Tupelo Honey Cafe: New Southern Flavors from the Blue Ridge Mountains

By Elizabeth Sims and Brian Sonoskus

“From burgoo thick with chorizo and chicken to a cocktail that sloshes with bourbon and sorghum, this book showcases innovative Appalachian food and drink.” —John T. Edge, series editor of Cornbread Nation: The Best of Southern Food Writing

Tupelo Honey Cafe, now with locations throughout the Mountain South, brings fans the restaurant’s second cookbook. Tupelo Honey Cafe: New Southern Flavors from the Blue Ridge Mountains, provides a gastronomic tour of the flavors and tastes of the region considered the Mountain South—but interpreted through Tupelo’s own lexicon. From Appalachian Egg Rolls with Smoked Jalapeno Sauce, Pickled Onions and Pulled Pork to Acorn Squash Stuffed with Bacon Bread Pudding to Upsy Daisy Peach Upside-Down Cake, each recipe tells a story about the traditions, inspiration and history of the southern mountains, using the Blue Ridge Parkway, a 469-mile National Scenic By-way as a narrative jumping-off point. The result is an assembly of 125 imaginative, delicious and approachable recipes to be enjoyed by the home cook, the avid reader and book collector, and the hungry appetite alike. A foreword by Chef Sean Brock and gorgeous photos of the surrounding area and food complete this collection.

“As a proud product of my beloved Blue Ridge Mountains, I am heartened by the Ode to Muddy Pond cocktail, intrigued by the Pimento Cheese Fondue, lured by Appalachian Egg Rolls, and astonished by Southern Poutine with Double Sausage Gravy . . . a beautiful cookbook that sent me running into the kitchen.” —Sheri Castle, author of Instantly Southern

“Elizabeth Sims’s thoughtfully written stories and histories of the mountain South provid[e] both setting and inspiration for this distinctive American restaurant. It’s nourishment for both belly and heart.” —Ronni Lundy, James Beard Award–winning author of Victuals

• Language: English
• Publisher: Open Road Integrated Media
• Release date: Apr 1, 2014
• ISBN: 9781449451660

Book preview

Moonshine Thunder Road, and Mountain Elixirs

Ode to Muddy Pond

Lohito

Cool as a Cucumber

The Pickled Okra

Appalachian Limoncello

Fireplace Hot Cocoa Mix

Rosemary Peach Lemonade

Paris of the South

Tupelo Honey–Molasses Eggnog

Whiskey isn’t the only thing that’s been distilled in these hills. The people are a distillation too, a boiling down of good Scots-Irish stock, refined by mountain summers and winters, and condensed by hard times.

—Charles Kuralt, CBS News Sunday Morning

The mountain South is proud of its legacy as fountainhead for two important American pastimes: moonshine and NASCAR. The two traditions are inextricably linked, since navigating curvy mountain roads at 100 miles per hour in order to elude the authorities trying to nail you for the still you have behind your barn is where it all began. All you need to do is conjure up Robert Mitchum right now, humming The Ballad of Thunder Road.

Today, good, modern moonshine not only is legalized but has been elevated to the rather highfalutin designation of an artisanal spirit. Heirloom corn, German-made stills, mountain water, and small-batch craft distilling all contribute to the idea of a white whiskey that is handmade and high end. In other words, this isn’t your cousin Joe’s corn likker. Southern mixologists are infusing shine with everything from lemongrass to smoky oak and creating craft Southern spirits and innovative cocktails that defy description. At Tupelo Honey, for example, one of our customers’ favorites at Sunday brunch is our Moonswine Mary, made with house-infused bacon and jalapeño moonshine.

Southerners have always been serious about their five o’clock beverage of choice, from mint juleps to single-barrel bourbon. Modern barkeeps in the South—and certainly in the mountain South—are truly raising the bar with creative, whimsical concoctions that delight and amuse, from corpse revivers to classic martinis. At Tupelo Honey, our bar menu is chef-driven, just like our food, and we pride ourselves on our assortment of tongue-tingling, taste bud–tempting, cocktail twistification. We just don’t believe in mediocrity when it comes to food and drink. Come out on a limb with us and try some amazing beverages like Ode to Muddy Pond, our tip of the hat to good bourbon and Muddy Pond Sorghum from Tennessee. Or try our Pickled Okra made with bacon and jalapeño–infused moonshine. (Don’t worry if you can’t find moonshine. Vodka works too!) Be adventuresome on the blank canvas of your bar glass. And then stand tall when people clamor for invitations to your memorable cocktail parties.

Ode to Muddy Pond

Grown, harvested, and produced in the hills of Tennessee, just west of Knoxville, Muddy Pond Sorghum is 100 percent sorghum, with no additives. The Guenther family makes this delicious amber elixir, and we salute them—and their delicious sorghum—by adding a little bourbon.

Makes 1 cocktail

3 fresh basil leaves, plus additional for garnish

½ ounce sorghum molasses

1¼ ounces Maker’s Mark

Iced ginger ale

Muddle the 3 basil leaves with the molasses in a high ball glass. Add the Maker’s Mark and ice and stir. Top with the ginger ale and a basil leaf for garnish.

Across the mountain South, folks have learned, as is true with most things, when it comes to access to libations, necessity is the mother of invention. As a result, innovative mountaineers have long enjoyed imbibing homemade fruit brandies, wines, and beers, such as June apple brandy, cherry bounce, peach brandy, elderberry wine, syllabub or bubs, pokeberry wine, scuppernong wine, and spruce and persimmon beer.

Lohito

We like to infuse our moonshine with different flavors to give traditional cocktails our own interpretation. Here, we infuse the hooch with lemongrass. The result is a white whiskey with a touch of exotic citrus.

Makes 1 cocktail

Zest of 1 lemon mixed with 3 tablespoons sugar

Freshly squeezed juice from 1 lemon, plus a lemon wedge for serving

3 fresh mint leaves, plus a sprig for garnish

1½ ounces Lemongrass Moonshine

1 bar spoon tupelo honey

½ ounce Mint Simple Syrup

Ice

Soda water

Rim a 10-ounce Collins glass with the lemon sugar and set aside. Muddle the lemon juice and mint leaves together in a shaker. Add the moonshine, honey, syrup, and ice. Shake and pour into the lemon sugar–rimmed glass. Top with soda water, and garnish with the mint sprig and lemon wedge.

Lemongrass Moonshine

Makes 3¼ cups

3 large bulbs lemongrass

One 759 ml bottle of moonshine

Thoroughly wash the lemongrass and cut the bulbs into quarters around 6 inches long. Discard the stalks. Combine all ingredients in an airtight container and let the mixture rest for 5 days. On the fifth day, strain the lemongrass and transfer the infused whisky to a decorative bottle. This is delicious in our Lohito or served as a stand-along cocktail on the rocks.

Mint Simple Syrup

Makes 1 cup

1 cup sugar

¾ cup light corn syrup

1 cup water

2 ounces fresh mint, stems and leaves

Combine the sugar, corn syrup, water, and mint in a pan over low heat and simmer the mixture until it reduces by half. Remove the pan from the heat and allow to steep for 20 minutes. Strain the mint from the syrup and transfer the simple syrup to an airtight container. The syrup may be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 months.

Cool as a Cucumber

When it’s hot as blazes outside, this cocktail is best enjoyed in a rocking chair on the front porch in the shade. Cucumbers, with their extremely high water content, are nature’s version of a vegetable air conditioner. A splash of pineapple will transport you (in your mind, at least) to your own private tropical island.

Makes 1 cocktail

6 strips cucumber, sliced lengthwise with a vegetable peeler

Two 2-inch slices peeled cucumber, plus a slice for garnish

1 lime wedge

1¼ ounces gin

¾ ounce St-Germaine

½ ounce Malibu

½ ounce pineapple juice

Crushed ice

Tonic water

Finely dice the cucumber slices. Muddle the cucumber and lime wedge in a 10-ounce Collins glass. Add the gin, St-Germaine, Malibu, and pineapple juice. Add the crushed ice and top with the tonic water. Garnish with a slice of cucumber and serve.

The Pickled Okra

We named our bar The Pickled Okra, and this seductive cocktail does the name justice. It uses our jalapeño and bacon–infused moonshine, as does our Moonswine Mary, an inventive twist on the Bloody Mary that is so unusually delicious we’ve trademarked it.

Makes 1 cocktail

2 ounces Jalapeño-Bacon Moonshine (recipe follows)

1 ounce olive juice

Ice

Pimento cheese–stuffed olives, for serving

In a shaker, combine the Jalapeño-Bacon Moonshine and olive juice. Add the ice, shake, and strain into a martini glass. Make a batch of our pimento cheese (Pimento Cheese with a Kick) and use it to stuff large olives. Serve with pimento cheese–stuffed olives on toothpicks.

Jalapeño-Bacon Moonshine

Makes 3½ cups

2 poblano peppers

2 jalapeño peppers

10 strips fully cooked bacon

One 750 ml bottle of moonshine (or vodka or gin)

Wearing rubber gloves to protect your skin, slice off the tops of the peppers and remove the seeds. Place the peppers flat skin side up on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet and put the pan under the stove broiler. Broil until the skin of the peppers is charred and black. Remove the peppers from the oven and transfer them to a ziplock bag. The steam will help loosen the skin of the peppers and make it easier to remove.

After removing the skin, cut the peppers into quarters and place in an airtight container. Place the cooked bacon in the container and pour the moonshine over the peppers and bacon, ensuring that the ingredients are completely covered. Seal the container and allow to infuse for six days, stirring daily. After six days, strain the whiskey over a colander. Squeeze out any additional liquid from the peppers and bacon and add this to the infusion. Place the mixture in the freezer for at least one hour and then strain the liquid through a coffee filter. You may want to strain the liquid twice to remove all solids.

Appalachian Limoncello

We use this deliciously lemony limoncello in our version of a Pimm’s Cup, a classic Southern cocktail (adapted from British versions) for summer afternoons. If you mix your Pimm’s No. 1 with champagne instead of our limoncello, you have a Pimm’s Royale. La-de-dah!

Makes about 3 cups

Zest of 10 lemons

1 bottle (750 ml) vodka

2 cups sugar

3½ cups hot water

Combine the lemon zest and vodka in an airtight container for 4 days. On the fifth day, make a simple syrup by combining the sugar and hot water. Add the simple syrup to the vodka mixture, and cover again. Allow the flavors to meld overnight and then strain out the solids using a fine-mesh strainer. Keep the limoncello in your freezer for up to one year so you can always serve it cold.

Traditional at Appalachian corn shuckings, where communities would get together to help one another with harvesting corn, the host would stash a jug of whisky deep in the unshucked corn pile. The first shucker to reach the errant red ear won three swigs from the jug, or as mountain folks put it, three bobs of his Adam’s apple. Finding the red ear also meant the finder could kiss the girl of his choosing.

—Joe Dabney

Fireplace Hot Cocoa Mix

Cuddle up next to the woodstove or fireplace or your radiator at home with this nod to tradition. The ingredients can be mixed and stored in an airtight container in a cool, dry place so instant gratification is only a few tablespoons away.

Makes 4½ cups, or about 10 servings

2 cups powdered sugar

2½ cups dry milk powder

1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

2 teaspoons cornstarch

2 teaspoons salt

Pinch of cayenne pepper

Combine the powdered sugar, dry milk powder, cocoa powder, cornstarch, salt, and cayenne pepper in a large bowl and stir with a wire whisk until the ingredients are well blended. Store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place for up to 6 months. To make the cocoa, place ¼ cup of the mixture in a big mug, pour in ¾ cup of boiling water, and stir well. Enjoy!

Rosemary Peach Lemonade

This is Tupelo Honey’s signature lemonade and we have folks who come into the restaurant just to get their fix on occasion. The addition of rosemary lends an aromatic savory note to the sweet peach nectar, and the tart fresh lemon juice balances everything out.

Makes 5¾ cups, or 4 servings

1½ cups peach nectar

1½ cups water

1¼ cups Rosemary Simple Syrup (recipe follows)

1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

In a 2-quart container, combine the peach nectar, water, simple syrup, and lemon juice. Stir well. Cover and refrigerate until well chilled before serving.

Rosemary Simple

Reviews for Tupelo Honey Cafe

[sturlington_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Everything I have made out of this cookbook is delicious. The Tupelo Honey Coleslaw is unique, yummy, and a hit at potlucks. But all of the salads I have tried are good, as are the breakfast recipes. The only issues I have is that the recipes can be complex, and require components to be made ahead of time, so it needs advance planning. This is an entertaining cookbook, not one for everyday cooking.

[empress8411 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I received this as a Christmas gift from a dear friend's parents. They regularly travel to Asheville and always stop at the Tupelo Honey Café. I was delighted to receive this. The recipes sound marvelous and made my mouth water. I didn't grow up with southern cooking, but my husband did. This book has many of the classic recipes, like Red-Eye Gravy, Corn and Crab Chowder, and Shrimp and Grits. I'm eager to get cooking!

[thornton37814 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I received a copy of this for 60 day review use via NetGalley, but I'm definitely purchasing it when it is available in stores. The Tupelo Honey Cafe is located in Asheville, North Carolina, which is about 70 miles away. The book has many recipes that are quite manageable for everyday use as well as some that are elegant enough to serve on special occasions. It is beautifully illustrated with photos of the food, ventures into the garden, and scenes from the area and the restaurant. I loved the glimpses into regional culture in the book. There are quotes from Asheville author Thomas Wolfe as well as several mentions of Duke's Mayonnaise as being the preferred one.

[thehistorychic · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

For Review from NetGalley: Requested by me!What I Loved: This is the 2nd Honey Based Cookbook (though this one is not strictly just honey based recipes) that I have read and I really enjoyed it. There were several recipes that I want to try and will be buying this one to put on my shelf. The cookbook itself is very much like an old southern kitchen cookbook including tons of gravies, sauces, and everything else that makes a good southern kitchen tick!One of my favs: Warm Pimento Cheese and Chips! I have always wanted to make it home and this recipe is the closest I have seen to what I think should go in it. It includes red bell peppers, cheddar cheese, mayo, dijon mustard, mustard powder, sea salt, black pepper, parsley and only takes about 15 min! YUM!What I Liked: This is a very user friendly cookbook. Nothing seemed to "over a normal person's head" type of recipe though some required more work than others. I also did not see anything in there that did not call for ingredients that you could not find in a Central Market or Whole Foods and most could be found in your neighborhood grocery.Complaints: NoneWhy I gave it a 4: It was all around easy to follow and there were quite a few recipes that screamed out to be tried. I will be getting it for my cookbook shelf.Who would I recommend it too: Anyone who likes Southern Cooking!