Old purslane has new value in summer heat
I’ve never been accused of being a fashion icon. Every now and then
The Wife will buy me a shirt that’s on this season’s rack, or forbid me to wear a tie that was a bold statement in 1993. I like comfort. But when it comes to food, I like to keep current, perhaps even bump up against the cutting edge from time to time.
From what I saw on our trip to North Carolina, biscuits are in fashion. Some might say they were never “out”, and I would support that argument in a general sense. But right now fancy biscuit places are definitely in.
Our own Biscuit Shop is a part of that trend. The Biscuit Lady may have begun with a family recipe for buttermilk biscuits, but we’ve moved way beyond that now: biscuit buns (both sweet and savory), sammiches, even Tehan Tarts. Grandma didn’t see this coming, but we, the citizens of StarkVegas, welcome it with open mouths.
I’ve also written in recent months about the Alabama Biscuit Company in Birmingham, a city which also hosts Holler & Dash. Purists can order unadulterated biscuits there, but that’s not my jam. I want the wild stuff, the Croque Madame or the Hamabama. Asheville, North Carolina had Biscuit Head, which - sadly - we didn’t have time to visit on this trip.
But we did get to Blue Ridge Biscuit Company in Black Mountain. And to save this thread of discussion, I’m happy to tell you that Daughter and The Wife got biscuits. Daughter has a bent towards purism, ordering a plain biscuit. The Wife got a bacon, egg and cheese biscuit, similar in name only to something you might get 2 for $3 under golden arches. You see, I didn’t get a biscuit at the Biscuit Company - I got grits.
The Seven Sisters were not your grandma’s grits, however. These were grit cakes, creamy and cheesy within, fried crisp without. One was topped with fried chicken and spiced honey, another was more traditionally dressed (if grit cakes are traditional) with country ham and aged sharp cheddar. The third cake balanced a fried green tomato with a smear of pimento cheese the ultimate southern trio. Biscuit joint or not, I absolutely stick with my decision to get the grits.
Black Mountain is not all about grits and biscuits, though that might be enough reason to go. It’s also one of our favorite places to shop. I say that with a measure amount of tongue in cheek. I’m not much of a shopper. (Perhaps that is relevant to my fashion challenges?) But if it has to be done, Black Mountain has a lot to offer someone like me. I spent a good bit of my time in an antique shop, and came away with a cast iron tortilla press made in Mexico. From there I went to Spice It Up, lingering long at a tasting bar with dozens of flavor-infused olive oils and balsamic vinegars. Up Cherry Street a few steps is Black Mountain Books, where I coveted (but left behind) a signed first edition of Cross Creek Cookery. Across the main street is The Common Housefly: A Toy Store for Foodies. This is a dangerous place for me, but this time I made it out with just a nut milk bag. Maybe I should clarify: I’m not much of a clothing shopper.
So after a day of hard not-clothes-shopping, I was ready for a pizza. For years our go-to place in Black Mountain has been My Father’s Pizza, and it’s still going strong. But I did my usual thing, explored new opportunities, and found Fresh Wood-Fired Pizza. That turned out to be a significant decision in several different ways.
One of my favorite “Italian” appetizers (which sometimes becomes a meal) is toasted ravioli. Fresh offered a version they called Four Cheese Fried Ravioli. What amazed me about this particular dish was that Daughter fell in love with them. Not since a brief childhood fling with Chef Boyardee had she been interested in ravioli of any sort, which has always been just fine with me. (Less sharing.) But put four kinds of cheese in there and leave it be? She is converted. And lest I forget, they served it with a chunky house-made marinara that I could have eaten by the spoonful.
The Wife settled on a ginormous Greek salad, loaded with feta cheese and all the usual suspects. I went with the Sicilian pizza, a thin charred crust (we could see the brick oven from our table) topped with herbed ricotta, mozarella, fresh tomatoes, Capicola, fresh basil and red sauce. I’ve had may, many pizzas in my day, but I can’t recall ever having one with ricotta cheese. I’ve had plenty of calzones with ricotta - I prefer them that way - but never as a pizza topping. In fact, it almost seemed like an open-faced calzone when it came down to flavor profile. Next time I make pizza at home, fresh mozarella and ricotta will absolutely be on my ingredient list.
As we shopped, I noticed an ice cream place on Cherry Street that I had every intention of going back to, because pizza and ice cream are two of the foods that make me the happiest. But alas, it was closed upon our return, so I learned to pay better attention next time.
And when it comes to Black Mountain? There will definitely be a next time.
The setting for this historic home of Starkville is just off Highway 389 on Sellars Road winding though a lay of oak trees where the Sellars have lovingly restored this house.
Just as a flower, when it becomes crowded in the garden, must be transplanted to allow for new growth, so the old Tarry home was transplanted to allow commercial growth in Starkville and to let the century-old home thrive once again in new surroundings.
Located in the heart of the city, on the corner of Jackson and Main Streets, the Tarry home had been divided into apartments several years ago. More recently, the house and lot were bought by the National Bank of Commerce of Mississippi to build a new bank building on that corner.
Col. and Mrs. Paul Scott Sellars purchased the house from the bank with the idea of tearing it down and using the materials to renovate a barn into a retirement home.
The Sellars already smitten with the charming simplicity of the exterior became fascinated with the fine craftsmanship that went into the construction of the house. They decided to move the house, and with some rearranging, to rebuild it on their family farm on Highway 389 north of Starkville.
Purslane has long been regarded as a garden weed, and it’s no wonder: A single plant can produce more than 50,000 seeds. I’ve seen purslane growing in coarse gravel and cracks in concrete. If the area is moist, you can find purslane, and I have removed many as weeds.
But I’m having a change of heart. Purslane is one of the older plants I’m interested in adding back to my coastal Mississippi landscape and garden. It’s a succulent that thrives in high summer temperatures, and that makes it a perfect flowering annual for our hot and humid summers.
Purslane’s summer-loving qualities make the improved selections perfect for the landscape.
Purslane is a larger and more robust version of its relative, moss rose, a popular bedding plant. Here’s how to tell the difference: Moss rose has leaves that are cylindrical-shaped, and purslane has flattened, teardrop-shaped foliage.
Some of the better-flowering purslanes -and there are many to choose from -- include the colors rose, scarlet, apricot, orange, yellow and white. They have a tropical look and put on a show with flowers up to 2 inches wide. The bright-yellow stamens are fairly long and move with the gentlest touch, adding more interest.
Purslanes are generally low-growing and spreading flowering annual plants. The stems are purplish-green, and the leaves are bright green. They grow up to 8 inches tall and spread to 18 inches, so space them 12 to 15 inches apart in the landscape.
One of my favorite ways to grow purslane is in patio containers and hanging baskets. These choices take advantage of the plant’s spreading and trailing growth characteristics. Be sure to keep containers a little on the dry side.
Regularly pinch off long stems and spent blooms to keep purslanes dense and full. Purslanes are heavy feeders that require adequate nutrition throughout the season for best flowering and growth.
It is important to allow the soil to dry out moderately between watering. I water with a watersoluble 20-10-20 or 20-20-20 fertilizer, always following label instructions. As temperatures begin to drop in the fall, keep the soil a little dry, and the plant will reward you with blooms into the fall.
In addition to liking the summer heat and humid-
In order for the house to be moved, two wings will be transported separately and the two-story section will be dismantled. After the house has been reconstructed renovation will begin. Col. Sellars, now on duty with the Army ROTC at Mississippi State University plans to retire next summer and devote his time to restoring the house.
One interesting facet in the construction uncovered during dismantling the house was the mortising used to join posts and beams. Through this method, a hole is cut in a piece of wood into which another fits to form a joint. Some of the support posts run the entire height of the two-story portion. The
ity, purslane likes full sun. I find it fascinating that the flowers close in late afternoon and early evening, as well on cloudy days and when the plant is under stress.
An interesting fact is that purslane is considered a culinary herb in many parts of the world. The leaves of this plant are rich in iron and can be eaten raw when young. I’m even growing purslane as microgreens and adding this super food into my diet.
When it gets older, purslane can be cooked with other leafy vegetables like spinach. It is commonly found in Italian, Greek, Central American and Middle Eastern cuisines.
Purslane is a beautiful, old plant with many uses that is worth trying in every Mississippi landscape today.
Dr. Gary Bachman is an Extension and research professor of horticulture at the Mississippi State University Coastal Research and Extension Center in Biloxi. He is also the host of the popular Southern Gardening television and radio programs. Contact him at southerngardening@msstate.edu. Locate Southern Gardening products online at http://extension.msstate.edu/shows/ southern-gardening.