Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, March 11, 1993 TAG: 9303110406
SECTION: AMERICAN WOMEN'S SHOW PAGE: AW-5 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: By ANNE PIEDMONT
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
COMBOS WILL BE COOKING UP SOMETHING SPECIAL
One of the most popular features of the American Women's Show year after year is the cooking stage.This year, a couple of dynamic duos will be dishing up something special. In addition to Roanoke's own "Cookin' Cheap" cooks, Laban Johnson and Larry Bly, the stage will be home to Pat Mitchamore and Lynne Tolley of Lynchburg, Tenn., co-authors of Jack Daniel's "The Spirit of Tennessee Cookbook."
Local celebrity chefs include Marty Montano of Montano's International Gourmet. Demonstrations also will be performed by Holy Trinity Green Orthodox Church members and Pasta Valente.
Fans of Larry and Laban will have a chance to see not just food being made, but a television program, as well. Blue Ridge Public Television will tape the pair's presentation as a segment of "Cookin' Cheap" to be aired later.
Lovers of old-fashioned Southern food - and Jack Daniel's Whiskey - will not want to miss Mitchamore and Tolley at 2:30 and 7 p.m. Friday for "Cookin' With Jack."
The two women will prepare four recipes which include Jack Daniel's as an ingredient: Jack's Chili, Jack's Corn Chowder, Divine Fruit Dip and Sandy's Special Muffins (guess what makes them so special). And, yes, there will be samples.
Both Mitchamore and Tolley bring their own unique talents to the collaboration. Mitchamore is an executive with Brown-Forman Beverage Corporation (Jack Daniel's), where she markets and promotes Jack Daniel's as an ingredient in a variety of foods. She also is director of Spring Branch Productions, directing and producing the Jack Daniel's Original Silver Cornet Band. She's produced 30 national tours for the group, a special World's Fair show, six recordings and a video.
In addition to the cookbook she and Tolley wrote, Mitchamore has written "Jack Daniel's Hometown Celebration Cookbook."
Like her first book, it features vignettes and reflections along with the recipes. In the Celebration cookbook, Mitchamore captures the love, security and traditions of growing up in hometown America. Lynne Tolley edited the recipes.
Tolley, the great-great niece of Jack Daniel, is proprietress of Miss Mary Bobo's Boarding House in Lynchburg, Tenn. She is a native of Lynchburg and has a degree in nutrition from the University of Georgia. Following the death of Miss Mary at 102 in 1983, Tolley reopened the Boarding House restaurant.
She selects the menus, choosing many favorites that were served by Miss Mary; supervises the garden where fresh produce is grown, and does everything else a restauranteur must to ensure a successful establishment. But, she does even more, she serves as a gracious hostess for the strangers who come to dinner and leave as friends.
One thing she can't do, however, is serve Jack Daniel's Whiskey. Moore County, where Lynchburg is located, is dry.
VEGETABLES:
FALL FESTIVAL SQUASH 6 acorn squash
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Salt to taste
2 tablespoons Jack Daniel's Whiskey
Preheat oven to 325. Halve squash lengthwise; scrape seed and fibers from\ cavities. Place squash, cut-side down in baking dish with water. Bake for 1\ hour. Scoop out pulp and reserve six of the best shells. Mash cooked pulp with\ remaining ingredients, beating well. Spoon mixture into reserved shells. Bake\ until hot. Makes 6 servings.
TIPSY SWEET POTATOES
2 1/2 cups cooked, mashed sweet potatoes
4 tablespoons butter, softened
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
Pinch of salt
1/3 cup Jack Daniel's Whiskey
Pecan halves or marshmallow for topping
Preheat oven to 325. Combine all ingredients except topping. Spoon into a\ greased 1-quart casserole. Top with pecan halves or marshmallows. Bake for 20\ to 25 minutes until bubbly. Makes 6 to 8 servings, but be careful, everyone\ will want seconds.
CHEESE-FRIED GREEN TOMATOES
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
1/2 cup finely grated Swiss cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 eggs
3 medium green tomatoes (about 1 1/4 pounds), cored and cut into 1/4-inch slices 4 to 6 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided Salt Combine cornmeal, cheese, salt and pepper in shallow dish. Place flour on waxed paper. Beat eggs lightly in a separate dish. Dredge tomato slices in flour, shaking off excess. Dip in beaten egg, then in cornmeal mixture; press cornmeal lightly onto both sides. Place on wire rack. (At this point the tomato slices can be set aside for several hours.) Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in large skillet over moderately high heat until very hot. Place a layer of tomato slices in skillet without overcrowding. Fry on both sides until crisp and golden, about 2 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels; sprinkle with salt. Keep warm. Fry remaining slices, adding more oil as needed. Serve warm. Makes 4 servings.
STEWED TOMATO CASSEROLE
1 28-ounce can tomatoes, undrained and coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1/3 cup sugar 2 slices white bread, toasted and crumbled
Preheat oven to 350. Place the tomatoes, butter and sugar in a saucepan; heat until the butter is melted. Add the bread crumbs; simmer until most of the liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Spoon the mixture into a greased 1 1/2-quart round casserole. Bake about 20 to 30 minutes or until thick and bubbly. Makes 6 servings.