To Scone Or Not To Scone

Fall is approaching quickly here in the Smoky Mountains.  With that in mind, here is one of our favorite Blue Waters Mountain Lodge recipes for Apple Cinnamon Scones.  These are wonderful on a crisp fall morning with a warm cup of coffee or tea.

Apple Cinnamon Scones

2 Cups   All Purpose Flour

2 TBSP   Sugar

Scone

3 Tsp      Baking Powder

1 Tsp      Cinnamon

1 Cup     Apple, Chopped

½ Cup   Milk, Whole

1             Egg

1 TBSP   Sugar (For Topping)

½ Tsp    Cinnamon (For Topping)

Directions

In a large bowl, combine flour, 2 TBSP sugar, baking powder and 1 Tsp cinnamon, mix well.

With a pastry blender, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse, stir in apples.  In a small bowl, combine milk and egg, blend well.  Add milk/egg mixture to the flour mixture and stir until dry ingredients are moistened.  On a lightly floured surface, gently knead the dough several times. With a floured rolling pin, roll dough into ½ to ¾ inch thickness in rectangular shape.  Cut into squares and then on the diagonal.  Wrap into portions and then freeze. When ready to cook, preheat oven to 400 degrees.   Cook for 22 to 25 minutes.  Browned but not hard. Serve warm or cool.

Enjoy!

Dogget’s Gap

Now this old ballad was taken over by the people in various parts of the mountains and was readapted to local conditions.  For instance, Dogget’s Gap ismusic in Western North Carolina however songs like Cumberland Gap are evidently indebted.  This song follows the melody of the first tow line and there is no chorus.

“Chestnut tree full of chestnut sap

Snow knee deep in Dogget’s Gap.

 

“Sheepskin collar and coonskin cap,

I don’t mind the weather in Dogget’s Gap.

 

“I got a girl in Dogget’s Gap,

She don’t mind a sittin’ in sweetheart’s lap.

 

“The old man’s a-cussin’ but I don’t give a rap

The women wear the britches in Dogget’s Gap.

 

“It’s walnut bark and walnut sap

Colors all the stockings in Dogget’s Gap.

 

“Oh, they went to my buggy and the raised the flap

And they stole all my liquor in Dogget’s Gap.

 

“Run home, boys, and tell your pap,

I’m agonna start trouble in Dogget’s Gap.

 

“I shot about twice and I raised a little yell,

And they boys all ran like a bat out o’ hell.”

 

This video is quite amazing with Bascom Lamar Lunsford performing his song – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W7nJ6HtXdnU

Devoted Workers

A couple staying with us recently came back from a scenic ride around Lake Santeetlah highly excited.  As they were taking in the natural beauty thisdevoted worker area has to offer, they noticed a dropped tree in a ditch on the side of the lake.  They pulled over to see a total of three beavers hard at work in the midst of construction of a dam.  The couple remarked that they had seen several beaver dams over the years but had never had the opportunity to watch one being built.  One never knows what is around one of our mountain curves!

The Cautious Candidate

A politician was canvassing the county in a race for a seat in the North Carolina State Legislature.  He dealt in generalities and was careful as far as politicspossible not to commit himself on any proposition.  One of his constituents was a farmer whose sheep had been killed by dogs, and consequently he was much interested in the passage of a dog law then under discussion.  The old politician knew how dangerous to his kind dog laws were, and had never mentioned the subject once.  Finally the farmer in question began to follow him around, and ask him in a loud voice during his speeches: “How do you stand on the dog law?”

At last the candidate, being forced against his will to make a declaration, said: “Yes, I am in favor of a dog law.”

“What kind of dog law?” called out his tormentor.  “That’s what we want to know.”

“Well, I’ll tell you,” said the orator, and then hesitated.

“Go on,” yelled the farmer, “and tell us what kind of a dog law you are for.”

“Wait a minute,” said the candidate, “and I will tell you.  I am in favor of a good law that will protect the sheep and at the same time will not hurt the dogs.”

Local Version of the Tortoise and the Hare

The Terrapin and the Deer

Once, in the olden times, when the animals of the earth had the power of speech, a red deer and a terrapin met on Joanna Bald.  The deer ridiculed theTerrapin and Deer terrapin, boasted of his own fleetness, and proposed that the two should run a race.  The creeping animal assented to the proposition.  The race was to extend from the Joanna Bald to the summit of the third pinnacle extending to the eastward.  The day was then fixed and the animals separated.  During the intervening time the cunning terrapin secured the services of three of its fellows resembling itself in appearance, and having given them particular directions, stationed them upon the several peaks over which the races was to take place.  The appointed day arrived and the deer, as well as the first mentioned terrapin, were faithfully on the ground.  All things being ready, the word was given and away started the deer at break neck speed.  Just as he reached the summit of the first hill he heard the shout of a terrapin, and as he supposed it to be his antagonist, he was greatly perplexed, but continued on his course.  On reaching the top of the second hill, he heard another shout of defiance, and was more astonished than ever, but onward still did he continue.  Just before reaching the summit of the third hill, the deer heard what he supposed to be the same shout, and he gave up the race in despair.  On returning to the starting place, he found his antagonist in a calm and collected mood, and when he demanded an explanation, the terrapin solved the mystery, and then begged the deer to remember that mind could sometimes accomplish what was often beyond the reach of the swiftest legs.