CHAPTER 1

DRINKSandBREADS

SWEET TEA

Iced tea is Dixie's eau de vie. It excites the palate, slips down the throat, andbrings vigor back to bodies wrung out from the hot sun.

Throughout the Deep South, people drink sweet tea, which means that thereis no need to add any sugar to what is served. It comes already sweetened. It isbest drunk from a tall, wide-mouthed glass with clear, fresh ice cubes or heaps ofcrushed ice. Lots and lots of ice, always lots of ice. And, of course, a big pitcherfor refills, as needed. If you wish, you can be fancy and squeeze a little lemon in itor add a sprig of mint, but really, any addition is gilding the lily. Sweet tea shouldbe perfect just the way it is served—no garnish necessary. One important rule formaking it is to use regular supermarket tea, not fancy gourmet tea. Another ruleis to make it sweeter than you think it should be. Indeed, the motto at the BlueWillow Inn is to serve tea "strong and just a little too sweet."

Many are the hot summer days when we have gulped multiple glasses of thistea, realizing that this and only this is the beverage that God meant parchedsoutherners to drink. It quenches thirst, replenishes verve and vitality, andstimulates your appetite for a nice hot supper.

According to Louis Van Dyke, "Grandmothers and mothers of the Old Southserved sweetened iced tea at every meal. In the Old South, children were neverallowed to drink iced tea until they were twelve years old. They drank milk, water,or lemonade. Soft drinks were never allowed at the dinner table. The Blue WillowInn honors these traditions by serving only sweetened iced tea, lemonade, coffee,water, and—to the unfortunate—unsweetened iced tea. Soft drinks are notavailable.

1 gallon water
4 to 5 family-size tea bags (each one is enough for a quart of tea)
3 cups sugar, at least
Lemon slices, for garnish (optional)
Sprig of mint (optional)

Bring the water to a boil in a 1 ½-gallon saucepan. Turn off the heat, andadd the tea bags. Cover and steep 12 to 15 minutes. For stronger tea, let itsteep longer, up to 20 minutes. Add the sugar while the tea is hot, stirringvigorously until dissolved. Allow to cool; then pour over ice. Garnish asdesired.

MAKES ABOUT 4 QUARTS

Veranda Tea Punch

Sweet tea and lemonade are the traditional beverages to drink before and during aBlue Willow meal; but for special summertime moments on the porch, this equallysugary punch is something completely different.

2/3 cup sugar
2/3 cup water
Juice of 4 oranges
2 cups strong-brewed tea
1 quart Coca-Cola
1 quart soda water
Lemon and orange slices, for garnish

In a large saucepan combine the sugar and water, and boil for 10 minutes to makesugar syrup. Cool. Mix the orange juice with the cooled sugar syrup. Add the hottea. Allow to cool. Just before serving, add the Coca-Cola (or ginger ale, ifpreferred) and soda water. Garnish with lemon and orange slices.

MAKES ABOUT 3 QUARTS: 20 SERVINGS

Angel Biscuits

Leavened with yeast, these biscuits are airier and lighter than the traditionalbiscuit that comes with breakfast. They make a great choice for the breadbasket atsuppertime.

1 package active dry yeast
2 teaspoons warm water (110°F)
4 cups flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
¼ cup sugar
½ cup solid vegetable shortening
2 cups buttermilk
1 teaspoon baking soda

Preheat the oven to 475°F. Sprinkle the yeast into the warm water in a small cupor bowl. Stir and give the yeast time to get frothy. Sift together the flour, bakingpowder, salt, and sugar. Cut in the shortening. Mix the yeast with the buttermilk,and combine with the flour/shortening mixture. Add the baking soda. Roll thedough out onto a lightly floured surface to about ¼-inch thickness. Cut with abiscuit cutter (a clean standard-size can works fine). Place each biscuit on a lightlybuttered baking pan, and bake for 10 to 12 minutes until golden brown.

MAKES 15 TO 20 BISCUITS

Banana Nut Bread

This is more like dessert than it is bread to accompany a meal. For afternoon tea,or with morning coffee, it's just right.

½ cup solid vegetable shortening
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 cup mashed overripe bananas
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped pecans

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a bread loaf pan. In a small bowl cream theshortening and sugar together. In a separate bowl beat the eggs until light andfluffy. Add the lemon juice and mashed bananas. Blend the eggs with the creamedshortening and sugar. Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together, and mixquickly into the banana mixture. Add the nuts, if desired. Pour the mixture intothe prepared loaf pan, and bake for 1-¼ hours, or until a toothpick inserted in themiddle comes out clean.

MAKES 1 LOAF

Blueberry Muffins

Social Circle's Hard Labor Creek Blueberry Farm suggested this recipe to thecooks at the Blue Willow Inn. They're wonderful served warm from the oven,with softened butter to melt inside when you pull one apart.

1 egg
½ cup milk
¼ cup salad oil
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
½ cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup fresh blueberries, washed and dried,
or
3/4 cup drained, frozen blueberries

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Combine the egg, milk, oil, flour, sugar, bakingpowder, salt, and blueberries, mixing lightly. Do not overmix. Pour into a dozenlightly greased muffin cups. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes.

MAKES 12 MUFFINS

Buttermilk Biscuits

Having grown up in Savannah, the Van Dykes know just how important biscuitsare as part of a big southern-style restaurant meal. They dined often at Mrs. WilkesBoarding House on Jones Street, famous for its bountiful all-you-can eat meals.They always include plenty of buttermilk biscuits, which are essential companionsfor any meat or vegetable dish with juices that need sopping. In the buffet room atthe Blue Willow Inn, biscuits are constantly being...