Americans have a love affair with our marshmallow PEEPS

… and we eat more than our share – we will eat 600 million PEEPS this Easter. (I call them all PEEPS, even if they are bunnies.)

PEEPS marshmallow candy – those bright-colored chicks and bunnies that we see at Easter have a long history. In 1953, it took 27 hours to make one Peep. Now the factory in Bethlehem, PA makes a billion a year. The first PEEPS were squeezed out of a pasty tube and the eyes were painted on by hand. Each PEEP is a character – as they settle the nose and eyes rearrange and they get a personality.

Big Mill B&B Easter guests enjoy PEEPS served on hand-painted Italian Majolica

The Washington Post is having the 7th annual PEEPS Diorama contest. Last year’s winner was Occupy PEEP D.C. I am telling you, PEEPS’ mania is real, it’s fun and I am joining.

National Geographic did PEEPS in Places. There were PEEPS in Las Vegas, on the beach, in a subway, at Big Mill B&B in the Mule Room. Ever wonder what wine to serve with PEEPS?

PEEPS in the Mule Room at Big Mill B&B will be served with Riesling. Someone has already done the wine pairing for PEEPS and the suggestions are Riesling or Chardonnay.

You can create your own Peeps character – pick a color, outfit, give him a name and POOF he will jump on Facebook if you want him too. I am telling you, folks really get in to their Peeps.                     

Can you believe folks cook with PEEPS? There are many PEEPS recipes out there, much to my surprise. So I tried one.

Rice Krispie Treats with PEEPS

• 4 Tablespoons butter
• 10  oz. pkg. Marshmallows (about 40) or 4 cups miniature marshmallows
• 6 cups Rice Krispies cereal
• 12 PEEPS
• Optional: 1 Tablespoon marshmallow cream for glue

Freeze PEEPS overnight.

Grease a 9″ x 13″ baking pan or dish and set aside. In a large saucepan, melt 3 Tablespoons butter over low heat. In a small pan melt remaining 1 tablespoon butter (this is your glue) or you can use Marshmallow cream.

Add marshmallows to the large pan and stir until melted. Add Rice Krispies and stir until coated. Remove from heat. Using a greased spatula, press the marshmallow – Rice Krispie mixture into the greased pan. It is really sticky!

Press the frozen PEEPS on top, spacing each PEEP about 1 1/2″ apart. Allow to cool and cut into 12 squares with PEEPS in the middle. Best served the same day.

Yield: 12  (Each PEEP has 36 calories, but that does not include the Rice Krispies treat).

I believe the old adage As American as Apple Pie, shoud be As American as Marshmallow PEEPS. A word to the wise: Don’t mess with PEEPS’ fans.

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The Message of Easter – a free outdoor drama near Williamston, NC

For thirty four years, the folks of Piney Grove Baptist Church in the Farm Life Community near Williamston, NC, have been performing  this 90-minute outdoor drama of the life and death of Jesus Christ.

We love outdoor dramas here in North Carolina.  These home town folks put on a big city drama. Every year they give their time and talents to bring this message to all who will listen.

Often, big buses pull in and some nights they perform to several thousand. If you plan to go, remember the bleachers are hard and they might even get cold as the night wears on. So take a cushion, a blanket and it never hurts to have a flashlight.

It is more than amazing what this small community has done – all hometown folks, and many of them are my cousins. “Pilot” was my first boyfriend – he was three and I was two. Billy’s wife Betty Jo says she is tired of hearing that story!

(A special thanks to Piney Grove Church for use of photographs)

For information call:  252-792-1342

PERFORMANCE DATES in 2013:  March 22 (in Spanish) March 23 & 24; March 27-31 (27 is also for hearing impaired)

DISTANCES FROM:

110 miles east of Raleigh, NC
114 miles south of Norfolk, VA
54 miles north of New Bern, NC
87 miles west of Manteo, NC (Outer Banks)
8 miles south of Big Mill Bed & Breakfast in Williamston, NC

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Remember the Mom and Pop restaurants that were in every town?

Well, we still have ‘em here in eastern North Carolina. Take a ride with me to find the best local food east of Raleigh. I’m delighted to premiere the latest Big Mill B&B video: Carolina Road Foods – Mom and Pop Diners.

We’ve featured the 10 “must see” spots for off-the-beaten path diners and dives throughout Eastern NC. We begin in Williamston and end up in Morehead City, stopping in some little towns that don’t even have a stoplight. Buckle up!

One thing you should know — you’ll have to ask a local where these restaurants are and when they are open. These cafes can have some seemingly odd hours to outsiders – but it all makes sense to any North Carolinian. Sunnyside Oyster Bar is open only in months with an “r” in them; Cypress Grill is only open four months a year – when the herring are running. So take notes and map your route to the best road food east of Raleigh, NC.

View Carolina Road Food in a larger map

Sunnyside Oyster Bar in Williamston – 3 miles north of Big Mill B&B
Cypress Grill in Jamesville -11 miles east of Big Mill B&B
Bunn’s Barbecue in WIndsor - 17 miles north of Big Mill B&B             
Bill’s Hot Dog Stand in Washington – 19 miles south of Big Mill B&B
Brenda’s Country Kitchen -19 miles northeast of Big Mill B&B
B’s Barbecue in Greenville – 29 miles west of Big Mill B&B
Skylight Inn in Ayden – 44 miles southwest of Big Mill B&B
Bum’s Barbecue in Ayden – 44 miles southwest of Big Mill B&B
Lovick’s Cafe in Kinston – 58 miles northwest of Big Mill B&B
El’s Drive-In in Morehead City – 88 miles southeast of Big Mill B&B

P.S. – Thanks to my nephew, Barney, for his amazing video editing and voiceover narration skills. What a gem.

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Christmas lights in Windsor – you can see the glow from half a mile away!

People come from everywhere to the small eastern North Carolina town of Windsor just to see these lights. Folks turn off their headlighs and drive slowly through the lighted arches, past elves and santas, angels and reindeer, cut-out critters and blow-up scenes – and lots of lights, up in the trees, on the scenes. It is almost too much to see at one time.

Some nights real elves are there, chatting with the folks. I talked to one, very nice chap.

It takes Herman and Therman, and sometimes Sherman three months to put up all the characters and scenes – it takes two months to take them down.

The Hoggard triplets began this loving project in 1997 as a tribute to Therman’s daughter. (Pictured above – Herman & Therman…or is it Therman & Herman?)

Herman does the painting of all the scenes; each year new decorations are added. They leave most of them up all year.  And their December electricity bill often tops $5,000 – they pay it gladly – there is a box for donations.

I have read  that this is one of the largest private Christmas light displays in the country – easy to believe with over 450,000 lights!

Starting the day after Thanksgiving, the magic of the lights begins – they will glow every night until New Year’s.

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DISTANCES FROM:

116 miles east of Raleigh, NC
90 miles south of Norfolk, VA
23 miles south of Edenton, NC
82 miles west of Manteo, NC (Outer Banks)
18 miles north of Big Mill Bed & Breakfast in Williamston, NC

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Event: 5 p.m. – 9 p.m. beginning the day after Thanksgiving through January 1st;  Phone:  252-794-4277 (Bertie County Chamber of Commerce)

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It snowed on the farm…so we made snow cream.

And when it snows in eastern North Carolina, we go all to pieces.  If the weather man predicts snow, we buy all the milk and white bread in every grocery store. Well, I buy heavy cream, popcorn and artichoke hearts. Then we hunker down and wait for the beautiful snow. We close schools and take photos of everything in sight. But one thing we do that is really unique — we make snow cream.

I don’t know how far south snow cream is made, but they don’t make it north of here in Virginia. Maybe it is only a North Carolina treat. When I was growing up we couldn’t wait for snow, but we had to, because it didn’t snow every year.

Snow Cream Recipe

• 1/2 to 3/4 cup cream
• 4 Tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 egg (optional)
• 1 bowl of light, clean snow (6-8 cups)

Cream together the cream, sugar and vanilla. Some folks add the egg, but I don’t. Using a flexible utensil like a spatula, add the snow a little at a time to the cream mixture until it is the consistency of creamy ice cream. You will have about 3 servings and you must eat it immediately because it melts fast! Oh, what a treat. (In a pinch you can use sweetened condensed milk in place of the cream and sugar. We always kept a can around just in case it snowed).          

At Big Mill Bed and Breakfast when it snows, we feed the birds, make snow cream, take photos of everything and play in the snow.

Above: a photo at Big Mill from years ago of Chloe Ann (left), that’s me and Chloe, Sr. on the right-my mother. Same yard, same outbuildings. We thought this was a big hill. Santa brought Nephew Barney and me these strange things called snowflakes. They were round, fast and steering them was impossible. But they were fun.

Above: photo taken by nephew Monk of the barns in the snow

I’m curious … have you ever eaten snow cream? Feel free to share your memories and recipes for snow cream by leaving a comment below.
We all eat well at Big Mill Bed & Breakfast when it snows.

In December 2012 Scott Simon of Weekend Edition from NPR called and interviewed me about my snow cream. Now it is famous!

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In a June, 2000 USA Today article Jimmy Buffett names Ten of his  Favorite Watering Holes in the world. Two of these are in the Florida Keys: Louie’s Backyard Restaurant and Lounge in Key West and Alabama Jack’s in Key Largo. Speaking of Alabama Jack’s, Buffett commented that many of the characters looked like they crawled right out of the Everglades.

It is a favorite of bikers and Joy, who knows the owner Phyllis says of Alabama Jack’s, ”Most of the bikers who show up at Alabama Jack’s are attorneys from Miami who ride their Harleys on Sundays and don’t drink alcohol, but they gather and eat superbly-cooked conch fritters and Key lime pie.” 

And on Sundays you might be lucky and see cloggers on the dance floor. Betty clowned for us and gave us a clogging flip (left).

They advertise “Best Conch Fritters in the Keys.” The whole family can enjoy this Keys watering hole.  

The Caribbean Club in Key Largo has a long and vivid history. In 1935 Carl Graham FIsher, famed Florida developer built the club as a “poor man’s retreat;” this was his last venture. (Below: The view from the bar of the Caribbean Club includes Patrick.)

Publicity hype touts the Caribbean Club as being part of the 1947 movie “Key Largo” that starred Humphry Bogart and Lauren Bacall. Memorabilia of the film is still seen on the walls of this fun watering hole. Bogey (below) is joined by Patrick and Shane, the bartender.

A fire in 1955 changed the tenor of the club, but don’t fret-it is still up and running better than ever. (Below Chloe, Big Mill B&B Innkeeper, enjoys the views and characters at the Caribbean Club.)

Built in 1937 just after the devastaing hurricane of 1935, Papa Joe’s Bar and Marina has been around a long time. The bar seems to come and go but hopefully it can make it. This is a great place to catch a sunset. (2013 update: Papa Joe’s is gone, a victim of hurricanes and trends.)

And for real Keys characters you can’t miss the Paradise Pub in Key Largo. Great food and open late at night.

Yep, that is Chloe the Innkeeper (below) shooting a game of Eight Ball at the Paradise Pub, a real Shark in Paradise.

“Frankly, Scallop, I don’t give a clam.” Great sign at the Mandalay in Key Largo. The Mandalay was once a favorite hangout of locals, who stopped by after work to grab a brew. It is totally gentrified now; nice, but you won’t see many Conchs here. 

This Keys blog story is dedicated to some of my favorite Keys characters: George and Louise Scott and old Mr. Ed, who has seen his last sunset and has moved on to a better houseboat somewhere out there.  

George and Louise clean up so well that I had to search to find a Keys character photo of them. Mr. Ed was always in his Keys persona, no matter where he was. We miss him, cantankerous character that he was.

Thanks to Florida Keys historian Jerry Wilkinson for sharing his knowledge of these historic places, characters, bars and watering holes. His information about the colorful history of the Caribbean Club would be a great Chloe’s blog entry all on its own.

Can you tell which one is Jerry?

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naYou can step right off your boat and sit at the tables with the cute umbrellas…the view of the Atlantic is breathtaking.  Once Ed and I ordered a glass of wine and it was so bad we dared not throw it overboard…that would be polluting and an environmentally serious Innkeeper couldn’t do that.  Luckily the wine list has improved. 

Chloe with one of the Keys Characters Ed at Snake Creek, now called the Island Grill (above)

(Above) Chloe in front of the No Name Pub.

The standout winner for the Big Mill B&B award for the best Keysy Bar is the chloesblog in Big Pine Key. Decorated with thousands of old dollar bills, this is the real thing. It has been around since 1935 and it rather looks like it. Yes, that is a tree that fell on the building…don’t worry, it was still open for business.

"A nice place if you can find it."

That is very true. Heading south you turn right in Big Pine Key and wander around for quite awhile in residential neighborhoods. Then just before you head over the bridge to No Name Key up pops the No Name Pub.

The first time that Joy, Patrick and I went to No Name Pub several of the chairs only had three legs. Patrick tried to drink all of the Killian’s Red so he didn’t care about the chairs. Now he is the designated driver. Funny what age does to us, eh?

 Chloe and Joy inside the No Name Pub

The Pizza is actually quite good. I hope this place with all its history will be here for a long time. Do NOT miss The No Name Pub-it is one of a kind. I am sure Jimmy Buffett approves.

It is obvious that I will have to do this chloesblog entry in several installments-there are just too many great watering holes in the Keys.

(The Innkeeper has taken time away from eastern North Carolina to join dear friends Patrick and Joy at friends George and Louise’s house in the Florida Keys.)

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Every country inn really does need an old pickup truck. Ours is "Old Red" and she is part of the landscape…literally, because some days she won’t move.

Old Red has a 1968 Ford 390 engine in a 1979 Ford body. She has an automatic stick shift in the floor, and starts running wide open in ANY gear. Folks head for cover when they hear her rumble. She has a Holley racing carburetor and to me that just means more gasoline; not at all good for my eco image. But she is very recycled.

Old Red is not really road-ready yet. I am waiting for the day when she can be legally declared by the State of North Carolina as an antique.  Until then we are content to wander the fields and forests on the farm in search of berries and wild grapes and picnics. Lest you think she only plays, Old Red works hard — we have limbs and yard debris that we haul to the woods. Aren’t we lucky to have woods?

Of late Old Red has a new career as a photo prop. We have photographers who come to Big Mill and the farm for photo shoots, including Playboy magazine.

Even brides lean on the hood next to the Peggy Rogerson Photography license tag-a joke put there by a friend of mine. It was such a hit, I left it. Mind you, nobody here is a redneck, but  folks love the idea.

Even grandmothers and country music stars show up in photos with the old Ford truck. Jamie Leigh had her portfolio taken here at Big Mill and now she is famous! Jamie just won the Kenny Chesney 96.9 the Kat Radio "Next Big Star" contest in Charlotte.

In her original song "Summer Nights" she sings of a rusty old Ford truck…I just know it’s Old Red. Jamie will open with Kenny Chesney in his August 21st concert in Charlotte. Great going, home town Martin County girl.

Along with country stars, we also have Old Red with our favorite British Barrister…Anthony makes his home part time here in Eastern North Carolina and he now has his own pickup truck with dual exhausts. What will the chaps at his club in London think?

It is good to be writing again to Chloes Blog. Business has been fabulous this summer and it has cut into my blogging time…but I love it — blogging and the Bed and Breakfast. The folks who have passed through here this summer have been the best. I have made some great new friends.

‘just had a request from a couple of upstate New York guests Nicholas and Sandi who want a ride to the creek on Old Red.

So off we go…in the rain, in the dark, knowing we might have to walk home. We love an adventure! I love my truck.

Photo Credits: Black and White photo is by Andrea Wood of Touched Photography; Photos of Jamie Leigh photo and the bride are by Peggy Rogerson of Peggy Rogerson Photography; Group photo and photo of Chloe and Old Red Truck are by Stacey Haines of Stacey Haines Photography. All other photos are by Innkeeper Chloe Tuttle of Big Mill Bed & Breakfast.

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