Wilson Woman Spring/Summer 2011

WILSON Spring/Summer 2011

Wilson Woman’s Club Recipes and advice from local chefs

Changing Your Home’s Decor for the Season

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Built in 1925, the clubhouse of the Wilson Woman’s Club is the only surviving early 20th century building constructed as a clubhouse in the city. See the full story of the club, established in 1915, on page 7. Photo by Bradley Hearn

Table of Contents 7

Wilson women age gracefully

The Wilson Woman’s Club approaches its centennial

12 Local cooks step outside

Advice and recipes from local chefs

16 A change of seasons

Wilson interior design experts help you adapt your decor to the season

20

I Am Wilson Grill business heats up

10, 18, 19

“About Town”

14-15, 23

Summer recipes

22

See which of your friends and neighbors have been out and active in Wilson this spring

Things to do

In Wilson this summer...

On the cover

WilMed Team players Patty Hudson, Paula Michalaka and Denise O’Hara participate in the Women’s Golf Tournament for the annual Super Swing for Breast Cancer held on May 12 at Wilson Country Club. Not pictured: Aimee Sorensen. Photo by Gray Whitley.

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SPRING/SUMMER 2011

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____________________ Contributors Writers: Janelle Clevinger, Bradley Hearn Art: Gérard Lange | Graphic Design Lisa Boykin Batts | Photography Brad Coville | Photography Bradley Hearn | Photography Amber McDaniels | Photography Gray Whitley | Photography

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SPRING/SUMMER 2011

WILSON WOMAN

WOMEN At a 75th anniversary party held at the clubhouse on Broad Street in 1990, Wilson Woman’s Club members Cathy Ghegan, left, Mary Howard Benton and Josie Tomlinson do skits acting out events from their early history. Photo

by Lisa Boykin Batts

Wilson Woman’s Club A rich history & hopeful future

F

For almost 100 years now, the Wilson Woman’s Club has been dedicated to bettering the community, participating in worthy causes and promoting cultural activities.

Founded in 1915 with 145 initial charter members, the Wilson Woman’s Club attracted some of the most prominent citizens in Wilson. The founding members — and those who joined in subsequent years — would go on to spearhead a variety of projects that resulted in necessary advancements such as the lunchroom program in the city schools and the Wilson County Public Library.

Today, from their historic clubhouse at 402 Broad St., the club continues its tradition of community-minded service and enrichment with its fundraising, local nursing scholarships and steady presence.

For Ginger Williams, the club’s current president, the spirit of many of the women involved — especially the older members — harkens back to a type of grace and WWW.WILSONTIMES.COM

By Bradley Hearn

gentility that she thinks is being lost in our society. And it’s that element in these women that she believes makes the club special.

“I don’t even know where to begin to describe how wonderful these women are,” Williams said. “It’s just a joy to be around.”

Jennie Lee, who joined in the early 60s and is one of two honorary “lifetime” members, agrees that the fellowship among the women is very positive, but that the club is also an important outlet for area women interested in bettering their community.

“And it’s really entertaining also,” Lee said. “We have really wonderful, interesting programs.”

HUMBLE BEGINNINGS Though the club officially formed in 1915, the story of the club’s organization goes back to April of the previous year, when Mrs. W.A. Finch met with a group of

women on her front porch to discuss the possibility of forming a club. The enthusiastic women then went around in pairs to their neighbors and friends to invite them to join in a planning meeting at the Wilson County Courthouse.

By May of 1915, the bylaws had been written and the club had been established.

The first three departments within the club were Civic, Literature and Home Economics, where women could participate in the programs and learn from informative speakers.

In its early days, along with the aforementioned initiatives regarding a library and school lunches, members worked to secure better drainage in the town and screens for all doors and windows to combat the many cases of malaria caused by mosquitoes breeding in low, swampy areas. The club later promoted the use of sanitary drinking cups at drug stores and fountains and urged systematic city-wide garbage and trash removal. Their goals also included promoting cultural and educational programs for the community.

HISTORIC BUILDING The lot where the current clubhouse sits on Broad Street was purchased in 1924, and the building was completed the following year.

The beautiful two-story brick structure, designed by local architect Solon B. Moore, has seen only a few changes and additions over the years and remains a popular space for weddings, receptions and other events.

“It’s beautiful,” said Lee. “It’s like a home.”

The clubhouse is a historic landmark and remains “the only surviving early 20th century building constructed as a club house in the city,” according to the city of Wilson.

SPRING/SUMMER 2011

7

Continued from page 7

One of the primary reasons for the club’s fundraising these days is to fund their annual nursing scholarhships to Wilson Community College and Barton. Above, Pet Pruden, the club’s treasurer, far right, presents the Callie Little Nursing Scholarship check to Lynn Waggoner from WCC, center, and the recipient of the scholarship, Bonnie Boshart. Photo courtesy of the Wilson Woman’s Club.

Plans for minor refurbishment and renovation are underway, as the building is always in need of a paint job, replaced chandelier or new piece of furniture.

A LOOK TO THE FUTURE Today, the Wilson Woman’s Club boasts 126 members. The three departments have changed slightly in focus but have kept their purpose and integrity intact.

Currently the members can be a part of the American Home and Fine Arts, Garden or Public Affairs departments. The department programs that the women can choose from include talks from elected officials about specific civic issues and area experts discussing organic gardening and the benefit of bees, among countless other topics.

The club meets as a whole once every month, September through May, and the individual departments meet separately each month as well.

In a way, it’s the same as it always was — it’s just the times that have changed. Just as the club hosted bridge games during World War II to raise money for war bonds, the club today hosts popular bridge games that raise money for annual nursing scholarships to young women at both Barton College and Wilson Community Col-

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lege.

These nursing scholarships are a focal point of many of their fundraising efforts. They encourage anyone who may play in other bridge clubs to join in for a good cause.

“It’s really a lot of fun,” said Ginger Williams. “People really like it.”

You can also find them collecting food each month for the Hope Station or at their booth at the Whirligig Festival each year selling baked goods.

Their big event, says Williams, is the Wilson Woman’s Club Homes Tour, which they put on every two years. Since 1984, approximately 100 Wilson homeowners have opened up their doors for the event.

Though membership is strong, Lee and Williams say they are always on the look out for new members and that the club is a great way to meet new people.

“It’s a real positive experience. These ladies are simply a joy,” said Williams.

“It’s just a busy ‘talking’ place,” added Lee. “It’s lots of fun. Of course there are arguments, but we all wind up doing the same thing every time anyway.”

And with what the club has contributed to Wilson for the past century, here’s hoping the club does wind up doing the same thing for the next 100 years.

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One of the projects most associated with the Wilson Woman’s Club was the establishment of a public library.

Although the Wilson Library Association has been organized as early as 1899, by the early 1920s, the subscription library was no longer in service.

Inspired by Mrs. Ashe Hines, chairwoman of the literature department, and Mrs. H.G. Connor II, the club’s president, the Wilson Woman’s Club undertook the opening of a library in its club building on Pine Street in 1921.

The Woman’s Club was aided by several other civic organizations in its efforts to raise funds and boost its book collection. The club sponsored book showers and auction sales and encouraged cash donations. In the beginning, almost all the books were a result of a donation. They were then loaned to the public through a volunteer worker at the Pine Street location.

After the library grew, the club’s literature department eventually employed Mrs. W. M. Moss as the librarian.

Later, the city appropriated funds for the support and rent of the library, and it moved above Woolworth’s on the corner of Nash and Tarboro Streets in 1923. Two years after that, the county joined in with appropriated funds and furnished a room on the second floor of the courthouse, finally resulting in free library services to all of Wilson County.

Though the modern facility on Nash Street is a far cry from its humble beginnings on Pine Street 90 years ago, it was the initial vision of and effort by the Wilson Woman’s Club that gave this invaluable service its first start.

“It’s certainly a feather in our cap,” said Jennie Lee, an honorary “lifetime member” of the club. “Those ladies saw the need and made it happen.”

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FOOD

Local Cooks Step Outside Outdoor grilling advice from area chefs

Above, chef Daniel Bass prepares salmon and asparagus at Pup’s Steakhouse using the same personal, simple baste that he uses on all of the seafood he grills at home.

*SEE PAGES 14-15 FOR RECIPES FROM CHEFS DANIEL BASS AND LYNNE BIGNESS TO TRY AT HOME THIS SUMMER.

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M

Many folks who love the fresh taste of food from a charcoal grill brave the lonely, chilly temperatures year round to cook their favorite foods in the great outdoors.

But for most, the first rise in temperature in the spring and summer months also marks the first rise of the backyard grill cover.

And despite the bold and often exaggerated claims of many outdoor gourmets, even the most seasoned of backyard warriors can get a little rusty after months indoors. So before you dust off that grill top to host your next backyard cookout — filled with plenty of friends, family and braggadocio — remember to practice a few times to get back in the swing of things this summer and follow this advice from two Wilson cooks.

KEEP IT SIMPLE The most important thing to remember, says Daniel Bass, the chef at Pup’s Steakhouse, is to not try to overdo it with too many ingredients.

“When you’re cooking outside on the grill, keeping it simple is always the best way to do it,” Bass said.

“When you’re in the kitchen, you can get more complicated. But outside, simple is best.”

Lynne Bigness, a chef with Aramark at Barton College, agrees that a cook shouldn’t bog their food down with too many ingredients. “My logic on cooking is to maintain the integrity of whatever food you’re doing,” Bigness said. “It should taste like what it’s supposed to taste like. Not like something else.”

GET HEALTHY While burgers, steaks and hot dogs are always the staples of backyard burners, both Bass and Bigness agree that throwing fruits and vegetables on the grill is always a great idea in the summertime.

Take a variety of vegetables — squash, zucchini, mushrooms, onions or asparagus — and add a little salt, pepper, garlic and butter; you’ve got a great-tasting, easy side dish, says Bass.

He adds that he is also a big fan of grilling fruits such as pineapple or even peaches.

COOL IT But it’s not just the ingredients where people often forget to pull back. Whether it’s a fear of giving your guests a mild bit of food poisoning, or just the distraction WILSON WOMAN

of cooking in a crowd possibly after a summertime beverage or two, even experienced cooks are in danger of overcooking their backyard cuisine if not careful. Knowing your grill temperature (and hot spots) and monitoring how long the food has been on need to stay in the forefront of the cook’s mind.

“I see people overcook food a lot of time.

You have to remember that it doesn’t take long for stuff to cook on a hot grill,” said Bass.

SAME GOES FOR SEAFOOD Seafood is also always a popular summertime food on the grill. And with such close proximity to the ocean, Wilson always has access to a fresh catch. But again, warns Bass, simple is best.

“With seafood, I always make a simple baste, and I pretty much use it with all my seafood.” For his seafood baste, Bass whips together some olive oil, white wine, minced garlic, lemon juice, salt, pepper and freshly chopped herbs. Though straight forward and not heavy on ingredients, he says it is perfect on anything from fish to shrimp and scallops.

Whether you are entertaining guests in the yard or just trying to achieve the perfect burger by yourself on the deck, remember that grilling out is supposed to be fun — you don’t have to try to outdo yourself every time.

-Bradley Hearn

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While chefs Daniel Bass and Lynne Bigness both believe that, traditional, simple dishes with fewer ingredients are better suited for outdoor grilling, there are many recipes available for those inclined to make their backyard party at tad more gourmet.

Here are two recipes Bass and Biggness recommend for slow-cooked, hickory smoked ribs, with an optional ginger relish; and Mediterranean chicken.

See page 23 for an additional dessert recipe from Bigness that will help make any party — outdoor or indoor — a simple success.

H

Hickory Smoked Ribs With a Ginger Relish

from Wilson chef Daniel Bass Pup’s Steakhouse Ingredients Ribs 2-3 racks

Marinade (for ribs) 3 tbsp. brown sugar 3 cloves garlic (minced) 2 inch piece of minced ginger 2 tsp. crushed black pepper 1 tbsp. Chinese five spice 6 tbsp. soy sauce 4 tbsp. sesame oil Relish (optional) 4 tbsp. olive oil 1/4 cup chopped shallots 6 cloves garlic (minced) 2 inch piece of minced ginger 4 tbsp. rice vinegar 3 tbsp. sweet chili sauce 1/4 cup chopped cilantro 7 tbsp. Ketchup

Preparation

Marinate the ribs overnight in a covered dish in the refrigerator. An hour before you begin to cook, soak hickory chips in water for the full hour.

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Light and burn a small amount of charcoal on the grill. After the coals are ready, move the charcoal to each end of the grill and top with the hickory chips (creating smoke), making a space in the middle where the ribs will cook indirectly on the grill grate. Put the ribs on the indirect heat space. Cover the grill and let the smoke cook the ribs for 2 - 2 1/2 hours.

Adjust the coals as needed to keep the grill at roughly 300-350 degrees. Check and/or turn the ribs approximately every 30 minutes and baste with the marinade.

The ribs are done when you can “take a knife and easily cut through them.”

“You cook ribs slow and low,” says Bass.

“The important thing is not to have the ribs directly on the heat.”

WILSON WOMAN

M

Mediterranean Chicken

from Wilson chef Lynne Bigness with Aramark at Barton College (Recipe for 6)

Ingredients

Chicken 6- 6 ounce airline chicken breasts 2 cups of panko bread crumbs Filling 1/4 cup feta cheese 1/4 cup chopped kalamata olives 1/4 cup canned & drained diced tomatoes 1/4 cup olive oil (plus a little extra for coating chicken) 1/4 cup sun dried tomatoes Fresh herbs, chopped: 1/2 tsp each: basil, oregano, marjoram, thyme. Or, 1 tsp dry Italian seasoning.

Salt & pepper

Preparation

Mix the ingredients. Then, stuff the filling underneath the skin of the airline breast. Brush with olive oil and lightly roll in panko bread crumbs.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes.

White sauce (to be served on top of chicken) Mix: 1/4 cup flour 1/4 cup butter 1/8 cup minced shallots Heat mixture until thickened and add about 2 cups of half and half.

Season with salt and pepper Variation: add white wine for flavor.

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AT HOME

A Change of Seasons Wilson interior designers share tips

I

It’s always the same old problem.The weather finally seems to be warming up and you’re eager to not only feel the warm sunshine outside, but bring a little of that sunlight inside your home.

The winter was long and hard, the spring air full of pollen, but summer brings a new feeling of fun and lightness.

Unfortunately, your house still has that “I’ve just emerged from a long winter’s nap” look about it. So what can you do that won’t cost a fortune?

Solutions

Giving your house a summer feel doesn’t have to drain your bank account. From changing out accessories and pillows to painting a room to give it a fresh glow, there are many easy, inexpensive options right at your fingertips.

Wendy Winstead, owner of Creative Designs/Showplace Manor in Wilson, says that simply adding an artificial flower arrangement on a table can do the trick.

“Lately, I’ve made small arrangements with little splashes of color for under $100 and people love them,” said Winstead. “Floral arrangements are probably the biggest thing we do to provide a fresh look.”

Brad Parris, vice president of design at Stuart Walston, Inc. in Wilson, agrees that flowers can go a long way in changing the look of a room.

“People are using flowers to freshen up a room, but we’re not

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Story and photos by Janelle Clevinger talking about cut flower arrangements,” Parris said. “You can grab a pot of gerbera daisies or a begonia, stick some moss around it and you’ll have something that will last not die in a few days.”

Parris added that simply changing a table decoration can make a big difference.

“Take away the heavy centerpiece on a table and replace it with a simple bowl filled with lemons or some other brighter and fresher table decoration,” Parris said. “Or simply change the linens on that table.”

“Change out your pillows and throws for the seasons,” said Winstead. “Remove the heavy plaids or faux firs that you used during the cold months and change to light colors for spring and summer. Exchange your pillows that might have heavy fringes or tassels and bring out pillows that feature flower print or beads. This can be a good, inexpensive five to 10 year plan.”

Rugs can be another way to give your house a more springlike feel.

“You might want to get a small, inexpensive rug for your sunroom or den that has springy color in it,” Winstead said.

Winstead’s store sells Mad Mats, which are similar to area rugs, but can be used outside on porches or decks and hosed off when dirty. Selling for under $100, these rugs can bring just the splash of color you need.

Mad Mats also allow you to decorate an area of the house which is sometimes forgotten — the outside.

WILSON WOMAN

“Design can actually start on the front porch with outdoor fabrics that absorb water and prevent mildew,” Winstead said. “There is very pretty yard art out there right now, sculptures and colorful planters that you can bring them on the porch. Of course potted flowers can also be wonderful source of color.”

Parris said that more and more people are paying attention to the color outside of their homes.

“People are paying attention to what they see from their own windows,” Parris said. “They don’t just plant flowers under the window, they plant them so you can see it from the window. “Landscapers refer to it as a ‘vista.’”

Winstead says she sometimes pulls colors from the outside of a house to the inside, making a smooth transition between the two areas.

“We try to pull colors surrounding the area,” Winstead said. “For instance, if there is a swimming pool, we will pull blue tones into the room that is near the pool. If you have a fountain or a pond, you might bring in a painting with koi in it or feature the tones seen in the rocks.”

And the simplest idea of all?

“Straighten up and get your house tidy,” Parris said. “Throw out stack of magazines and things cluttering your house. We sometimes go in and get people jump-started on these types of projects” Winstead advises the same thing. “One way to get a new look is simply to get organized,” Winstead said. “I tell my clients to make three piles: the absolute must keep pile; a throw away pile; and a donation pile.”

“You can do a little freshening up and not spend a lot of money, but you still feel much better,” added Winstead.

Brad Parris, with Stuart Walston, Inc., says that simply changing a table decoration can make a big difference in your home’s seasonal decor.

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17

About Town

Theater of the American South Patron Party photography by Amber McDaniels

O

On Thursday, May 12, Theater of the American South kicked off the 2011 festival with a patron party at the home of Clyde Harris. The annual spring festival features two plays in repertory, as well as Southern cooking, a speaker series, antiques show and other cultural events showcasing the richness of the Southern way of life.

Elizabeth Winstead and Susan Fecho were among the guests at the home of Clyde Harris during the patron party.

Lou Ann Cozart and Cindy Cash have a conversation before heading out to the festival’s first performance, The Civil War in Song and Legend, at the Boykin Center.

Betty Lou Walston and Martha Lane Camp pause for a minute at the festival’s kickoff party.

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SPRING/SUMMER 2011

WILSON WOMAN

About Town

Wilson Garden Tour Evening Reception

T

photography by Amber McDaniels

The weekend of May 6-7 saw area citizens enjoying the diligent labors of many Wilson gardeners during the 2011 Wilson Garden Tour. The tour was sponsored the Wilson Botanical Gardens, Wilson County Master Gardeners and the Wilson Visitors Bureau and featured seven local gardens in addition to the Wilson Botanical Gardens. On Friday, David and Karen Corbett hosted an evening reception, including a silent auction, at their home to kick off the tour. All proceeds from the tour went to benefit the future Children’s Secret Garden at the Wilson Botanical Gardens.

Courtney Griffin, Shelten Griffen and Larry Daniel enjoy the atmosphere in the Corbett’s eclectic, Asian-influenced garden.

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Melvin Whitman, owner, BQ Grills, Elm City, NC

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What started out as a hobby for Melvin Whitman’s father-in-law and, for Whitman himself, merely a side venture to make a few extra dollars, has blossomed into a full-fledged family business with customers all over North America.

Whitman owns and operates BQ Grills, a custom grill manufacturing company and store in Elm City. The company builds anything from simple patio grills up to large custom catering rigs.

While working for Firestone in the late 1980s, and having a little background in drafting and in heat shops, Whitman picked up the welding and construction of the grills from his father-in-law, who built grills for fun in his spare time for friends and relatives.

“He wasn’t really serious about it from a business perspective,” said Whitman.

“I just kind of rolled with it.”

Whitman technically began selling the grills from the start, but he says that it wasn’t until about 1991 that he began to look at it seriously as a business. By 1994, he says, things really started picking up. It was around this time, in 1996, that he brought in his brother-in-law, Greg Stallings, to be the shop foreman while Whitman and his wife managed the store and day-to-day operations.

Even his oldest son has recently become involved with the company, unofficially making BQ Grills a three-generation family business.

The store carries a standard line of inventory, but many, if not most, of the grills are custom made. “Everybody likes a little something different,” said Whitman.

“Our bread and butter is definitely the towable grills, but we still build all the home stuff too.”

A customer may come in the store (or communicate over the internet) and roughly explain the different capabilities they are looking for in a grill. Whitman will draw up some rough plans and talk them through the practicalities of building WILSON WOMAN

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it.

Though the BQ Grills store may carry smaller items like little fish cookers made by other companies, overall, Whitman carries no other brands and sells only the grills they make right on site. Namely, because he says some companies don’t stand by their product.

If something happens to a BQ Grill, or someone calls to complain about a part on a particular grill they had made (a very rare occurrence), Whitman can go assess and take care of the problem himself.

“That’s really what has kept me going,” he says, “taking care of my customer base. It’s the biggest thing — keeping your customers happy.”

And it’s that commitment to a quality product and personalized customer service which has caused the company to grow so well. The company does very little advertising anymore, he says, because word of mouth and the internet have taken over.

Currently, BQ Grills sells between 400 and 500 grills each year, shipping as far away as Alaska and selling to individual households, BBQ tournament competitors, municipalities and even the military. Whitman mentions a particularly unusual delivery not too long ago where a group of soldiers on a training exercise flew a helicopter to the Wilson airport to pick up a big pig cooker for their unit.

“It’s pretty amazing who we’ve sold to really,” he said.

Even with the amazing growth and steady stream of business Whitman has enjoyed, he thinks there is definitely room for the business to grow. In fact, he believes it’s something that will definitely happen in the not-too-distant future.

“We’re just holding back for a bit to see how the economy is going to fare.”

Bradley Hearn WWW.WILSONTIMES.COM

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SPRING/SUMMER 2011

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TO DO

25 Things to do in Wilson this summer Passing time on lazy days

The first Downtown Alive on May 4, above, kicked off the summer concert season and is one of many reasons to leave the house this summer.

Photo by Brad Coville

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Whether you’re looking for activities to do with restless kids home for summer break or simply trying to find a way to break the same old routines, there are plenty of opportunities to take advantage of in Wilson. From live music and

1) Join the whirligig repair and conservation effort as Vollis Simpson’s whirligig’s continue their move downtown. www.wilsonwhirligigs.org.

2) Downtown Alive every other Wednesday, 6 - 8:30 p.m., through Sept. 7.

3) Find your own private oasis among the 40 different area parks in Wilson County. www.wilsonnc.org/parksrec 4) Go golfing at any of Wilson’s four golf courses.

5) First Fridays on the Lawn at the Wilson County Public Library 6) Summer camps at Imagination Station Science Museum. http://www.imaginescience.org/ 7) Thunder Alley R/C Speedway; County Line Raceway. www.thunder-alley.com / www.racerap.com 8) Go antiquing at one of Wilson’s many famous antique stores on Hwy. 301 or Downtown 11) Wilson Farmers Market at the Wilson County Fairgrounds, open Saturdays from 7:30 a.m. to noon.

10) The Downtown Farmer’s Market is back every Wednesday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. until September 7.

11) Enjoy a performance from the Barton College/ Wilson Symphony Orchestra. http://www.barton.edu/culturalarts/symphony

sports, to shopping and stimulating museums, look no further than your own hometown.

Below are 25 suggestions for “things to do” while passing the late spring and summer months.

12) The Wilson Botanical Gardens and Children’s Secret Garden 13) Wilson Area Railroad Modelers at the Antique Barn and Train Shop 14) Freeman Round House Museum 15) The Wilson Tobs Baseball Club 16) Take advantage of thousands of acres of land and water at Buckhorn Lake.

17) Art Galleries www.wilsonarts.org 18) Take the miniature train ride, Saturdays and Sundays, at the Wilson Recreation park. 399-2266 19) The NC Baseball Museum, 296-3048 20) The J. Burt Gillette complex, including the Noah’s Playground, designed for handicapped children 21) Water and land activities at Toisnot Park.

22) Join the ‘Cyclists of Wilson’ Google group and take a bike ride with other citizens looking to get healthier.

23) Take in some old-time music at the County Line Bluegrass Barn or the R.A. Fountain General Store.

25) Other museums like the Tobacco Farm Life in Kenly or the Country Doctor Museum in Bailey 25) Line dancing classes at either Reid Street Community Center or Bill’s BBQ. WILSON WOMAN

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Two of the most significant commitments you will make all year

Fruit Tart

from Wilson chef Lynne Bigness with Aramark at Barton College Crust:

Ingredients

1 cup butter 2 cup AP flour 1/4 cup granulated sugar

Preparation

1 cup butter cut in cubes, 2 cup ap flour, 1/4 cup ice water, 1/4 cup sugar.

Mix in food processor, pulse six times.

Roll dough out on lightly floured board.

Put in tart pan, chill 1/2 hour. Bake 375 degrees for about 20 minutes.

Pastry cream:

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter 1/2 cup flour 1/4 cup granulated sugar 2 cup half and half 2 egg yolk 1/2 of a vanilla bean

Preparation

Prepare pastry cream, 1/2 cup of butter, melt. Add 1/2 cup ap flour, add 1/4 cup sugar and 2 cup 1/2 & 1/2, watch closely, stirring constantly. Bring to a light simmer. Take 2 egg yolks, whip lightly add 1/4 of pastry cream making a liaison.

Add more of the pastry cream until all incorporated. Put back on stove just to heat thru, add 1 1/2 of vanilla bean, split and scraped Strain and cool.

Topping:

Ingredients

1 quart of strawberries 3 kiwi or 1 can a mandarin oranges 1/8 cup amaretto

Preparation

Wash Strawberries, or blueberries, peel kiwi or drain mandarin oranges Heat 8 oz apricot glaze, with 1/8 cup amaretto. Prepare fruit tart Fill shell with pastry cream, place fruit on top and apricot glaze brushed on to finish.

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