In 1974, western North Carolina saw a rare tornado that devastated the area around Murphy and Andrews. My youth group at Irving Park United Methodist Church in Greensboro was assigned to visit the elderly to offer words of hope and deliver meals. As we approached the tornado’s path, trees were lying on the ground like children’s pick-up sticks as far as the eye could see.
We visited one woman who, to my 14-year-old eyes, looked like she was 120. She couldn’t have been more than 5 feet tall, and her sweet face reminded me of the dried apple dolls that my mom used to make. Her white hair was pulled into a bun at the nape of her neck, and she wore a floral cotton dress under a stained burlap apron. Her kitchen was decorated with a string of dried apple slices and rows of canned vegetables from her garden. Her house was warm from the oven and smelled of cinnamon and apples.
illustration by Dorling Kindersley/Getty Images
My peers and I had trekked through thick woods to get to her small cabin. I remember thinking, Where does she go for groceries? Who does she call if she needs help? She was so grateful for our visit. She served us fresh bread and homemade apple butter, and even though my mom had taught me to always accept what was offered, I couldn’t bring myself to drink the warm buttermilk that she had prepared.
After our youth leader said a prayer, we all said our goodbyes. I was the last one to leave, and my eyes started to water. The woman held my face in her hands and said, “I’m so glad you came to see me. Come back when you can.” I thanked her for sharing her stories and told her that her bread was the best I had ever eaten.
photograph by Matt Hulsman
In Appalachia, burgoo is often made with venison, squirrel, rabbit, and/or pheasant. For this recipe, we’ve adapted the ingredients to be more widely accessible.
Yield: 8 to 10 servings.
3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
1 pound ground pork sausage
1 small white onion, chopped
1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
6 chicken thighs, skin on
4 cups water, divided
3 whole bay leaves
2 pounds chuck roast, cut into 2-inch cubes
1 pound bone-in country-style ribs
1½ cups frozen lima beans
1 pound Yukon gold potatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes
½ pound carrots, peeled and chopped
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
½ cup Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons firmly packed light brown sugar
1 tablespoon hot sauce
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
1 teaspoon black pepper, plus more to taste
In a large Dutch oven over medium heat, warm 1 tablespoon oil. Add sausage, onion, and bell pepper, and stir frequently until sausage is browned, about 8 minutes. Transfer sausage mixture to a large bowl. Set aside.
Increase heat to medium-high and add remaining vegetable oil. Place chicken in oil, skin side down. Cook until browned, about 10 minutes. Flip chicken; add 3 cups water and bay leaves to pot. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and cook until chicken is cooked through, about 25 minutes.
Remove chicken from pot and place in a bowl to cool. Add chuck roast, ribs, and remaining 1 cup water to pot. Cover and simmer for 1 hour.
Once chicken has cooled, shred meat, discarding skin and bones. Stir in sausage mixture. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
Add lima beans to pot. Cover and continue cooking for 20 minutes. Remove ribs; shred meat, discarding bones, and return meat to pot. Stir in sausage mixture, potatoes, carrots, and tomatoes. Cover and cook until potatoes are tender, about 30 minutes.
Stir in Worcestershire, brown sugar, hot sauce, and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer on lowest setting until ready to serve. Burgoo will continue to thicken as it cooks.
photograph by Matt Hulsman
In the fall, there’s an abundance of mountain apples that can be stewed, used in fried hand pies, made into apple butter, or baked into a warm, sweet bread.
Yield: 10 to 12 servings.
3 cups Granny Smith apples, skin on, diced into ½-inch cubes (about 2 large apples)
½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
3 tablespoons dark brown sugar
For dry ingredients:
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon allspice
½ teaspoon cardamom
1¾ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
For wet ingredients:
¾ cup dark brown sugar
¾ cup sour cream, at room temperature
2 large eggs, at room temperature
½ cup canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For topping:
1½ tablespoons dark brown sugar
¼ teaspoon cinnamon powder
1 Granny Smith apple, skin on, cored, quartered, and sliced ⅛-inch thick
Preheat oven to 375°. Position rack in the middle of the oven. Prepare a 4½ x 8½-inch loaf pan with cooking spray. Line pan with parchment paper, overlapping sides. Spray cooking spray on parchment paper.
In a large mixing bowl, add diced apples, nutmeg, and sugar; toss so that apples are evenly coated. Set aside.
Whisk together dry ingredients in a bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together wet ingredients. Pour wet mixture into dry ingredients and stir until smooth. Stir in apples and juices. Batter should be thick but not as thick as bread dough. Scrape the dough into loaf pan and spread until smooth.
Topping: Mix together sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Arrange apple slices on top of loaf, overlapping like shingles. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.
Bake for 1 hour. Cover loosely with foil; bake for another 25 minutes or until skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove bread from oven and let rest in the pan for 15 minutes. Remove bread from pan and place on a cooling rack. Cool on rack at least 1 hour before slicing.
photograph by Matt Hulsman
This dish is often made with ramps, which have a short growing season in the spring. Leeks are the perfect autumn alternative.
Yield: 6 to 8 servings.
2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
4 cups leeks, only white and light green parts, chopped (about 4 or 5 leeks)
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 teaspoons salt, divided
1½ teaspoons black pepper, divided
3 cups baby spinach, lightly packed
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
¾ cup dry white wine, divided
6 cups chicken stock, divided
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup sour cream
¼ cup freshly grated pecorino romano cheese, plus extra for garnish
Preheat oven to 400°.
Spread potatoes and leeks on a sheet pan. Add olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper. Toss to coat vegetables evenly. Roast for 40 to 45 minutes, turning occasionally with a spatula, until very tender. Add spinach and toss to combine. Bake for 4 to 5 more minutes, until spinach wilts.
Place vegetables in a Dutch oven. Add butter, ¼ cup wine, and 1 cup chicken stock, and cook over low heat for 10 minutes, scraping up any crispy roasted bits.
Remove Dutch oven from heat and let soup cool for 15 minutes. In batches, transfer roasted vegetables to a food processor. Add pan drippings and 5 cups chicken stock, in batches if needed, to make a puree. Pour puree back into Dutch oven. Stir in heavy cream, sour cream, and remaining salt and pepper.
When ready to serve, reheat soup on low heat and whisk in remaining white wine and ¼ cup grated cheese. Serve hot with an extra dusting of pecorino.
photograph by Matt Hulsman
In North Carolina, turnips are in season from October to December and April to June. They’re known to be an Appalachian comfort food in the winter months.
Yield: 6 servings.
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
2 pounds small turnips, quartered
1 teaspoon salt, divided
1 teaspoon black pepper, divided
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
3 ounces Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
Preheat oven to 375º. Prepare an 8 x 8-inch ceramic baking dish with 1 tablespoon butter.
In a large saucepan, heat remaining butter. Add turnips; cook 3 to 5 minutes per side on medium heat, until turnips begin to turn light golden brown.
Arrange turnips in baking dish. Season with ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Add garlic to saucepan and sauté in the butter until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in heavy cream and bring to a simmer. Stir in brown sugar and Gorgonzola. Continue stirring until sauce is creamy and cheese has melted. Season with remaining salt and pepper to taste.
Pour cream mixture over turnips and cover dish with foil. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes, until turnips are fork-tender.
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