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Blue Ridge Mountains Shenandoah National Park
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The first or second trip we took to Shenandoah National Park we stayed in the town of Front Royal VA. a real nice town with lots of history. It is also very close to the park entrance and that made it so convenient. Being unfamiliar with the restaurants in town we decided to check them out by trial and error. Knowing that is not always the best way I put into action an old saying when looking for a good place to eat, that saying is "look at the parking lot" if there is a variety of cars and trucks then generally you will find good food. That was the case when we entered the Knotty Pine Restaurant. Walking in we were warmly greeted. We were seated at a clean booth and offered a menu. We chose a country fried steak with gravy and fries. For a side dish I selected cabbage and pork. The meal was delicious but that cabbage and pork was to die for. As it turns out that same dish is served on New Years Day in most of the south. It's said to bring good luck in the new year....it's delicious.
Slice a piece of salt pork, fry it in a pan. Add sliced cabbage and fry the pork and cabbage until tender. Add salt as needed, be careful for it's easy to over salt. Lots of pepper and enjoy.
This one has bacon and salt pork.
I have been fortunate to have been given some great fly tying materials from the readers of SSR's. I have been able to use them in tying some classic North Country Flies. This is the Waterhen Bloa. Thanks Lou.
Here is the classic Hares Lug and Plover. Thanks Kevin
Trying regional foods is half the fun of traveling! There is an Acadian dish up here that isn't too far off what you found in Virginia. Poutine Rapee. Basically a dumpling, usually boiled, made from potato and filled with cabbage and pork. Love the hares lug and plover!
ReplyDeletemike
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Mike your right about trying local fare. And that dumpling sounds great. The plover is tough to get and the hares lug is tough to dub. Fun is....
Alan,
ReplyDeleteThe parking lot method is a winner. Good looking disk, I can almost smell that bacon.
JJ
Beaverdam
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Joe it's a method that has not failed me. The wife likes it with bacon, especially thick sliced stuff.
Happy new year Alan,
ReplyDeleteMy mother made fried pork and cabbage with an eastern european flare. At the end, she added heavy cream. "Smatchne". "Delicious".
John Dornik
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Happy New Year. Good to have you posting again.
Heavy cream added to the recipe has to make one hell of a rich dish. Cabbage is so versatile and so good.
Cabbage and pork go together so well. I make a meat loaf from minced free range pork and cabbage. Sometimes I'll add diced up bacon for a total pork fest! The precooked cabbage generally caramelizes in the final cooking. Delicious hot or cold.
ReplyDeleteThe Waterhen Bloa forms part of the Yorkshire North Country spider trio. The other two spiders are the Partridge and Orange and the Snipe and Purple.
Cheers,
Steve.
Steve
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Steve the recipe sounds delicious. I have a leftover pork roast and I'm thinking of something to do with it... North Country Spider trio I have never heard that before. It makes sense though.
There is a german dish that I had for the first time in a Berlin Bierkellar a few years back . Cabbage or Kale boiled in stock then drained and fried with Bacon and onions... very good fare
ReplyDeleteAndy
Becks and Brown Trout
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Andy I guess cabbage is widely used world wide. It has a bland taste which enables it to take on flavors of items cooked with it....Bacon and onions how can you go wrong.
Another great trip.
ReplyDeleteMark Kautz
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Great food too.
Looks delicious and if I were a char those flies would look even more tasty. Glad to contribute and love the Hare’s Lug and Plover.
ReplyDeleteKevin
Ned Zeppelin
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Kevin char along with a brown or two. I think I hooked a bluegill today...
Bubble and squeek for us.....
ReplyDeleteBureboyblog
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Yes sir I'm familiar with that dish.
Alan
ReplyDeleteI like to refer to the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Great Smokey Mountains as the great beyond. Both are spectacular mountain ranges, and have some fantastic trout streams. I got to fish for the native trout in the Smokies a couple of years ago and hope to make another trip when Jason gets home.
As for the cabbage and pork, there is one more veggie eaten on New Years Day, which is the black-eyed peas. My Mom would always serve cornbread, pork and blackeyed peas always on New Years Day----a long standing tradition in the South. Really impressed with the Soft Hackles---thanks for sharing
Bill Trussell
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Bill that area is one of Americas finest places. Wild and unspoiled. We hope to take a trip there this spring if all goes well.
Several people have mentioned black eyed peas as a go along with cabbage and New Years Day. I've never had them but now I'm going to try them.
Alan, That cabbage looks good, really good. My stomach is rumbling. All the best, John
ReplyDeleteThe Two Terriers
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John cabbage is not used enough in creative cooking.
So tasty, but it does have it's side effects.