For Civil War buffs, April belongs to Plymouth, a small town on the Roanoke River in eastern North Carolina.
On April 18 & 19, you can be a part of Living History in Motion “Odyssey of an Ironclad – The Incredible Journey of the CSS Albemarle.” This 2-day trip on the Roanoke River retraces the route taken by the Ram Albemarle Ironclad Confederate warship from Scotland Neck, NC to Plymouth, NC. I have some fascinating facts to share with you too. Keep reading … [continue reading…]
Did you know that Grits are made from corn? And stone ground grits are the best.
Atkinson Milling Company in Selma, NC produces some of the best grits. I’ve tried many kinds and theirs are the best.
I was looking for local stone-ground North Carolina grits to serve at Big Mill Bed & Breakfast and I found them at Atkinson Mill in Selma, NC. Joseph Wheeler, whose grandfather owns the mill, gave us the grand tour of this fascinating and quite extensive mill. You could just tell that Joseph loves this business and he loves the mill and its history.
Wandering around in the mill there is a yellowish haze everywhere. We had corn dust all over us! [continue reading…]
Lynda Oden and her family have been running Oden’s Store since 1904
Oden’s Store and Antiques is chock full of treasures: depression glass, old tools, furniture from the turn of the last century, old doors, some junk, but all of it is interesting. It is the kind of place where you have to poke around in all the corners; if you don’t, you might miss something. If you are lucky, some of Lynda’s buddies will be there around the pot-bellied stove talking in that wonderful down-east brogue. [continue reading…]
Pull Candy Recipe – Old Time Stewed Sugar
Old Fashioned Pull Candy is still the best!
My mother called this wonderful confection pull candy or stewed sugar. Some folks call it taffy. When she described a child’s pretty blond hair she would say it was the color of stewed sugar — a gorgeous translucent white color with a faint golden tint.
Making this recipe during the holidays or in the New Year seems appropriate for me – it brings back memories of winter on the farm in the kitchen with my mother who was also named Chloe. She told me that when she was growing up, folks in the neighborhood would have a Candy Pulling party and they had so much fun. Click to read more about Pull Candy
This EGGNOG Recipe is the best ever and it is made with real eggs.
Make this eggnog at least 2-3 weeks before you plan to imbibe. It doesn’t take long to make, but it can be messy. I almost made the mess that couldn’t be cleaned up.
National Public Radio (NPR) wanted proof, so they got some scientists to test the recipe. These scientists added salmonella bacteria to the nog and tested it. Good news! The bacteria could not grow in the alcohol.
The holiday season brings up memories of holidays past
For me, they are often memories of wonderful food and recipes from my farm bed and breakfast. I have been writing Chloe’s Blog since 2007 and have gathered some great old family favorites and some new and exciting recipes that my mom never heard of.
We folks in eastern North Carolina celebrate our farm heritage
Every year since 2003, we have a big Farm Heritage Fair at the Senator Bob Martin Ag Center in Williamston, NC. Sadly, this fair happens no more, but it was fun while it did. Our “old timers” who knew how to bale hay, make cracklins and old farming techniques are no longer able to participate.
It wasn’t just about tractors. It wass about how life on the farm in eastern North Carolina used to be. Early on Saturday morning, there was a hog killing. And you can see how sausage was made on the farm up until the sixties. You would see parts of the hog you might not want to see. [continue reading…]
What do you do with all those corks you’ve saved? Make a Cork Wreath.
It isn’t difficult if you follow my directions and take it one step at a time.
Here is how to make the perfect Cork Wreath. Cork wreaths are pretty any time of year, but folks like them for the holidays. [continue reading…]
Every year on the first weekend in November the Yankees and the Rebels fight the Battle of Fort Branch on the banks of the Roanoke River near Hamilton in eastern North Carolina.
While waiting on the plane to carry me back to Big Mill B&B, I decided to dash off a quick blog post in honor of Vegetarian Awareness Month (October).
I’ve been 95% vegetarian for decades, so it is second nature for me. But it can be quite a fun adventure to explore the tastes and textures of vegetarian recipes.
Here are eight recipes from Chloe’s Blog to make it easy to dip your toe in:
Gazpacho – Chilled Tomato Soup
Bon Appetite!
Big Mill Bed and Breakfast 252-792-8787
Hi, I am Chloe and I live on my family farm that is now Big Mill Bed & Breakfast. I post about things that happen on the farm, fun things to do in eastern NC and my crafts & recipes.
Big Mill B&B | 252-792-8787
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