Summertime in the mountains of Western North Carolina is a season filled with non-stop activity—from hiking & biking adventures to backyard barbeques & family reunions. Rain or shine, the siren song of the outdoors is simply irresistible!
What about when you want to slow down a little and savor the simple pleasures of summer? Nothing packs all the flavor and brightness of a summer afternoon quite like juicy berries fresh from the vine. One bite immediately transports me back to my childhood, trotting along behind my grandmother as she picked berries and I held the bucket.
We made jars & jars of freezer jam, jellies, marinades infused with garden fresh herbs and even sweet dumplings cooked in a boiling berry stew for a Sunday afternoon dessert. My grandmother infused each of her signature dishes with fresh flavors that can only be achieved through use of seasonal ingredients harvested at the peak of ripeness.
Local raspberries and blueberries are in-season now and readily available at Haywood County Farmers Markets, Roadside Stands, Tailgates and On-farm Markets. A listing of local sites can be found in our Online Directory as well as in our Find your Adventure! 2014 Agritourism Guide.
To inspire your own traditions for embracing the simple pleasures of summer, here is a recipe from my grandmother’s kitchen—infused with a twist of unexpected ingredients— that embodies the very essence of the season using local raspberries fresh from the vine!
Note: This dish is best enjoyed from a porch, or under your favorite tree, as the summer afternoon heat gives way to twilight—at least that is the memory from my childhood that makes this tradition one worth enjoying season after season!
—Tina Masciarelli, Buy Haywood Project Coordinator
Visit our Online Directory for local ingredients!
Orange-Thyme Pound Cake with fresh Raspberries
Ingredients
1 (8 oz) Container of Sour Cream
1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
3 cups Sugar
1 cup Butter, softened
6 large Farm Fresh Eggs, at room temperature
3 cups all-purpose Flour
1/8 teaspoon Salt
1 teaspoon pure Vanilla Extract
1 teaspoon Grand Marnier (can use other orange-flavored liqueur or substitute orange juice)
Zest of 1 Orange
2 Tablespoons fresh Thyme, chopped (optional)
Steps of Preparation
PREHEAT oven to 325 degrees
STIR together sour cream & 1/2 teaspoon baking soda;
set mixture aside.
BEAT 3 cups sugar & 1 cup butter (softened) at medium speed with an electric mixer until fluffy (2-3 minutes). ADD eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition.
STIR together 3 cups flour & salt. Add to egg mixture alternately with sour cream mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. BEAT at low speed just until blended after each addition.
STIR in 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1 teaspoon Gran Marnier, orange zest & chopped thyme.
POUR batter into greased and floured cake pan
(Use 1 bundt or 2 loaf pans)
BAKE at 325 degrees: 1 hour for bundt or 35 minutes for loaf pans, or until long wooden stick comes out clean. Careful not to over bake. Cooking times vary with oven temperatures & climate conditions.
COOL in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto wire rack.
SERVE with fresh berries & sweetened whipped cream.
Cook. Share. Enjoy!
Recipe courtesy of Tina Masciarelli, Buy Haywood Project Coordinator— inspired by her grandmother, Lucille Parker