For over a decade, we’ve had the joy of collaborating with Cathy Bailey and Robin Petravic, the visionary husband-and-wife duo behind Heath Ceramics. For the newest Heath Ceramics x Alabama Chanin collection, Natalie, Cathy, and Robin set out to create two new hand-etched designs that represent each company’s heritage and work in the preservation and… Read on

This week’s installment of Stories We Love highlights our latest collaboration with Heath Ceramics (@heathceramics). Watch for more inspiration and stories from the development of the Echo collection coming up on the Journal. Natalie at Home: Photographs by Rinne Allen (@rinneallen) Alabama Chanin x Heath Ceramics etched dinnerware. @heathceramicsMuir Flatware in Tumbled by Heath Ceramics…. Read on

From top left: Hable Suns Apron, Camellia Etched Dinner Plate from Alabama Chanin x Heath Ceramics, Cornbread Sticks from Alabama Studio Style, Cocktail Napkins in Natural, Stenciled Pumpkin Pie, David Mellor Pride 5-Piece Stainless Set, Sparkling Manhattan  “Forever on Thanksgiving the heart will find the pathway home.” – Wilbur D. Nesbit  We hope everyone is able… Read on

“The Alabama tomato is truly a wonder. It takes on the color of the deep, red soil and the taste borders somewhere between sweet and tart. I grew up eating these tomatoes straight out of my grandparents’ garden in Florence, Alabama, and after having lived away from home and in Europe for over 20 years,… Read on

This post was originally published on our Journal in January 2014. We reshare it today, on Juneteenth, as an expression of our support for Black Lives Matter and honor to the heroines and heroes that came before those who are fighting for justice and equality today. Georgia Gilmore (about whom we have written before), is… Read on

Chef Whitney Otawka, along with her husband Ben Wheatley, have developed a beautiful culinary program at the Greyfield Inn on a remote barrier island in Cumberland, Georgia. This special place has allowed them to live and cook alongside their ingredients, and it inspired her to write The Saltwater Table: Recipes From the Coastal South which celebrates the foodways unique to… Read on

The wabi-sabi cleaning cupboard has taken on a much different meaning during the COVID-19 pandemic. As we think about the importance of being sanitary, it is a good time to also consider how to balance the need for chemicals and sustainable cleaners—approaching our methodology in a safe and environmentally friendly way.  In implementing sustainable living, we are always… Read on

Our friends at The Market at Pepper Place in Birmingham couldn’t have said it better: “In an uncertain world, our farmers ground us in what is most important: Mother Earth, our daily bread, and each other.”  Pepper Place, Alabama’s biggest and most well-known farmers market, is continuing operation as a contactless drive-through market with pick-up options,… Read on

As we continue to navigate through this frightening and uneasy time, we’ve also loved to see people cooking more, sharing photos, and sending one another recipes over social media. A community of people who have long turned to fast solutions are embracing their home kitchens and finding new ways to use ingredients. This is a… Read on

As we write this post our national food and beverage industry is in free-fall. Restaurants and bars, shuttered in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19, have laid off an unknown number of staff and servers across the country. We feel deeply what our friend Brooks Reitz wrote yesterday, “Uncharted waters. We have been gut punched,… Read on

Many chefs have a deep relationship with food and music: Bill Smith with his band tees and history at Chapel Hill’s Cat’s Cradle; Cheetie Kumar—rockstar chef of Garland and Birds of Avalon; Sean Brock with his guitar collection and foray into music. These are a few chefs that have graced The Factory Café for our… Read on

The curator of our upcoming Friends of the Café Dinner, chef Peter Cho has worked in celebrated kitchens and won a number of awards in the culinary world; he and his wife are also innovators in marrying work and life in a modern way. A native of Oregon, Peter worked for a decade under April… Read on

Visiting chef for our spring 2021 Friends of the Café Dinner, Whitney Otawka has meshed her love of travel and her experiences with the food of wide-ranging food regions into her own unique way of cooking. She learned of Cumberland Island of the coast of Georgia from a PBS special and saw it as an… Read on

As part of our sixth annual Friends of the Café Dinner Series, we are excited to round out the year’s slate of star chefs. Both are familiar faces who continue to surprise us with their culinary evolutions, and their food lends itself to the comfort and sense of community that these café dinners always offer. … Read on

Warm beverages are often associated with comfort and relaxation: chamomile tea, homemade chicken soup, hot toddies, mulled cider. Because of its caffeine content, coffee isn’t always thought of as relaxing, but for many people it can be – and it can also be an essential part of a daily self-care routine. Natalie has always been an… Read on

To immerse our makers into the community that surrounds Alabama Chanin, this year chef John Cartwright of Rivertown Coffee, located in downtown Florence, will be joining us at The Factory to bring his own brand of Southern cooking to each workshop. We recently sat down with John to discuss Rivertown Coffee, the food community in… Read on

In honor of the autumn season (and national dessert day this past Monday), we’re taking a look back at our favorite cookbooks and recipes. A favorite of The Factory is Jamie DeMent’s The Farmhouse Chef: Recipes and Stories from My Carolina Farm. Jamie DeMent and her partner, Richard Holcomb, own and operate Coon Rock Farm,… Read on

In August 2019, The Factory Café hosted celebrated chef and literal rock star Cheetie Kumar for a special evening of savory and sweet offerings highlighting her Indian and American culinary background. We were also joined by renowned wine importer Eric Solomon, who curated delightful wine pairings for each dish. Benefitting the Southern Foodways Alliance (SFA),… Read on

For our final dinner of our 2019 Friends of the Café series, we are excited to announce that Tandy Wilson will be our surprise chef. Chef Tandy Wilson is a true Southern boy with a passion for good food and the humbling ability that it has to bring folks together. Whether Wilson is cooking at… Read on

Like other popular American foods, claims to the creation of the cheeseburger are scattered across the country. Sixteen-year-old Lionel Sternberger is said to have thrown a slice of American cheese on a cooking burger in 1924 at his father’s diner, The Rite Spot, calling it a “cheese hamburger”. The first establishment to serve a cheeseburger… Read on

Growing up in South Carolina, chef Sean Brock was surrounded by family gardens and people living off the land. As he says in his cookbook Heritage, published in 2013, “If you grow up like I did, you learn to appreciate food on a different level. You see firsthand the work that goes into getting the… Read on

Born in India, the now-Raleigh, North Carolina-based chef Cheetie Kumar’s life in America began in the Bronx, New York. She and her family lived in a small apartment in an immigrant neighborhood, where she began to cultivate her new Indian-American identity. Her mother began introducing Cheetie to her culinary heritage at an early age, teaching… Read on

In addition to our first dinner by chef Bill Smith, in conjunction with the Project Threadways Symposium, we hosted a second event featuring chef Cheetie Kumar, with small bites by Angie Mosier and dessert from Lisa Donovan. The meal was served in the style of a traditional factory lunch, and included some traditional Southern-style dishes… Read on

As part of the Project Threadways Symposium in April, we hosted chef Bill Smith of the renowned Chapel Hill, North Carolina, restaurant Crook’s Corner. Bill has been a chef for 30+ years and provided our guests with a true Southern experience that included one of his well-known signature dishes, Atlantic Beach Pie. It was a… Read on

April 11th not only kicked off the third annual Gathering at The Factory, but it also brought the second Supper Club dinner of 2019. The fare was rooted in Italy and meticulously prepared by our Factory Café using ingredients from local farms and purveyors. The evening started with pizzetta bianca, cannellini and anchovy crostini, and… Read on

As summer gardens get planted, many of us are looking ahead to tomato season. Collecting juicy red tomatoes fresh from the garden is many home gardeners’ pride and joy. For those who can’t wait, we reshare a recipe below from our friends at Blackberry Farm for their Green Tomato Pie with Buttermilk Crust from the… Read on

Among the upcoming Project Threadways Symposium events is a dinner with chef Cheetie Kumar, with small bites by chef Angie Mosier and dessert from chef Lisa Donovan this Saturday evening at The Factory. Cheetie Kumar is a Raleigh, North Carolina-based chef and sometimes rock star. (She tours with her band Birds of Avalon, and owns… Read on

Born in New Bern, North Carolina, chef Bill Smith grew up appreciating the simple yet elegant food cooked by his great grandmother. Family tradition has played a central role in his more than 20-year career at Chapel Hill’s revered Crook’s Corner. A member of the Southern Foodways Alliance, Bill expanded the scope of Southern food… Read on

In January, we kicked off our second year of Supper Club dinners with chef Ramon Jacobsen and the team from Odette. The evening revolved around Peruvian-inspired meals and began with passed appetizers like fish ceviche, Causa, and beef heart skewers. The supper continued with courses that included dishes like chicken tamales, pork adobo, and fish… Read on

In the grey lull between the end of the holiday season and the first signs of spring, we retreat indoors to soak up as much warmth as we can—spending more time in our favorite reading chairs, piled on the couches, and gathered in the kitchens. Alabama Chanin friend and photographer Pableaux Johnson visited during this… Read on

Judith Winfrey is an Atlanta native with a deep connection to the land and an extensive knowledge of farming. Her work with various organizations in Georgia has created a great impact on the state’s slow food culture. Judith was co-founder of Community Farmers Markets—developed to create a local food infrastructure to impact the community in… Read on

Former art director of several national magazines, including Smithsonian, House & Garden, and The Washington Post, Brian Noyes knows his way around a publishing house. He also knows his way around a kitchen. After purchasing a small farm just outside of Washington, D.C., Noyes started selling jars of jam at his farm and at local… Read on

In August, The Factory Café hosted James Beard Award-winning chef and fellow Southern Foodways Alliance lover, John Currence, for a special evening that combined savory with sweet and included personal touches to each dish. We were also joined by renowned wine importer Eric Solomon, who created original and clever wine pairings. The meal featured a… Read on

Crop Stories is a food-based magazine, with each issue focusing on a particular ingredient. Its fourth edition highlights sweet potatoes—histories and how-tos, stories of real people who work the land, and a whole mess of delicious recipes. According to editor Andre Gallant, the magazine wanted to seek out diverse narratives and writers. “What we hope… Read on

“Southern history encompasses migrations from Africa to the Americas, from farms to factories, from the rural South to the urban North and back again,” writes John T. Edge in his book, The Potlikker Papers: A Food History of the Modern South. In this book, John T. reports on 60-plus years of Southern food histories—from the… Read on

As summer comes to an official close, it seems to be getting hotter and hotter in Alabama. (Some things must get worse before they get better.) Luckily for us, The Factory Café has concocted the perfect late summer cocktail to keep us cool through the last of these sweltering days. This cocktail was served at… Read on

For our July Supper Club, The Factory Café invited chef Josh Quick of Florence’s Odette to helm the kitchen with chef Ramon Jacobsen and their team. John Cartwright of Rivertown Coffee Company—who partnered with us for our May Supper Club—joined them in the kitchen. The evening was filled with summer harvest bounty. Odette is located… Read on

Summer is the season of vegetables, whether from your local farmers market or your backyard garden. And there are countless summer veggie recipes on the Journal, like this one for a Southern Antipasti, the beloved Tomato Sandwich (the secret’s in the homemade mayo), or a Grilled Vegetable Quiche. At The Factory Café, we eagerly anticipate… Read on

We’ve long been fans of Ashley English—southern cook, homesteader, and holistic nutritionist. We have listened to her advice on how to be a gracious host as we create memorable experiences for our guests at The Factory—and even made a few of her pies. Ashley is back with a newly released cookbook, Southern from Scratch: Pantry… Read on

Rebecca Wilcomb has worked for and under the tutelage of several renowned chefs, including Keith Pooler at Harvest and Ana Sortun at Oleana, both in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Even so, it is safe to say that she has found a place to truly shine at Herbsaint in New Orleans, Chef Donald Link’s flagship restaurant. After moving to… Read on

Karl and Sarah Worley’s restaurant concept Biscuit Love had its beginnings in an Airstream trailer food truck named Lilly. From those humble first steps, the Worleys have now opened three brick-and-mortar establishments in the Nashville, Tennessee, area that can attract lines of customers, hungry for biscuits and other Southern fare. Sarah and Karl are a… Read on

Visiting chefs contribute cocktail recipes for our Friends of the Café Dinner series—now in its fourth year—with chef Steven Satterfield. For The Factory Café’s new Supper Club series (learn more here), our in-house team creates their own unique cocktails. We’re sharing the recipes from our 2017 Harvest Dinner below. Impress friends at your next gathering, or… Read on

Steven Satterfield is co-owner and chef of Miller Union, a restaurant located in Atlanta’s west side that focuses on seasonal ingredients. His relationships with local farmers and producers are the driving forces behind his menus. Chef Satterfield is an active member of Chef’s Collaborative, Southern Foodways Alliance, and Georgia Organics. In 2015, Satterfield released his… Read on

Cathead Distillery has been on our radar for many years. They sponsored one our very first Friends of the Café dinners with Vivian Howard in 2014, and we made a hand-sewn banner for them to use at special events. This spring, we’re partnering with them and Jack Rudy Cocktail Co. for a special Cocktail Workshop… Read on

Last week we shared a group of recipes inspired by cooking over open flame. We’ve written extensively on the subject of BBQ and its respective sauces in the past, and even barbecued wedding dresses for the Southern Foodways Alliance. And though winter isn’t the ideal time to BBQ, we bring you a seasonal take on BBQ… Read on

Groundhog Day brought us six more weeks of winter, but here in Alabama the weather is trending a little warmer—and that has us dreaming of outdoor adventure. There’s nothing quite like cooking over an open fire, whether at a campsite or in your backyard. Chef Ray has cooked up some recipes that are perfect for… Read on

One of the best parts of a good salad is the dressing. Good dressings introduce flavors that complement the ingredients without overpowering a salad. Originally developed for The Factory Café’s signature salad, this Burnt Honey Sweet Potato Dressing remains a staple in our home kitchens. Earthy sweet potatoes are brightened by the addition of vinegar… Read on

You might have noticed that, while the mainstream culinary world might still be considered a bit of a boys’ club, more and more women are working their asses off to earn their spots in the food world. Take, for example, the ladies behind Cherry Bombe, a biannual magazine founded by Kerry Diamond and Claudia Wu,… Read on

“There are only ten minutes in the life of a pear when it is perfect to eat.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson You can’t beat the taste of a perfectly ripe pear. When I’m at the market, I hear Emerson in my head reminding me of the short window I have to enjoy them. However, you… Read on

For almost 20 years, the Southern Foodways Alliance has studied and shared the narratives of Southern food, its history, and those who make it. They share those stories not only to educate, but to honor and celebrate those who prepare and serve the food. Now, with The Southern Foodways Alliance Guide to Cocktails, they take… Read on

We have often expressed our preference for cooking with cast iron. Cast iron pans are workhorse tools that, when properly cared for, can last for decades. It is a sustainable choice and a well-seasoned skillet forms a non-stick surface. Plus, once it’s hot, it really stays hot. While we have not abandoned our heirloom skillets… Read on

The Factory Café continues to grow, change, and evolve—just like the menu that it serves each day. The café has seen three incredible chefs come through the kitchen since its opening in 2013, and today we want to introduce you to our head chef, Ray Nichols, and welcome him to the team. Ray—who was born… Read on

The Factory Café team is anxiously awaiting the arrival of Asha Gomez for her sold-out Friends of the Café dinner tomorrow night. It’s our last in the 2017 Friends of the Café Southern Foodways Alliance benefit series—but café chef Ray Nichols will be cooking a Fall Supper on October 19th. The Factory Café served Golden… Read on

Several months ago, we introduced you to Asha Gomez—chef, innovator, author, and charity ambassador. After beginning her career as a professional chef in Atlanta, she realized the inherent similarities between Southern cuisine and the dishes she prepared in her birthplace of Kerala, India. This presented her with the unique opportunity to explore both food histories… Read on

If you ever find yourself with a surplus of strawberries after picking, puree the extra and make a delicious summer cocktail. Any excess puree can also be stored in the freezer for future use; however, strawberry cocktails are popular at my house and there is rarely much leftover puree. Experiment with any ripe fruit as… Read on

In honor of our recent Friends of the Café Dinner with chef Ashley Christensen, The Factory Café is featuring a tomato pie recipe from her cookbook, Poole’s: Recipes and Stories from a Modern Diner. Ashley’s Homegrown Tomato Pie will be available from June 27th – July 1st (or until we run out of tomatoes), with… Read on

It’s widely known that we believe Ashley Christensen is a total badass. We were giddy fans of her work, long before we ever really got to know her. Now that we know more about Ashley the person and are no longer admiring from afar, we find her even more impressive. Ashley may be a James… Read on

We are constantly surprised and honored by the talented and generous chefs that agree to be a part of our Friends of the Café dinner series. A look back through our Journal shows just how many brilliant individuals have traveled to our corner of Alabama and offered their time, energy, and creativity for a good… Read on

In celebration of National Shrimp Day on May 10th, The Factory Café will serve Fried Green Tomatoes + Shrimp Remoulade made with Royal Red Gulf shrimp for lunch next week. With a recipe from the SFA Community Cookbook, this dish will be available from May 9th – 12th. Natalie and the Alabama Chanin team constantly… Read on

Cinco de Mayo (May 5th) is the anniversary of Mexican President Benito Juarez’s victory against the French at the attack on Puebla da Los Angeles in 1862. After the Mexican-American War, the country was nearly bankrupt—so President Juarez was forced to default on debts with France, ruled by Napoleon III. Juarez rounded up a force… Read on

The day is nearing. Saturday, Scott Peacock will be in house, hosting his Friends of the Café Dinner. We’ve shared Scott‘s varied talents with you on the Journal over the years. Scott is (currently) an experimenting indigo farmer and dyer, an avid influencer of Southern food culture, and inspiring writer and oral historian. Who wouldn’t… Read on

Scott Peacock, native of Hartford, Alabama, was in his late twenties when he met the legendary, late Edna L ewis, considered to be the “Grand Dame” of Southern cuisine. At the time, Scott was chef for the governor of Georgia, and he and Miss Lewis were assigned to cook together for a fundraiser—though neither of… Read on

It’s hard to imagine that something as commonplace as the waffle didn’t make it big in the United States until the 1960s—especially when its origin dates back to ancient Greece. The earliest waffles were called “obelios” and were cooked between two hot metal plates. Sometime during the 13th century, Europeans started stamping the cakes with… Read on

Chili con carne, usually just called “chili” around these parts, may have a Spanish name but it’s an undeniably American dish—with more than one group of people claiming some form of ownership. The earliest written description of chili came from J.C. Clopper of Houston, Texas. In his writings about a visit to San Antonio in… Read on

“I remember Bill once telling us that the kitchen, within certain bounds, was a laboratory. Occasionally a tart would be lopsided or the mirepoix was never all exactly the same dice, and I remember him saying one time: We do everything homemade here. Everything is made by hand, so there’s nothing wrong with it looking like… Read on

Esteemed chef Eric Ripert of Le Bernardin, one of six Michelin three-star restaurants in New York (there are only 14 in America) has an incredibly meditative approach to life and business—appropriate for a practicing Buddhist, but uncommon for a high-powered chef. As a young chef, his hot temper led to heavy staff turnover and what… Read on

We previously introduced you to Muletown Roasted Coffee, creators of our house coffee, The Factory Blend. Co-owners Chris Weninegar and Matt Johnson, who originally met here in the Shoals, established their roasting and retail facility on the main square in downtown Columbia, Tennessee. Two years have passed since we last spoke with them, and for… Read on

When she was a teenager, Guadalupe Rivera Marin moved to her father and stepmother’s home in Coyoacan, Mexico City—a home that was well known by friends and neighbors both for its famous occupants and the opulent parties they loved to throw. Guadalupe’s father was muralist Diego Rivera and his wife was painter Frida Kahlo, both… Read on

Our café team continues to create festive cocktails to add to the menu archives for The Factory Café. This cocktail speaks to two different demographics: whiskey drinkers and wine lovers. Follow the recipe below and make your own at home. In this Prosecco cocktail, we channeled the taste of a Manhattan to create a brunch-appropriate drink… Read on

We’ve been experimenting with seasonal fruits to make holiday cocktails for The Factory Café.  The Holiday Sunrise is made with shrub (drinking vinegars) from our friends at MOTHER shrub. You can also find a selection of MOTHER shrub flavors available from The Factory if you choose to make this simple cocktail at home. HOLIDAY SUNRISE… Read on

Yesterday, we announced the lineup for our 2017 Friends of the Café dinner series. Visiting chefs Scott Peacock and Ashley Christensen are familiar to our Journal readers, and today we want to introduce Asha Gomez—our guest chef in August. Asha Gomez is an Atlanta-based chef who combines influences from her birthplace in Kerala, India, with… Read on

We have been fans of Short Stack Editions since they published their first short volume in 2013. Each edition is hand bound with bakers twine and focuses on a single ingredient, offering 20 – 25 clever and approachable recipes written by a variety of chefs, food writers, and cookbook authors. To date, 24 editions have… Read on

As part of our Artisan Home series, we are highlighting the makers of two of our newest featured products—Smithey Ironware Co. and Edward Wohl Woodworking and Design. Both makers design products with classic style, made in America. Charleston, South Carolina-based Smithey Ironware was born from the single-minded curiosity of founder Isaac Morton. Morton had a… Read on

America’s food culture comprises an undeniable mix of influences from around the world. African-American women have a significant impact on the foods we eat and have eaten for centuries. Unfortunately, that impact has often been overlooked or overshadowed by racial stereotypes like that of “Aunt Jemima” and other tropes—fetishized mammy stereotypes and caricatures that coopted… Read on

Clocking in at 564 pages, Vivian Howard’s new (and first) cookbook, Deep Run Roots: Stories and Recipes from My Corner of the South, is by far the largest cookbook I own that is not a compilation. Vivian, friend and collaborator on our Friends of the Café fundraiser dinner, has created a modern American classic book… Read on

As we have reported more than once, the annual Southern Foodways Alliance symposium is a pretty magical occurrence where like-minded individuals come to discuss, debate, celebrate, and (most importantly) eat the very best of what the South has to offer. It was at one of these events where we first really got to know chef… Read on

We love the idea that items can have a sort of sense memory or be associated with a specific moment in time. It is something we explored in our Heirloom series—and author Erin Byers Murphy goes deeper into that concept in her cookbook, A Colander, Cake Stand, and My Grandfather’s Iron Skillet. The concept is… Read on

It is (finally) the time of year to begin the Tomato Sandwich Diet. THE BREAKFAST, LUNCH, AND DINNER TOMATO SANDWICH Wheat bread Homemade mayonnaise (see below) Heirloom tomato slices – patted dry Salt & pepper to taste HOMEMADE MAYONNAISE – from a recipe by Scott Peacock 1 large egg yolk, at room temperature (very important)… Read on

Last December, Natalie was invited by Chef Ashley Christensen to speak at Raleigh’s Contemporary Art Museum, presenting a lecture celebrating women in art and design. Ashley, who has been a constant source of inspiration for us, is deeply involved in the organization and in her community in Raleigh. As a thank you gift, Natalie received… Read on

If you’ve perused a drink menu in any upscale bar over the last few years, you’ve come across at least one drink made with shrub. Shrub is a mixture of fruit (or ginger), vinegar, and sweetener that was a favored drink among early settlers to the Americas. Read more about Shrubs and Switchels here. Our… Read on

Last week, we introduced pitmaster Rodney Scott and the care and expertise he executes in the “whole hog” process. His prowess for pork and bar-b-que balances quite nicely with Frank Stitt’s skillful translation of Southern ingredients. (I’ve witnessed it first-hand at an SFA Symposium.) Though their kitchens may look different from one another, both Rodney… Read on

On March 24th, we will be hosting our first Friends of the Café dinner for 2016 featuring Rodney Scott and Frank Stitt (see more about that below). At first glance, Frank and Rodney may seem like they exist on opposite ends of the spectrum: Rodney is an absolute master of barbecue—what the uninitiated might consider… Read on

One of my New Year’s resolutions for 2016 was to cook more at home. And I have. I started my New Year’s Day, after a good night’s sleep, with a delicious cup of my famous Coffee Milk—an indeterminate mixture of a latte, cappuccino, and a café au lait—made with whole milk (raw when I can… Read on

Lindsay Whiteaker and Pete Halupka – Harvest, Alabama natives and who met in the 5th grade – launched Harvest Roots Farm and Ferment in 2011 with less than $1,000. What was then a small, organic vegetable farm has grown into a full-scale “fermentory” – focusing on producing wild, fermented food and beverages. Lindsay and Pete… Read on

Most every family has a host of Thanksgiving traditions and closely held recipes. Still, there is plenty of room for experimentation while still keeping up family rituals. Our friends at Local Palate, a print and online publication focusing on Southern culinary history and culture, share this recipe for a turkey dry rub. It is a… Read on

Short Stack Editions is a beautiful series of small-format, hand-bound publications that are half cookbook, half food magazine. Each 4 1/2” x 7 1/2” edition is inspired by a single ingredient and written by an array of chefs, cookbook authors, and food writers. To sum it up, Short Stack Editions are a food-lovers’ pocket-sized dream—and are… Read on

In his last cookbook, A New Turn in the South, Hugh Acheson won us over with his focus on community, sustainability, and organic products. We so agree with his “Message About Community” in that book that we refer to it often in conversations about our own work and how to set standards for what is… Read on

A year ago last week, I wrote about Anne Stiles Quatrano and her cookbook, Summerland on our Journal. I mentioned how we were waiting for the perfect time to host her for our Friends of the Café Dinner Series. We are excited to (finally) announce that Anne will be joining us in October at The Factory,… Read on

My initial introduction to up-and-coming Alabama chef Rob McDaniel came through my son, Zach. Years ago, Zach was traveling home from a Doo-Nanny celebration and stopped for brunch at a restaurant along Lake Martin in south Alabama. The unimposing atmosphere and spectacular meal he found at the SpringHouse restaurant had him hooked. He raved for… Read on

Barbeque lovers are often staunch proponents and defenders of their favorite preparation, favorite meat, and favorite sauce—or lack thereof. Just as there is an entire range of styles of barbeque (everything from pulled pork with slaw to smoked chicken to a plate of burnt ends), there is a whole spectrum of barbeque sauces. Personally, I’m… Read on

With Father’s Day quickly approaching, this month’s cocktail post from our Nashville-based cocktail expert Jesse Goldstein discusses the importance of an often-overlooked component of boozy drinks—water. Want to know when to shake and when to stir (or the perfect cocktail for celebrating the fathers in your life)? Read on. From Jesse: It was in 1806 that The Balance and… Read on

Last Sunday afternoon, we hosted a brunch—part of our Friends of the Café | Makeshift Dinner Series—to benefit Jones Valley Teaching Farm, an organization that works with students and within schools to create and supplement healthy food curriculum. Jones Valley’s Good School Food program encourages students to buy into the concept of “good food” by… Read on

Two weeks ago we introduced Jones Valley Teaching Farm and the work they are doing with schools and in classrooms across Birmingham. With programs like Good School Food, Farm Lab, and Seed to Plate, they are providing food-based, hands-on, experimental education and design-thinking strategies for students in Pre-K to 12th grades. Their practices are sustainable… Read on

I first heard of Jones Valley Teaching Farm around 2003. The farm was still a small plot of land located close to The Garage, in Birmingham, Alabama. I drove down one cold winter day to have lunch with (then director) Edwin Marty. There was one hoop house, and running water, and not much else—yet. It… Read on

Sometimes when you meet a kindred spirit, you feel that connection immediately. It’s safe to say that I felt that bond when I first met Angie Mosier a dozen (or so) years ago. She laughs in a way that draws you in immediately—you just have to know what she’s laughing at. She also throws a… Read on

…the role of the architect, or the designer, is that of a very good, thoughtful host, all of whose energy goes into trying to anticipate the needs of his guests—those who enter the building and use the objects in it. – Charles Eames Our favorite Eames quote above is now on our café tables, the production… Read on

The process of canning and preserving is just one of the “living arts” that we are thrilled to see making a comeback. This year at The Factory Café, we have set ourselves the goal to “put-up” as much of the bounty of summer as we possibly can. (Not to mention my plans for my own… Read on

Brunch has become such a widely adopted part of the American culinary experience and like so many food traditions, its existence cannot be nailed down to one exact moment. There was no year B.B. (before brunch) and no A.B. (after brunch) but food historians and brunch experts believe that the meal originated in Great Britain’s… Read on

For this month’s cocktail selection, contributor Jesse Goldstein focuses on something that most Southerners hold dear: a glass of tea. Here he provides us with both hot and cold options that are delicious and simple to prepare—for one or for a whole group. From Jesse: When most think of tea and cocktails, the first thing… Read on

At almost any workplace, you can hear employees talk about their co-workers with a closeness and familiarity; after years of working alongside one another, your officemates can (in some cases) begin to feel like family. In the past, that has actually been the case here at Alabama Chanin. Studio and dye house directress Diane Hall… Read on

Being intimate with the obstacles of implementing Slow Design, we are inspired by how the Slow Food movement has successfully encouraged us to pay attention to the food we eat, where it comes from, and how it is produced. And, it’s beautiful—and even more inspiring—how the conversation has quickly moved beyond the concepts of sustainable… Read on

In December of 2011, we started playing with bitters. Today, we explore how craft meets cocktail with Jesse Goldstein. Read on to learn how to make variations of your own of cocktail bitters and how to use this relatively simple ingredient to add complex layers to your own drinks: It was in 1806 when the… Read on

Vino or Moonshine? Both, please. Memphis chefs, Andrew Ticer and Michael Hudman’s new cookbook, Collards and Carbonara: Southern Cooking, Italian Roots published by Olive Press, showcases their distinctly Southern-Italian dishes—or is that distinctly Italian-Southern dishes? Either way, it’s fusion cuisine with an accent. The two chefs and best friends opened the upscale Andrew Michael Italian Kitchen in Memphis… Read on

In anticipation of upcoming holiday celebrations, we asked Jesse Goldstein, our cocktail contributor, to come up with a couple of new twists on classic sparkling cocktails. Celebrate responsibly and come back for more great cocktail recipes in the new year. I’ve often said that it’s a shame sparkling wine seems to be reserved for special… Read on

Based in Charleston, South Carolina, The Local Palate is a food culture publication that celebrates the region’s best culinary figures, recipes, and processes. The magazine has recently launched their digital presence, resulting in a beautiful, easy-to-navigate, and delicious website. From The Local Palate website: Food in the south is intrinsically connected to life in the… Read on

Last year, when delving into the history of holiday carols, I found myself asking a question that I’ve wondered about since my youth: What exactly is figgy pudding? The traditional English dessert is mentioned several times in the popular carol “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” (Now bring us some figgy pudding and bring it… Read on

Thanksgiving is a holiday rich with memories, traditions, and foods we only eat this time of year. For about two days leading up to Thanksgiving dinner, I can guarantee that there is nearly always something either going into or coming out of my oven, and aromas both sweet and savory waft throughout the house. Our friends… Read on

“Gravy is the SFA’s collection of original stories—fresh, unexpected, and thought-provoking. Like all of the SFA’s work, Gravy shares stories of the changing American South through the foods we eat. Gravy showcases a South that is constantly evolving, accommodating new immigrants, adopting new traditions, and lovingly maintaining old ones. It uses food as a means… Read on

This post originally ran on November 12, 2011. I’m making the pie again today for our guests who will arrive in the coming days. Happy Thanksgiving week…we’ve got lots to be thankful for. xoNatalie My daughter Maggie has been decorating the house for Thanksgiving this last week. In fact, she went directly from Halloween to a strange… Read on

We have reached that time of the year when, even in Alabama, we have to accept that winter has arrived. While there are many things to celebrate during colder months, the early frosts are the hardest to embrace. So, we were excited when guest contributor Jesse Goldstein offered up a bit of a tropical concoction… Read on

This month, we offer our second installment on creative cocktails from Jesse Goldstein on the often overlooked of beauty lavender as a flavor. Hopefully you will be inspired to experiment with your own infusions to create spirits with complex, but delicious, flavors. While the idea of infusing herbs and botanicals into spirits may seem to… Read on

The t-shirts for Jim ‘N Nick’s Bar-B-Q read, “You can smell our butts for miles”. This was certainly the case on Friday, October 10, as their giant meat smoker nestled up to Alabama Chanin’s front entry and sent out the signal for our final “Friends of the Cafe” dinner of 2014, featuring chef Drew Robinson… Read on

Today we welcome Jesse Goldstein, one of Nashville, Tennessee’s resident cocktail experts, as a regular contributor to our Journal. Jesse will be sharing stories of Southern culture and the spirits that surround it. Look for a cocktail recipe each month—including traditional mixed drinks and their modern interpretations. One of my favorite things as a kid… Read on

Alabama Chanin will host our final “Friends of the Café” Dinner of the 2014 season next Friday evening. The creative team from Jim ‘N Nick’s Community Bar-B-Q, including Nicholas Pikakis and Drew Robinson, will be on hand to direct the menu. I find it amazing that Jim ‘N Nick’s currently operates over 30 restaurants across… Read on

Join us at The Factory on October 10th for the last “Friends of the Café” Dinner of the year, a fundraiser for the Fatback Collective’s Fatback Fund, featuring Drew Robinson and Nicholas Pihakis of Jim ‘N Nick’s Bar-B-Q. The evening will include cocktails and a four-course meal with craft beer pairings. The menu features regionally and sustainably-sourced fare, like Pickled Gulf Shrimp, Fatback Pig… Read on

My love for barbeque is no secret. Though I might be partial to our local fixings, I can honestly say most of the barbeque I’ve experienced throughout Alabama and the South is both distinctive and delicious. Each region and territory has its own unique recipes and tastes. One of the most well-known barbeque establishments from… Read on

It takes a special kind of food to require it’s own specific food transportation system. Anyone who has ever attempted to serve – and certainly travel with – deviled eggs knows that eggs resting on an ordinary plate will end up smashed, flattened, or in the floor. I personally have at least 3 different deviled… Read on

The last day of summer is officially September 22nd, but Maggie started back to school weeks ago. As the long days wind down, we must begrudgingly say farewell to peach season. This year, I found myself with an abundance of peaches throughout the summer. Whenever I swiped the last one from the counter to eat… Read on

A few months ago, I spent a couple of days with friends at Gray Bear Lodge in Hohenwald, Tennessee. While there—in addition to the yoga sessions, sauna time, tub soaks, and hikes—I was treated to a (mini) juice cleanse for a few days. And though I recommend consulting your doctor before embarking on your own… Read on

Alabama Chanin’s Friends of the Café Piggy Bank Dinner for Southern Foodways Alliance, featuring Ashley Christensen, was a singing success last Thursday. Not only did the ingredients sing on the plate, but our diners have adopted the habit of singing to our featured chefs. This time, Ashley Christensen was serenaded with a round of Happy… Read on

Last week, we introduced you to Ashley Christensen: chef, entrepreneur, philanthropist, and badass. She is August’s featured chef in our café (and collaborator for our upcoming Piggy Bank Dinner). Ashley recently spoke to us about good food, sustainability, community, and what she has planned next. AC: Congratulations on your recent James Beard Award for Best Chef:… Read on

I am just going to say it: Ashley Christensen is a badass. (And there are many who would agree with this sentiment.) I could say plenty of nice, lovely things about her and they would all be true. But, if I’m being honest, that’s the first word that comes to mind when I think of… Read on

Last Friday night, we hosted our second “Friends of the Café” dinner, which also served as our first Piggy Bank Dinner fundraiser for the Southern Foodways Alliance (SFA). Chef Vivian Howard of Chef & the Farmer restaurant and the Peabody-award winning television series A Chef’s Life traveled to The Factory from North Carolina for an evening of delicious food, cocktails, much… Read on

Community cookbooks – collections of recipes gathered by churches, women’s societies, rotary clubs, and other regional clubs and foundations – have been the foundation of home kitchens across America for decades. These collections often present an air of nostalgia, using old-fashioned techniques, offbeat ingredients, and occasionally include really great anecdotes. They are—in their best versions—a… Read on

Blueberries have made their way to peak season here in Alabama. While they have many health benefits, their taste and convenience are equally valuable. Ever since Maggie and I planted a bush in the backyard, there are days that we eat them by the handful. We’ve been serving a variety from our local farmers’ market… Read on

I feel a certain kinship with Vivian Howard, even though we’ve never met. We both left home at an early age, finding big lives and successful living elsewhere; we also both followed our inspirations as they directed us back to our regional homes, where we’ve found hard-won fulfillment. Vivian works with food as her medium,… Read on

This month, we launched our “Friends of the Café” Dinner Series with James Beard award-winning chef Chris Hastings. When searching for like-minded chefs and restaurants to collaborate with for our ongoing chef series in the café, Chris was one of the first people who came to mind. His dedication to locally-sourced ingredients is something we… Read on

Last week, we hosted our inaugural “Friends of the Café” Dinner, featuring chef Chris Hastings of Hot and Hot Fish Club. Chris and his team came to The Factory for an evening of superb food, lively conversation, and support for the Alabama Gulf Seafood organization.

Nothing tastes like summer quite like a fresh, home-grown tomato. In fact, I embark on a tomato sandwich diet each summer. While I’m still patiently waiting for my own garden plants to get ripe enough for picking, I’m enjoying the vegetables from my CSA share each week (and of course, our locally-sourced café ingredients). Good… Read on

Alabama Chanin’s slow design ideals are deeply rooted in and inspired by the Slow Food Movement, whose tenets call for good, clean, and fair food for all. Local, organically sourced food echoes through the pages of the Hot and Hot Fish Club Cookbook by husband-and-wife team (and friends) Chris and Idie Hastings. In continuation of… Read on

Allison Kave, a truly creative baker and expert on all things pie related, credits her mother with her passion for food. Her mom, Rhonda Kave, is owner of Roni-Sue’s Chocolate in New York’s Essex Street Market. Growing up, Rhonda had a rather unexciting childhood filled with canned and boiled vegetables and she wanted more nutrition… Read on

We all have different definitions of comfort food—the dishes that make up those meals that leave our bellies (and our hearts) full. They are the dishes you crave when you are far from home; a hankering for something familiar and soothing. For me, this includes an array of casserole dishes, fresh garden vegetables, and my… Read on

Foraging is the act of searching for and gathering wild food. Perhaps you remember learning about nomadic hunters and gatherers in grade school—these early societies moved from place to place, following animals, fruits, and vegetables in order to sustain life. Modern humans followed this way of life until about ten thousand years ago, when agriculture… Read on

When I was a young girl, my mother’s mother would cook green beans for what seemed like every meal. They would be fresh from the garden when in season or, during the winter, they would come from her reserves of “put up” vegetables that had been canned and stored. By the time I was about… Read on

This May, Alabama Chanin is featuring two of my personal heroines (and, now, dear friends) as part of our ongoing Chef Series at the café. They might not be chefs, but Davia Nelson and Nikki Silva are The Kitchen Sisters—independent producers who create radio stories for NPR and other public broadcast outlets. Davia and Nikki… Read on

It is no secret that Southerners love green tomatoes. We fry them, pickle them, stew them, bake them in pies, and even write books about them. Readily available at the beginning and ending of each summer season, this under-ripe fruit has a firm flesh and an acidic, sour taste—which allows them to be used in… Read on

This month, we are featuring Blackberry Farm and Chef Joseph Lenn as part of our ongoing Chef Series here at The Factory. As promised, we are sharing our favorite recipes with you; this week, a twist on a simple spring salad. From The Foothills Cuisine of Blackberry Farm, page 121: “When the garden and farmer’s… Read on

Beginning today, Alabama Chanin is launching a Chef Series for The Factory Café. Each month, we will feature seasonal dishes on our menu from chefs (or restaurants) that share our values of celebrating place, artisanal craftsmanship of all kinds, and, simply said, good food. Our focus through these collaborations will be on regional chefs and… Read on

My love for cake, from traditional layer cakes to simple pound cakes, has been well documented over the years. While I delight in the homemade sweets of the South, one of my favorite cakes comes from a local bakery here in the Shoals called Sugarbakers. The family owned-and-operated bakery opened over twenty years ago in… Read on

I have a deep respect and admiration for the work happening at Rural Studio, located in Hale County, Alabama. Founded in 1993 by the late Samuel “Sambo” Mockbee and D.K. Ruth, the studio is now celebrating its 20th anniversary. After having the chance to visit the stunning Yancey Chapel in 2008, I noted on the… Read on

My Gram Perkins passed down several recipes to me through the years. I keep most of them in a recipe book my mother compiled of family recipes. From Chocolate Pie to Thanksgiving dressing, Gram Perkins’ delicious Southern dishes continue to make their way onto my table—always tasting amazing, but not quite as good as when… Read on

My mornings always start with coffee. Like many of you, the act of drinking coffee has long been a part of my daily routine. So, I was excited when approached with the idea of crafting my own blend. If you’ve visited The Factory lately, you’ve probably enjoyed a cup of our house coffee, which is… Read on

Alabama Chanin’s first-ever sewing workshop took place in 2008 alongside a seminar on Southern cooking, organized and presented by our friend and collaborator, Angie Mosier. While the sewing participants stitched and chatted, the food preparers fried up some chicken, steamed collard greens and made pot likker, then baked the most delicious Lane Cake. At each… Read on

Ever since I read about classic Southern drinks in the latest issue of Garden & Gun, I’ve been craving a crisp, refreshing cocktail. We’ve shared some grenadine-inspired libations before and, in keeping with that theme (and continuing our love affair with Jack Rudy’s Small Batch Grenadine), we created a blood orange-infused pomegranate cocktail. Boasting a… Read on

As a Southerner and a cook, I often find myself included in lively debates about regional cuisine, long-winded discussions of the dozens of types of barbecue preparations, cornbread recipe swaps, or conversations on the perfect biscuit dough. Those of us who love food treasure the dishes we were raised eating and love to swap recipes… Read on

Our café kitchen has been testing, developing, and tasting new items for our dessert menu. We are intent on staying true to foods that reflect our roots, incorporating traditional Southern elements into decadent dishes. Moon pies are treats that fit the criteria of being both definitively Southern and decadent. For those who have not yet… Read on

These days it’s rare that I get the chance to sit down and read. Between second grade homework and taking out the compost (which seems an endless—and perpetually thankless—chore), my days don’t involve moments to sit, read, and ponder. In fact, “pondering” seems to have become a lost art in our busy, busy, busy (badge… Read on

The Momofuku restaurant group started up in 2004 as a postage stamp-sized ramen noodle bar in New York City’s East Village. It garnered a following rather quickly for the innovative ramen dishes and simple, but incredibly addictive, pork buns. At the helms of chef-owner David Chang, Momofuku steadily grew over the years to include numerous… Read on

There is one food tradition that seems to cross all social, ethnic, and economic boundaries in the South: iced tea, particularly sweet tea. In the movie, “Steel Magnolias” Dolly Parton’s character referred to sweet tea as “the house wine of the South.” In many homes and most restaurants, this is certainly the case. But, why… Read on

The winter holidays seem to evoke the strongest food memories from many of us. Certainly there are family Thanksgiving dinner traditions, and the plethora of other delights that come with the rest of the season – pumpkin pie, homemade eggnog, savory soups, and gingerbread cookies. When I was a child, potato candy was one of… Read on

The Memphis, Tennessee-based Shotwell Candy Co. produces delicious, hand-crafted caramels, soon to be some of your favorite things. I learned about the company from John T. Edge of the Southern Foodways Alliance. The company was launched last year in the home kitchen of Jerrod Smith – a corporate lawyer and, now also, confectioner. Jerrod was… Read on

The Alabama Biscuit Company is changing the way people perceive (and eat) biscuits. Jonathan Burch of Birmingham, Alabama, has developed a delicious and healthy recipe for biscuits using organic sprouted spelt flour, aluminum-free baking powder, and organic Celtic sea salt. The biscuit mix is now a favorite of the Alabama Chanin team. We made biscuits… Read on

For many Southerners, ambrosia salad is a dish often associated with holiday potlucks or aunts and grandmothers. It occasionally gets a bad rap, along with the often-maligned fruitcake, but when prepared correctly it can be light and delicious. The dividing line between love and hate seems to be one ingredient: coconut. But, this much is… Read on

This year, I’ve been supplementing my garden’s harvest with fruits and vegetables from local farmers’ markets and the occasional Community-Supported Agriculture (CSA) box. Typically, participating in a CSA program involves purchasing a share of a farmer’s crop before it is produced, but some farmers (like ours) will accept weekly payments for pre-ordered boxes. While quantities… Read on

Open any Hallmark card or watch a coffee commercial between now and the new year and you will be flooded with the storybook sentiment of the holidays. Ask anyone their feelings about Thanksgiving and they will tell you it’s a time for family, for great food and for, well, giving thanks. All of those things… Read on

Autumn is most certainly the season of the pumpkin. I admit that, though they are beautiful decorations, I haven’t always been a big fan of the fruit. But, as we get older, our tastes continue to change. These days, I find that I crave them more than ever. The flavor can be sweet, even complex,… Read on

Recently, the always-inspiring Southern Foodways Alliance symposium, held in Oxford, Mississippi, sponsored a rollicking debate on an intensely dividing subject: Which is better: Pie or Cake? While my love for a good cake has been well documented, some of the arguments for pie, eloquently spoken by Kat Kinsman from CNN’s Eatocracy, spurred me to take… Read on

Our friend Tasia, owner of Alabama’s Belle Chevre creamery, has been busy with several new projects since we last saw her at Southern Makers. Her first cookbook, which features a foreword by Natalie (and is full of amazing Southern and Greek-inspired recipes), was released last year. Tasia has been crafting new recipes, teaching cooking classes,… Read on

It has been over three years since the Deepwater Horizon oil spill devastated the Gulf Coast and, in turn, the livelihoods of many. The Alabama seafood industry was practically devastated, but is rebounding with determination and the support of restaurateurs and loyal customers. Alabama has 50+ miles of coastline bordering the Gulf of Mexico. Add… Read on

Kevin Gillespie grew up in Locust Grove, Georgia, outside Atlanta, with nine cousins within five years of age living five hundred feet from each other. While his parents worked, his paternal grandmother watched the kids, cooking three meals a day so the family could always sit and eat together. At age ten, Kevin became interested… Read on

Yesterday, we heard from Heather Wylie about her Bohemian Bop venture, her love of printmaking, and how she got into screen printing t-shirts. Today, Heather shares with us a recipe for screen printing at home, based on her own self-taught experience and by following You Tube videos and a few books on the subject, including… Read on

We are pleased to welcome back friend and writer, Phillip March Jones, who we have convinced to join us as a regular contributor to this Journal. Phillip will be writing about art, visual design, music, food, and travel. This week, Phillip shares a photo essay of (and a delicious recipe from) his new favorite restaurant,… Read on

This summer’s harvest has begun to reveal its bounty. Tomatoes and cucumbers are in full-swing and soon I will have all of the squash and zucchini I can stand (and plenty for the neighbors) not to mention, beautiful Italian basil, which I love with a tomato sandwich. I recently received this book, Vintage Craft Workshop,… Read on

In anticipation of tomorrow evening’s opening exhibit of our BBQ’ed Dresses Collection at Warehouse Row in Chattanooga, Tennessee, we mixed up a celebratory cocktail. Our friend Brooks Reitz of the Jack Rudy Cocktail Co. sent us a few more bottles of his Small Batch Tonic for the event, and the Chattanooga Whiskey Co. is providing… Read on

Next week, as part of the Crafted by Southern Hands event and workshop, our Barbeque-inspired Collection will be on display at Warehouse Row, a historic, old stone fort turned community retail center in downtown Chattanooga, Tennessee. The couture dresses were originally a part of the 15th Annual Southern Foodways Alliance Symposium’s Punch, Pictures, and ‘Cue… Read on

I’ve been thinking about painting my back porch and deck white since it was built last summer. After all, we spend about fifty percent of our time out there. I’ve long disliked the toxicity of commercial paints on the market. Most common indoor and outdoor household paints contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs). VOCs contain a… Read on

It is a goal of mine to have as many sit-down dinners with Maggie – and our guests – as I can each week. My summer garden continues to grow and I am so anxious for those first tomatoes (my favorite part of summer). You hear talk on all fronts about managing time, finding the… Read on

A couple months ago, we launched a line of cocktail napkins made with our 100% organic cotton jersey and printed with the Alabama Chanin logo. We also shared a new favorite cocktail: our version of a Maiden’s Blush. Friend Brooks Reitz of the Jack Rudy Cocktail Co. sent us some of his small batch grenadine,… Read on

I’ve been a member of the Southern Foodways Alliance for years. I plan to be at the 16th Annual Symposium this coming October, if I can get a ticket soon enough (last year’s event sold out in minutes). The Symposium (as it’s loosely called) is wonderful simply in the fact that you spend the series of… Read on

Popular culture, social media, and our peers are all embracing a trend in home gardening across the country (though few of these gardens are as radical as Ron Finley’s median-turned-vegetable-garden project in Los Angeles). A guest for dinner last night mentioned that “even Oprah is on trend now,” having planted her own garden. Here in… Read on

Cows were born to roam and graze. Hogs were born to root and wallow. Chickens were born to scratch and peck. According to Will Harris and White Oak Pastures, these are the natural behaviors of animals, making them commonsense tenets of how to raise healthy livestock. “Nature abhors a monoculture,” is one of Will’s favorite… Read on

We’ve loved every plate, bowl and serving dish from our collaboration with Heath Ceramics that has come through the studio. But it’s this newest addition, the Camellia pattern, that is easily my favorite, and the most elegant. Each piece is hand-etched by a Heath Ceramics artisan and comes in Opaque White. The design is offered… Read on

Makers and doers Kerry Diamond and Claudia Wu, two friends and former Harper’s Bazaar colleagues, have teamed up to produce the first indie food magazine to celebrate women in the food world. Beautifully designed and expertly curated, Issue #1 – The Tastemaker Issue – will be released in May. I’ve just contributed to their Kickstarter… Read on

I think that we all have memories of family dinner with Mom bringing one single bubbling hot dish to the table. I have a favorite casserole from childhood, something that my mother called “goulash” that I’m sure bears little resemblance to the actual Hungarian dish. I’m not sure that I’d even like it if I… Read on

My friend Tasia of Belle Chevre – that wonderful goat cheese I’ve mentioned (a few times) before  –  has created Make Your Own Goat Cheese Kits. I love this idea for a Mother’s Day gift. Maybe if I let my Picky Eater help me make it, she’ll actually eat it. Kit includes everything you need, just… Read on

For Marimekko Week, we wanted to make (and eat) one of the delicious Finnish dishes on the Marimekko Feeling Festive blog. Armi Ratia has been an inspiration to so many, myself included, for decades. The clean lines and graphic look of Marimekko patterns are both simple and exciting to the eye and the bold, bright… Read on

We spend a good bit of time in the kitchen, planning meals and testing out new recipes to share, while I spend evenings trying to please the taste buds of my picky eater. I’ve found that kitchen twine has a number of uses, including trussing or tying meat when cooking or when you want to… Read on

It’s been unseasonably cool these last weeks. Most days, it’s been too chilly to fling the windows wide open and really enjoy the weather. Though we’re only just beginning to see the signs of an Alabama spring season, we’re preparing our supplies to begin the task of spring cleaning. We’ve previously shared some wabi-sabi cleaning… Read on

It’s been nearly three years since the Deepwater Horizon oil spill disaster in the Gulf of Mexico, and the repercussions still linger. Tar balls continue to wash up on shore as we wait patiently to learn how much BP will pay in restitution. But the fishing, shrimping, and oyster industries have rebounded in strides, as… Read on

We try to share a staff lunch once a week here in the studio. It gives everyone a chance to sit down together, laugh, and share ideas. We are, after all, a family of sorts. This week we had hoped to entertain and enjoy time with our friend and collaborator Anna Maria Horner, to whom… Read on

We have been working with indigo-dyed cotton jersey for years now. Between Father Andrew and Goods of Conscience in New York City and Artisan Natural Dyeworks in Nashville, Tennessee, there has never been a need for us to start our own indigo vat. And in the quantities we dye, it’s better to leave it to… Read on

Rivertown Coffee Co. has been a staple in our community for almost 10 years. In this video series called MadeInTheShoals, owner John Cartwright talks about how he experiences coffee, the importance of community, and what it’s like to own a business.

We’re not quite in the cocktail business (yet), though we seem to be sneaking behind the bar more and more lately. Our collaboration with Jack Rudy Cocktail Co. brought about the Jack Rudy Bar Towel, which we featured early last month along with the Jack Rudy Small Batch Tonic, both available for purchase on our… Read on

Perhaps we too often think of women in the kitchen as just that: women (moms, wives) in the home kitchen, baking cookies and making dinner for their families. Whether this is because the “Chef” title has been dominated for so many years by men, or if it’s because we – those of us in the… Read on

Yeast Rolls can be such a source of Southern pride that even the best cooks shy away from these elusive delicacies.  My grandmother made the best yeast rolls in the county, maybe this entire country. Although, I suspect that half of Lauderdale County would say that their grandmother made the best. (Perhaps you feel the… Read on

I get lost in the thousands and thousands of captivating images and creations shared daily on Pinterest. One thing leads to another and before I know it I’m fifteen tabs deep in my web browser… While pinning to our boards recently, I came across a beautiful food blog. On said food blog, there is a… Read on

This post published last Wednesday in the midst of technical difficulties that lasted more than a week. We are deeply proud of this collaboration, adore all things Jack Rudy, and want to be sure that everyone gets a chance to meet Brooks up-close (or at least closer). Here we re-publish  the story, giving the Pink… Read on

Red velvet cake is as much a Southern tradition as fried chicken, pot likker, and cornbread. So when the idea for red velvet “Valentine’s Day” cake came up, it was a given that we would be eating the cake at our weekly office lunch. In our community, this three layer cake is traditionally topped with a cream cheese icing… Read on

On Monday, Sara wrote her thoughts on fashion and designing for real people with different body types. We’ve written before ‘On Beauty’ and the comeback of pin-up style. Even though media representations might make you feel differently, the fact is that women come in so many beautiful shapes and sizes. This is a deeply important… Read on

It’s a bit of a stretch to call chicken made with olives “Peace Chicken,” but it did recently bring a bit of peace to my family life.  Here’s the story: Although I have spent years cultivating my backyard garden, honing my cooking skills, learning how to shop in my small community (grass-fed local meat from… Read on

This year saw our Journal take a more structured tone and we devoted particular days to particular topics. Wednesday’s became Recipe Wednesday and we worked to get ourselves organized and cook. EVERY WEEK.  It was quite a feat of organization since we also run the production office, online store, design, pay bills, and as I… Read on

In our family (as many families in my community), today will be celebrated with Hog Jowl, Collards, and Black-eyed Peas (although you might want to try the Three Sisters with some root vegetables). It’s one of the few days of the year my father (who is gratefully still with us and in remission) actually cooks… Read on

Homemade jams are wrapped in organic cotton jersey and tied with a cotton jersey pull; these jams are the basis of our wreath for today and are ready for delivery (as soon as my son Zach’s homemade bread arrives). As I set off for the holidays (later this afternoon), I am thankful for your support… Read on

Everything from roasted potatoes to strawberries and Prosecco  (sometimes in the same meal) have been flavored by my rosemary plants; I have been known to make flower arrangements (and wreaths) from the fragrant leaves and drink rosemary infused tea at the same time.  And while I use rosemary year-round, this evergreen bush is readily available… Read on

Apples, sweet potatoes, autumn squash, turnips, rutabagas, leeks, and greens of every shade—I await the fall garden and all of its bounty each year with as much eagerness as the changing of the leaves and the relief from blistering Alabama summers. Root vegetables are at their prime this time of year and their heartiness is… Read on

From Extra Virginity: “…Wine’s effects on us are vivid and swift, while oil works on the body in hidden ways, slow and lingering in the cells and in the mind, like myths. Wine is merry Dionysus; oil is Athena, solemn, wise, and unknowable. Wine is how we would like life to be, but oil is… Read on

Tasia Malakasis, owner of local fromagerie Belle Chevre, is a dear friend of Alabama Chanin. She, like so many Southern women, has never met a stranger and can spend an afternoon discussing recipes, bourbon, and the weather, with genuine ease and enthusiasm. Her big heart and zeal for life are not easily contained and show… Read on

Alabama Chanin, Florence, Alabama, in collaboration with Drew Robinson, Jim ‘N Nick’s, Birmingham, Alabama Ingredients 64 yards 100% organic medium-weight cotton jersey, colors white and nude 47 spools Button Craft thread 112 yards embroidery floss 1 pound white glass beads 9 garment patterns 4 stencil designs 1 quart textile paint 24 talented embroidery artisans 27… Read on

Thank you to the Southern Foodways Alliance for allowing us to share “Vinegar and Barbecue: Tales of Live Cultures and Red Herrings” by Hugh Acheson. The perfect prelude to a barbeque infused Southern Foodways Alliance Symposium weekend. Oxford, Mississippi awaits. xoNatalie From Gravy #44: In the world of barbecue, vinegar is a seasoning, a spritz, a wash—an… Read on

BBQ, Barbeque, Bar-B-Que, Bar-B-Q.  However you spell it, we are awash in this delicious madness here in North Alabama.  Mention barbecue and you will have an instant conversation starter: “Mustard based sauce!” “Are you kidding me? No way! Ketchup!” “What!  Please don’t tell me you are putting mayonnaise on that meat?” These are the ingredients that… Read on

As John T. Edge explains in his new book, The Truck Food Cookbook, (which we mentioned here) the food truck phenomenon that has swept the country over the past several years has been exciting to watch. Citizens of many American cities are challenging the regulations placed on food truck vendors in an effort to make streetscapes more alluring and encourage the… Read on

If you’ve spent any amount of time at The Factory you know a thing or two about biscuits. There’s at least a dozen different recipes in the Alabama Chanin library, and Natalie can make some of the most flakey mouthwatering creations you’ve ever tasted with no measuring cup in sight, all while wrangling a six… Read on

With the introduction of the Foxfire Book Series on Monday, we began our two week discussion of modern homesteading. Modern homesteading sounds like an oxymoron; I prefer to think of it as a simple lifestyle adapted to contemporary times. Technology has made leaps and bounds since the 1970s when the Firefox series was written. We do and… Read on

Thank you to the Wall Street Journal for including me for their “In My Kitchen” series. “Crafty Cook Natalie Chanin”  by Charlotte Druckman (who was a pleasure to work with). Here you have the full interview (with a small disclaimer) and the recipes for the full menu we cooked that day: “I GOT MY NICKNAME… Read on

A few weeks back I hosted a small outdoor Wednesday night dinner to welcome friends Nathalie Jordi and Brett Anderson to Florence (and to celebrate my new deck).

Last month, I had the incredible honor of hosting a studio visit from three amazing women who have inspired me for years. On a beautiful summer day, Rosanne Cash, Gael Towey, and Maira Kalman arrived in Florence for a two day sewing workshop and adventure. The idea for the trip was hatched on a spring… Read on

The warm months in the south are a little extra-warm for us in the studio, so we are always looking for an excuse to cool down- even when having our afternoon coffee.  What better way to cool down your afternoon coffee than with ice cream? The first time I had an affogato was at a… Read on

During a recent photoshoot, my son Zach took time from his busy day of new fatherhood and running his growing catering company to make us lunch: a simple, delicious pizza piled with tomatoes. This summer has been hard on my garden. Many of my herbs have simply withered away, and my tomatoes have been scorched in… Read on

From Alabama Stitch Book, page 94: One day when I was feeling a bit down, my friend Jen Rausch called. She told me I was allowed 20 minutes of self-pity, but then I was to get up and get on with my work. A few hours later, Jen arrived at the office with a tray… Read on

My son Zach has a beautiful way of adapting traditional recipes in his cooking. For our studio lunches, he makes a salad with handmade, moist farm cheese crumbled on top. We also enjoy it (probably too much) with fresh baked bread and crackers. Farm cheese got its name because all of its ingredients could be… Read on

Every summer in our part of the world is hot, so hot that you barely want to move. And this summer seems particularly, endlessly hot. By the end of August, we will all be looking forward to the coolness that comes with fall. Until then, Maggie and I are cooling off with afternoon dips in… Read on

In March, Kristy shared a few of her favorite simple syrup recipes, which are a flavorful way to smooth your favorite cocktails. Though gin is not my spirit of choice, the ginger and mint made this by far my favorite drink of the summer. As posted this morning, I have a particular love for ginger… Read on

Since I was pregnant with Maggie 7 years ago, I have loved ginger. Before that pregnancy, I couldn’t stand the smell of it. But it seems that Maggie gifted me with many things, including a love of all things ginger, particularly ginger ale and ginger candy, which was written about here. I am going to… Read on

The food might just be the best thing about Penland… other than the yoga every morning (and afternoon), the view, the beautiful studio, the great people. Let’s just say that the food is one of the things that make Penland great. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner served on schedule. No preparation or clean up – thanks… Read on

I first tasted the fried chicken at Watershed restaurant in Georgia about 10 years ago, while visiting friend and colleague, Angie Mosier. This was also my first meeting with Scott Peacock, the then-head chef of Watershed who led them to a James Beard award in 2007. Scott’s close friend and culinary mentor, Edna Lewis, is hands… Read on

If you’ve been to a convenience store in Alabama, chances are you’ve encountered a fried pie, stowed in a basket at the counter and wrapped tightly in cellophane or butter-drenched wax paper. Growing up, family road trip pit stops didn’t mean Cracker Jacks or candy bars for me; it was the fried pies I coveted, portable… Read on

Some five years ago, Martha Hall Foose visited Florence, and made the best strawberry cobbler I’ve had to date. Strawberry season came a little early this year. In early May, my patch began producing.  I’m hoping that the plants will continue bearing through the coming weeks so my son, Zach, can make his classic strawberry… Read on

When I was working on our Heath Ceramics collaboration, we worked with colors rooted in the Southern vernacular and my upbringing in the 1960s and 70s in Alabama. When I look at the dishes, I see parts of my childhood in the shades of red and blue. The chosen red is appropriately called red clay,… Read on

I have collected quite the assortment of cookie and biscuit cutters over the years, all crammed into a drawer in my kitchen. Each year for Valentine’s Day, my daughter Maggie and I make heart-shaped biscuits. We also have a few animal shapes for pet themed birthday parties… What more appropriate shape for Independence Day than… Read on

A traditional southern barbecue will almost always have the option of pork, whether in the form of pulled pork sandwiches, slow-cooked ribs, or smoked pork butt. Our July 4th pork dish may be a little more formal than those options, but it is actually very easy to prepare. Our pork loin was sourced locally and… Read on

Summer is my favorite time of year, although there are some who don’t share my love for the south’s steamy heat. Since the heat can be extreme, one summer staple is a batch of Toddy cold-brewed coffee. It’s so simple to make and has so many variations that it can be the only coffee base… Read on

We finished our week of MAKESHIFT with Crafting Design, a chair workshop hosted at Partners & Spade in New York City. From the New York Times piece “Pull Up a Chair, Then Fix It” by Andrew Wagner: “Last Saturday, as part of a conference called MakeShift, Natalie Chanin, the founder of the fashion label Alabama… Read on

John Bielenberg and his work with PieLab aren’t new to Alabama Chanin, or our blog. We were curious what John has been up to, so we caught up with him between his travels to learn more about Project M, PieLab, and recent goings on in Greensboro, Alabama. We also got our hands on a delicious… Read on

For me, the warmer, sunny days of spring mean patio lounging and a cold, crisp beverage. It’s during this season that beer spikes in popularity in my house, becoming my libation of choice. But cracking a cold one doesn’t necessarily mean simply turning up the bottle or emptying its contents into a cold mug. On… Read on

As our world continues to evolve and expand, sometimes the origins of things, the details and processes seem to get lost. I’m always curious about where things come from, the story, the people, and the hands that go into each thing that we consume. It seems that wherever you may be, there is someone that… Read on

I’ve been trying my hand at making the perfect Old-Fashioned Cocktail for our Visiting Artist Series tomorrow evening, and my friend Angie Mosier suggested that I try The Julian, Julian Van Winkle’s version of the Old Fashioned. Created by Sean Brock, the drink highlights the – now famous – bourbon founded by Julian Van Winkle’s grandfather,… Read on

If there’s one thing that rivals my love for creating a delicious, soulful meal, it’s mixing a good cocktail. I’ve enjoyed the classic cocktail revival that’s swept through restaurants and bars, as well as the focus on fresh, seasonal cocktail ingredients. But, as much as I like to travel and seek out mad-scientist mixologists and… Read on

Our studio has been somewhat sorghum obsessed lately, so I thought this would be the perfect time to use this southern treat to create a variation on the everyday latte.  I love enjoying a simple coffee on a day-to-day basis, but sometimes it’s nice to spice things up a bit with ingredients that feel near… Read on

As a child, I ate molasses these ways: drizzled over my biscuits at my grandmother’s table, in Shoofly Pie, barbeque sauce, and baked in fresh gingerbread. As an adult, I’m beginning to notice plenty of restaurants adding this sugar cane syrup to their dishes in glazes and sauces, salad dressings, and many delicious cocktails. I… Read on

For our weekly Studio Lunch, my son Zach prepared a savory Grilled Vegetable + White Cheddar Quiche with cherry tomatoes. In a move that delighted me, he delivered it to the studio and included a heaping salad of fresh greens- Butterhead lettuce, Red Oakleaf, and arugula- all from Jack-o-Lantern Farms, one of our local farmers’… Read on

Meet Kristy – friend, caterer for our Weekend Workshops @ The Factory, and the newest contributor to this blog. I love the symbiotic relationship between the ferns and the mushrooms – along with Kristy’s recipe. Enjoy! xoNatalie On a visit to the Florence/Lauderdale County Farmers’ Market last fall, I was taken by the beautiful shiitake… Read on

Whenever I meet someone, the first thing that usually comes out of their mouth is, “You’re the girl that made me coffee that time.” And as long as that statement is followed by, “It was the best cup of coffee I’ve ever had,” I am a happy girl. I had 6 years of coffee-slinging under… Read on

Since the beginning of time, food has been an essential part of family life and, on a larger scale, the community. As the kitchen is often described as the heart of the house- the recipes and food made within move outward- connecting people to their neighborhood and even their region. A community cookbook exemplifies that… Read on

Martha Hall Foose’s A Southerly Course: Recipes and Stories from Close to Home, has landed on our bookshelf in the studio- then made its way into the kitchen (and our hearts and minds). In her book, Martha’s recipes are accompanied by fascinating stories of life and times in the Mississippi Delta. It makes me want… Read on

After a few months and a busy holiday season, I’ve finally begun to process the experiences of my momentous trip to Oxford, Mississippi, for the Southern Foodways Alliance Symposium. I left the event full of delicious food and copious amounts of knowledge. More specifically, Elizabeth Engelhardt’s talk, “Tales from the South’s Forgotten Locavores,” filled my hungry… Read on

Biscuits are a popular topic of conversation here at Alabama Chanin. We’ve enjoyed their flaky goodness in friends’ company at Blackberry Farm, pondered the great question of butter or lard (butter trumps here), and—of course—given you our favorite recipe in Alabama Stitch Book. Just when we think we know all there is to know about biscuits, Nathalie Dupree and… Read on

Our friend Rinne Allen has been photographing our work for the last few years and shot pictures for our upcoming Alabama Studio Sewing + Design. Her work is beautiful. She also just completed the cookbook A New Turn in the South with her friend Hugh Acheson – and it’s a beauty. The combination of type,… Read on

Our local bakery—called Sugarbakers—makes the most beautiful cakes. I personally think of them as “old-timey,” because they remind me of my childhood birthday cakes with white buttercream frosting and plenty of scallops and swags. Here is a beautiful cake they recently made for me for a special occasion using a “stitched” Anna’s Garden pattern on… Read on

Get yours online and join the Southern Foodways Alliance that you can have this kind of deliciousness mailed to your door (with a side of grated tomato):   Slow-Roasted Broad Beans by Sheila and Matt Neal of Neal’s Deli, Carrboro, NC – from pages 8-9 of Gravy #42 WE THINK OF OUR PASTRAMI PLATE AS… Read on

A month ago I was totally intimidated and scared of bitters, what they were, and how to use them. A recent encounter changed that. It all began with a cocktail drink at Patois in New Orleans.  The beautiful drink menu started off with a lovely champagne cocktail that was something like this: Champagne, Cointreau, Orange… Read on

In the spirit of “The Best Of” week as we move towards New Year’s Eve, I had to recap some of the best meals of my year – and they were plenty (despite my detox). 2011 started with a trip to Blackberry Farm’s Taste of the South with an amazing array of chefs and artisans. … Read on

I have been taste testing tonight for our Holiday Market and cocktail party this Thursday evening. Come by The Factory to visit with great artists and musicians and, of course, to try my Alabama Royale: Fill glass with Belstar Prosecco Add two wedges of organic lemon Drizzle with a teaspoon of Elderberry Syrup Sip +… Read on

For those of you who have been reading this blog for years, it will come as no surprise that I have a girl crush on Virginia Willis. For me, she embodies all of the things that are required of a great Southern Chef with an added hearty laugh. Her book Bon Appetit, Y’all is in… Read on

We have so very much to be thankful for this year – and decade.  It has been a time filled with friends, family, color, design, light, laughter, growth, and, of course, good food. May your celebrations this year be filled with laughter, light, love, and Pumpkin Cheesecake! xo from Natalie and all of us @… Read on

Since my fall garden is finally coming in beautifully: Organic Arugula Amish Deer Tongue Lettuce Red Iceberg Lettuce Spinach Hard Boiled Egg A sprinkle of ground flax seeds My Favorite Dressing: 1 clove pressed garlic 1/4 c. fresh lemon juice 1/3 c. olive oil Salt and pepper to taste Make in a small glass jar,… Read on

Made (and Grown) in the USA: Jack Rudy Cocktail Co. Small Batch Tonic Tito’s Handmade Vodka Lemon Verbena – from my garden (and thanks to  Angie Mosier) My friend John T. Edge – the man who understands everything culinary and loves “liquor and its accompaniments” – wrote yesterday of Jack Rudy Cocktail Co. Small Batch… Read on

It’s officially launched. From the HEATH website: “The point of intersection between stitch and clay. A collaboration between Natalie Chanin and Heath Ceramics yields an anthology of carefully crafted modern heirlooms in a new and permanent dinnerware line. This collection celebrates texture and a range of layering possibilities in thoughtfully curated place settings, plates and… Read on

Autumn is definitely in the air – even here in Alabama. With autumn, comes a selection of spicier, richer deserts for all the upcoming festivals and celebrations. I adore fresh ginger: the color, the smell, to drink ginger tea and to eat ginger candy.  Our local Ginger Ale – Buffalo Rock – is beautifully hot… Read on

In 2006, Leslie Hoffman asked me to write a short paper for inclusion in their Future Fashion White Papers.   I recently came across the volume while browsing my library and the essay stirred up so many memories from that time.  As the last of my tomatoes drop to the ground, I wanted to (re)share my… Read on

I arrived back from Berlin to find that tomatoes are still dropping off the vines in my backyard.  I just can’t seem to keep up with them this year.  In a situation like this, the best thing to do is to make Pico de Gallo.  A great dish for the heat of summer, it’s also… Read on

I thought a lot about what I would drink once my cleanse was over, and I could have alcohol in my life again. I’m a lover of white wine, but just before my cleanse started I was introduced to the world of vermouth cocktails by a talented barkeep at Blackberry Farm. In July, he served… Read on

Labor Day in my family means delicious home-cooked food.  And while I won’t be indulging to excess this year, I still look forward to family get-togethers and the cooking involved.  While browsing my cookbook collection in preparation for our family meal, it occurred to me that covered pies are really just applique with dough. Fascinated… Read on

Last weekend, I finally got a chance to read my Gravy: Special Louisiana Edition, the Spring 2011 Issue of the Southern Foodways Alliance’s “Food Letter” to its members. (Better late than never!) On page 6 of the downloadable PDF, you will find a story about – and a recipe by – Susan Spicer of New… Read on

My daughter received a sandwich wrap similar to these for her birthday two years ago and it quickly became a treasured item in our household (Thank you Carrie and Michael).  So treasured, in fact, that we have almost worn it out.  With back-to-school this year, I realized that we need many of these in our… Read on

When our good friend Kristy brought this amazing dish to our last weekend workshop, I instantly knew it would become a summer staple in my kitchen. The sweetness of the watermelon  balances perfectly with the acidity of the tomatoes, and the hint of mint makes it extra refreshing on hot day. Everyone was asking for… Read on

Not a platter, but a bowl of figs landed at my door yesterday. Beautiful. Delicious. Figs. I baked some whole with chicken breasts marinated in basil, lemon juice, olive oil and black pepper for lunch. A Platter of Figs is just as delicious.

The book Clean, by Alejandro Junger, has been sitting on my nightstand since December of last year. Over the last months, I have read parts of it and “toyed” with some of the recommended practices (eliminating aluminum pans from the kitchen, drinking clean water, etc.), but it has taken some time for me to actually… Read on

This recipe was the lucky culmination of a recent visit to the Lodge Factory Store in Scottsboro, Alabama, the abundance of cherry tomatoes in my garden, and leftover biscuits from this morning’s breakfast. It features the biscuit recipe from page 80 of the Alabama Stitch Book and is a riff on the Put-Up Tomato Pie… Read on

Chicken and Egg has been lying on my kitchen work table now for weeks. I pick it up, put it down, then pick it up again and have been trying to decide just why I like so much. The beautiful photographs by Alex Farnum certainly take my breath away and the stories of backyard chickens… Read on

NATALIE’S PLUM DELIGHT 1 shot vodka 6 crushed plums Splash of cranberry juice Splash of fresh lemon juice Lemon basil Ice Porch.

I wrote about Eric Ripert back in 2008 when friend and colleague Angie Mosier was documenting the PBS television show Avec Eric and working on the companion book.  (By the way, individual episodes of Avec Eric are now available for download as podcasts at the iTunes store.) I finally have the Avec Eric book in… Read on

This is what I want for the holidays: the largest cast iron skillet that can be had for oven-roasting vegetables. I am no recent convert to the joys of cast iron cooking as the pans pictured above have traveled the world with me for 30+ years. However, I was reminded of the detriments of aluminum… Read on

And in speaking of happiness… Nothing like giving – and receiving, hint, hint – the bounty of summer. Canning-Jar Covers – pictured here – from page 137 of Alabama Studio Style.  Made with scraps of our 100% organic cotton jersey, Small Medallion stencil pull-out from Alabama Studio Style and an extra-fine permanent marker. Prepare to… Read on

My daughter Maggie was digging around in a drawer the other day and found a deck of cards from New Orleans that my son, Zach, bought over fifteen years ago.  They were purchased at the gift shop of a paddle boat on the Mississippi River. It was New Year’s Day and I remember that we… Read on

Thank you to everyone who came to our studio in Florence last weekend to participate in the Weekend Workshop.  What a great group… the stories, fellowship, sewing, and laughter were perfect. A special thanks to Amy for sharing the sewing of her beautiful wedding dress.  What a special way to start a lifetime of beauty… Read on

According to friends, I might be the only person in North Alabama still harvesting tomatoes.  I was angry at myself for not getting them in the ground earlier this year; however, it seems that my busy life made the perfect storm for a great harvest.  One of Zach’s friends gave me a load of heirloom… Read on

Our friend and hero John T. Edge knows that there is “Hope in barbecue.” Check out the great interview from Nightline: Barbecue Heaven “We have this burden of the past upon us. We’ll deal with that history. But we’re looking for opportunities, we’re looking for places to deal with that history. And I think one… Read on

In my quest to reduce the amount of plastic that we consume as a family, I have finally succeeded in making my own toothpaste. After collecting the simple recipes for a couple of months, I played with the ingredients to make a paste that is to my liking.

I have been remiss in posting this last week. In all honesty, this heat has made me a little slow. The interview with Roman (see post below) is coming; please be patient with me. To this extreme heat, add the fact that my (baby) Maggie starts school tomorrow. It seems hard to believe that time… Read on

We were lucky when last in the Bay Area to be able to sit down and visit (eat) with Chef Bruce Hill at Restaurant Picco in Larkspur. Partner to our dear friend Kim from RedBird in Berkeley, Bruce is one-part chef, one-part entrepreneur and one-part inventor. When he could not find what he deemed an… Read on

We picked blackberries this morning as the sun was coming up over the trees. This calls for Cottage Cheese Pancakes from the Fannie Farmer Cookbook to pair with our morning harvest.

Thank you to everyone who braved the weather and joined us for our Open House, Sample Sale and Earth Day Celebration over the weekend. (And to Butch and Robert Rausch for playing along…) It was lovely to open our studio and the event was so successful that we decided to go ahead and plan for next… Read on

I lived in the Research Triangle area of North Carolina for almost 10 years of my life. In fact, I lived at one time or the other in just about every one of the cities and my son, Zach, was born 28 years ago when I lived in Durham. Shortly before Zach’s arrival and in… Read on

The Oxford American: Southern Food 2010 arrived while I was traveling and I am breathless to devour the issue this weekend in the sunshine and at my own kitchen table. I will move seamlessly from John Kessler’s “Tale of Two Cities” to Dian Robert’s “People of the Cake” while sipping a tea and listening to… Read on

And while we are on the subject of all things food related coming back to John T. Edge… All of the pictures – taken by dear friend Angie Mosier – for Truck Food Nation have been posted. Our friends have elevated truck food culture to white tablecloth – amazingly beautiful and inspiring. I can’t wait… Read on

Maggie has her Valentine’s Party this morning at school and she started the day jumping up and down saying, “I am so excited. I am so excited. I am so excited.” Her enthusiasm for this holiday has been amazing to see crescendo as the week comes to a close. This (almost) four year old girl has… Read on

A blanket of snow gave a surprise visit in Alabama today and, in typical Southern fashion, we celebrated by closing the city and cooking.  I made a pot of my famous secret-recipe chili – one of my favorite dishes. So… here you have my secret chili recipe.The secret is really in the homemade chili powder:… Read on

Thanks go out to everyone @ Southern Living for the lovely piece in their February issue. We have gotten lots of emails and calls about the article. There have also been several requests for the play dough recipe that Maggie and I were making that afternoon when Southern Living visited… One of the simplest things to make… Read on

We have been getting many emails and questions about a post that appeared this week on Ecouterre.com entitled “Does the Art of Craft and Handmade Matter in Fashion?” My answers seemed to spur yet more questions… and a few angry emails. After mulling over these questions, I have to think about Gina and Linton Hopkins… Read on

Okay – before I start – I have to say – JOIN THE SOUTHERN FOODWAYS ALLIANCE… good? I made it through the snow and ice in Arctic temperatures to Walland, Tennessee. My trip to Blackberry Farm might be one of the most extraordinary trips I have ever taken – anywhere. I know that is saying a lot… Read on

In 1999, at the tail end of the last decade, I chose to leave my life in Vienna, Austria, to spend what I deemed a “sabbatical” on an island off the northern coast of Venezuela called Los Roques. How I got there is a story for another day. What had drawn me there was a… Read on

From Vogue Daily: Still under the radar, West Coast-based Heath Ceramics is a Vogue editor favorite. Imagine our delight upon discovering that their new color for fall, out today, is this divine shade of red, reminding us of the fall collections (think Prada, Louis Vuitton, and Galliano). “Even though we’re in California, the warmth of… Read on

Stitching and good food just seem to go together & The Kitchen Sisters are inspiring to listen to while stitching, cooking or eating. Get the Hidden Kitchens CD for your stitching hours or the book for your kitchen table. Visit their website: www.kitchensisters.org

While I love a good apron and The Gentle Art of Domesticity, cleaning has never been a particularly sexy task around our house. However, I loved the article below that ran in our local paper on Tuesday of this week. It makes me happy that living clean is going mainstream. Maggie loved mixing the ingredients with me… Read on

Delicious airplane reading en route from Ketchum back home to Maggie (and, of course, Alabama): A Homemade Life: Stories and Recipes from My Kitchen Table by Molly Wizenberg

My little strawberry patch is working miracles this year. It is wonderful for us to be able to go out the back door and pick breakfast. Maggie has appointed herself the official color inspector and tells me which ones are red enough to pick and which ones have to wait until tomorrow. I follow her lead religiously. For… Read on

My holidays – up until Monday morning – were all about cookbooks. We made birthday dinners (Fried Chicken a la Edna Lewis and Scott Peacock), holiday brunch (Turkey Pot Pie a la Screen Doors and Sweet Tea), buttermilk rolls (The Joy of Cooking) back-yard picnics (Bunyan’s Barbeque and anything from White Trash Cooking), homemade truffles (a… Read on

From All Things Considered: Shirley Corriher of Bakewise: The Hows and Whys of Successful Baking, shares with us a fantastic holiday baking secret & the recipe for her favorite Chocolate Crinkle Cookies. Happy Holiday Baking!

On Saturday afternoon, I had the honor of touring the Edible Schoolyard and having lunch in the new Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School Dining Commons. Alice Waters, the Chez Panisse Foundation and a team of others are working towards changing the way we see the school lunch program in America. The program was inspiring,… Read on

Eric Ripert believes: I believe that the act of preparing, eating and sharing food should be at the center of our lives – not only feeding our bodies but our emotional and spiritual needs as well. One of my favorite things about cooking is sharing this experience with good friends and family. As it gets… Read on

When our editor Melanie described this new Abrams title, I could not fully imagine how a book about domesticity could be so interesting. And now, I am taken aback by the beauty, prose and “comforts” of Jane Brocket and The Gentle Art of Domesticity. When opening the book, I was stuck by the very first line:… Read on

Okay. If you live in the South (and perhaps everywhere else for that matter), summertime is filled with anonymous gifts left on your porch. Martha Foose writes, “When it is not possible to eat all the squash that comes out of the backyard garden quickly enough, the Kornegays have admitted to leaving anonymous gifts on… Read on

After our “Sewing, Cooking and Community” extravaganza in Atlanta, just about everyone asked me about Angie’s Pimento Cheese recipe (pronounced “puhmenaaacheeeez”). The first time I saw Angie’s recipe, it surprised me to see onion included, but now I firmly believe that this is the trick.

Did I forget to mention that Maggie is having a holiday with Butch in the woods? Ingredients: Two handfuls of fresh fingerling potatoes Two small finger eggplants (one and one-half inch in diameter) Two red peppers One whole garlic bulb One 4” sprig of fresh rosemary Grated Parmesan cheese Olive oil Salt and fresh ground… Read on

From The New York Times, June 18, 2008: Biscuit Bakers’ Treasured Mill Moves North By SHAILA DEWAN KNOXVILLE, Tenn. FOR generations of Southern bakers, the secret to weightless biscuits has been one simple ingredient passed from grandmother to mother to child: White Lily all-purpose flour. Biscuit dives and high-end Southern restaurants like Watershed in Atlanta… Read on

From St. EOM’s birthday party, we are on to Apalachicola for swimming, oysters, and Tupelo Honey with friend and storyteller Frank Venable. Maggie keeps saying over and over again, “Mommy,  going beach, Mommy,  going beach.” Don’t miss Working the Miles by Joe York, a tribute to the men and women of 13 Mile Oyster Company,… Read on

Martha Hall Foose is coming to town today and I am very excited. Book signing, cooking demonstration and dinner make for a “real” adult evening by anyone’s standards. She sent along this email, story and poem as a sampling of what we have to look forward to: Hey gal! Thrilled about my return to the… Read on

This is shaping up to be the week for Children and Adults. While in the doctor’s office, I picked up the May issue of Country Living Magazine to find this lovely piece about buttercream frosting: This article and a spend-over with friends’ children inspired me to try out the recipe below which I received literally… Read on

Some days I fantasize that I am prepared to forage from our local woods to sustain my family. The blatant truth is that like most folk, I would most likely not know which plant would kill us or sustain us. For that reason, I love these Peterson field guides. These two books have helped me… Read on

It has been a really busy week. I had intended to post every day about the wonder and beauty of our simple garden. Now it is Thursday and here you have the second post of the week. Perhaps there will be time to elaborate as the weekend approaches. This is the first year that I… Read on

I am inspired by my garden. These small beds that run around and behind my little house will feed my family this summer. Thanks to our compost, we are pleasantly surprised by all of the volunteer tomato plants that have sprung up in every spot that we spread this luscious soil. Maggie and I watch… Read on

The other day, I received a voice message from my sweet friend, Lisa. “Blair, I was just at the farmer’s market and saw Lady Peas, and I always think of you when I see Lady Peas, so I left you a bag on your front porch bench.” When I thanked Lisa, I forgot to ask… Read on

I met Martha Hall Foose when she came to cook strawberry cobbler with the Southern Foodways Alliance at our 2007 Alabama Studio Weekend. The cobbler was served on pie tins from the Mockingbird Bakery, topped with Martha’s homemade Buttermilk Ice Cream and is one of the best things I have ever put in my mouth…. Read on

I briefly mentioned Belle Chevre in a post from a few weeks back and feel compelled to talk more about this company today. I had the opportunity to meet Tasia recently and fell in love with her story, her passion and the Tuscan Chevre that she so kindly left at our studio. Last night, in… Read on

I was explaining to some friends last night that we have some really great farms and food products springing up in the state of Alabama and all across the south – like award winning Belle Chevre and Benton’s Country Ham. While the work of these committed farmers and cheese makers is crucial, we must also… Read on

Georgia Gilmore worked at the National Lunch Company in Montgomery, Alabama, cooking her renowned fried chicken for both white and black patrons. During the Montgomery Bus Boycott of 1955, she brought home-cooked meals to mass meetings. This evolved into what became known as,“The Club from Nowhere,” an underground fund-raising effort built on her delicious cakes… Read on

I once wrote a piece called, Hero, for the now-defunct Girl on the Street blog. The writing of that post led me to learn more about Alice Waters, her involvement in the Slow Food movement and commitment to all things sensual: I received my copy of Alice Waters and Chez Panisse by Thomas McNamee this… Read on

Cornbread Nation 4 from The Southern Foodways Alliance is now available from the University of Georgia Press. “This new collection in the Southern Foodways Alliance’s popular series serves up a fifty-three-course celebration of southern foods, southern cooking, and the people and traditions behind them. Editors Dale Volberg Reed and John Shelton Reed have combed magazines,… Read on

I took my flight back from New York very, very, very early this morning and, consequently, did not get to make my morning coffee before leaving for the airport. Airport coffee, no matter the brand, is just not as good as my homemade cup. The entire trip, I dreamed of my little espresso machine, steamer and my… Read on

One of the most beautiful dinners I have ever experienced was with my friend Angie Mosier. It is not only that the food was so wonderfully delicious but mostly because of Angie’s love for the smells, tastes and histories of the foods we were eating. That night, she described a slice of tomato in a… Read on

In the south, there is a pecan tree in just about every yard. Every autumn, we pick up pecans and my aunt, Elaine, shells them all winter long. She says that she cannot sit still at night with nothing to do – so, when she is not stitching, she shells and when she is not… Read on

Below is my Gram Perkins’ famous chocolate pie recipe that my cousin Joy continues to make. It was printed in 1958 in the “Favorite Recipes of Alabama Vocational Home Economics Teachers” cook book. My mother gave me a copy of this book when I moved into my first apartment. You can find other great community… Read on

I recently asked my friend Angie Mosier about brining chicken & her reply was that ”everything you need to know about brining chicken can be found in The Gift of Southern Cooking by Edna Lewis and Scott Peacock.” I learned from Anige that you cannot write about the southern table without paying homage to the… Read on

There is nothing I love more than a cup or glass of tea – hot or cold, winter or summer. We grow herbs, pick fruits, leaves, stems and blend them together into all sorts of concoctions. But there is nothing that says summer like a glass of southern sweet tea. NATALIE’S TEA Bring 2 quarts… Read on