Yesterday I went up to a little town in the Northeast part of the mountains of Georgia called Hiawassee to spend time with family and friends at the Carter Camp. For those of you that are regulars around here you have heard mention of Carter Camp and it’s owners from time to time…my Aunt Ruth, a great cook, and my Uncle Clinton, a great musician. Even as a little girl I knew I was amidst good people when I would be in the presence of Clinton and Ruth. It was always about filling people to the brim for them. When you would walk away your stomach would be filled with some of the best food not only meant to fill your stomach but also made with so much love that it filled your heart as well and the music would fill your soul. You would be full to the brim.
As you can see from the mass amounts of food, if you walked away hungry it was no one’s fault but your own.
Oh and just look at all the sweet stuff!
This is my Aunt Ruth and her famous coconut cake. I went to go get me a piece and it was GONE! not even a crumb was left…I ended up having to steal a bite off of my Mother’s plate when she wasn’t looking. Shhh, don’t tell her.
Ruth’s coconut cake is one of her most requested recipes.
Last year Ruth’s daughter and daughter-in-law spent most of the year compiling some of Ruth’s recipes into a cookbook. This cookbook is no ordinary cookbook though, it is also the story of her life. “From the Garden to the Table” tells how Ruth grows and gathers from her garden and brings it to the table. What doesn’t go on the table right then is canned for use later on when the gardens have long gone.
When I received a cookbook earlier this year I just knew I had to get one for you. See, many of my recipes have some basis on what Ruth has taught me over the years. I will never forget calling Ruth late one evening, hoping she wasn’t already in the bed to get her to talk me through how to fry chicken. Her fried chicken recipe is the one that I continue to use today. This summer I went to her house to learn to make chow-chow, a southern favorite that usually accompanies a big ol’ pot of beans and cornbread. I used her recipe to make peach preserves and pickles this year. She is my go-to anytime I need a recipe or want to know how to do something in the kitchen. And I want to share that with you.
You can enter to win a copy of Ruth’s cookbook. This cookbook isn’t available anywhere else but if you would like to see about purchasing one just shoot me an e-mail to: jyl@thepostitplace.com
To ENTER:
Simply leave a comment stating who your biggest influence in the kitchen is. Is it your grandmother? Mother? Rachael Ray? Paula Dean? Your Dad?
All entries must be received by September 12th at 5 PM EST.
This giveaway is open to anyone.
Winner will be selected via random drawing and will have 3 days to respond to the verification e-mail or another winner will be selected.
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I don’t know that I have a huge influence. I just have an idea of what ingredients I want to try and find a recipe for it. I experiment left and right to find my favorite recipes.
That’s awesome! I’m still trying to get recipes from my grandmother – she likes to keep it secret. I’d say my biggest influence would be cookbooks…kinda self-taught. I like local cookbooks best because they are tried and true.
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My biggest influence, seriously, we my failures of trying to replicate things that I found tasty.
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My biggest influence in the kitchen is Rachel Ray I watch her all the time. I love how her meals are quick to make and quite simple
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My grandmother and my mother-in-law had the biggest influence on my cooking. Both were excellent cooks and I learned a lot from them.
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my biggest influence in cooking are my taste buds. if I like a flavor combination I try to implement in all types food. I love combining fruit with chicken or turkey
I have a lot of influence but I remember my grandmother the most. I loved watching her make fresh pasta and snatch it up when I was a little one.
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It would be my grandmother. She always let me help her, even when I was just a toddler! She taught me a lot
My Mother would have been the biggest influence.
My greatest influence in the kitchen is my husband. He taught me not to be afraid to try new styles of cooking
My mother. She was an excellent baker and I have tried to remember her recipes all of these years. She never wrote them down!
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When I was younger, and starting out, the frugal gourmet influenzed me.
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My MOM is my biggest influence, but her mom was the BOMB for pastry and cookies, and I got her light hand for those! So I learned Southern and Yankee cooking at the same time- no wonder I get confused sometimes!
My largest influence is my mother and aunt especially around the holidays as they gather for assembly line preparation of treats for friends, family, and neighbors.
My grandmother was my biggest influence in the kitchen. She was also from the North Georgia mountains. Do you think that is why she was such a great cook?
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It’s my oldest daughter…..LOL! She is such a wonderful and creative cook. I have no idea where she got it from cuz it didn’t come from me.
My biggest influence in the kitchen-my grandma! Pink macaroni is awesome!
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My largest influence has to be from my own College Girl and Dear Hubby. I did not grow up on home cooked food but on fast food and deli take out. It is my daughter and husband that encourage me to try new things. That fresh food is good for our bodies and souls. Never to look and say I can’t make that but how can I make that my own. I love the cookbooks from the ladies before me. For I feel they too have that same idea. How can I take what I have and make it into something that my family will love. And make it healthy for them, both body and soul.
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Both my paternal Grandmother and my Mom were and still are the biggest influencers in my kitchen. Both have their unique way of going about preparing the “goodies” but equally put out some really delicious dishes!
My Dad on the other hand, can’t boil water LOL.
My grandmother, my mother, and two of her sisters are my biggest influences in the kitchen. They are all wonderful cooks and I would love to have Ruth’s story/cookbook. She sounds a lot like my grandmother who kept a huge garden up until she passed away. We always had fresh (and canned) garden grub no matter what time of year it was. My greatest childhood memories are playing in the garden – gathering potatoes, eating strawberries off the vine, picking gooseberries, and pulling up rhubarb stalks. It’s becoming a lost art & i’m thankful that my aunt keeps a garden and allows my daughter to play in it just like I did!
I forgot to say that my mother’s coconut cake was one of her most requested recipes. She always made one for my birthday. And her homemade yeast rolls!!! Oh my goodness!!! I can proudly say that I come very close to making homemade yeast rolls as good as she did.
My mother influenced me the most. She was the best cook!!! She cooked with love. she loved her family and loved to cook for us.
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My mom is my biggest influence in the kitchen. If I could create 1/2 the meals that she can make, I’d be so happy.
My great grandma, she could cook and bake never using anything to measure with and everything always came out perfect.
Hi,
My Mom.
Thanks for a chance to win such a treasured cookbook
Thanks,
Chris
The food channel gives me inspiration in cooking..Bobby Flay, Ramsay, Jaime Oliver
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I love Paula Deen. She cooks the kind of food that we love.
Thanks for the chance to win!
Jyl, This is great!! We are sooooo excited about your ideas. I saw where you already have 51 responses. Thank you so much. I really enjoyed visiting with you on Saturday and I anticipate a long stimulating friendship. Hope to hear from you soon. Remember I’m somewhat of a novice with the Internet but I’m willing to learn. Thanks again, Paulette
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