Traveling predawn, south Georgia roads in an effort to arrive at my younger brother's farm before the daily milking began, I was amazed at just how dark it is in the country. I wasn't as familiar with the route as I should have been and realized, all too late, there was a very real possibility of getting myself totally lost; lost with no cell phone service! So naturally I prayed; prayed and watched the road very carefully for each turn and for each landmark along the way. My prayers were answered and I arrived safely in plenty of time to join Renee, my sweet sister-in-law, at the milking station in the new barn Clyde, my younger brother, had recently built.
The setting was idyllic; the sweet smell of late summer grass, the sounds of early morning farm coming to life and the walk to the barn with my brother and his wife to get the milking done before the day began. Now this is really living, I said to myself! Then the work began...washing the udders, feeding the cow, milking the cow, straining the milk, heating the milk, making the curd, draining the curd, making the cheese...these are just the highlights. We worked non-stop from 6:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. with the result of one two-pound hoop of Colby cheese which is still aging in the frig for another two months. This is the simple life? The reality of simple not being synonymous with easy hit me between the eyes! This realization became ever clear to me: maintaining a simple, uncluttered life will, indeed, take a lot of work.
The following morning I traveled again out to the country to pick up the cheese we had made the day before. Oh yeah, I forgot to tell you, the cheese had to stay in the press for 12 hours, then dry out before it can be dipped into the wax for the aging process to begin. Talk about 'slow food'! This trip to the farm was in the bright light of morning, so I took off with no hesitation on whether I would get lost or not; if I can find my way in pitch darkness, then surely I'll have no trouble in the sunlight! Yes, you guessed it, I missed two turns and almost ended up in Bainbridge. Then this revelation became clear to me; in the dark times of life when I draw near to God, He will guide me, giving me 'turn-by-turn' directions and He will not allow me to get lost. Conversely, during the sunny times, when all is right with the world, I can easily get distracted and readily lose my way. I left the farm that day with a renewed commitment to stay close to God, to listen and hear His voice whether it is a sunny day at the beach or the roughest storm of life. Following His directions is the ultimate simple life!
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Monday, September 19, 2011
South Before Winter
Several days ago I returned from Atlanta and have been trying ever since to put in writing some of my experiences at the Institut Du Fromage, aka cheese school. For countless hours we were bombarded with cheese information; everything from evaluating cheese, proper handling of cheese, pairing cheese with food and beverage, to most importantly, cheese nutrition. Needless to say, I tasted heaven during those three days, as countless plates of cheese were set before each student in order for us to taste and see or better said, taste and understand the information given to us. While driving back from Atlanta and in the days following, I have been sorting through this information, reading and re-reading, praying this information would germinate into knowledge and the knowledge into wisdom; wisdom for the journey that lies ahead.
However, with all this information to consume, the DVR in my brain continues to replay our last training session, “Meet the Cheese Makers”. I can vividly remember each cheese maker telling their own story; when they made their first cheese, their basic life philosophy of being stewards of the land, how they made the particular cheese we were tasting, how it was hand pressed, hand rubbed, bathed and aged. I can even remember how each cheese tasted but more importantly, I remember during that session a longing deep within began calling me to a simpler time. Maybe this longing was birthed from being in Atlanta traffic for three whole days or maybe it was a re-birth of my heritage; the ‘farmer spirit’, if you will, of my grandparents calling me to slow down, enjoy the fruit of my labor with those I love.
Consequently, I’m on the road again, going south before winter to spend some quality time with my parents, a couple of my brothers and their precious families. If all goes according to plan I hope to actually milk the cows and make some butter on my brother’s farm; plus I will be visiting a nationally know farmstead dairy and creamery in the area. I promise when I return I will share with you some my most recent ‘gotta taste this one before you die’ cheeses and other foods.
However, with all this information to consume, the DVR in my brain continues to replay our last training session, “Meet the Cheese Makers”. I can vividly remember each cheese maker telling their own story; when they made their first cheese, their basic life philosophy of being stewards of the land, how they made the particular cheese we were tasting, how it was hand pressed, hand rubbed, bathed and aged. I can even remember how each cheese tasted but more importantly, I remember during that session a longing deep within began calling me to a simpler time. Maybe this longing was birthed from being in Atlanta traffic for three whole days or maybe it was a re-birth of my heritage; the ‘farmer spirit’, if you will, of my grandparents calling me to slow down, enjoy the fruit of my labor with those I love.
Consequently, I’m on the road again, going south before winter to spend some quality time with my parents, a couple of my brothers and their precious families. If all goes according to plan I hope to actually milk the cows and make some butter on my brother’s farm; plus I will be visiting a nationally know farmstead dairy and creamery in the area. I promise when I return I will share with you some my most recent ‘gotta taste this one before you die’ cheeses and other foods.
Monday, September 12, 2011
I’ll be back!
I’ll be taking a little break from blogging for the next several days as this week has taken on a life of its own. I’ll be attending classes at The Institut du Fromage, located in Atlanta, GA for a couple of days followed by Atlanta Food International Wine and Food Show on Wednesday, also in Atlanta. Then topping off the week, I’ll be celebrating the Third Annual Cheese Week at Star Provisions September 14 – 17, 2011 with interactive demonstrations and tastings for three entire days! Needless to say I am very excited for the opportunity to study and learn from the best in the industry and I should arrive home on Saturday full of cheese and cheesy ideas for Irma James and a clearer sense of direction for our new shop.
Stay tuned in, ‘cause I will be back!
Friday, September 9, 2011
Thank you Lord
Let me quickly define a perfect Friday:
- Wake up with a cool breeze blowing across the bed, temperature was perfect!
- Spend a little time communicating with builder, security specialist, returning emails, washing clothes and making a to do list
- Set out to “Taste Chattanooga” – what an adventure!
- Visit several local artisans, purchasing their work and loading it home to sample and determine start up inventory! I would love to describe to you what I tasted today, but you will have to check out Irma James in Mid-November to taste and see what I experienced today!
- Take a brief cruise on the Tennessee River with my sweet husband; peaceful doesn’t even begin to describe the River at the end of the day!
- Prepare a dinner for two of Artisan bread, salad of greens and local farm grown tomatoes, grilled lean pork tenderloin rubbed with local artisan seasonings, and grilled organic Yukon Gold potatoes and sweet onion also purchased earlier today.
- Complete the meal with fresh, French-style macaroons baked right here in Chattanooga. Shear Bliss!
- Cool lake breeze is still blowing across the bed, the sheets are clean and calling my name and I’m about done!
Thank you Lord for a perfect Friday!
Thursday, September 8, 2011
What’s in your pantry?
Fall is in the air in East Tennessee, Braves are winning, pro-football kicks off tonight and I’m in the mood for our first pot of homemade soup of the season. Here’s a recipe I have played with and tweaked over the years, depending on what’s in my pantry. By the way, Momma Sturm’s pantry is considered bare if I don’t have a good supply of potatoes, onions, chicken stock, Rotel, olive oil, sugar, flour, salt pepper, Lawry’s Seasoned Salt, Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning and peanut butter; my ingredients to conquer the world! Of course I have other seasonings and staples but if I get low on any of the above, my palms begin to sweat, right eye begins to twitch and my speaking voice raises three octaves…panic reigns! Seriously, here’s the recipe; I encourage you to play with it and make it your own – enjoy!
While potatoes are boiling, in a large stock pot, sauté large onion in butter, olive oil or bacon drippings. (Tonight I cooked 5 slices of bacon before I sauté the onions then used the drippings.)
Once onions are cooked clear, add 1/3 – 1/2 cup of all purpose flour (the more flour, the thicker the soup) stirring continually in the onion/oil mixture making of roux, this is your thickening agent for the soup. Then slowly add a box of chicken stock, I use low sodium, no MSG, stir continually. To this mixture add sweet Kernel corn, either frozen or canned, 1 can of Rotel tomatoes (you choose the variety according to heat), continue to stir, then add milk – 1 – 2 cups. (I typically rinse out my veggie cans with the milk the pour into soup mixture.) Bring mixture to slow simmer.
Once this mixture has reached the simmer stage, test the boiling potatoes, they should be tender, then add the tender, cooked potatoes to the soup mixture. Season with ground cumin and cilantro, salt and pepper to taste; For the final touch add your favorite cooking cheese, one that melts creamy and smooth. Gouda works well, Fontina, Monterey Jack or Pepper Jack or just plain Velvetta; I typically add a peppery cheese for added heat, but you can use use whatever you like. Sometimes when I’m low on cheese (heaven forbid) I sprinkle shredded cheese on each individual bowl; also, remember that bacon I cooked earlier for the drippings, it found its way into the soup right before I served it.
As you can see, my recipe writing style is just like my cooking style, a little of this, a pinch of that, not very exact! That’s what makes cooking and eating so exciting; no two pots of soup ever taste the same! Give it a try, go to your pantry, create some soup and make Irma proud!
Potato-Corn Chowder
5 Р8 medium sized potatoes, boiled in salted water, then drained (sometimes I add a couple sprigs of fresh rosemary from the garden into the boiling water, smells wonderful)While potatoes are boiling, in a large stock pot, saut̩ large onion in butter, olive oil or bacon drippings. (Tonight I cooked 5 slices of bacon before I saut̩ the onions then used the drippings.)
Once onions are cooked clear, add 1/3 – 1/2 cup of all purpose flour (the more flour, the thicker the soup) stirring continually in the onion/oil mixture making of roux, this is your thickening agent for the soup. Then slowly add a box of chicken stock, I use low sodium, no MSG, stir continually. To this mixture add sweet Kernel corn, either frozen or canned, 1 can of Rotel tomatoes (you choose the variety according to heat), continue to stir, then add milk – 1 – 2 cups. (I typically rinse out my veggie cans with the milk the pour into soup mixture.) Bring mixture to slow simmer.
Once this mixture has reached the simmer stage, test the boiling potatoes, they should be tender, then add the tender, cooked potatoes to the soup mixture. Season with ground cumin and cilantro, salt and pepper to taste; For the final touch add your favorite cooking cheese, one that melts creamy and smooth. Gouda works well, Fontina, Monterey Jack or Pepper Jack or just plain Velvetta; I typically add a peppery cheese for added heat, but you can use use whatever you like. Sometimes when I’m low on cheese (heaven forbid) I sprinkle shredded cheese on each individual bowl; also, remember that bacon I cooked earlier for the drippings, it found its way into the soup right before I served it.
As you can see, my recipe writing style is just like my cooking style, a little of this, a pinch of that, not very exact! That’s what makes cooking and eating so exciting; no two pots of soup ever taste the same! Give it a try, go to your pantry, create some soup and make Irma proud!
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Irma’s Hands
So today I made my annual trip to the doctor and he tells me I need to think about coming off my Hormone Replacement Therapy. Ok, I thought about it and the answer is: Marsha minus hormones equals DANGER!!! Getting older makes me think I need to move one street over to Crappy Lane; yes, there is a street here in the Chickamauga Fly and Bait Casting Club called Crappy Lane! The thoughts of no hormones should reek havoc in the western world and I’m giving everyone within the sound of my voice fair warning: WARNING, WARNING, DANGER WILL ROBINSON! I guess I’ll have to start a new blog called, “So I’ve ‘Changed’, Now What?” I’ve never really understood why menopause is called, “THE CHANGE”. It’s like the title of some freaky, horror movie! Oh well, stay tuned, there just might be a sequel.
And now a word from our sponsor, Irma James! The past several days have been tedious with research and reading accompanied by an occasional doubt served up with a side of sheer fear. I have re-grouped so many times I could run a political campaign! It’s the same feeling as standing on the 20-foot diving platform at Wakulla Springs; I’m trying to talk myself out of it inevitably knowing full well, the only thing I can do is jump, eyes-wide open and enjoy the fall, cause that bone-chilling water is about to hit you real hard, real soon!
Yesterday morning, during one of my fearful moments, I reached for a box of Irma’s recipes. First of all, you must understand my grandmother never threw away a single piece of paper; she would retool and reuse anything and everything! I have recipes written on the back of a receipt from the Western Auto store, on a church bulletin and a mail outs from Oral Roberts. And usually these recipes are dated along with the date she received the piece of mail, bulletin and receipt. She was as meticulous in her record keeping as she was in preparing food. I can see her now sitting at the kitchen table with a bowl and a sharp paring knife, cutting and slicing fruits and vegetables to exacting thickness and size. To my knowledge she never used a cutting board or a chef’s knife to chop food, she always did it by hand with extremely precise results. The gift of love she exhibited with those sweet hands, whether cooking, sewing or writing recipes or scripture verses is eternal. Her love lives on, not only in her handwritten recipe box, in her handmade quilts and afghans but it lives on in Heaven. Don’t you think she is still using those precious hands to make fresh pear preserves for the saints or is she taking handwritten notes of everything so glorious and Holy all around her?
And now a word from our sponsor, Irma James! The past several days have been tedious with research and reading accompanied by an occasional doubt served up with a side of sheer fear. I have re-grouped so many times I could run a political campaign! It’s the same feeling as standing on the 20-foot diving platform at Wakulla Springs; I’m trying to talk myself out of it inevitably knowing full well, the only thing I can do is jump, eyes-wide open and enjoy the fall, cause that bone-chilling water is about to hit you real hard, real soon!
Yesterday morning, during one of my fearful moments, I reached for a box of Irma’s recipes. First of all, you must understand my grandmother never threw away a single piece of paper; she would retool and reuse anything and everything! I have recipes written on the back of a receipt from the Western Auto store, on a church bulletin and a mail outs from Oral Roberts. And usually these recipes are dated along with the date she received the piece of mail, bulletin and receipt. She was as meticulous in her record keeping as she was in preparing food. I can see her now sitting at the kitchen table with a bowl and a sharp paring knife, cutting and slicing fruits and vegetables to exacting thickness and size. To my knowledge she never used a cutting board or a chef’s knife to chop food, she always did it by hand with extremely precise results. The gift of love she exhibited with those sweet hands, whether cooking, sewing or writing recipes or scripture verses is eternal. Her love lives on, not only in her handwritten recipe box, in her handmade quilts and afghans but it lives on in Heaven. Don’t you think she is still using those precious hands to make fresh pear preserves for the saints or is she taking handwritten notes of everything so glorious and Holy all around her?
Sunday, September 4, 2011
Irma wants to know!
Sorry you didn't hear from me last night, we actually had a bad storm come through and we were without power for seven hours; I'm not complaining 'cause we really needed the 1.5 inches of rain we got here on Possum Creek!
Here's a quick question for you today: When you were a kid, what was your favorite sandwich? Peanut Butter and Jelly or Grilled Cheese? Possibly you had another fav or a take off of one of these classics so let me hear from you!
Here's a quick question for you today: When you were a kid, what was your favorite sandwich? Peanut Butter and Jelly or Grilled Cheese? Possibly you had another fav or a take off of one of these classics so let me hear from you!
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