, the current building was erected on the site of a 1730 courthouse. Located central to the bustling town and its neighboring plantations, Richmond County Courthouse is architecturally unique of all the remaining colonial courthouses. Measuring 52 feet long and 41 feet wide and made of Flemish Bond brickwork, the original building had three raised, five-foot-wide open bays on each side, housing the two main entrances. The arcaded building was suggestive of the town halls and markets common to England, with the porticos providing relief from rain, room to tie up horses, and also a space for the public and lawyers to conduct their business. It was noted that a “very curious wooden step” at the four-foot-wide entrance doors separated the courtroom and the visitors. Additionally, the inside layout was described as “peculiar” by famed architect T. Buckler Ghequiere, of Baltimore, who in 1877 was commissioned with remodeling the courthouse. In his correspondence, Ghequiere noted that the side of the building facing the public thoroughfare was plain, with just two square windows and no entrance, while the colonnaded sides were the main draw.

Inside the courtroom, it was laid out opposite to what one sees today, with a raised, curved judges’ dais on the side closest to the street, a cramped area for solicitors in the midpoint, and a very small jury box across the courtroom, directly opposite the judge and behind the central Bar. Although he found the layout strange, Ghequiere’s admiration of the Richmond County Courthouse building was so profound, his findings were published in the June 23, 1877 edition of American Architect and Building News, where he noted that the building was one-of-a-kind in both its construction and history. Ghequiere was so entranced by the building, he could not justify altering the courthouse to any great extent during 37

The interior view of the Richmond County Courthouse from the sitting judge’s perspective.

38

June/July 2019

his renovations, rather preferring to preserve its history while updating the building in a more subtle way.

“Especially, it does not seem right regardlessly to destroy or heedlessly add to [it], when we recollect that many important events have occurred within [it] our country’s history, and that men of note, whose deeds have left enduring marks behind them, have spent the majority of their working hours in [it],” Ghequiere further wrote of the Richmond County Courthouse, adding that the building was a prized historical landmark of The Northern Neck.

Ghequiere was witness to many events at the courthouse during his work, including the huge crowds that “Court Day” would draw, which in its heyday, was the largest public event of the month.

Crowds would descend upon Warsaw, with people standing packed shoulderto-shoulder all around the courthouse, flowing out into the streets, and even sitting upon fences. From miles around,

The House & Home Magazine

(above left) Plaques detailing Richmond County’s clerks and judges dating back to the 1600s.

39

Richmond County Court Day from a 1909 postcard. Photo courtesy of Richmond County Museum.

men came to discuss trade, land deals, merchant transactions, and catch up on the political climate of the country.

Although the current courthouse sits within its original walls, the building’s 1877 and later renovations added indoor rooms for jury deliberations

and lawyer and client conferences. The judge’s chambers were housed in the adjoining Clerk’s Office, a building that now connects to the court. Additionally, the raised judge’s bench, while still on a curved dais, sits at the back of the courtroom, across from the new entrance

at the front of the building facing Main Street. The porticos were bricked in, allowing room for a well-appointed jury box, a witness stand, room for the gallery, and tables for attorneys and their clients.

Although the open bays no longer stand, the beautiful seven-foot-high windows remain, letting in abundant natural light that highlights the clean, white lines of the room and the open, lofty ceilings.

Two plaques, donated in 1908, flank the sides of the judge’s chair, detailing the county clerks, from William Colston in 1602 through J.B. Rains in 1901, and the prosecuting attorneys, from “Attorney for Her Majesty” Dennis McCarty in 1692 through Presley Thornton Lomax in 1852.

Despite the changes, those walking into the courtroom cannot help but feel awed and humbled by the deep sense of history and cultural significance the building evokes. You can almost hear the back and forth arguments and heated conversations that colonists held within its walls, and you can feel the echoes of our nation’s earliest resolutions. Through nearly three centuries of law, order and justice, the building remains at the heart of the community and has become a national treasure.

The House & Home Magazine extends its deepest gratitude to the Honorable Judge Harry T. Taliaferro, III and the Richmond County Museum for their contributions to the research of this article. H

40

June/July 2019

The House & Home Magazine

41

ELDER LIGHTFOOT SOLOMON MICHAUX’S

By Linda Landreth Phelps

Dream The Elder Michaux studying the Word of God

AS A PASTOR AND STATESMAN, MICHAUX HIMSELF SAID, “IT IS BETTER TO HAVE INFLUENCE THAN AUTHORITY.”

42

June/July 2019

Dairy Barn

T

he bucolic scene visible from the Colonial Parkway near Jamestown is more than a simple farm with white board fences and 23 milking cows grazing in lush, green grass. It’s also a sacred trust that has been passed down from a beloved church leader to the Smith family. Marion O’Connell “Okie” Smith was appointed heir to the land with one firm proviso: a promise to his pastor that there would always be a dairy herd kept there.

“The intent was that people would come sustain themselves with bread and milk during a famine predicted by our late church founder, Elder Lightfoot Solomon Michaux [Me-SHAW],” Howard Smith, Sr., says. At 70 years old, he is the third of Okie and Rita Smith’s 12 children, and the second generation to tend the land and herd. “Elder Michaux told my father that this acreage was for him, his sons, and his sons’ sons,” he recalls. Half a century after the founder’s death in 1968, the small dairy, 200 acres of fertile farmland, and a few dwindling churches comprise the lingering legacy of what was once an African-American visionary’s hopeful dream.

Sister Michaux at their home in Newport News Marion O’Connell & Rita Sara Smith

Lightfoot Solomon Michaux, born in 1885 in Newport News, Virginia, was a commercial fisherman by trade when he began casting his net for the souls of men and women by pitching a revival tent at the corner of 19th Street and Jefferson Avenue in the summer of 1919. The charismatic preacher established seven churches strung like pearls along the eastern seaboard from Newport News and Hampton to New York, Pennsylvania, and Maryland, plus his headquarters church in Washington, The House & Home Magazine

43

D.C. There, he became acquainted with First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, and through his friendship with her, became friend and respected advisor to three American presidents. As a pastor and statesman, Michaux himself said, “It is better to have influence than authority.”

Howard Smith says, “I’ve done quite a bit of research on Elder Michaux. I discovered some letters deeply buried in the national archives that seem to prove a legend we first heard as kids. The letters confirmed that Elder influenced Dwight Eisenhower not to run for president in 1948. He told Ike that President Truman was God’s man, and he’d have to wait his turn,” Smith said. Eisenhower followed this advice, then was later elected to office and appointed an honorary deacon by Michaux in his Washington, D.C. Church of God. Elder Michaux was the first AfricanAmerican evangelist to establish a lively radio ministry in the early 1930s, followed in 1947 with his television show. Known as the “‘Happy Am I’ Evangelist” for his snappy, upbeat theme song, at the peak of his popularity he had many loyal listeners and viewers in several countries. His fiery messages from the pulpit (“Sparks from the Anvil”) were heartfelt pleas for peace and brotherhood. “Love is the end of war.

Love is the end of fighting,” he would thunder. Michaux, of French and Native American ancestry as well as African, was described as color-blind, even in the dark days of repressive segregation. A former church member recalled his pastor frequently invited white guests to join his energetic congregants and even baptized them collectively. He saw following Jesus as the universal and only answer to the problems of the world.

“I found old photos of Elder Michaux preaching to white-hooded crowds at a Ku Klux Klan rally,” Smith declares. “When asked why he risked that, Elder said, ‘And who better to preach to? They need to hear it!’”

In 1961, Michaux and a large number of his followers gathered at the Colonial Parkway’s National Monument Park beach to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the landing of this country’s last imported slaves at Jamestown. Coincidentally, this was also near the place where the first Africans in British Colonial America arrived in 1619, whose forced labor was used in the production of food for the Jamestown colonists.

44

June/July 2019

View of the farm from the Colonial Parkway Dairy herd

Family cemetery

The House & Home Magazine

Milking stations

45

Colonial Parkway marker

46

June/July 2019

Michaux began purchasing historic acreage here in 1936, which he deeded to The National Memorial to the Progress of the Colored Race in America. The land included Civil War earthworks, a dairy farm, rich soil for crops, plus an amusement park and beach pavilion on the James River that provided entertainment for people of color. His adjacent second tract bordered College Creek and was purchased in 1943, bringing the total to approximately 1,200 acres. This tract of land, dedicated to Michaux’s plan to rehabilitate delinquent boys and teach them to farm, was deeded in the name of James City County Bible and Agricultural Training School.

His ultimate vision for a grand memorial would include an administration building, auditorium, library, and a museum holding paintings and statuary of people he regarded as “the leaders of the race in every field of service and high endeavor.”

Michaux hoped to inspire following generations to honor and emulate ancestors who became loyal citizens after achieving freedom.

One of the more intriguing proposals for funding of this ambitious undertaking was to develop a cooperative farm on the property. Individuals would be given five acres of land plus cows, mules, chickens, and seed. Everyone would work communally to show the progress of Africans in America. Unfortunately, this never came to pass, but a historic marker, “A Famous AfricanAmerican’s Dream,” was erected in Michaux’s honor along the Colonial Parkway near the farm in October of 1993.

Howard Smith’s father, Okie, arrived at the farm in 1943, and his hard work meant he was soon noticed. Seven years later he was named General Overseer of the property and dairy herd. At his death at 93 in 2015, Okie had lived and labored there a total of 72 years. “My dad didn’t much like cows when he first came.

Those cows kicked him from one end of the barn to the other, but it was their big eyes following him that bothered him most,” Smith remembers with a laugh. Okie and the cows came to terms as he milked them twice a day. Several sons have now assumed this and other quotidian tasks, while Smith oversees the farm’s operation and grows the hay and crops that help sustain them.

“There are no days off in this business!” he says cheerfully.

Before and after serving in the Marines in the ‘60s, young Howard Smith enjoyed working as a welder at the shipyard in Newport News. He resigned in 1970 and returned to the farm, supporting it both with his labor and financially, by means of the family business, Oleta Coach Lines, a thriving charter transportation and tour company. He’s also been pastoring Williamsburg’s Church of God at 209 Longhill Road for nearly three decades.

Howard and Towana Oleta Smith are parents of six sons and one daughter. The next generation of the extended family is now so numerous that a friend dubbed them “Smith Nation.” He hopes they will continue honoring that sacred stewardship begun

by Okie. “There are plans to switch to robotic milking machines, and one of my sons is interested in producing artisanal cheeses,” the patriarch says with pride.

With Elder Lightfoot Solomon Michaux’s history of groundbreaking technology utilization, surely, he would have been the first to applaud such innovative plans and faithfulness.

The family can only imagine joining their beloved pastor in heaven one day and each hearing the praise all the Smiths long for: “Well done, thou good and faithful servant!” H The House & Home Magazine

Milk processing station

47

SUPPORT FOR HAVEN’S SAKE Helping children heal, creating healthier adults

By Jackie Nunnery

J

ewelry, antiques, a family business. There are many legacies that each generation seeks to pass onto another. But for too many children living in the Northern Neck, fear, anxiety and depression, along with behavioral issues and learning difficulties, are inherited as the result of being exposed to violence in their homes. Though the abuse might not happen before their eyes, living in a violent home is traumatic in many ways. Studies have shown that children’s exposure to intensely stressful situations impacts their developing brains, hindering social and emotional development. These delays, if not addressed, follow these children into adulthood and sadly, into the next generation.

On the bright side, studies have also shown that early interventions that take into account the effects of trauma on children—called trauma informed services—can reduce the negative effects in the long run.

And that’s where organizations like The Haven Shelter and Services can offer help and hope. The Haven, which provides services to those affected by sexual and intimate partner violence, is the only program of its kind serving the Northern Neck and Essex County. In addition to supporting adults who have experienced intimate partner violence, they provide trauma informed services to the children involved. This not only improves the quality and trajectory of their lives, but helps break the cycle of violence, preventing the next generation of victims.

REPAIRING RATHER THAN REPEATING Last year alone, 68 children accompanied the 67 adults that sought safety at The Haven’s emergency shelter, all having experienced or witnessed some form of violence, and all needing some level of help in processing the turmoil in their lives. Given that this is a 30% increase from the previous year, it’s clear that there is a growing need for children’s services in our region.

The Haven has already done much to meet the unique needs of these children. When children arrive at the shelter, it’s an opportunity for staff members to evaluate their medical, educational, social and mental health needs. If needed, The Haven can connect families with community agencies like Healthy Families, a home visiting child abuse prevention program; or the Rural Infant Services Program, which provides support to children who may have early developmental delays.

48

June/July 2019

The Haven has also hired a Child and Family Resilience Coordinator, Deanna Lavery, MSW. Miss Dee as she is known around the shelter, is there to assist in the development traumainformed services for children and their parents. One outcome is a new a summer program for school-aged children to reinforce positive youth development. By engaging the children living at the shelter with a fun, content-rich program, they are returning to school in the fall ready to learn.

TAKING THE MESSAGE TO THE SCHOOLS The Haven has also been tackling the problem of violence in the home with education in the schools. The Community Resilience Team (CRT) has been educating individuals and organizations throughout the Northern Neck. They have worked with staff and administration at Richmond County Elementary and Middle School to help them understand the impact that violence has on students’ ability to learn and socialize. They also worked together to develop a supportive environment that will help them be successful at both.

Their work is not just with the adults. Many local middle and high school students know CRT Coordinator, Chad Lewis or Mr. Chad, who has been helping young adults build healthy relationships for over six years. Students graduating this year from Rappahannock High School and Northumberland High School have seen Mr. Chad regularly in that time and are now better equipped to form healthy relationships as adults and break the cycle of violence.

This year, Youth Resilience Coordinator Dawn Brooks joined the CRT and began a similar program in Westmoreland County.

The Haven dreams of expanding programs to better help the children and youth throughout the region to build healthy, violencefree lives. Grant funding for these types of programs is very limited, so The Haven depends on donations to supplement these funds.

FUNDING FOR OUR CHILDREN’S FUTURE To help ensure a lasting future for these programs, The Haven, in cooperation with the Lawler family, established the Joan The House & Home Magazine

49

Albert Lawler Memorial Fund. Named after longtime volunteer and board member, Joni Lawler, who lost her battle with cancer in 2018, “the fund, like all of Joni’s work with The Haven, always keeps the children in mind,” said Sarah Sichol, Director of Development with The Haven. Lawler was instrumental in fundraising through events like the Shamrock Soirée and the Shoppe for Haven’s Sake located in Warsaw. “She was intently focused on creating opportunities for the organization to receive recurring revenue through its fundraising efforts to support programming. The Joan Albert Lawler Memorial Fund will continue to do just that,” Sichol added.

Three projects were planned to expand The Haven’s ability to support children at the shelter: Healing play(ground): A playground may seem frivolous, but play is vital to helping children deal with trauma, both mentally and physically. Trauma can disrupt brain development, and, in turn, affect motor skills, cognitive abilities and emotional development. A multisensory play set, installed in the fall of 2018, allows children of all abilities to play together, building empathy social skills, and…well, just have fun without the worry of violence.

Without these opportunities for play, disruptive behavior or inability to empathize can impact children’s long-term education and ability to form healthy relationships, well into adulthood.

The Joan Albert Lawler Children and Youth Services Annex: This new addition will create a space to be used by staff as well as families staying at the shelter. It will include dedicated office space for Children and Youth Services Program staff, but more importantly, it will provide a place for families and counselors to meet and have meaningful and healing

View of The Haven’s Emergency Shelter before Annex construction.

(left) Joan Albert Lawler. (right) The layout of Annex that will consist of an office, meeting room, and open play/education center.

The newly installed inclusive playground has brought joy and healing through play to residents and their children.

50

June/July 2019

After construction of the Annex, The Haven’s shelter facility will be complete with a dedicated space for Children’s Programming.

interactions while at the shelter, and an indoor play space for children staying at the shelter or in counseling sessions. Set to begin construction in October of 2019, The Haven is still fundraising for this second phase.

Outdoor Pavilion: The third piece in the expansion of children’s services will be a pavilion overlooking the new outdoor play area. The new area will be the perfect place for after-school and

The House & Home Magazine

summer activities and a shaded space where parents can watch their children as they play at the playground.

donations to the Joan Albert Lawler Fund will ensure that support for childhood victims of violence will be there when they need them.

GIVING TOWARDS A HEALTHIER, MORE PEACEFUL FUTURE An investment in The Haven’s Children and Youth Services is an investment in a healthier future for all. With the help of our generous community, continued

For more information or to donate, please call Director of Development Sarah W. Sichol at 804-333-1099 or visit their website https://www.havenshelter.org/ jalmemorialfund H

51

TREAT YOURSELF

Delicacy to the

OF KINGS

By Janet Evans Hinman

WORDS FAIL TO CAPTURE THE DECADENCE AND LUXURY BEHIND THIS DELICACY 52

June/July 2019

P

eople who love caviar would agree that the dictionary definition doesn’t do it justice.

Described as “the pickled roe [eggs] of sturgeon or other large fish,” these words fail to capture the decadence and luxury behind this delicacy.

Slightly salty, grainy and flavorful, proper caviar melts in your mouth like butter, with mellow, nutty undertones, reminiscent of the essence of the sea.

While caviar generally refers to the, salt-cured, unfertilized, glistening eggs of the sturgeon, an ancient, smooth-skinned, paddle-nosed fish, roe is a term that encompasses all other fish eggs.

What the dictionary doesn’t tell you is that caviar is one of the oldest delicacies. Before raw oysters, Champagne or truffles were deemed luxuries, caviar was coveted by kings and the aristocracy. Ancient Greeks, Romans, and Russian tzars were all known to impress their guests with the highest-quality caviar — its arrival at the banquet table was heralded with trumpets.

Caviar holds the record as the world’s most expensive food, costing from $50 to $3,000 per ounce, depending on the species, quality, rarity, time of year and geographical location.

The oldest written account of caviar dates back to the 1240s during the epoch of Mongol ruler Batu Khan, Genghis Khan’s grandson. Believed to be a Russian invention, the word ‘caviar’ actually comes from the Turkish havyar, which comes from the Persian word for egg (khayah), which also results in the Persian word, Khaviar, which means “bearing eggs.”

The reason for the word’s origin is that the world’s best caviar is produced in the Caspian Sea, which is bordered by Russia, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, and Iran. Russians were not the only ones who had access to this delicacy. Caviar was originally harvested by Russian and Persian fishermen in the Caspian Sea, but sturgeon are not confined to this area. Experts also theorize that exiled Russian royalty, intellectuals and aristocrats who fled the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917 and settled The House & Home Magazine

in Paris, brought a demand for quality caviar with them and helped spread its popularity throughout Europe.

The finest caviar comes from three varieties of sturgeon: Beluga sturgeon (Beluga caviar), large, silver-gray to black eggs from the largest species of sturgeon, now critically endangered; Russian sturgeon (Osetra caviar), slightly smaller eggs, more brown in color, with a nuttier flavor; and stellate sturgeon (Sevruga caviar), smaller still, stronger tasting, with a gray tint; but just about all 26 species of sturgeon have been used for caviar.

Several of the 26 species are now considered endangered due to overfishing, pollution and general habitat destruction.

Beluga caviar has been illegal in the United States since 2005.

At the beginning of the nineteenth century, the U.S. was one of the greatest producers of caviar in the world, mainly because lake sturgeon was found to be plentiful here, and it wasn’t always considered a luxury. There was a time when caviar from American sturgeons passed for peasant food and was served in saloons like nuts or pretzels — a salty snack that bars could give away for free, especially since it made patrons order more ale to quench their increased thirst. As it became endangered and overfished, commercial harvesting of sturgeon was banned.

Today, mostly through farm-raised varieties, caviar production has returned to America. Some U.S. caviar is very high quality and has been compared favorably to wild Caspian caviar.

Eggs from other species are marketed as more affordable “caviar,” but the labels will always include the type of fish from which it is harvested. Other species marketed as “caviar” include salmon (often called ‘red caviar’), which features large, bright orange beads often found in sushi; trout roe, sometimes smoked; and tobiko, the tiny, crunchy, brightly colored (died with natural dyes) eggs of the flying fish, also found on sushi. Roe from other species such as paddlefish, whitefish, lumpfish, and hackleback (American sturgeon), among others, may be labeled caviar as well, if the name of the fish is included on the packaging. Hackleback is a true sturgeon caviar at a more affordable price. The major importers of caviar are the United States, Switzerland, Japan and the European Union.

53

Scarcity is not the only reason for the high price of this delicacy. Another less known reason for the high price of caviar is that the people who make it must undergo an apprenticeship that lasts anywhere from 10 to 15 years. In addition, it takes the female sturgeon 10 or more years to reach eggbearing maturity — so even farmed sturgeon caviar, which is now the most widely available option, still isn’t cheap. One caviar farm in Germany is experimenting with a new technique for “no-kill” caviar, through a process of massaging the ripe eggs from a female sturgeon without killing it or cutting it open. The hope is that the new technique could make caviar more abundant, affordable and accessible, while also reducing demand for black market caviar and saving endangered wild sturgeon from being hunted to extinction.

As to health benefits, caviar is rich in calcium and phosphorus, as well as protein, omega-3 fatty acids, selenium, iron, magnesium, and Vitamins B12 and B6. Historically, caviar was prescribed to alleviate depression, and recent studies show that high doses of omega-3 fatty acids may alleviate symptoms of depression and bipolar disorder. Caviar also has a reputation as an aphrodisiac and was once prescribed for impotence.

Caviar ranges in color from light to dark grey and yellowgrey to brown-black. The finest, most expensive caviars are older, larger eggs that are lighter in color and more intense in flavor. Less expensive caviar is younger, milder in flavor and darker in color. Perhaps the most traditional way to serve caviar is in a crystal or glass bowl over ice. Experts recommend using a caviar spoon made of either mother-of-pearl,

horn, wood or gold. Other metals, especially silver, are said to impart an unpleasant flavor to the eggs.

Connoisseurs of the delicacy also listen to their caviar.

When preserved properly, fish eggs are audible — they rub against each other and the friction can be heard. Allegedly, the sound of good caviar when it’s packed is distinctly recognizable as something similar to a cat’s purr.

If you’re ready to indulge yourself like a royalty, make sure to buy a few tins and experiment. Don’t let the fancy pedigree intimidate you, there are many easy and delicious ways to serve caviar. H SEARED SEA SCALLOPS WITH CAVIAR AND ASPARAGUS 24 Pieces

Ingredients: • 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling over asparagus • 12 large sea scallops, cut horizontally into 2 rounds each • 1/4 cup sour cream • 1/2 ounce caviar of choice, or more as desired • 24 tender stalks of asparagus, trimmed and halved lengthwise • Sea salt and cracked black pepper • Fresh chives, chopped • Pomegranate seeds (for added interest)

Directions: Heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.

Season scallops with salt and pepper. Cook scallops until golden on bottom, about 2 minutes.

Turn over; sauté until just cooked through, about 1 minute. Drain on paper towels. Meanwhile, blanch asparagus in boiling water for 1 minute. Remove from water and submerge in ice water to stop the cooking process. Remove asparagus to a plate and drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Arrange scallops on a platter. Top each scallop with 1/2 teaspoon sour cream, if desired. Top with caviar. Garnish with chives, asparagus and pomegranate seeds (optional).

Serve.

54

June/July 2019

EGGS BENEDICT WITH CAVIAR Serves 10

Ingredients: Hollandaise Sauce: • 1 1/2 cups white wine vinegar • 5 peppercorns • 1 shallot, finely sliced • 1 sprig fresh tarragon • 3 large egg yolks • 1 cup melted and skimmed (clarified) unsalted butter, warm • 1/2 lemon, juiced • Salt and freshly ground black pepper Poached Eggs: • 1/4 cup white wine vinegar • 5 cups water • Salt • 10 eggs Toasted English Muffins with Smoked Salmon: • 5 English muffins, split • 5 ounces salted butter, softened • 15 ounces sliced Scottish smoked salmon • 2 ounces caviar of choice • Chopped chives

Directions: For the Hollandaise sauce: Place the white wine vinegar, peppercorns, sliced shallots and tarragon into a pan, bring to a boil and reduce by half.

Strain and reserve liquid.

Fill a large pot with water (about 1/3 to 1/2 full). Bring water to a boil, then lower temperature and keep at a simmer. Place the egg yolks in a bowl that will fit over the pot of simmering water but not touch the water. Add 1 tablespoon of the reduced vinegar liquid to the eggs and place the bowl on top of the pot, making sure the water does not touch the bottom of the bowl. Beat the egg yolks with a balloon whisk, occasionally removing the bowl from the heat so the mixture does not become scrambled, until the eggs thicken and double in size.

Remove the bowl from the pot, then whisk a small ladle of the warm clarified butter into the eggs. Continue to gradually add the butter while whisking. If the sauce becomes too thick, add a small amount of warm water. Whisk in the lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. Keep warm.

The House & Home Magazine

For the toasted English muffins with smoked salmon: Meanwhile, place the English muffin halves into a toaster and toast until golden brown. While the muffins are still warm, spread the softened butter onto the open toasted side of each and layer 1 1/2 ounces of the sliced salmon on each buttered muffin half.

For the poached eggs: Mix the white wine vinegar, a pinch of salt and 5 cups water in a pan, bring to a boil. Reduce heat and bring liquid to a simmer.

To poach the eggs, crack each egg into an individual small bowl. Use a whisk to gently stir the simmering poaching liquid in a counter-clockwise direction and pour each egg into the water in the same direction the water is moving.

Gently simmer for 1 minute. Remove with a strainer, drain and place onto an English muffin half.

Spoon 2 tablespoons of the hollandaise sauce over each poached egg and garnish with 1/2 teaspoon of the caviar.

55

DEVILED EGGS WITH CAVIAR Serves 8

Ingredients:

Directions:

• 8 large eggs • 3 tablespoons mayonnaise of choice • 1 tablespoon sour cream, plus more for topping • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard • 1/4 teaspoon paprika • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper • 4 tablespoons caviar or roe of choice (about 1/4 ounce), or more to taste • Chopped chives (optional)

Place the eggs in a medium pot and cover with cold water by 1 inch. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; boil for 30 seconds then remove from the heat, cover, and let stand for 15 minutes. Drain the eggs and run under cold water until cool. Carefully peel the eggs and halve each lengthwise.

Carefully remove and reserve the yolks.

Place the yolks in a food processor with the mayonnaise, sour cream, Dijon, paprika and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Process until smooth, and then season with salt and pepper. Or skip the food processor and simply stir ingredients together in a medium bowl until smooth. Transfer the mixture to a resealable plastic bag with a corner snipped off.

Pipe the yolk mixture into the eggs. Top each egg with a scant teaspoon of caviar, a small dollop of sour cream and a sprinkle of chives, if desired.

BAKED POTATOES WITH CAVIAR Serves 4 to 8 Early Russians enjoyed their caviar served over baked potatoes.

Ingredients: • 4 large baking potatoes • Extra virgin olive oil • 3 teaspoons coarse salt • 1/4 cup sour cream, plus extra for garnish • 2 tablespoons soft butter • 4 teaspoons chopped fresh chives • Freshly ground black pepper • 2 ounces caviar or fish roe of choice • Fresh chopped parsley (as needed)

Directions: Heat oven to 425 degrees. Poke a few holes in the potatoes, then rub them all over with olive oil and 2 teaspoons of the salt. Place potatoes on a foil-lined baking sheet and bake them until they are tender — a knife should slide in easily.

This should take about an hour.

Cool the potatoes for about 10 minutes, then slice them in half horizontally. Carefully scoop out the insides, making sure not to break the skins. Place the potato insides in a bowl and add the sour cream, butter, chives and the remaining 56

salt. Give the mixture a good grinding of pepper and mash everything with a potato masher until well combined.

Carefully stuff the potato skins with the potato mixture.

Return potato halves to the oven and bake until heated through, about 10 minutes.

Top with another spoonful of sour cream, and add a spoonful of caviar on top of that. Garnish with parsley, as desired.

Serve.

June/July 2019

The House & Home Magazine

57

COOKING is SCIENCE

Study Up!

By Janet Evans Hinman

A

nyone who has ever cooked meals for family, friends or special occasions certainly has experienced the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat. We’ve learned through hard experience just how quickly a good idea can go south when we rush the recipe, fudge on ingredients or get distracted.

People say cooking is an art, and that’s true, but the science of cooking is easier to grasp and repeat. Cooking is chemistry. Every time you set foot in your kitchen, you walk into a laboratory packed with high-tech gear and stocked with supplies, made just for you. Sometimes, the difference between triumph and tragedy is nothing more complicated than paying attention to the details.

If you’re the type who is insecure about cooking, or if you just don’t think you’re good at it, science is your solution.

58

WHY DOES FOOD BROWN WHEN COOKED? Even if you’re a fan of the caveman’s approach to cooking — heat a huge flat rock on a campfire and throw food on it — something as simple as browning food or searing meat has a principle behind it. There’s just as much science behind cooking a steak or hamburger as there is in cooking something flashy and full of unpronounceable ingredients. The Maillard Reaction is the chemical process that creates delicious browning on seared meats, baked or toasted breads, malted grains in your whiskey or beer, and roasted coffee. Understanding a little about the Maillard Reaction will serve you well in the kitchen.

Browning equals flavor, so look to cooking methods that promote it, especially with meats. Maillard reactions generally only begin to occur above 285 degrees Fahrenheit. In the process, hundreds of different flavor compounds are created. These compounds in turn break down to form yet more new flavor June/July 2019

compounds. Each type of food has a very distinctive set of flavors that are formed during the Maillard Reaction. These are the same compounds that scientists have used over the years to create artificial flavors.

The Maillard Reaction isn’t limited to meats and seafood, but occurs in any food that contains protein. A similar reaction is caramelization, which happens when sugar reacts to high heat, releasing water and producing a characteristic nutty flavor and warm brown color. The caramelization reaction involves the removal of water (as steam) and the breakdown of sugar. As caramelization progresses, the flavor of the mixture becomes less sweet.

Water is a foe of browning; it lowers the temperature of the system and greatly minimizes the reaction. Crowding the food in a pan increases moisture and inhibits browning.

PEOPLE SAY COOKING IS AN ART, AND THAT’S TRUE, BUT THE SCIENCE OF COOKING IS EASIER TO GRASP AND REPEAT. COOKING IS CHEMISTRY.

HIGH HEAT DEVELOPS FLAVORS, BUT GENTLE HEAT PREVENTS OVERCOOKING There’s a place for high heat as well as “low and slow” in our cooking. You’re less likely to overcook a roast in a 250degree oven than a 450-degree one — 350 degrees, for example, is generally referred to as the “universal” baking temperature. Most common dishes can be cooked in a reasonable amount of time at that temperature, but many cooks ruin dishes for no other reason than that they cook at entirely too high a temperature, so don’t hesitate to turn it down a bit.

It’s important to remember that hot foods keep cooking, and resting heat maximizes juiciness. That’s why it’s essential to let meat rest. Even after you’ve removed food from direct heat, its internal temperature will continue to rise for a short period of time. That means that you should expect the internal temperature of your meats to rise a bit after you’ve taken them off the heat. For veggies, this is why many cooks stop the cooking process with an ice bath after removing them from the heat. Doing so preserves the texture and color of the vegetables at the moment they’re pulled off the stove.

On the other hand, when it comes to releasing flavor, an initial hot oil sauté will help ground spices “bloom.” Most spices contain a wealth of fat-soluble flavor that’s locked inside. Most of us tend The House & Home Magazine

59

60

June/July 2019

to add spices to water-soluble liquids and stir them up toward the end of the cooking process. But adding ground spices while sautéing onions, garlic or vegetables in hot oil brings out their full flavor. So, don’t start adding spices to a soup or stew after the liquids have been added, start first with the spices sautéed in oil with vegetables for maximum flavor.

CREAM OF TARTAR, BAKING SODA, BAKING POWDER, YEAST: WHAT’S GOING ON HERE? Cream of tartar is one of those mystery ingredients you might have seen in your grandma’s pantry without knowing what it’s used for. After all, its name doesn’t give you a clue — not like baking powder or baking soda. Cream of tartar is a dry, powdery, acidic byproduct of fermenting grapes into wine. Its scientific name is potassium bitartrate, also potassium hydrogen tartrate or tartaric acid (hence the commercial name). Adding a small amount of cream of tartar when you’re beating egg whites — usually 1/8 teaspoon per egg white — speeds up the creation of foam and helps stabilize the structure of those minuscule air bubbles you’re whipping up. In baking, this means mile-high meringue pies, melt-in-your-mouth meringue cookies, and angel food cakes that practically float off the plate.

A pinch of cream of tartar also helps stabilize whipped cream to prevent it from deflating, or you can add it to boiling vegetables to help them retain their bright, fresh color.

If you’re an experienced baker or just starting out, chances are you’ve run into three common ingredients: baking soda, baking powder and yeast. All three are leavening agents producing carbon dioxide gas, meaning they help the dough or batter rise to produce fluffy baked goods. But though they may have similar effects, they are very different in nature and the unfortunate result of a mistaken swap can be substantial.

Baking soda is a simple base (alkaline) and needs to be combined with an acid of some sort, such as yogurt, lemon or vinegar, in order to become activated. Due to the rapid nature of the gas bubbles that are produced through the reaction of acid plus sodium bicarbonate, baking soda is generally used for quick-bake recipes like muffins, scones and pancakes.

On the other hand, baking powder is a combination of both a base (baking soda) and a dry acid, such as cream of tartar.

This allows for a double-acting leavening process where carbon dioxide gas bubbles are released at two separate intervals: during the addition of liquid and later, during the heating process.

Baking powder is most commonly used in recipes that do not contain an additional acid, therefore, solely water and heat are required. Yeast differs from both baking soda and baking powder, mainly because it is a live organism and takes substantially longer to leaven dough. Unlike baking soda and baking powder, yeast leavens dough through a biological process and results in fermentation. Through fermentation, yeast can affect the taste associated with dough through residual alcohol, making it a great option for bread.

THE SCIENCE OF GOOD GRAVY There’s something a little magical about really good gravy.

From pan drippings, a little flour and some broth or stock comes a bubbling pot of liquid gold, ready to enhance beef, The House & Home Magazine

61

PAYING ATTENTION TO THE SCIENCE BEHIND YOUR FOOD ACTUALLY SIMPLIFIES THE CULINARY PROCESS

62

turkey, mashed potatoes and everything in between. It’s usually the last task of a big meal, and sometimes an afterthought — with the results being unreliable at best, or a gloppy mess at worst. The meat might roast for hours while the cook scurries around, but the gravy requires attention.

Gravy is an emulsion — a mixture of two liquids that ordinarily would not blend together, usually things like oil and water. In an emulsion, tiny droplets of one of the liquids become evenly dispersed in the other liquid. An emulsifier is a substance that helps the two liquids come together and stay together — in the case of gravy, the emulsifier is protein, with flour helping to stabilize the emulsion.

The most common kind of gravy is pan gravy made from the drippings of roasted meat or fowl. When meat is done roasting, remove it from the roaster and admire what’s left in the pan — an oilbased liquid consisting of melted fat and a water-based liquid which is the juices from the meat and any broth or water that’s been added. If you were to dump

June/July 2019

some flour into the roasting pan and stir, the flour and water would get together and form a sticky goo, which the oil wouldn’t be able to penetrate.

Good gravy requires a few more steps.

Pour the contents of the roaster into a gravy separator (a handy investment for a home kitchen) or a large measuring cup.

The fat will rise to the top — a quick rest in the refrigerator will speed the process.

The standard proportion for gravy is one part fat, one part flour and eight parts liquid: Mix equal parts fat and flour in a pan over medium heat. This blend of fat and flour is called a roux. Stir the roux for a while to brown it a bit (keep stirring).

Slowly stir in the watery liquids (broth, juices or water). The flour, oil and water will blend magically into a smooth sauce just as if they weren’t natural enemies.

Finally, simmer the sauce to break down the flour grains and release their thickening starches. What happens next is gravy genius, and you’re the hero.

By mixing the flour and fat first, you’ve ensured that each microscopic grain of flour becomes coated with oil, so that the watery juices can’t get through to gum up the flour’s protein. Then, when you stir the juices into the roux, the flour grains become widely dispersed, taking their coatings of fat along with them. In short, you’ve persuaded the oil and water to fraternize by using the flour as a carrier of oil throughout the water. Then, when you simmer the sauce to let the flour do its thickening job, it does so uniformly throughout — no lumps. Your gravy will be legendary.

EXPERIMENT IN THE LAB

It may seem daunting at first, but paying attention to the science behind your food actually simplifies the culinary process in the long run. You’ll eventually be able to experiment on your own and go play in the “lab.”

For more detailed information on cooking science, check out these resources: Cook’s Illustrated: The Science of Good Cooking, by the editors of America’s Test Kitchen and Guy Crosby Ph.D What Einstein Told His Cook: Kitchen Science Explained, by Robert L. Wolke The House & Home Magazine

H

63

64

June/July 2019

The House & Home Magazine

65

OKRA Embracing the Goodness and the Goo

By Jackie Nunnery

this under-appreciated vegetable deserves a second chance and taste 66

June/July 2019

O

kra is one of those things. You’re either a fan of the crunchy green pods or you’re not. And if you’re in the latter camp, it’s probably because you haven’t had them prepared properly and, as a result, you’ve been turned off by the “slime.” But this under-appreciated vegetable deserves a second chance and taste. With the right ingredients and preparation, okra can be a delicious and healthy addition to your summer menu.

TRAVELING THE WORLD AND SETTLING IN THE SOUTH Abelmoschus esculentus, a member of the mallow family, traveled a long way before establishing itself in the South and Southern cuisine. Originally grown in either Africa or Asia (its origins are debated, but Ethiopia is the most frequently cited spot), it spread to Europe before hitting colonial America in the mid1600s with the arrival of enslaved Africans and regular trade between the continents, especially in port towns like Charleston and New Orleans. With time, the plant spread throughout the South. In the 1780s, Thomas Jefferson wrote that it was one of Virginia’s best garden plants, and garden records across the early Mid-Atlantic and Deep South all make references to okra.

The vegetable went beyond the dinner plate during the Civil War when blockades made coffee both scarce and expensive.

An 1863 newspaper article touted okra as the best substitute for coffee (minus the caffeine) by grinding up dried seeds and using them just like coffee grounds. “We found it almost exactly like coffee in color, very pleasantly tasted and entirely agreeable.”

Today, okra is a staple of Southern cuisine and works especially well in classic dishes like Brunswick stew, burgoo, and of course, gumbo, due to the its unique ability to thicken liquids. Because of its versatility, you’ll also find it in kitchens throughout the South pickled, boiled, roasted, grilled and most commonly, coated in cornmeal and fried. You’ll even find that some enjoy eating a fresh, crunchy pod straight out of the summer garden.

And speaking of the garden, it’s easy enough to grow your own okra if your local market doesn’t carry it. Plant seeds in mid-spring for summer harvesting. Okra isn’t finicky about soil, but it does best in full sun, producing pods until the first frost. Harvest the pods when they are small, about three inches in length, since larger pods tend to become more fibrous and tough to chew.

PACKED WITH GOODNESS (AND A LITTLE SLIME) For those who love okra, the good news is that it’s a healthy choice. A half-cup serving contains only 30 calories and a good amount of fiber, which is good for digestion and reducing cholesterol levels. Okra also packs a lot of nutrients in a little pod. A serving provides healthy doses of vitamins A, B and C, which helps support your immune system, vision, metabolism and regulates your blood sugar levels. Okra also contains vitamin K, which helps your body’s blood clotting function and promotes bone health. And as if that wasn’t enough, okra also includes iron, calcium and magnesium.

The House & Home Magazine

So, what’s with the slime? If you’ve ever treated a burn by breaking off a piece of an aloe vera plant, you’re already familiar with mucilage. This clear liquid, made of sugar residues and proteins, also flows through okra pods. When heat is applied, the mucilage become more viscous or thick. This is great when you want to thicken dishes with okra as an ingredient. It’s less than ideal when you’re cooking okra alone as a side dish. This has created many an okra opponent.

And that’s why okra has gotten a bad rap. People aren’t sure how to cook it correctly, and when it comes to okra, proper technique can make all the difference. Here are some tips to reduce sliminess: »» Water enhances the slime effect, so don’t wash okra

until you’re ready to use it. »» Cutting tip #1: Let it sit at room temperature for a while

before cutting it. »» Cutting tip #2: Avoid cutting okra lengthwise, this will

cause more slime. »» Cutting tip #3: Try freezing okra and cutting it while it’s

still frozen. »» Cutting tip #4: Soak okra in apple cider vinegar for 30

minutes. Rinse and pat dry before cutting. »» Pro tip: Don’t overcook it. A quick cook on high heat is

all you need. Many restaurant chefs swear by sautéing,

roasting or grilling as the best way to serve it. »» Serve the pods whole, just removing the stem. Buy

smaller, more tender pods if you plan on doing this. »» Okra is often paired with tomatoes because the acidity

reduces the mucilage. So does lemon or lime juice.

You’ve passed on okra in the past, either because of a bad experience or just reluctance to the oft-mentioned slime. With the preparation tips and these four recipes that highlight okra’s goodness, it’s time to give okra another chance. You won’t regret it.

67

CLASSIC SOUTHERN SUCCOTASH Serves 8

Ingredients:

Directions:

• 2 cups fresh or frozen baby lima beans • 4 slices bacon • 1 cup chopped sweet onion • 1 cup sliced fresh okra, 1/2-inch slices • 1 clove garlic, finely chopped • 3 cups corn (approximately 4 ears) • 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes • 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil • 3 tablespoons butter • Salt and pepper to taste

Place lima beans in medium saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil at medium-high heat, then reduce and simmer until beans are tender, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain and set aside.

Cook bacon in skillet until crisp. Transfer to paper towels to cool, then crumble.

Reserve drippings in skillet. Add chopped onion, okra and garlic to skillet over medium high heat, stirring often and until onion is tender. Stir in corn, drained beans, salt and pepper to taste.

Stir frequently until corn is bright yellow, about 5 minutes. Add butter, continuing to stir until melted. Remove from heat.

Stir in halved cherry tomatoes and sliced basil. Sprinkle with crumbled bacon and serve immediately.

OKRA AND TOMATOES Serves 8 This classic combination highlights the flavor of the okra, while using the acidity of the tomatoes to reduce the stickiness.

SIMPLY DELICIOUS GRILLED OKRA Serves 6 This easy recipe, with its grilling and caramelization, is sure to convert okra naysayers.

Ingredients: • 1 pound fresh okra • 2 tablespoons olive oil • Salt and pepper to taste • Pinch cayenne pepper (optional)

Directions: Skewer okra or place in grill basket for cooking. Drizzle with olive oil and place onto grill at around 450 degrees. Cook until okra skin caramelizes and then flip to the other side.

Remove from grill, salt and pepper to taste. Add cayenne pepper if desired. Serve warm.

68

Ingredients: • 2 cups fresh okra, cut into 1-inch slices • 1 3/4 cups cherry tomatoes, halved • 1/2 onion, chopped • 2 cloves garlic, chopped • 2 tablespoons olive oil • Salt and pepper to taste

Directions: Add olive oil to pan over medium heat. Sauté onion until tender. Add garlic, tomatoes and okra. Stir to combine. Allow to simmer for 20 minutes or until okra is tender. Add salt and pepper to taste.

June/July 2019

OKRA IS A STAPLE OF SOUTHERN CUISINE AND WORKS ESPECIALLY WELL IN CLASSIC DISHES LIKE BRUNSWICK STEW, BURGOO, AND OF COURSE, GUMBO SHRIMP AND OKRA GUMBO Serves 8 There’s a reason why okra is an ingredient in many soups and stews. Its natural thickening ability makes it the perfect addition. Serve this hearty dish with white rice.

Ingredients: • 2 pounds medium shrimp, peeled and deveined • 2 pounds chopped okra • 1 tablespoon tomato paste • 1 tomato, chopped • 1 cup chopped onion • 4 cloves garlic, minced • 1/2 cup chopped celery • 1/2 cup chopped green pepper • 1/2 cup chopped green onions • 1/2 cup olive oil • 12 cups water • Salt, pepper and cayenne to taste

The House & Home Magazine

Directions: Season the shrimp with salt, pepper and cayenne to taste and set aside. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat and sauté okra for 20 minutes. Add tomato paste, tomato, onion, garlic, celery, and green pepper. Sauté for an additional 15 minutes. Add water and season to taste. Bring to a boil, then reduce to low and simmer for 45 minutes. Add shrimp and simmer for an additional 20 minutes. Add green onion and stir thoroughly. Serve. H

69

Culinary Master

vbecome

a

Apprentice Program with our

T

he Office Café - which opened in the fall of 2018 in a former dentist office - offers a fast, casual dining experience that includes salads, sandwiches, specialty entrées and desserts, all made from scratch.

The Culinary Apprentice Program offers would-be chefs an opportunity to hone their skills to prepare them for a rewarding career in the culinary field.

“Nothing in the kitchen is random; if it’s not exactly right, it’s no good,” says Chef Michael Knapik, co-owner of The Office Café. Chef Knapik heads the Culinary Apprentice Program, having trained as an apprentice in a similar fashion over 15 years ago. “You have to be extremely driven, because that’s where you learn yourself,” says Knapik.

Traditionally, students trained to become chefs by either attending one of several culinary schools or by learning the trade as an apprentice. Though such programs once flourished, few chefs’ apprenticeship programs exist today.

“If you keep your eyes open in the kitchen, you can learn a lot,” says Chef Knapik. The Apprentice Committee looks for a strong work ethic, character, behavior and passion for the industry from the candidates it selects. Applicants must be high school graduates, have two letters of recommendation from colleagues, teachers, or community leaders, a resume and an essay which describes why they want to be in the 70

June/July 2019

THE CULINARY APPRENTICE PROGRAM OFFERS WOULD-BE CHEFS AN OPPORTUNITY TO HONE THEIR SKILLS TO PREPARE THEM FOR A REWARDING CAREER IN THE CULINARY FIELD

program. “Fewer than 5% of the applicants submit all the required information,” says Knapik, which may indicate that the candidate does not have the attention to detail required to become a chef.

The Culinary Apprenticeship Program is designed to train promising individuals in a hands-on approach that develops the necessary tools to be successful in the food and beverage industry. The program is meant to educate and challenge apprentices in all aspects of food production, furthering their knowledge of restaurant kitchen operations.

The 13 - week agenda will teach students skills through a mix of hands-on rotations in different positions for preparation and execution in the kitchen. The practical experience covers a wide range of topics and occurs on a

weekly basis. Over the course of the program, the apprentice will learn the following: health department food regulations, kitchen cleanliness, various accompaniment, food preparation and recipes.

The final stage refines the apprentice’s dexterity and includes grilling, frying and baking skills, followed by proper food presentation on the plate. By the end of week 13, individuals will have developed the experience needed to graduate to a full-time position at The Office Café.

At times, these rotations may vary slightly based on needs of the business, but the structure, foundation and integrity of the program remains the same. The Office Café is located at 4346 Irvington Road in the heart of Irvington and is open for lunch daily and dinner Thursday through Saturday. H

at the OFFICE CAFÉ in irvington, virginia

The House & Home Magazine

71

MANITOU

By Bob Cerullo

Photo courtesy of Sparkman Stevens All other photos courtesy of Lee Farinholt unless otherwise noted

“all of us have in our veins the exact same percentage of salt in our blood that exists in the ocean, and, therefore, we have salt in our blood, in our sweat, in our tears. We are tied to the ocean. And when we go back to the sea — whether it is to sail or to watch it — we are going back from whence we came.” ― 72

- John F. Kennedy

I

t was a hot summer day some years ago in Deltaville, Virginia, when I was wandering around just looking at the boats on the hard (on dry land) at the then Deagle’s Boatyard on Fishing Bay. I was drawn to a 62-foot yawl with the freshly gold-leafed name MANITOU on her gleaming white transom. As I snapped a few photos, a man climbed down the step ladder from the deck and greeted me. I asked him if he knew what the name meant.

He kindly explained that the name came from Lake Michigan’s Manitou Passage which is located between North Manitou and South Manitou islands and the mainland of Michigan. Literally translated it means “Spirit of the Water” in the language of the Manitou Indian tribe, which once lived in that area. The gentleman went on to tell me some of the history of June/July 2019

John F. Kennedy aboard his beloved Manitou. Photo courtesy of Robert Knudsen

the 62-foot yawl, as we both sat behind her chrome-plated helm and polished brass binnacle.

The Manitou was commissioned in 1936 by a wealthy Chicago businessman named James R. Lowe with one goal in mind. Lowe desperately wanted a boat that could win the Mac-Chicago sailing race from Chicago to Mackinac on Lake Michigan. Lowe hired a young yacht designer name Olin Stephens. The Manitou was built by the legendary M.M. Davis and Son Shipyards at Solomons, Maryland. All business for racing on the outside, she was beautifully appointed on the inside with etched glass cabinets and exquisite woodwork. The cutterrigged and sleek yacht did exactly what The House & Home Magazine

her owner wished and won the longedfor race in 1938. Lowe raced Manitou to victory, beating the elapsed time record and first across the line in 1938 — and winning easily on corrected time. She was second across the line in 1939, then first again in 1940 and ’41. She also won the Port Huron-Mackinac Race in 1940, setting a new record for that race, taking almost two hours off the course record and beating her nearest rival by more than five hours. When war broke out, Lowe joined the fight and was commissioned into the U.S. Navy in the summer of 1942; he had little time for Manitou.

Then in 1956, Manitou was donated to the United States Coast Guard as a training vessel at the Coast Guard Academy. While there, she was cared

for and pampered by USCG personnel.

Her brass gleamed and her teak decks glistened. Destined for a life as a training boat for Coast Guard men and women, things changed when John F. Kennedy was elected president of the United States.

Kennedy had grown up with boats and had been a sailor from a very young age.

At 13, he had his own boat and sailed it on Martha’s Vineyard. Later he raced a 25-footer Victura with his brother Joe, Jr. At Harvard, he raced in and won the 1938 MacMillan Cup. In the Navy, he commanded a PT boat which was sunk by a Japanese patrol boat, leaving him and his crew stranded on a deserted island. Eventually Kennedy and his crew were rescued, the story was portrayed in the major motion picture PT109.

73

Kennedy loved all kinds of boats and renamed the official presidential yacht (formerly President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s Barbara Ann) Honey Fitz. The 93-foot wooden motor yacht Honey Fitz was often used for presidential functions and family parties. Grand as it was, Honey Fitz was not a boat JFK could play with. His passion for sailing came through when he asked his Naval aide, Capt Tazewell Shepard, Jr., to see if the Navy had a boat he could sail. JFK could have easily bought a new boat, but thought it wiser politically to find one the government already had. A search came up with three choices, one of which was the Manitou, then a part of the Coast Guard’s training fleet.

JFK loved it. It was agreed Manitou was to be the president’s private yacht. She was refitted to accommodate security equipment required for the president. According to stories recounted in the book Sailing with President Kennedy, by J. Julius Fanta (Sea Lore Press, NY, 1968), JFK found his greatest pleasure sailing and enjoyed many hours onboard the Manitou sailing with Jackie Kennedy and friends from his Navy days.

JFK wanted desperately to race the Manitou but was persuaded the security risks were too great. That did not stop him from one day getting into an impromptu race with America’s Cup defender Weatherly, skippered by Emil “Bus” Mosbacker, when by chance, the two yachts met. Mosbacker and JFK were old friends. The Secret Service escorts saw the maneuvering

by Captain Mosbacker and Weatherly as a threat to JFK and charged the Weatherly. JFK was furious that his impromptu race had been spoiled by the Secret Service.

The dreams of Camelot and JFK ever racing Manitou came to an end on November 22, 1963, that fatal day in Dallas when

74

JFK was assassinated. It was almost as if the Manitou had become a reminder of a joyous time in the life of the late president and needed to be forgotten. In May of 1968, the Defense Surplus Sales Agency sold the Manitou at auction for $35,000 to Paul Hall, leader of the Harry Lundeberg School of Seamanship at Piney Point, Maryland. After a while, the Manitou fell into disrepair and seemed destined for the trash heap, despite efforts

by Aristotle Onassis to buy Manitou as a gift for Jackie Kennedy.

Then in 1999, in yet another twist of fate, Laura Kilbourne, the great-granddaughter of James R. Lowe, the original owner, bought the Manitou. Laura and her husband Steve Olver, both seasoned sailors, had decided they would find and try to buy the Manitou. They searched at the Maritime Museum in Newport News, Virginia, and got a lead as to the boat’s whereabouts.

Laura had grown up hearing stories of the glory of the Manitou when she was raced by James R. Lowe. Steve Olver said, “While we were in the Mariners’ Museum, we found a book on the Manitou.” For years, whenever Laura’s family was together, the sailboat would come up in discussion, with the whole family curious about where the boat had ended up. They all were interested in what happened to the Manitou and maybe buying it back. “Whenever Laura and I traveled, we’d ask about the boat, hoping to get a clue to where it ended up. It was in that book that we discovered the Manitou was sold to the Lundenberg School.”

The couple bought the ravaged Manitou from the Lundeberg school. Laura chose Deagle’s Boatyard in Deltaville to do the restoration. As one shipwright who worked on it told me, “We lifted the brass fittings and built a new boat under it.” Laura and

June/July 2019

The House & Home Magazine

75

MANITOU’S RECENT YEARS RACING RECORD »» »» »» »» »» »» »» »» »» »» »» »»

Barcelona: winner 2012, runner up ‘13, ‘14, ‘15 Cassis: winner 2013, ‘14 ,’15 Ajaccio: winner 2014 Antibes: runner up 2013, 2014, 3rd 2015 Argentario: winner 2015 Naples: winner 2013, ‘14, ‘15 Palma: runner up 2014, 2015 Mahon: runner up 2015, 3rd 2012, ‘13, ‘14 Imperia: winner 2014, runner up 2012 Monaco: winner 2015 Cannes: winner 2015 St Tropez: runner up 2012, ‘13, 3rd 2014, ‘15

her husband lived in Montreal, Canada, yet Steve made the trek from there to Deltaville about once a month to supervise the restoration. Neglect at Lundeberg school had taken a heavy toll on Manitou by way of deteriorated wood, water damage and the ravages of time. Undaunted by the monumental task, the restoration was begun at Deagle’s in Deltaville in 1999.

In 2006, Rick Farinholt and his brother Jon Farinholt purchased the old Deagle’s Boatyard and changed the name to Chesapeake Boat Works, where they handle boats of nearly every size and description. Rick Farinholt worked on the Manitou during the restoration. He said that when he and his brother took over the boatyard, they did some of the work finishing up about five percent of the final work on the Manitou and getting it ready to sail. Mainly Rick restored and stepped the masts and installed some sails for the sea trial. Rick actually sailed the Manitou in sea trials and said it was a great boat. JFK had described it as “sweet.” Rick said it sailed very well — he got it up to an average speed of ten knots to 12 knots on a beam reach where the wind is on the side of the boat (beam) and with the sails out halfway. Manitou remained for one year at the Chesapeake Boat Works. Steve Olver was out of the picture 76

by then and Laura’s father was calling the shots. For details visit www.Chesapeakeboatworks.com.

Richard Harding, a shipwright who worked on Manitou said in an interview with Fredericksburg.Com during the restoration at Deagle’s: “We’ve got the original plans, and we’ve looked at as many pictures as we could get our hands on. We’re trying as best we can to get it back as close to the original as we can.”

Laura Kilbourne (Olver) lost interest in the restoration when she gave birth to triplets. The family had spent more than a million dollars on the restoration. That and the trip to Montreal became overwhelming. There were rocky times ahead for Manitou until Laura’s dad intervened. It took about ten years in Deltaville to restore Manitou to be seaworthy. Captain Keith Horn of Deltaville sailed her out of Fishing Bay in May 2008 and north to her new adventures.

In 2010 she was purchased by Phil Jordan, Pat Tierney, Claes Goran Nilsson and Melinda Kilkenny. Manitou was returned to the Solomons for further restoration. At the Solomons, her stem was replaced, her engine changed to a 120 HP Yanmar diesel, the wiring redone, new batteries were installed, along with modern navigation equipment.

New winches and tracks were installed as well. For the next four months, she was painstakingly varnished. Manitou was once again in the condition she was in when JFK sailed her.

Eventually she was shipped to the Mediterranean, where she is once again changing owners.

The boat brought joy to the heart of a man who was the hope of a nation but was cut down in his prime by an assassin’s bullet. One cannot help but wonder what might have been had he lived. Would he ever have sailed Manitou in a major race after his presidency? Might he have grown old and become a gray-haired senior statesman, sailing the waters off Cape Cod with a grey-haired Jackie, John Kennedy, Jr., and Caroline, all grown up with children of their own? Perhaps Jack Kennedy is aboard Manitou in spirit and sailing races around the world.

To Manitou and her new owners, we wish you fair winds and following seas. H June/July 2019

The House & Home Magazine

77

78

June/July 2019

The House & Home Magazine

79

80

June/July 2019

The House & Home Magazine

81

82

June/July 2019

The House & Home Magazine

83

84

June/July 2019

The House & Home Magazine

85

86

June/July 2019

The House & Home Magazine

87

88

June/July 2019

The House & Home Magazine

89

Gloucester Woman’s Club

Caretakers of Local History

By Jackie Nunnery

F

or nearly 300 years, Edge Hill House has stood situated at the edge of the hustle and bustle of Main Street in Gloucester Courthouse. The sign just off the road reads “circa 1740,� and in that span of time, the property has seen many different owners and many different purposes. From private home to business and now a meeting space, so much has changed in the building and its surroundings, but step inside and you are transported back in time.

NOTHING ORDINARY ABOUT IT At one time Edge Hill House was referred to as Long Bridge Ordinary since it was believed to have been a colonial ordinary, or public house, where people could eat, drink, be entertained, and sometimes spend the night. These were incredibly important buildings in colonial American villages. In addition to 90

being a welcome sight for weary travelers, they were a popular place for locals to meet and pick up the latest news.

But while Edge Hill House was important to the Gloucester community, no evidence has shown that the building ever operated as an ordinary. Surviving records and historical research suggest that the building started as a private home and was later converted into a retail space among other roles.

GROWING WITH TIME Just as the traffic passing by Edge Hill House has changed with the times from horse-drawn carts to cars, owners have made their mark on the building in keeping with their needs. When it was first built around 1740, it was a modest wood-framed, one-and-a-half story home. Upon entering the home, which still has a significant amount of the original architectural details, you see the elegant, heavily-molded main room with fireplace surround. Several of the original windows, complete with individual panes of glass, are still letting in light centuries later. Up the original stairs, with their hand-turned balusters and molded railings, lies a more simple, private space where the family June/July 2019

Just as the traffic passing by Edge Hill House has changed with the times from horsedrawn carts to cars, owners have made their mark on the building in keeping with their needs.

The “new” first floor as a result of the 1830s renovation. This served as a commercial space, with living space above.

Three of the four founding members of the Gloucester Woman’s Club. From left: Mrs. Henry Williams, Mrs. John Lewis, and Mrs. Frank Weaver. Not pictured: Mrs. Snowden Hopkins The third-floor space where Edge Hill’s families slept for generations.

The view of Edge Hill House from Gloucester’s busy Main Street

would have slept.

The house was already nearing the 100-year mark, a significant lifespan already for any building, when major renovations occurred. At this point, the first floor of the home had already become a place of business, with the property changing hands between a few licensed retail merchants.

One of those merchants, John Field, purchased The Hill as it was referred to back then, and began making major improvements to the property, creating the two-and-a-half story building you see today. Around 1833, he and his son built a brick basement, and in a feat of substantial engineering and manpower, used logs to roll the entire house a short way down the hill to rest atop the new first floor. At the same time, a small shed addition was added to the side and a much larger addition to the front. The front addition also created a porch that sat atop the new sheltered front entrance.

Inside, the new first floor was outfitted with paneled folding doors, which were common in commercial establishments of that time. When closed, the doors created a counting room, a place where bookkeeping or other business-related activities would be done. Today, this set of doors is thought to be among The House & Home Magazine

only six sets that survived the Federal period in Virginia. The fireplace mantel, windows, interior doors and hardware are original to this period.

FROM RETAIL SPACE TO MEETING PLACE The Hill, with its prime location on Main Street, near both the courthouse and the closest wharf, Ware House Landing, was a natural choice for businesses. In the course of its life as a retail space, many trades took place under its roof, among them coach making, general retail, and dressmaking.

Being near to all the goings on in Gloucester Courthouse also made it an ideal location for its next life as a convenient community meeting space. After changing hands yet a few more times, Edge Hill House was purchased by the Gloucester Agricultural Association in 1913. They held agricultural fairs on the property, which at the time consisted of the building and surrounding 40 acres.

Women would often accompany their husbands when going into town for business. One of these women, Mrs. John Marshall Lewis, thought it would be a wonderful idea for the 91

Clockwise from above: Mrs. John Lewis’ wedding dress, given to the GWC by her daughter, Mrs. Chesterman Constantine, who also helped provide for the continued upkeep of Edge Hill House. A beautiful quilt, a gift from Gloucester resident Mary Elizabeth Carter, found a perfect home in the second-floor meeting space. A view of Edge Hill House from the southwest corner highlights the brick first-floor addition which was added in the 1830s. The original main floor space still contains much of the original elegant architectural details. This now secondfloor room serves as the meeting space for the GWC. Visitors can read about the history of the home on an outdoor display, courtesy of Gloucester County Tourism. women of Gloucester to have a convenient place to meet and socialize with each other. In 1913, Lewis, along with three other women—Mrs. Henry Williams, Mrs. Snowden Hopkins, and Mrs. Frank Weaver—formed the Gloucester Woman’s Club and began renting the first floor of Edge Hill House as a meeting place. They would often open the house for members to socialize while their husbands were off conducting business.

The women purchased Edge Hill House and the now oneacre surrounding lot in 1920, paying off the mortgage just two years later by selling shares in The Club and by holding Saturday afternoon tea dances, charging five cents a cup.

The Gloucester Woman’s Club wasn’t the only community group to use Edge Hill House as a meeting space. Gloucester’s first circulating library was run out of one of the rooms before the creation of a county public library. Gloucester Day School called Edge Hill House home before they moved and became Ware Academy. During both World Wars the space was the center for war-related efforts. For nearly 75 years it was also the headquarters for the Gloucester Historic Garden Week. Added to that the concerts, art shows, and lectures that have all taken place there, and you can see that Edge Hill House has truly been a gift that keeps on giving to the Gloucester community.

But all that giving comes at a price. If you’ve ever lived in an old building, you know that in exchange for being surrounded by history, you need to provide near constant upkeep. The Club undertook significant restoration work in the 1940s, repairing some walls and replacing the second floor (the authentically reproduced wood floor was approved by Colonial Williamsburg) after the county engineer told them that they were too damaged 92

June/July 2019

WITH THE CONCERTS, ART SHOWS, AND LECTURES THAT HAVE ALL TAKEN PLACE THERE, AND YOU CAN SEE THAT EDGE HILL HOUSE HAS TRULY BEEN A GIFT THAT KEEPS ON GIVING TO THE GLOUCESTER COMMUNITY. to hold any more dances. Even with that effort, by the 1980s the house was in dire need of major repairs again. The Edge Hill Foundation as it is now known, was created and worked diligently to fund the repairs of the slate roof and electrical system, as well as structurally repairing the front porch and improving drainage around the building.

READY FOR MORE HISTORY Just as the house was both adapted and preserved during its first 300 years, The Foundation continues to evaluate the condition of the building along with considering improvements.

Edge Hill House, now the oldest standing private dwelling in Gloucester Courthouse, is on both the Virginia Historic Landmarks Register and the National Register of Historic Places. The history of Edge Hill House is the history of Gloucester’s economy, transforming from a small settlement to a bustling Main Street full of shops and restaurants. That Gloucester’s Main Street not only endures, but thrives, is a testament to the long social history of the store owners, and tradespeople who lived or worked on the property.

The Gloucester Woman’s Club has been using the property to enhance community life as well as being caring stewards of its history. Generosity towards the Edge Hill Foundation will help support The Club’s mission of enhancing community life and ensuring that Edge Hill House remains a distinctive and vital element of Main Street’s future and an important part of the area’s past.

For more information about the Gloucester Woman’s Club or making a tax-deductible donation to the Edge Hill Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, call 804-642-6093. H The House & Home Magazine

Organic Green Lawn Care, Inc. TM

Make Your Lawn Greener and Cleaner TM

Want seeding in the fall?

Call for a free estimate.

Organic Fertilization n Lawn Renovation n Aeration & Seeding Ornamental Tree & Shrub Programs n Bed Weed Control Programs

804-758-4585 • oglcinc@yahoo.com www.organicgreenlawn.com 3 6 C AM P B E L L DR I V E * TO P P I N G , VA 2 3 1 6 9

93

H E A L T H

Volunteers Make a Difference AT RIVERSIDE TAPPAHANNOCK HOSPITAL

“We don’t just give our time. We give our heart.”

W

hen Greg Eby retired, he was looking forward to enjoying time off. Time at home. Time with his wife.

But then she became terminally ill, and instead their days were spent at Riverside Tappahannock Hospital.

“I remember sitting here in the infusion center one day and a volunteer could tell I just needed someone to sit and listen to me, and just be there,” Eby said. “They let me just talk. At that time, I still thought maybe everything was going to work out.

But deep down I knew it wasn’t looking good.”

Not long after Eby’s wife died, remembering how much the volunteers had helped him through her illness, Eby applied to become a volunteer and soon became one of dozens of volunteers who give of their time to the community through the hospital.

Volunteers are often patient facing, playing an important role in hospital operations and the quality of the care experience.

Volunteers at Riverside Tappahannock Hospital may be found cheerfully greeting people on the way in to the hospital, 94

helping families find something in the gift shop, or shuttling families to and from their cars. Others might serve as the liaison in the surgical waiting area, lending a helpful hand to guide patients from registration to the appropriate prep room – personally making sure they are as comfortable as possible while they wait.

“Our patients constantly talk to us about the interactions they have with the people who are volunteering,” said Liz Martin, Riverside Health System Senior Vice President and Administrator for Riverside Tappahannock Hospital and the surrounding region. “Everything they do makes a difference.”

In 2018 alone, 36 adult volunteers gave 11,171 hours of service to Riverside Tappahannock Hospital, its patients and their families across the region.

“I don’t think the community is aware of the impact the volunteers make,” said Cookie Elliott, the volunteer gift shop lead. “There is a great need for what we are doing. You have a real purpose here, a real purpose for coming.”

While the sheer number of hours volunteers contribute is impressive, Martin said, “it’s really what happens in those June/July 2019

H E A L T H

WANT TO VOLUNTEER? Riverside Tappahannock Hospital is accepting applications for new volunteers.

hours that makes the difference and tells the stories.”

In addition to their time in 2018, volunteers also helped collect financial donations and managed events that raised more than $16,700 in funds to support the Riverside Foundation and other needs in the community.

“There’s a lot of satisfaction to providing assistance and comfort to others,” Eby said. “It’s like a big family here. The staff shows their appreciation and gratitude to us all the time, makes you feel valued, genuinely appreciated and liked. That was very therapeutic in my own personal healing.”

Nancy Brown, who has been volunteering at Riverside Tappahannock Hospital for so long, and loves it so much, she can’t remember the exact date she started, agrees.

“I get the greatest pleasure from serving people,” Brown said. “Going to a hospital is not anyone’s first choice. If you do have to go to the hospital, we are going to make it as pleasant for you as we possibly can. We don’t just give our time. We give our heart.” H The House & Home Magazine

Applicants can indicate their preference for a variety of positions with or without patient contact, including the surgical wait desk, shuttle driver, gift shop and other positions focused on patient comfort or communications.

Hours are flexible, and applicants can choose between daytime (9 a.m. to 3 p.m.), mornings (9 a.m. to 12 p.m.) or afternoons (12 p.m. to 5 p.m.).

For more information on Riverside in Tappahannock and on the Northern Neck, or to download a volunteer application, visit riversideonline.com/RTH. For more information on Riverside, visit riversideonline.com.

95

96

June/July 2019

The House & Home Magazine

97