SUMMER 2011
Girls Guide to Grilling:
5 delicious summer recipes & tips for outdoor cooking
Inside Appalachia:
Where Moutaintop Removal steals more than the land
Shock & Awe: NOLA designer wows audiences
All American Girl
Melissa Fuller Talks about family, tough decisions & making it in the music industry
Exclusive access to behind-the-scenes of her new music video
Ben Sollee strums to his own folk beat
Ultimate
4th of July
Guide:
Best Destinations & Southern Celebrations
10 must-haves for any party PLUS: A free music download inside!
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In this issue...
10 24 26 36 38 42 44 48
Art, Wine & Rock’n’Roll An Art Museum hosts the best concert series in Birmingham
The Best Multitaskers
Creative uses for items already in your pantry
Girls Guide to Grilling From showers to soirees, be prepared to host any event
Stock the Bar
A recurring series featuring seasonal ingredients.
Low Country Tea Time An inside look at the only working tea farm in America
Sweet Tea with a Twist Creative takes on the South’s favorite summer drink
From Wraps to Hoagies
Alison Lewis writes the ultimate guide to sandwiches
Almonst Famous
Melissa Fuller makes music her own way
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Ripples of Hope
Kentucky native, Jason Howard, pushes for change in Appalachia
Weighing Me Down
Libby Howard pens a hysterically honest letter to the extra pounds
Julep Fall Guide
Football tailgates, craft beer tours and the best fall dinners - what to look foward to in the next issue
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Shock and Awe
Award-winning fashion designer pushes the envelope of southern style
Independence Day Guide The best Southern destinations to celebrate 4th of July
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Above: Coal piles beside a trailer in a complex of several family homes in Vicco, KY. Heating homes in the winter with coal is considered dangerous, but many families still use the locally abundant resource to stay warm.
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Appalachian Majesty
See why this beautiful region and its residents are in danger
Close to the Sky
Folk artist and celloist, Ben Solle, soars with the release of his third album
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editor’s letter
S
ummer has always been my favorite season. The beginning of June marks a time of hot days spent by the pool, warm evenings grilling out, weekends at a lake and the occasional roadtrip. In this issue of Julep, we have focused on these summer traditions and added our best tips and advice.
Planning an al fresco party? Check out our new Party Pantry feature for the multi-tasking items that will make planning a breeze and our Girls Guide to Grilling is chock-full of recipes to take your grillouts up a notch. Headed on the road for Independence Day? We’ve compiled travel guides for our favorite Southern destinations and celebrations. This issue of Julep is also bursting with new features. Our gorgeous cover girl, Melissa Fuller, granted Julep exclusive access during the making of music video. Be sure to check out all the fun behind-the-scenes footage. And, as a special offer for Julep readers, Melissa is giving away a free download of her new single, “Money, Money, Money”. Melissa is a rising star that you don’t want to miss! Lastly, as a native Kentuckian, the photo essay in this issue is near to my heart. Julep sent photographer extrodinaire, Rush Jagoe, to the Appalachian Mountains of Eastern Kentucky for a week. The resulting photos are devastatingly beautiful. The majestic landscapes are being stripped away by coal mining and it is threatening not only the evironment but the lifestyle of an entire region. There is an uprise bubbling up in the hills and hollers of Appalachia that Jason Howard praises in his personal essay, “Ripples of Hope.” So grab a glass of sweet tea (or make one of our original tea drinks on page 43) and enjoy! -Rebecca
Highlighting modern Southern culture and lifestyle, Julep Magazine is an exclusively digital publication striving to inform and inspire the increasing contemporary Southern audience- Each quarterly issue will give voice to rising Southern artists, explore vibrant points of destination, examine reinvented traditional foods and drinks, and include fresh designs, fashions and their creators. Julep Magazine is a publication of Heritage Media, LLC. Editor: Rebecca Wilson We are taking submissions! If you are interested in contributing to Julep Magazine, please email editor@julep-magazine.com Find us online JulepOnline.com facebook.com/JulepMagazine twitter.com/JulepMagazine Question or Comment? email them to: editor@julep-magazine.com For information on advertising please email: ads@julep-magazine.com
Look for future issues of Julep in September and December 2011
photographers
Meet the people behind the photos featured in this issue
Rush Jagoe
Rush Jagoe is a Louisiana-based freelance photographer. He is on a long-term endeavor to document communities in Coastal Louisiana and spent much of last year documenting effects of the Deepwater Horizon’s Oil Spill. Jagoe’s work appears regularly in The Wall Street Journal and sporadically in a number of other national and local media outlets. (Photo: Rush Jagoe)
EllenWaldrop
Ellen Waldrop is from Dallas, Texas. She is currently attending Savannah College of Art and Design, Savannah GA, majoring in fashion photography. Although she focuses on fashion photography, she still enjoys documenting daily life and events.
(Photo: Andrew Hefter)
Glen Rose
Photo: Glen R
“I've been enjoying pictures since looking at my parents’ National Geographic mags as a little kid. I decided once I moved to Nashville this [photography] is what I wanted to do. I'm just a lucky guy who gets to do what I love to do and make a living off of my craft. In fact, it's not work at all. It's just my love of documenting other artist's lives.”
contributors The writers and designers featured in this issue
Allison Westlake
Allison Westlake is a freelance writer and stylist from Birmingham, Alabama. A graduate of Auburn University, she currently works in public relations, after working for Coastal Living and Sandra Lee SemiHomemade magazines. With a love for good food, better design, and spontaneous travel, Allison only wishes her skills carried over into gardening and she could keep a plant alive for longer than a week.
(Photo: Silas House)
Jason Howard
Jason Howard is the co-author of Something’s Rising: Appalachians Fighting Mountaintop Removal and the editor of We All Live Downstream. His features, essays, and reviews have appeared in publications such as The Nation, Equal Justice Magazine, No Depression, Paste, and The Louisville Review, and his commentary has been featured on NPR.
Betsy Rhame-Minor Betsy Rhame-Minor, a Raleigh, N.C. native, is a freelance writer and editor in Atlanta. She specializes in writing for magazines and businesses, and editing manuscripts and academic journals. When she’s not working she reads and travels throughout the Southeast.
Christy Lorio
Christy Lorio is a New Orleans area native that literally grew up with a swamp for a backyard. She is a freelance writer; founder of Slow Southern Style. com and a manager of a popular Magazine Street shop. Her work has been featured in New Orleans Magazine, Gift Shop Magazine, and numerous online publications. When she’s not spending time discovering new southern based fashion designers she maintains bragging rights about hiking to the bottom of the Grand Canyon 10 times.
Cambron Jewell Cambron Jewell received her M.S.A from Belmont University and her Bachelor of Arts from Western Kentucky University. She lives in Nashville, TN has written for the Tennessee Titans online and maintains Southern Sophisticate, a blog sharing the life of a simple, southern girl.
Dagny Leonard Lucie Rice Lucie Rice is a Nashville based freelance illustrator and designer. Her whimsical imagery can be seen in magazines across the country as well as in children’s books and in advertising campaigns. See more at www.lucierice.com.
Dagny Leonard was born in Oxford, Alabama, where she lived until leaving to attend the George Washington University. Leonard is a recent graduate of GW’s School of Media and Public Affairs with a B.A. in journalism and mass communication. She currently lives in Washington, D.C.
Art, Wine & Rock’n’Roll
Summer Concert Series Jams Birmingham’s Museum of Art By Dagny Leonard Just picture it: you are strolling quietly through the galleries of Birmingham, Alabama’s beautiful Museum of Art, your footsteps echoing in the quiet hallways filled with beautiful artwork. Now picture yourself doing that again, but add a warm evening, a summer dress, a glass of wine in your hand, and the live music of New Orleans’ legendary Dirty Dozen Brass Band in the background. You are at the first Art on the Rocks event of 2011, a special summer event series hosted by the Birmingham Museum of Art. “We saw a need in
Birmingham, specifically downtown Birmingham, and a lack of involvement with the cultural organizations that went beyond just daytime visits to the museums,” said Cate McCusker, associate director of communications at the Birmingham Museum of Art. “We looked at our membership and noticed that we had a lot of older members and we really just wanted to recruit more young people and show them that the museum can be a cool place.” In 2004 the museum debuted its solution in the form of Art on the Rocks. In addition to the afterhours tours of the galleries, every Art on the Rocks features fun
activities for guests, such as the scavenger hunt sponsored by Bromberg’s Jewelers (the scavenger hunt winner is prized with a fabulous piece of jewelry). This year’s series draws its theme from the much-anticipated exhibition Who Shot Rock and Roll: A Photographic History, 1955 to the Present. The bands and activities have been chosen to engage guests in a way that reflects the “rock and roll” nature of the exhibit. Featured bands for the series include The Dirty Dozen Brass Band, The Posies and the Dirty Guvnahs. This summer’s first Art on the Rocks series will take place on June 17, just a week before Who Shot Rock and Roll opens in the museum on June 24. There will be plenty of activities to gear up your rebellious rock side. Make sure not to miss the dueling graffiti artists in the museum’s Sculpture Pit, the area that rests between two large walls between the museums gardens. Guests will be able to watch as the battling graffiti artists create artwork throughout the night. If watching the artists in action has you inspired, you can take your ideas over to the Creation Station, where you can make graffiti of your own. In addition to the live performance by The Dirty Dozen Brass Band, guests can
listen to Dueling DJ’s and watch the breakdance moves of a b-boy dance crew. Finally, indulge your sophisticated side with a guided tour of the contemporary art gallery given by the curator of contemporary and modern art. Come back on July 22 for Art on the Rocks and experience the Who Shot Rock and Roll exhibit. The museum will be giving VIP passes that will include free drink tickets, admission to the section right next to where The Posies’ are playing and night access to the Who Shot Rock and Roll exhibit. Local Birmingham funk/soul artist Sharrif Simmons will also be giving a spoken word performance. For those interested, a curator-lead tour will take you through the “rebel” pieces of the museum, describing the bizarre stories behind the pieces. The final event of Art on the Rocks of this summer is sure not to disappoint. The Dirty Guvnahs will Art on the Rocks 2011 will feature The Dirty Dozen Brass Band, The Posies and the Dirty Guv’nahs. Above: the album artwork for The Posies and the Dirty Guv’nahs. Right: the museum galleries are an indeal spot for mingling. Opposite Page: The Dirty Dozen Brass Band.
close out the series as August’s live performance group. A runway will cut through the museum as Gus Myer puts on a rock star fashion show. If watching the rock and roll runway gives you the fashion bug, you can mosey on over to the Creation Station, where guests can create “wearable” art. You can even take a picture of yourself and your wearable accomplishment in the photo booth that will be set up in the museum. Guests buy tickets at the door, $10.00 for members and $20.00 for non-members. Each event averages about 2,000 guests, and draws a wide range of adults. “It really was popular right out of the gate because there was just such a need for it,” said McCusker. “Birmingham is such a word of mouth place, so it didn’t take much for the word to spread.”
Independence Day DESTINATIONS From D.C. to South Carolina and the lakes in between, plan your getaway with our insider’s guide to the best celebrations across the South
DESTINATION:
Land between the Lakes
Land Between the Lakes is an ideal summer destination for
people of all ages and interests. Named for the narrow strip of land between the Tennessee and Cumberland Rivers in Western Kentucky, it is the largest inland peninsula in the United States. Numerous nature, water and shopping activities are within a day’s drive to Grand Rivers, Kentucky from most points in the Midwest and Southeast including Chicago and Atlanta.
Stay
SEE
Green Turtle Bay Resort and Marina offers oneto four-bedroom condominiums either with a breathtaking lake view or nestled in the woods for privacy. On site amenities include restaurants, swimming pools, fitness club and day spa.
Lake Barkley and Kentucky Lake aren’t to be missed. Together the lakes form the largest body of water between the Great Lakes and the Gulf of Mexico boasting 210,000 surface acres with hundreds of calm coves for swimming or fishing.
Kentucky State Parks are among the best in the country. Three parks are located close to LBL and offer lodge, cottage and campground rentals; golf courses; horseback riding; nature trails and much more. Check out Kentucky Dam Village, Kenlake or Lake Barkley.
Follow “The Trace” (KY Highway 453) from Grand Rivers, KY south to Dover, TN on 45 miles of scenic highway through the rolling hills and forest of LBL. Experience nature with over 400 miles of biking and hiking trails.
Maple Hill Bed and Breakfast, Eddyville, Kentucky is a historic 1850s plantation-style home with lovely rooms and gorgeous outdoor areas to watch the sun set over Lake Barkley.
EAT Patti’s 1880’s Settlement Restaurant is the heartbeat of Grand Rivers, Kentucky. Melt-in-your-mouth 2-inch pork chops with all the trimmings finished with homemade mile-high meringue pies are served by friendly folks in period costumes. Reservations are a must. Willow Pond Catfish Restaurant, Eddyville, Kentucky is a local favorite and a repeat stop for visitors who enjoy crispy, farm-raised catfish filets, crunchy hush puppies and fresh coleslaw. Max’s Brick Oven Café is a highlight of downtown Paducah, Kentucky. Enjoy the nightly chef special featuring local products or a famous wood-fired pizza paired with a nice wine at a table in the courtyard garden.
“Art, Rhythm and Rivers” describes a truly great small city on the Ohio River. Paducah, Kentucky has a quaint downtown which hosts a weekly festival with sidewalk arts, crafts, vendors, and live music every Saturday night.
CELEBRATE Three jewels of LBL are offering special activities for the holiday. The Homeplace, a 1850s Living History Farm invites visitors to participate in the customs, celebrations and living conditions of a frontier settlement. Golden Pond Planetarium and Observatory will have laser light shows and The Nature Center will show off the wildlife with hourly educational demonstrations. Drag Boat Racing at Pisgah Bay, Kentucky Lake is sure to rev up your engines. Pack a picnic lunch to enjoy from the ridge above the water. Fireworks will light the western Kentucky skies. Take in the view from a boat on the lake or sitting on the dam.
DESTINATION:
Charleston, S.C.
Charleston, South Carolina- the perfect place to land for your summer vacation. Immerse yourself in the charm and history of the low country or bask in the sun on one of the many islands the city has to offer. Slow down time as you watch the sunset from Waterfront Park or engage in a meal crafted by one of Charleston’s award winning chefs. Engage your sense and experience southern hospitality at its finest. Leave your worries behind and make Charleston your temporary home.
Stay Hyatt Place Charleston Airport/Convention Center This brand new hotel is just minutes to downtown and located adjacent to the airport, convention center and outlet shopping. Tides Folly Beach Enjoy the ocean at your backdoor while you relax and enjoy all that Folly Beach has to offer. Charleston Place Hotel Join the midst of high society as you enjoy the finest Charleston has to offer.
EAT
SEE Charleston Carriage Tour View the hidden, historic neighborhoods of Charleston’s South of Broad district. Boone Hall Plantation Experience America’s oldest working, living plantation nestled in the arms of giant live oaks. Firefly Distillery The home of South Carolina’s only distillery producing the nation’s fastest growing sweet tea spirit.
CELEBRATE
Laura Albert’s Tasteful Options This local gem is a perfect stop for fresh, regional cuisine, craft beer, fine wine, a meal to go or a good time with friends.
Patriots Point 4th of July Celebration See Charleston’s largest fireworks show ever light up the harbor over the USS Yorktown while you dance to live music.
Fat Hen A combination of French classics and LowCountry cuisine makes local appetites return…often!
July 4th Celebration, North Charleston Gather at Riverfront Park to celebrate America’s 236th birthday with local shag bands, Lee Greenwood, Mary Wilson of The Supremes and the Marshall Tucker Band.
Husk James Beard award-winning chef Sean Brock presents a modern twist on old Southern favorites.
Folly Beach 4th of July Celebration Enjoy a full day on the beach followed by a magnificent evening firework show from the Edwin S. Taylor pier.
WASHINGTON. DC puts on her best show for Independence Day Celebrations with parades, concerts and plenty of special activities. The city truly rises to the occasion every year and welcomes thousands of tourists. Follow our insider’s guide to seeing the best, eating like the locals and avoiding the long lines…
Stay
SEE
W Washington is a new W property, this building has been completely remodeled. Situated next to the Department of Treasury and the White House, the rooftop bar POV has hands-down the best view in the city. Make a reservation and enjoy a sip of something sparkly as you take in the majesty of the Mall at night.
National Mall – Jam-packed with the Smithsonian Museums, National Galleries of Art, National Archives and Monuments, the Mall can easily take days to experience it all. Visit the musuems early in the morning to avoid the longest lines. Then stroll down the mall to take in all the monuments. Head over to the Newseum for an interactive history of the news and don’t miss their rooftop balcony for a great view of the Capitol.
Hotel Monaco, ideally located on the historic King Street in Old Town Alexandria, VA, this eclectic property boasts a terrific restaurant and an ideal location just across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C. Jefferson Hotel is another recently renovated property with great features, central location in downtown D.C. and wonderful dining options. Eat breakfast in the light and airy courtyard or head down into the wine cellar for a glass of vino before a night out.
EAT
Georgetown – This quaint, old neighborhood bustles with picturesque old homes, stellar shopping and cute cafes. Stroll down the narrow streets, pop into Cusp for trendy items and head down the street to Baked & Wired for a sinfully good cupcake and java bolt. Capitol Hill – In the shadows of the Capitol and the Supreme Court is DC’s largest farmer’s market, exciting nightlife and the new National’s stadium.
CELEBRATE
Blue Duck Tavern is one of DC’s best-kept restaurant secrets. Head to this West End locale for outstanding martinis and even better entrees. The daily specials are always a sure bet.
Annapolis is just a short drive away and boasts a breathtaking harbor, historic downtown and patriotic parades. This gem of Maryland is a wonderful day trip from Washington, D.C.
Cork is a neighborhood wine bar with an extensive selection of vinos, excellent small plates and rarely an open bar seat. They don’t take reservations, so avoid going during peak dinner hours to score a table.
Old Town Alexandria located just accross the Potomac River from D.C., Old Town is a history buff ’s dream. Enjoy the cobblestone streets lined with historic townhouses and taverns and don’t miss the best view of fireworks over the Potomac.
Café Atlantico all-star Chef Jose Andres restaurant in Penn Quarter features whimsical dishes with a south of the border flair. A deconstructed margarita with salted foam is a must. Try making a reservation at the nearly impossible to get in 8-seat Mini Bar Restaurant (located inside Café Atlantico) for a meal you’ll never forget. Dragons Breath popcorn, anyone?
Independence Celebration on National Mall features a parade, exhibits on the Mall, live concerts and of course, fireworks. Plan on spending the day to take in all the activities downtown.
DESTINATION:
WASHINGTON D.C.
the handy
Girls Guide Grilling ultimate
to outdoor cooking &
By Alison Lewis
One grill dinners: from appetizers to desserts, make your next meal over a charcoal flame
O
ne of my favorite jobs as a Recipe Developer and Cookbook Author is working on grilling recipe projects. I love grilling food because it creates food with wonderful healthy, fresh flavors. Also, my three kids love and will eat just about any foods that are cooked on the grill. It’s truly fun to be outside grilling. It’s relaxing, and I think that is one of the reasons men love to do it so much. So what about us women? When I was running with some friends recently, I was telling them about all the fabulous things I have been grilling lately preparing for summer recipes for clients. My friend Kelly said, “I have no idea how to grill.” Isn’t that a man’s job?” I replied that grilling is super easy, fun and relaxing. I honestly believe
it’s one of the easiest cooking methods. You start by marinating your meat, seafood and/or vegetables, turn the grill on and get started. Here’s a simple, all-purpose grilling menu you can use over and over again. I have provided two main course options so there’s something for everyone. All of the recipes are less than 40 minutes from start to finish. They are so fresh, healthy and full of great flavor. Start by trying a few and you’ll be off and grilling in no time. Alison Lewis is a nationally known Recipe Developer, Cookbook Author and Food Television and Media Spokesperson. She is the owner of Ingredients, Inc., a Food Consulting company in Birmingham, Alabama. She is known for her popular food and Healthy Lifestyle blog. Check out Julep’s article on Lewis and her latest cookbook on page 44.
Grilled Tomato Basil Crostini This is an easy and pretty appetizer, and it’s the ideal season for fresh tomatoes and herbs. Prep: 15 minutes Cook: 5 minutes Serves 8 to 10 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil 2 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese with basil and tomato (1 oz) 10 to 12 French bread slices (about 1/2-inch thick) 1/4 cup olive oil 1/4 tsp ground black pepper 5 plum tomatoes, thinly sliced .
1. Combine basil, parsley and feta in a small bowl; set aside. 2. Place bread slices on a large
serving platter or work surface. Brush evenly with olive oil and sprinkle with pepper. 3. Grill tomato and bread slices over low heat 3 minutes on each side until bread is lightly
brown and grill marks appear on tomatoes. 4. Serve tomato slices on bread and sprinkle evenly with basil and feta. Serve immediately or grill 2 minutes more until cheese melts.
Beer-Basil Corn
Corn never tasted this good and this recipe is such a breeze.
1. Preheat grill or broiler over medium heat.
Prep: 10 minutes Cook: 10 minutes Serves 4
2. Combine beer and butter in small bowl; brush beer mixture over corn. Wrap corn individually in aluminum foil.
1/4 cup light beer 1 tbsp. butter 4 ears shucked corn 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh basil
3. Place corn on grill and cook 10 minutes, turning frequently. Brush with remaining beer mixture. Serve immediately and sprinkle with basil.
Jamaican Spiced Flank Steak
Fresh citrus, ginger, brown sugar and cinnamon create a flavorful Caribbean-style marinade for this flank steak. Prep: 15 minutes* Cook: 20 minutes* *2 hours marinate time and 10 minutes rest time extra Serves 4 1/3 cup fresh orange juice 2 tbsp. fresh lime juice 2 tsp. peeled, grated gingerroot 1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar 1 tsp. kosher salt 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon 1 (2-lb.) flank steak 1. For the marinade, in a medium bowl combine orange juice, lime juice, ginger, brown sugar, salt, pepper and cinnamon. Place steak in a large resealable plastic bag; pour marinade over steak. Seal bag; refrigerate 2 hours to 8 hours, turning occasionally. 2. Coat grill rack with nonstick cooking spray. Preheat grill to medium-high (350째F to 400째F). Remove steak from marinade; discard marinade. Place steak on grill. Grill, covered, 8 to 10 minutes per side or to desired doneness. Remove from grill; let stand 10 minutes. Cut diagonally against the grain into thin slices, and serve.
Tip: Serve chilled flank steak over a salad for easy and delicious leftovers
H a l i b u t w i t h M a ngo a nd Goat Cheese
Mango, goat cheese and lime create wonderful flavor and an easy, beautiful dish. Prep: 20 minutes Cook: 15 minutes Serves 4 1 cup chopped fresh mango 2 tbsp. chopped green onions 2 tbsp. chopped fresh Italian (flat-leaf) parsley 2 tbsp. fresh lime juice 1/2 cup maple syrup 2 tbsp. Dijon mustard 4 (4-oz.) halibut fillets 1/4 cup crumbled goat cheese (1 oz.) 1. In a small bowl combine mango, green onions, parsley and lime juice. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. 2. In a small saucepan over medium heat combine maple syrup and mustard; bring to boiling. Reduce heat to low; simmer 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool. 3. Coat grill rack with nonstick cooking spray. Preheat grill to medium (300째F to 350째F). Season filets with salt to taste. Brush with syrup mixture. Place fillets on grill. Grill covered 5 minutes per side or until fish flakes easily with a fork. 4. Just before serving, stir goat cheese into mango mixture. Spoon over fillets and serve.
Grilled Pineapple with Cinnamon Vanilla Ice Cream
This recipe is a hit with kids and adults. Time saving tip: prepare the ice cream and refreeze into balls before serving. Prep: 5 minutes Cook: 8 minutes Serves 4 2 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon, divided 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 pineapple, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch slices 1 quart vanilla ice cream 1. Mix 2 teaspoons cinnamon into vanilla ice cream, stir well and refreeze. 2. Preheat grill to medium heat. 2. Arrange pineapple slices on a foodsafe work area and lightly sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon drizzle with 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. 3. Grill pineapple over medium heat 2 to 4 minutes on each side or until grill marks appear. If desired, cut into 1-inch pieces and serve with cinnamon ice cream.
G R I L L I N G S A F E TY TI P S : - Always open the grill lid before lighting a gas grill. - Never use cooking spray, oil spray or lighter fluid around a lit grill. - Be mindful of children and pets at all times when grilling. Keep them away from a hot grill. - Position your grill at least 10 feet away from your house, garage or any flammable materials. - Once lit, never leave your grill unattended.
2.
1.
GRILL LIKE A PRO 5 must-have gadgets
3.
1. Grill Brush-Use this to clean grates before and after grilling. The ones with stainless steel bristles will get the job done faster.
4.
2. Grill pan-This makes cooking smaller foods easier. You won’t have to worry about food falling through the grate, and you can wash it in the dishwasher. 3. Basting brush-This is great for basting marinades on meats and vegetables. Check out some of the new silicone brushes which can handle heats upt to 650 degrees for grilling. 4. Grilling tongs-Use two pair. One pair for touching raw meats, and one for vegetables. 5. Meat thermometer-A good meat thermometer is so helpful when cooking meats. Look for an instant-read thermometer to use while grilling. This is important so you don’t overcook your meats.
5.
tea time
Low Country
By Cambron Jewell Photos by Ellen Waldrop
Wadmalaw Island, South Carolina
is a place reminiscent of simpler times when plantations ruled the land, cotton was king and tea was a part of every afternoon. Here, a narrow road is shaded with a canopy of rounded oaks, laced with pale Spanish moss that curves in and out of the island’s barriers. Sitting at the end of the drive is a garden unlike any other in America: The Charleston Tea Plantation. This is a garden rich in history and in age – dating back to 1888 when the first tea tree took root in Summerville, S. C. at Pinehurst Tea Plantation. After growing wild on that island from 1915-1963, the Camellia Sinensis tea plants were transplanted to the sand-rich soil of Wadmalaw Island where third generation tea-taster William Barclay Hall runs the only working tea farm in America. The entrance to the tea farm is warm and inviting. A large front porch with wooden rockers and a complimentary glass of ice-cold spearmint tea awaits visitors. During a spring visit, Mr. Hall prepares for an upcoming festival at he plantation, but takes time to personally show guests how the tea is grown, harvested and processed. Canadian-born, Hall trained to become a master tea-taster in London, England in the 1960s. During his four-year training, Hall tasted between 800 and 1,000 cups of tea each day, conditioning his palate to the 1,500 varietals of the tea plant. Although he jokes that being a tea taster in London was a “great pick up line,” the $27.00 weekly pay was not nearly enough on which to survive. For the next twenty years, Hall worked in the tea trade in England, Argentina and Netherlands before visiting the 127 acre farm in the mid-1980s. Convinced America could produce a high-quality tea here, Hall and Mack Fleming, director of tea horticultural farming for Lipton, purchased the research and development area from Fleming’s employer and founded what is now known as the Charleston Tea Plantation. As Hall weaves around the plantation in a golf cart, he describes the more than 320 varietals of tea plants that are harvested from April to October. Each day the harvest machine trims off the top few inches of growth from the fast growing tea plant, harvesting up to 5,000 pounds during the peak of the growing season. During the height of the growing season, up to 5,000 pounds can be harvested a day. It generally takes between 15-21 days to harvest the entire property
and the cycle is repeated for seven to 10 harvests each season. Once clipped, the tea leaves are taken to the tea factory for processing that will yield a drinkable product within 20 hours. In 2003, the Bigelow Family purchased the farm and partnered with Hall to transform the plantation where consumers could see the process of how the South’s favorite drink is cultivated. The Charleston Tea Plantation offers daily tours of the tea operation and an ideal spot for weddings and other events. Each visit provides a chance to reconnect with nature and experience a trolley ride through the tea farm. The plantation also hosts a celebration of the first flush or first harvest of the tea crop. The First Flush FesTEAval is a full day of live music, food and, of course, fresh tea. The first flush tea is highly sought after for the unique taste and is usually sold out before harvest even begins. The 2011 festival included a twoday concert series headlined by Grace Potter & The Nocturnals. The Charleston Tea Plantation is a remarkable place to seek refuge when the fast pace of life threatens to steer you off course. At the plantation, it’s commonly said that, “on the islands of South Carolina, one starts off every day slowly and gently tapers off.” Life on Wadmalaw Island lives up to that promise.
Green Leaves to Sweet lced: harvesting the tea
On the previous page, William Barclay "Bill" Hall stands among the Camellia Sinensis tea plants at America's only tea plantation in South Carolina's Low Country, Wadmalaw Island. Once harvested, the leaves are scattered across withering box screens in the drying room for 18 hours. Next a grinder "macerates" the leaves, chewing and oxidating them, before final drying, sorting and blending. Five pounds of harvested plants yields only one pound of tea ready to brew for drinking.
Sweet Tea with a twist Julep gives the summer staple a refreshing boost with these original, tea-based libations
The Brown Battery Named for the iconic Charleston, S.C. Battery Park, this drink is as Southern as the name implies. The drink is based on the classic Brown Derby cocktail of bourbon and grapefruit juice. With vanilla liquor, our sweet tea version is just as smooth. The addition of fresh lemon and basil give the well-balanced cocktail a fresh, crisp touch. 1 1/2 ounces sweet tea bourbon 1 1/2 ounces vanilla liquor (e.g. Tuaca) 1 tablespoon basil muddled, plus more for garnish Splash of lemon juice Mix all ingredients and shake with ice. Strain into a glass with fresh ice. Garnish with extra basil or a lemon peel.
Sweet Tea Sangria Substitute fresh brewed sweet tea, pomegranate juice and orange juice in this recipe for a delicious non-alcoholic punch
Sweet Tea Sangria The fresh fruit in this cocktail make it a refreshing drink for hot summer days. It’s an easy recipe to multiply and serve in pitchers, not to mention a delicious alternative to punches for summer showers and parties. 1 ounce sweet tea vodka 1/2 ounce pomegranate liqueur (e.g. Pama) Splash of orange liqueur (e.g. Patron Citronage) 1 ounce sparkling lime flavored water 1 tablespoon pomegranate arils 1 tablespoon diced pineapple 1 tablespoot mint, muddled Muddle mint, pomegranate and pineapple. Add rest of the ingredients and serve over ice. Garnish with extra fruit and mint.
Squeezing It All In Between television segments and the carpool lane, Alison Lewis serves up the definitive sandwich cookbook
Lewis’ kitchen is notha natural next step for Lewis after ing fancy but it gets the job done. 17 years of working with food. A When a film crew comes over to see second cookbook on a to-be-deter Alison Lewis could be your it before taping, she mined topic is also next-door neighbor. She’s got a says they’re usuin the works. “Sometimes we’ll husband, three kids, a Labradoodle ally surprised. “It’s named Latte and an SUV in the what most people Lewis didn’t have five entrees [for carport of her Birmingham home. have,” Lewis says. grow up in the dinner],” Lewis says, When her kids are at school, her “I think they think kitchen. Her mom and her children desk is her kitchen table. This is I’ll have this elabodidn’t cook much convenient because even though rate set up. I’m just think families eat like at home, and Lewis she has basement office space, the like everyone else. did not have a that every night. kitchen, with its four-burner gas It’s what makes me strong desire to stove, island and a cabinet with authentic.” learn culinary just a few too many pans balanced skills. That was, precariously inside, is where she Lewis is until a trip to visit spends most of her time. Today primarily a recipe developer, but her college roommate’s family and she’s not yet sure what she’ll be secondary job titles also include Lewis was awed by the great meals cooking for dinner, but it will prob- blogger, television chef, social the mom created. ably be something easy like burgers. media guru, food consultant and Since this culinary expert has not stylist, speaker and owner of Ingre- Lewis was so inspired that tested recipes this morning, there dients, Inc., and all of these have she considered majoring in nutriis nothing fixed and waiting to be her on the run. tion, but didn’t want to take all the reheated when it is time for the chemistry classes. So she majored family to sit down to dinner. “My brain is kind of always in advertising and marketing, two going,” she explains. “I’m always majors she says have served her On a day when Lewis has writing down ideas. I [type] lists on well. A couple years after graduattested a recipe she has developed, my iPhone in the carpool line.” ing from the University of Alataped a cooking segment to be aired bama, she went back to school and later on television or had a food As if life is not already busy got a nutrition degree after all, first photo shoot, there is food to eat for enough, her latest project, 400 Best considering a career as a dietitian dinner and one less thing to do for Sandwich Recipes: From Classics & but changing her mind after a the day. “Sometimes we’ll have five Burgers to Wraps & Condiments, hospital internship. On a whim, she entrees [for dinner],” Lewis says, has made her even busier. sent her resume to Southern Progand her children think families eat ress Corporation/Oxmoor House in like that every night. This cookbook is her first 1994 and became an assistant editor crack at publishing and seems like for light cookbooks. The company By Betsy Rhame-Minor
sent her to take some culinary classes and she began critiquing recipes. “I really loved that part once I got some culinary experience,” Lewis explained.
youngest child who came up with the subject matter from the backseat of the car while Lewis drove her children out of town for spring break. After months of brainstorming ideas with her publisher, the sandwich idea, blurted out by a nine year-old from the backseat, was the winner. “There’s no massive book on sandwiches,” Lewis said.
There’s a chapter called “Lunch Box” that includes recipes for food easily transportable to school or work. There are even chapters for condiments, burgers, Then, in 1995 she got to put wraps, appetizer sandwiches, the together the main dinner menu in classic sandwiches you’d expect and Oxmoor House’s annual Christmas a chapter dedicated solely to grilled cookbook cheese that includes 91 recipes before acalone. Lewis has developed recipes cepting a job as varied as Grilled Guacomento with South(a combination of guacamole and ern Living pimento cheese), Almond Butter, Magazine. She and Honey and Banana Chips Wrap, There she her pubChili Dogs, Cuban-Style Tofu on was a food lisher were Italian bread and a Coffee and Hot editor, off and Fudge Ice Cream Wrap. In the overseeing running. condiments chapter, Lewis instructs photos, writTo do it, on how to make five different ing stories Lewis aïolis, mango-avocado relish and and testing needed to tomatillo tartar sauce, and other recipes. She develop spreads and sauces. Many of the also worked 400 recicondiments were repurposed from for Cooking pes. First, recipes Lewis has developed for Light Magashe turned clients over the years, so, she says, zine before to her files “That chapter was a breeze. I just starting her and food thought it would add a good touch own busiblog to to the book.” ness in 2001 pull some when her recipes Like the rest of us, Lewis nanny quit together. leads a busy life and promises her For a a breakfast wrap to-go or a sweet and and she deWhen Lew- recipes are simple to make. tangy crostini appetizer, try out two of the cided to stay is began to “Most people are learning to cook recipes from Lewis’ cookbook, “400 Best home with run short and want easy stuff,” she explained. Sandwich Recipes” on the next page. Click on her small on ideas, the image of the book to purchase a copy. children. she posted The cookbook is full of food She built up prompts that can be prepared in an everyday her food client business and began on Twitter to gather more ideas. kitchen. A few years ago, as Lewis’ developing recipes for magazine Six months later, the cookbook had business really began to grow, her advertisements for national food been tested, edited and published. husband suggested updating the companies. And it grew. Recipe kitchen to better accommodate her, development led to all the things In it, there’s something for but Lewis insists that her food can Lewis is currently juggling. everyone. Lewis includes chapters be prepared in any kitchen so a reon breakfast sandwiches, internamodel isn’t necessary. So no matter She kept thinking that one tional and regional sandwiches and how big and busy she gets, it’s likely day, as a culinary expert, she’d want those that are lighter and healthier. her ordinary kitchen in Birmingto publish her own cookbook. “My blog is healthy, family friendly ham will remain the same, and for When she began brainstorm[and] lighter so I included a lighter one simple reason: “I have what’s ing with her publisher, it was her chapter,” Lewis explained. needed.”
Huevos Rancheros Wraps 4 large eggs 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1 tablespoon butter 1 can ( 14-19 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained 1 small tomato, sliced 1/3 cup sliced black olives 2 tablespoons chopped red onion 1 cup salsa or Pico de Gallo 4 8-inch flour tortillas, warmed 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese 2 avocados, thinly sliced 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro 1. In a bowl, whisk together eggs, salt and pepper. 2. In a medium skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Saute eggs for 3 to 4 minutes or until scrambled. Set aside. 3. In a large nonstick skillet, over low heat, combine beans, tomato, olives and red onion. Stir in salsa and saute for 5 to 10 minutes or until heated and slightly thickened. 4. Place tortillas on a work surface. Divide egg mixture equally in center of each tortilla. Arrange cheese, avocados, cilantro and salsa mixture equally over top. Fold both ends over filling then roll up tortilla. Serve immediately. Serves 4
Pear, Pecan and Gorgonzola Crostini 8 to 10 baguette slices, about 1/2 inch thick 4 ounces cream cheese, softened 1/4 cup crumbled Gorgonzola cheese 1 1/2 cups thinly sliced pear, about 2 medium 4 tablespoons honey 1/2 cup chopped pecans, toasted 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Arrange baguette slices on baking sheet and bake for 5 minutes or until lightly toasted. 2. In a small bowl, combine cream cheese and Gorgonzola. Spread bread slices evenly with one tablespoon of mixture. 3. Top baguettes evenly with pear slices. Drizzle with honey. Sprinkle with pecans. 4. Preheat broiler with rack 4 inches from heat. Broil crostini for 1 to 2 minutes or until pears are tender and cheese is slightly melted. Serve immediately. Makes 8 to 10 appetizers.
Almost Famous Singer/songwriter Melissa Fuller takes a second shot at her music dreams
By Rebecca Wilson Photos by Glen Rose
T
ake one look at Melissa Fuller and it’s impossible to miss the vibrant energy in her smile and the soul in her eyes. She is a woman of many trades – effortlessly transitioning between songwriter and gourmet cook, a flirty stage performer and a loving wife. She drifts into the varying roles with ease. Fuller is completely comfortable with herself and naturally charming. With her smooth, saccharine voice, long blonde hair and perfect figure it’s not hard to see why she was offered a recording contract and was poised to be the next Coors Light girl. She embodies a woman that has it all together – and she did – until it all fell apart. Nashville is a city where instant fame and soaring success stories drift out of the recording studios like music in the streets. Yet the alleyways and honky-tonks of Music City are filled with dissonant guitar chords and rejected demo tapes. It seems that every comefrom-nowhere star shares an identical rite of passage: “I was marketed as a sexpot, a party girl, all pop country pack up the car, move to Nashville, live on pennies but it never felt right. Now, I can record my own material. I and bartend until the fateful can step back and figure out what I want.” day of discovery. The details -Melissa Fuller sometimes change, but the moral of the tale is the same: age 12. Voice lessons in Denver and meetings with come to Nashville with your producers soon followed. By the time she was in high hopes and dreams, a few dollars in your pocket and school, Fuller was performing at hundreds of county you will be discovered. For every one person who fairs between California and Kansas. Already an makes it, there are dozens of bartenders and waiters assured young woman with a surplus of talent, Fuller struggling to be found. was going places and Nashville was her next stop. Fuller, it seemed, would sidestep that scenario. A native of Wyoming, Fuller recorded her first song at
Filled with promise, Fuller headed South ready to
Ready for her close-up Melissa Fuller brushes away a stray lash before her Julep photoshoot. The inspiration for this modern take on 1960’s fashion was largely drawn from Fuller’s new music video, “Money, Money, Money”. In clothes provided by Hemline’s Nashville, a beehive that could reach the sky and Nancy Sinatra tracks on repeat, Fuller effortlessly slipped into a glam 1960’s country star. For a special look at Fuller’s new music video, check out Julep’s behind-the-scenes footage by clicking on the video below.
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punch her ticket on the music industry roller coaster. “I’m from a really small town and it’s hard because sometimes you just don’t know what you just don’t know,” Fuller reflected recently over breakfast in East Nashville. The sentiment says it all about her story. Fuller was soaring – opening for ZZ Top and Diamond Rio; taking meeting after meeting with music producers and writing feverishly. A record deal was soon in the works with a label in New York. Fuller was to be the first signed artist for the label undergoing a change in management. “I was riding high on the horse. It was all coming together – my deal, the tour sponsorship, it was all there,” says Fuller. On the day she was to sign the deal, Fuller unexpectedly pulled out. There was a discrepancy in the paperwork and Fuller, along with her family, suspected that the label was using her to cover up unaccounted cash. “I was just sure I would come back to Nashville and have an offer waiting,” Fuller said. “But the next offer didn’t come. I crashed and burned. I was broke and had to get a ‘big girl’ job.” Once back in Nashville, Fuller sang demos, performed local shows and tried to keep her momentum going, although her phone remained silent to label offers. Fuller admits that the silence was tough, but her family kept it in perspective. “I am just so lucky to be living [in Nashville] doing what I’m doing and my family helped me realize that,” Fuller said. “Without
a family support system, it would be really hard – there are just so many highs and lows.” Eventually she and her husband found themselves at a crossroads. Fuller’s career was at a standstill, and his was about to take off. To support them both, Fuller took a full-time office job. “It was a good gamble. I was able to sustain us and support him until his business took off. Then I quit,” Fuller says. Although she had a new, corporate 9-5 gig, Fuller remained dedicated
to a career in music, “I was writing the whole time,” Fuller said. “I was just circling around this EP. I was doing the music I wanted to do and figuring out what I wanted to be as an artist.” “[Previously] I was marketed as a sexpot, a party girl, all pop country but it never felt right,” Fuller says. “Now, I can record my own material. I can step back and figure out what I want” The resulting project, which Fuller will release independently
this summer, is a perfect reflection of her quirky personality. The first single is the angst-ridden “Money, Money, Money”. A song for which she declines to name the inspiration, but it is a clear tribute to her frustrations with an office job.
I’m only here for the money, money, money Chained to the cell stupid money, money, money
music video, “Money, Money, Money” check out the video on the right. The rest of the EP rounds out Fuller’s range as an artist. “Crazy Dream” is what she calls the “centerpiece” of the project. “Stylistically, it’s dead on for me as an artist,” Fuller says. “It’s quirky, jazz-inspired and a story song. It’s “Sex and the City” meets Shania Twain – definitely it’s own thing.” Also included in the EP is “Poisons in the Sugar”, which Fuller describes as an outlet to her quirky side and “Back to Innocent”, a country ballad.
Step and align, but always keep in mind that Everyone needs more money
As the song crescendos, she declares that the job is what she does, not who she is. It is a sentiment for which an entire generation of workers – who are at the mercy of a stalled economy – can sympathize. The video features a flashback to 1960’s era office life and is heavily inspired by “Mad Men”. Fuller takes on the role of a submissive secretary secretly simmering with frustration at the male-dominated workplace. The turning point comes when she marches to her boss to tell him she can’t take his j-o-b anymore (fun fact: the boss in the video is actually played by Melissa’s former boss). To watch an exclusive look at the making of of the
And it seems Fuller is happiest doing her own thing. Her EP does not fit perfectly into any one genre – it is part country, part pop and part rock. Fuller describes the most frustrating part of releasing an independent EP is determining how to list it on iTunes which only give artists space to list two genres. Fuller is so much more than that. Each song is a different representation of Fuller as an artist – almost an attempt to showcase her musical range. It’s a smart move for a self-released EP. Fuller is producing this project independently with the hope of finally passing through her Nashville rite of passage and securing the hard-fought label contract. Hers won’t be the typical overnight fame story, but then again, this Wyoming native isn’t the typical country. artist, either.
An exclusive offer for Julep readers click for a
FREE SONG DOWNLOAD! Hope you enjoy my new song, “Money, Money, Money”
xoxo, Melissa
Close Sky to the
Innovative folk musician Ben Sollee soars with the release of his third album By Jason Howard
B
en Sollee takes the stage of the Kentucky Theater in downtown Lexington, KY to hoops and hollers from a packed house. He raises the cello in his right hand in acknowledgement, a gesture that provokes even greater applause. Ever the gentleman, he bows before taking his seat center stage. Seconds later a military-style drumbeat kicks in, joined by a bass guitar and Sollee’s evocative cello. This interlude then gives way to his remarkable voice, a weathered instrument that sounds much older than his 27 years, filling every nook and cranny of the hall: Sometimes, I wear feathers to feel close to the sky When I turn out the lights I am part of the night By the time he reaches the chorus, a dissonant horn section has joined in, creating an ethereal countermelody that causes many in the audience to lean forward in their red cushioned theater seats. This song, “Close to You,” is new to them, and they want to catch every lyric and horn trill. They are a hometown crowd, gathered to support their native son as he marks the release of his third album, Inclusions. Most have been following Sollee since he burst onto the national folk music scene in 2008—cello in hand—with his acclaimed debut Learning To Bend, a record that was hailed as “inventive” and “refreshing”
and led NPR to laud him as one of the “Top Ten Great Unknown Artists of 2007.” That accolade was “a shocker,” Sollee recalls over a cup of tea. “I couldn’t figure out why they were talking about it. It felt like there was a big focus on how alternatively I was playing the cello, when I felt I wasn’t doing anything alternative at all.” His plucking and bowing style nonetheless created a unique sound, one that enchanted critics and listeners alike on original songs such as “A Few Honest Words” and “Bury Me With My Car,” and a rousing cover of Sam Cooke’s classic “A Change Is Gonna Come,” which featured additional lyrics by Sollee. “Learning To Bend was a great way to crack myself open in a lot of ways,” he says. “It was kind of like all the pieces and parts of me. It swung in all the characters of my music.” In demand as both a musician and singer, he partnered with banjo chanteuse Abigail Washburn as part of the Sparrow Quartet, which also featured fiddler Casey Driessen and multi-Grammy winner Béla Fleck. Sollee followed this tour with one of his own, which included an eight-day leg completed entirely on bicycle in late spring 2009. Destination: Bonnaroo. With his cello strapped to the back of his Xtracycle, Sollee and a group of friends began the 330 mile trek by taking to the back roads of Kentucky, playing shows in small towns including Danville, Berea and Somerset along the way, before crossing into Tennessee, where he played a raucous set at the music festival. Dubbed “Pedaling Against Poverty,” proceeds from the tour benefited Oxfam International. The following year saw the release of his second album, Dear Companion, a collaboration with fellow Kentuckians Daniel Martin Moore and Yim Yames of My Morning Jacket. A moving, nuanced record about environmental stewardship and mountaintop removal mining in Appalachia, Dear Companion offered a “far from preachy” portrait of these issues “through an unmistakably human lens,” according to a review in Paste. “We explicitly wanted to bring in Appalachia and the sound of it, the feel of it, the stories from it, but we didn’t want it to be an homage to some old recording,” he explains. “It didn’t need to be ‘look at these people and how hard the have it.’ It needed to be ‘look how we’re all involved in these people’s lives.’” The driving instrumentation of the opening track “Something Somewhere Sometime” recalls the
dozers and draglines hauling out the coal, and offers an apology to both the land and the people: If I’ve wounded you, I’m sorry I had good intentions “People that grew up in the cities are tied to Appalachia,” says Sollee. “[The song] is very much about the Industrial Revolution and all the stuff that set into motion that we expect in our lives but are also powered by the tremendously old—really devastating—technology.” While recording Dear Companion, Sollee discovered that his own family land had been strip mined with the permission of his grandparents. “I made a record to find that out,” he marvels, shaking his head. “It was like this roll back in time to a decision that economically made it possible for a family to step up to a new level. There’s no way that my mom would have been in the economic position to go to college. She wouldn’t have met my dad, she wouldn’t have had me, they wouldn’t have been in a position to put me in music. That re-humanized things for me even more [in] this coal debate.” Sollee says that this discovery is but one example of how his art has pushed him to connect to his roots, which were not a typical topic of conversation in his family. “We create this thing and then we learned why we created it,” he explains. “The more people have discovered my music, the more I’ve been pushed into finding out what it is.” As a classically trained cellist, who learned Appalachian fiddle tunes from his grandfather and devoured Otis Redding and Wilson Pickett records as a child, Sollee’s sound seems to defy clear-cut musical genres. Yet he describes it in one world—folk. “We seem to confuse the tradition of folk music with folk music,” he says, a misconception he hopes to challenge with Inclusions, an album that explores the boundaries—or lack thereof—of contemporary folk music. “We are living in more cities than ever, and those cities are denser than they’ve ever been. So what does that mean to our idea of folk music? What does it mean when people are living next door to each other and one person has their family recordings of their grandmother singing Balkan folk music [and their neighbor] is listening to really hardcore, homemade hip-hop? What does that sound like?” This musical melting pot provided the record with its title. But Sollee is quick to explain that it also refers to his concept of the arts, communities
and personal relationships. “I love this record,” he confesses. “I love it for all of its meanings, explicit and incidental. In these songs, I can hear the city I grew up in and the people that lived down the street.” Sollee condenses these influences into songs like “Embrace,” where the slight dip of the bow on his cello and in his voice recall a mountain ballad from Appalachia. Or Kazakhstan. Those styles, he points out, are remarkably similar, and express the universality of the record itself: “People hear themselves in it.” “Bible Belt” is a standout track that further illustrates this point, especially with its pointed lyrics describing how the outside world often invades the intimacy of a couple with its social mores and prejudices, preventing inclusion and acceptance. “We didn’t ask your permission/And I won’t wear your bible belt,” Sollee declares, his voice rife with defiance over the contrasting reverberations of gentle drum brushes and jarring horns. Onstage in Lexington, Sollee strums his mellow electric guitar, eyes closed, bobbing his head along with the light sift of the brushes across the snare drum. Many in the crowd follow suit. Others remain motionless, allowing the lush tones to sink in. Like the music, the audience is diverse, a blending of ages, ethnicities and backgrounds, defying categorization. Distilled to one word, it too would have to be described as folk. Sollee glances up and smiles ever so slightly, knowing that Inclusions is not just an album title—it is a community meant to be savored.
APPALACHIAN
Majesty
Julep spent a week in the mountains of Eastern Kentucky where residents are fighting to survive alongside the coal companies. Mountaintop Removal mining is stripping more than just the coal - an entire region’s livelihood is in danger of being lost Photos by RUSH JAGOE Text by RUSH JAGOE & SHARON WILSON Edited by REBECCA WILSON
A strip mine doesn’t lie dormant at night. Trucks kick dust into the air around the clock at this mountaintop removal site above Montgomery Creek Road in Vicco, KY.
- A CATCH-22 IN APPALACHIA Top Left: Seams of coal like this one are layered between limestone and soil throughout the Appalachian Mountains. Since the 1960’s, strip mining has replaced underground mining to more cost-effectively retrieve the low-sulfur coal – a cleaner burning energy source. Currently just under half of the United States’ electricity is produced by coal. Bottom Left: In May 2011, stripmining operations removed coal at Carr Fork in Knott County, KY. Commonly called mountaintop removal, this mining process removes vegetation, soil and rock to reach the hidden stratified coal seams. Concerned residents and environmentalists object to this mining method that decreases peak heights by hundreds of feet. Top Right: The small mining town of Lynch, KY sits beneath Black Mountain. Lynch enjoys potable water directly from the pristine mountain streams. Soon a strip mine operation on the ridge just above the community will not only continue the destruction of Kentucky’s highest peak, but also destroy the community’s clean water. Bottom Right: For nearly 100 years, J.D. Maggards’ family has owned this store atop Pine Mountain, KY. Operating small businesses has become increasingly difficult as unemployment and the poverty level rises due to traditional mining jobs being replaced by heavy equipment for strip mining in Eastern Kentucky.
- THE NEW LANDSCAPE A reclaimed strip-mining site in Eastern Kentucky shows the controversial changes to the mountain landscape. The topsoil substitute returned to the jagged mountain ridges is unable to support the native forest hardwoods and wildlife, creating a decline in biodiversity and permanent loss of ecosystems. The EPA estimates that by 2012, more than 2,200 square miles of Appalachian forest will be cleared – an area larger than the state of Delaware.
- DAILY AFFIRMATIONS Top: This playground area is located on reclaimed strip-mined land within Kentucky’s Carr Fork Wildlife Management Refuge. Lieutenant Governor Daniel Mongiardo (KY – D) said, “A lot of people look at mountaintop removal as a negative, but I see it as a positive. We need to stop apologizing for coal. We don’t want to defend mountaintop removal, but I want us to promote mountaintop removal because we need flat land. We cannot have economic expansion without places to do things and part of mountaintop removal is for places like hospitals, airports and different types of merchants.” Appalachian News–Express (August 5, 2008) Left: Residents are constantly reminded of the Big Coal operations in Appalachia. Often residents must fight to keep the companies from encroaching on their private property.
- STANDING UP FOR CHANGE -
Ex-coal miner Bennie Massey is the acting president of the Eastern Kentucky Social Club. Massey works to organize those in his community to fight mountaintop removal on the ridges above their town of Lynch, KY. Right: The Eastern Kentucky Social Club, an African American community group, acquired this building for their events and offices for $1. The building is of historical significance as it was the last integrated colored school in Kentucky.
- FIGHTING FOR THE MOUNTAINS Left: Katie Eagle lives on a small piece of land atop Pine Mountain overlooking Kentucky’s highest peak, Black Mountain, elevation 4,145 feet. Eagle has struggled for years between supporting her neighbors who mine and protecting the mountain she loves. Black Mountain is the center of an emotional debate on the economic benefits of strip mining versus the environmental devastation. Below: A home and garden in Eastern Kentucky. Residents in the Appalachian region struggle to survive with the coal mining industry. Coal mining is one of the greatest sources of both economic growth and environmental destruction. Here, water pollution and soil degradation affects even privately owned property.
Ripples BY JASON HOWARD Water and mountains have shaped my life. Like many other Appalachian children, I grew up playing in the creek and climbing the mountains around my family’s home in Eastern Kentucky. Our small holler even took its name from the creek that ran through it—Dorton Branch. During the summer months, I waded in its current, overturning rocks in search of crawdads. My friends and I would spend hours there catching minnows and planning our next fishing trip, often to the music of Dwight Yoakam and Kathy Mattea that drifted from neighboring porches. Once, just before Wednesday night church, I took a dare from a friend that I could swing across the creek on a grapevine. Halfway across, the vine snapped, dropping me into the water with a splash. Soaked to my waist, I sulked inside to a back pew, my shoes squishing with each step to the beat of “There Is Power In The Blood.” My dad dealt with me later that night at home. The creek wasn’t always my friend, though. Each spring
seemed to bring a flood and new lines of worry on my mother’s face. A child of poverty, she and her family had often been forced out of their home by the floodwaters. Pain choked her voice as she recalled being roused by her grandmother in the middle of the night and led to their front porch, where she and her sister were lifted into a waiting rowboat. After the waters receded, they’d go back, salvage what they could and start over. She told me this once just after a powerful flash flood had covered the road in front of our house in 1990. “The [flood waters] hardly ever came like this,” she noted. “They seem to get faster and stronger every year.” Statistics from the National Weather Service, the United States Geological Survey and the Office of Surface Mining support my mother’s observations, as do testimony from residents throughout the Appalachian coalfields. “You can’t blame this on God,” wrote Denvir Mitchell, a witness to disastrous flooding
in Logan County, West Virginia, in a letter to the Ohio Valley Environmental Coalition. “Blame it on who’s doing it. Massey Coal and all of the other coal corporations.” For decades, Big Coal has laid waste to Appalachia through mountaintop removal mining. Since 1985, more than 1,200 miles of streams have been impacted as a result of this devastation. Over 800 square miles of mountains have been destroyed. Each year,
of Hope Top: A panoramic view atop Pine Mountain, KY. Right: McKinley Sumner of Vicco, KY. was offered $300,000 by a coal company for the land his family has owned for generations on Montgomery Creek. Sumner refused the offer citing concerns about water pollution and environmental destruction. Left: Grassroots activist Tanya Turner sits on her porch near Whitesburg, KY.
the explosive equivalent of 58 Hiroshima-sized atomic bombs is detonated by the coal industry in the region. There’s a saying in the antimountaintop removal movement that “what we do to the land, we do the people.” The residents of Appalachia are realizing this, and it’s moving them to speak out. They include people like 78-year-old McKinley Sumner of Perry County, Kentucky, whose
ancestral land is bordered by an encroaching mine site operated by industrial conglomerate International Coal Group (ICG). Although Sumner refused to sell his land to the company, workers nonetheless ignored his clearly marked property line and destroyed some of his land. He now makes a grueling hike up a steep mountainside to his land’s ridgeline three times a week to ensure his property boundaries are respected. Community organizer Tanya Turner is one of many 20-somethings choosing to stay in Kentucky to work for social justice in the mountains. Turner, along with 13 other protesters, staged a four-day sit-in of Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear’s office in February to protest the governor’s support of the coal industry.
Dubbed Kentucky Rising, the group also included internationally acclaimed author Wendell Berry, a fierce protector of the environment for more than 50 years, who recently received the National Humanities Medal from President Obama. Upon emerging from the Capitol in Frankfort, KY, they were joined by more than one thousand protesters rallying for change. Sumner, Turner and Berry—and thousands of Appalachians like them—are creating a rising tide of protest saturating streams and hollers throughout the region. They are producing, in the words of Robert Kennedy, a “tiny ripple of hope [that will] build a current which can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance.” Now that’s a flood I’d like to see in my creek.
Changing of the t n a v A Gardes
By Christy Lorio Photos by Rush Jagoe
Nestled down a
drive cratered with potholes, on the corner of France and Dauphine Streets in the New Orleans neighborhood known as the Bywater, is a smokey dive called J & J Sports Bar. The name is but a misnomer for the mood inside. Formerly known as the Yellow Moon, it is the kind of homey watering hole where the regulars bring homemade guacamole to share and a mix of tattoo aficionados and business suits mingle on the barstools. Alicia Zenobia is a frequent customer and, for once, she blends right into the crowd. I had introduced myself to her once before backstage during the hustle and bustle of Fashion Week New Orleans, where patrons were dressed to impress, to see and be seen. There she feverishly worked on last minute tweaks, ensuring her creations looked perfect on the catwalk. The models took to the stage in a half runway strut and half theatrical performance with dresses that unsnapped to reveal a nude and black cat suit, wrapped around the body with a snake motif a la Cirque du Soleil. Another model stripped down to provocative leather-like lingerie and tantalized the crowd with the crack of two whips. Zenobia’s collection was the talk of the show. The collection was based on an ancient Crete snake goddess sculpture and was so well received that not only did Zenobia win the top designer competition that week, but took home the same title at the Alegria Fashion Show just a few months earlier. Winning the top designer competition at Fashion Week New Orleans earned Zenobia a trunk show at Hemline, a local boutique with multiple locations throughout the South and the Midwest. While the retail exposure at the busy French Quarter location will be good for potential buyers, her challenge now lies in figuring out which pieces will be the most marketable to Hemline customers. Her most recent collection had a certain dark carnivalmeets-burlesque-meets-goth flair. For the runway, she created a gasp-inducing mélange of leather, sequins, snakes, and harlequin hues of red, black and white. The collection was strong and a testament to the more bold and daring aesthetics appearing in beside the
traditional pearls and seersucker typically associated with the South. Zenobia picked one of her previous spring collections to serve as the jumping board for her Hemline trunk show. With a cooler, more muted palette of baby blues and draped Grecian goddess gowns these pieces will certainly be more wearable for most customers, yet each design possesses the edginess of her Autonomous Clothing label. Now, here in this dim and musty bar, tucked away in a neighborhood that is a nesting ground for both transient artist types and deep rooted New Orleans denizens, I get to know the woman behind the designs. Zenobia’s background is in sculpture, but fashion seems to be her true calling.
“I got into fashion to be even more accessible to viewers both as participants and spectators,” Zenobia
says. “Everyone wears clothes, or as I like to say, ‘everyone wears a costume every day’.” Zenobia received a degree from the Rhodes Island School of Design in sculpture. Although she quickly realized the desire to work with a more accessible type of art and started taking classes at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City to learn about clothing design. Her designs certainly are not for wallflowers. Zenobia’s aesthetic represents a certain segment of New Orleans – one that seems to appreciate the seedy nightlife and underground art movement that organically exists here. “I come a little from the left with my look and styling, but it’s just because I’m constantly seeking to create something that isn’t just the same rehashed shit,” Zenobia says. “I want to stun people, I want to entertain! I want people to want to look at the infinite possibility of creativity and realize that they’ve got something to offer, that everyone’s got sexy in them, that they can be whatever character they want in the play that is their lives.”
Zenobia certainly does not see the point in creating looks that could be easily copied. Instead she sticks with her fashion as art mantra. “I don’t see the point in making a garment similar to one you could pick up at Forever21 for 20 bucks. I want to make something that makes the wearer stand out, not blend in,” says Zenobia. After living in New York City for five years, Zenobia, grew tired of the Big Apple’s hostile, impersonal feel and she began to seek out new surroundings. Zenobia had an urge to experience the southern lifestyle, so she came down to the Crescent City hoping to find inspiration. Although the move was meant to be temporary, New Orleans has a seductive lure that attracts and captures people. After three years, Zenobia has made this city her muse and she has no immediate plans of leaving. Here she is embraced by the fashionable types of all sorts – from those that hang out in the dirty dive bars to patrons of upscale wine bars – who await her next collection with bated breath.
Alicia Zenobia, winner of Fashion Week New Orleans, wowed audiences with carnivalmeets-burlesque-meets-harlequin designs.
Pictured are select pieces from the 2011 collection
An Open Letter to My Weight Issue Penned by Libby Howard
Dear Weight Issue,
We’ve been through a lot together. What’s it been? Fifteen years? Twenty? I’ve realized you are my longest lasting relationship. I know you think I haven’t really been properly committed to you. It’s true. I have been trying to dump you. Yes, it hasn’t been an obvious attempt, since I know I have yet to lose more than five pounds, but it is true. I was wrong to do so. I know that now. The mirror doesn’t lie and I can no longer imagine a life without you. We’ve had our problems. Who hasn’t? It’s not always been rah-rah, happy-happy between us. I’ve tried to drive you away: the gym memberships, the cabbage soup, hot (as hell!) yoga, the despair and despondency, the flirtation with scale-induced alcoholism, the all-black wardrobe. And I am truly sorry for that month with Food Diary. What can I say? I was seduced! Seduced by those handsome promises of accountability and easy-to-understand cause and effect; it all seemed so simple at the time. And yet, through it all, you waited for me, weighting.
have taught me far more than a balanced diet and healthy body image ever could. I will proclaim it now: the upside to pudgy does not get its due. Because of you I have an actual personality. I learned to listen to people. All people, not just guys with beer goggles. Would I have developed an actual personality without you? Who knows? If my general tendency toward sloth in the rest of my life is any indication, I probably would have brazenly worn minis and called it a day – never bothering to utter a bon mot or lend a sympathetic ear; just pathetically content to toss some hair and saunter. Working feverishly to get people to listen to and appreciate me for my personality has been soooo much more rewarding. What if I had ended up just obsessed with the way I look? I could have ended up just shopping for the perfect clothes and wasting time in front of a mirror analyzing my looks and …oh…um...anyway….
My Problem Pounds! You’re my hero! And I no longer regret all those years I excused myself from beach parties, and the decade I did not own shorts, For seemingly forever I have longed to ditch and the spring break I spent in Nova Scotia. You may you for the ranks of the soigné and Naturally Thin. have even saved me from skin cancer! Now nearly all Yeah, Naturally Thin. Whatever. of my body remains unfreckled and unwrinkled. I am Dorian Gray from the neck down. The utter panic Decades I have denied your constancy in you induced at the thought of any swimsuit-necessary hopes that one day I would somehow spontaneously activity will allow me to RULE the nursing home set. metabolically adapt, acquire a tape worm or develop an Yes, the advantage will have to wait until I am 80, but allergy to food and wake up one morning effortlessly now I see your kindly intent. You were pacing me. sleek. I didn’t appreciate your tenacity, Weight Issue; your constant, unwavering commitment to my Weight Issue, you taught me how to dress constant, unwavering commitment to Chardonnay, deceptively and not fashionably. How to dress for my Cheese and Chocolate. Naturally Thin is just a body. I would never have learned this had I not had fairytale that I no longer believe in. I am ready now to compensate for you. I am now completely unmoved for reality. Our relationship can blossom anew, Weight by trends and any normal comprehension of current Issue. fashion. It matters not the fabric, designer or decade in which the item was produced; if it complements an And that is the point of this belated note—to hourglass shape, I will purchase it. Double points if it thank you for what you have done for me. All that hides my calves. I have developed a closet worthy of time spent railing at Airbrushed Perfection models, the most deep-cover CIA agent. Nothing is as it seems. at the Forgot-to-Eat starved women and at toned, but For the amount of time I have spent creating illusions miserable Love-to-Exercisers gym rats! What they I should have a contract in Vegas. Make the Empire don’t know is that you, my ever-loyal Weight Issue, State Building disappear? Ha! Try giving yourself an
artificially tiny waist for twenty years. Sigh. What was wrong again with corsets (other than the breathingthing)? And because of you, Dearest Weight Issue, I never went mega-slut. Oh sure, these days I like to cloak myself in moral certitude and wax annoyingly on my history of selectivity and high standards, but we both know my holierthan-thou stemmed more from fear of my thighs being seen by someone who had yet to name me his primary insurance beneficiary than from any moral high ground. All the effort expended on camouflage dressing was not to be undone by a drunken unveiling. So I’d like to thank you for saving me from years of STD scares and men I would later have to dodge in the grocery. I remain blissfully free of a “past” because of the deep-seated insecurity of physical rejection you instilled in me. Bravo! Most importantly, My Constant Companion, you have taught me how to relate to other women. Men have sports. We have weight problems. With very few exceptions I can immediately strike up and maintain a conversation with any other woman. We can discuss carbs, good and bad. We can discuss leggings and the evil inherent. We can discuss lunch (at breakfast) and dinner (at lunch) and the advisability of frequent snacks (the qualification for “snack” a whole subset). And always THE diet and THE exercise. What works? What doesn’t? We have Our Struggle! The endless, eternal struggle. In our Spanx we are united in sisterhood! You, Great Equalizer, I thank for giving me something in common with all of my female brethren ages 12-85… except, of course, those unfortunate Naturally Thin. They don’t understand you and they never will. And so, now, all I can feel for the poor, geneticallymutated Naturally Thin is…pity? Weight Issue, they don’t have you. You don’t love them like you love me and you never, ever will. I know that you will always be MY Weight Issue. Always. Always. Always. Always. Always. BFF,
Libby
Coming up in the Fall issue... - Julep’s guide to the ultimate tailgate party - The search for the best Southern craft beers - Simple and delicious fall dinners
...and so much more!