Keeping it Southern
- 2 days ago
- 3 min read
The summer solstice provides a chance to change direction, but the Floramont Journal is staying put right here in the South. While looking at last year's posts, there seemed to be a heavy concentration on the southern United States, with just a few references to France and Québec. Listening to one song made me realize that Floramont belongs in the South.
One night, we were listening to everything from André Rieu's lovely Johann Strauss Orchestra to one of country music's most legendary bands, Alabama. Every now and then, something would "click" on a seemingly cellular level, like when Rieu's concert included bagpipes. Perhaps it's a nod to having deep Scotch-Irish heritage. Later, it was the Alabama concert that stopped me in my tracks when they invited Jamey Johnson to sing "My Home's in Alabama" in one of my favorite performances ever.
Chills engulfed my arms when he sang, "I'm in the heart of Dixie and Dixie's in the heart of me." Being born in Virginia instead of Alabama doesn't make a difference, because several of the lyrics resonate to the core. Even though I have often felt out of place here in the South, there is no denying that half of my ancestors have been deeply rooted along the North Carolina/Virginia border for literally centuries. Honestly, most of my southern kin have viewed me as a bit of an oddity, but here I am. I still love tire swings. Sometimes, you'll catch me drinking sweet tea out of a Mason jar, garnished with a sprig of mint from the "potager" next to the back door. I still make my own pimento cheese. Now, don't tell anyone, but there is a tub of Our Pride pimento cheese in the fridge. I forgot to pick up a jar of pimentos for the homemade version, and our buggy (grocery cart) was already full. As I eyed the expanding cashier lanes, I decided it would be better to grab a tub from the deli from a reliable source. If you have to buy store-bought, then Our Pride pimento cheese is the way to go.
Oh, and I am still looking for the perfect cheese straw recipe, because by the time I get to the store, the only cheese straws left are gluten-free. The latest version can be seen in the photo above. Obviously, they are not shaped like cheese straws, because I was feeling festive for the VA250 activities in honor of the Semiquincentennial honoring our nation's Revolution. As expected, Virginia is really getting into it, including flotillas with international ships and such. So, here is my little way of celebrating! I just shaped the cheese straw dough into hearts and the Commonwealth of Virginia (because after all, Virginia is for Lovers!), and then put them on a horse plate to honor the horses who played a vital role in securing our nation's liberty! The plate is part of a set illustrated by Susan Winget for Certified International. I don't know if they still make them, but they are a perfect gift for the horse lovers in your life. Now I am totally off-topic.
Back to the point, the Floramont Journal will remain rooted in southern landscapes. There have been numerous French influences on our landscape, particularly in places like Louisiana, where the Acadians left a frigid environment yet conquered stifling heat and humidity in swamplands where their descendants continue to thrive. While the Scotch-Irish are known to have populated the Appalachian Mountains, not many people realize the number of French settlers to that region. Of course, we cannot forget the impact France had upon Thomas Jefferson, whose home and gardens reflect vast French influences that can be seen today.
As we explored last year, there is still the on-going mystery about the horses belonging to John Randolph of Roanoke. We know that equine history played a large role in shaping the land, leading to Virginia's "horse country" sections. Meanwhile, some of those horses made their way to Kentucky, thereby helping to cement that state's role as premier horse territory. Regions devoted to horses often have well-manicured farms and pastures, simply adding to the beauty of the South. This brings me back to the horse plate in the photo. All this talk makes me want to grab the rest of that cheese straw dough sitting in the freezer. It is time to bake up some more hearts and cookies shaped like the great Commonwealth of Virginia!
