Bringing The Salt & Sugar Cured Country Ham To A Biscuit Near You
It was my pleasure to meet Phillip Craven of Phillips Brothers Country Ham on my last trip to the Heart of North Carolina. I was in the Randolph County area exploring all there is to do in and around Asheboro, NC. As you can see from the wreath in the photo, this was just before Thanksgiving 2020. At a time when Phillip and the Phillips Brothers team were working hard to get ready for the holiday season.
Phillip is the steward of his family business, one that has been serving North Carolina country ham loving communities since 1947! Phillips Brothers also gives back a lot to the community and I cant wait to tell the rest of this story in a future post.
Aside from all they do, there is a lot to share about the way that Phillip and the team at Phillips Brothers cure country ham. For now, its enough to now that it is salt and sugar cured.
I know thats important because my friend James Walker, a country ham lover from way back, told me so and indeed, its delicious.
The perfect foil for these light and flaking homemade biscuits with a side of creamy cheesy rice grits.
You can order Phillips Brothers Country Hams whole or cut in a variety of shapes and sizes from their website here. And, be sure to follow them on Facebook at Phillips Brothers Country Hams, Inc. for day to day details about the Asheboro brick and mortar.
Where Did Carolina Gold Come From
Scientists know that Carolina Gold is a variety from Southeast Asia and that it likely originated in Indonesia. It was later planted in various locations, but its genetic trail has been difficult to trace. A traditional farmer would have kept some of the healthiest seeds to plant each following year.
The Culture Of Rice And Slavery
Ninety minutes after sunrisethe sun already scorching. Jeff Neale and Bob Sherman, sweating, hoe weeds in the rich, mucky soil of a quarter-acre rice field. On the floor of this steep-sided earthen bowl, the field gathers Julys heat and humidity. Weeks of rain have greened the waist-high Carolina Gold rice stalks, but tall weeds threaten to out-compete and smother the crop.
The two men climb the embankment and wipe their faces, catching a breeze under the shade of a live-oak tree.
Soon theyll clean up for duty as historical interpreters, guiding visitors through Middleton Place located along a bank of the Ashley River, describing the former plantations role in the lowcountrys slave-based economy.
Visitors often come by while theyre working in the field, and Neale and Sherman will demonstrate traditional tools and techniques they use for historical accuracy.
The biggest question we get? Neale asked. Are you hot?
The two men laugh together.
Or: Wheres the cotton? Neale adds. Theyre all looking for cotton fields.
Or Tara, says Sherman.
They laugh again.
People dont realize that rice was such an important crop, says Sherman. Even most of the locals dont know that. Theyve never seen a rice field before.
On the Cover. These stalks of Carolina Gold rice were scythed from a Middleton Place plot built for the purpose of historical interpretation. Photo by Grace Beahm.
So are they hot?
Golden Crop.
So what do we know about early Carolina?
Don’t Miss: Robinhood Gold Crypto
Meet Tidewater Grain Company From Oriental Nc
The youngest company in this post is just a couple of years old. I first met the team at Tidewater Grain Co. in 2019. It was at the annual GotToBeNC Flavors show, a trade show for products grown, made or produced in North Carolina. I am pleased to say I have written about a good many of the brands that are annually represented and now Tidewater Grain Company falls into that category as well. This heritage breed, North Carolina, Carolina Gold Rice is definitely a product you are going to want to have in your pantry.
In the photo above, Im in the rice fields at Tidewater Grain Co. with co-owners Al Spruill on my left and Tommy Wheeler on my right. The team at Tidewater Grain Co is, like many farmers I write about, are good stewards of the land. And with time, they continue to purchase coastal farm land on which to grow this heirloom rice. Together, they are creating a company, and recreating an historic slice of North Carolina agriculture, that they can pass on to their children and grandchildren, this team is doing things right!
I am excited to share the story of the company here and in posts and video interviews to come. Just like the Carolina Gold Rice in South Carolina, this is a GMO free, heirloom grain.
Michael Twitty Wants Us To Savor The South Through Rice
I think of your work as a culinary history level set, where you ask the reader to contend with culture first through primary scholarship before they start to cook. The Cooking Gene did that work beautifully so that the natural next step would be a cookbook. Can you talk a bit about Rice and how the project came about?I had been speaking with Elaine Maisner, executive editor of UNC Press, about working on a cookbook for the Savor the South Series for years. As my research evolved and the series grew and was fleshed out over the years, the last scheduled cookbook just happened to be Rice. You cant talk about the foodways of the African Atlantic without rice, so I knew even before The Cooking Gene that Id eventually close out the series and write Rice. By the time I got around to constructing the manuscript, I had the experience of not only the Southern Discomfort Tour, where I had gone around the entire South eating rice and seeing how rice functioned as a Southern staple, but also writing The Cooking Gene that led to discoveries about my family history and how rice played a role in our story. After seeing rice in the field and cooking different types of rice, and eating my way across several Southern rice cultures, I began work on this project.
Read Also: How To Get Free Golden Eagles In War Thunder
What Is Carolina Rice Used For
The most common and easiest to recognize is long grain white rice. You can use Carolina ® White Rice for your favorite casseroles, stir fries, pilafs, and rice sides and know that you will have the perfect texture and flavors every time. Try it in this Savory Shrimp & Rice Bowl and taste the difference.
Is Rice Grown In Sc
Henry Woodward planted the seed in South Carolina, beginning the states 200 year history as the leading rice producer in the United States. At the turn of the century, rice cultivation ended in the Low Country South because of a weak market, inadequate machinery, and competition from the Gulf States.
Read Also: Dial Antibacterial Gold Body Wash
Start Your Ham Biscuits With Some Great Nc Country Ham
You can absolutely fry up a batch of Phillips Brothers Country Ham for your biscuits, but I honestly think its so much better to bake the ham. A metal cake cooling rack and a sheet pan with sides, makes short order of this part of the process.
Select your favorite cut of Phillips Brothers Country Ham and separate into biscuit sized pieces. Place the ham slices on a cake cooling rack fitted inside a baking sheet. If you dont have a cake cooling rack that will fit, simply cover the pan with foil or a sheet of parchement paper.
Bake the ham in a preheated 375 degree oven for about 15 mins. Serve hot or cold on your fresh baked biscuits.
Americas Oldest Rice Emanates From The Time Of Our Revolution In The Rice Fields Around Charleston South Carolina
The Carolina Gold Rice Foundation began with the singular mission of advancing the sustainable restoration of Carolina Gold Rice, and in that it has succeeded wildly, bringing together farmers, scholars, researchers, and historians to ensure that Carolina Gold and the newer hybrid Charleston Gold remain viable crops. The foundation has served as a proselytizing resource, educating the world about the history and significance of this historical crop and helping put it back on dinner plates around the world.
Recommended Reading: 10k White Gold Worth
Ingredients Gathered Lets Bake Biscuits
Begin by grating the cold butter on a box grater. Grate over a sheet of parchment paper. Carefully, fold the parchment paper up and around the grated butter. Place the grated butter in the freezer until you are ready to add it to the bowl. Starting your bis
Whisk the flour in the bowl to get rid of any clumps. Then add in the frozen butter. Use a whisk or wooden spoon to gently distribute the butter evenly in the flour. As you stir, make a small well or a hole of sorts in the center of the bowl of flour. Pour the cold buttermilk directly in the center of the bowl, all at one time. Stir the buttermilk into the flour and butter in smooth strong strokes. Take care not to over mix.
Test kitchen chefs at Southern Living Magazine suggest this takes about 15 strokes. Im going to say 15-20.
Turn the dough out onto a parchment lined cutting board. Quickly but carefully gather the dough into a ball and gently pat the mix into a rectangle. To throughly distribute the butter in layers in your biscuits, well use a technique similar to what you do when you make puff pastry.
Is Carolina Gold Rice Good
This heritage grain is a true standout, with a plump, fluffy texture and a roasted aroma. Carolina Gold offers hauntingly buttery flavor because the rices germ and inner bran layer are left in. Try it alongside curry or a spice-rubbed pork roast. Because Carolina Gold is perishable, it should be stored in the freezer.
Also Check: War Thunder Golden Eagles Hack
A Sad And Storied Seed
While few people know about true Carolina Gold, it was once the most popular rice grown in America, and the first commercial rice the country ever produced. Thousands upon thousands of pounds of it were exported as far away as France, England, and Asia. In 1820, approximately 100,000 acres of it was growing throughout the South. The rice forged the plantation culture of the tidewater areas of South Carolina, Georgia, and North Carolina, fueling both their cuisine and their economies. The ugly side, of course, is that the great wealth it produced for its growersand the city of Charleston itselfwas built on the tortured backs of slavery. The success of Carolina Gold only made things worse, increasing demand for slaves from western Africa, the continent’s so-called Rice Coast, who knew better than anyone else how to plant and harvest it. And, while other rices were grown in the region, by the mid18th century, Carolina Gold was king.
“Carolina Gold grew increasingly uncommercial with each passing decade of the twentieth century,” Shields writes. “Rice breeders paid homage to the strain, though…by making it a parent strain of the new higher-yield and shorter stock varieties created for industrial-scale production.” Outdone by its offspring, pure Carolina Gold could barely be found in cultivation by the 1940s.
Car Deals How To Buy Used Or New Car Online
Buying a new or used car online will be such a modern and practical way to get a great dealâ¦this is why more and more people are making the decision to shop for autos via the World Wide Web. Whether youâre seeking out the best new car deals or want to buy used cars for excellent prices, youâll find that learning about online car auctions and other great places to buy new and used car
Buying a new or used car online will be such a modern and practical way to get a great dealâ¦this is why more and more people are making the decision to shop for autos via the World Wide Web. Whether youâre seeking out the best new car deals or want to buy used cars for excellent prices, youâll find that learning about online car auctions and other great places to buy new and used cars is a smart strategy.
Luckily, our comprehensive and practical guide is loaded with all of the information that you need. Our goal is to empower you as a consumer by showing you exactly how to find exceptional car deals via the Internet.
First, letâs talk about how to use âcar auction onlineâ services. These online auctions are definitely great places to buy used cars .
Recommended Reading: Dial Gold Body Wash Tattoo
How Much Does Instacart Delivery Or Pickup Cost
- Delivery fees start at $3.99 for same-day orders over $35. Fees vary for one-hour deliveries, club store deliveries, and deliveries under $35.
- Service fees vary and are subject to change based on factors like location and the number and types of items in your cart. Orders containing alcohol have a separate service fee.
- Tipping is optional but encouraged for delivery orders. It’s a great way to show your shopper appreciation and recognition for excellent service. 100% of your tip goes directly to the shopper who delivers your order.
- There may be a “pickup fee” on your pick up order that is typically $1.99 for non-Express members. Express membership waives this like it would a delivery fee.
- Pick up orders have no service fees, regardless of non-Express or Express membership.
The Story Of Carolina Gold The Best Rice You’ve Never Tasted
Growing up in California, Glenn Roberts knew what was coming each time his South Carolinaborn mother cooked up a purloo or a pot of rice and gravy. And it wasn’t pretty. “She used to open up a box of rice and swear at it,” Roberts says. “She’d pour some of it into the pot without measuring anything, look at the box, swear at it again, and throw the rest in the trash. Our rice budget must have driven my dad crazy.”
Roberts, founder of South Carolinabased Anson Mills, which specializes in organic heirloom grains, would eventually come to understand his mother’s revulsion. She grew up in South Carolina’s Lowcountry, enjoying rice at just about every meal. But it wasn’t Minute Rice or Uncle Ben’s she was eatingit was Carolina Gold. Her family used to buy the long-grain rice from a local grower, and she would hand-pound it herself, removing the hull and inner coat to reveal its pearly white grain. It was good rice, toowith a rich texture starchy and sticky a little hazelnutty, even.
Read Also: Does Kay Jewelers Sell Real Gold
Fancy Rice For A Fancy Price
Featured on “The Mind of a Chef,” here’s my take on Chef Brock’s preparation of Carolina Gold Rice called Charleston Ice Cream.
A month or so ago I binge-watched the second season of The Mind of a Chef. The first half of the season centered around master Southern chef, Sean Brock. He is pretty much an expert in all things Southern and his main restaurant, Husk, makes an effort to bring back old world Southern food.
In almost all of the episodes, Chef Brock would spend time talking about his love of heirloom grains. Hes a dedicated seed saver and has a serious passion for bringing back strains that have almost been pushed to extinction.
Its an honorable goal, for sure, but I was left wondering if it was worth it for the average home cook to search out these grains and use them regularly.
What Is Carolina Gold Rice
If you’ve seen the yellow cloth bags in the grocery store, you may be thinking Carolina Gold is a brand of rice. It’s not, Carolina Gold is an old variety of rice that had nearly disappeared. It’s been called the grandfather of long-grain rice in America.
It was brought back as specialty rice by Glenn Roberts, founder of Anson Mills and president of an organization dedicated to these rice products. The Carolina Gold Rice Foundation supports the sustainable restoration and preservation of this rice seed and other heirloom grains.
Carolina Gold is an extremely versatile rice that can be used to make risotto, sticky rice, and traditional Lowcountry dishes depending on how it is cooked. It has a subtly sweet and nutty flavor that pairs well with just about any dish.
Recommended Reading: Do Diamonds Look Better In White Or Yellow Gold
New Car Auctions And Car Buying Websites
The options weâve listed above may feature some new vehicles. However, there arenât that many online car buying services which specialize in providing new vehicles. Nonetheless, there are other websites which offer listings of new cars for sale and these will be very helpful.
To give you a well-rounded knowledge of online car buying, letâs talk about a few of the most popular website choices for prospective buyers of new carsâ¦
Autotrader.com also offers used cars. Since this online car shopping interface is so well-known and respected, we want to add it to the list. Itâs definitely a great place to visit if you want to buy a car online which is brand-new! This website isnât an auction website â however, it empowers consumers by offering them tons of information on how to buy new cars or used cars the smart way.
In other words, it includes resources which will make it easier to find the right car, connect with a local dealer or private seller and then negotiate a great price.
At the official Autotrader.com website, youâll find a handy car buying guide, as well as listings of new vehicles for sale via auction. This website works like most of the others, which means that you may load in preferred data via the search engine, which is found in the âcars for saleâ category. You may also browse without adding specific search criteria.
