I was honored to attend a stimulating colloquium on culinary
and heritage tourism in Appalachia this weekend. Held at the beautiful Greenbrier in West Virginia, the event included the FARM2U Collaborative’s 7th
Annual Cast Iron Cook-Off, featuring a host of chefs from around the state.
While the cook-off was delicious and inventive, it was the colloquium
discussion that I found most nourishing.
Around the table were folks from all up and down Appalachia,
from north Georgia to the Allegheny region of Pennsylvania. We had some great
discussions about the region’s culinary identity – from wild game to ramps to
all things cookable in a cast iron skillet. Dr. Allen Arnold, himself a force
to be reckoned with, was the organizer for the weekend and Dr. Jean Haskell,
Appalachian Regional Commission’s Whisman Scholar, inspired all of us to think
about a future Pan-Appalachian Finalists Cook-Off in the future with chefs from
up and down the Appalachian Mountains participating.
What brings folks together – throughout a region – better
than food? Tupelo Honey Cafe hopes to play a role in uniting our southern
mountains through shared culinary history and traditions. It’s exciting! Stay
tuned for more.