South Carolina Living October 2019 by South Carolina Living

Fantasy CHANGEOUT land Imagination runs wild at the Mythical & Medieval Fest

SC SCE NE

Hooked on fly fishing SC RECIPE

OCTOBER 2019

Potato-mania

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INVESTMENTS | INSURANCE | RETIREMENT

Your investments in securities, annuities and insurance are not insured by the FDIC or any other federal government agency and may lose value. They are not a deposit or other obligation of, or guaranteed by any bank or bank affiliate and are subject to investment risks, including possible loss of the principal amount invested. Past performance does not guarantee future results. First Citizens Wealth Management is a registered trademark of First Citizens BancShares, Inc. First Citizens Wealth Management products and services are offered by First-Citizens Bank & Trust Company, Member FDIC; First Citizens Investor Services, Inc., Member FINRA/SIPC, an SEC-registered broker-dealer and investment advisor; and First Citizens Asset Management, Inc., an SEC-registered investment advisor. Brokerage and investment advisory services are offered through First Citizens Investor Services, Inc., Member FINRA/SIPC. First Citizens Asset Management, Inc. provides investment advisory services. Bank deposit products are offered by First Citizens Bank, Member FDIC.

THE MAGAZINE FOR COOPERATIVE MEMBERS VOLUME 73 • NUMBER 10 (ISSN 0047-486X, USPS 316-240) Read in more than 595,000 homes and businesses and published monthly except in December by The Electric Cooperatives of South Carolina, Inc. 808 Knox Abbott Drive Cayce, SC 29033 Tel: (803) 926‑3175 Fax: (803) 796‑6064 Email: letters@scliving.coop EDITOR

Keith Phillips Tel: (803) 739‑3040 Email: Keith.Phillips@ecsc.org

2019 oct

16 Fantasy land

Step into the imaginative world of the Mythical & Medieval Fest in Myrtle Beach, the state’s largest Renaissance fair. 4 CO-OP NEWS

Updates from your cooperative

6 AGENDA

A Midlands nonprofit organization is building a 5-acre monument park to honor the soldiers and drill sergeants of Fort Jackson. Learn how you can help.

FIELD EDITOR

Walter Allread PUBLICATION COORDINATOR

Travis Ward ART DIRECTOR

Sharri Harris Wolfgang

10 DIALOGUE By the numbers

DESIGNER

Susan Collins

To celebrate National Co-op Month, here are 10 reasons to love your local electric cooperative.

PRODUCTION

Andrew Chapman WEB EDITOR

Chase Toler

12 ENERGY Q&A Is a heat pump right for my home?

COPY EDITORS

Jennifer Jas L. Kim Welborn

Stay comfortable year-round and enjoy lower power bills when you upgrade to this efficient option for heating and cooling.

CONTRIBUTORS

Michael Banks, April Coker Blake, Mike Couick, Hastings Hensel, Jan A. Igoe, L.A. Jackson, Maria Kanevsky, Patrick Keegan, David Novak, Van O’Cain, Sydney Patterson, Belinda Smith-Sullivan, Brad Thiessen, Amy Trainum PUBLISHER

14 SMART CHOICE Spice up the kitchen The kitchen is the heart of the home. Stock yours with the latest in cooking appliances.

21 STORIES And the winner is …

Lou Green ADVERTISING

Mary Watts Tel: (803) 739‑5074 Email: ads@scliving.coop

Meet Black River Electric Cooperative member Travis Johnson, a rising high school senior with big plans for the future.

NATIONAL REPRESENTATION

American MainStreet Publications Tel: (800) 626‑1181 Paid advertisements are not endorsements by any electric cooperative or this publication. If you encounter a difficulty with an advertisement, inform the Editor.

local co-op. Postmaster: Send Form 3579 to Address Change, c/o the address above.

of South Carolina, Inc. No portion of South Carolina Living may be reproduced without permission of the Editor.

$5.72 members,

TRAVELS

A walk through history CHEF’S CHOICE

Sticking with traditions Harold’s Restaurant in Gaffney has been serving up classic diner food since 1932, and owner Tony Lipscomb sees no reason to change.

SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING

RECIPE

Potato-mania Chef Belinda Smith-Sullivan shares four tasty recipes for the most versatile of all vegetables.

$8 nonmembers

GARDENER

Save those tomatoes! Gardening columnist L.A. Jackson offers a clever way to extend tomato season.

34 36 38 Member of the AMP network reaching more than 9 million homes and businesses

MARKETPLACE CALENDAR

Fantasy land

HUMOR ME

Imagination runs wild at the Mythical & Medieval Fest

Oh say, can you see? Humor columnist Jan A. Igoe fixes her steely (and recently improved) gaze on the promise and peril of cataract surgery. FRO M TO P: M IC SM ITH; M AT TH E W FR A N K LI N C A RTER; G I N A M OO RE

SC SCE NE

Hooked on fly fishing SC RECIPE

Potato-mania OCTOBER 2019

ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTIONS:

Celebrate the events that turned the tide of the American Revolution at Cowpens National Battlefield.

is brought to you by your member-owned, taxpaying, not-for-profit electric cooperative to inform you about your cooperative, wise energy use and the faces and places that identify the Palmetto State. Electric cooperatives are South Carolina’s — and America’s — largest utility network.

Hooked on fly fishing Spend a day on the Chattooga River in pursuit of peace, quiet, the perfect cast and maybe—just maybe—a trout or two.

ADDRESS CHANGES: Please send to your

Periodicals postage paid at Columbia, S.C., and additional mailing offices.

SCENE

Playtron Julia Ross does her part to create a realm of make-believe at the Mythical & Medieval Fest in Myrtle Beach. Photo by Mic Smith.

SC | agenda

p Originally called Camp Jackson, the U.S. Army base outside Columbia began training soldiers for service in World War I, including the African American troops of the 371st Infantry Regiment. The unit served with distinction in France and counted among their ranks Cpl. Freddie Stowers, who was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his battlefield heroics. Fort Jackson remains the Army’s largest initial entry training station and since 1917 has turned more than 5 million civilian recruits into soldiers. t Sculptor Ron Clamp, a Mid-Carolina Electric Cooperative member (left), and Martin Wells, founder of the

Gateway to the Army Foundation, pose with one of the two drill sergeant statues that will be at the heart of the $2.7 million Centennial Park when it’s completed.

A gift to Fort Jackson SINCE 1917, MORE THAN 5 MILLION

men and women have entered the U.S. Army’s basic training program at Fort Jackson as nervous civilian recruits and emerged as confident soldiers ready and able to defend their country. The base, located near Columbia, remains the U.S. Army’s largest initial entry training site, turning out tens of thousands of new soldiers each year. To honor the patriotism of the troops and their drill sergeants, a local nonprofit formed by veterans and community leaders is building a 5-acre memorial park in the heart of Fort Jackson. The $2.7 million Centennial Park project is “a gift to Fort Jackson,” says Command Sgt. Major (Retired) Martin Wells, founding chairman of the Gateway to the Army Association. “The goal of the project is to honor the 100-plus-year history of Fort Jackson and focus on the selfless service of the American soldier from World War I right on up to present day.” When completed, the park will include a granite amphitheater built around a 20-foot-tall monument featuring two drill sergeants (one male and one female), pavilions where soldiers 6

“ When all is said and done, Centennial Park will stand as a lasting tribute to the volunteer recruit coming to Fort Jackson to become a soldier in the United States Army.” —MARTIN WELLS can picnic with visiting friends and family on graduation day, and the Pathway of Patriots—interconnecting sidewalks made from memorial pavers purchased by individual donors. Designed by master stone carver and sculptor Ron Clamp, the park will have room for additional monuments. The Gateway to the Army Association has already been contacted by the 371st Infantry Regiment Memorial Association about building a monument to the African American troops of this celebrated Army unit, which trained at Camp Jackson and served with distinction in World War I. The Gateway to the Army

SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING | OCTOBER 2019 | SCLIVING.COOP

Soldiers from every state and U.S. territory have trained at Fort Jackson. Each graduation ceremony at the base draws anywhere from 3,000 to 5,000 visitors. Among its features, the new park will include six picnic pavilions for those visitors to enjoy.

Association also plans to recognize Medal of Honor and Purple Heart recipients. Work on the park is underway, and to raise the final $1.2 million needed to finish the job, the association is accepting corporate donations through a GoFundMe page, selling memorial pavers and hosting a fundraising event at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center on Nov. 13 (see Page 9). For more information, visit gatewaytothearmy.org or call (803) 546-3295.

South Carolina Living reader Emily Head inspired this month’s photo challenge when she sent us this photo of Ward, her 10-weekold German shorthaired pointer. Can you top it?

READER PHOTO CHALLENGE Do you have a dog, cat, fish, snake, iguana, ferret, horse or other pet that is practically a part of the family? Then share your favorite photo with the readers of South Carolina Living in our Pet Project Photo Challenge. Most of the pet lovers we know don’t need an excuse to share photos of their “fur babies” but here’s an extra incentive—if we publish your photo in a future issue of the magazine, we’ll send you a $25 Visa gift card. To participate, upload your favorite photos and a brief story about your pet at SCLiving.coop/petproject. You may also mail prints and printed stories to: Pet Project, Attn: Lyssa Nelson 808 Knox Abbott Drive, Cayce, SC 29033 Deadline for entries is Nov. 1. Please note: Photos submitted by mail cannot be returned.

EM I LY H E A D

Pet project

Cooler weather is on the way. Heating requires more energy than any other system in your home, typically making up about 42% of your energy bill. With proper equipment maintenance and upgrades like additional insulation and air sealing, you can cut winter heating costs by almost a third. SOURCE: ENERGY.GOV GONE FISHIN’ The Vektor Fish & Game Forecast provides feeding and migration times. Major periods can bracket the peak by an hour. Minor peaks, ½ hour before and after. Minor

AM Major

Minor

PM Major

OCTOBER 16 8:52 1:52 2:07 7:22 17 9:37 2:22 2:37 7:37 18 10:37 3:07 3:07 7:52 19 — 4:07 12:22 8:22 20 — 5:22 — 2:22 21 — 6:52 12:22 3:22 22 — 8:07 9:52 3:52 23 2:37 9:22 10:22 4:22 24 3:52 10:22 11:07 4:52 25 4:52 11:07 5:22 11:37 26 11:52 5:52 5:37 12:07 27 — 6:37 12:22 6:07 28 7:37 12:52 1:07 6:37 29 8:22 1:22 1:37 6:52 30 9:22 2:07 2:07 7:22 31 10:22 2:37 2:52 7:37

Minor

AM Major

Minor

PM Major

NOVEMBER 1 10:46 2:31 2:46 2 — 3:16 6:46 3 — 4:31 — 4 — 5:46 9:46 5 — 7:16 9:31 6 2:01 8:16 9:46 7 3:16 9:01 3:31 8 4:01 9:46 3:46 9 10:16 4:46 4:16 10 10:46 5:16 4:31 11 11:16 6:01 4:46 12 11:46 6:31 — 13 7:16 12:16 12:31 14 8:01 12:46 1:01 15 8:46 1:16 1:31 16 10:01 2:01 2:31

7:01 12:31 1:46 2:31 2:46 3:16 10:01 10:16 10:46 11:16 11:46 5:16 5:31 6:01 6:16 6:46

ONLY ON SCLiving.coop

Freezing french fries Why buy bags of frozen french fries when you can prepare your own from raw potatoes? It’s easier than you think as Chef Belinda demonstrates in her latest how-to video. Find it at SCLiving.coop/food/chefbelinda.

Fall into some cold hard cash Celebrate the change of seasons with our October Reader Reply Travel Sweepstakes and you could win a $100 Visa gift card. We’ll draw the winning name from all eligible entries received by Oct. 31. Register online at SCLiving.coop/reader-reply.

Like us on Facebook If you love living in South Carolina as much as we do, like and follow us on Facebook, where we celebrate all that’s great about the Palmetto State. Join the fun at facebook.com/SouthCarolinaLiving.

SCLIVING.COOP | OCTOBER 2019 | SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING

SC agenda HIGHLIGHTS OCT. 16–NOV. 15

HILTON HEAD ISLAND CONCOURS D’ELEGANCE & MOTORING FESTIVAL OCTOBER 24–NOVEMBER 3

For fans of classic cars, motorcycles, airplanes—and just about anything else that goes vroom!— the 18th Annual Concours d’Elegance and Motoring Festival promises to be the highlight of the year. See the festival website for details on all 17 of the major events, expos, seminars and lavish cocktail parties that kick off Oct. 24–27 with the Savannah Speed Classic Grand Prix races, then move to Hilton Head and Bluffton Nov. 1–3 for the Wings of Freedom Tour showcasing iconic aircraft from World War II. It all wraps up Nov. 3 with the Concours d’Elegance car show featuring more than 200 amazing rides in competition for Best of Show honors. (843) 785-7469; hhiconcours.com

BOB MASTELLER’S JAZZ FOR ALL AGES OCTOBER 30–31

WALHALLA OKTOBERFEST OCTOBER 18–20

The lederhosen and dirndl are optional but certainly not out of place in Walhalla during the town’s 41st Oktoberfest. There’s no better place to be for three days of authentic German music, dance, food and of course, beer. There’s also a Kinderhaus area just for the kids. Admission to das Fest is $5 for adults, $3 for children ages 3–10, and free for children under the age of 3. (864) 280-1880; walhallaoktoberfest.com YALLFest NOVEMBER 8–9

Y’all want to talk about the ever-changing genre of young adult books with more than 60 of the top writers? YALLFest is the largest YA book festival in the world and features seminars and panels for authors, bloggers, aspiring writers and YA fans of all ages. The events are spread out in venues throughout downtown Charleston and offer attendees a chance to meet their favorite authors in person. The very full schedule of events can be found online. (843) 722-2666; yallfest.org

SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING | OCTOBER 2019 | SCLIVING.COOP

Straighten Up and Fly Right, a celebration concert featuring the music of Nat King Cole, sets the tone for the Jazz for All Ages festival on Hilton Head Island. For the sixth year, jazz lovers can indulge their musical passion and help support music education through the Junior Jazz Foundation. The lineup includes Grammy-nominated vocalists Jane Monheit, Clint Holmes, guest trumpeter Dominick Farinacci, vibraphonist and composer Christian Tamburr and the Deas Guyz Orchestra (Reggie Deas, pictured). Proceeds will fund Jazz Camp, grants for local school music programs, and a college scholarship fund. Tickets and the full schedule are available on the festival website. (843) 842-8620; jazzforallages.com

Family-Friendly Halloween Happenings BOO-TANICAL GARDENS OCTOBER 26

Moore Farms Botanical Garden in Lake City will host trick-or-treating, face painting, crafts and a costume contest for a relaxed evening of Halloween family fun. Admission is free but children should be registered in advance on the farm’s website. (843) 210-7592; moorefarmsbg.org/events/bootanical-garden-3 BOO AT THE ZOO OCTOBER 18–30

BOO HAHA

This made-for-kids Halloween spooktacular at Columbia’s Riverbanks Zoo & Garden features trick-or-treating, a marshmallow roast, foam zone and a dance party. Admission is $11–13 and should be purchased in advance.

Kids ages 2–12 can compete for prizes and bragging rights in this annual costume contest that takes place at Fountain Park in Rock Hill’s “Old Town” neighborhood from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

(803) 779-8717; riverbanks.org

(803) 324-2860; wrhi.com/events/boo-haha

OCTOBER 31

GATEWAY TO THE ARMY’S CENTENNIAL PARK FUNDRAISER NOVEMBER 13

We want you to have a fun evening and support a great cause at the Centennial Park Fundraiser. The event starts at 5:30 p.m. in the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center and guests will enjoy heavy hors d’oeuvres, live musical entertainment and two auctions—one silent and one live. The event benefits the Gateway to the Army Association, a nonprofit that’s building a 5-acre park and amphitheater on the grounds of Fort Jackson to honor the more than 5 million U.S. Army recruits who began their military careers with basic training at the base. (803) 546-3295; gatewaytothearmy.org

LONG BAY SYMPHONY’S WAR AND PEACE CONCERT NOVEMBER 9–10

Celebrate Veterans Day in Myrtle Beach with songs from World War II, performed by the Long Bay Symphony. Retired Marine Larkin Spivey, a decorated Vietnam War veteran, will host the event and veterans in attendance are asked to wear their uniforms and medals for recognition during the program. Tickets are $10 (veterans admitted free) and available for advance purchase online. (843) 448-8379; longbaysymphony.com

GET MORE

For more happenings, turn to our Calendar on Page 36, and see expanded festivals and events coverage on SCLiving.coop.

SCLIVING.COOP | OCTOBER 2019 | SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING

SC dialogue

By the numbers In addition to providing safe, affordable and reliable power, cooperatives are doing innovative things in and around South Carolina to improve the quality of life in their communities.

OWNED BY ITS MEMBERS, YOUR ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE IS UNIQUE.

1. 2.

Your local cooperatives deliver electricity to 1.5 million people in all 46 counties across the state of South Carolina, more than any other S.C. utility.

Delivering your electric power is a huge task. Your local cooperatives maintain the state’s largest power- distribution system, more than 75,000 miles of distribution line and more than 850,000 poles carrying primary wire across the state of South Carolina.

Keeping lineworkers safe is a top priority. The employees of your local cooperatives are also your friends, neighbors and relatives—they’re family. These employees, and your cooperative’s management and board, go the extra mile to make sure lineworkers get home safe at the end of every workday. Part of this commitment to safety is participating in many of our 315 safety classes.

When natural disasters like hurricanes, floods, ice storms or tornadoes strike, your local cooperatives are at the ready. In times of emergency, a network of helpers extends beyond our state borders, with convoys of trucks and crew support vehicles activated from co-ops around the Southeast. Over the past 10 years, approximately 1,500 lineworkers from Kentucky, Florida, Tennessee, Mississippi, North Carolina, Virginia, Louisiana, Missouri, Alabama, Georgia and Arkansas have come to assist us in our time of need.

Neighborliness is a two-way street, and so, over the past decade, your local cooperatives have sent approximately 800 crews to our neighbors in Georgia, North Carolina, Virginia, Florida and Kentucky when they needed help. Wherever they go, electric cooperative lineworkers are committed to restoring power as quickly and as safely as possible.

Your local cooperatives are powering the future. Through the annual Washington Youth Tour, organized by the state association of electric cooperatives, rising high school seniors in co-op communities are selected to attend this week-long, all-expenses-paid trip to the nation’s capital. During their trip, students learn about the importance of public service and develop a deeper understanding of American history. Over the past decade, 660 S.C. seniors have attended, with 72 making the trip in 2019.

SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING | OCTOBER 2019 | SCLIVING.COOP

They are a favorite part of this magazine: the recipes! As a publication of your local cooperatives, South Carolina Living has served up more than 235 delicious recipes— ranging from venison chili to baked Alaska—courtesy of Chef Belinda Smith-Sullivan. Chef Belinda has also recorded more than 50 how-to cooking videos and video recipes that can be found on SCLiving.coop/food/chefbelinda.

When Duke University set the goal to become carbon neutral by 2024, South Carolina’s cooperatives were among the first partners. Since 2014, your local cooperatives have been selling environmental credits called carbon offsets to Duke University’s Carbon Offsets Initiative. The offsets correspond with monthly energy reductions for participants in the Help My House weatherization program, an on-bill financing initiative available in a growing number of South Carolina cooperatives. The program’s zero-down-payment loans and affordable interest rates help pay for new heat pumps, insulation, air sealing and duct sealing—which lower energy use in the home, shrinking its carbon footprint.

The oldest continuous all-star football game in the South takes place each December with S.C.’s top high school players meeting for the Touchstone Energy Cooperatives Bowl. Your electric cooperatives announce the selection of 88 players—half on the South squad and half on the North. The two teams develop a true spirit of camaraderie throughout the week leading up to the big game—most significantly during their annual charitable Christmas shopping trip with 44 local disadvantaged children from the Myrtle Beach community, creating holiday memories and friendships that last a lifetime.

10.

Your electric cooperatives exist to serve YOU. In an average day, each of your local cooperatives receives an average of 398 member services calls, which is a total of 7,964 calls statewide. No matter the need or the question, we are always just a phone call away.

MIKE COUICK

President and CEO, The Electric Cooperatives of South Carolina

WIN A $100 GIFT CARD!

Fall into some cold hard cash Fall colors are vivid and bright. Rich yellows, brilliant reds, that classic orange pumpkin shade—and from South Carolina Living, some green! Enter today for your chance to win a $100 Visa gift card in our October Reader Reply Travel Sweepstakes. One lucky winner’s name will be drawn at random from all eligible entries received by Oct. 31, 2019, so use the mail-in form below or register online at SCLiving.coop/reader-reply.

By entering, you may receive information from these great travel and tourism sponsors: jj Alpine Helen/White County, Ga. jj Cheraw Visitors Bureau jj City of Aiken Tourism jj Culture & Heritage Museums, Historic Brattonsville jj Discover Upcountry Carolina Association jj Edisto Chamber of Commerce jj Historic Camden jj Lowcountry & Resort Islands Tourism Commission jj South Carolina Living magazine

R E A D E R R E P LY T R AV E L S W E E P S TA K E S

Register below or online at SCLiving.coop/reader-reply YES! Enter me in the drawing for a $100 Visa gift card. Name Address City State/ZIP Email* Phone*

South Carolina Living, RRTS, 808 Knox Abbott Drive, Cayce, SC 29033 or travel@SCLiving.coop. Entries must be received by Oct. 31, 2019, to be eligible. *Winner will be contacted to verify mailing address.

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SC energy Q&A

Is a heat pump right for my home? BY PATRICK KEEGAN AND BRAD THIESSEN

Heat pumps with the Energy Star rating are significantly more efficient than the minimum standard. PI EDM ONT E LEC TRIC M EM B ERSH I P CORPOR ATION

My cousin just installed a heat pump, so now she uses fan units placed on the walls instead of her baseboard heaters. My neighbors just got a heat pump too, but they replaced their furnace and air conditioner, so it blows through the old furnace vents. Could one of these options work for my home as well?

The short answer is yes. The two most common types of heat pumps, which you’ve just described, are often good options. It sounds like your cousin replaced her electric baseboard heaters with a ductless mini-split heat pump. This is a good solution because older baseboard heaters are typically inefficient. The mini-split system has a compressor outside that is connected with refrigerant lines to the blowers inside. A ductless system can serve up to four zones, so it can heat a small home or be used in combination with another heating system in a larger home. The ductless mini-split system is a great option for a home that does not have a duct system,

GET MORE Visit SCLiving.coop/energy for these related stories: u Ductless heat pumps—Learn more about ductless or mini-split heat pumps and why they might be an efficient option for heating and cooling your home. u Benefits of air-source heat pumps—Quiet and efficient, air-source heat pumps are a popular way to heat and cool South Carolina homes. u Is a geothermal heat pump right for you?— For homeowners who can afford the upfront costs, geothermal heat pumps offer high-efficiency heating and cooling. u Home energy audits—A detailed assessment of your home’s energy use can provide a road map to savings.

Your electric co-op may be able to provide energy auditors to help determine if a heat pump is a good solution for your home.

or if the existing duct system is inefficient or poorly designed. Your neighbors most likely replaced their central heating and air conditioning (HVAC) system with a central system air-source heat pump. This system’s compressor is also located outside, but in this case, it’s connected to the home’s duct system to distribute cold or warm air through the existing vents. The central system heat pump can be an efficient option if your existing duct system is in good shape. A less common type of heat pump is a ground-source, or geothermal, system that taps into heat that’s naturally underground year-round. A geothermal system is typically an expensive investment, but it is quite efficient. Heat pumps are often much more efficient than electric resistance heating systems and can be a solid solution in a wide variety of circumstances. They can be the right choice in a manufactured home, a construction addition or as a replacement for a broken or inefficient

SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING | OCTOBER 2019 | SCLIVING.COOP

HVAC system. They’re also becoming more popular for central heating in new construction. Here’s how heat pumps work: During winter, they pull warmth from the outside air into the home; during summer, the process is reversed and warmth from inside the home is exhausted outside. It may seem odd that warmth can be found in outdoor winter air, but heat pumps are amazing inventions. They’ve become much more efficient in recent years to the point that they can be effective year-round in most cold winter climates. The efficiency of a heat pump is measured in two ways: The HSPF (Heating Season Performance Factor) rating measures heating efficiency, and the SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio) rating measures cooling efficiency. The minimum ratings for a heat pump are HSPF 8.2 and SEER 14. Heat pumps with the Energy Star rating are significantly more efficient than the minimum standard. Before you consider installing any new heating and cooling system for your home, I strongly suggest you conduct an energy audit. Your electric co-op may provide energy audits or be able to recommend a local professional. As with any major home improvements or installations, be sure to get a few quotes and references before committing or making any payments. Send questions to Energy Q&A, South Carolina Living, 808 Knox Abbott Drive, Cayce, SC 29033, or email energyqa@scliving.coop.

Join Lieutenant Governor Evette

and PalmettoPride for #GrabABagSC Saturday, November 16, 2019 For more information contact info@palmettopride.org or visit www.palmettopride.org

Easy, Breezy Mac and Cheesy SIDE S Macaroni and Clemson Blue Cheese Servings: 8

1 pound Elbow macaroni 3 Tbsp Butter

¼ cup Flour 3 cups Half and half

3 cups Cheddar cheese, grated ½ cup Clemson Blue Cheese, crumbled

Cook pasta in boiling water until al dente (about 8 minutes) and drain. Butter an oven-safe dish (13 x 9 x 2) with 1 tablespoon of butter. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a saucepan over low heat; add flour; and stir for about 1 minute without browning. Add cream. Simmer until the sauce thickens slightly (about 3 minutes), stirring occasionally. Add grated cheddar cheese and 1 cup of Clemson Blue Cheese; whisk until cheeses melt. Add pasta to sauce and stir to coat. Transfer pasta to prepared baking dish, and sprinkle with remaining Clemson Blue Cheese. Bake in a 350-degree oven until the sauce begins to bubble (about 25 minutes). Througho ut for its signa much of the Sout h, Clemson ture blue campus. cheese, Clemson developed means football. Blue in an aban To doned railro Cheese dates backon campus, perfe the Tiger faithful, but to the cted on Clemson to the early rest of the ad tunnel near also stand 1940s, when campus and still Walhalla, nation, Clem s made on S.C. Its a colle son Blue If you’re Cheese is fans stretch acros ge professor first among the largely unkn cured it s much of blue chee unfamiliar, the Sout own. se heast who finall is America’s least maybe the recip y es in this favorite. into mush try it. Clemson cook But book will ours taste Blue Chee rooms, mixe conv s surpr se is the dozens of perfect blend isingly “diffe ert you. Admittedl other dishe d into mashed rent,” pota y, s that score of sweet a toes, stirre and salty word used by many d into grits, big with Our blue . It is conte fans. crumbled cheese has nt stuff collected on steak , and adde ed by unive won national awar rsity Chef d to Christian ds. Hopefully, it’s Thormose also , surely you’l a winner with you. Out l find some of 200 recip thing to es love.

From Tastes of Clemson Blue Cheese, available on Amazon for $21.47

REGULAR WEDGE $8.49 while quantities last. Order at clemsonbluecheese.com

SCLIVING.COOP | OCTOBER 2019 | SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING

SC smart choice

Spice up the kitchen

PRESTO PASTA

The Philips Premium Collection Pasta and Noodle Maker delivers homemade pasta, penne, fettuccine, spaghetti or lasagna noodles in less than 20 minutes. Just add your choice of ingredients to the hopper, press a button and let this countertop appliance do the rest. It mixes, kneads and extrudes perfect pasta— all you have to do is cut it to your desired length. $350. (866) 309‑3263; usa.philips.com.

The kitchen is more than a place to make meals—it’s the heart of the home! That’s reason enough to stock yours with the latest in cooking tools to make meal prep faster, easier and a whole lot more fun. BY DAVID NOVAK

IT’S 5 O’CLOCK SOMEWHERE

The Bartesian automated cocktail mixer promises to do for mixed drinks what K-Cups did for coffee. Simply insert a mixer capsule, supply your choice of spirits, select the strength of your cocktail and push a button. You’ll be enjoying a professionaltasting libation in under 20 seconds. $350. (888) 545‑8820; bartesian.com.

HEY, ALEXA

Smarten up your kitchen with the Vail Amp 3 in-wall stereo amplifier for your Amazon Echo Dot. Play tunes while you cook or ask Alexa how to prepare eggplant. $350. (866) 834‑6321; vanguarddynamics.com.

NO PRESSURE

Who knows her way around the kitchen better than Martha Stewart? Her 8-quart Everything Pressure Cooker has a tri-ply bottom for even heat and 14 programmable settings. Whip up chili or create homemade yogurt, and the pot can go from the cooker to the stovetop. It’s smart too, automatically switching to keep food warm after it cooks. $110. qvc.com.

ONE-TOUCH COOKING

A 7-in-1 marvel, the Emeril Lagasse Power Air Fryer 360 sits on your countertop, where it can roast, bake, toast, warm, air fry (no oil!) and even dehydrate foods for healthier meals and snacks with no added sugar, fats or preservatives. It comes with a variety of pans, trays, a rotisserie spit and a cookbook from the celebrity chef himself. $200. (800) 586‑0705; emerilairfryer360.com.

KITCHEN DASHBOARD

Probe thermometers give chefs pinpoint cooking control and the Signals 4-channel Wi-Fi/Bluetooth BBQ Alarm Thermometer takes it to a whole new level. Place up to four oven-proof probes in whatever you are cooking, set your target doneness alarm, and track the internal temperature from your phone or from a standalone display. $230. (800) 393‑6434; thermoworks.com.

Tech journalist David Novak is editor of GadgetGram.com. Prices and availability are subject to change. Inclusion in this column is not an endorsement by South Carolina Living or any S.C. electric cooperative.

SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING | OCTOBER 2019 | SCLIVING.COOP

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SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING | OCTOBER 2019 | SCLIVING.COOP

wo knights in chain mail armor clash on the battlefield, their longswords clanking. A blackbearded pirate shows off four silver dollars and his black powder pistol. A troupe of belly dancers twirls in coin-belted pantaloons. Wizards and elves wander into a tavern where plume- hatted wenches sing bawdy sea shanties. A blacksmith hammers a steel knife on a forge. A hooded archer shoots an arrow into the bull’s eye on a hay bale. A ring of fairy children solemnly swears to defend the queen. “Welcome to Shadow Bay!” Sir Kerrigan, the Lord High Sheriff and Queen’s Escort, bellows in an English accent. “What is our purpose here today?” It is a question not uniformly answered by the more than 2,700 guests, entertainers and “playtrons”—those patrons who play along, don the garb, talk the talk— arriving at the fifth annual Mythical & Medieval Fest in Shadow Bay (aka RH Acres venue in Socastee). Some come to re-create the historical, some the storybook,

Step into the vvild vvorld and good vvorks of the Mythical Medieval Fest BY HASTINGS HENSEL | PHOTOS BY MIC SMITH

and some the fantastic realm in between. But I, for one, came for their stories.

The nobility and the playtrons I’m just through the gates and into Shadow Bay when a bearded gentleman in a tunic pardons my interruption to ask, “Good sir, how stands the hour?” Sensing my confusion—I’m only wearing jeans and a T-shirt, after all—he translates: “What time is it?” When I look down at my watch, he laughs. He wasn’t in search of a literal answer, per se. At Renaissance fairs like this, it’s quite fun to use 50 words when you only need five, as when I later hear a purple fairy ask, “May I capture your essence on my fairybox?” (“Can I take your picture?”). Instead, this is his way of getting me to play—to participate in this imaginative realm of make-believe. “It’s a chance to step back in time,” says this man, this Captain of the Queen’s Royal Guard, Lord Seymour Thanue (aka Matthew Harlow of Myrtle Beach). “It’s a chance to come and let go and have a great time. We’ve created our own world.” And what a fantastic and fantastical world it is. Like some daytime version of Halloween, or a kid’s fairy tale dream come true, this is a collection of characters straight out of Dungeons & Dragons, Braveheart, Game of Thrones, Harry Potter, Robin Hood, Cinderella, Pirates of the Caribbean, The Sword and the

SWORDPLAY Top: Knights Sir Stuart (left) and Victor Gray Bear, both from N.C., battle for the benefit of charity. Above: Naya Sama Belly Dance Troupe members (from left) Jack Barnes of North Charleston, Donna Dantzler of Goose Creek, and Jeanne Ellis of Ladson wow the crowd at the festival. t ALL SMILES Playtrons sing along with the musical

performers at last year’s Mythical & Medieval Fest.

SCLIVING.COOP | OCTOBER 2019 | SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING

HIGH SEAS HIGH JINKS Quartermaster Edward Bright of the Charles Towne Few Pirates (and a real-life U.S. Coast Guardsman) shares history and trivia about the pirating life.

“This is the Middle Ages as they ought to have been. Without things like the plague and food poisoning.” — MASTER THYLACINUS AQUILA OF DAIR EIDAND (AKA ALDEN BUTLER)

ALL IN GOOD FUN Chaste Treasure’s Lady Rosaline flirts with customers at the tavern.

Stone—all participating in something like a real carnival of the Middle Ages, when peasants dined and danced like kings. “People enjoy dressing up,” says Tracy Dallas Lummus, who’s sporting a Louis XIV tunic known as a tabard. “It’s an entirely different experience in costume. You become part of the show.” Those who frequent Renaissance and medieval fairs, like Sir Kerrigan (aka Darren Jacelin of Baltimore, Maryland), appreciate seeing people shedding their outer adult for their inner child. “They leave present times behind, and the outside world tends to disappear,” he says. “Soon enough, they’ll ‘get it.’ I love to see a patron shifting to the inside.” Erica Buffkin of Florence is one of those playtrons. She sits in the stands and wears a blue kirtle—a gown of the Middle Ages—and watches knights strike each other in armored combat. But when I ask her what makes these fairs so popular, she offers up a simpler, more practical answer: “There’s just a lot of things for kids to do that are free.” Her son chimes in even more succinctly. “It’s the food,” he says, gnawing on a turkey leg.

The pirates

The hour doesn’t stand yet at noon, but Edward Bright knocks back a dram of strong, brown liquid and steps out from the gang of pirates beneath his tent. He is burly and black-bearded, wielding 26 knives on his body, from the dagger in his boots to the short sword in the sheath on his side. As Quartermaster of the Charles Towne Few Pirates—a pirate reenactor group—he reminds people that he’s a disciplinarian amongst killers. For a moment, it’s hard to tell if he’s joking. After all, unlike most fair entertainers, he makes no distinction between his fair name and his real name. In “real life,” he has sailed on an icebreaker ship for the U.S. Coast Guard, around both the North and South Poles. He wasn’t just made for the part. He is the part. No mere “polyester pirate” who mumbles in a drunken brogue, Bright prides himself on uncovering the real treasurable nuggets of history. Did I know, for instance, that pirates only wore boots when they were photographed donning their finery in town? Did I know that it’s considered bad manners to eat with your elbows on the table because pirates did it? That a mugging literally meant being hit by a mug? That the butt of his pistol is meant for cracking skulls? Like the pirates of the 18th and 19th centuries, the Charles Towne Few travel up and down the coast, sharing their historical knowledge. “History is a mystery,” he says. “There’s always some truth to the story. It’s just a matter of how much it’s been embellished. Our job is to entertain and to educate.”

The knights

Ricky Bell of Loris takes a break from slashing and jabbing and swinging his sword at his fellow reenactors of the 18

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Knightly Order of the Fiat Lux, and removes his coif helmet. He is sweating profusely, out of breath, and he takes a sip of soda before he explains to me why someone from the 21st century chooses to become a medieval knight. Unlike some of the more freespirited types who flitter and float throughout this festival, Bell is drawn to the knightly virtues of the Middle Ages. To become a knight, he says, one must go through the secret squire process, trials of character and a feat of combat. The rigid structure of the knightly order—how you can move up in the chivalric order—appeals to Bell, who practices around twice a month in ROYAL WELCOME Fairgoers join the procession as the Queen (aka Kirby Hood) is escorted through full armor. Shadow Bay by the Lord High Sheriff Sir Kerrigan (Darren Jacelin of Baltimore). “I’ve always been a little geeky and interested in history, particularly in the medieval ages,” he says, laughing so that his armor— learn something new. It’s my creative outlet.” But no one goes to such extremes as Getalio D’Amalfi (aka pauldrons, braces, cobs, chain mail—begins clanking. “Just Benjamin Lanteigne of Charleston). I meet him over by his like in the medieval ages, you have to become worthy of being wool tent, which he’s sewn together with English wool and called a Sir.” pitched with oak limbs exactly as a Crusader would have in But this knightly order makes it a point that while some 1187–1188—during the Battle of Hattin, which Lanteigne reenmen fight for riches and others for power, they fight for charity—specifically for veterans and autism awareness issues. acted with other like-minded warriors in Israel last year. “My middle son, he’s autistic, and one of our knights, he’s a He shows me his authentic leather shoes (soles replaced by veteran,” says Bell. “We try to choose things that hit home so a cobbler), his authentic helmet (painted with linseed oil) and that we work harder for it.” his plywood shield (which is OK, but for his next shield he’ll cut down a tree). The authenticators An active-duty service member in “real life,” Lanteigne is lean and tall, with a hawkish face. It is not hard to imagine The pillar of this festival is a living history group known as him as a swift, strong, serious soldier. And although he enjoys the Society for Creative Anachronism. Like knights questthe hobbyist element—it took him nine days of straight sleeping after some ever-elusive holy grail, these folks combat “Disneyfication” and search instead for something else ing and sewing, he says, to make this tent—but he also sees it entirely: historical authenticity. as a chance to educate. Their unofficial motto is explained to me by Master “There’s a lot of misinformation spread about history that’s Thylacinus Aquila of Dair Eidand (aka Alden Butler): “This not quite right in movies, books, other sources,” he says. “I is the Middle Ages as they ought to have been,” he says. think it’s quite logical to set the record straight and improve “Without things like the plague and food poisoning.” people’s knowledge about history.” Members of the SCA do not re-create exact historical figures The taverngoers but create personas from the general nobility or peasant classes. Of them, I meet Candace Musmeci of Conway, who darns For adults, no visit to the Mythical & Medieval Fest is comwools on a drop spindle. And Briget O’Shay (Pamela Pace of plete without a stop at the tavern, where between the burlap Florence, a member of Santee Electric Cooperative), who makes walls and beneath stags’ heads and sigil banners, a merry a peasant bread of oats, barley and whole-grain flour that she band of fairgoers quaffs ciders and ales. cooks on an open fire that her young son sparked with flint and “I think I was born in the wrong century,” says the barsteel. And Mistress Aoh Adendra Marlan (aka Brenda Butler, an tender, Shayla Thanue (aka Carli Harlow). “ ’Tis much more operating room nurse from Ridgeville), who explains, “It’s lifefun to be a wench than a lady.” We share a laugh, but she’s not kidding. long learning. It happens to be a hobby where you can always SCLIVING.COOP | OCTOBER 2019 | SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING

stands on a stool beside me. She puts the first layer of her dress over my head and belts out a raunchy verse I can’t quote here. All I hear is laughing. When I emerge, someone jokes that my face is as red as the coals in the blacksmith’s forge.

The founder

No matter what spell they’re under, no matter AS RED AS THE COALS IN THE BLACKSMITH’S FORGE Scribe Hastings Hensel attempts to recover from being the what made them venture unsuspecting focus of Sultana Lyla’s attention. here, everyone agrees on the ultimate cause. To be at this festival is to support Caleb’s Dragonfly Dreams, a nonOn a stage in the corner, a trio of ladies known as Chaste Treasure sing a cappella songs that are, well, unprintable and profit charity that raises money for abused, abandoned and anything but chaste. Delighting in puns, innuendo and double neglected children living in group homes along the Grand entendre, the troupe performs a harmonious song-and-dance Strand area. Founded by Shellie Rabon, and named after her act that interacts with the audience and has the whole tavern son, the charity uses the proceeds from the festival to take doubling over in laughter. group-home kids on excursions that include apple-picking, As one does when huddled up with a cider, I begin to cave mining, river rafting and snow tubing. Closer to home, consider my place within the grand universe of this whole the fair supports e veryday adventures like making jewelry, festival. I come to think that I’m some sort of scribe, and I tie-dying T-shirts, v isiting water parks and baking cookies. imagine a similar soul at a real medieval carnival—someone “Just normal, everyday family things,” says Rabon. “It sounds mundane, but they don’t have the families we have, going around and collecting stories to scrawl into a leatherso we try to step up and bridge that gap.” bound tome that will sit for centuries on a dusty shelf. Then I Rabon, an Horry Electric Cooperative member, says that realize I’m doing it—I’m imagining myself in the Middle Ages. she used to spend most of her time writing grants to support I am, as Sir Kerrigan would say, moving to the inside. At my the charity. Then she attended a Renaissance fair while on a next fair, I’ll probably be wearing a doublet and scratching visit to see her cousin in Florida. notes with a quill. “On the way home, it just sort of clicked,” she says. “I was But then, as if noticing my idle barstool daydreaming, like, ‘Wow, Myrtle Beach has tons of festivals but nothing like one of the ladies—the sultry Sultana Lyla—comes over and a Renaissance festival.’ ” After all, Myrtle Beach is a place known for its fantasy attractions like Medieval Times, Ripley’s Believe It or Not and GET THERE Pirates Voyage. Rabon also realized that her festival could The 6th annual Mythical & Medieval Fest will take place embrace the mythical element—the mermaids, elves, fairies Nov. 9–10, 2019, at RH Acres in Myrtle Beach (3833 Socastee and dragons that float, flitter and fly around everywhere here. Blvd.). Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for children. Advance “I love the mythical side,” she says. “When I started to purchase tickets are available through the event website: research fairs, I won’t say it was frowned upon, but they mythicalmedievalfest.com. really, really focused on the medieval part. And once again, For more information on Caleb’s Dragonfly Dreams, visit this has to do with kids. So, I said, ‘You know what, I really calebsdragonflydreams.org. want to add that mythical side for the young kids to enjoy.’ ” Information about the Society for Creative Anachronism can be And the kids from the group homes do come out to the found at sca.org. festival, joining other children as they wander the Dark Forest Maze, dance around the Maypole and watch a fire-breathing The Charles Towne Few Pirates and Knightly Order of show. It’s not hard to see that one day these kids will become the Fiat Lux can be reached via their Facebook pages: playtrons themselves. And the bigger this festival grows, facebook.com/groups/CharlesTowneFewFriends and the more money and awareness Rabon will raise for Caleb’s facebook.com/KOFLTriangle. Dragonfly Dreams. 20

SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING | OCTOBER 2019 | SCLIVING.COOP

SC stories

And the winner is …

Travis Johnson AGE:

17.

Lynchburg. Represented South Carolina electric co-ops on the national Youth Leadership Council; recently elected national president of Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA); senior at Crestwood High School. LITTLE-KNOWN FACT: Though he can’t cook, Johnson is a self-proclaimed foodie—especially when it comes to seafood. FAVORITE TV SHOWS: Mostly shows with a political theme like Scandal, Designated Survivor and House of Cards. CO-OP AFFILIATION: Black River Electric Cooperative. HOMETOWN:

CLAIM TO FAME:

Travis Johnson is the first to admit he can’t cook—he once caught his microwave on fire trying to make ramen noodles— but what this Sumter County teen can do is win. This spring he won a coveted spot on the Washington Youth Tour—a week-long trip to Washington, D.C., sponsored by the state’s electric cooperatives. His peers on that trip elected him to represent South Carolina on the Youth Leadership Council, a national co-op leadership training program for teens. And in July, Johnson successfully campaigned to be national president of the Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA). Not bad for a rising high school senior from the small town of Lynchburg. “A lot of things don’t happen in Lynchburg,” Johnson says. “But I tell people, and I say this all the time, it doesn’t matter where you come from—it matters where you’re going.” Johnson, who aspires to a career in law and politics, visited the nation’s capital four times over the summer. He met his senators on the U.S. Capitol steps, took a selfie with Vice President Mike Pence and was invited inside the White House for a handshake with President Donald Trump. “I just get really lucky when I’m with politicians,” he says. “They must know I want to be one of them one day.” Johnson’s ultimate goal is to be a U.S. senator representing South Carolina, and he’s already charted a path to get there. “College at Georgetown University—a great school located in the D.C. area,” he says. “I’d become a lawyer before going into politics. I’d run for a congressional seat, get appointed U.S. attorney general, and then after that I would go back to my home state and run for Senate.” Sounds like a winning plan. —VAN O’CAIN | PHOTO BY MILTON MORRIS

GET MORE Visit SCLiving.coop to watch Travis Johnson deliver his Youth Leadership Council speech and see his selfies with Vice President Mike Pence. SCLIVING.COOP | OCTOBER 2019 | SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING

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Hooked onfly fishing

This first-timer discovers there’s a lot more to fishing than catching fish BY MICHAEL BANKS | PHOTOS BY MATTHEW FRANKLIN CARTER

surface, making it possible for anglers like us to hook them with a well-placed cast. A few minutes into his search, Ekberg triumphantly finds “a monster stonefly.” “If you have stoneflies in your river, it means you have very clear water,” he says, and begins rigging our lines with a lure designed to mimic a stonefly nymph. Growing up in northern New Hampshire, Ekberg got hooked on angling when he was 21 and received fly fishing gear and a fly-tying packet from his parents—a present for gaining acceptance into culinary school. There were many leisure hours spent casting on the local rivers, where he learned the art of fly fishing by trial and error. “It was, pretty much, the school of hard knocks,” Ekberg, now 55, recalls. His skills began to improve when he listened to the words whispered by wise fishermen: “Know your bugs.” “I really studied bugs. Because if you didn’t know what was going on, you weren’t catching,” he says. For most of his adult life, Ekberg has taken every opportunity to hone his fishing skills whenever he wasn’t working in the kitchens of resorts and hotels, primarily in the Northeast. Drawn by warmer weather and the presence of family in Central, he moved to South Carolina in the late 1990s to supervise the dining hall at Southern Wesleyan University and soon began fishing the Chattooga and Chauga rivers. In 2007, his tales of fishing adventure caught the attention of Karen Maddox, one of his co-workers. “He came in bragging about WELL CAMOUFLAGED Fly fisher guide Karl Ekberg uncovers a all of these fish he was catching. stonefly nymph, a favored lure for enticing trout to the surface.

FLY ROD IN HAND, FISHING GUIDE KARL EKBERG LEADS THE

way down a single-file dirt path inside the Sumter National Forest near the South Carolina-Georgia border, through the mountain laurel and rhododendron with their clusters of flowers, past the hemlocks and pines that shoot straight into the blue sky. We are headed to a stretch of the Chattooga River known as Burrells Ford, a prime spot for rainbow, brook and brown trout that Ekberg claims is “a little slice of heaven in South Carolina.” As I descend a muddied, rock-strewn hillside that’s camouflaged in leafy green undergrowth, I am suddenly thrust upon the main stage. The river, running clear and cold, is bathed in bright sunlight that bounces off the ripples of the current and illuminates the rapids that carve their way through boulders. The air smells fresh and clean. The calls of songbirds form a chorus with the sound of the running water. A feeling of inner peace slowly overtakes me, along with the sweet cooling relief of the breeze off the river. Now, all I have to do is catch a fish.

Know your bugs But before there’s even a thought of casting a line, Ekberg is off and slogging through the water, eyes intent on the bottom of the riverbed, hands feverish as he lifts one brown rock after another, looking for nymphs and other aquatic insects. “Bug in the water catches fish,” he says, explaining that nymphs eventually grow to become mayflies, stoneflies and caddisflies—the insects that lure trout to feed near the river’s 22

SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING | OCTOBER 2019 | SCLIVING.COOP

We are headed to a stretch of the Chattooga River that Karl Ekberg claims is “a little slice of heaven in South Carolina.” SCLIVING.COOP | OCTOBER 2019 | SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING

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HATCH AND RELEASE Scott Poore manages the state’s only trout hatchery.

Stocking up on trout

TEXT AND PHOTO BY MICHAEL BANKS

Nestled deep in a green valley in the mountainous Upstate near the borders with North Carolina and Georgia, the Walhalla State Fish Hatchery is a facility of critical importance to the trout that swim in area streams and the anglers who seek them. The Walhalla hatchery is one of five public fish hatcheries operated by the S.C. Department of Natural Resources, but it is the only one raising trout, says hatchery manager Scott Poore. Because South Carolina is at “the southern-most extreme of suitable trout habitat, we’re really limited in the number of streams that we can stock. It is a unique fishery for being this far south.” Currently, two trucks depart five days a week with an allotment of ready-to-catch rainbow, brown and brook trout to stock streams and rivers in Oconee, Pickens and Greenville counties as well as the tailwaters of lakes Hartwell, Jocassee and Murray. In a typical season, the hatchery releases 600,000 to 650,000 trout to meet recreational fishing demand. “There are so many anglers that target trout, if we were not able to supplement the existing populations or where populations are very limited, I think you would see angling pressure possibly decimate the fishery in some streams,” Poore says. “I think eventually it would come to a point where angling for trout in South Carolina would become nonexistent.” The facility, which dates back to the 1930s, is open for public tours daily from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. There is no charge for admission and hatchery employees are GET THERE available to answer The Walhalla State Fish Hatchery is questions. located at 198 Fish Hatchery Road “The kids love (Hwy. 107 North) in Mountain Rest. to come in and see HOURS: Daily from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. all the varieties of Closed Christmas Day and during fish,” Poore says. inclement weather. “During our peak ADMISSION: Free. time, we can easily DETAILS: Call (864) 638-2866 or visit have 1.2 million fish hatcheries.dnr.sc.gov/Walhalla. on hand.”

WEB EXTRA Visit the “Featured Videos” section of SCLiving.coop to see a DNR video on how trout are raised at the hatchery. 24

SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING | OCTOBER 2019 | SCLIVING.COOP

And I was like, ‘Dude, if you’re not going to invite me, I don’t want to hear about them.’ It was game on after that,” says Maddox, who began taking lessons from Ekberg and fell in love with the sport herself. “The first time that I went out there I realized that the river just has a way of capturing your soul and reworking it and giving it back to you before you leave,” she says. The couple, both members of Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative, now operate Chattooga River Fly Shop off Hwy. 28 in Mountain Rest. Maddox operates the shop, selling merchandise and setting up trips; Ekberg is “the bug and fly guy, rods and equipment guy” who guides trips. Ekberg has caught his share of trophy fish over the years— including a brown trout measuring 27 inches in length—but his favorite fishing memory is of a day in 2014, spent with his elderly father, fly fishing this very section of the Chattooga. “We caught a few fish that day, but that wasn’t what it was about,” Ekberg says. “It was his last trip and I’m glad it was here.”

Not as easy as it looks This is my first attempt at fly fishing, and like many firsttime anglers, my concept of the sport comes from the 1992 film A River Runs Through It, watching actor Brad Pitt deftly handling his fly rod, the line, long and graceful in the air, as he coaxes fish to rise from the rapids of a Montana river. Here on the Chattooga, I more likely resemble the scarecrow from the Wizard of Oz, with arms askew and the rigidity of my pose mirroring the tin man. Ekberg, wise and knowing, introduces me to a roll cast in which I handle a 9-foot pole with my right hand, whipping the line out 90 degrees across from my shoulder to the

FIT TO BE TIED When not on the river, Karl Ekberg stays busy making flies to mimic the insects trout naturally eat.

fast-moving water some six to eight feet away. His words are reassuring and welcomed as he teaches me to fish by using the drift of the current. “Let the river do the work. Keep your tip up. Now, slowly, let it down. Watch as it moves down the river. Very nice. Good work.” “Uh, what do I do with my left hand?” I ask. After a slight pause, Ekberg offers his advice with a hint of New England accent: “Keep it waahhmm in your pocket.” And, so, this is what I do. Cast upon cast, I try to remember to pause at the top before flinging my line at the fastmoving foam nearby, watching the red stretch of leader that indicates the position of the weighted fly as it bounces along the river bottom. I can’t always LOG JAM SESSION Guide Karl Ekberg (left) offers pointers to novice fly fisher Michael Banks as they tell if it’s a rock or a fish that tugs on take a break during casting lessons. the end of the line, but my eyes stay locked on the leader, and on a couple of occasions, my eager attempt to set the hook causes my fly to GET MORE go “Bill Dancing” across the waters behind me. I cast again and again. Through it all, Ekberg remains Guided fly fishing trips on the Chattooga River range from $140 encouraging and helpful. I almost feel like a third-grader who to $300 for half-day sessions to $250 to $350 for full-day trips. has gotten an A on his math quiz when he tells me, “Fantastic Most outfitters provide equipment (including waders, boots, flies, fly rods and reels). job, Michael. Fantastic cast.” There are worse things I could be doing on a Tuesday Anglers 16 and older must have a South Carolina fishing afternoon in July. license, which can be purchased online from the South

‘Catching fish is a bonus’ In the end, I did not catch a fish. A low rumble of thunder, darkening skies and the threat of lightning chase us from the river earlier than we had planned. Arriving back at the Chattooga River Fly Shop, I was greeted by the hot, humid wrap that is known as summer in the South. Harsh white light bounced off the pavement and my cell phone began to ring as soon as I reached the overheated cab of my truck. I raised my eyes to the north, to the green forested mountain range and imagined myself back on the Chattooga River, standing knee-deep in its cool, clear waters and casting to the trout who lurk beneath. It now seemed days, not minutes, past. I was disappointed in not catching my first trout but found solace in Ekberg’s advice delivered back on the river. “This is the escape from reality,” he told me on a break between casts. “You see the beauty of the river. Catching fish is a bonus because you’re standing in God’s creation out here. And all of a sudden you look around and say, ‘Wow. This is something.’ ”

Carolina Department of Natural Resources at dnr.sc.gov. The cost for a freshwater license for a South Carolina resident ranges from $5 (14 days) to $10 (annual) to $30 (three years). Size limits, possession limits and tackle restrictions vary by season and location. For a complete guide, visit eregulations.com/southcarolina/huntingandfishing/trout-sizes-limits. CHATTOOGA RIVER OUTFITTERS

Chattooga River Fly Shop 6832A Highlands Highway Mountain Rest, SC 29664 (864) 638-2806 chattoogariverflyshop.com Dodson Fishing Company 533 N. Highway 25 Travelers Rest, SC 29690 (864) 610-2140 dodsonfishing.com

River Blade Knife and Fly Shop 1398 Boiling Springs Road, Suite 1 Spartanburg, SC 29303 (864) 699-9433 riverbladeknifeandfly.com Southern Outlaw Adventures 141 N. Little River Road Salem, SC 29676 (864) 614-1019 southernoutlawadventures.com

WEB EXTRA Visit the “Featured Videos” section of SCLiving.coop to watch the DNR video “How to choose a trout lure.”

SCLIVING.COOP | OCTOBER 2019 | SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING

SC travels

A walk through history Celebrate the American Revolution at Cowpens National Battlefield TEXT AND PHOTOS BY AMY TRAINUM

BIRDS ARE JOYFULLY CHIRPING AWAY

as a slight breeze rustles through blades of long grass, and joggers hurriedly pass by leaving nothing behind but the dull thud of their feet hitting the pavement. The sights are just as serene and tranquil as the sounds, with pastures full of rolling hills that fade into picturesque tree lines. It’s hard to imagine that a place so peaceful was once the site of a bloody battle, but on Jan. 17, 1781, American and British forces collided at the Battle of Cowpens during the Revolutionary War. The battle, a decisive Patriot victory, lasted less than an hour and played an instrumental role in helping push the British troops out of the Carolinas and into Virginia, where they would eventually be defeated at Yorktown. Today, visitors from all over the world travel to Cowpens National Battlefield to visit the historic site, which is now a national park that spans 842.5 acres. “To the best of our knowledge, we have the entire battlefield, which is really unusual—to have the whole battlefield. Plus, a little bit of a buffer around it, so that for the most part you can come out and enjoy it without modern intrusions,” says Cowpens National Battlefield park ranger Virginia Fowler. “You can be out here and enjoy it and see what the battlefield was. We tried to preserve it the way that it would have looked at the time of the battle.” 26

VICTORY LAP Park ranger Virginia Fowler can provide information about self-guided walking and driving tours through the battlefield’s peaceful scenery and compelling history.

The best way to see the battlefield is to take the park’s self-guided tour, which stretches 1.3 miles along well-marked pathways that wind through the property. The entire trip takes 30–45 minutes to walk and visitors will find several exhibits on the route that cover everything from how and why the battle happened here to which units fought. Another way to tour the battlefield is by taking the Auto Loop Road, a 3.8-mile drive with wayside exhibits that circles the field’s outskirts. For the full experience, stop by the visitor center museum filled with displays, exhibits and illustrations that provide analysis of the battle, what led up to it, the tactics used during the skirmish and the significance of its outcome. While the museum is also self-guided, park rangers and knowledgeable staff are on hand. One of the most informative exhibits in the museum is an 18-minute film, Cowpens: A Battle Remembered, which is shown every hour and gives viewers an inside look at what the battle was like from start to finish. After the screening, take time to meander through the rest of the museum where you’ll find

SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING | OCTOBER 2019 | SCLIVING.COOP

a fiber-optic map designed to illustrate some of the tactical strategies used by Brigadier Gen. Daniel Morgan to successfully defeat the British. Other displays in the museum include artifacts ranging from musket balls and canteens to uniforms, a reproduction cannon and other weaponry from the war. In addition to its many exhibits, Cowpens National Battlefield hosts several educational events throughout the year, including weapons demonstrations, author talks and historical theater productions. The park is also open to the public daily with several walking and biking paths, nature trails for horseback riding, and a sheltered picnic area with grills and restrooms. No matter the reason for your visit to Cowpens National Battlefield, it’s important to remember the “sacrifice that the men made for us,” Fowler says. “Getting up early in the morning, having very little to eat, clothes that weren’t keeping them warm, and they did it willingly, so that we could come out and enjoy this and have the freedoms that we do today.”

GET THERE The entrance to Cowpens National Battlefield is located off Hwy. 11 about three miles east of Chesnee, but your GPS will recognize it as 4001 Chesnee Hwy., Gaffney. HOURS: Open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ADMISSION: Free. DETAILS: For more information on Cowpens National Battlefield, visit nps.gov/cowp or call (864) 461-2828. UPCOMING EVENTS: Learn more and find future events at nps.gov/cowp/specialevents. The Night Before Kings Mountain OCT. 6, 2019, AT 6 P.M. A live outdoor drama shows visitors what life was like for the men who fought on both sides of the battle. Living History Day NOV. 9, 2019 Witness weapons firing demonstrations and interact with reenactors at 10:20 a.m., 11:20 a.m., 1:20 p.m., and 2:20 p.m. Anniversary Celebration JAN. 18–19, 2020 Take a step back in time as Cowpens National Battlefield re-creates the battle’s setting with an encampment, historic weapons firing demonstrations and author lectures.

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SC chef’s choice

Sticking with traditions TEXT AND PHOTOS BY AMY TRAINUM

IT’S NOT OFTEN THAT A RESTAURANT

in the small town of Gaffney gets a call from the Food Network saying they’d like to feature the business on one of their shows. Yet, that’s exactly what happened when Tony Lipscomb, the owner of Harold’s Restaurant, received a call telling him that his restaurant had been chosen out of thousands of others to be featured on the first season of the network’s Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. Harold’s Restaurant had always been a mainstay in the area since its opening in 1932, but once the show aired, the secret was out, and it didn’t take long for the restaurant to Harold’s Restaurant quickly go from being a 602 N. Limestone St., Gaffney well-loved, local staple CHILI-LICIOUS Tony Lipscomb is proud to (864) 489-9153; to being one of the most follow the traditions that have long kept H arold’s haroldsrestaurant.com Restaurant and its chili hot dog popular. sought-after foodie destiHOURS: Monday–Saturday nations in the Southeast. 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Closed on “We couldn’t have Southern favorites you topped with chili, mustard and onions. Sundays. asked for a nything can smell as soon as It’s messy. It’s delicious. And people more,” says Lipscomb, you walk through the drive in from all over the country to get who is still seeing the influx of travelers door. The menu boasts items like homea taste of the famous sandwich, or a hot exiting off Interstate 85 and Hwy. 11 for made pimento cheese, chicken salad and dog smothered in the same secret-recipe a bite to eat more than a decade after chili. a major crowd-pleaser—pinto beans that the diner made its TV debut. With all the success that came along are soaked overnight and cooked with “It’s like the gift that keeps on giving. I with being on a nationally televised show, don’t think there’s a day that goes by that Lipscomb, a Gaffney native, has considIt’s messy. It’s delicious. And ered the possibility of moving to a differsomeone doesn’t come in and say ‘We saw you on one of the reruns,’ or ‘We saw people drive in from all over ent building and expanding the business you featured, wrote your place down and over the years. But he always comes the country to get a taste of back to the notion of sticking with what looked you up to make sure we stopped when we come through South Carolina works and keeping the same traditions the famous sandwich. on vacation,’ ” says Lipscomb. alive that helped the restaurant become Open six days a week, Harold’s serves a staple in the first place—good quality a constant stream of customers from the food at affordable prices with excellent ham hocks and fatback. However, it’s time the doors open until closing. It’s service. the restaurant’s unique chili burger that a no-frills kind of joint with small, inti“If you’re looking for white tablecloths really put it on the map. and candles then this isn’t the place,” “It’s kinda like a Manwich. It’s chili mate booths, a lunch counter, walls deche says. “This isn’t a five-star restaurant, with a meatball the size of a golf ball,” orated with sports memorabilia from but we like to think we give you five-star explains Lipscomb, who adds that the the local high school, and an approachtraditional way to eat it is “all-the-way”— food and service at good prices.” able menu full of simple, yet delicious 28

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SC recipe

potato-mania BY BELINDA SMITH-SULLIVAN

POTATO FISH CAKES WITH CREAMY MUSTARD SAUCE MAKES 8 CAKES

This recipe is great as an entree or equally impressive as an appetizer. 2 cups leftover mashed potatoes 2 cups fish (use cooked salmon, cod or any flaky fish) 2 large eggs 2 green onions, thinly sliced 1 teaspoon Cajun or blackened seasoning 2 teaspoons thyme, freshly chopped Pinch cayenne pepper H teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 1 H cups seasoned breadcrumbs Olive oil Thyme leaves (for garnish) SAUCE MAKES APPROXIMATELY 1 CUP

H cup heavy cream H cup Dijon mustard H teaspoon fresh dill, chopped Kosher salt Pinch cayenne pepper

G I N A MOORE

FISH CAKES

In a large bowl, combine potatoes and fish. Add in eggs, onions, seasoning, thyme, cayenne, Worcestershire sauce and H cup breadcrumbs. In a shallow bowl, place the remaining breadcrumbs. Form mixture into eight equal-sized cakes (or smaller if you prefer); dredge in breadcrumbs on each side, and place on a platter. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. FISH CAKES:

In a large skillet over medium heat, heat G cup olive oil. Working in batches, fry cakes for 2–3 minutes on each side until golden brown. Remove to a paper towel-lined platter and keep warm until all cakes are cooked. Add additional oil as needed. Arrange cakes on serving tray and garnish with thyme leaves. Serve with sauce. Mix all ingredients in a small bowl. Refrigerated sauce will keep up to a week.

MUSTARD SAUCE:

Potatoes are the most versatile of al l vegetables. In addition to being a gr eat source of nutrition, po tatoes are inexpensive and go a long way at stretching the family food budget. Any meal is made better by the addition of potatoes, espe cially when you make thes e recipes.

BACON CHEDDAR HASSELBACK POTATOES SERVES 4

Impress your guests with baked potatoes that kick it up a notch. 4 russet potatoes Olive oil 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted 1 cup grated cheddar cheese 4 slices cooked crispy bacon Green onions, sliced (for garnish)

K A REN H ERM A N N

Preheat oven to 425 F. Wash and dry potatoes. Using a sharp knife, slice potatoes crosswise into G-inch slices, being careful not to cut all the way through the potatoes. Rub potatoes lightly with oil. Bake 30 minutes until they start to open up (slices start to pull apart). Pour melted butter over potatoes, making sure it gets in between the slices. Bake another 20 minutes and cover potatoes with equal amounts of cheese, again making sure cheese gets in between the slices. Return to oven and cook about 10 minutes or until cheese melts and potatoes are done. Sprinkle with bacon and additional grated cheese. Garnish with green onions.

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To avoid slicing through the potato, use two clean G-inch-thick rulers—one placed on each side. The rulers act as a “stop-gap” for the knife.

CHEF’S TIP

I U LI I A N EDRYGA I LOVA

SWEET POTATO PECAN POUND CAKE WITH CARAMEL ICING SERVES 12–16

This just might become your new go-to coffee cake to serve in the morning or when company arrives.

GW ÉN A Ë L LE VOT

CAKE

CARAMELIZED ONION SCALLOPED POTATOES SERVES 4-6

Enjoy this easy alternative to mashed potatoes. Olive oil 2–3 cups onions, peeled and thinly sliced crosswise (about 1 pound) 4 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, sliced J-inch thick 1 cup grated Gruyere cheese, divided into two H-cup portions H cup grated Parmesan cheese Kosher salt White pepper 1 teaspoon butter, for au gratin dish G cup chicken stock 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, minced

Preheat oven to 400 F. In a large, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add onions and stir and cook until golden brown, about 15 minutes. In a large bowl, toss potatoes in ¼ cup olive oil,* H cup grated Gruyere, Parmesan, salt and pepper. (If potatoes are sliced in advance, be sure to keep in cold water to prevent from turning gray. Drain and pat dry before assembling dish.) Butter an 8-by-8-inch au gratin dish and cover bottom with caramelized onions. Arrange potatoes in dish on top of onions. Sprinkle with remaining cheese, add chicken stock and rosemary. Cover with foil and bake for 40–45 minutes until fork tender. Remove foil and broil for 5 minutes until lightly browned. Let rest 20 minutes before serving. * Use just enough oil to coat potato slices, not saturate them.

2 cups sweet potatoes, baked and pureed (approximately 4 medium potatoes) Vegetable spray 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature 1 cup granulated sugar 1 cup light brown sugar, packed 4 large eggs, room temperature 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 3 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking powder H teaspoon baking soda

H teaspoon kosher salt 2 teaspoons cardamom 1 cup buttermilk, room temperature 1 H cups chopped nuts CARAMEL ICING MAKES APPROXIMATELY 1 CUP

2 tablespoons unsalted butter 3 tablespoons milk H cup light brown sugar, packed 1 cup confectioner’s sugar H teaspoon vanilla extract H cup chopped nuts

CAKE: Preheat oven to 425 F. Spray sweet potatoes lightly with vegetable spray. Bake until soft, approximately 50–60 minutes, depending on size. Let cool to touch. Peel and puree by hand or in a food processor. Measure 2 cups.

Lower oven temperature to 350 F. Spray a 12-cup Bundt or angel food cake pan with baking spray. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream butter with sugars and beat in eggs one at a time. Add vanilla and sweet potatoes and blend well. In another medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cardamom. Reduce mixer to lowest speed and add flour mixture, one cup at a time, alternating with buttermilk. Finally, add chopped nuts. Spoon batter into prepared pan and bake 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan for 10 minutes; carefully move from pan to a cake rack to cool completely. ICING: In a saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Add milk and brown sugar and boil for one minute. Watch very carefully—do not turn your back on boiling milk! Remove from heat and stir in ½ cup confectioner’s sugar. Cool slightly and stir in vanilla and remaining confectioner’s sugar. If too thick, add more milk, a little at a time, until desired consistency. Pour evenly over cooled cake and sprinkle with chopped nuts. Let icing harden before serving.

What’s cooking at SCLiving.coop FREEZING FRENCH FRIES Why buy bags of frozen french fries when you can prepare your own from raw potatoes? It’s easier than you think as Chef Belinda demonstrates in her latest how-to video. Find it at

SCLiving.coop/food/chefbelinda

SCLIVING.COOP | OCTOBER 2019 | SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING

SC gardener

OCTOBER IN THE GARDEN n Bonus veggie storage tip: Winter squash and pumpkins will keep longer indoors if they are harvested with a few inches of stem still attached. n Raked leaves have to go somewhere, so why not dispose of them while preparing for next year’s garden? Both jobs can be done at the same time if you use “useless” leaves to start a compost pile.

n Remove gasoline from any motorized equipment that will be stored for the winter.

L . A . JACKSO N

TIP OF THE MONTH Why wait for all your immature tomatoes to turn red indoors? Enjoy some of them now by preparing a tasty traditional Southern treat:

FRIED GREEN TOMATOES 2 green tomatoes, sliced ¼-inch thick 1 egg, beaten Cornmeal or breadcrumbs Salt Pepper Cooking oil

Dip tomato slices into the beaten egg and coat well with cornmeal or breadcrumbs, adding salt and pepper to taste. Place in a pan with a small amount of preheated vegetable oil, bacon grease or butter. Cook on low-medium heat for about three minutes on each side until golden brown. Serve hot, and please do enjoy.

BY L.A. JACKSON

IT’S OCTOBER. DO YOU KNOW WHERE

your tomatoes are? Any tomatoes continuing to mature in what is left of this year’s growing season are, of course, still in the garden. But cold weather is right around the corner, and with many fruits in varying stages of unripe green, it would be a shame for Jack Frost to put the last bite on them. To prevent Ol’ Jack from turning the rest of your well-earned harvest to yuck, consider ripening the tomatoes indoors. Yep, I said indoors, and it is very easy to do. How easy? It can be as simple as pulling up entire plants that still have green tomatoes and dangling them

Don’t pay any attention to the old yarn that tomatoes need to bask their days away in the sun to ripen. upside down on strings in a dry, cool (between 60 to 72 degrees) spot, such as a basement, shed or garage, where the fruits will slowly ripen. But, with apologies to Clint Eastwood, the only problem with this “hang ’em high” method is that ripened fruit can easily fall off spent plants and onto the floor. Splat! Reduce the splat factor with an alternative plan of action: Just pull immature tomatoes off vines and bring them inside to finish their transition from green to ripe red. Pick fruits that are free from splits, dings or insect damage, and put them on trays in single layers in a place where temperatures hover around 60 to 72 degrees. Don’t pay any attention to the old

SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING | OCTOBER 2019 | SCLIVING.COOP

L . A . JACKSO N

n Before perennials die back or are pruned down for the season, place markers beside them so they won’t be dug up during next spring’s planting frenzy.

Save those tomatoes!

LATER ’MATER Late-season tomatoes don’t need to ripen on the vine to be enjoyed this fall. Bring the fruit indoors before the first frost or fry them up for a tasty Southern treat.

yarn that tomatoes need to bask their days away in the sun to ripen. No, in fact, it is better to keep the fruits out of direct sunlight to prevent such intense rays from turning outer skins red before the insides fully ripen. It’s temperature, not sunlight, that properly puts things into motion indoors to mature a ’mater. You can even fine-tune this storage method by wrapping each tomato in a piece of newspaper. This extra step has two advantages: (1) It prevents rotting tomatoes from spreading their plague to healthy fruits; and (2) such a covering helps to trap ethylene gas, which tomatoes naturally emit in order to ripen. Storing tomatoes in temperatures that settle more toward the lower 60s will slow the ripening process down to the point that, as I have found out more than a few times, can even s-t-r-e-t-c-h your supply of tasty, garden-grown ’maters until the end of the year. L.A. JACKSON is the former editor of Carolina Gardener magazine. Contact him at lajackson1@gmail.com.

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