Friends Drift Inn Farm – Real Life Food Conference
Southern Food Writing Conference 2012
An Overview
I went to Knoxville’s Biscuit Festival and Southern Food Writing Conference with a suitcase full of hope. I left with biscuit crumbs stuck in the corners of my mouth; my brain was fed, and my belly was full. The Southern Food Writing Conference experience was exceptional!
The Skinny Dipping Philosophy
I have a philosophy about conferences, especially those that I expect to attend repeatedly; it is the same philosophy I apply to skinny dipping.
Skinny dipping can be liberating; but it can be dangerous too. Best to take a look around the surroundings, test the temperature of the waters, and make sure the folks already in the water are friends you are comfortable with. No sense baring your “soul” too soon.
If you have reservations about taking the plunge, there is no shame in sitting on the bank, sipping bourbon, and contemplating the possibilities. I am not a shrinking violet who enjoys the sidelines; but Daddy always said “Don’t rush into things.”
I confess some speakers inspired me, some bored me, some infuriated me, and some amused me. I embraced the swimming hole for what it was, and contentedly lounged on the bank behind very dark sunglasses.
How it came to be…Southern Foodways Alliance
The gathering was apparently the brain child of the Southern Foodways Alliance’s John T. Edge; who envisioned adding a cultural element to Knoxville’s Biscuit Festival. In fact, the SFA folks turned out in force notably Ronni Lundy, Elizabeth Sims, Sheri Castle, Brett Anderson, Chadwick Boyd, Janet Kurtz and Jennifer Cole.
I have been told by more than one mentor that Southern Foodways Alliance is where I will find peace and solace. Come October, I hope to find out.
What did the speakers have to say?
From my point of view, Fred Thompson of Edible Piedmont ruled the conference. His advice on “Breaking into Food Writing” was invaluable. In co-presenting with Regan Huff of the University of Georgia Press, Thompson offered a roadmap to the publishing world.
John Egerton, legendary Southern writer, addressed Southern Food and Culture with Nashville food columnist, Jennifer Justus. However, as the “play by play” guy for the Beaten Biscuit demo by chefs Tyler Brown and Cole Ellis, Egerton’s passion for food history truly shone brightest.
Author Barbara Swell spoke on her experiences putting together small books designed for gift shop sales. Barbara understands mountain living and the Upper South, which brings a different flavor to the “southern” experience.
Throughout the event, topics focused on traditional print media. Shaun Chavis and Jason Horn, co-founders of Food Blog South, were a huge breath of fresh air. It’s a brave new digital world! Their presentation was at once a primer for non-bloggers and path of biscuit crumbs for bloggers looking to elevate their platforms.
Fred Sauceman served as moderator for Mark and Sherry Guenther of Muddy Pond Sorghum. I have volumes to say about sorghum, and so do Mark and Sherry. The couple explained their business, the process of growing, harvesting, and “cooking down” sorghum. Sherry made me laugh when she emphatically explained sorghum is NOT molasses. It’s a song I have been singing for awhile now. (Sorghum is milled from sorghum cane. Molasses is a by-product of the sugar cane, a whole ‘nother grass)
By far the most amusing and candid presentation was by Nathalie Dupree and Cynthia Graubart, co-authors of Southern Biscuits. Nathalie and Cynthia are a good pair, tempering practicality with whimsy. Topics included organizing recipes, test kitchen methods, and pulling a conceptual cookbook together.
Nathalie brought the house down with her comments on working with photographers. “Parsley in the crotch” is apparently an affliction many shutterbugs embrace rather than battle; preferring to add parsley to the empty cavity of a turkey rather than celebrating the browness of the bird. “Brown is beautiful,” Nathalie proclaims.
Feed Me! Feed Me!
As you might expect, the Southern Food Writing Conference moved on its belly. Chefs Tyler Brown and Cole Ellis of The Hermitage’s Capitol Grille treated us to a breakfast featuring mustard seed biscuits with sack sausage,
tomato gravy, and poached eggs.
The opening luncheon was a finger food buffet, fresh and springy, like Knoxville in May. Sweet Tea flowed in abundance. I especially enjoyed the curried egg salad sandwiches. Cupcakes featuring maple syrup frosting with bits of Benton’s bacon scored high on the dessert list.
Blackberry Farm, a twenty minute bus ride from Knoxville, was a food lovers dream. The six course meal plus multiple wine pairings was quite impressive. Beet salad paired with strawberries, trout with buttermilk consommé, guinea and dumpling, beef with lambs quarters, biscuit ice cream and biscuit cuillere with chocolate mousse and raspberries made for a dinner that had me waddling.
The finale of my conference experience was a visit to Cruze Dairy Farm, known for their buttermilk production.
Hats off to Biscuit Boss John W. Craig and Knoxville’s International Biscuit Festival for a job well done. I’ll be back next year…no swimsuit required.
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