Shakerag participants are in for a great treat this year with our traditional Shakerag menu favorites returning, joined by a fresh infusion of recipes based on recipes from our Shakerag Lecturer, Hugh Acheson. Hugh's new cookbook, A New Turn in the South: Southern Flavors Reinvented for Your Kitchen, was just published this past October and is now available in most bookstores. New temptations at Shakerag in June will include Roasted Carrot & Beet Salad w/ cumin vinaigrette, Chilled Cucumber Soup, and Boiled Peanut Hummus, as well as an array of "Put Ups" - relishes, pickles, jams, and chowchows all made with local ingredients. June gardens on Tennessee's Cumberland plateau are full of strawberries, asparagus, spinach, and sugar snap peas, and we will be using these seasonal goodies to inspire our meals. We have a renewed commitment to using local foods whenever possible and are lucky to have wonderful providers nearby. Breakfasts will include grits from Falls Mill (www.fallsmill.com), a local water-powered gristmill, and farm fresh eggs from local vendors. We will enjoy breakfast sausages and sample two types of bacon for our BLT's one day at lunch, all from Link41 (www.linkfortyone.com). Our friends at Sequatchie Cove Farm (www.sequatchiecovefarm.com) provide our organic beef for many entrees and the cow's milk cheeses for our Wednesday evening Gallery reception. Shakerag friends Vivian and Ron Ramsey grow some of our vegetables on their St. Andrews Sewanee campus farm. Our local on-line farmers market, the Cumberland Farmers Market (www.sewanee.locallygrown.net), gives more local choices for fresh seasonal vegetables, including lovely lettuces from In Town Organics. Bread lovers will be happy to hear that we will be featuring Bread Peddler breads again this year. Those of us who plan Shakerag Workshops and who love cooking and eating look forward to these favorite recipes all year. We think that you will like our food and will find a wide variety of choices to suit your needs! Breakfast Shakerag Homemade Granola Heat 1 cup water to 1/4 cup honey. Remove from heat. Add the following:Oats, walnuts, almonds, & sunflower seeds. Stir. Bake at 300 for 5 min. Stir in raisins. Caramel French Toast Casserole from Elizabeth Koella 1 loaf french bread (I used homemade Challah) 1/2 cup butter 1 cup brown sugar 3 tbsp Karo or Maple syrup 6 eggs 1 and 1/2 cups milk 1 tbsp vanilla cinnamon Melt butter and brown sugar and syrup over medium heat. Bring to a boil and then pour into 9 x 11 casserole, coating the bottom. Slice bread into 1 inch widths, and arrange over caramel mixture. Mix eggs, milk and vanilla and pour over the top. Sprinkle with cinnamon and cover with plastic. Refrigerate overnight. Uncover and bake at 350 for 45 minutes. Serve with fresh fruit. I drizzled a bit of cream over the top after baking. Falls Mill Grits Proportions: 3 parts water to 1 part grits Rinse grits in bowl with water. Stir. Pour off water and chaff, reserving grits. In a heavy-bottomed pan, boil 3 cups water and salt. Add rinsed grits. Bring to a boil again. Turn heat down to low. Cover. Simmer for about 20 minutes. Quick Cooking Oats and Other Rolled (or flaked) Grains from Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone 3 cups water 1 1/4 cups rolled grains Bring water to a boil, and stir in the grain. Lower the heat and simmer until the cereal is thickened, about 5 minutes. Cover and let stand for 5 minutes before serving. Dinner Hines Hickory-Smoked Ham from How America Eats by Clementine Peddlefurd Shakerag Chef: Anne Griffin note from Anne: The key to this recipe is the ham itself - my favorite is Bingham Ham (out of Nashville) or Clifty Farms (more easily found). There may be others as good but not just any ham will do! 1 hickory-smoked ham 6 medium onions, sliced 2 3/4 cups brown sugar 2 cups cider vinegar or cooking wine 2 bay leaves 24 whole cloves 1 cup dry bread crumbs 2 teaspoons dry mustard 1 teaspoon ground cloves Cover ham with cold water; soak 1 to 3 days, changing water frequently. Scrub ham, place on rack, skin side down in large kettle. Cover with cold water. Add onions, 2 cups brown sugar, vinegar, bay leaves and whole cloves. Bring to boiling; simmer 20 to 25 minutes per pound. When small bone at hock end can be twisted out, ham will be done. Let ham cool in water. Remove skin; cut off some of fat. Score fat. Mix remaining 3/4 cup sugar, bread crumbs, mustard and cloves. Pat on ham, while fat is moist. Bake at 400 F for 25 minutes or until ham is glazed and brown. Cut ham in very thin slices when serving.