A Taste of West Virginia ~ Traveling Tote Friends

The Traveling Tote Girls have teamed up

to share something tasty from our own town or region.

Most of you know my darling friend, Rita @ Panoply.

She is one of the Traveling Tote Girls 
and was my swap partner for our 

Taste of Our Town Swap.

In addition to our shared passion for MacKenzie-Childs,
Rita and I share a love of gardening, antiques, travel,
cooking, and setting a pretty table.

Rita lives in Charleston, WV, and sent 

 me some delicious treats from J. Q. Dickinson.

J.Q.Dickinson is America's oldest working salt farm

that harvests salt by hand from an ancient ocean trapped 

below the Appalachian Mountains in West Virginia.

A jar of Ramp salt gives the true flavor of Appalicia

and is much appreciated by "the chef" who does the cooking here.

A decorative egg shaped box contained a jar of 

yummy caramel sauce, of which I've treated myself

to each time I've had a little ice cream.

YUM YUM! 

Pawpaw Butter!

I'd never heard of Pawpaw Butter,

but let me tell you, it makes a perfect topping 

on my morning biscuits, tasting a bit like mango and banana.

I learned that Pawpaw fruit is native to eastern 
United States and Canada, and is a staple in West Virginia.
Look for a future post devoted to Pawpaw.

Included in my gift package

were a Junior Leage Cookbook, 

MOUNTAIN MEASURES, first published in 1974

and the February 2018 issue of Southern Living.

I spent a recent morning reading through many of the recipes, though Rita had already earmarked a recipe from the cookbook that was featured in the February Southern Living.

Shaker Lemon Pie

For the crust, I opened my Houston Junior League Cookbook

for my favorite go to recipe, "No Fail Pie Crust."

Shaker Lemon Pie is as easy as 1, 2, 3! Simply take two lemons and slice them into super thin slices. Yep, you use the entire lemon, rind and all. Just be certain to remove the seeds! Macerate the lemon slices in 2 cups of sugar. I left mine macerating over night.   Next beat 4 eggs and fold them into the lemon mixture. Pour this into a pie crust, top it with another crust, and bake it for 15 minutes at 450, before reducing the heat  to 350 for an additional 30 minutes. You can find printable recipes on the web.

 When there is food involved, this girl

isn't far from the action.

 I admit I, too, was eager for this pie to come out of the oven.

I'd never had Shaker Lemon Pie!

 To reward my efforts and to take a break from spring gardening,

I fixed a little afternoon treat to enjoy on the sun porch.

 Oh, my!  What a treat it was!

Wow!  This pie, with its sharp tangy flavor 

and chewy texture, is totally addicting!

It's like eating  marmalade out of a jar!

 To quench my thirst, Me and the Bees Lemonade 

was the perfect beverage.

Go here to read about Mikaila Ulmer, 

Austin's young entrepreneur,

who has taken her lemonade idea and turned 

it into a thriving business.

 On my way back inside, I couldn't resist adding a 

petite bouquet of Summer Phlox from my garden.

The pinks are perfect with my MacKenzie-Childs ceramics.

I want to thank Rita for bringing some sunshine into our home. The Chef and I have enjoyed and appreciated our Taste of West Virginia!
Many thanks, dear friend! Rita @ Panoply. Click the links below to see the other swaps. Patti at Pandora's Box and Emily at The French Hutch Ricki Jill at The Sketchy Reader and Jackie at Purple Chocolat Home Linda G at More Fun Less Laundry and Deb at Mountain Breaths Linda P at Life and Linda and Jenna at The Painted Apron

Joining

Dishing It and Digging It @ Life and Linda  Mosaic Monday @ Normandy Life

Amaze Me Monday @ Dwellings Make It Pretty Monday @ The Dedicated House

The Scoop @ Cedar Hill Ranch Inspire Me Tuesday @ A Stroll Thru Life

Show and Share @ Coastal Charm Wow Us Wednesday @ Savvy Southern StyleTablescape Thursday @ Between Naps on the Porch Share Your Cup Thursday @ Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olsen Thursday Favorite Things @ Katherine's Corner Home and Garden Thursday @ Delightsome LifeShare Your Style @ Vintage NestVintage Charm @ My Thrift Store Addiction, Feathered Nest Friday @ French Country Cottage Pink Saturday @ How Sweet the Sound