Chloe Tuttle

Boiled Green Peanuts – Southern Style

Chloe Tuttle — Thu, 08 Oct 2026 13:30:39 +0000

As that famous Georgia bumper sticker says, “It is time to Brake for Boiled Peanuts.”

Just-dug peanuts – green peanuts – are one of the first signs that summer is quietly giving way to fall on the farm. And every year in early fall, we boil these green peanuts in the shell with lots of salt. They soak overnight, and the salt seeps through the shells to the peanuts. You crack the shell with your teeth and the peanuts are soft inside. They are a treat, but not for the timid. Boiled peanuts have a very unique taste.

Boiled Peanuts – a Southern Delight

In late August or September, you can find these green peanuts at farm stands and in some grocery stores like Piggly Wiggly.

Boiled Green Peanut Recipe – Southern Style

Course Snack

Cuisine American

Keyword boiled green peanut recipe, boiled peanut recipe, boiled peanuts

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 1

Total Time 1 10

Servings servings

Calories 431kcal

Author Chloe Tuttle

Ingredients

2-3 pounds raw green peanuts in the shell (this is about 12 cups peanuts with shells) The peanuts are not green, just raw
1/2-1 cup salt
3-4 quarts water or enough to cover the peanuts - add more water as they cook

Instructions

"Green" peanuts are not green; they are just young, raw peanuts. These peanuts are usually dug by hand several weeks before the farmer moves through the field with the machines that dig the peanuts. Here in eastern North Carolina, these green peanuts are ready late August or early September.
Wash the peanuts, still in the shells, several times until the water has no grit in it. Pick over and remove any bad peanuts and discard.
Put the peanuts still in shells into a large cooking pot. Cover with water at least 2 inches above the peanuts. Add the salt and stir.
Bring to a boil. Lower heat and boil slowly for 1-3 hours, depending on how mature or old the peanuts are. If the nuts are really young and pink, it will only take about 1 hour of cooking. If they are older, it can take up to 3 hours. You might also have to add water to keep the water level above the peanuts. Keep cooking until the peanuts are soft inside. Cooking time varies according to how old the peanuts are.
After they are done, they will continue absorbing the salt. If the salt taste is like you want it, then remove the peanuts from the salty water. They will keep in the refrigerator for several days.
Refrigerate or freeze after cooking.
It is much easier if you eat the peanuts outside. You can just spit out the shells.

Nutrition

Raw, Uncooked “Green” Peanuts at Piggly Wiggly in Williamston, NC

I grew up eating boiled peanuts, especially at the Tobacco Market auctions where everybody had a bag in hand. It was just what you did. That’s why I was so surprised, later on, to learn that friends who didn’t grow up in the South had never even heard of boiled peanuts – and couldn’t bear to eat them once they did.

These same folks usually had no idea that peanuts grow in the ground, not on some imaginary peanut tree. We all have plenty to learn, but down here, boiled peanuts have been teaching us for generations.

Peanuts Drying in the Fields in eastern North Carolina

After they were dug these peanuts were stacked to dry. When they were dry the Peanut Picking machine came through the field and picked the peanuts, leaving the hay behind. Later another machine would come and bale the hay that we fed to our animals.

Quiet rentals for traveling nurses & professionals in eastern North Carolina 252-792-8787 or 252-799-8787

Looking for extended stay lodging in Eastern North Carolina? Big Mill Extended Stay offers quiet, fully furnished rentals ideal for traveling nurses, medical professionals, contractors, and guests relocating to the area. Our accommodations provide comfort, privacy, and Southern hospitality – perfect for short-term or long-term stays. We also have three RV rental spaces.

Sunnyside Oyster Bar in Eastern North Carolina

Chloe Tuttle — Tue, 22 Sep 2026 19:00:00 +0000

Sunnyside Oyster Bar is an eastern North Carolina tradition and folks from all over the country come to taste these special, just-shucked oysters. OPEN NOW September, 2026, at 5:30 every night.

They shuck and steam the same way they did in 1935, when Charles Roberson, Sr. first opened his restaurant and called it Sunnyside. As soon as you enter the front door, you can smell that famous Sunnyside Sauce, and it is served hot.

One of the owners told me that only five people know the recipe. He grinned and said it has ketchup, vinegar, and one special ingredient you could buy at the grocery store if you only knew what to look for. He also laughed and said they paid almost as much for the Sunnyside sauce recipe as they did for the oyster bar. I do know that horseradish plays a big role. And no, he didn’t share the recipe. Not even a hint.

I remember going to the Oyster Bar back when my mother’s cousin, C.T. Roberson, owned it. Honestly, not much has changed over the years. Every season those bead-board walls were painted a bright, glossy white and trimmed in that same cheerful, bright green.

Today, the walls are still glossy white and the trim is still bright green – a look that’s become part of Sunnyside’s charm. It has changed just a wee bit, and I think that’s a good thing. Now you can enjoy a really good glass of wine with those fabulous oysters. You’ll spot a couple of pinball machines for the younger crowd, too.

But I do miss the old Wurlitzer.

The Oyster Bar at Sunnyside still follows the old rule: it’s only open during the months that have an “R” in them – September through April. That tradition goes all the way back to the days before refrigeration, when oysters spoiled quickly and folks had to pay close attention to the seasons.

Sunnyside’s oysters come from all over the country, depending on the weather. A heavy rain in Idaho can change the salinity of oysters in Louisiana – it’s all connected. Most oyster lovers want that perfect touch of salt, so the crew at Sunnyside keeps a close watch on weather patterns across the map.

I asked about the North Carolina oysters because we have plenty of oysters right here in the Pamlico Sound. Our local oysters are called “Little Salties,” and they often grow in clusters, still attached to one another. They’re all different sizes – that’s part of their charm – but it does make steaming them tricky if you want every single oyster to come out just right.

Some of the best oysters still come from Apalachicola, but Sunnyside also brings in oysters from Massachusetts, Georgia, Louisiana, Texas, and right here at home from Core Sound. Every batch has its own flavor, shaped by the tides, the storms, and the places they come from.

You can get Alaska King Crab at Sunnyside

You can get oysters raw or steamed, steamed shrimp, Alaska King Crab legs and scallops. A new concession is broccoli with cheese sauce. But don’t worry; you won’t see a trendy blooming onion or nachos in this oyster bar.

The oysters are steamed out back in galvanized buckets with gashes cut into them to allow steam to penetrate.

Your shucker will disappear through the back door and reappear with your peck (or more) of oysters. He then dumps them in the trough behind the bar where everyone sits. They can seat 32 oyster-eaters at a time. The shucker then deftly opens each oyster for you, just as they have done for years.Our shucker Nate has been shucking for 27 years right here at Sunnyside. Griff has been shucking for 38 years. He also has a day job with the city of Williamston. Four years ago, some folks did the math and figured that Griff had shucked 1.37 million oysters at Sunnyside.

If you are serious about your oysters, you might order a Red Rooster: this is an oyster on a saltine cracker, with a dollop of horseradish, a hot pepper soaked in vinegar and a lethal dose of hot sauce.

Not for the faint of heart is the Oyster Shooter: in a shot glass you have a slug of beer, an oyster, 2 Tablespoons of Sunnyside sauce and a dash of hot sauce – then down the hatch just like any other shooter. Oysters aren’t really beautiful, but don’t tell all those folks at Sunnyside.

Sunnyside Oyster Bar is on the National Historic Register. It has been highlighted in the Raleigh News and Observer, Southern Living and Down East magazine.

Sunnyside Oyster Bar, 1102 Washington Street, Williamston, NC. Tel. 252-792-3416

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They are open every day at 5:30 from September or October through April. Go early if you don’t want to wait for a spot at the bar. But the waiting is fun too.

Green Tip: The North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries has launched an oyster shell recycling program and I am thrilled that Sunnyside is participating. When these shells are reintroduced into the coastal waters, they help establish new oyster reefs, thus producing more oysters and making a habitat for other beneficial organisms in the sounds and brackish waters of North Carolina. Oysters also help keep our waters clean: one oyster can filter 50 gallons of water a day. I guess it is our turn to build some shell mounds or middens.

Call for exact opening and closing dates.

Distances From:
Raleigh, NC – 102 miles
Greenville, NC – 27 miles
Manteo, NC – 89 miles
Big Mill Bed & Breakfast in Williamston, NC – 3 miles (252)792-8787

View Sunnyside Oyster Bar in a larger map

Looking for extended stay lodging in Eastern North Carolina? Big Mill Extended Stay offers quiet, fully furnished rentals ideal for traveling nurses, medical professionals, contractors, and guests relocating to the area. Our accommodations provide comfort, privacy, and Southern hospitality, perfect for short-term and long-term stays. We also have three RV rental spaces.

Big Mill Bed & Breakfast 252-792-8787

Ride the Wind: Hang Gliding on the Outer Banks

Chloe Tuttle — Fri, 14 Aug 2026 12:00:23 +0000

A few years back, my friend Marion and I hiked up Jockey’s Ridge – the tallest living sand dune on the Atlantic coast. Back then, I made it to the top without much fuss. These days? I’d probably need a week and a good pep talk … but I’d still give it a go.

Jockey’s Ridge isn’t just for climbing – it’s also one of the best places to try hang gliding. Kitty Hawk Kites has been teaching folks to fly there since 1974. And yes, anyone can do it.

Take a beginning Hang Gliding Lesson for $158.00. With this beginner hang gliding lesson, you will “take flight” just a few miles from where the Wright Brothers flew their first aircraft. Start with a 30-minute “Ground School” introduction, take a short break, and then begin the flight portion of your lesson. Don your helmet and harness, and head out to the dunes near Jockey’s Ridge – from there, take five training flights over two hours. Read more about – Beginner Hang Gliding Lesson

You start with Ground School, move on to a tethered flight, and then – if you’re feeling brave – you get to soar solo. It’s thrilling, a little wild, and absolutely unforgettable.

When you’re staying at Big Mill B&B Extended Stay, hang gliding at Jockey’s Ridge makes for a pretty unforgettable day – 94 miles from our front porch to the launch site – but the views, the thrill, and the bragging rights? Worth every mile.

Big Mill B&B Extended Stay to Jockey’s Ridge Hang Gliding School, 94 miles

To arrange Hang Gliding lessons and experience the freedom of flight over North Carolina’s sand dunes, contact Kitty Hawk Kites Hang Gliding School, Jockey’s Ridge State Park, Nags Head, NC (252) 441-2426

Big Mill B&B Extended Stay 252-792-8787

Quiet rentals for traveling nurses & professionals in eastern North Carolina

Looking for extended stay lodging in Eastern North Carolina? Big Mill Extended Stay offers quiet, fully furnished rentals ideal for traveling nurses, medical professionals, contractors, and guests relocating to the area. Our accommodations provide comfort, privacy, and Southern hospitality, perfect for short-term and long-term stays. We also have three RV rental spaces.

Okra, Corn and Tomatoes Recipe

Chloe Tuttle — Tue, 04 Aug 2026 12:00:22 +0000

There is a very small window of time when Sweet Corn, Okra, and Tomatoes are in season at the same time – Probably just a few weeks in late summer.

It always reminds me of late summer on the farm when we were harvesting or “putting in” tobacco. Those were long nights when my dad and Walter sat into the night poking wood into the fire to cure the tobacco.

If you have an overabundance of okra, let some of them stay on the plant until they are dried out. You can then make the cutest Okra Santa Christmas ornaments.

Corn, Okra, and Tomatoes Recipe

Course Main Course

Cuisine American southern

Keyword okra corn and tomatoes, okra corn and tomatoes recipe

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 1

Total Time 1 20

Servings servings

Calories 97kcal

Author Chloe Tuttle

Ingredients

1 large sweet onion or 2 small onions peeled and chopped
4 Tablespoons butter
2 cups fresh tender okra (about a double hand full)
6 large ripe tomatoes or a 28-ounce cans whole, peeled tomatoes - canned tomatoes are fine
3-4 ears fresh mature corn
1 teaspoon sea salt or regular salt
Pepper if desired
1/2 cup water

Instructions

Melt butter in a large saucepan. Cook chopped onion for a few minutes until transparent, not browned.
While the onions are cooking, blanch the tomatoes for half a minute. Drain and cool tomatoes. Peel, remove the cores and cut into chunks, making sure that you save the juice. If using canned tomatoes, cut the tomatoes into large pieces, saving the juice.
Wash the okra. Cut stem ends off and cut into ½ inch round pieces.
Shuck corn and cut corn off the cob. Older or mature corn works best for this recipe.
Add the tomatoes and juice, okra, corn, salt, pepper and water to the cooked onions. Cook covered over medium to low heart for one hour or until the ingredients are all done.
Serve with homemade cornbread.

Nutrition

With all the great summer produce, sometimes we just want to make something that takes us back to the farm and to Grandmother’s cooking. In coastal North Carolina, this recipe is an expected summer treat.

Big Mill Bed and Breakfast Extended Stay 252-799-8787

Settle into a quiet, fully furnished space at Big Mill Extended Stay in Eastern North Carolina. Our rentals are perfect for traveling nurses, medical professionals, contractors, and guests who need a comfortable home base during long assignments. Enjoy privacy, farm views, and the welcoming charm Big Mill is known for. Three RV rental spaces are also available for extended stays.

Watermelon Punch says Summer at Big Mill B&B

Chloe Tuttle — Sat, 18 Jul 2026 13:43:58 +0000

Summer in coastal North Carolina means great watermelons. If you want a unique watermelon recipe, here it is – Watermelon Punch

Refreshing Watermelon Punch

When I was growing up on the farm, my father planted three long rows of watermelons – each one stretching at least a city block. It was a sight, and it meant we had more watermelons than most folks could imagine.

By July and August, we’d drive the pickup truck straight into the field and load the back full of those big, striped melons. Then we hauled them to the house and laid them under the old pecan trees, the same ones still standing here at Big Mill B&B Extended Stay today.

Every afternoon, no matter how hot it was or how much work we had left, we’d stop, slice open a watermelon, and eat until we were cool and sticky with juice. Whatever we didn’t finish went to the cows and the mules – nothing was ever wasted on a farm. We didn’t feed the watermelon to the chickens. Mother said it hurt their faces.

If you are having a summer party, this is the punch you should serve. This gorgeous, refreshing Watermelon Punch Recipe with the frozen ice ring will please everyone. It is definitely a show stopper.

This Watermelon Punch is a refreshing summer drink made from sweet, juicy watermelon - and the colorful ice ring makes it a true show stopper at any gathering.

Course Drinks

Cuisine American

Keyword watermelon punch, watermelon punch recipe

Prep Time 15

Servings servings

Calories 153kcal

Author Chloe Tuttle

Ingredients

1 Fruit: lemon or orange washed and sliced
2 liters lemon lime soda chilled. Reserve half
1 large watermelon
1 qt orange juice
3/4 cup sugar or to taste

Instructions

The ice mold is optional. If using, it should be made earlier, in time for it to freeze preferably overnight. A bunt pan works for the ice mold or Ice Ring.

Slice the lemon or orange and arrange in the ice mold. Pour 1/2 the lemon-lime soda into the mold and freeze.

Punch: The punch needs to be made just before serving.

Cut watermelon into halves. Scoop out pulp and place in blender, seeds and all.
Blend for several seconds on medium speed. Strain through a fine-sieve colander, squeezing out juice. Discard solid parts.
Pour watermelon juice into a large container with lid. Add orange juice concentrate and sugar and stir until sugar and orange juice are dissolved. Chill until ready to serve.
When ready to serve, pour punch into clear glass or plastic punch bowl. Add the lemon-lime soda and stir. Place ice ring in the punch bowl.

Serving Suggestions:

This is a gorgeous red punch, so be sure to serve it in a clear glass or plastic container. It looks great served in wine glasses.

Nutrition

Recipe from innkeeper at Big Mill Bed & Breakfast 252-792-8787

Quiet rentals for traveling nurses & professionals in eastern North Carolina 252-792-8787

Gazpacho – Chilled Tomato Soup

Chloe Tuttle — Sat, 18 Jul 2026 09:04:33 +0000

I first tasted Gazpacho in the sixties when I was a young student living in Spain.

Gazpacho is perfect for hot summer days.

It happened in a little café in Toledo, Spain, and I can still picture it – the café itself, the handsome young man, and the Gazpacho that made such an impression on me.

My own gazpacho recipe grew from one in Craig Claiborne’s New York Times International Cookbook, my favorite cookbook. And here’s a fun bit of trivia: Craig Claiborne, longtime food editor of the New York Times, was born in Sunflower, Mississippi.

Gazpacho

Gazpacho - Chilled Tomato Soup

Course Soup

Cuisine Spanish

Keyword gazpacho, tomato gazpacho, tomato gazpacho recipe

Prep Time 10

Total Time 10

Servings servings

Calories 151kcal

Author Chloe Tuttle

Ingredients

4 cups tomatoes with cores removed 2 1/2 to 3 pounds* or 1 28-ounce can whole tomatoes
1 1/2 cups peeled cucumber cut into large chunks
1/2 cup cucumber diced into small pieces for garnish (reserved)
1 green pepper seeded and cut into chunks
1 small clove garlic peeled and minced
5 Tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup white wine vinegar or white vinegar wine vinegar is more distinctive
1 1/2 slices bread or 2 slices French bread

Instructions

Place tomatoes, 1 1/2 cups cucumber, green pepper, garlic, olive oil, vinegar and bread into a blender. Blend until pureed.
Pour through a kitchen sieve and press with the pestle to extract the liquid. Discard the seed and skins - they make great compost.
Chill and serve in flat bowls with the reserved, diced cucumber as garnish.

Notes

*You can also make this gazpacho with one 28-ounce can of whole tomatoes.

Nutrition

Fresh tomatoes grown on the Farm

The basket in the photo is a treasure. It was a gift from Miss Sadie, who owned the original Big Mill grist mill. Long ago, she carried this very basket up town every week with three dozen eggs to trade for coffee, sugar, and anything she couldn’t grow herself. The cotton seeds are still tucked inside — her clever way of keeping the eggs from breaking.

I grew the tomatoes in my Big Mill Cook’s garden, tucked into the orchard where our livestock once grazed beneath the apple trees. It’s a place full of stories, and this basket is one of my favorites.

Big Mill Bed & Breakfast Extended Stay 252-799-8787