grace grits and gardening - ramblings from an arkansas farm girl

Slowing down in Piggott.

June 6, 2015 By Talya Tate Boerner

Happy Saturday! I thought I’d check in to let you know I’m still alive. I’ve been busy doing a whole lot of nothing but writing. After another successful writer retreat in Piggott, Arkansas, at the Hemingway-Pfeiffer Museum and Educational Center, my whole body feels drained. And that’s a good thing. Hemingway-Pfeiffer is an awe-filled place. A place for slowing down. A place for concentrating on the craft of writing.

The grounds are gorgeous and peaceful, not too contrived but natural, the way I imagine things looked when Hemingway wrote inside the barn/studio.

Small-town Piggott feels like home to me. Treasures can be found if you slow down and notice.

The Piggott Library has a signed first edition of Hemingway’s Death in the Afternoon, (along with an entire cabinet of related ephemera.) I’m guessing not many small town libraries can claim such a thing.

I love the history around the town square, especially the faded advertisements spanning old brick buildings.

The train rumbles through town at all hours of the day and night, tapping into a deep memory of another time.

The next time you drive from Dallas to Austin or Atlanta to Savannah (or wherever), hop off the interstate and spend some time in one of the small towns along the way. Have lunch. Visit the library. Walk around the square. Take time to slow down. Slow is good.

Grace Grits and Gardening

Farm. Food. Garden. Life.

Piggott is located approximately 180 miles northeast of Little Rock and 110 miles north of West Memphis. For more information about Hemingway-Pfeiffer and other Arkansas Heritage Sites, click HERE.

[tweetthis]Take time to slow down. Your #writing will benefit. @hpmuseum #HemingwayWroteHere[/tweetthis]

Musical Pairing:

Mayberry, Rascal Flatts

Simple Summer Salad

June 3, 2015 By Talya Tate Boerner

Certain flavors are happy together. One enhances the other. This simple summer salad does just that. The combination of only a few ingredients sing. Try it, you’ll like it, even if you’re one of those people who doesn’t appreciate the under appreciated radish.

Trust me, use butter lettuce (also known as Boston and Bibb). Butter lettuce is usually found it in a plastic container with the roots knotted at the bottom. This variety is super duper fresh because it’s still alive. Now, I don’t know about you, but I’m not a fan of washing lettuce, and butter lettuce is easy to wash because the leaves are loose. Although this lettuce is a bit more expensive than some, there is no waste. You will eat the entire thing, other than the roots, which you will toss in your compost. The leaves are sweet. As you will taste with this simple recipe, you don’t have to dress up butter lettuce to make it flavorful. And, these leaves are especially perfect for wraps.

Now about radishes. The radish often gets a bad rap. People don’t like them for whatever reason(s). But you might want to learn because the health benefits are astounding. From liver detoxification (hello drinkers…) to respiratory cures (allergy sufferers!), radishes even help with insect stings. Plus, they are easy to grow, inexpensive to buy, and a bag will last months in your fridge.

Look how gorgeous they are!

Okay. I’ve stated my case, so now on to my simple summer salad. I know you will love it!!

Simple Summer Salad

Print Recipe

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

1/4 cup pine nuts
1/4 cup buttermilk
2 Tablespoons mayonnaise
1 Tablespoon freshly chopped dill
1/2 Tablespoon freshly chopped chives
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
1 head of butter lettuce torn into pieces
5 radishes thinly sliced

Method

Toast pine nuts in a 375 degree oven until golden brown. This doesn't take long, about 5-7 minutes depending upon your oven.
In a medium bowl, whisk together buttermilk, mayo and herbs.
Arrange lettuce and radishes onto salad plates. Sprinkle with pine nuts. Drizzle with creamy dressing. Add salt and pepper to taste.

What’s your favorite summer salad?

Grace Grits and Gardening

Farm. Food. Garden. Life.

[tweetthis]This will soon be your favorite summer salad! Promise. #simplerecipes #gardentotable #IHeartRadishes[/tweetthis]

Musical Pairing:

Happy Together, The Turtles

Fayetteville Find: Garden Living Supply Co

May 29, 2015 By Talya Tate Boerner

Modern gardeners rejoice! Garden Living is my latest Fayetteville Find and a place I am elated about. This boutique, located at 160 E. Joyce (near IO Metro), is a true garden living shop complete with interesting specimen plants, gorgeous hand-thrown pottery, Dutch garden tools, eclectic gift items, and not-your-typical outdoor furniture. Dallas people, think Redenta’s and you’ll understand my happiness. Garden Living is the sister floral shop to Pigmint (which has also moved to Joyce Blvd).

Simply walking through is a zen experience.

A few pictures…

Succulents, cloches and cacti.

I’m a big fan of these zinc pots. I have one planted with aloe.

Some pig!

Some orchid!

Here’s a find for you. Cool linen napkins. If I didn’t have a self-imposed napkin moratorium hanging over me, I would snap these up.

Garden Living even has Nest Fragrances. Luxury, people. Sir Elton John apparently agrees because he has his own woodside garden aroma.

So, in a nutshell:

Location: 160 E. Joyce Blvd, Fayetteville; Phone: (479)435-6999; Website: coming soon; Follow on Facebook for information about upcoming classes (YES! there will be classes); Follow Pigmint on Instagram for floral inspiration. Hey, follow me too if you aren’t already:)

Grace Grits and Gardening

Farm. Food. Garden. Life.

[tweetthis]Modern gardeners rejoice! Garden Living Supply Co is just what #Fayetteville needs. @pigmintdotcom @NESTfragrances [/tweetthis]

Musical Pairing:

Yo Yo Ma, Bach Cello Suite 1 III. Courante Inspired by Bach No. 1 “The music garden”