Home Living in North Georgia by The Times

HOME Living in North Georgia

July | 2018

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July 2018 Decidedly delicious From the heart

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On the Cover Sushi grows in popularity and no one knows that better than the chefs at BlueFin Hibachi in Gainesville. PAGE 6

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Save me a piece Sushi is ‘more than just fish’

By Pamela A. Keene | Photos by David Barnes Don’t think that all sushi is created equal and i not only about raw fish. Sushi is an art form, and it’s often presented in a way that reflects the personality and skills of the chef. “Creating sushi is a way to show off a chef ’s style and creativity,” says Raymond Yap, owner of Blue Fin restaurant at 1642 Park Hill Drive in Gainesville. “Every restaurant has its own kinds that will vary a bit.” In Japan, people have been eating sushi for centuries. According to tradition, it was 6 | HOME | July 2018

created as a way to preserve fresh fish in fermented salted rice. It’s not until the past several decades that sushi has gained popularity in the United States as television cooking shows and innovative chefs seek to broaden their culinary offerings. Above and top: Charles Liu, main sushi chef “Sushi is not just raw fish,” Yap says. at Blue Fin Hibachi & Sushi, cuts tuna while “There’s sashimi, which is the meat alone and preparing tuna nigiri in Gainesville, on Tuesday, can be raw or cooked. And nigiri is fish served June 12, 2018. on top of rice. And then there are California Rolls, which use crabmeat, avocado, cucumber and sushi-grade white rice.”

Left: A plate of California rolls at Blue Fin Hibachi & Sushi. Top: A plate of Lanier rolls at Blue Fin. Above: A plate of California rolls, tuna and salmon nigiri and salmon sashimi at Blue Fin Hibachi & Sushi in Gainesville.

Yap says that the fish must be very fresh. Choices usually include ahi tuna, salmon and yellowtail, but white tuna and sawara, also known as Spanish mackerel, are also used. “We order exclusively sushi-grade fish,” he says. “If you want to use non-sushi grade, it must be cooked well done. And about 90 percent of the fish used is farm-raised.” California rolls are the maki type, rolled sushi wrapped in seaweed and rice. “It’s made with imitation crab meat, pieces of avocado and cucumber, plus sushi-grade short-grain rice, wrapped in seaweed,” Yap says. “Almost every Japanese restaurant will sell California rolls; they’re a staple and the best sushi for beginners to try first.” Yap says that sometimes California rolls are also made with tuna in place of the imitation crab meat. “For people who have been eating sushi a long time, sashimi is the next step,” he says. “People who really like sushi will get tired of just eating California rolls, and when they want to broaden their palate they venture toward sashimi.”

The presentation of sashimi is colorful, fresh and inviting. Glistening pieces of finely slice tuna or salmon served on top of rice and garnished with specialty sauces or a bit of caviar looks inviting, even if you’re not fond of fish. “Sushi is healthy for you, too,” he says. “It has no fat or oil. Many people who eat sushi eat it at least once a week. They start to crave it. And if you want it to be even healthier, ask for it to be prepared with brown rice.” Yap opened Blue Fin in Gainesville about four years ago. He is partners with his brother in two other restaurants in Rome and Marietta. When he first came to Gainesville, he opened a package store on Park Hill Drive. “I sold the package store and then the space where we’re located now became available. I’d wanted to open a restaurant in Gainesville, but people told me that this was not on a main road and wouldn’t be a good location. “I just said, why can’t I?” he says. “As long as I sell good food and provide the best service, people will come.”

If he had to do anything differently, what would it be? “I’d put in a big sushi bar from the beginning,” he says. “I didn’t expect that people would eat as much sushi as they are.” He has built his business by word of mouth and has many regular customers. Blue Fin also serves hibachi meals and traditional Asian fare, including Pad Thai, Lo Mein, Sweet and Sour Chicken, General Tso’s Chicken and tempura. He’s a proponent of ordering sushi out, not only because he owns a restaurants but because home made can be cost prohibitive. “You can make sushi at home,” Yap says, “but you’d have to eat a lot of sushi for several days to make it worthwhile, because the ingredients are costly. To purchase the quantities you’d need would be expensive. That’s why it’s smarter to order sushi in a restaurant. You can get a wide variety and eat just how much you want.” Blue Fin is open for lunch and dinner from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday. For more information, visit bluefingainesville. com or call 678-999-4392. July 2018 | HOME | 7

HomeSpun Baking Co.

From cupcakes to seafood, this store has it all

By Randall Murray | Photos by Scott Rogers Michele Colbert is a “local” gal. Not that she was born here; she just likes locally baked goods (she makes them herself), local honey and jams and jellies, local beef and lamb and lots of other goodies But, first, let’s get the name right. Michele, owner and one-woman band at HomeSpun Baking Company & Country Store, pronounces her last name the traditional way – COAL-bert. Not like the acid-tongued TV commentator Stephen coal-BEAR. 8 | HOME | July 2018

Opposite page: Michele Colbert bakes up gluten free breads and deserts at HomeSpun Baking Company and Country Store in Gainesville. Above: Colbert ices a cupcake.

You can find Michele at the counter or bustling in the kitchen of her spacious store at 3726 Mount Vernon Road in north Hall County, just a stone’s throw from Thompson Bridge Road. Her specialty is baked items she calls “goodies without gluten.” But for folks who fear that gluten-free brownie bits, muffins, breads and cupcakes could not taste great, get over that! I sampled some. They are just as yummy as the stuff that people with gluten issues cannot consume. “And they are healthier, too,” she points out. “I don’t use any artificial colors or flavoring. One of my big challenges is to get people to try my gluten-free items. I think some of them are afraid these goods are going to taste like cardboard. “They don’t,” she says strongly, adding, “and I am passionate about local sourcing.” Walk into the metal building that is HomeSpun’s home and you discover shelves full of honey from a Cornelia beekeeper; area ciders made from apples and spices, blackberries and black cherries; a healthy assortment of barbecue sauces, and more. Inspect the freezer and you will discover grass-fed beef from Presley Farm in Maysville, pastured lamb from Bramberi Farm in Murrayville and, of course, gluten-free pizza crust from Michele’s skilled hands. Got a recipe that calls for duck eggs? She’s got ‘em from Sky Farm in Gainesville. Finding an assortment of high-quality seafood might seem odd for a place that focuses on baked good. But every Friday, HomeSpun takes delivery from Tom’s Awesome Seafood of such delicious fare as white Georgia shrimp, jumbo scallops, Faroe Islands salmon (“it’s delicious” declares Michele) and Icelandic cod. Michele has a career that makes quite a colorful mosaic – much of it involving creating tasty food. “As a teen I loved to bake,” she said during a recent interview. “I worked in a number of restaurants and cafes.” Just to make things interesting she earned a Fine Arts degree and made jewelry in Ohio and San Francisco. She got a Master’s degree in education and taught for 20 years in Gainesville schools, retiring in 2015, after stints teaching kindergarten, first grade, English as a Second Language, and other subjects, at Enota Elementary and Fair Street. But a nagging desire lingered … to own her own place. July 2018 | HOME | 9

“I wasn’t really looking,” she said almost coyly. “But then I saw this shop beside Master Electric on Mount Vernon Road.” She passed it daily. “It was called Big G’s Market.” Big G was Gary Hoseman, owner of Master Electric. He had started the market as a way to provide local produce to folks in the area. But he quickly found moving produce was a tough sell and the demands on his time were stressful. After driving by several times she stopped last fall and asked if she could set up shop and sell her baked goods there. A deal was struck and she added her goodies without gluten into the store. “I had a really good response,” she noted. “People really liked my baked goods and told me so.” Hoseman finally threw in the towel. “My family did not want me to get out, but I had to make time for my family,” he explained. And he and Michele struck another deal. When Michele finally took over, building and health inspectors

10 | HOME | July 2018

told her some changes had to be made. She looked to her family — husband Jose Junquera and son Zach — to put in approved wall coverings and a wooden wall separating the kitchen from the sales area. It opened for business the day after Christmas 2017. The store has a clean, simple feel to it. Bare wood shelves hold the bottled and jarred goods. Old home and farm implements hang on the walls. The roof beams of the metal structure are partially exposed. Handmade objects made by Wildcat Crafts are on display in an old wood and glass rack. Made from salvaged woods the rolling pins and bowls have a truly rustic, sturdy look. What does she hear most from her customers? “Most of them say the same thing: ‘I’ve driven past here a dozen times and meant to stop in’.” Her phone rang and she took the call. When she was finished she explained, “That was a customer who bought a cake and loved it. Now she wants me to make her another one of the same kind, but bigger. I can do that.”

Glen Davies of Tom's Awesome Seafood shows off large scallops for sale at HomeSpun Baking Company and Country Store in Gainesville. Davies sells the seafood every Friday from noon to 4 p.m. Opposite page: Davies’ fresh clams. Michelle Colbert bakes up gluten free breads and deserts at HomeSpun Baking Company.

HomeSpun Baking Company & Country Store 3726 Mount Vernon Road, Gainesville 770-289-0505 michacolbert@gmail.com Hours: Tuesday – Saturday, 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.

One question many consumers raise about buying local products centers on price. And she concedes she hears about that. “But think about the work that goes into growing things locally. It’s just healthier to eat locally grown food,” she declared, “and I’m willing to pay that little bit more.” Where does the seafood swim into the picture? In her farmers market days she found herself selling baked goods alongside Glen Davies, a sales rep for Tom’s Awesome Seafood. And when she set up shop at HomeSpun, she called him. And every Friday about midday he shows up with a load of fish and shellfish. “I picked Friday because I do more business on Friday,” she explained. “I’ve known her four years and she’s just a good person,” Davies told me. “When we were selling together she always wanted to try some of my seafood and I’d fix her up with some.” Tom’s gets its shrimp from Brunswick every week. “We brought in 400 pounds this week,” he said recently. Michele confessed she really does not want to work for anyone else. But HomeSpun occupies much of her life. She recalls with a smile what her husband wryly said to her as she worked endlessly to create a new market, “Remember, you’re retired.” July 2018 | HOME | 11

Got the blues And it’s so sweet

By Pamela A. Keene In recent years, blueberries have surpassed peaches as Georgia’s No. 1 fruit produce crop, according to the Georgia Department of Agriculture. Blueberries have also become one of the most popular backyard fruits in the state because of they’re easy to grow, disease-resistant low-maintenance. “We should be the blueberry state,” says Nathan Eason, UGA extension agent for White County. “They’re so much easier to grow and you can get good yields from backyard plants.” Nathan says there are a couple of tricks to having success with blueberries. “You need at least two different varieties so that they will pollinate each other,” he says. “We recommend that you

12 | HOME | July 2018

plant them in pairs — two of one variety and two of another. They like full sun and to be planted so that there will be good air flow around them.” There are several cultivars of blueberries — Northern Highbush, Southern Highbush and Rabbit-eye. Within these cultivars there are different varieties. The most popular cultivar is Rabbit-eye that blooms and ripens later than the high-bush cultivar. “In north Georgia, you need to be careful about when your blueberries bloom,” he says. “Over the past two seasons, late frosts have damaged the crops in South Georgia. Rabbit-eye blueberries are practically bullet-proof.”

New varieties have been developed by the University of Georgia Blueberry Breeding Program. “One of my favorites is Titan, that has especially large berries,” Nathan says.

Planting and caring for blueberries

The very first step in planting blueberries — or anything else for that matter — is to do a soil test at the site you’ve selected. “You should know the levels of calcium, phosphorus, minerals and essential elements int eh soil because it can make a big difference in your success,” Nathan says. “While it’s true that blueberries prefer slightly acidic soil, you need to know more about the soil than its pH level.” Go online to the UGA Extension, extension.uga.edu, and search for Soil Test for instruction. A basic test costs $8 and the results can tell you how best to prepare the soil for your particular crop. “Once you’ve tested your soil and made the proper amendments, you may also need to add materials to help promote good drainage,” he says. “Our Georgia clay doesn’t drain very well. Blueberries don’t like to sit in wet soil. I even mound mine up a little to help the soil drain and then use pine mulch to retain moisture.” The best time to plant blueberries, as well as trees, shrubs and other plants, is in the fall. The cooler temperatures don’t’ stress the plant as much. They’re also going into their dormant season when growth slows down. “You’ll still need to water them regularly but planting in the fall is definitely better for the plants.” Nathan urges caution when planting. “If the roots are crowded in the pot, manually separate them and spread them out in the planting hole,” he says. “And be sure to dig the hole wider than the diameter of the root ball. This will encourage the roots to spread and become established more quickly.” Disease and insects are of minimal concern. “Sanitation is the key to reducing the risks of disease. If the leaves or berries fall off, remove them from beneath the plants. Keep them mulched and apply a balanced fertilizer, like 10-10-10 once a year.”

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Pickin’ and eatin’ time

Blueberries typically ripen in North Georgia in late June, July and even into August, if the birds don’t get them first. Because they have no thorns, the berries are easy to harvest. When berries are the proper ripeness, they will easily detach from the bush when pulled with the thumb and forefinger. The color will be a rich blue with some light blue; any berries showing green are not ripe. Leave them for later picking. After picking, store them in the refrigerator without washing until just before you’re ready to eat them. Remove any berries that may be damaged or be moldy. Blueberries can be frozen whole. Rinse them in cool water and put them on a layer of paper towels to dry them. You can freeze them on a cookie sheet in the freezer then bag them. Blueberries are versatile. You can made muffins, fruit cobblers or crisps, or even create blueberry jam. Put a handful in your smoothies for extra antioxidants. As a mid-winter treat, put a cup of frozen blueberries into a saucepan with a small bit of water and some sugar. This sauce can be used on waffles, pancakes or even meat dishes. For more information about growing blueberries in your back yard, visit extension.uga.edu/ or call 1-800-ASK-UGA1. You’ll be directed to your area’s county extension office.

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Locally roasted Pair make the perfect coffee bean

By Randall Murray | Photo by Scott Rogers To Mike Caruso and Barbara Cole, the Holy Grail is that perfect cup of coffee. Mike, a physician, and his attorney wife Barbara, have found magic in their lives: turning dark brown grit into enticing aromas and exotic flavors. This Gainesville dark-roast duo has taken a hobby and turned it into North Star Coffee Company. The name literally came out of the blue … or, more accurately, out of the black. “We were in Alaska,” Barbara explained, “And the coffee was horrible! We were looking into the night sky, checking out the constellations, and Mike said you can always find your way by the North Star.” They joked that maybe if they followed the North Star they could find a drinkable cup of coffee. And a company was born. Whether it’s in the hospital in Clayton where Mike formerly worked, in the urgent care facility where he now spends his professional time or in Barbara’s Green Street law offices, when they crank up their grind-and-brew coffee makers filled with their own beans, the word — and that entrancing fragrance — spreads quickly. “When Mike was working nights he would bring our home-roasted beans to the hospital, fire up his coffee maker, and soon there was a line of hospital people at the door,” Barbara said in a recent interview. It was like in third grade if you showed up with some candy and everybody in the class wanted some. “They would ask if he had enough to share,” she said with a smile. “All the nurses and doctors raved about his perfect cup of coffee.” She encountered the same reaction at her office. And what happened next is a prime example of the old axiom: “Many of our big decisions are not made by us, but for us.” Mike and Barbara became professional coffee roasters. Mike Caruso traces his passion for great coffee back to his teenage years and later during his college career at Southern Methodist University in Texas. “In my second week there I met a girl who had just opened a coffee shop,” he recalled. “I spent most of the week talking with her about the coffee.” Something in his mind focused on what good coffee could really be, not what 99 percent of the stuff on the market actually was. “She taught me so much about coffee,” he said. “I knew what I liked – roasting, different ways of brewing. I took what she taught me. She definitely was my mentor.” The man has caffeine in his blood. He studied for medicine and became a physician. But the coffee was always there. When he and Barbara met one of the passions they shared was coffee. Their pursuit of the perfect cup began when they started buying specialty coffees at small shops and markets. But frequently, when 14 | HOME | July 2018

they discovered some really great coffee, the roaster would go out of business or move. It became frustrating. “We got tired of finding coffee that tasted burnt or stale, so we ordered a home roasting machine and got to work,” Barbara recalled. They ordered green (coffee) beans from around the world and set to work experimenting with different beans, roasting times and all sorts of other coffee minutiae. They started out small, giving bags of coffee for Christmas or other occasions. Sensing the demand for coffee that doesn’t taste or smell like it came from a cheap breakfast joint, they began selling their handcrafted wares at farmers markets and local specialty stores, such as HomeSpun Baking Company on Mount Vernon Road in Hall County. (See story on page 10) Coffee shops have popped up on the American landscape like blisters from a sunburn. They are everywhere. And Mike is not a big fan of the biggest of the bunch. “The general quality of coffee since Starbucks emerged is not very good,” he brooded. “Their idea of roasting is to follow a computer program. Why not go by sight, smell, like that?” He pointed out what seems to be a contradiction to a coffee neophyte. You don’t get stronger coffee by roasting the beans longer. So a medium roast cup has more flavor and more caffeine than a dark roast. There are great differences in coffee beans from around the world. For example, as Mike points out, in Sumatra beans are graded not by size but by how ripe they are. In Colombia they are graded by size not ripeness. Check out their website, northstarcoffeeco.com, and you can choose from a variety of coffees. For example, there’s Brazil Cerrado, described as having “nutty to chocolate overtones.” Also there is Costa Rica La Pastora, “… medium-bodied with darker notes … intensely aromatic.” Or you can choose coffee from Papua New

Barbara Cole places bags of her North Star Coffee Company on a display inside Green's Grocery in Gainesville. Cole and husband Michael Caruso roast coffee from green beans from all over the world.

Guinea, “Wonderful, exotic, smooth floral tones.” During a recent chat at Green’s Grocery in Gainesville, which carries North Star Coffee, Barbara produced a blend that’s aimed at the hipster community. It’s called Voodoo Magic Coffee and the label features a weird kind of critter. The slogan on the label reads, “You can sleep when you’re dead.”

The packaging was designed by Barbara’s 26-yearold twins and it cracked her up. How hipster? “It’s going to be sold in the Planet X Vape Shop in Gainesville,” she said. FYI: Barbara and Mike are not the type to be regulars in a vape shop. That coffee, said Barbara, is reported to originate in Ethiopia. A.J. Flanagan is the store manager at Green’s. He was stocking shelves when I asked him about the public response to this high-quality java that the landmark grocery store has carried for about a year. “Everybody I’ve talked to really enjoys it,” he replied. “It’s really good and local. Our customers really like local products.” What’s the future for roasters Barbara and Mike? “I’ll retire when I’m 65,” Mike declared, sounding already weary. Shortly before this story was put together Mike fell. Medical examination revealed he has two damaged discs that are pressing on nerves. At Green’s Grocery he leaned against shelves … but it did not help much. But when they do hang up their professional credentials, be sure both will go out into the world with a steaming hot cup of coffee. And it will draw a crowd.

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a growing industry early. As the American appetite for distilled spirits returns, the craft spirits industry is facing a shortage of high-quality, n a damp, smoky, sweaty corner of midtown, four men are American-made barrels with which to churn out their bourbons, bringing a 2,300-year-old art form to Gainesville. whiskeys and a handful of other spirits surging in the United States. Lee Arnold and his crew at the Gainesville Cooperage, Cooperages are so rare in the nation that, when the Gainesville Jason Smith, Michael Trammell and Ryan Carroll, are Distilling Company opens its doors later this year, Gainesville will be crafting wooden barrels by hand in an old section of the baked-brick one of the only communities in the country, if not the only community, factory that was once Georgia Chair on Industrial Boulevard. that has a cooperage and a distillery sharing space on the same lot. The cooperage — the term for the craft of barrel making that “That's definitely a unique setup, as most of the craft distilleries comes from either Dutch or German and dates back to the early 18th here in the U.S. source from larger cooperages,” said Alexandra Clough, century — is just getting on its feet after a few months in operation in spokeswoman for the American Craft Spirits Association. midtown. The national revival of distilleries is in its earliest stages in Georgia, The four men do most of the work by hand using equipment that which only cut one of the last and greatest chains on its craft breweries has, in part, been harvested from and distilleries in September of the shuttered Georgia Chair, The rustic wooden floors inside the former Georgia Chair factory 2017 when lawmakers repealed dialing in a craft they’ve learned have been preserved. Whiskey barrels double as tables inside the a ban on direct sales at those on the job and after decades in the businesses. woodworking business. “It was a game-changer for And they’re creating us in more ways than one,” something truly new. The said Chris Sywassink, the Gainesville Cooperage isn’t immediate past president of the just the only one of its kind in distillers association and the North Georgia, but it’s the only owner of Ghost Coast Distillery operating cooperage in all of in Savannah. “Up until last Georgia, according to the Georgia September, we could only sample Distillers Association. up to an ounce-and-a-half of “There’s a limited number of product. ” cooperages in the world, let alone Now, customers can buy the United States,” Arnold said the equivalent of three 750 ml over the din of his shop in early bottles per person per day, said June. “After the 1960s, worldwide Sywassink, and distilleries can they fell off, but demand has sell by the drink in their tasting grown — especially here in the rooms. States where all the distilleries are The loosening of the laws part coming on.” of the reason the association’s The idea was born after membership has grown from nine Arnold relocated his highdistilleries to 25 in the past few end, custom woodworking years. business from Dallas, Georgia, Ultimately, the 2017 law to Gainesville in 2016, onto a change was “the difference piece of property now owned by between us being around … in Alpharetta lawyer Bob Cheeley, five years versus not being here,” who had dreams of bringing the said Jim Chasteen, founder of Georgia Chair factory back to life ASW Distillery, which sits across as an industrial village complete the street from Sweetwater with distillery, restaurants and Brewing Co. in Atlanta. “Without other businesses. the change, there just would not “I just saw the property really have been a successful craft spirits had great historical value and industry in Georgia.” charm. It’s an old, industrial But now, after years of just village, and it really needed to be getting by, Chasteen, the current preserved and given a (new) use,” president of the Georgia Distillers Cheeley told The Times in June. “I envisioned then that it would be a great place to have a distillery or a brewery, a place for social gatherings Association, is on the edge of opening a second location. And, along with opening the door to more distilleries, the law and a restaurant. That’s what we set our sights on accomplishing.” change is creating better products for Georgians. With plans for a distillery in the works on the property, Arnold “You can run small-batch runs and do unique things with unique saw an opening for a new business to exist alongside his existing shop, ingredients in the area that you couldn’t do in years past,” Sywassink Architectural Design and Millwork. said. And now, the woodworker, who lives in Dahlonega, is getting into July 2018 | HOME | 17

“I envisioned then that it would be a great place to have a distillery or a brewery, a place for social gatherings and a restaurant.”

Michael Trammell builds a fire as Ryan Carroll holds the barrel at Gainesville Distilling Company as the coopers prepare a barrel for aging whiskey.

His distillery is especially proud of its Vodka 261, named in 2016 for the 261 years since liquor was legalized in Savannah in 1755 after a 21-year ban by James Oglethorpe, the founder of the Georgia colony. Meanwhile, ASW’s Duality, a double malt whiskey, just landed a double gold at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition — the first double gold for a Georgia whiskey. “I think you’re seeing a resurgence in the history of distilling on the whiskeys and the bourbon side,” Sywassink said. “That’s the fastest-growing segment in spirits, but also Georgia has a huge history that nobody knows about. You had some great distilleries back in the day before Prohibition. We were like 18 | HOME | July 2018

Kentucky in regards to quality, production. We’re now just reconstituting that now and re-establishing ourselves.” For those curious about the history of Georgia distilling, Chasteen recommended “Mountain Spirits,” by Joseph Earl Dabney. With the creation of the Gainesville Cooperage — and, expected to come online later this year, the Gainesville Distilling Company — the town is now part of that history and that effort. And at its root are four men, working through the days shaping white oak into art with sweat and care. Joy was plain on the men’s faces as they bent white oak staves to their wills and,

slowly and with effort, were rolling out early examples of their work in midtown. In one corner of the room, steam sprayed from the floor into barrels early in their making (the steam is used to help the oak take the new shape of the barrel) filling the room with more moisture than a Georgia summer. In another side of the small cooperage, Trammell and Carroll were igniting oak shavings to set a fire hot enough to char barrels — a later stage of coopering, which involves burning the inside of a barrel to release natural sugars in the oak that will later help form part of a whiskey’s flavor. As the barrel charred, the pair hammered galvanized steel into the bands that will secure the staves once they’re shaped. When they’re done, the barrels will have no glue, no screws, no chemical seals of any kind — only engineering and pressure ensure that the oak is watertight. Arnold sees in the cooperage a foot in the door of an industry that shows only promise in Georgia. “The competition is small and the customers are there,” he told The Times. “The customer base is large, and it’s a growing market.” Arnold has invested in bespoke coopering equipment from a Chile machine firm (the only firm that buildings coopering machinery with a presence in the United States) that will arrive in August. By the end of the year, he hopes to produce 70 barrels a day out of the Gainesville shop — a number that could rise to as many as 300 barrels a day based. “It’s high quality, it’s a niche, and we’ve worked in niches all our lives” Arnold said, standing just outside the cooperage watching Trammell and Carroll char a nearly finished barrel. “It kind of fits with the skill sets we have here. Yeah, it’s hot and hard work, but everybody loves it.”

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A beautiful arrangement Award-winning yard 50 years in the making By Pamela A. Keene | Photos by Scott Rogers

Tucked away on the shores of Lake Lanier in Gainesville, the home and gardens of Richard Harris can take your breath away. For nearly 50 years, he and his late wife Mary Virginia Harris, carefully planned and planted, creating a 1.5-acre lakeside wonderland of hydrangeas, ferns, perennials and annuals.

Now their work has been recognized by the 2018 City of Gainesville Residential Beautification Award, given by the Greater Hall Chamber of Commerce each spring. The chamber presents beautification awards each fall to businesses. “The purpose for the residential beautification award is to spark an initiative that helps promote the importance of landscape enhancements and recognize those that are making a difference,” says Robin Halstead, vice president of community development with the chamber. “We’ve been doing this award since the early 1990s and it’s been so rewarding to meet such interesting people and see their beautiful landscapes and homes.” This year’s other spring winner is Jim and Eleanor Castell of Flowery Branch. Their landscape features a “Hosta of the Year” garden, recognized by the American Hosta Growers Association, plus a koi pond and more than 50 large azaleas. The Harris garden is laced with walking trails, rock walls and hidden treasures, from Richard’s “meditation rock,” to a “kitchen area” that’s built around an old chimney. A Japanese garden near the house features Asian statuary, rocks and lanterns, as well as indigenous plants. “The hydrangeas are my favorites,” Richard says. “We have 37 varieties, you know.” He has added even more hydrangea plants this year along a split-rail fence in the lower part of the garden. A garden house overlooks a shallow valley that’s ridged with hydrangeas and evergreens. Richard spends his afternoons in the garden house, reading and relaxing. The chandelier came from France and the stained glass has been carefully collected over the years. A nearby koi pond is home to five fish that thrive in the water fed by a waterfall.

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Richard Harris of Gainesville won the 2018 City of Gainesville Spring Residential Beautification Award. July 2018 | HOME | 21

Richard recently shared the back story of the garden’s development as he took a journalist along the winding paths under tall hardwoods. “We moved into this house in 1970,” he says. “It was my wife’s idea to create the gardens, but I have certainly enjoyed it as well.” The couple hired various professional landscape designers over the years to garden the sloping, rolling lot. They added brick and stone steps, stone walls, railroad ties and other hardscape materials to create a garden paradise that could rival professional gardens in the state.

Clockwise: Koi fish swim about their pond in the garden of Richard Harris. Harris, of Gainesville, has many species of plants at his East Lake Drive property, but favorite are his hydrangeas that he has planted by the dozens throughout his winding garden. Ferns frame the face of a cherub statue in the Harris Garden. Japanese maple in the garden of Harris’ East Lake Drive home.

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Left: Richard Harris’ garden at his East Lake Drive home has won the 2018 City of Gainesville Spring Residential Beautification Award.

“We worked with Mark Fockele and with Cold Stream landscapers along the way,” Richard says. “Between those two people, they laid the foundation of what you see today.” Large containers of annuals surround the pool and patio that looks out over Lake Lanier. They are filled with mandevilla vines, salvia, begonias and other colorful plants. “I look forward every year to planting the annuals.” Richard does have help with gardening these days. After all, he’s 93 years old. Luis

and James Oceguera, who also work with his daughter’s landscape in the Carolinas, are there weekly. In addition to the memories Richard and Mary Virginia created, the garden holds other milestones. Their daughter married by the pool and their grandson married near a planting of New Dawn Roses 30 years ago. He also still hosts garden parties from time to time. “Gardening keeps me young,” Richard says. “And there’s always something to do in the garden. At my age I’m glad to be around to keep enjoying it.” The Greater Hall Chamber of Commerce presents its beautification awards twice a year: residential landscapes are recognized each

spring and business awards are given each fall. “I love this part of my job, I get to see all the hidden treasures in our community and meet wonderful people that love gardening and have a talent for creating warm, lovely spaces around their homes,” Robin says. “Each garden has a personality that reflects the gardener/planter/visionary.” Nominations for the fall business beautification awards may be submitted by individuals, businesses, neighbors or the business-owners themselves. For more information about the award or to nominate someone, call Robin Halstead at 770-532-6206 or email her at rhalstead@ghcc. com.

Richard Harris’ garden features a cozy garden shed where he stores his tools and can also get away to a peaceful relaxing spot. Far left: Two small face planters of succulents hang on the outside wall. Left: A blue and white blooming hydrangea shrub in the garden. July 2018 | HOME | 25

Two continents, one city

Congolese Market provides for growing community in Gainesville Congolese Supermarket owner Matundu Mbulu shows off cassava leaves at his store in Gainesville. He grows the leaves himself at his farm in Sparta, Georgia, and said they are a staple in the Congolese diet.

Story and photos by Layne Saliba Matundu Mbulu spent about half of his life in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. He was born there and grew up there, but about 31 years ago, he knew he had to leave. There was war and violence in his home country. He decided to move to the United States where he could take everything he learned after receiving a master’s degree in Nigeria, and use it to earn another master’s degree and continue his career in agronomy. He graduated from Tuskegee University in Alabama in 1982 and ended up starting a farm in Sparta, Georgia, which now supplies many of the items he sells in his Congolese Supermarket at 1175 Thompson Bridge Road, Suite B, in Gainesville. His dream was to help small-scale farmers with any sort of problems they were having in sustaining their farms. It was all about baby steps, though. His first job was at J&J Foods. Then he worked for Milliken, a manufacturing company, and later found a job in Pendergrass. He even invested in real estate in Gainesville by building a home to rent out in order to earn more money so he was able to provide for his family and chase after his dream. That’s where everything seemed to fall apart, though. During the Great Recession in 2007, Mbulu said he lost everything, including his job. “All my plans had fell, I lost everything,” said Mbulu, 67. “I said ‘OK, I am a scientist, let me start doing a plan.’ Because you are not a Frozen, pureed hot peppers at the Congolese Supermarket in Gainesville. Opposite page: Items inside the Congolese Supermarket in Gainesville.

26 | HOME | July 2018

Congolese Supermarket

Where: 1175 Thompson Bridge Road, Suite B, Gainesville Hours: Friday - Sunday

scientist if you cannot solve something.” So he started a farm, hoping to produce crops that wouldn’t be found many places nearby. He didn’t want to have to compete with big-box stores. From his research, he knew a store like that wouldn’t survive. “In my farm, I produce tropical vegetables,” Mbulu said. “And what you will

not see anywhere in the big store.” The Congolese community in Gainesville has grown over the years. Most of the Congolese people in the area started attending church services at St. Paul United Methodist Church after settling here due to the conflict in their home country. “The Congolese community is growing, and I try to supply their need,” Mbulu said. “I know what is needed from my country, so I’m trying to supply them.” He’s able to do that by providing many dry ingredients found in Congolese cuisine at his market. He also spends the week harvesting those crops at his farm, packaging them and bringing them to the market where they’re frozen. He’s only open Friday through Sunday in Gainesville. Mbulu said one of the most popular items in Congolese cuisine are cassava leaves, so that’s one of the main things he focuses on at his farm. He said after growing, harvesting and

cooking them, he likes to eat them over rice or meat. “It’s one of the most popular vegetables in Congo,” Mbulu said. “They can eat it every day because it has a lot of nutrient value.” But his cassava is different from others. Mbulu said the quality of the cassava leaves begin to decrease as the plant grows roots. So through his education and studies, he was able to find a way to make his own variety of cassava leaves by combining a cassava plant with roots and a cassava plant without roots. He said the plant without roots is more sustainable, so combining the two plants was what he knew would make his cassava leaves the best for his customers. He also grows ngai ngai, or sour sour leaves. These leaves come from a rosella shrub, which is related to hibiscus. They’re typically steamed or stir fried and served with fish or sometimes eaten on their own. He also offers hot peppers, which he said add a good spice to any dish. Mbulu said he’s gone through a lot in his life but it’s all led him to Gainesville where he is happy serving the Congolese community. It wasn’t all done by himself, though. “I had the idea, but God is the one who directed me,” Mbulu said.

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Green's Grocery kitchen manager Jeff Whitaker turns over poultry grilling on one of the store's Big Green Eggs.

Time to break out the grill

By Layne Saliba Summer means heat and heat means grilling. Folks are finally able to get their gills out and enjoy a little time outside with the smell of smoke wafting through the air. For a lot of people in Gainesville, that smell, whether it be with a hint of hickory, maple or bourbon, comes from a Big Green Egg. And that’s the type of grill they prefer at Green’s Grocery and Tap It. A Big Green Egg is a ceramic charcoal grill that can also be used as a smoker or oven. It’s versatile and has a lot of options when it comes to cooking methods, which is why you’ll see four going at a time outside of Green’s Grocery, smoke billowing from the screened-in area. “Any of the ceramic grills, especially the (Big Green Egg), they take all of the work out of it,” said A.J. Flanagan, store manager at Green’s Grocery. “There’s no flame-ups, there’s no battles to fight with it. A lot of gas grills, you’re out there with your water bottle, you’re having to fight flames. With the Big Green Eggs, you’re just cooking with the heat.” Jeff Whitaker is the kitchen manager at Green’s Grocery. He’s been grilling for years and has even competed on the Kansas City Barbecue Society circuit since 2005. He said he’s won first place in just about every cut of meat. Flanagan and Whitaker said the key to grilling is the quality of the meat and temperature throughout the entire process. “I season it and leave it out for about half an hour and let it get up to room temperature to get that chill off of it,” Flanagan said. “I feel like it makes it a little easier. You get it a little more tender and there’s a less chance of overcook.” Michael Waters reads the box on a ceramic chicken roaster at Tap-It Gainesville Growlers before making the purchase. The ceramic roaster perfects the old beer can chicken roasting method of cooking the bird vertically. The roaster can be filled with beer, wine or your liquid of choice.

A stream of smoke pours from the chimney of a Big Green Egg ceramic cooker at Green's Grocery signaling that all is well inside.

Jeff Whitaker’s Addicted to Barbecue Rub 1 tablespoon sea salt 1 teaspoon brown sugar 1 teaspoon black pepper ½ teaspoon garlic powder or granulated garlic 1 teaspoon smoked sweet paprika 1 teaspoon chili powder ½ teaspoon cumin ¼ teaspoon mustard powder Patrick McCormac’s Ribs Rub 2 tablespoon brown sugar 1 tablespoon paprika 1 teaspoon chili powder 1 teaspoon black pepper 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper 1 tablespoon onion salt 1 tablespoon bourbon smoked salt Sauce: 1 cup Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale Beer 1/2 cup steak sauce 2 tablespoon sorghum or brown sugar 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 1 tablespoon mustard Pinch of salt Preparations: Mix the ingredients for the rib rub together and sprinkle liberally onto the entire rib rack. Save any remaining rub for future use. Envelope the ribs in foil, place on a baking sheet, and bake at 300 degrees for about 2 hours, until tender. To make the sauce, combine all the ingredients in a small saucepan and simmer over low heat to reduce and thicken, about 10 minutes. Once the ribs are tender, peel back the foil to expose the ribs, brush the surface with the sauce and broil for 2-3 minutes to brown and caramelize the ribs, watching closely to prevent burning.

30 | HOME | July 2018

Various rubs can give your next grilling adventure a different flavor. If grilling with charcoal try using all natural lump charcoal as it lights faster, burns hotter and leaves very little ash compared to briquettes.

He said it’s a lot easier cook meat when it’s starting off around 60 degrees as opposed to just being pulled out of the refrigerator around 32 degrees because you’re able to cook the meat more evenly. That extra time the meat spends getting to room temperature gives the seasoning time to work its way into the meat, too. When it comes to temperature while the meat is cooking and when to take that meat off the grill, a meat thermometer is the way to go. Whitaker said it’s important to know exactly when to take meat off the grill and a thermometer is the only way to be sure it’s time to do that. “You’ve just got to know your temperatures,” Whitaker said. “If I was going to invest in anything in grilling or slow cooking, a meat thermometer would be the

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first thing I’d get.” Over at Tap It, there are plenty of gadgets and tools to choose from, including a pretty high-tech thermometer, to help with grilling. That thermometer connects to your phone so you’re able to control the temperature without ever touching the grill. “A lot of them are more electronic now,” said Patrick McCormac, general manager at Tap It. “You can have it on your phone, check the app and change settings on your grill as the day goes on.” They also have a salt cone, which you can set a chicken or turkey on top of while it cooks on the grill. McCormac said it’s “kind of like a beer can scenario,” except it’s a salt cone instead of a can. The salt slowly works its way into the poultry and adds a slightly salty taste throughout the chicken which helps bring out

all the other flavors. One of the biggest complaints McCormac said he hears are from people who don’t like cleaning the grates on their grill. Typically, grills come with stainless steel grates, so McCormac said to swap those out for cast iron to help with cook time and flavor. “The cool thing about cast iron is it can actually cook things faster for you,” McCormac said. “And you’re able to season cast iron a little bit more and it’s kind of better if you let it be seasoned.” In the end, Whitaker said no matter what you’re grilling or what you’re grilling on, to just enjoy it. That’s how he started out and why he continues to do it for a living. “I personally just enjoy cooking,” Whitaker said. “I enjoy the smoking and grilling aspect of it more than most people, I guess … It’s just a satisfactory thing for me. ”

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Making Nothing is more refreshing in summertime than mint, and so timely because you can fresh mint in farmers markets, garden centers or perhaps even your own backyard. There are lots of ways to use mint. Here are just a few: Mojitos This refreshing, simple cocktail that calls for mint, white rum, lime juice, club soda and simple syrup. INGREDIENTS: 6 mint leaves .75 oz simple syrup (one part water, one part sugar) .75 oz fresh lime juice 1.5 oz white rum 1.5 oz club soda Garnish: mint sprig Glass: highball PREPARATION: In a shaker, lightly muddle the mint. Add the simple syrup, lime juice and rum, and fill with ice. Shake well and pour (unstrained) into a highball glass. Top with the club soda and garnish with a mint sprig. 32 | HOME | July 2018

... a mint

The Bacardí Rum Julep Cocktail

You don’t need a derby to enjoy this Southern favorite. INGREDIENTS: 2 parts Bacardí 8 Años rum 6 mint leaves 2⁄5 parts simple syrup 2 dashes peach bitters Garnish: mint leaves PREPERATION: Add the mint leaves, syrup and bitters into mixing glass, and using the end of a barspoon, gently press them together. Add cubed ice, add the rum, and give it a good stir. Fine-strain into a rocks glass over crushed ice. Stir again, and top with more crushed ice. Garnish with mint leaves.

Moroccan Mint Tea Ingredients: 1 tablespoon loose Chinese gunpowder green tea 5 cups boiling water 3 to 4 tablespoons sugar, or to taste 1 large bunch fresh mint (1 ounce) Preparation: Put tea in teapot and pour in 1 cup boiling water, then swirl gently to warm pot and rinse tea. Strain out and discard water, reserving tea leaves in pot. Add remaining 4 cups boiling water to tea and let steep 2 minutes. Stir in sugar (to taste) and mint sprigs and steep 3 to 4 minutes more. Serve in small heatproof glasses.

Photo and recipe from www.liquor.com July 2018 | HOME | 33

Photo and Cucumber and Mint Salad recipe from www.seriouseats. com

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Cucumber and Mint Salad Ingredients: 2 English (hothouse) cucumbers 1 teaspoon salt 1/4 cup chopped red onions 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 2-1/2 teaspoons sugar 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint PREPERATION: Cut the cucumbers in half lengthwise. Use a teaspoon to scrape out the seeds, then cut into thin slices. Toss the cucumbers with the salt in a colander. Let drain in the sink for at least 30 minutes, then tap the colander on the base of the sink to release any remaining water. Lay a clean dish towel flat on the counter, and then dump the cucumbers over top. Use the edges of the towel to blot the cucumbers dry. Meanwhile, soak the red onions in a small bowl of ice water for at least 10 minutes, then drain in a fine mesh strainer. In a medium bowl, combine the cucumbers, onions, white wine vinegar, olive oil, vegetable oil, sugar, pepper and mint. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Cover and let stand in refrigerator for at least 20 minutes. Serve cold. Mint also makes an excellent greenery arrangement.

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Marc’s Brussels sprouts along with its Brasstown beef bistro filet earned both the distinction of “100 Plates Locals Love” by Georgia Eats.

100 plates locals love By J.K. Devine When diners to Marc at Chateau Elan seek the recommendations of servers and chefs for its a la carte side dishes, they usually recommend the General Tso’s Brussels sprouts. “I usually tell customers, if you order them and don’t like them, I will pay for them,” said Cameron Udick, executive sous chef at Marc at Chateau Elan. “I have yet to buy a Brussels sprout.” This response to the restaurant’s Brussels sprouts along with its Brasstown beef bistro filet earned both the distinction of “100 Plates Locals Love” by Georgia Eats, the 2018 Georgia culinary guide. Developed by the Georgia Department of Economic Development’s Tourism Division, the fourth annual digest-sized guide features the “100 Plates Locals Love” list, as well as 10 flavor tours that showcase inspiring dining options, a gallery of the state’s most Instagrammable foods, unique festivals, delectable recipes from a few of Georgia’s celebrated chefs and more. Udick, who started out as the winery sous 36 | HOME | July 2018

Rouberspiess at Bodensee Restaurant in Helen

chef at Chateau Elan, did not know the beef and Brussels sprouts were recognized until a friend called him. “No one emailed or called or anything,” he said. “It came out of nowhere. But I could not be prouder of this dish.” Udick explained the Brasstown Beef bistro filet starts with the quality meat from Brasstown Beef, which partners with Marc at Chateau Elan. “Steve Whitmire (the owner of Brasstown Beef) is an expert at his craft, and he cares about the quality of his product,” Udick said. “That’s been our ideology here. It’s about the quality of product and letting it speak for itself.”

Udick said they cook the beef with a gas grill that has a spot for wood to give it a smoky flavor. As for the Brussels sprouts, the main ingredient is red pepper and orange juice. He adds a few more ingredients and boils it down to a sauce. “I decided to fry the Brussels sprouts,” Udick said. “It gives then a nice soft center and a cool, crunchy texture on the outside.” Once the sauce is ready and the sprouts are fried, the sauce is poured on top and tossed to coat them. They are topped with sesame seed and green onions. “It is one of our most common selections, and we have four or five sides,” Udick said. Marc at Chateau Elan serves American contemporary food with very intense Southern inspirations. It is open Tuesday through Sunday and closed on Monday. The fine dining atmosphere is complete with intimates table settings and candlelight. The servers are well versed in wines and food. “We do guided menu selections,” Udick said. “Everyone gets a personal experience when they come here.” The restaurant at the resort and winery

at Chateau Elan is not the only place in Northeast Georgia earning recognition for its dishes. Two other places received the “100 Plates Locals Love” distinction. First is the rouberspiess at Bodensee Restaurant in Helen. Second is the Logan Turnpike grit fries at Wolf Mountain Vineyards & Winery in Dahlonega. Bodensee owner and chef Aurel Prodan was not surprised by the recognition. He said a large percentage of his customers are from Germany and the rouberspiess is “what they want.” “They feel like they are in Germany here,” Prodan said. He and his wife, Donia, know about authentic German food. In 1981, they moved from Romania to Germany where he continued his career as a chef. In 1990, they moved to Baden-Wuerttemberg where Aurel became a renowned master chef. Now, the Prodans live in the alpine village of Helen, bringing traditional German cuisine to customers and tourists alike at Bodensee Restaurant. the diners who eat there have given good reviews of his food, including Katie P. who was quoted in “100 Plates Locals Love.” “This is delicious!” she said. “A little bit of

spice and a lot of flavor. Like a German kabob: pork loin, paprika and onion with a spicy gypsy sauce.” Receiving another review was the Logan Turnpike grit fries from Morgan H. on the “100 Plates Locals Love” list. “These French-fried strips of grits are fried to a delicious gold brown and then served with a delightful pimento cheese sauce,” he said. “So good!” Wolf Mountain Vineyards and Winery is a family business, according to its website. E. Karl Boegner is proprietor and winemaker emeritus. His wife, Linda, oversees the Vineyard’s weddings. Their son Brannon is Wolf Mountain’s Vineyard manager and winemaker. Their daughter Lindsey heads up the restaurant and event side of the business as hospitality manager. Lindsey’s husband, Stephen Smith, serves as marketing and wine club director and oversees the Tasting Room operations.

Marc at Chateau Elan

Hours: noon to 9 p.m. Sunday, 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday; 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday; closed Monday (Reservations required on

weekends) Address: 100 Rue Charlemagne, Braselton, GA., 30517 Phone number: 678-425-6916 Website: www.chateauelan.com/ menu-dining/menu-dining-marc

Bodensee Restaurant

Hours: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Tuesday, closed Wednesday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday, 11 a.m. 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday Address: 64 Munich Strasse, Helen, GA., 30545 Phone number: 706-878-1026 Website: bodenseerestaurant.com

Wolf Mountain Vineyards & Winery Hours: Sunday Brunch 12:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. reservations required;Vineyard Café Lunch noon to 3 p.m. Thursday through Saturday reservations required Address: 180 Wolf Mountain Trail, Dahlonega, GA., 30533 Phone number: 706-867-9862 Website: www.wolfmountainvineyards. com/

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EVENTS CALENDAR

July Northwinds Symphonic Band, Part of The Arts Council’s Summer MusicFest, 8-10 p.m. July 3. The Arts Council Smithgall Arts Center, 331 Spring St. SW, Gainesville. $15-18; $200 for table of 8. 770-534-2787, nairika@ theartscouncil.net, theartscouncil.net American Legion Fourth of July event, 9 a.m. July 4; fireworks begin at 9:30 p.m. Laurel Park, 3100 Old Cleveland Highway, Gainesville. $10 for parking. 770-534-7091 Beach Bash 2018, 7-10 p.m. July 6, Gainesville Square, 301 Main St., Gainesville. Free. 770-297-1141, www. gainesville.org Franklin Pond Chamber Players. 7:30-9:30 p.m. July 7. University of North Georgia, 238 Georgia Circle, Dahlonega. 678-717-3930, Connie. Esford@ung.edu. Free. Water Balloon Festival, 12:30-5 p.m. July 14. Boys & Girls Club of Lanier, 1 Positive Place, Gainesville. Free. 678769-7552, Lbotello.basanministries@ gmail.com “Anna Ruby Tuesday.” Day camp. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. July 10. Hardman Farm Historic Site, 143 Ga. 17, Sautee Nacoochee. 706-878-1077, Leigh. Vinson@dnr.ga.gov. $30. Damon Hendrix. Elvis concert. 7-9 p.m. July 7. Tavern 53 Southern Grill, 115 Towne Center Parkway, Hoschton. bryan21atlanta@yahoo.com. Free. Drop-in Fun for Adults: Origami Crane. 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. July 9 and 12, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. July 10-11 and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. July 13-14. Hall County Library System, Gainesville Branch, 127 Main St. NW, Gainesville. 770-532-3311, ext. 114, gkoecher@hallcountylibrary.org. Free. Anna Ruby Tuesday. Day camp. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. July 10. Hardman Farm

Historic Site, 143 Ga. 17, Sautee Nacoochee. 706-878-1077, Leigh. Vinson@dnr.ga.gov. $30. Greeting Card Workshop: Christmas in July. 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. July 14. Hall County Library System, Gainesville Branch, 127 Main St. NW, Gainesville. 770-532-3311, ext. 114, gkoecher@ hallcountylibrary.org. Free. Painted Fern Festival of Art. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. July 14 and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. July 15. Rabun County Civic Center, 201 W. Savannah St., Clayton. 678-467-2697, rwsells@windstream.net. Free. Celebration of Lunar Landing. For youth ages 11 and older. 2:30-4 p.m. July 16 and 20. Hall County Library System, Murrayville Branch, 4796 Thompson Bridge Road, Gainesville. 770-532-3311, ext. 171, bhood@hallcountylibrary.org. Free. “Arrowhead through the Ages.” Day Camp. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. July 17. Hardman Farm Historic Site, 143 Ga. 17, Sautee Nacoochee. 706-878-1077, Leigh.Vinson@dnr.ga.gov. $30. L.C. Johnson and Beth VolpertJohansen. Book signing. 6:30 p.m. July 17. Gwinnett County Public Library, Grayson Branch, 700 Grayson Parkway, Grayson. 770-978-5154, events@ gwinnettpl.org. Free. U.S. Military Records. How to use military records to research ancestors who participated in the Civil War. 6-7:30 p.m. July 19. Hall County Library System, Gainesville Branch, 127 Main St. NW, Gainesville. 770-532-3311, ext. 116. Free. 20th Annual Butternut Creek Festival. Juried arts and craft show, live music and food. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. July 21 and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. July 22. Meeks Park, 100 Meeks Park Road, Blairsville. 706781-1221, butternutcreekfestival@ gmail.com. Free. Farm Camp. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. July 24. Hardman Farm Historic Site, 143 Ga. 17, Sautee Nacoochee. 706-878-1077, Leigh.Vinson@dnr.ga.gov. $30.

Family tennis night. 5-6:30 p.m. July 29. Brenau University, 1000 Smithgall Lane NE, Gainesville. 770-368-8200, cioffi@ sta.usta.com. Free.

August 15th Big E Festival & Elvis Tribute Artists Competition. 7-10 p.m. Aug. 3 and 1-4 p.m. Aug. 4. Rabun County Civic Center, 201 W. Savannah St., Clayton. 706-201-8232, elvisqueen@ windstream.net. $20-25. “Trains, Trucks & Tractors.” Exhibits. 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Aug. 3-5. Southeastern Railway Museum, 3595 Buford Highway, Duluth. 770-476-2013. $8-10. Back in Time Band. Part of The Arts Council’s Summer MusicFest. 8-10 p.m. Aug. 4. The Arts Council Smithgall Arts Center, 331 Spring St. SW, Gainesville. 770-534-2787, nairika@theartscouncil. net. Art Unsuspected. Art project. 4-6 p.m. Aug. 13. Quinlan Visual Arts Center, 514 Green St. NE, Gainesville. 770-5362575, paula@qvac.org. $150-175. Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain. Drawing class. 1-2 p.m. Aug. 14 and Oct. 9. Quinlan Visual Arts Center, 514 Green St. NE, Gainesville. 770-5362575, paula@qvac.org. $150-175. Hand Building Basics. 6-8:30 p.m. Aug. 15 and Oct. 10. Quinlan Visual Arts Center, 514 Green St. NE, Gainesville. 770-536-2575, paula@qvac.org. $150175. Swingin’ Medallions. Part of The Arts Council’s Summer MusicFest. 8-10 p.m. Aug. 18. The Arts Council Smithgall Arts Center, 331 Spring St. SW, Gainesville. 770-534-2787, nairika@theartscouncil. net. Beginners Acrylic. 6-8 p.m. Aug. 22 and Oct. 10. Quinlan Visual Arts Center, 514 Green St. NE, Gainesville. 770-5362575, paula@qvac.org. $120-145.

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