Kentucky Pie Bars

May Day Pie, Pegasus Pie, Thoroughbred Pie — just don’t call it the “D” word.

You see, the Kern family, of Melrose Inn created the pie in the 1950′s and still owns and actively protects the name and the exact secret recipe. But a chocolate, pecan, and bourbon pie by any other name still tastes as delicious.

This year, since I’m celebrating the Derby outside my homestate, traveling in South Carolina, I still wanted my taste of you-know-what pie. So I decided to see if I could turn this classic pie into portable bars.

Here’s what you’ll need:

A recipe for your favorite pie crust

1 1/2 sticks softened butter

1 1/2 cups sugar

3 eggs

3/4 cup flour

a good pinch of salt

a splash of bourbon (optional)

1 1/2 cups chocolate chips

1 1/2 cups pecans (some swear by walnuts, but I’m a pecan girl… use whatever you like).

Preheat your oven to 350. Then line a deep baking pan with your pie crust. Separately mix together the pie ingredients — butter, sugar, eggs, flour, salt, bourbon, chocolate, and nuts and pour it into your baking dish, spreading it evenly over the pie crust. Then just bake for about 20 – 25 minutes.

Keep your eye on this, as you just want a golden crust forming on top.  We’re aiming for gooey pie-like bars, not crunchy here. I wish I could eat warm with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream, but they’re just as good at room temperature.

Cut into big ol’ squares, and wrap tightly and they’ll keep up to a week, but I’m guessing they won’t last that long if you’re anything like me.

For more inspiration for your Derby day party, check out some other Kentucky recipes for your menu:

Kentucky Hot Brown

Burgoo

Mint Julep Iced Tea

Bourbon Balls

One Night Stand, A Motel Art Show in Oxford, MS

Erin Austen Abbott (see below) is the creative force behind the One Night Stand art show coming up this weekend in Oxford, Mississippi. If you can get there, it is sure to be the highlight of your year!  She shares with us today about the show. “The first motel show was created when I was out shooting pictures one day, back in 2007. I was taking pictures at an old travelodge style motel, the type that you drive up and park outside your room, set in a U shape. All the doors had these wooden red hearts on each door. I had heard rumors that the walls inside the rooms were brown wood paneling. I suddenly had visions of T. Model Ford sitting on the edge of the bed, playing his hill country blues while fine art leaned against the furniture or replaced the current art hanging in the rooms.

I immediately found ten artist friends that were having a hard time finding places to show their work locally. The first show was set. I did the show twice the first year. The second being bigger than the first. Then in 2008, I took the show on the road to Los Angeles. In a town where it could have been a bust, it proved to be just the opposite. The show made the front pages of City Search LA and Yelp as THE thing to do for the night. It was also featured in the LA Times. With that support, 1500+ people showed up to enjoy The One Night Stand at The Beverly Laurel Motel.

The show returned back to Oxford in 2009 and 2010. This year will mark the 5th Annual One Night Stand at The Ole Miss Motel.

Next year will begin a new formula for the One Night Stand. Presented by The Yoknapatawpha Arts Council and The Motel Art Show Series, the show will be in Oxford every October and at an out of town location in the spring and fall.

In May of 2012, the show will travel to Brooklyn, NY, in September to Nashville, TN and again in Oxford to wrap up 2012. Then in the spring of 2013, the show will cross the country to Portland, OR and end up back in Oxford, MS in the fall.

For those interested in submitting work, please direct them to iheartmotelart.com.”

Erin Austen Abbott, born 1976, in Tupelo, Mississippi, studied photography at the Museum School of Fine Arts in Boston, MA and at the Photographic Center Northwest in Seattle, WA. She has had shows in Tampa, Seattle, Boston, Memphis, Los Angeles, Oxford, MS, Basel, Switzerland, Milan,Italy, Berlin,Germany and Water Valley, MS in the years 1999- 2010. Erin’s work is studied in the art curriculum at The University of Milan in Milan, Italy. She is also the creator of the “One Night Stand Motel Art Show Series”, started in 2007, a series of art shows transforming a motel and its rooms into a one night only art show, giving artists a chance to show their work in a non traditional setting. Erin has had work published in Esquire, Teen Vogue, Alternative Press, LA Times, Uppercase, and in Southern Spaces, an online journal for Emory University Press.  Erinis currently living in Water Valley, Mississippi.

From Erin, “I opened my store, Amelia, in Oxford in August of 2009. Aside from running my store, I also travel nanny for the guitarist for the band The Flaming Lips, who has two children and for the band Mates of State. Several months ago, I also launched chARTer nannies, with three other friends, which is a travel nanny agency, pairing creative nannies with families that want to take their children on the road. Our clients are musicians, artists, writers, actors, directors. Families that don’t want to put their creative lives on hold yet don’t want to be away from their children.”

While you are here, check out Erin’s featured work, shop Amelia Presents, blog, and home.  Good luck this weekend Erin!

Design Sponge Southern Book Tour

We all love our Design Sponge. The crafts, ideas, and just general things of interest I gleaned since adding Design Sponge to my reader program years ago has been incredible.  Grace Bonney and her crew, being the crafty and super smart people that they are, published a book this year.  The book is simply amazing. Seriously Martha Stewart better watch out, Design Sponge is the heart beat of the people!

In case you are lucky enough to live in or close by any of these great southern cities, make sure you stop in to buy your book, or get your book signed. Many of the cities are also hosting crafts as well, but you must RSVP (I know all of our southern ladies will of course).

Have a blast out there and craft away!

October 13 – Dallas, Texas

October 15 – Austin, Texas  

October 24 – Raleigh/Durham, North Carolina 

October 25 – Asheville, North Carolina

October 26 – Charleston, South Carolina 

October 27 - Savannah, Georgia

November 1 – Birmingham, Alabama

November 2 – Athens, Georgia.  

November 3 – Atlanta

Jules Reid, A Southern Based Clothier

Splitting time between both Virginia and New York City, designer Jules Reid gives all of us southern girls something to look forward to with her fall/winter line for 2011. Color abounds, as do the unique influences and designs. 

You can order online or find a store near you.

The Jules Reid website also has tons of summer items on sale currently, and truth be told, a “summer” dress in the south can be worn more months out of the year, than not.

Mark my words, this will be a designer we see for years and years to come.

{All photos from www.JulesReid.com}

Guest Post: Punch Brothers Concert {In Review}

Hello fellow SIT fans! Becky asked me to share with you about a concert I went to recently and I am so excited to tell you all about it!  I borrowed a Garden and Gun Magazine (which I originally heard about right here on SIT!) from some newlywed friends of mine. The main article was on the new crop of bluegrass musicians that are gaining momentum in the music world, and the Punch Brothers were one of the featured bands. Being a huge Nickel Creek fan, I was already familiar with the uber talented and adorable mandolin player, Chris Thile. To my delight, I saw that they were coming through my hometown of Jacksonville, Florida, so two friends, my cute bf, and I were off to the Florida Theatre for the event.

Let me first say that I love going to the Florida Theatre. It is a beautiful venue and I love staring up at the Mediterranean inspired interior before every show. The crowd was an eclectic mix of fans, which I always think makes for a great time. As I was not very familiar with the Punch Brothers music and my adventuring friends weren’t familiar with bluegrass (where have they been?), I knew it was going to be an experience for all of us.

The Punch Brothers are made up of guitarist Chris Eldridge, banjo player Noam Pikelny, violinist Gabe Witcher, bassist Greg Garrison, and Chris Thile on the mandolin. They all entered the stage in their sharp suits. Men in suits? Check. Amazing musicians? Check. Great harmony? Check, Check. Throw in an upright bass, and I’m done. Let’s just say I was sold from the beginning.

Three selections I enjoyed the most were their “Blind leaving the Blind”, which is a four movement piece from their self-entitled first album. The song from their most recent album, How to Grow a Woman from the Ground, is a great, foot stomping “Rye Whiskey”. You can’t help but clap and tap your toes! Watching Chris’ moves onstage makes it even more enjoyable. He loves making music, and his rooster like strut is fantastic entertainment! My favorite piece of the night was from their upcoming album. The song was entitled, “Soon or Never.” Gabe on the violin lead, along with the beautiful harmony throughout the song, had me leaning so far forward I almost fell out of my chair. It epitomized so much of what I love about bluegrass music. There is a melancholy longing that runs through the genre. A soul twisting recognition that something is missing or lost.

Ok, I lied. There were four songs that I loved the most. The encore started with an unexpected solo of Bach’s 4th movement of the G minor sonata by Chris. Um, hello? Classical music on the mandolin? Yes please, and thank you very much. While Chris was the main draw for me, I so appreciated the camaraderie of the whole band. They seem to genuinely enjoy playing together, and respect each others’ musicality. The crowd loved them, and they seemed a little surprised by our enthusiasm. They promised to return to Jacksonville more often. Woo Hoo!

After the concert, my friends, bf, and I hopped across the street to Dos Catos for refreshments. (Chill atmosphere, fun drinks, and a good dj spinning on Thursday nights.) What sealed the evening was when Chris, Noam, and Gabe came in! Once I got over being star struck, I walked over and told Chris that they all did an incredible job.  I was tempted to road trip to see them the following evening at the Savannah Music festival, but, alas will have to wait for the next go around. If you haven’t gone by their site, picked up their music, and especially seen them live do it ASAP. Beck, thanks for having me on SIT!

{picture via PunchBrothers.com}

Play Me, I’m Yours: Austin Edition

Bringing music in the form of street pianos to the neighborhoods, parks and everyday places where people meet and enjoy life is one of the goals of the Play Me, I’m Yours movement. With a recent installation in Austin, Texas, from April 1 – May 1, 2011, there are over 400 pianos in cities worldwide.  Often local artists decorate the pianos and while some scheduled performances exist, most often they are available for any passerby to enjoy and thus share the music. 

I was able to see several street pianos on my recent trip to Austin and the picture below exemplifies exactly why they are installed….people just stopping to play the piano. I love it all so much. Play Me, I’m Yours is an incredible idea and I wish they were in my city!!!

Ginny’s Little Longhorn and Chicken Shit Bingo

Ginny’s Little Longhorn, self proclaims they are “the honkiest, tonkiest beer joint in town.” This humble bar is removed from the downtown area of Austin, Texas, and many of the establishments frequented by the younger crowd.  There is always plenty of cold beer, live music and my favorite part, people watching. Oheeeee, the people watching is stellar.  It has been there for years and is notorious for locals and visitors alike. 

Sunday afternoons draws a big crowd and while the inside is small, the parking lot is large, large enough for the party to extend outdoors.  Trucks and hybrids pull up and quickly unload their chairs for the day and go inside to buy a beer (cash only here).  I noticed lawn chairs, rod iron formal, garden variety chairs, folding chairs, and the typical football tailgating chairs.  In a way, everyone is tailgating for the afternoon’s main event, chicken shit bingo.  (I know mom, I just cussed).  

The proprietor, Ginny, has a couple of hen’s off the back of the property where they are cared for and well fed. On Sundays they make their weekly appearance inside the bar for chicken shit bingo.  While the band sings for tips and another order of beers is passed around a line begins forming near the front door.  The line is long but the tickets are few, and as I recall there are less than 60 tickets available and each person can only buy one.  Anticipation builds, and elbow to elbow the crowd waits for the chickens to arrive and the festivities to begin. Cameras are pulled out, necks strained and once Ginny and the chickens enter, the fun begins. 

Now, I should probably clear up one issue. The chickens are not required to get so many letters across, down or any other normal bingo combination. All they need to do is “use the facilities” on the pre-made number board (which covers the pool table I might add) and if one happens to “go” on your number, you win!  The odds are decent but the fun is in the build up and cheering on of the chickens. 

(Can you see the numbers at the bottom of the cage for bingo?)

If you should worry about the health and care of these chickens, please do not worry. I expressed some concern prior to arrival, but you can tell these chickens lead happy lives. 

This is an Austin cultural experience that is not to be missed. When they say, “Keep Austin Weird.” They really mean it and this can be joyfully experienced at Ginny’s Little Longhorn.

 (This is my Tina Fey lookalike friend. We get stopped everywhere.)

Austin, Texas Farmer’s Market Experience

One of the highlights of visiting a city like Austin, Texas is the enthusiasm over food. However, we are not just talking about any old meal which might come off the assembly line in other cities, but rather produce, and protein from the farm to the table. All of this enthusiasm develops a demand for organic food, and restaurants unable to supply simply do not survive in Austin.  Even the countless food carts in Austin offer a listing of all of the farms from where their ingredients originate. 

With all of this in mind, just imagine the downtown farmer’s market on a Saturday morning. Folks prepared with grocery lists for the week track down their favorite produce or beef or chicken stand or grab a bite to eat at one of the many tents offering hot food.   It is a madhouse and a rush to ensure you do not miss out on the limited quantities.  After an hour or so of hustle and bustle you will find groups enjoying live music or performances, maybe even a couple of people dancing, children running across the fields, a one man band, and trash bins organized and watched to ensure that your garbage goes to either, trash, compost, or recyclable.

Like my last visit to Austin, I was on a mission to make it to the Dai Due tent at the market.  Knowing the menu ahead of time (because I get their weekly emails), I had nothing on my mind but Nopales, Chorizo and Egg Tacos with Garlic Salsa.  Your mouth is watering, right? Nopales are made from a prickly pear cactus and delicious!!!  Dai Due is an interesting business. It is not quite a restaurant because they are just a tent at the farmer’s market, and they host supper club dinners at various outdoor locations throughout the city. It is not a culinary school either, even though they offer culinary courses throughout the year.   Their diverse business plan just fascinates me. I had a taco, purchased grapefruit worcestershire sauce to take home, and ohh’d and ahhh’d over their country pate, and salt pork available for purchase.

Overall this is a great people watching spot and a good way to grasp the energy of the city.

Don’t Forget the Derby

Wow! What a Monday!

While the Royal Wedding monopolized most of the news over the weekend, last night was quite the twitter storm of information until the President’s speech regarding Osama bin Laden.  All of this news coupled with cleanup and devastation from tornadoes and bad weather has left everyone a bit overwhelmed. 

The Kentucky Derby is this Saturday, May 7, 2011 and while it cannot rebuild homes, or lives, sometimes a bit of joy, a jolly laugh and good hearted cheer is just the ticket to heal and mend hurts.  Laughter goes a long way.  At your Derby party this year, why not scale back and make a donation to assist those recovering from destavation in the south, or encourage all partygoers to bring cash instead of a bottle of cheer.  Every little bit counts!

Last year, we posted a bit of outfit inspiration for your Derby party and I am still finding it useful.  I also just downloaded the Kentucky Derby App for my iPhone in preparation for Saturday.  The App covers everything from party suggestions to contenders for the Derby and much more.

Pimento Cheese Heaven

I must admit that never in my life had I made pimento cheese, but this weekend in honor of the Royal Wedding, I attended a wine and cheese party and decided to bring pimento cheese.  A couple other varieties were on display as well, and we had ourselves a nice little tasting party.

This recipe I borrowed from Eatocracy, via John Currance from City Grocery Restaurant Group in Oxford, Mississippi.  I changed things up a bit and used Cabot white cheddar instead of havarti, and chipotle Tabasco instead of the regular variety. We were also out of cayenne pepper so I used a bit of chili powder and ground red pepper flakes. 

Grocery List:

Yield – ¾ gallon (which is a heck of a lot. You can half everything for a normal sized amount)

4 cups shredded cheddar

4 cups shredded white cheddar ( I used Cabot brand)

12 ounces cream cheese (let it soften before using)

1 ½ cups bread and butter pickles, minced

¾ cup pickle juice

2 teaspoons cayenne (or ground chili powder and red pepper flakes as substitute)

2 tablespoons chipotle Tabasco

1 cup pimentos, drained and minced

¾ cup mayonnaise

Salt and pepper to taste.

Directions:

Combine your cheeses, mayo, pickle juice and Tabasco in food processor until it is the consistency you want.  I took the hand burr mixer to mince the pickles and pimentos and then added them to the cheese mixture in a large bowl.

Refrigerate for a few hours before using for a harder consistency.  At least, that is what I prefer, but once you make it, it is your own!