Blue Ridge Country - January/February 2015 - 28

HONEST COOKING
Few families have been part of the culture of the Blue
Ridge Mountains and the Little Tennessee River Valley
for as long as the Dillards. Their presence in North
Georgia dates to the late 18th century. And they are
among the region's best ambassadors for Southern
Appalachian cuisine, a style of cooking the family
describes as "honest," with its foundations in the love
of the land.
Today's Dillard House, in the town named for the
family, evolved from Carrie Edwards Dillard's World
War I-era boardinghouse. Near the restaurant, flowers
still grow in the gardens Carrie laid out long ago. Sit
down for a feast at the Dillard House and one of the
Top: The entrance to
Lake Rabun Hotel &
Restaurant exudes North
Georgia's charm.
Lower: One of The Pink
Pig's downhome dessert
favorites: Blackberry
Cobbler with a scoop of
vanilla ice cream.
first dishes you see on the table, in addition to apple
butter and green tomato relish, is Calico Salad, made
by Carrie's original recipe when tomatoes are in season.
Cucumbers, onions, and tomatoes are bathed in a
simple dressing of white vinegar and water, with a little
salt, pepper and sugar.
The Dillard House is one of those places diners plan
trips around. Often the trip, of several hours' duration,
consists of driving there, eating and driving home.
At the table, no ordering is required. You take a seat,
and the food comes. And comes. It's like eating in the
home of good friends. Seconds are a given. Thirds
even.
Many of the vegetables are grown within sight of
the restaurant, or at best a short drive away. Mashed
28 | BlueRidgeCountry.com
Lake Rabun Hotel & Restaurant serves this Pecan
Crusted North Carolina Rainbow Trout with slowcooked
farro verde, sherry-braised brussels sprouts,
crispy leaves and sun-dried tomato pesto.
potatoes, corn on the cob, green beans, fried okra and
a sweet potato "soufflé" filled our table alongside yeast
rolls and cornbread, chicken soaked in milk and buttermilk
and fried, country fried steak and gravy and
pickle-topped barbecue ribs.
And then there is the country ham. The Dillard
House has its own USDA-approved ham-curing plant.
That country ham launched The Food Network's
Alton Brown into a flurry of adjectives when he covered
it in one of his "Best Thing I Ever Ate" segments.
In his "tasting notes," Brown says that after the saltiness,
"Butter comes out and then a nuttiness comes
WOWIZOWI
SAMANTHA CALLIHAN
K.A. HAMDY-SWINK
http://www.BlueRidgeCountry.com

Blue Ridge Country - January/February 2015

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Blue Ridge Country - January/February 2015

Letters
From the Editor & Digital Help Guide
Mill Creek Stories
Creature Feature
The Hike
Great Buys
Mountain Report
Country Roads
Creature Feature
Festivals & Events
The Curios: Our Annual Compendium of the Strange
North Georgia: A Foodie Haven
Why We Travel: The Photoessay
The 2015 Blue Ridge Country Travel Guide: A Year of Experiences
The Weekend: Harpers Ferry and Western Maryland
The Old Stone Chimney
Cabin in the Woods: Fiddler’s Roost
Mountain Garden
Guest Column: Author Stephanie Jeffries
Blue Ridge Country - January/February 2015 - Intro
Blue Ridge Country - January/February 2015 - Cover1
Blue Ridge Country - January/February 2015 - 2
Blue Ridge Country - January/February 2015 - 3
Blue Ridge Country - January/February 2015 - 4
Blue Ridge Country - January/February 2015 - Letters
Blue Ridge Country - January/February 2015 - From the Editor & Digital Help Guide
Blue Ridge Country - January/February 2015 - 7
Blue Ridge Country - January/February 2015 - Mill Creek Stories
Blue Ridge Country - January/February 2015 - Creature Feature
Blue Ridge Country - January/February 2015 - The Hike
Blue Ridge Country - January/February 2015 - 11
Blue Ridge Country - January/February 2015 - Great Buys
Blue Ridge Country - January/February 2015 - Mountain Report
Blue Ridge Country - January/February 2015 - 14
Blue Ridge Country - January/February 2015 - 15
Blue Ridge Country - January/February 2015 - Country Roads
Blue Ridge Country - January/February 2015 - 17
Blue Ridge Country - January/February 2015 - 18
Blue Ridge Country - January/February 2015 - Creature Feature
Blue Ridge Country - January/February 2015 - Festivals & Events
Blue Ridge Country - January/February 2015 - 21
Blue Ridge Country - January/February 2015 - 22
Blue Ridge Country - January/February 2015 - The Curios: Our Annual Compendium of the Strange
Blue Ridge Country - January/February 2015 - 24
Blue Ridge Country - January/February 2015 - 25
Blue Ridge Country - January/February 2015 - 26
Blue Ridge Country - January/February 2015 - North Georgia: A Foodie Haven
Blue Ridge Country - January/February 2015 - 28
Blue Ridge Country - January/February 2015 - 29
Blue Ridge Country - January/February 2015 - 30
Blue Ridge Country - January/February 2015 - 31
Blue Ridge Country - January/February 2015 - 32
Blue Ridge Country - January/February 2015 - 33
Blue Ridge Country - January/February 2015 - Why We Travel: The Photoessay
Blue Ridge Country - January/February 2015 - 35
Blue Ridge Country - January/February 2015 - 36
Blue Ridge Country - January/February 2015 - 37
Blue Ridge Country - January/February 2015 - The 2015 Blue Ridge Country Travel Guide: A Year of Experiences
Blue Ridge Country - January/February 2015 - 39
Blue Ridge Country - January/February 2015 - 40
Blue Ridge Country - January/February 2015 - 41
Blue Ridge Country - January/February 2015 - 42
Blue Ridge Country - January/February 2015 - 43
Blue Ridge Country - January/February 2015 - 44
Blue Ridge Country - January/February 2015 - 45
Blue Ridge Country - January/February 2015 - 46
Blue Ridge Country - January/February 2015 - 47
Blue Ridge Country - January/February 2015 - 48
Blue Ridge Country - January/February 2015 - 49
Blue Ridge Country - January/February 2015 - 50
Blue Ridge Country - January/February 2015 - 51
Blue Ridge Country - January/February 2015 - 52
Blue Ridge Country - January/February 2015 - 53
Blue Ridge Country - January/February 2015 - The Weekend: Harpers Ferry and Western Maryland
Blue Ridge Country - January/February 2015 - 55
Blue Ridge Country - January/February 2015 - 56
Blue Ridge Country - January/February 2015 - 57
Blue Ridge Country - January/February 2015 - 58
Blue Ridge Country - January/February 2015 - 59
Blue Ridge Country - January/February 2015 - The Old Stone Chimney
Blue Ridge Country - January/February 2015 - Cabin in the Woods: Fiddler’s Roost
Blue Ridge Country - January/February 2015 - 62
Blue Ridge Country - January/February 2015 - 63
Blue Ridge Country - January/February 2015 - Mountain Garden
Blue Ridge Country - January/February 2015 - 65
Blue Ridge Country - January/February 2015 - Guest Column: Author Stephanie Jeffries
Blue Ridge Country - January/February 2015 - Cover3
Blue Ridge Country - January/February 2015 - Cover4
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