Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2014 - 57

BLACKBERRY FARM

is home to a new spa and wellness center and an
8,000-square-foot wine cellar.
Ryan Burger, the cheese maker and livestock manager, has worked in restaurants since he was 15 years
old. He started hunting when he was 12 years old -
deer, bear, turkey, rabbit, pheasants. "Once you shoot
the animal, you have to do something with it."
His father taught him how to hunt, clean animals
and garden. "I always helped my father in the garden,
and I loved going out and playing in the dirt."
He apprenticed to a cheese maker at Flat Creek
Lodge in Georgia, and a few months later stepped into
the head cheese maker position when his mentor left.

SPRING
PEA
SALAD

Then he was hired by Blackberry Farm.
"It's just milk and bacteria," Burger says; he's fascinated that so much can be created from those two
ingredients. The farm produces soft-ripened as well
as aged cheeses, making 15,000 to 18,000 pounds of
cheese every year in the 1,000-pound vats.
Burger borrows from his chef 's background to create cheese plates with roasted, pickled, dehydrated
and fresh fruits, honey and greens.
"Butcher shop!" David Rule answers cheerfully
when he picks up the phone. Like Burger, he grew up
in restaurants, "busing the tables, running the cash
register, you name it."

Click the photo
above or visit
BlueRidgeCountry.
com/Blackberry
for a video about
how you can make
Blackberry Farm's
Beans, Greens and
Cornbread at home!

LOCAVORE RECIPES
Skillet Corn Bread from Blackberry Farm
Serves 6
* 3 Tbl. bacon fat or 1 ½ Tbl. each unsalted butter and
vegetable oil
* 2 cups (11 ounces) stone-ground yellow cornmeal
* 1 tsp. kosher salt
* ½ tsp. baking powder
* ½ tsp. baking soda
* 1 large egg
* 1 ½ cups well-shaken buttermilk
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. If using bacon fat,
place it in a well-seasoned 9-inch cast-iron skillet and
place the skillet in the oven as it preheats. If using
butter and oil, wait until step 3 to heat the skillet.
In a large bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, salt,
baking powder, and baking soda. In a small bowl,
whisk together the egg and buttermilk.
If using butter and oil, heat them in the skillet over
high heat until the oil is shimmering.
Pour the egg mixture into the cornmeal mixture and
stir just until blended and smooth. Be prepared to
immediately transfer the batter into a hot skillet.
Remove the hot skillet from the oven or from the
stovetop. Carefully scrape the batter into the skillet.

The batter should sizzle vigorously around the edges.
Place the skillet in the oven and bake until the corn
bread is firm and golden brown on top, 25 to 30
minutes. Serve hot.
Basil Lemonade from Harvest on Main
* 2 cups basil lemon syrup (see recipe below)
* 2 cups cold water
* 2 cups ice cubes
* 1 ¼ cups fresh lemon juice
Garnish: fresh basil sprigs; lemon zest strips
Stir together all ingredients in a large pitcher, then
pour into tall glasses half filled with ice.
To make Basil Lemon Syrup:
* 4 cups packed fresh basil sprigs (top 4 inches; from
a ½-pound bunch)
* 4 cups water
* 2 cups sugar
* 9 (4- by 1-inch) strips lemon zest
Bring all ingredients to a boil in a medium saucepan, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Let stand at room
temperature, covered, 1 hour, then transfer to an
airtight container and chill until cold, about 1 hour.
Strain syrup through a sieve into a bowl, pressing

hard on and then discarding solids.
Cooks' note: Makes about 5 cups. This recipe makes
enough for several batches of lemonade; any leftover
would also give a nice hit of flavor to a glass of iced
tea. Syrup keeps, covered and chilled, for five days.
Pickled Blackberries from Season's at Highland Lake
Inn & Resort
* 2 pints local blackberries
* 1 cup red wine vinegar
* 1 cup sherry vinegar
* 2 cups water
* 1 cup light brown sugar
* 1 tsp. kosher salt
* 1 large shallot, sliced into thick rings
* 4 sprigs fresh thyme
* 2 bay leaves
* 2 tsp. black peppercorns
Combine vinegars, water, sugar, salt and aromatics.
Bring ingredients to a boil just long enough to
ensure that the sugar has been dissolved. Allow to
cool to room temperature and pour over the blackberries. Let sit, refrigerated, at least 24 hours prior
to serving.

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2014 | 57

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Blue Ridge Country - September/October 2014

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