CELEBRATING THE ARTS IN ARKANSAS
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THE FOOD & DRINK ISSUE WINTER 2015
RESERVATIONS NOT REQUIRED
PAGES 7 - 16 From diners to fine dining, here’s a selection of our favorite restaurants statewide.
CHASING THE SPIRIT
PAGES 18 - 21 Distilling has a long, and sometimes sordid, history in Arkansas. Here’s a look back and forward.
MEET THE INNOVATORS PAGES 22 - 25 Food & drink is big business for small business. Check out who’s doing big things now.
HIGH SOUTH CUISINE
PAGES 26 - 29 High South Cuisine is on the rise across Arkansas. Now you can learn from the top culinary talent.
ART
30 THINGS LEFT UNSAID Grace Mikell Ramsey tells stories, but leaves the details up to you.
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PHOTO / KAT WILSON
MUSIC
40 DOWN IN THE VALLEY Valley of the Vapors Music Festival brings up-andcoming bands to Hot Springs.
WRITING
46 THE “GIRL REPORTER”
Suzi Parker draws upon her journalism experience for her debut novel “Echo Ellis: Adventures of a Girl Reporter.”
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EDITOR'S
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A PUBLICATION OF
RIOT ACT MEDIA, LLC P.O. Box 4853 Fayetteville, AR 72702 editorial@idleclassmag.com EDITOR/PUBLISHER PHOTO / VIKRAM DESAI
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ome people say that Arkansas doesn’t have an authentic cuisine, that we’re all about fried chicken and BBQ (not that there’s anything wrong with that). But over the last few years, things have changed. We are witnessing the emergence of “High South Cuisine,” the efforts of chefs who were raised on Southern traditions and taught at the finest culinary schools. According to Case Dighero, Director of Culinary at Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, High South Cuisine is “the edible culture of the Ozark region of Arkansas, Oklahoma and Missouri, easily classified as a type of rustic, rural cuisine utilizing fruits, vegetables, herbs, nuts and grains harvested throughout the region, as well as livestock that is raised locally using sustainable practices and flavored using the traditional herbs and spices found in the area.” Regardless of how you define it, the food is delicious. This has been one of our most ambitious issues yet. We had a lot of fun putting this together. A big thanks to Heather Artripe, Matt Bell, Casey Letellier & Rob Nelson for contributing recipes so you can try your hand at High South Cuisine. I’d like to give a special shout out to Case, Kat Wilson and Nick Leopoulos for helping me get this right. And of course, thanks to our great contributors, the businesses that support us (please support them) and our readers. Now go fire up the oven and start cooking. Let us know how it turns out. FOLLOW US Kody Ford Editor/Publisher
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Kody Ford
EDITORIAL STAFF Jeremy Glover Marti Nicholson Marty Shutter EDITORIAL ASSISTANTS Nicole Cagle Morgan Cook Jane Urquizu CONTRIBUTORS Aaron Brewer Nicholas Claro Vikram Desai Case Dighero Matt Faries Taylor Gladwin Greg Henderson Katy Henriksen Daniel Hintz Jim Hunnicutt Phillip Rex Huddleston Alexander Jeffery Sally Nixon Tina Parker Beth Post Chris Post Jeremy Rodgers Aaron Sarlo Kevin Shandlin Donna Smith Zac Taylor Philip Thomas Melissa Tucker Kat Wilson Gwendolyn Wind LAYOUT Kody Ford Nick Leopoulos COVER “The Game” by Grace Mikell Ramsey
Reservations * not required.* FROM DINERS TO FINE DINING, HERE’S A LOOK AT SOME OF OUR FAVORITE RESTAURANTS FROM AROUND THE STATE. SOME YOU KNOW. SOME YOU DON’T. BUT YOU’LL LOVE ‘EM ALL.
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*But you should probably get there early.
PRESSROOM 121 West Central Avenue Bentonville, AR Mon., Tues., Wed. 7 - 9 Thurs., Fri., Sat. 7 - 11, Sun. 8 - 4 479-657-2965 story by kody ford photo by philip thomas
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f you were a Bentonville resident who slipped into a coma circa 2007, only to wake in 2015, you might find yourself a bit disoriented. Alice Walton’s Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art did more than just bring some great artwork to the area. It transformed the landscape of downtown Bentonville and created opportunities for entrepreneurs of all stripes. Two such individuals are Bea and Rob Apple, the owners of Pressroom - a restaurant, coffee shop and cultural hub of the area. Over the last few years, they have become a favorite spot for locals and tourists alike. However, it didn’t almost happen this way.
“Being in downtown Bentonville is an amazing experience.” - Bea Apple
After moving to the area in 2006, the Apples settled into their quiet community, working corporate jobs and raising their newborn son. Over the next few years, they began tossing around the idea of opening a coffee cart so they could set up shop at the Farmer’s Market, football games and other events. They moved down this path, buying equipment and developing a brand for their cart. But they were approached by locals such as then-director of Downtown Bentonville, Inc. Daniel Hintz about doing something more than just a cart. “A restaurant is a high risk business,” said Bea Apple. “But we were at a place where I could quit my job and Rob could support the family. We hadn’t really seen what would happen yet but if it all went through, we knew that downtown Bentonville would be the happening place.” Work began and they opened Pressroom in the now-defunct Benton County Democrat office downtown. They opened their doors on Oct. 29, 2011, but the first year was bumpy to say the least as she nor her husband had previous restaurant experience. “When people come to eat at a restaurant they’re not always aware of what is going on to make sure that a good plate of food and a good drink is set in front of the customer,” said Apple. “I think the complexity of it was surprising. The ability to find good, consistent staff. We have a great crew that has been with us for almost two years but that first year was a struggle. Perseverance and hardworking people is what brought us through it.” The menu was developed by Apple and her chef Dennis Arrington. It was inspired by visiting similar restaurants in metropolitan areas along with Apple’s diverse background. Her parents are Korean immigrants and she was raised in New York
and Arkansas. She jokingly described their blend of Southern, Californian and international cuisine as “what Bea likes to eat.” They focused on keeping things local by working with companies like Kennedy Coffee, Savoy Tea, Anonymous Roasters and Native Nectar to supply their beverages. They utilize Ozark Natural Foods, War Eagle Mill, Stone Mill Bread, Wild Grains and Kyya Chocolate for food. Their craft beer selection includes Ozark Beer, Core Brewing, Fossil Cove, Bike Rack Brewery and Apple Blossom Brewery. Pressroom also promotes the culture of Northwest Arkansas by showcasing musicians such as Benjamin Del Shreve and artists like Chrystal Seawood. They also collaborate with local galleries. In 2014, they teamed up with Norberta Philbrook Gallery (before it relocated to Eureka Springs) for “Yarnography,” an exhibit featuring the intricate yarnwork of Gina Gallina and photographer Jeremy Mason-McGraw. They are planning another exhibition called “Yarnolutionary” with the artists in February. Recently, Pressroom has showcased artwork from artists Jane Garrison-Davidian and Mark Van Slyke, both represented by Two25 Gallery, located a few blocks away on South Main Street. Two25 Gallery owner Donna Rife is happy with their partnership. "Pressroom has been an amazing place to showcase artists from Two25 Gallery,” Rife said. “Bea and Rob understand how important art is in a space and how it can set a mood, be it a commercial space or a home. I love that. This is a wonderful, generous gesture on their part. We have sold several pieces that have hung there. I might add our artists' works look great on their brick walls."
PRESSROOM CONT. As they move towards their fourth year in business, Apple is pleased with how they have been embraced by the community. “Being in downtown Bentonville is an amazing experience,” she said.
LOW GAP CAFE HC 70 Box 287 Jasper, AR Mon., Tues., Closed, Wed., Thurs., 11 - 7 Fri., Sat., 11 - 8, Sun., 10:30 - 2 870-861-5848 story by jeremy glover
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t’s perfectly located right in the sweet spot of the state. About halfway between Ponca and Jasper – just above the Buffalo River on a winding ridgeline road connecting the two mountain towns – sits the Low Gap Café. It’s an area that offers a bounty of The Natural State’s finest. There’s the rock carved waterfall of the Glory Hole, the easy and secretive beauty of Lost Valley State Park, the equally challenging and awe-inspiring Hemmed-In Hollow Trail, and so many more of the places you should visit before you die. The Low Gap Café is surely one of those state treasures that can’t be missed. It was a birthday weekend coupled with an itch to get away that led me to my favorite stomping grounds in the state. Low Gap Café was not open in my previous excursions, and after hearing nothing but glowing reviews, it was an easy choice for a birthday evening in the Ozarks. While the inside was cozy and inviting with a rustic wood
stove, white chairs and thick wooden tables, and walls decorated with stuffed deer, turkeys, pheasants and ducks, it was the lively rock patio that matched our mood. My wily companion wasted no time chatting up the loose, multigenerational house band that was steady digging through covers of Hank Williams, Senior and Junior. She quickly enlisted for a cover of “Strawberry Wine” with the band, with backing vocals from an assortment of wedding guests from surrounding states that were relieved to be through with their obligations. We were offered a glass of wine from the neighboring table before the waitress had a chance to open the bottle we had brought The chicken fried steak I ordered was a welcome large portion, mashed potatoes and green beans peeking out underneath – all drenched in a creamy, not-too-thick white gravy. Her shrimp carbonara with mushrooms and bacon featured a light sauce with layers of flavor. There was an easy balance to the dishes with a deft touch for elevated Southern cuisine that was readily apparent with each bite. In the corner sitting on the rock wall that separated us from the forest below was a man in a white cowboy hat with a grin and a bottle of rye. I imagine he was thinking the same thing I was: I can’t wait to get back to try the prime rib.
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HEIRLOOM 121 West Central Avenue Bentonville, AR Mon., Tues., Wed. 7 - 9 Thurs., Fri., Sat. 7 - 11, Sun. 8 - 4 479-657-2965 story and photos by daniel hintz
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en Kiple and her parents – Dan and Doris Kiple launched Heirloom in downtown Rogers just days before the grand opening of Crystal Bridges of American Art in 2011. While the two could not be further apart in size and scope, both are helping transform the cultural landscape of Arkansas. Under 25 seats, Heirloom is a little restaurant with big ideas. Offering prix fixe menus for lunch Tuesday through Friday and their Heirloom After Dark dinner service on Friday and Saturday, the culinary team of Kiple and Chef Jason Paul design the highly crafted offerings – whether it is a traditional beer cheese soup or a parsnip and roasted apple cannelloni – with whatever is fresh and accessible that day.
“The menu is sometimes a surprise to us as much as it is to the customer,” said Kiple, whose professional theater background set the stage for the innovative culinary approach rightfully garnering significant regional attention. However, it is Jen’s formal culinary training at the Culinary Academy of Austin and her personality – bold, bright and playful – that not only informed the restaurant design and open kitchen concept, but also sets the tone for the daily lunch menu. A culinary cornucopia like sandwiches of creamed pastrami and cabbage with dijon over toasted rye; salads with butternut squash, brussel sprouts, shiitake mushroom, wild rice, pecans, sorghum vinaigrette or soups like butterbean with chorizo, tomato, and sweet potato grace a menu as passionate as its creator.
HEIRLOOM CONT. The other member of the culinary team includes Chef Jason Paul, a maestro of significant talent that drives the weekend After Dark menu. This wholly unique experience is inspired by his vast culinary repertoire that includes everything from the gloriously rich heaviness of traditional French cooking to the almost ethereal lightness of raw food. During the weekend seating, customers are immersed in the sights, smells and sounds of a culinary concert of free form jazz that is truly Jason’s cooking style. He often surprises guests with off menu explorations, typically serving the table himself with a wry grin like a kid caught in that act of doing something he shouldn’t be doing.
While the two chefs work their magic separately – one by day and one by night – they have come together to make Heirloom one of the most unique restaurants in Arkansas.
NATCHEZ 323 Center Street, Little Rock, AR Mon - Sun. 11 - 2, 5 - 9 501-372-1167 story by greg henderson editor of rock city eats photo by kevin shalin
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nderrated restaurants in Little Rock tend to tell a similar story. Usually tucked away in a strip mall out west or a seldom-visited location south of I-630. The food is rarely groundbreaking, but typically better than expected given the location and the low notoriety. Then there is Natchez. Located in the bottom of the Tower building in downtown on 4th street, Natchez produces some of the finest southern style cuisine in all of Arkansas, yet few outside of the food community know about it. It could be the location. The Tower Building, built in 1960, is one of the first “skyscraper” in Little Rock, it stood as the tallest building in Arkansas for 10 years before it was eclipsed, and often forgotten, after the larger financial buildings that now make up downtown. It certainly is not chef/owner Alexis Jones. Jones cut her teeth cooking at Ashley’s in Little Rock. The same place that produced Matt Bell (South on Main), Matt McClure (The Hive – Bentonville), and a number of other well respected chefs and bartenders throughout the state. Jones hails from Jackson, Mississippi, where she grew up inundated with southern cooking using fresh produce. She brings that tradition into every dish.
“Starting off here I made it a point to build a daily menu using whatever fresh ingredients I could get. That is what true southern cooking really is to me,” Jones says. “We learned that there still needs to be some fixed seasonal “Starting off here I menu items, but the daily menu is a large part of what made it a point to build we do.” a daily menu using It shows in the Natchez whatever fresh dishes, which bring high culinary style to Deep South ingredients I could get. flavors. The dishes are always That is what true fresh, full of flavor, and push southern cooking really southern cuisine to a level is to me.” that few restaurants manage. Food is certainly not the cause of being underrated. In fact, chef Jones was the only local chef to have two dishes featured on our Rock City Eats best bites of 2014 list with her rabbit gnocchi and brisket sandwich. There is a lot to love here, so much that I am willing to bet Natchez will not stay a secret to just the food community for long.
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STEINHAUS KELLER 801 Central Ave., STE 15 Hot Springs, AR Mon., Closed, Tues., Thurs., 3PM - 10PM Fri., Sat., 3PM - 2AM, Sun., 3PM - 9PM 501-624-7866 story by kody ford photo by jeremy rodgers teinhaus Keller is rooted in tradition. Amanda Mitchell, co-owner of the establishment, is a fifth generation of a German immigrant family who settled in Colorado. Her family was salt-of-the-Earth farmers who preserved their German customs and heritage, passing it onto her when she was a child. Eventually, she relocated to Hot Springs with her family. For several years Mitchell worked at the Hot Springs Brau Haus. During this time she met David McGuire, an executive chef at the Embassy Suites in Hot Springs and former Brau Haus employee. In February 2013, Brau Haus owner John Linehan decided to close the doors. Frustrated and saddened, Mitchell and McGuire began to hatch a plan. “We decided that we wanted to create a German restaurant of our own, a space for the now wayward Brau Haus regulars to come that had the good parts of the Brau Haus, my family’s infusion of culture, and David’s culinary skills,” she said. “So we leased the space in March of 2013, started renovations to make the unique space our own, consulted my grandmother’s recipe box, and created the Steinhaus Keller.” They hired the old German chef from the heyday of the Brau Haus—Norbert Sporea—and Bret Ellis—the World War II loving, Hawaiian shirt wearing Brau Haus bartender of 17 years. The combination of old and new created the
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atmosphere and taste of Steinhaus Keller. The community greeted Steinhaus Keller with open arms as it once again had a German restaurant located in the grotto of Spencer’s Corner. Mitchell said the key to serving good German food is a mixture of the perfect recipe and hard work. McGuire gets started early every morning making everything from scratch just like her grandmother did. The most popular dishes are the cabbage rolls, Roulade, and sauerbraten, but Mitchell loves the marinated pork shanks as well. They rotate the menu quarterly for ingredient freshness, seasonally appropriate German foods, and popular demand. They have also added Spargelfest items (white asparagus), cold carrot salad, pork knuckle, rabbit and beef wellington. Having preserved her family’s heritage and brought German food back to Hot Springs, Mitchell is quite pleased with the restaurant’s success. She said, “Steinhaus Keller is special because it’s not just a restaurant. It’s a home for us. We welcome you into our place as we would welcome you into our living room. David prepares everything from scratch in the kitchen keeping to an authentic home cooked recipe. We serve good beer with a warm smile and genuinely enjoy having everyone come down and share our heritage with us.”
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THE WHITE HOUSE CAFE 323 South Adams Avenue Camden 870-836-2255 Mon. – Sat. 11 am – 10 pm Lounge 4 pm – 1 am story by kody ford photos by chris post
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ew places have played such an important role in my family as The White House Café. My grandmother, Charline Bond, worked as a waitress here in the 30s when a charming factory worker named C.P. Curtis caught her eye. After much work, he convinced her (and my great-grandfather) to let her go on a date. Without this café, my mother and consequently myself would never have been born. Think Marty McFly’s “Enchantment Under the Sea” dance, but with burgers and fries.
The White House Café is one of Camden’s trademarks. It’s been serving up food and drinks since 1907 when it was founded by Hristos Hodjopulas, a Greek immigrant. It changed hands over the years before ending up in the hands of Teresa Lampkin and Tommy Vaughan in 2000. According to Lampkin, my family’s story isn’t unique. Others who met their significant other beneath that faithful roof have approached her with their stories as well. Tradition with a side of nostalgia is on the menu at The White House Café. Unlike corporate chains in a ramshackle array of Beatles and Marilyn Monroe photos, this Camden restaurant offers authenticity. ramshackle array of Beatles and Marilyn Monroe photos, this Camden restaurant offers authenticity. Much of the counter and stools are original or replaced in the 60s along with other aspects of the kitchen. The menu has expanded over time, but still has many staples that people have loved over the decades. It isn’t just the restaurant’s rich history that keeps people coming back. It’s also the food. You’ll find everything from lobster tail to filet mignon. The restaurant is also well known for it’s burgers, which Lampkin declares “will cure anything that’s wrong with you.” Their fries put Five Guys to shame. Lampkin has been coming to The White House Café since she was a child.“It was my favorite place to come and eat my whole life,”
she said. She recalls that it was the Saturday night hot spot for people across South Arkansas. “People were waiting outside to get upstairs. Everybody wanted to be here. When you’re young and you get to come in here and you’re like ‘hey.’ You feel like you’d done something.”
McDonald’s Grocery 526 North Main Street Junction City 870-924-4839 Mon. – Sat. 4 am to 8 pm, Sun. 9 am to 5 pm story by kody ford photos by chris post
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n high school, my friend Ryan and I would sneak out of shop class and drive a few blocks to McDonald’s Grocery to pick up a plate lunch. Typically, we stuck to standard fare like a chicken strip plate, but the thrill of breaking the rules (we were a closed campus) added a little spice to our lunch. Our weekly act of teenage rebellion ended long ago, and now the grocery store has changed hands to Ryan’s older brother Rhett Hanry, who has expanded the menu and meat market offerings. The store opened in the 1940s, but Rhett said the building has been around for a hundred years and has been everything from a bait shop to a gas station. Former owner and namesake Richard McDonald opened the deli in the 1980s across the street, serving burgers and fries along with catfish and other fried favorites. Hanry is the fourth owner of the store. Having previously been an agriculture teacher and a chicken farmer, he parlayed his experience as a freelance caterer into a new career as a grocery store and deli owner a few years ago. Plate lunches of home cooking such as fried pork chops, peas and cornbread are available four days a week. Fish plates are available on the weekend while hamburgers are big sellers everyday. BBQ is served
Thursday through Saturday and they cater anytime. Hanry identified the three keys to great BBQ as “good wood, time and patience.” People drive from El Dorado; Monroe, Louisiana; and other towns around the Ark-La-Miss region to the store, especially for their meat market. Master butcher Jesse Munoz can give you any cut you desire. He and Hanry collaborate to create items such as chicken breast packed with boudin and crawfish, shrimp poppers filled with jalapeno, cream cheese and bacon, and even stuffed Cornish game hens. “We have customers from all over – Alabama, Missouri, even Chicago,” Munoz said. “They’ll call and we ship it. They’re repeat customers. We can give you any cut you want. We can smoke it for you. We’re coming up with our own creams, sauces, our own rubs. It’s just like your grandma used to get. Big box stores don’t allow you to do it certain ways anymore. We’re a mom and pop and we can do it. Give us just a little bit of time and we’ll put it together for you.” As for students sneaking off campus for lunch, Hanry said it still happens, but he joked, “I tell all the kids, as long as you spend more than five dollars, I won’t call nobody.”
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SPUDNUT SHOPPE 810 W Faulkner Street El Dorado (870) 863-9914 Mon. - Sat. 5 am - 12:30 pm story and photo by alexander jeffery
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aturday morning lines spill outside at the Spudnut Shoppe in El Dorado, the eager customers akin to children at Disneyland waiting to get on Splash Mountain. They all want one thing: the Spudnut. Of course, the Spudnut comes in a variety of flavors (chocolate dip, cinnamon, etc), but the staple, the main attraction, comes in the form of a steaming, gooey, vanilla glazed masterpiece that melts in the mouth when still hot. According to current manager, Joel Gonzalez, the making of this potato-based extravaganza is, indeed, an art. “You’re putting this in the right magazine,” he says. “It’s definitely an art. You can’t just jump in and get it right the first time… If things are off by just a second, it can change the Spudnut dramatically.” In this way, the Spudnut is a lot like craft beer with the science of time running the operation. The Spudnut Shoppe has a long-standing history in El Dorado, Arkansas, but also all over the United States. What started as a chain operation has dwindled down to just dozens of stores in a few states, but the El Dorado venture still brings in a loyal crowd. “It’s nice to be a part of something that people have known for so long,” Gonzalez says. “It comes with a sense of pride knowing how difficult it can
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be to keep something this big going.” Nicolas Gonzalez, father of Joel, acquired the Spudnut Shoppe in March of 2008 and cannot believe that they are going on seven years of ownership. Customers always come first in the minds of Joel and Nicolas Gonzalez: “We take suggestions and comments on our company Facebook page and really listen to what people are saying about our product.” Sometimes, on days like this Saturday morning, with the sweet smell of fresh dough lingering in the air, “we just hope we can make the Spudnuts fast enough.” Joel laughs, “When the line is to the back of the store, we just try to keep up.”
“It’s definitely an art. You can’t just jump in and get it right the first time… If things are off by just a second, it can change the Spudnut dramatically.” -Joel Gonzalez
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CHASING THE SPIRIT ARKANSANS HAVE ALWAYS LOVED LIQUOR & SOMETIMES THEY’VE EVEN TAKEN MATTERS INTO THEIR OWN HANDS. HERE’S A LOOK BACK AT THE HISTORY & FUTURE OF DISTILLING IN OUR STATE. WORDS / MELISSA TUCKER ILLUSTRATION / SALLY NIXON
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oonshine is something of a taboo topic in Arkansas, and that silence has contributed to a turbulent and largely undocumented relationship between the state and its spirits. In the pre-Prohibition era, legal spirits were scarce and illicit distilling, or moonshining, was very common in the wilds of Northwest Arkansas. “There were a few legal distilleries in the region, but most of them were very small,” said Shiloh Museum Outreach Coordinator Susan Young. “Liquor was also shipped here from other places, and I’ve seen very early (pre-Civil War) mention of liquor being sold in Fayetteville.” Legal spirits were sold in saloons and taverns, Young said, but roads to those establishments were treacherous, so the rural moonshining operations thrived. However, those unregulated spirits were a gamble for the buyer, sometimes contaminated with dangerous levels of lead or toxic methanol. “In Northwest Arkansas, better roads were the major factor in the decline of moonshining,” Young said. “Better roads meant it was easier to get to town and buy the legal stuff.” Around World War II, people began moving into town to live and work, which meant less business for the rural moonshiners, and also contributed to the decline, she said. MEANWHILE, NEAR LITTLE ROCK In the central Arkansas area, the Hinterlighter Grog Shop, established in 1827 and preserved in its original location on the grounds of Little Rock’s Historic Arkansas Museum, was the main gathering place for drinkers. The liquor sold there was largely imported from the Caribbean, typically transported up the Arkansas River via New Orleans. “They’d be waiting for who knows how long for the next barrel to come up the river,” says Chris Hancock, communications manager for the Historic Arkansas Museum. “Sometimes it would be stronger, sometimes it would be weaker,” according to Hancock, adding that depending on availability, the shop owner might water down the liquor to stretch it further. The inconsistency of imported spirits created a demand for local distilling. The area was largely undeveloped at the time, however, and very little documentation of moonshining in this era exists, Hancock said. The establishment of the grog shop predates the state, and its patrons were likely to be surveyors and trappers, or “young men looking to make a life for themselves in the territory,” he said. “I don’t want to say the rest of the city wasn’t a civilized
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area to be, but it was an outpost of American culture. People who were working in the territory at this time were lone wolves.” MODERN DAY DISTILLING One could argue those in the business of distilling nowadays are the lone wolves — with only five licensed distilleries in Arkansas fulfilling demand for locally produced liquor, including the most recent addition at Superior Bathhouse Brewery and Distillery in Hot Springs. The interest in distilling has grown quickly, as the state’s first licensed distillery since Prohibition, Rock Town Distillery, is only four years old. Owner Phil Brandon was born and raised in Little Rock, and says he has no family history of moonshining, though he frequently encounters it in his present profession. “I don’t have a story about how my grandpa used to make moonshine, or how whatever county was full of it until the sheriff came,” he said. “I do know it was prevalent and by and large still is. I get people in here all the time that make their own stuff and want me to either taste it or look at it and go into business with them.” But that’s illegal, and he’s not interested in working with law-breakers. “A lot of people have this misconception that you can distill at home, and it’s okay for personal use, similar to beer and wine, but that’s incorrect,” he said. “It’s a federal offense to distill without a permit or even to possess a still without a permit, so you have to take that into consideration. A lot of people want to argue with me about that, but it’s a federal fact,” he said. “It is a felony to distill at home.” Rock Town Distillery bills itself as the first legal distillery in Arkansas since Prohibition, and to the best of his knowledge, Brandon says it’s true. The history is hazy, but “nobody has been able to prove me wrong yet.” The distillery now distributes in 15 states and the UK. Though stationed in Little Rock, Brandon says his federal permit is identical to that of a large producer. “I’m no different from Jack Daniels as far as my permit is concerned,” he said. “I could make a million gallons, and I pay the same tax rates as a large producer.” The history of moonshining and its present-day legacy in Arkansas is something nobody really talks about. “I’ve had people tell me such and such county has it, but it’s just hearsay. There’s no documentation that supports any of that,” notes Brandon.
Phil Brandon, of Rock Town Distillery, gives a tour of their Little Rock headquarters. Photo courtesy of Rock Town Distillery. LOOKING AT THE FUTURE Along with craft beer, the state’s industry continues to expand with the addition of distilling at Core Brewing & Distilling Co. in Northwest Arkansas. “Core is one of the only breweries in the U.S. that is also a licensed distillery,” says Director of Brewing Operations Nathan Traw. And launching into distilling is the top priority for the company for 2015. “I want to offer a solid but simple line-up of spirits that reflect the history and culture of the Natural State,” he said, adding that the demand for craft beer and spirits is increasing. “I see it steadily growing, creeping up toward the nation’s average. There’s still plenty of room for breweries and distilleries to start up,” he said. “This year marked the first time in history that craft beer sold more product than Budweiser nationwide. It’s a train that’s slowly gaining momentum and once it’s at full speed, the state won’t be the same.” One might say the distillation of spirits always has a “transformative” effect, and Arkansas is no exception. Despite the state’s rocky relationship with spirits, interest in the industry continues to grow on the sides of both supply and demand. No one can predict how the state’s landscape will look in the next decade, but if history is any indication, it will be a wild ride.
VISIT: ROCKTOWNDISTILLERY.COM COREBEER.COM 20
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pink house alchemy Fayetteville
by Marty Shutter
PHOTOS / KAT WILSON
Meet the Innovators 2240
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Pink House Alchemy really began when Emily Lawson was a young girl growing up outside of Joplin, Missouri. She remembers years later smelling a bottle of milk and being “taken back in time” to her Nana’s farm. It was then that Emily’s olfactory connection to the world began to develop. “From a very young age, all of my real memories are olfactory; smells, tastes, way more memories like that than anything I’ve ever seen or experienced,” says Lawson. She remembers picking giant plump strawberries, the must of hay in a barn and standing up on a pickle bucket to milk a cow. Her Nana taught her how to “cook from the senses,” and “taste things in the air.” Her Nana could cook for thirty people, layered desserts and well-laid placemats and do it with charm. Pink House Alchemy’s Strawberry Rhubarb syrup, for example, is a taste memory of her grandmother’s strawberry rhubarb pie. One room of Pink House is its syrups. All of Pink House’s flavors come from steam and gentle heat baths in a sous-vide, a French contraption that bathes botanicals and other local herbs with an incredibly accurate and consistent dosage of steam. Its syrups are combinations of mostly local vegetation whose flavors sometimes change throughout the season. “If you order Mexican chili in August, it will be hotter,” says Lawson. “We don’t use extractions,” Emily says, referring to her process of delicately exploiting a plant’s aromatics, “our flavors are heat made, and the bottles are hot filled.” Pink House’s syrups began while she managed Fayetteville coffee shop, Arsagas. In the beginning, they were meant for coffees and eventually sodas. “It was natural,” she says, with the “Fayetteville Farmer’s Market just around the corner.” Arkansas, with its long growing season, rich soil and unique vegetation are the perfect base for a company dealing in flavors. From the Arkansas Black apple, to lavender to the Pawpaw, a sort of “Ozark mango” that Emily is working into a new syrup, the Ozarks are a pallet for Pink House. A different room in the Pink House is their Shrubs and Bitters division. Shrubs were developed early in the 16th century from a lineage of “cure-alls” and as sweet cover for liquor gone sour. They are “vinegar, sugar, fruit and herbs,” and benefit from the sous-vide’s delicate extractions. For Shrubs, also considered medicinal, “You have to pay attention and know what you’re looking for,” says Emily. The science of Pink House Alchemy really shines in the making of bitters. As ancient as Egypt, aromatic bitters are alcohol and water infusions used for anything from digestives to martini additives. At Pink House, different botanical concoctions are percolated for their aromatics and added to the alcohol and water solutions. “Pink House is a multifaceted company at this point,” says Lawson from her own home. She is “in search of flavor combinations waiting to be made,” and is driven by a local economy that values the spirit of cooperation. She’s opening a bar, Foxhole, consults other’s restaurants and bars, and while you will likely first meet Pink House Alchemy in a bottle, it mostly lives outside of it and is more as Emily puts it, “about trying new things and being excited about flavor.” “This is the testing ground, this is where I get to play… I’m pretty excited about that,” she says comfortably laughing from her living room. PinkHouseAlchemy.com
KENT WALKER CHEESE Little Rock by Zac Taylor
NATIVE NECTAR
PHOTO / WILSON WOOD
Fayetteville by Nicole Cagle
“100% Raw, Organic, Unpasteurized, Cold Pressed Juice. That’s our mission. It’s as simple as that.” -Wilson Wood To the far right of Ozark Natural Foods, in a little nook around the corner, sits Native Nectar, the storefront of nectarous cold pressed juices native to Arkansas. Stepping into Native Nectar is an experience in itself. The intense aroma of ginger and locally-sourced, organic wheatgrass combined with an uber-healthy wall-sized menu and glimpse of craft cold press production is always charming. “We set out to bring living, raw, organic juice to Northwest Arkansas when we opened in October 2013. We wanted people to have a local outlet for juice cleanses so they didn’t have to pay high shipping costs to import juice from another state. Glass bottles were a must because they have zero chemical leaching potential, are easily recycled and
have a minimal impact on the earth. Our commitment to not pasteurize leaves, our product in its raw, and unadulterated state filled with the beneficial flora and micro-organisms our bellies need for good health,” Native Nectar’s Helen Hammond elaborates on the mission of her and partner, Wilson Wood. Native Nectar is unique in that it provides an array of 100 percent organic detox juices, flavorful leafy greens, roots, shots, blended concoctions, and waters in more than one way. Customers have the option to pre-order menu items online; specify what they want and when they want it. Delivery service is available to customers in the Northwest Arkansas area. With several items to choose from customers are most drawn to Superman, Ginger, Wheatgrass, and Turmeric shots. Each 16 ounce bottle is carefully crafted with three pounds of raw, fresh, organic produce. Native
Nectar’s crafting process, cold press, enhances not only taste but nutrient retention compared to any other juicing method. Aside from producing locallysourced cold-pressed juice Native Nectar’s Wilson Wood is focused on community building. “Where’s my Nectar?” photographs featuring Native Nectar products on Instagram and “Get Juice Faced,” a social media campaign to inspire others to indulge in the juice lifestyle are a few examples. Hammond and Wood are passionate about natural juicing benefits and hope to continue demonstrating that by adding a second location in Bentonville with Kickstarter funding. Whether you are looking for a routine boost to your fitness, training, weight loss, or healthy lifestyle Fayetteville’s Native Nectar offers a variety of products for your individual needs. nativenectar.com
cask and grove Fayetteville by Jane Urquizu
Cask & Grove, located just off the square on East Center Street, is bringing worldly flavors to the area by offering only the best olive oils and balsamic vinegars from around the world. Inside their tasting room, you’ll find owners and mother and daughter duo, Tami Neal and Andrea Kleinhenz serving as your personal guides in your journey through the store. Upon entering the store, one of the first things you’ll discover is how many flavors of olive oil and balsamic vinegar actually exist. However, don’t be daunted by the large selection, Tami and Andrea will let you sample each one and know the perfect pairings for each. You’ll also find that there’s no store-bought brand substitute for what they’ve got. “If you just go to the grocery store and buy a bottle of olive oil often times you’re not getting extra virgin olive oil. They’re allowed to cut it with canola oil or low grade oil.” said Andrea. Cask & Grove supply only the highest quality product to their customers with the help of their distributor, Veronica Foods, who have it
I try to stick to the slow lane, but my little box truck gets repeatedly shoved towards the shoulder of I-40. Lately, I’ve been driving to different farms around central Arkansas, mostly picking up goat and cow milk for Kent Walker Artisan Cheese. In recent years, Arkansas food consumers and producers have made strides in returning to the simplest, quickest route of delivering food from farm to table. The farmer’s markets at the River Market, Bernice Gardens, Argenta and a newly year-round Hillcrest are stronger than ever, and more and more businesses are returning to selling mostly locally-sourced food and crafts. Walker offers a bold selection of cheeses from goat gouda to habanero cheddar. Ophelia, his take on French Munster, is a perfect example of the benefits of eating local. The fermentation process is a fickle one. It’s subject to so many variables that, oddly enough, Kent Walker counts some of his biggest successes as being born from some of his biggest mistakes. What seemed like detours, ended up leading the cheese (and his business) to it’s uniquely, nuanced destination. “When we go to some of the big grocery stores even if they are excited to work with a small guy, they end up kind of realizing that it is more of a pain, because we don’t have giant trucks or an accounts receivable department,” says Walker. “So it’s always kind of a special thing when we make a delivery, because it’s outside of their natural system.” This “natural system” is, of course, the national or global distribution that leads to the everyday low prices that the small guys just can’t compete with. Walker spent a good six months researching price points to make his product as close to his big league competitors as possible. “While we can demand a little more of a price point, that’s more about the quality of the product than it is about being local.” Quality ingredients, all from Arkansas, are the hallmark of Kent Walker Artisan Cheese. This is the stamp of quality that defines all local food movements. Consequently, the food making its way to our family dinner tables is more likely to be the result of culinary and nutritional quests, not just a business deal that takes product from trucks to shelves to our pantries. When asked what advantages a smaller food producer holds over the big guys, Walker responds, “The ability to pivot.” He tells of being able to deliver cheese to an understocked Whole Foods this past Christmas Eve in less than an hour from the time the order was placed, something the larger producers just can’t do. And we as consumers have the same advantage. Taking the slow lane, switching lanes or exiting onto the rural highway makes for a richer journey, one you can feel, taste and learn from.
kentwalkercheese.com down to a science. Literally. The oils are tested by chemists who report the chemical make-up and how quickly the oil will break down. Once premium quality has been confirmed, the oils and vinegars are specially packaged to be light and air proof to keep the oil from deteriorating during shipment to the store. Upon arrival, the ladies put the oils and vinegars in beautiful metal fustis--which continue to keep them protected from the elements--and line the walls of the store with the delectable products. Cask & Grove is the only supplier of Ultra Premium standard extra virgin olive oil in the area. However, it’s more than just their outstanding, good-enough-to-drink olive oils and balsamic vinegars that make this place stand out. The hospitality has you feeling more like guests in their home than customers in a store. They even offer recipes for a good homecooked meal on their blog, which you can access through their Facebook page.
facebook.com/caskandgrove
PHOTOS / MARTY SHUTTER
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the chocolatiers - Kyya & hello Cocoa Elm Springs & Fayetteville by Taylor Gladwin
Would you like to show your love of handmade goods, sustainability and chocolate all at the same time? Two new chocolatiers use the bean-to-bar approach to create ethical chocolate and sustain communities across the globe. The bean-to-bar approach is the chocolate equivalent of farm to table. KYYA Chocolate and Hello Cocoa are making the world a better place, and Northwest Arkansas a whole lot yummier. KYYA, located in Elm Springs, works with farmers in Uganda, Ecuador and Guatemala. Hello Cocoa, based in south Fayetteville, get their cacao beans from farmers in Uganda and Venezuela. While inspiration for both companies originally came from a visit to Uganda, they have another location in common - Northwest Arkansas. Local, handmade products are becoming a unique part of the culture here in NWA. Our community embraces all forms of art and locally-made goods, making it an ideal place for new dreams to take flight. Inspiration for KYYA came after a trip with the nonprofit ForgottenSong to Uganda in 2012, when a small team took on the challenge of helping an orphanage. Since cacao is a natural resource there, it seemed to be the most impactful way to help orphans long-term. The KYYA team has six adopted children within their families. In the spirit of giving back, 10 percent of net profits go to orphan care initiatives around the world. On average, they make 200 bars a day, five days a week. KYYA plans to source cacao from 40 remote regions in the world. “We believe our approach to making single origin bean-to-bar chocolate is the difference. Fair trade to us is knowing the name of the farmer we source from and giving them an honest price for their crop,” said Ben Butler, executive vice president of sales for KYYA. Motivation goes beyond good taste. Fair trade is an essential ingredient for making delicious chocolate. Grinding beneath the cacao nibs these chocolatiers believe in ethical business to keep communities thriving. For Hello Cocoa, it was one Ugandan farmer named Cosmos who inspired the idea. Two of Hello Cocoa’s founders, Charles and Abbey Davidson, met Cosmos while also working for ForgottenSong, which was adjacent to Hello Cocoa’s kitchen. “Cosmos had a need to sell his cacao, and we realized the need for us as non-profit workers to be self-sustainable,” said the Davidsons.
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PHOTOS / MARTY SHUTTER
Hello Cocoa is a team of six, making about 300 to 400 chocolate bars a week. “Our goal is to develop great relationships with people all over the world and to do good business together,” said Lauren Blanco, design/marketing and finances. Fair trade and sustainability light the oven at KYYA
and Hello Cocoa. See what farmers across the globe are growing and taste the goodness of chocolate made by locals KYYA and Hello Chocolate. Treat yourself by giving back.
kyyachocolate.com hellococoachocolate.com
Loblolly creamery
PHOTO / LOBLOLLY CREAMERY
Little Rock by Morgan Cook
Little Rock is known for its many unique treasures in the restaurant business, but there’s one treat that most people seem to forget about: homemade ice cream. No matter where you are in Little Rock - Downtown, Hillcrest, Riverdale, Soma, West or North, you can find a spot where Loblolly Creamery offers original pints, scoops, soda syrups and even bottled drinks. Served in more than 22 locations in the Little Rock area, Loblolly Creamery sure knows just how important ice cream is for the soul. But it gets better. Loblolly’s inspiration? The beautiful state of Arkansas. Inspired by the Little Rock backyard gardens, the Saturday farmer’s markets and the artisan producers of the state, the ice cream from Loblolly Creamery “reflects our community-oriented perspective and local flavors,” according to co-owner Sally Mengel. “We make hard body, small-batch, handcrafted ice cream from scratch,” Mengel said, “It is a process of love, time and attention.” It takes Mengel and her team at Loblolly about three days to craft the perfect scoop of ice cream. A fairly extensive process, but worth the wait no doubt. The first step consists of a busy day of roasting, toasting, baking, whipping, chopping and cooking all of the ice cream mix-ins. After that, it’s time to steep the ingredients in whole milk and heavy cream to let them completely cool in the refrigerator. Day two consists of churning in three-gallon amounts until they’re ready to be placed in Loblolly’s hardening cabinet (which is about negative 20 degrees Fahrenheit). Once the third day rolls around, it’s finally time to enjoy that homemade ice cream.
“We make a Philadelphia-style ice cream with no eggs but with a high percentage of butter fat to make the ice cream dense,” Mengel said. “We also forage for the highest quality ingredients like Brown Ale from Flyway Brewing for our beer ice cream, or French Roast from Mountain Bird Coffee Roasters for our coffee ice cream.” Mengel said that their flavor inspirations stem from not only the seasons, but also the “whim” of their kitchen as well as creative ideas from their customers. “We tend to just try a bunch of flavors out, test them at our ice cream bar inside The Green Corner Store & Soda Fountain, and see how people’s taste buds like them,” Mengel said. “We have changed our recipe on almost all of our ice creams. We tweak and tinker to make our ice creams the best they can be.” Some of the coolest flavors that Loblolly crafts are those that not only taste delectable, but also help out the local community. “We partner with a nonprofit once a month on a collaborative flavor,” Mengel said. “We work with them on developing the flavor that is inspired by their organization and then the group gets to create the name of the it.” A few months ago, Loblolly Creamery teamed up with Recycle Bikes for Kids, a nonprofit that gives refurbished bicycles to children. “We created a flavor called Handlebar Crunch that had chocolate chunks, waffle cone piece and almonds. The best part of these partnerships is that a portion of the sales benefit the nonprofit. People get to enjoy their ice cream and give back to the community,” Mengel said. To keep things moving, Loblolly also
PHOTO / MARTY SHUTTER
savoy tea Fayetteville by Jane Urquizu
It’s teatime like never before at Savoy Tea Company in Fayetteville and Rogers. Tea drinkers finally have a one-stop shop for all your herb-loving needs thanks to owner Bill Beyer, who has spent the last four years creating the largest high-quality tea collection in Arkansas for his Savoy Tea Company. He’s also working to share his deep knowledge of teas to the community in a fun and interactive way. Beyer’s marketing background has allowed him to cut out the middleman and work personally with small tea gardens in places like China, Taiwan, India and Japan. It’s what has allowed him to bring teas not sold in the U.S. to Savoy. “The rare tea collection is what takes a lot of time and effort because they really do come from all these little individual tea gardens. [W]e don’t go through a distributor… It’s a lot of effort, but it’s one of the things that sets us apart,” Beyer said. For the less adventurous, Savoy offers traditional blends as well as delicious flavored blends; some of which Beyer blends himself in his tea lab beneath the Fayetteville store. Only the finest teas make it to the shelf. Upon arrival the teas are all put through the cupping process, which tells the quality of the tea. If it doesn’t meet Beyer’s standards, it doesn’t make it to the shelf. “We go through the process of making sure that the tea [the customers] get is the quality that we’re representing,” he said. For tea enthusiasts or curious people alike, Savoy offers public tea tastings with a side of education at both stores. At the tea tastings, you will sample two or three rare teas, while Beyer talks about their process, origin and history. Listings of times and dates for the tea tastings are all posted on their Facebook page and on their website. savoytea.com
has their own solar-powered ice cream truck that treks around Little Rock two to three times a week. According to Mengel, you might just be able to find this truck pop up in Fayetteville once a year as well if you’re lucky. During the winter, most creameries seem to struggle when it comes to their ice cream sales, so Loblolly also brews a mean hot chocolate in hopes to keep everyone warm. “But honestly, people eat ice cream here all winter long,” Mengel added. But Loblolly Creamery isn’t limited to just ice cream and the occasional hot chocolate. In addition to their waffle cones and ice cream sammies, they also brew their very
own kombucha. “After a nice, decadent dessert, a fizzy lifting drink is the perfect digestive aid to wash it all down,” Mengel said. So if you’re ever looking for a sweet treat around the Little Rock area, keep Loblolly Creamery in mind. They build every single one of their recipes from the ground up, using only fresh and seasonal ingredients.
loblollycreamery.com
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WELCOME TO THE HIGH SOUTH SOUTHERN CUISINE IS EVOLVING. IT’S STILL LOCAL. IT’S STILL DELICIOUS. BUT NOW IT’S REACHING FOR THE STARS - THREE STARS TO BE EXACT. WE ASKED SOME OF ARKANSAS’ FINEST CULINARY ARTISTS TO OPEN THEIR RECIPE BOOKS. INTRODUCTION / CASE DIGHERO CONTRIBUTIONS / HEATHER ARTRIPE, MATT BELL, CASEY LETELLIER & ROB NELSON ILLUSTRATIONS / PHILLIP REX HUDDLESTON PHOTOS / KAT WILSON
Case Dighero
DIRECTOR OF CULINARY Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art Bentonville
H
igh South cuisine, although only recently formally defined, has actually existed as long as people were cooking in the Ozarks. The concept wasn’t arbitrarily created by the exciting food movement happening throughout Arkansas, but rather these dynamic chefs and restaurateurs began adopting the techniques of an existing paradigm of edible culture born from generations before. The chefs and professional foodies who work within the
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realm of High South do so because of their deep affinity for the rich, delicious narrative of the Ozarks. Sometimes they will simply start with an object, recipe, emblem or raw ingredient from everyday life in the Ozarks in order to create something simultaneously new, nostalgic, thought provoking, and of course, delicious. In a sense, chefs apply techniques for creating art on a daily basis; designing foodstuffs, dishes, and recipes geared toward appealing to the popular culture of the day. After all, artisans are creating to make money, and if the majority of guests (i.e. - the popular culture) reject the chefs’ wares, then that chef has potential to quickly regress from artist status to starving artist status in the blink of an eye. Indeed, even something as innocuous as a traditional Kerr, Ball or Mason Jar from everyday life in the Ozarks gives them inspiration for creating High South cuisine through using the vessels for storing infused salts, honeys and moonshine; as well as an interesting way to serve panna cotta, flowers and herbs as centerpieces, and a glass display for pickled radishes, asparagus, carrots and cucumbers from the Bentonville Farmers’ Market. So the next time you’re enjoying dinner, lunch, or basic nosh somewhere in Northwest Arkansas take a moment to reflect upon the edible wares before you; chances are it tells an important story about the High South Culture that has embedded itself in us all.
Casey Letellier
HEAD DRINKS ENTHUSIAST 28 Springs Siloam Springs “BENEATH THE MUSIC” Serves 1 A pre-dinner cocktail needs to be a wake up call to your palate. Something bright, engaging and focused. This cocktail started with the rhubarb, one of the first fruits of the spring season. (Or vegetable, depending on who you ask.) Tequila came next, which just plays perfectly with so many fresh flavors. Good cane sugar cubes help balance the acidity. (Rhubarb wasn’t even considered edible until the 17th century when sugar became widely available.) Lemons add spring-time brightness. Mezcal or bitters for depth and complexity. And the thyme—not just a garnish—to focus and lift all the other components. The name for this cocktail was inspired from the use of “rhubarb rhubarb” as the words actors would repeat to create the impression of the hum of background conversation in British theater and early radio drama. And this called to mind the line from T.S. Elliot’s “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” that says, “Beneath the music from a farther room.” Ingredients: - 2 oz reposado tequila (I like Centenario here) - 1 generous handful of roughly chopped rhubarb - 2 nice big fat slices of lemon
- 2-3 sugar cubes - 2 dashes of Angostura bitters or a good mezcal, like Ilegal or Del Maguey Vida - Sprig of thyme (cilantro, lavender or tarragon will also be fun) Prep: Muddle tequila, rhubarb,
lemon, sugar cubes, and bitters or mezcal. Shake with ice in a cocktail shaker for a full 10 seconds, strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Give the thyme a big slap between your palms to release the aromatic oils. Add to your cocktail. Imbibe.
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Ingredients: - 6 lbs Smoked Hocks & Feet - 1 Shallot, finely diced - 2 tbs Dijon - 1 tsp Each, Fresh Chopped: Thyme, Parsley & Chives - 2 tbs smoked vinegar
Matt Bell
CHEF & OWNER South on Main Little Rock “TROTTERS” Serves 8 I love this trotter dish because I really feel like it shows what South on Main is about. We like taking something simple and familiar and presenting it in a unique way. This dish we serve is Trotters with brown beans and onion jam. A simple mixture of pork feet and ham hocks combines with the beans to remind us of pork and beans. The presentation and preparation take the dish to a new place but remains rooted in southern culture.
Rob Nelson
CHEF & OWNER Tusk & Trotter American Brasserie Bentonville “BECHAMEL & FRENCH GNOCCHI” Serves 12 to 15 people What I love about this dish is that it speaks to the Ozark region. Everything on the plate is local! Lamb from Ewe Bet Farms out of Cave Springs, vegetables from different farms from Benton County, micro greens from Fayetteville, mushrooms and herbs from Sweden CreekFarms out of Kingston, flour from War Eagle Mills in Rogers and eggs from Baker Family Farm in Pea Ridge. This dish is High South Cuisine and it most definitely represents what we here at Tusk and Trotter try to incorporate everyday with our food. We ask ourselves two questions when developing a new dish - what makes it High South and how do we fuse it together with French technique and flavor undertones?
For breading: - 2 cups white bread crumbs - ¼ cup honey mustard Prep: Simmer Hocks overnight in a crock pot. Remove hocks and let cool slightly. Pick all meat, soft fat, and reserve half of the skin. In a bowl, combine meat, fat, and finely diced skin. Mix vigorously, then fold in herbs,mustard, shallots, and vinegar. Place the mixture in a rectangular piece of foil. Roll into a log, twisting the ends of the foil. Refrigerate overnight. Unwrap and cut into slices. Brush each slice with honey mustard. Coat each slice in bread crumbs. In a cast iron pan, lightly brown each trotter until warmed through.
Bechamel Ingredients: - 1 tbs salad oil - 2 tbs red onion, minced - 1 lbs roux - 2 cloves - 1 sprig fresh thyme - 2 bay leaves - 1 tsp grated nutmeg - 4 ½ qts whole milk - Salt & white pepper (as needed) Prep: Heat the oil and add the onion, sauté over low heat until onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the roux to the onions and cook until the roux is very hot, about 2 minutes. Add the milk to the pan slowly, whisking to avoid any lumps. Bring the sauce to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer. Add fresh herbs and spices and cook until the sauce is smooth and thickened. Add salt and pepper to taste. Strain through a strainer. Ingredients: - 1 cup water - 1 tsp salt - ¼ tsp grated nutmeg - 3 tbs unsalted butter
French Gnocchi
- 1 cup AP flour - 3 large eggs - ¼ cup grated Parmesan Prep: In a saucepan, combine the water, salt and nutmeg with the butter and bring to a boil over high heat. As soon as the water boils, add the flour all at once and beat the dough with a wooden spoon until it is thick and comes away from the side of the pan. Cook, stirring to dry out the dough, about 30 seconds. Transfer the dough to a medium bowl and let cool, about 5 minutes. Beat 1 egg into the dough until incorporated. Beat the cheese and another egg until incorporated, then beat in the last egg until the dough is very smooth. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Set a bowl of ice water near the stove. Transfer the dough to a ziplock bag, cut of the tip of the bag, the opening should be about ¼ inch long. Reduce heat on the water to a simmer. Hold the bag over the water and press the dough, using a sharp knife to cut into ½ inch lengths before it drops into the pot. Simmer the gnocchi for 3 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer the gnocchi to the ice water to stop the cooking. Place the gnocchi on a paper towel to dry.
person in the family that makes this pie but is definitely loved by all. The pie is so simple yet very delicate and silky.
Heather Artripe
COMMUNITY OUTREACH COORDINATOR Ozark Natural Foods Fayetteville This pie is very dear to my heart. It is the first thing I ever learned to cook. When I was young I would pull a chair up to the counter to stand on so I could reach the counter in my granny’s kitchen. I stayed with her every day while my mom was at work. We spent a lot of that time in the kitchen. My love for cooking was born in that kitchen. She passed away when I was 10 years old. To this day I am the only
CUSTARD PIE Serves 8 to 10 Ingredients: - 4 eggs, slightly beaten - ¾ cup sugar - ¼ tsp salt - ½ tsp vanilla - 2 ½ cups milk, scalded - 1 unbaked pie crust - Ground nutmeg, generous pinch Prep: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix your eggs, sugar, salt, and vanilla. Gradually pour in the milk. Make sure you are whisking constantly, otherwise your eggs will start cooking because of the scalded milk. Carefully pour in the pie crust. Sprinkle nutmeg on top. Bake for 45 minutes or until a knife inserted comes out clean. Let cool. This pie is best served at room temperature.
THINGS LEFT UNSAID GRACE MIKELL RAMSEY BELIEVES IN STORYTELLING. SHE PAINTS THE PICTURE. THE REST IS UP TO YOU. WORDS / KODY FORD
PHOTOS / KAT WILSON
P
ast the aging houses decorated in various religious and Razorback iconography and through the pines, glints of sunlight pop on the surface of Greer’s Ferry Lake. It’s a Saturday, partly cloudy, and photographer Kat Wilson and I have pulled over to the side of the road. “Hang on, let me get a good signal,” I say. Once the phone gets a couple of bars, I call Grace Mikell Ramsey, the artist we have come to see. She answers after a few rings and gives us another round of directions. We load up in my car, crank the engine and seconds later, arrive at our destination and lug the gear inside. “This is it,” Grace says. She waves a hand, giving us the grand tour of living room and kitchen. The lakehouse belongs to a friend’s family and she has been staying here with her husband, writer David Ramsey, since last October. Fishing paraphernalia hangs from wooden paneled walls along with faded art prints. It looks like a time capsule preserving a slice of middle-class Americana circa the 60s or maybe the 80s. It’s hard to tell. But like their neighbors, they have a gorgeous view of the lake from their screen porch. They have two bedrooms - one having been converted into a makeshift studio - and a place for David’s desk. They have spotty cell phone service and no Internet. It’s the perfect place to get away. The perfect place to get some work done. Grace’s current residence is not that far removed culturally from her childhood in the town of Archer
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- population 1,100 - in north central Florida. It’s an agricultural region, heavy on peanuts, watermelon and cattle. She attended school in Williston, the next town over, which she describes as “friendly, gossipy, big trucks, big hair.” She attended church devoutly, every Wednesday night and twice on Sunday. While her family wasn’t artistic, her mother was supportive and enrolled Grace in private lessons, which Grace took until she graduated high school. “[W]here I’m from, [art] was kind of a strange thing. I told my friends, but they thought I was weird,” Grace says. Early on, she knew that she wanted to paint people and she focused on this. Her teacher was heavy on the fundamentals - an emphasis on realism and accuracy, learning to observe, measuring and comparing proportions and how to translate 3D to 2D. During this time, she often found painting still lifes and landscapes boring, but feels grateful for developing such a strong foundation at a young age. While this education would shape Grace’s talents, her teacher didn’t necessarily provide encouragement for pursuing art as a career. “I think she had a bad experience and kind of felt like I should pursue something more practical and be an artist on the side.” So Grace entered college at Stetson University in Deland, Florida, and put art behind her for the time being to major in religious studies. During her junior year, she felt something was missing and decided to take an art class. Her professor was an Arkansan and Hendrix College alumnus named Gary Bolding. He focused on narrative paintings rather than abstract or landscapes.
Above: Keep (Oil on canvas, 48” x 60”) Narrative paintings can be traced back to the stone walls of caves, but haven’t been as en vogue in recent decades as galleries and collectors looked for more modern styles. “To me, a narrative painting is a painting that tells a story. It’s a painting that you might easily guess what the story is, or there might be some elements missing where you have to figure it out on your own. And that’s the kind of story I like to tell,” Grace says. The last two years of undergrad were a renaissance for Grace. Even though she had only taken two years off, it seemed like an eternity. She explored new styles and techniques. Her passion for art was back. Bolding’s influence stayed with Grace for years to come, although she did not pursue narrative work until grad school. During the interim, Grace taught art in New Orleans as part of the Teach NOLA program, where she met her husband, who was teaching English at a high school. While in the Big Easy, she came to realize that she didn’t want to teach forever. As an artist, she felt her options were limited pretty much to teaching or graphic design. Still this wasn’t about her career, but her work and Grace knew that she had room to grow. For a semester, she developed her portfolio, the first time she had worked without the watchful eye of an instruc-
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tor, and applied and was accepted into Tulane University’s Studio Art Graduate Program. At first, she found herself feeling pressured to churn out new work every week instead of taking her time to perfect each piece. This process brought her much grief and it wasn’t until she met a different professor the next semester that she found her groove. “She kind of gave me this permission that I should have given myself, and then it just clicked. I was at a place mentally where I was ready. I knew what kind of stories I wanted to tell,” Grace says. Grace’s process involves using live models, which she photographs. Oil paint is her medium of choice and her larger works can typically take a few months since she focuses so much on the details. One of the major lessons she learned while at Tulane was balance. “I really started to learn balancing subtlety with something striking and powerful in grad school,” she says. “I think that is a very delicate balance, and at first I was having all of these ideas that were very hard to describe with just words. And the best way to go about that visually is with a big punch, but it’s easy to have way too much going on be over the top. I learned how to pull back a little and really
“I like to leave room for the viewer to bring their own story so that it can have different meanings for different people. A painting, because it’s still, can provide a frozen moment of a story, which can be exciting because you don’t know what happened before or after that moment.” idleclassmag.com
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Upper left: Hold (Oil on canvas, 60” x 77.5”) Bottom left: Hide (Oil on canvas, 72” x 60”) Bottom right: Fate Overtakes Them Both (Oil on wood panel, 66” x 48”)
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narrow the idea down to its purest form so that I was keeping it subtle, but also maintaining a sense of mystery and truth in a powerful image without going crazy...If it’s way too over the top, it just becomes a joke or it’s hard to take seriously or it’s like ‘oh, this is shock value.’ But I think subtlety can be really powerful.” For Grace, painting provides therapeutic value on multiple levels by allowing her to control a part of her life and exercise her own zone of power and decision making. “Honestly, painting helps my anxiety about being a human and it calms me down. If I go for a while without painting, I start to feel not well. It really helps me, it’s like a meditative thing for me. Especially the kind of detail work that I do, that kind of detail work can be very meditative and healing. I think I really enjoy creating another world, and it allows me to say things that I’m not allowed to say otherwise. I think a lot of people feel similarly about creating. Especially if you feel like this is the thing I want to do with my life, if you’re not doing it then you’re like, ‘what am I doing?’” One of the highlights of Grace’s career so far came when she received a grant from the Joan Mitchell Foundation, which only awards the prize to 15 artists nationwide. She was nominated by one of her professors. As a recipient of the grant, Grace is able to apply for continued support throughout her career. Her post-grad school life was spent in Little Rock. She taught art at the Arkansas Arts Center. During this time, she attained representation by Boswell-Mourot Fine Art in the Heights, where she will hold a show this spring with the opening reception on May 2.
While she is grateful for her experiences in Little Rock, she felt that her schedule had become fractured and she was unable to devote the proper amount of time to her artwork. After receiving another grant from the Joan Mitchell Foundation to supplement her income, she and David decided to make the move to Greer’s Ferry. Now in her bedroom-turned-studio she has been able to return to creating larger works. Grace prefers painting women, although she has painted men. Recently, she has explored her experiences as a woman, her thoughts on becoming a mother, and her memories of being a girl, such as her piece “The Game,” which was chosen for our cover. Sometimes images come to her as she is falling asleep or when she is viewing artwork by others for inspiration. She often bounces her ideas off of her husband before beginning a piece. While her themes and images may change, one thing remains constant - her love for the story. “I like to leave room for the viewer to bring their own story so that it can have different meanings for different people. A painting, because it’s still, can provide a frozen moment of a story, which can be exciting because you don’t know what happened before or after that moment.” Her time in Greer’s Ferry will be coming to a close later this Spring. Afterwards, she and David plan to move to Nashville for a while to be close to his parents. What’s next - a new city? Perhaps. The location doesn’t matter for Grace. Her world is on the canvas and she will always find solace there.
VISIT: GRACEMIKELLRAMSEY.COM
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ARTISTS WE LOVE
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tephen Driver, an artist working in ceramics, has lived in the Ozarks for more than 20 years since moving here in 1976. Driver and his wife, artist Louise Halsey, recently opened a gallery in their home near the Mulberry River, in addition to building a new kiln and continuing their art practices after retiring from academia. The Idle Class recently caught up with him to discuss his work. What interests you the most when working with ceramics? I’m a potter and I’m an artist. Some people don’t see where the two cross. I’ve been making pots since I was in high school and always thought I’d make pots in my backyard or something like that, but ended up getting a degree in psychology at FSU. Afterwards, a job offer arose to make pots from a couple who had purchased an old grist mill and needed someone to work during the summer, which turned into a lifetime of making. It’s been a little over a year since I left teaching at UALR, so I’m a recovering academic. What are some of the new projects you’re hoping to complete in 2015? I’ve been making effigy vessels in the form of animals relating to climate change and how we’re destroying the planet. There’s a series of waiter fish that are delivering the bad news. I’ve completed two, but I have four in the works. One is called the “Climate Change Joker,” and I had a graphic design student impose Senator Inhofe’s face on the joker card. Most people wouldn’t notice it. Another group is based on a work I saw in Ecuador. They’re functional pots with decals of trout so the images fit around the piece, and those are promotional mugs for the end of the world. My working with vessel forms comes out of my interest in pre-Columbian art, because they all told stories. They’ve become my totems.
STEPHEN DRIVER Ceramics Ozark
Your art space, Little Mulberry Gallery, is located on the first floor of your home. How does that affect how you run the gallery? Yeah, that’s new just since November. It’s the first floor and my wife’s studio is on the first floor and at the moment it’s not any problem. I quit teaching, but I’m not retired. I’ll be offering workshops and want to have people come to our place when I’m finished building my kiln. We’re open on weekends, but if we’re home, we’re happy to show people around that stop by. We’ll see how it goes. - Donna Smith
VISIT: littlemulberrygallery.com
Photos by George Chambers & Stephen Driver
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yan Starkey, a University of Arkansas - Fort Smith student, was recently selected as one of the 2014 VSA Emerging Young Artists, an honor recognizing young artists who are living with disabilities. As part of the award, Starkey’s painting, “Help is a Far Cry,” is being shown in the Smithsonian Museum. Do you think it’s important for viewers to know your background or to simply find their own narrative within and through the work? Over the years of asking people their opinions while in the process of creating, I find that people are going to make their own personal connection to my art or any piece of abstract art. Without offering an overabundance of information, it is best to give the viewer clues to decipher the artwork. This can be done so as to get your point across as the artist to the viewer without strong arming them into a contained train of thought.
RYAN STARKEY Painter Fort Smith
“Help is a Far Cry” I read an article in which you talk about the movement of your arm actually aiding your abstract brush strokes. When you first started making art, did you worry that it would negatively affect your paintings? No, it did not worry or discourage me because I was fortunate enough to recognize the gestural significance in those marks, the marks that many trained painters later in life aspire to make when looking for their personal style. This is not to say that training isn’t important, just that it was expedited in my case by the fact that I had my own built-in style. Are you working on new pieces now? What are some of your plans in terms of art for this next year? My work continues to barrel forward sometimes seeming like an out of control train careening off of the tracks. My plans in terms of art for this next year amount to representing myself in a more professional manner and readjusting my process slightly to fit the parameters of a business. Because I want to make art my career, I must constantly be looking for new opportunities to promote my art and bring the awareness of it to a higher degree. This requires me to implement and adhere to a schedule not only in the production of art, but its promotion as well. - Donna Smith
Photos courtesy of Ryan Starkey
VISIT: FACEBOOK.COM/RYANSTARKEYART
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A NEW WAY
FOWARD THE NEW DESIGN SCHOOL PROVIDES ASPIRING CREATIVES WITH THE SKILLS TO BREAK THROUGH IN THEIR FIELDS.
WORDS / TINA PARKER PHOTO / MATT FARIES
AN ALTERNATIVE EDUCATION program that specializes in visual communications is paving the way for graphic designers in Northwest Arkansas. Sonia Davis Gutierrez is the founder of the New Design School, a graduate school dream that turned into a reality eight years ago. She has had her ups and downs as anyone does when opening a new business – the first location the school was flooded 4-feet deep with water after a storm – but, she said, watching students move into fulfilling careers makes it all worth it. She also credits her husband Mike Davis with helping her grow the organization to where it is today. “Mike has been a huge part of NDS from early on,” Gutierrez said. “We could not have gotten to this point without his involvement teaching, recruiting new students and helping them with job placement. He has always played a major role in fundraiser set up and take down, technology support, and meeting student needs.” The New Design School (NDS) is a nonprofit graphic design certificate program that is taught by eight instruc-
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tors through a series of 21, 12-week workshops and seminars. “Our graduating classes are pretty small, and we only have 20 students per term, but we don’t flood the market either,” Gutierrez said. “The students who take our courses are given the opportunity to connect with designers in the area, which gives them practical experience.” The school is certified by the Arkansas State Board of Private Career Education, but Gutierrez is in the process of seeking accreditation from the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools. “We’re just seeking certificate accreditation, but I’d say we’re still a couple years out until we actually are granted accreditation,” Gutierrez speculated. “If we do get accredited, students will be able to apply for FAFSA and get state grants.” Though the school is not accredited, Gutierrez said that it provides skills that students can use to seek a new profession, even ones who didn’t graduate. Amy Ha is one of those students. Ha has a bachelor’s degree from a fouryear college, but when she decided to
Sonia Davis-Gutierrez & Mike Davis change professions and pursue a career in design, she said that a traditional route was not the right path for her. “I wanted to learn skills in a short timeframe and gain experience in an intense environment that forces you to do things – inevitably achieving your goals,” Ha said. “If I could design and learn similar skills in two years, I would not be wasting time in a classroom and accumulating more debt.” Though she did not receive a certifi-
cate of completion, the skills she learned propelled her into a new career field. She currently works as a design project manager for Miller Zell, a retail design company, where she designs point of sale projects for Walmart. “NDS helped me find discipline again, learn software skills, have self-peer project constructive criticism and provided an environment with peers from all ages and backgrounds who are passionate about design, illustration and art,” Ha said. Students at the New Design School collaborate with businesses in the community during a 12-week seminar to create a design on which they will be graded. “It’s pro-bono work and it’s not quite an internship,” Gutierrez said. “Businesses can come in and request a design and we will match them with a student who is creating designs as schoolwork.” Brent Robinson, owner of Fly-n-Hog Media Group, an indoor digital ad company, was one of the businesses that worked with the New Design School. While a student, Zach Williams, a graduate of the program, was matched with Robinson, who was impressed with Williams’ work and his commitment to keeping up with new trends, that the company hired Williams as an intern in 2011 and later as a full-time employee. “Zach is responsible for new clients – he creates content for them,” Robinson said. “We needed someone with a graphic design background and he has been key for us with new content, templates and achieving the end result. We couldn’t be happier.” Robinson said that although he did not seek someone from a traditional graphic design background, he is pleased with what the New Design School and Williams has brought to his business. “We started as a little company and worked out great to have a business close to Sonia’s,” Robinson said. Despite the non-traditional approach, Gutierrez said that her school provides a competitive advantage to students who take courses at her school, and that they not only save time, they save money. Payment plans are offered to students who are enrolled in the program. Tuition is $650 for each semester, and can be paid out over the 12-week program. However, students cannot enroll into the next course until the prior semester is paid off. “We work with students so they don’t go into debt,” Gutierrez said. “There’s no interest and no other fees outside of tuition.” She said the school also offers incentives, such as 15 percent off of a returning student’s tuition if it is paid in full before the term begins. “We offer five percent off for a student if their friends enroll, too,” Gutierrez said. “We just want people to get the skills they need to be able to acquire a new profession without going into debt.”
VISIT: NEWDESIGNSCHOOL.ORG
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DOWN IN THE VALLEY HOT SPRINGS’ MUSIC FESTIVAL VALLEY OF THE VAPORS BRINGS A VARIETY OF BANDS TO SPA CITY. WORDS / KATY HENRIKSEN PHOTO / AARON BREWER “I’M HARDWIRED TO PRODUCE EVENTS big and small. It’s who I am. I have no choice.” - Bill Solleder, founder of Valley of the Vapors Independent Music Festival Deep in the Ouachita Mountains, in an old tourist town once a quiet escape for the likes of Al Capone - where he could gamble and spend a day soaking in the restorative powers of the magical waters on historic Bath Row - there’s now a thriving independent music festival that receives funding from the National Endowment for the Arts. Now in its 11th year, the Valley of the Vapors Independent Music Festival takes over downtown Hot Springs each March when more than 40 national and international touring bands of all genres stop through to play. Consider it the anti-SXSW/Coachella/Bonnaroo. Founder Bill Solleder eschews huge headlining acts for under-the-radar bands
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that still make waves in the likes of The New York Times and Spin. Artists return year after year for the homespun, community-oriented event, including Chicago-based electronic group My Gold Mask. “My first time playing VOV I remember being fascinated with the tight knit sense of community and a very supportive and organized festival,” explains Gretta Rochelle (vocals, percussion). “Hot Springs is unlike any other place I’ve played before. It feels like family.” “I just remember thinking how much fun it was and how welcoming it felt,” adds bandmate Jack Armondo (guitar, vocals). “People are truly there for the music. There’s an enthusiasm that’s palpable with the crowd and you can’t help but get caught up in it.” Credit the velocity to Solleder who decided to create a music scene where there wasn’t one when he relocated to Hot Springs after decades deep in the music business as bandleader to the exuberant sounds of ska-core collective Blue Meanies, who toured internationally throughout the 1990s. “The vibe is always warm, welcoming, energetic and the dynamic between fan and band sets the tone for the VOV,” says Solleder who adds that the fest is DIY by necessity. “Without the work of dozens of volunteers who believe in the festival and its impact on their lives and the community at large, the VOV wouldn’t be possible.” Hot Springs’ Director of Downtown Development Cole McCaskill is impressed with how Solleder has done so much with so little. “Their events have grown from tiny
“Margaret Monday” by Sally Nixon underground shows in the back of a bakery, to bouncing around downtown from venue to venue, to finding a permanent home on Arbor Street, to public performances on national park land,” explains McCaskill. “It’s really impressive to consider how little Bill started with, to now see that he has built a successful career and nonprofit around what he offers to the community.” Institutional support for VOV comes from the community arts nonprofit Low Key Arts founded by Solleder to foster wide-ranging community arts programming and workshops in the city of Hot Springs. Creation of a 501(c)3 opened up grants, such as Arkansas Humanities Council and the National Endowment for the Arts and allowed a permanent home for the festival just off the downtown’s main drag on Park Avenue. This year’s festival runs March 20 to 24, and includes doom metal heavyweights Pallbearer, fuzzed-out, let-it-bleed folk rock lyricism from Water Liars, electroclash intensity from My Gold Mask and the all-girl all-outpunk of Nots. Early Bird Festival passes are currently available for $40 until Feb. 20 at the festival’s website.
VISIT: valleyofthevapors.com
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REVIEWS
HIGH LONESOME - “GET SOME YOUNG” by Gwendolyn Wind
Though a relatively new band, High Lonesome has cultivated a self-aware artistic aesthetic preceding the release of their newest effort, “Get Some Young.” Local response seems to embrace them innately, with an organic understanding of their music. On listening, Richard Darden can be imagined mouthing along from behind his faithful, rolling drums, providing a generous playground for his bandmates to explore their own stylistic manipulations while remaining tightly in pocket. This thoughtful synthesis allows the celebration of sound-defining staples like Martin Bemberg’s confident delivery of meter-defying lyrics. The band’s dynamic also encourages guitarist Sean Johnson’s fluctuations between base virility and the dreamiest guitar ever heard, played in a call-and-response relationship with Bemberg’s baritone. While happily delivering what has so quickly come to be expected of High Lonesome, “Get Some Young” is most interesting in its static pauses and moments of uncertainty. These imperfections feel almost imminently sentimental, not unlike growing pains. The real excitement behind this album isn’t a knee-jerk
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response to the present, but rather the anticipation of the band’s own “coming of age.” High Lonesome’s album is a playful, contemporary “dad rock” offering, fastidiously crafted by guys who know they aren’t actually fathers yet. After little more than a year, they have nurtured an allegiance from their listeners that begs evolution, and the band should be commended for refusing to stick to what has worked in the past. Play “Get Some Young” once for endearingly cheeky, swoon-worthy American pop. But on second listen, understand the album as what we’ll be revisiting as part of High Lonesome’s early works- a glimpse at a sound that will soon be.
HEAR MORE: highlonesome-ar. bandcamp.com/ bombayharambee. bandcamp.com/
BOMBAY HARAMBEE - “WOLFMAN FELLOWSHIP” by Aaron Sarlo The year 2015 stands to be one of contemplation on the post-rock sound, once omnipresent in American culture. Surely as the pendulum swings, popular music has begun to sway away from its fascination with what will, eventually be remembered (for better or worse) as “hipster” music — somber, “feely” music designed to be a soundtrack for a twenty-something’s mopey lifestyle rather than a convention-eschewing statement of truth. Bombay Harambee does not follow in this vein. They are a rock band in a post-post-rock world. Their sound is brash, and their songs snarl with 70s-era guitar tones, way closer in execution and intent to Iggy Pop than Death Cab For Cutie. Their songs pile meaty chords (that ring like outtakes from a Rolling Stones record) on top of dirty, Mudhoney-esque riffs. Front man, Alexander Jones, sings smart lyrics with a stoicism that is strangely soothing in such powerful music. The band just released a full-length, “Wolfman Fellowship,” on cassette on Weiner Records. Congratulations, Weiner Records. Good for y’all. Bombay Harambee is brave stuff. You are working with a band with clear potential, that crafts honest, complex songs, and not with a band that drizzles dreary, amorphous sound-blobs into a cookie-cutter labeled “music.”
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TRACKS FICTION / NICHOLAS CLARO ILLUSTRATION / BETH POST
“THAT’S WHY YOU BROUGHT ME HERE?” HE ASKED. “Yes,” she said, loosening her scarf. “Why in public?” “It’s as good as anywhere else.” “To tell me that, it’s not,” he said. An older man at an adjacent table looked over the screen of his laptop at the troubled couple and briefly stopped typing. It was nearing noontime; most of the morning crowd left hours ago. Apart from these two and the older man, there were only a few other people at booths and tables. Two baristas stood behind the bar polishing mugs with rags and one of them laughed at something the other said. “Lower your voice,” she said. “And you’re telling me none of this concerns your ex?” The man cleared his throat. They had had their fair share of problems; a former lover was amongst one of them. Now this. “No,” she said. “He’s like you.” “I’m nothing like him.” “In that way you are.” He rolled and unrolled a sleeve of his button-down, revealing and then covering the portrait of his mother tattooed on the outside of his forearm and also one of his father on the inside. “From the day we met you knew I didn’t subscribe to that,”
he told her. He left his sleeve unrolled. “What’s changed?” The girl adjusted her glasses. She ran a hand through her long brown hair, which was curly and damp. She blew on the coffee in front of her. After she took a sip she added sugar and some cream from a small metal urn. She stirred it with a straw. “I admit it, when we met, I had strayed,” she said. She set the straw on the table. “But I’ve found it again and want to have as close as a relationship as I can.” “To do that you have to walk away from this one?” “I’m not walking away.” “Yes,” he asserted. “That’s exactly what you’re doing: walking away.” “I know you. I love you for who you are,” she said. She leaned in and put out her hands and touched his. “You’re funny, talented, and so kind. But, I know you. You won’t make that change.” “No,” he said. “And I won’t raise my children in a house with someone who doesn’t share that with me, or them.” “Ridiculous,” he said. He had lost his patience. “You’re ridiculous.” The older man shut his computer and found another table further away. One of the baristas was looking at the man and when he looked over at her she went for another mug. A gust of cold air blew into the building. A woman was holding the door open for her child. Both of them were covered in snow and shook as they brushed one another off before going up to the bar. For a while, neither the man nor the girl said anything. She sipped her coffee and stared at him over the rim of the mug. He did not see this. He had turned his head to look out of the fogged-up windows. Cars passed slowly with their headlights on. The sky was grey and snow was falling hard. When they woke this morning there was already a foot on the ground. The snowstorm had started last evening. When the man had seen the first flakes spiraling toward the ground he had called out to the girl to tell her that it was snowing. She thought he was teasing since it was summertime. Together, they stayed up late talking and drinking whiskey-and-Cokes while wrapped in blankets sitting on the floor by the space heater the man had set by the window. “What, do you want an apology or something?” the girl asked. “A logical explanation would do.” “I’ve given one already.”
“We’ve had sex. So, I don’t believe you have,” the man said. He was glad he used ‘had’ instead of ‘have’ since they hadn’t for a long time. “Haven’t you been listening? I strayed,” the girl said. “And don’t you remind me of that.” He took offence to this. He felt also embarrassed and resentment toward the girl. He raised and aimed a finger at her. “It’s not like you can get that back,” the man said, acerbically. “And don’t act like I’m the one who broke it.” “You sonofabitch,” the girl said. She went to slap his hand but missed and knocked her coffee onto the floor. The mug shattered. At the bar, the baristas, and the woman with her daughter all looked over at them, then away. One of the barista’s came around with a towel, broom and dustpan. The girls face was red; she glared at the man; the borders of her lips lost color. He knew she might cry at any moment. She stood up and grabbed her pea coat off the back of the chair and slipped her arms into the sleeves. “I’m leaving.” The man said, “I know.” His pride would not allow him to watch her go. He felt again the chilly air against his neck and ears. Then he heard the door shut. The woman and child had gotten their drinks and now were at a table. They had stopped shivering. The man stood and put on his jacket. “I’m sorry about all that,” he said. The barista moved a rag in a circular motion on the floor, as if polishing it. She had moved the larger pieces of the mug into a pile. She looked up at him and said, “It’s not your fault.” For a while, the man stood just outside of the doors with his hands in his jacket pockets. Each breath was torn from his mouth by the wind. The space where the woman had parked was vacant and snow had nearly filled the tracks she had left. And soon, the man knew, he, too, would be leaving some tracks of his own, heading in a separate direction. Nicholas John-Francis Claro is a writer and editor living in Fayetteville, Arkansas. His work has appeared in: Existere: A Journal of Arts & Literature, The Idle Class, and others. He is currently at work on a collection of short stories and a novel.
Trolley Line Books Used, Rare, Signed & Arkansas-related Books Located in Downtown Rogers 110 W Walnut St Rogers, AR 72756
(479) 636-1626
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FROM ‘GIRL REPORTER’ TO NOVELIST AFTER YEARS OF WORK, SUZI PARKER RELEASES HER DEBUT NOVEL “ECHO ELLIS: ADVENTURES OF A GIRL REPORTER” WORDS / KODY FORD PHOTO / JIM HUNNICUTT SUZI PARKER IS NOT ONE FOR BACKING DOWN. When she first entered the world of journalism years ago, the old, white boys’ club dominated. She set out to become a freelance investigative reporter in the late 90s, only to hear people doubt that a woman could cover politics in Arkansas. They even gave her a nickname - “girl reporter.” While some might take such misogyny personally, Parker decided to roll with it and make this her brand. She had business cards with “girl reporter” printed on them and soon editors all over the country knew her by this handle. She went on to write a hit work of nonfiction, “Sex in the South: Unbuckling the Bible Belt,” while her career as a freelance journalist took off. During this time one of her passions - fiction writing - went mostly ignored. She began in elementary school before churning out short stories in high school and college. Now after 10 years of working off-and-on, she has released her first novel “Echo Ellis: Adventures of a Girl Reporter.” The title character is based upon her experiences as a journalist and straddles the fence between adult and young adult fiction (although these days a crossover is almost inevitable in certain genres). Parker likens the 30 year old Ellis to “an edgier version of Nancy Drew or Veronica Mars.” “Growing up, I watched a lot of spy movies and television shows,” she said. “I also decided in seventh grade I wanted to be a journalist. When I became a journalist, I learned quickly that the story behind landing the big scoop is often more thrilling and more like a spy movie than people realize. Think ‘All The President’s Men’ plus more. A few big scoops led me to think that I would like to a write a book about a girl reporter, which was my nickname for years in the journalism world, who is always searching for the next hot story and often finds herself in hot water.” In her first adventure, Echo travels to the heart of the Delta, a place where moonlight and magnolias often mask the grime and grittiness of a harsh reality. Triggered by her meeting with an intriguing doctor in an art gallery in Little Rock, Echo soon finds herself in the middle of a Southern Gothic horror show with a shady congressman and on the run for her life. Parker’s early experiences with sexism in the media became fodder for her author’s pen. “[Echo] has to confront several instances of sexism in the book, from a political aide who wants to sleep with her to a corrupt con-
COVER BY MARCUS BOYCE
gressman who expects her to be in the kitchen cooking and not on his trail,” Parker said. “She also hints in the book about how she was expected - because she was female - to cover society events when she worked at the local newspaper instead of covering crime scenes.” Drawing from her personal experiences had its advantages and disadvantages. “It made it easier to know the life of a journalist like Echo Ellis,” Parker said. “But it didn’t make it easier to write fiction. In fact, I think it made it harder because journalists deal with facts and reality. It was hard sometimes to turn off the reality button and put on the fiction hat because I wanted everything in the story to seem very real, maybe too real at times. I would have to pull back and remind myself Echo lives in a fictional universe.” Literary fiction has its own set of rules and crafting a solid mystery can often be a complicated process. Parker said that she had to tediously plot the book out and insert clues and red herrings. She detailed each character’s habits, hobbies and their past histories in dossiers and has boxes of files and journals on them. Despite this attention to detail, parts of the novel were re-written several times. While Parker has worked on stand-alone novels in the past, she never completed one. However, she felt that Echo had many tales to tell and that one novel wouldn’t be enough for all of her adventures. The idea of continuing a character through many years and trials and tribulations sold her on writing a series. Parker self-published “Echo Ellis: Adventures of a Girl Reporter” as an ebook on Amazon and a paperback will follow sometime this year.
FOLLOW: @ECHOELLISGR 46
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