Foodie Friday

If you spend time in the Carolinas, the subject of grits will come up.
What kind? Stone-ground? How to add them to water--in one lump or hand-sifted? Do you add milk? What kind of cheese (white cheddar is a favorite)?

And what about adding shrimp and tomatoes?

How about a (gritless) crab-and-onion frittata?
Or a Ploughman's breakfast? Definitely. My granddaughter Annabel had me at Peach Smoothie. :-)


Scrambled farm eggs, fingerling potatoes, sausage, mushrooms, bacon.

(I'll diet later. Yeah, right.)

It's Foodie Friday again. Several bloggers will be cooking special recipes in their real kitchens, based on offerings from the fictional world in Gone With a Handsomer Man. All recipes (fictional or not) are always welcome here.

If you are participating this week, we're happy to see you! Just add your permalink to inlinkz:

Notes from a Wuthering Heightsy Journal

I live on a bald hilltop--muddy, extra-windy, and Wuthering Heightsy. Last week, while I was staying in North Carolina, I enjoyed the splendid courtyard at Fearrington Inn. Even the cozy English-style restaurant captured my fancy with sprigged florals and garden views.

It was a joyful moment when our kids surprised us with a visit and breakfast. Here, Chef Trey ponders the menu and Big reads the newspaper.

Loved the simple, elegant orchid in the vase.

The menu included Eggs Benedict, shrimp and grits, crab omelet, and eggs/sausage/fingerling potatoes. Teeny Templeton would have loved the peach smoothie.


A lovely view into the garden (not pictured: two gardeners were busily weeding).
Stay tuned for photos of *actual* food.

Also, if anyone knows a diet that involves cake, please write. :-)

A Summer House Tour

A winding brick path leads to a white clapboard summer house in Fearrington Village, North Carolina. Here's my son, Trey, a Charleston-trained chef (and my go-to source for Teeny's foodie adventures) with Annabel, the peach-of-his-eye, and my friend Molly Weston.

The summer house is one large room--pale green walls, fireplace, cozy floral upholstery, antiques, and bookshelves--but it feels like its own little world. It's part of an historic inn at Fearrington.

I loved the wee table in the powder room --a basket is perfect for guest towels. It gave me an idea for my powder room.

More photos to come--foodie photos!

I'm taking off a week to clean the house. Not making a dent in the Bandwidthian Chaos...but it's such a pleasure to blog today!

The first 5 people to comment today will win either a hardback or audiobook of my new book,

Number your comments and email me at designsbygollum@gmail.com--put TEENY in the header and let me know if you'd like a hardback or audio book.

Gone With a Handsomer Man.

(Blog only -- not valid for Facebook or Twitter.)

Carolina on my Mind

Last week, my book tour brought me to North Carolina; my husband and I had the pleasure of visiting with our precious granddaughter, Annabel.
I'll be posting more photos, but here's a peek at Annabel in the summer house at Fearrington Village. She went straight to the window seat!

I've spent the weekend cleaning house and looking at the wonderful Foodie Friday recipes. Several food bloggers volunteered to cook recipes from my fictional foodie, Teeny Templeton, a character in Gone With a Handsomer Man. What a delight, and a priviledge that you allowed Teeny in your kitchen!
Happier Than a Pig in Mud-- Teeny's Peach Martini
A Musing Potpourri -- Teeny's Lavender Shortbread
I Need Mom -- Teeny Takes Over my Kitchen
Cuisine Kathleeen -- Teeny's Tasting Tour (plus a $100 gift card giveaway)
Purple Chocolate Home - Award Winning Red Velvet Cake plus Triple Chocolate muffins
Mountain Breaths --Teeny's peach coffee cake
Savoring Time in the Kitchen -- Teeny's espresso Steak Rub
Lazy on Loblolly-- Teeny's Vanilla peach coffee cake
Haden News -- Espresso Steak Rub
Hyacinth for the Soul -- Red velvet cupcakes
Yvonne at Stone Gable -- Giveaway, inc $100 gift card
The Gazebo House -- Teeny's Vanilla Peach coffee cake
Fajdich Times -- strawberry pie
Grateful Prayer Thankful Heart - Lavender Shortbread
Ladies, if you haven't received your complimentary copy of the book, please email me at designsbygollum@gmail.com, and Teeny will be dispatched at once to your kitchen! Thank you so much!

If you'd like to cook a recipe from GWAHM for the April 29th Foodie Friday, email me at designsbygollum@gmail.com and I'll provide the recipe (Lavender shortbread, espresso steak rub, cornbread salad, vanilla peach coffee cake). The first 25 people to cook one of the recipes (or a dish from the book) will win a copy of GWAHM. :-)
Here's Teeny's free e-cookbook:

Open publication - Free publishing - More cooking

The imaginary pairings of food, verses/quotes, and music was a hit! I had the best time reading them!
Couldn't pick a winner--had to let the random number generator pick!

Gone With A Handsomer Man -- Hardback or Audio book (let me know which one you'd like)

Ahrisha and Sandy (Doris the Great)

Copper pan--Red Couch Recipes

16 pc set of dishes (the one below is out of stock--but something similar will be substituted or a gift certificate will be issued)-- Happier Than a Pig in Mud

Godiva chocolates--
Faith Hope Cherry Tea and Tablescapes by Diane