I Never Did Tell You

Nope, I never did tell you about my visit to Cleveland at the first of December. 

We caught wind that a group of European journalists were going to be in the area on a media familiarization tour.  They arrive here and are promptly whisked through various points around the South including Mississippi, Tennessee and if I'm not mistaken (but I could be) Alabama to write various articles and to get a taste of what the region is like.  So my colleague and I made tracks into the Delta to meet up with the group, film a few things and take some photographs.

Our trip took us to Dockery Plantation, the fabled location where historians say the Blues began (with Charley Patton), a place that we visited last year (wow - has it been that long??) and where the group was going to have an authentic Southern dinner in the refurbished gas station that sits in front of those old buildings above, off of Highway 8.

A lot has happened over the past year.  The Dockery family established the Dockery Farms Foundation to help renovate and preserve the plantation.  Bill Lester is a family friend, next door neighbor, local historian and all-around good guy. He is Executive Director of the Foundation, told us stories, filled us in on the history and then pulled out a coin from his wallet.  I got an up-close look at the Dockery Farms currency that used to be good in Cleveland, Ruleville and Merigold (if I'm not mistaken).

With grant money the Foundation was able to renovate the gas station, which will be turned into a multi-use building for visitors.  They still had the old Coca Cola signs (there was an RC Cola mirror in the bathroom) and were able to put everything back just like it was.  It always warms my little heart when families don't throw things like that out - just like the old cash register and scales above and the old butcher block nearby.

Here are a few other things still sitting around:

  

You can imagine my excitement when we showed up and I saw someone unloading dinner.  It wasn't just anybody:  it was Chef David Crews. I'd read about him before while researching the Culinary Trail because he got his start at the restaurant Crawdad's, in Merigold - most widely known as the location for McCarty's Pottery and The Gallery Restaurant.  David now serves as Chef Instructor at Mississippi Delta Community College in the Culinary Arts Program as well as working at Stafford's on Main in Drew. (Drew is known as "duck hunting central").

The man is a culinary mastermind - just trust what my stomach is saying, ok? 

Please take note his menu for the evening:

He has a post on his blog about the evening as well.  It was quite the spread and an absolutely, hands down, terrific dinner.

I have to tell you about this.  David let me try a little bit as he was setting up - he would have to explain it to you himself (because my description won't do it justice). Look at the circular white dish right in front of the napkins with a knife sticking out of it.  That would be because he and I dug into it.  For good reason.  Think of it as something akin to duck paté.   Except it isn't duck - it's pork.  More specifically it is "pork shoulder rillettes."  A mixture of the deepest, smokiest pork reduction spread over crackers that will ever hit your mouth - sounds a little reckless, doesn't it?  I swear, it's a wonder I stopped myself from smuggling the dish home.  It was unlike anything I have ever tasted which translated into the unbelievable.  A bite was good on its own or just as fine when topped with the pickled green tomato chow chow.  It is the epitome of hog heaven. (sorry for the pun but it's the truth)

*Update on the rillettes*: I asked David to explain a little of the process of how he made the spread and this is what he shared with me:

"The Rillettes is an "old School" way of preserving meat.  Typically it is pork shoulder or belly that has been cured in salt then slow cooked in pork fat until tender, it is the pork equivalent to Duck Confit.  The one thing that I do different is that I dry cure mine in both salt and ground dried peppers, then as opposed to cooking it in the oven, I render it in a smoker that is burning sweet pecan wood...then let cool to room temp before going in farther. I think that this step not only gives it that "southern" smokey flavor it also give the meat time to release it's water and began to absorb some of the pork fat.  Also this step will add some time to it's shelf life because smoke has an antimicrobial effect on the surface of the meat.. Then remove the meat from the fat and grind to a paste. Finish by adding paste to a mason jar and cover with warm pork fat as a "lid". I cover mine with an actual lid but saran wrap will work, then refrigerate (for optimal storage) or leave on the counter covered..." 

There you have it folks. The answer to a question of pure divinity. Thanks, David!

A view from the other side:

Because you can never have too many action shots of the Southern Pecan Braised St Louis Style Ribs, Southern Slaw, Southern Pecan BBQ Sauce:

Leaning in for the close up.

And, we score!!

A lovely view of the chicken leg quarters, or rather Fig and Muscadine Compote glazed Slow Roasted Poussin with the Delta grind grits.

You didn't think I'd leave you hanging without a close-up of the grits soaking in thyme-infused poussin stock?!  

 

My personal favorite was the pork belly tamales, smothered in caramelized onions and drizzled with Tabasco Comeback Sauce.  I unabashedly went back for seconds on that. 

Below is the fresh greens with cherry tomatoes, avocado, Lauren Farms freshwater prawns (there's nothing like them), fresh cilantro and as you can see below, he tossed the salad in freshly squeezed lime juice and (the pièce de résistance) Tequila.  This garnered major applause as Chef Crews described it to the hungry crowd gathering impatiently around.

For dessert, we had banana pudding cheesecake.  I must figure out a way to make this at home.  I shared a piece with my coworker, Mary Straton and I am not ashamed to say, I distracted her while I ate a major portion of it.

You thought we were done with dessert?!  The night isn't over yet!