Spotlight On: Tin Roof Cutting Boards

Dixie Caviar's 'Spotlight On' showcases both established and up-and-coming Southern artisans across a variety of creative fields. We'll be talking shop, the South, and their very best recipes. Read on! Today I'd like for y'all to meet Miss Emily Ann Quattlebaum Tatum of Tin Roof Cutting Boards. I haven't had the pleasure of meeting Emily Ann in person, but I've known her husband John for as long as I can remember! He is just the sweetest guy, and comes from a fantastic Alabama family.

Tin Roof's cutting boards are simply stunning. (I can safely say that Christmas gift giving is going to be easy this year.) Read on for more about this cute couple and their growing brand. I wish you two so much success!

Tell me about yourself: To many of my childhood and college friends, I'm known by my maiden name "Quattlebaum." Many nicknames derived from my unique German heritage, however, if I were to meet you today, you'd know me as Emily Ann Tatum.

Born and raised in small town Alabama, I quickly developed a love for Auburn University because of the big opportunities nestled in a quaint southern town. I graduated with a degree in public relations in 2008 and three weeks later married the love of my life, Auburn graduate and Opelika native-John Tatum. We now reside in Sugar Land, TX (a suburb of Houston) managing self-started businesses. On any given day, I'm doing, talking, or thinking about hanging at the beach, boating, running, or traveling.

Tell me about Tin Roof Cutting Boards: Tin Roof Cutting Board products are handmade with solid, reclaimed wood. Each cutting board is unique, individually crafted, and as eye catching as it is functional. Our cutting boards are not stained. They are only sealed, sanded and moisturized with mineral oil to enhance each board's natural colors. Tin Roof specializes in Pecan wood, but we also use a variety of hardwoods that include Walnut, Maple, Oak, Mesquite, Padauk, Purpleheart, Teak, and many more. Whether for daily preparation needs or full-scale gatherings, these reclaimed wood beauties are a cut above the rest!

Tell me how Tin Roof got started: What started out as the perfect Christmas gift for board creator and dear friend Kurt Pratka, quickly turned into a passion. With his resources, Kurt personally chose the wood, aligned it to create a beautiful design, sealed the board and sanded it to perfection. In a matter of weeks, Kurt was fulfilling orders throughout the town. It didn't take Kurt and the Tough County Sawmill team long to see the potential. With John's expertise in e-commerce sales and my background in marketing and public relations, we teamed up with Tough Country Sawmill to offer the products on a website and in stores all around the south.

Tell me the biggest challenge you have experienced thus far? The greatest success? My husband and I had a vision to create a work environment we could embrace for years to come. In October of 2011, we were faced with the opportunity to sell our house in Alabama, quit our "real jobs" and give our dream life a chance. We knew at the time it was now or never. We moved out of our house with no living arrangements made and unsure of our next step. After a couple of months of living out of our cars and staying with friends and family, we settled in Texas. Today, John runs an internet business he started two years ago and I manage Tin Roof Cutting Boards. We work side by side running websites, brainstorming ideas, researching products and people, and of course troubleshooting. It's always an adventure!

What is Southern about Tin Roof: The inspiration for the name Tin Roof comes from many long days John spent at the family farm in central Alabama. It represents a simpler time when all you needed was a comfortable pair of jeans, a dirt road, land to work and a cabin with a tin roof. For us, it's more than a place; it's a state of being. We find such joy in rediscovering the peace that comes by simply surrounding yourself with nature.

All of our products are personally designed and hand crafted in Texas by Tough Country Sawmill. Board creator, Kurt Pratka, learned and developed a passion for woodworking as a small child from watching his dad. Today, we offer those same treasured family items to people across the country.

Tell me who and/or what currently inspires you: As mentioned before, the brand Tin Roof was inspired by the Tatum Family Farm. On our website, you will see that each cutting board is named after a place or a memory that is near and dear to our hearts. I believe it is life's experiences that enlarge your vision and mold you into the person you were meant to be. It is exciting for me to incorporate these experiences and warm memories into the Tin Roof brand.

Tell me about your relationship with food and/or cooking: At the ripe age of 22 I married John. One of my biggest fears was that I didn't know how to cook, and honestly did not have a desire to learn. I've come a long way in the kitchen these past four years and can proudly say that I love to cook! About once a week, you'll find me cooking at night with John Mayor on the iPod and red wine in my glass. I keep it pretty simple, but I guess you need to walk before you run!

Tell me your best food story: This past Christmas, my family decided to spice things up a bit with a little cuisine competition. In an effort to help mom out with all the cooking responsibilities, we divided into teams and had a cook off. My dad and sister were assigned a meal, my brother and I were assigned a meal, and the spouses were the judges. We were judged on presentation and taste. After much deliberation, the winners were announced and presented with a special gift. We had some great meals, made fun memories and mom was able to relax a bit. It was a great idea and I am sure we will continue this new tradition for years to come.

Any favorite MADE IN THE SOUTH brands worthy of your shout out:

Jack Deloney is an artist from my hometown of Ozark, AL. Like Tin Roof, his work reflects the simpler days. Blue bell Ice Cream is a favorite in the Tatum family. We enjoy it best from the Railroad Creamery in Opelika, AL! TieTry is a great resource for our southern gentlemen. Viv-Vah-Chey Designs for personalized invitations and holiday cards.

I'm a magazine junkie, so I enjoy tearing out pages of products and recipes from Southern Living and thumbing through Garden and Gun each month!"

Please share your favorite Southern recipe and what it means to you: My husband John is one of four boys. His mother Lynn is a spectacular cook and knows how to satisfy her boys' appetites when we all come to visit. She shows her love through her cooking and treasures the time around her table when everyone slows down to enjoy a home cooked meal. Her version of green bean casserole is amazing. Once you try this, you'll never use the recipe on the back of the can again!

LYNN'S GREEN BEAN CASSEROLE

Source: Emily Ann Tatum Yields: Feeds a crowd

1  (10 3/4 ounce) can cream of mushroom soup 4  cups French-style green beans 1 cup sour cream 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1/8 teaspoon pepper Crushed crackers (amount and type not specified) 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese 1 cup fried onions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a mixing bowl, combine cream of mushroom soup, green beans, sour cream, garlic powder, and pepper. Pour into a 9" x 11" casserole dish.

In a separate bowl, combine crushed crackers, melted butter, and cheese. Sprinkle over the green bean mixture. Bake casserole, uncovered, for 25 minutes. Top with fried onions and bake for 5 more minutes.

Last of all, tell me what you love most about the South/being Southern:

I feel blessed to be a true Southerner! There are so many things I love about the South—home-cooked Sunday lunches, friendly faces, hand written letters, and sweet tea. Being from the South comes with an ingrained appreciation for authenticity, attention to detail in everything and greeting old friends and new faces with a smile.  (Hear, hear!)

ATTENTION: Tin Roof is offering 25% off of their products for Dixie Caviar readers now through September 30th! Use Promo Code ""DIXIE25"" at check out.

Find out more about Tin Roof Cutting Boards here and follow them on Facebook and Twitter. For more of Emily Ann and John's adventures, check out her personal blog.

Spotlight On: Jane Sweet Jane

Dixie Caviar's 'Spotlight On' showcases both established and up-and-coming Southern artisans across a variety of creative fields. We'll be talking shop, the South, and their very best recipes. Read on! I am so pleased to introduce y'all to Miss Jane Randall Jackson of JANE SWEET JANE. (And yes, she has the cutest Southern double name!) The Jackson and Dozier families go way back, and I can 100% say they are some of the kindest, most genuine folks I know. Jane Randall's hand painted pillows, art, and furniture ooze Southern charm and I wish her so much success in her promising career. Read here about the fabulous girl behind the brand and then go check out her site for yourself. (Trust me, you are going to LOVE her!)

Tell me about yourself: My name is Jane Randall Jackson. I was born and raised in Opelika, Alabama, where I currently live after some time away. I attended THE University of Alabama where I rooted for the Tide. But, in 2010, I was "Cam"verted as I call it, and now I pull for the Tigers. Recently engaged to a Mississippi State graduate, I also like to ring a cowbell every now and then...it can be quite addicting!

All in all, I love the south and pull for MOST teams in the SEC. To avoid negativity, I will not mention those teams within our great conference that I do not pull for EVER. The past two seasons, I have contemplated wearing a button that says "MAKE ART, NOT WAR" because I have seen too many arguments take place over football, and to me, it ain't worth it!

My sister (and business partner) is Laurel Jackson Callaway, and she too has returned after time away. She is an AVID Auburn fan! Birmingham Southern grad! The rest of the family are avid Auburn fans. WAR EAGLE!

Tell me about JANE SWEET JANE: (This is from our "about" page on our website!)

"Founded by Southern artist Jane Randall and her sister, Laurel Jackson Callaway, Jane Sweet Jane offers home décor hand-crafted in Alabama. From a very early age, Jane Randall has had a deep love for the arts—and it is from this passion that Jane Sweet Jane was born, bringing you pillows, lamps, and table runners that serve as a homespun finishing touch to any space.

There is a story in every piece of Jane Sweet Jane’s designs—from the vintage buttons Jane purchased from a woman who built her collection from the clothes of her aunts and mother, to the repurposed burlap from her family’s 100-year-old fertilizer business. Raised on a cattle and crop farm in East Central Alabama in a farmhouse built by her great-grandparents, Jane Randall developed a love for nature at an early age, which is apparent in her designs and fabrics. A self-proclaimed Luddite, Jane Randall cuts her stencils by hand and hand-paints every item that leaves her shop, making every piece beautiful and unique.

In addition to lamps, runners, and the general collection of pillows, which changes frequently as Jane Randall draws inspiration from the seasons and her own personal experiences, Jane Sweet Jane offers custom pillows as well, featuring faces of the people and pets who mean the most to you."

Tell me how JANE SWEET JANE got started: I studied art history in college, grew up painting as a child and have always enjoyed life the most when I am creating something. So there has been a natural progression really into what we are doing today. JANE SWEET JANE started when I painted some pillows as a consignment product for a friend's shop. I had painted my own curtains and lampshades and pillows at my home so it was just natural to make hand painted pillows. I actually used leftover canvas cloth from my hand painted curtains, and buttons from my vintage collection. My mom and I got together in my "creative room" and I painted and we sewed them together! It was actually her idea to use burlap from burlap bags at the family business, Piedmont Fertilizer. When they were well received by different shops, my family and I realized there was potential to really run with the idea of making hand painted, hand made, custom home items and decor.

Tell me where you see JANE SWEET JANE in five years: In five years, I see myself and Laurel having little babies running around the shop. That is a hopeful desire. And I always joke that I plan to dethrone Martha Stewart... American needs a fresh spunky Southerner helping them with DIY ideas... I see JANE SWEET JANE being a household name.

What is Southern about JANE SWEET JANE: Well first of all, we are proudly made in Alabama! The south is very family oriented, meaning we all work together in this. We really are "all in." Each family member contributes: we use burlap from our other family business for the backs of the pillow, and the thread used to accent the fronts of the pillows came from our grandmother's needle point collection. It is all very home grown.

The designs are very simple and unassuming. A lot of them even feature subjects found in the south. The name itself is friendly and welcoming, a play on "home sweet home". And if there is one thing southerners are known for, it is being friendly and welcoming!

Tell me who and/or what currently inspires you: The Southern things I see day in and day out—like southern birds, southern flowers, southern animals. I studied art history and am drawn to folk art. It is simple and mostly Southern. I like to keep things simple, straight forward. Family also has a large influence on my drive. I love my family very much. The business oriented and artistic genes found in Laurel and myself come from a long line of business owners and artists.

Tell me about your relationship with food and cooking: We all love to cook. Laurel and I are always cooking! We eat out a few times a month to support local restaurants, but we like trying new recipes and eating at home! Plus, when your dad has a green thumb and a garden that produces enough veggies to feed a village, it is hard to resist eating fresh vegetables at home...

I actually went to a short culinary program and have worked in a few kitchens! I always wanted to open a sweets shop in Opelika when I moved home. But three and half years ago, I was not sure that a gelato shop would survive here! So, like I said, we love to cook!

Tell me your best food story: Every Christmas Eve, our family returns to my parent's home for our annual "Pickle Hunt" (winning prize is always an incentive to find the pickle!), which is followed by a tasty and filling dinner. Menu always includes: Dad's smoked ham, turkey, at least three traditional casseroles, and pecan pie for dessert. The pecans come from the orchard on the farm where we grew up and where my parents still live!

I cannot recall any disasters, but I can recall some torturous experiences of working in restaurant kitchens. I love to cook, but I am too sweet to handle an angry chef!

Any favorite MADE IN THE SOUTH brands worthy of your shout out? Southern kudos to:

Imogene + Willie, a custom jean shop in Nashville, TN Social South Magazine and blog in Jackson, MS Sister Schubert's rolls! Dixie Caviar...so awesome! (Why thank you very much.)

So many artists in the south...soooo many great ones!! And, I am really proud of what is happening in Opelika, AL...this town is legit. So many great new businesses in our historic downtown...that are not chains!

Please share your favorite Southern recipe and what it means to you: I always joke that the cartoon character Garfield and I are kindred spirits...mostly because of our deep, deep love of lasagna. I know it is not what you would necessarily think of when you talk about Southern foods, but it is a lot like a casserole! Put together your ingredients, and put it in the oven. But, it is so much better than a casserole! I think I love anything with tomatoes and cheese though too, so this is a large reason why I love lasagna. At home, I am always coming up with my own variations of lasagna and it always tastes delicious...try eggplant sliced thin for a noodle substitute...or inch long cuts of asparagus instead of meat for a different, textured bite...throw in some fresh slices of tomatoes as a layer. I mean the options are endless!

For this recipe I am sharing, I'm going to keep it simple and keep it classic. This is my Mom's Lasagna Recipe and whenever I need a meal to bring my soul comfort, I make this. Or, if I reaaaaallly need comfort, she will make it for me! And there are always leftovers, so the comforting lasts a couple of days!

LILLI'S LASAGNA

Source: Jane Randall Jackson Yields: Feeds a crowd

For the spaghetti sauce 2 pounds ground beef, browned and drained of all fat 1 (16 ounce) can tomato sauce 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce 3 packages spaghetti sauce seasoning (McCormick's) 2 cups water

For the lasagna 1-1/2 boxes of cooked lasagna noodles 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese 2 cups cottage cheese 2 eggs, lightly beaten Grated Parmesan cheese Spaghetti sauce

For the sauce: Combine all the ingredients and simmer the sauce for 20 minutes.

For the lasagna: Preheat oven to  350 degrees. Combine cottage cheese and eggs until well-blended. In a 9 x 13 glass baking dish, put a thin layer of sauce, followed by a layer of noodles. Now put another layer of sauce, half the cottage cheese mixture and then half of the mozzarella cheese. Repeat ending with a layer of noodles on top with remaining sauce. Generously sprinkle Parmesan on top. Cook for at least 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

Tell me what you love about the South/being Southern: How many words do I have????

— I love Southern terrain. Maybe it is because I grew up on a farm, but I love farms. I love sunsets on a farm. I love that Southerners are always enjoying the lands that surround them. Farming and growing plants and veggies on your own land are not uncommon in the south. And farmers markets are regular occurrences. As well as fresh floral arrangements from your own garden.

— I love that we are made up of small towns. People still know their neighbor (and even like them most of the time) in a small town. Southerners know how to tell great stories and enjoy doing so. Our heritage and history is important to us.

— I love the people: We are friendly and inviting to strangers. Charming almost always. Our accent is soft and easy on the ears. We are not abrasive or harsh people. And I think a lot of that goes back to the fact that we still cherish good etiquette. In the South, manners matter, yall.

— I love the weather. I would rather be too hot over too cold any day!

— I love the game of six degrees of separation that Southerners play. Whenever we meet someone new and discover where they are from, it is like a game to find one person you know from there and ask if they know he or she as well. Almost always, somebody knows somebody you know...

— THE FOOD! Fry it, boil it, barbeque it, roast it, bake it, how ever you want to make it.... Whatever you are cooking will just taste better when a Southerner is in the kitchen. And you cannot beat sweet tea....

— The music...the world can thank us for blues, jazz, southern rock, classic country... without them many greats would never be. (i.e. The Beatles, etc...)

— Of course, College football. In the South, it is what you plan your fall schedule around and this will never change! How could you not like Southern College football...it's the best!

I could go onnnn and onnn and onnnnnn...

I told you she was the sweetest dang thing on the planet! For more JANE SWEET JANE, follow her on Facebook and Twitter.

Spotlight On: Southern Coterie

 

"American by birth, Southern by the grace of God." "G.R.I.T.S. — girls raised in the South." "You can take the girl out of the country, but you can't take the country out of the girl."

As you can see from the quotes above, it's no big secret that we, as Southerners, are damn proud of our heritage. So much in fact, we feel the need to write about it, sing about it, and shout about it to anyone who will listen. We often boast that our food is better, girls are prettier, and football teams are superior to all the rest.

We even travel with redneck radar: if there's another Southerner within a 20 mile radius, you can bet we won't be strangers for long. (I think the cute guy over there just said the word "y'all?") That said, I didn't realize it would take moving all the way to Los Angeles to find my true love. When I called my father with news of a prospect, he took a big gulp. When I added that Walt was from Georgia, he breathed a huge sigh of relief. Poor ol' dad was terrified I would run off to California and marry a director. Oops, did I forget to mention that Walt is one of those, too?

All jokes aside, the South is a wealth of culture—both old and new—worth preserving, exploring, and perpetuating. Enter The Southern Coterie /kōtərē/, a new social network connecting the South. To quote the leading ladies, it is "a collaborative effort celebrating the people, places and things that make the South special. If you can’t come to the South, the South will come to you." Amen to that!

In the spirit of sharing, I will be offering up my two cents alongside the already stellar lineup of contributors. I am looking forward to forming new relationships with fellow Dixie enthusiasts as we bond (and battle!) over the best beaches, bands, and barbecue that make our region so great.

To get the party started, I'll go ahead and tell it to you straight: down South the food really is better, the girls are definitely prettier, and Auburn football is better than the rest. Take me to Rosemary Beach, play me The Allman Brothers, and douse some more vinegar sauce on that pulled pork sandwich. Do I smell a challenge? Bring it on!

P.S. The social network doesn't launch until early next week; in the meantime, read my first post, sign up for the weekly newsletter and check out the Tumblr archives for a super-sized dose of good Southern fun!

Spotlight On: Eat Your Books

I've been wanting to talk about recipe organization here on Dixie Caviar for a long time. With hundreds of recipe sources available to home cooks these days across various media outlets—think newspapers, cookbooks, food magazines, websites, and cooking blogs— managing all the madness can be quite daunting. There's nothing worse than remembering a recipe you want to make, only to have no idea where in the world you "stored" it. Is it in a pile of tear sheets on your desk, dog-eared in a magazine bound for the recycling bin, bookmarked online in an obscurely-titled folder, or saved in one of your many virtual recipe boxes? Oh, the drama.

As a food writer and recipe developer, I am constantly looking for my next stroke of genius and always on the hunt for delicious inspiration. Effectively managing my culinary research is of utmost importance. I know that every person is different, but in the next few "Spotlight On" posts I want to share the systems that work for me. My methods stretch across a number of mediums, and all combined might seem a little "cray-cray", but hopefully each will give a little organizational insight to other type-A freaks like me.

For the first post in my recipe organization series, I'd like to put a spotlight on the fabulous website, EAT YOUR BOOKS.

I currently have 150+ cookbooks in my collection and—thanks to an obsessive-compulsive Amazon addition—it continues to grow by the day. I love nothing more than pouring through each and every page of my newly-acquired treasures. Unfortunately after one or two passes, most get crammed into an already over-capacitated shelf, never to be looked at again.

But then I discovered Eat Your Books, a website that works as a virtual index to all of your printed recipes. Eat Your Books has thousands of popular cookbooks in its system already, and that number is growing every day. To get started, it's as easy as creating an account and filling your online "bookshelf" with the cookbook titles from your collection. Immediately all of those recipes hiding in your attic are now living at your fingertips, just begging to be used. It is worth mentioning that Eat Your Books is NOT a recipe sight, meaning you have to use the, gasp, physical cookbook in order to view the recipes. But hey, isn't thumbing through those beautiful pages half the fun? (Side note: I know this paragraph just started sounding like a bad late-night infomercial, but it's just how I feel, I swear.)

Now any time I want to look up a recipe for say, Penne alla Vodka, I can enter the title into my database and a list of all my cookbooks containing a recipe match will pop up. (My newest habit is to sit Indian style, with the cookbooks spread on the floor around me, as I compare and contrast each recipe in search of the very best one.) I used to start all of my recipe research online, using my cookbooks only as an occasional reference. Now I start recipe development with Eat Your Books. My bank account can rest easy now that I'm getting an actual return from all those Amazon investments.

Just yesterday I was having trouble choosing a healthy side dish to bring to a Mother's Day potluck. Needing a little encouragement, I used the nifty 'Filter By' feature to narrow down my index to only reflect spring and summer side dishes. I scrolled through the hundreds of recipes that popped up and ended up choosing a delicious-sounding Asian coleslaw from the Williams-Sonoma cookbook Cooking at Home. The recipe was a huge success and a perfect complement to the host's grilled burgers.

Eat Your Books does charge a small fee ($2.50 per month or $25 per year), but it is worth every penny. They add new features all the time, including the ability to index magazines, websites, and food blogs. While I have other methods I use for managing those types of recipes (which I'll be sharing soon), I am sure these additional services are invaluable to most subscribers. So if you have a lot of cookbooks that you aren't getting enough mileage out of, check out Eat Your Books. Even if you don't have tons, I'd say the website is still probably worth it for its ever-expanding online bookmarking capabilities.

So what about you? Do you use cookbooks on a regular basis or the internet as your predominant recipe resource?

Please advise—This 'Spotlight On' featuring Eat Your Books is based entirely on my personal opinion. I did not receive any compensation for this post and am fairly certain they have no idea who I am.

Introducing Dixie Caviar's "Spotlight On"

Let's mix things up a bit here at Dixie Caviar, shall we?

I'd like to introduce my newest column, "Spotlight On," where I explore culinary happenings above and beyond this bustling Georgia kitchen. There's a lot more to my life as a food writer than just creating recipes, and I feel that I've been unjustly keeping it all from you. (I'm sorry! Will you forgive me?) On any given day or night I'm discovering a helpful kitchen trick, tasting a new ingredient, sampling a hot Atlanta chef's creation, or pouring through my latest cookbook conquest.

Over the past few years I've acquired a seemingly never-ending list of new recipes to try, thought-provoking articles to share, and trusted resources to refer back to. My list goes beyond food, too. As a former Los Angeles-based wedding + event planner (not to mention a bride-to be), I've got hundreds of tear sheets ripped and photographs pinned related to all things entertaining. With tons of inspiration always bubbling right below the surface, I can only question why I've been keeping these ideas to myself for so long?

Dixie Caviar is first and foremost a recipe blog, but I definitely think it has *lots* of room to grow. I hope this new column reveals a bit more of my delicious world. Because that's what food—and love—is all about: sharing the goodness with those around you.

Look for the "Spotlight On"

• Favorite kitchen tools, cookbooks & recipe resources
• Enlightening food stories, blog posts, & cooking how-to's
• Inspirational parties, planning tips & themes
• Conversation-starting discussions, culinary musings & kitchen ramblings

Is there anything else food or party-related YOU would like to see here on Dixie Caviar? Let me know and I'll add it to the bucket list. Now here's to letting no (Southern) stone go unturned!