The Cullman Tribune is celebrating the Alabama Bicentennial (1819-2019) with statewide field reporting by Alabama Master Gardener/Botanical Artist Ben Johnson South. This year-long feature, “The 67-County Alabama Garden Party,” will spotlight different counties each week. Each county will get its own “quilt block,” along with a historical profile, and we’ll share a recipe specific to the area. At the end of the year, all 67 counties will be put in a book to commemorate the Bicentennial.
Cleburne County
ANNOUNCEMENT: CLEBURNE COUNTY SELECTED “THE MOST ROMANTIC PLACE IN ALABAMA”
Before making this selection and after visiting all 67 counties in the state, I returned to Cleburne County yesterday to make sure this is “ALABAMA’S MOST ROMANTIC DESTINATION.” It is, indeed. The hills were alive with “The Sound of Music” and scrapbook-filling, heart-soaring, super-mega-panoramic vistas from the state’s highest point, Mt. Cheaha. Romantic love here is high as a mountain and deep as a valley. We saw rows and rows of grapevines at the vineyards; walked the charming, Hallmark movie-ready streets of Heflin and had a delightful meal surrounded by happy couples of all ages at Flora’s Table.
Cleburne County would be a good place for a “Farmer Wants a Bride” festival or an ongoing series in a magazine or The Cleburne News. If you can’t find romance in this part of Alabama or renew the one you have, you might check your pulse.
There was an American reality television show a few years ago called “Farmer Wants a Bride.” It was based on the same-name British telly concept. The idea was a bachelor farmer chooses a potential romantic partner from a bouquet of 10 single, city ladies. The American series only ran for eight episodes and I’m guessing a reason for the limited success was that it was filmed in not-very-romantic Missouri. Even the way the state names are pronounced tells you Missour-EEE, which sounds like someone saw a rat, is less romantic than Alabam-AHHH.
So, let’s revive the “Farmer Wants a Bride” show in Cleburne County, Alabam-AHHH. And, it could be modernized to let a lady farmer have her pick of the litter occasionally.
Before driving back to Cleburne County this week, I chatted with Tanya Maloney, the dynamic and fun director of the area’s successful economic development initiatives. When I told Tanya we were proclaiming “CLEBURNE COUNTY, ALABAMA’S MOST ROMANTIC DESTINATION,” she told me of all the wedding venues. Cheaha and Cleburne County are for coupling. We also talked about the chalets in Mt. Cheaha State Park and the wineries.
It was Ms. Maloney who suggested eating at Flora’s Table in downtown Heflin. Caron Duckworth, who own’s Flora’s Table, said she relies on produce from the Cleburne County Farmers’ Market, which is in easy walking distance from the restaurant, throughout the warmer months. Flora, which means “distinctive plants from a particular region,” was the name of Ms. Duckworth’s beloved mom. There is a lovely framed photo of sweet Flora near the daily array of delicious pies. This pretty and laugh-filled café would be a great setting for part of the Hallmark movie that should be made in this romantic part of Alabama. Can we talk, Alabama Film Commission?
Lunch yesterday was a delish pork chop, fried cabbage, hot collards and some of the best cornbread in our “Top Cornbread State.” Madeline, our delightful server, brought us more, hot-out-of-the-oven cornbread after she saw we’d plowed through the first serving. Cornbread may be even better for romance than chocolate. Next Valentine’s Day, I’m giving heart-shaped, Cleburne County corn muffins from Flora’s Table.
Another fun eatery in the area I’d heard about from others is Damn Yankees, but that popular spot was not open for lunch yesterday. Get this, out-of-staters who think of Alabama as sometimes too romantically attached to the past. Damn Yankees, near the interstate, has a huge menu, not everything Southern-fried, but they do that cooking technique so well, you’ll want at least a dish of fried something. AND, Damn Yankees also has plugs to charge your electric vehicle while you nosh.
Romantic Cleburne County is a good place for us to write a love letter to plants that will add romance to your garden or love nest. Here is a flower cart of some of the most-loved:
*LILACS- grow better in north Alabama counties like Cleburne. Lilacs run the color gamut from magenta to white, but the most romantic are the “pale purple” which mean “first love.”
*DAISIES- These happy-faced charmers grow abundantly in Cleburne County and many parts of Alabama; “She loves me. She loves me not.”
*CAMELLIAS- Alabama’s state flower immigrated with the “Tea Trade” and are an ideal symbol for “faithful love.”
*BLUE IRIS- Symbol of faith and hope; Iris is the Greek Goddess of Love.
*RED ROSES- Roses are the most popular flower to express love and deep red roses mean “deep, long-lasting love.”
*CASABLANCA LILIES- These huge, white, swooningly fragrant trumpets symbolize “intense love and desire;” think of the cottage filled with these in the romantic novel, “The Great Gatsby.”
Now that you’ve added some floral romance to your home and garden there are many other romantic things to enjoy in Cleburne County: Walk hand-in-hand on the Pinhoti Trail Spur, stomp muscadine grapes together at The Fruithurst Winery, purchase a pottery vase for your romantic flowers at the Cleburne County Pottery Show at the Mountain Center, see the beautiful watershed at Cahulga Creek Park, learn to say “I love you” in the native Creek language, take a bubble bath at the mountain lodge at Mt. Cheaha State Park, get the deli at WM Grocery to fill your picnic hamper, dance to LIVE music at a mountain festival, write a love song or a love as you inspired on one of the many overlooks on the Cheaha Scenic Drive, listen to the bird’s mating calls on the Ladiga Trail, play Twister in a cabin you rented in the mountains, have a romantic “haycation” at Bennett Family Farm, paddle a canoe-for-two on the Loyd Owens Canoe Trail, go “glamping” at a campground, get a local realtor to show you a dream retreat in the mountains of your own, have your engagement photographs made at Instagram-worthy spots throughout the county, dance on the deck of outside Cheaha State Park restaurant where you’ve just enjoyed a candlelight dinner, get a slice of cheesecake and two forks at Flora’s Table, count the stars together so close to the heavens you don’t need a telescope, say your vows at possibly the prettiest courthouse in Alabama, mail a valentine from “THE MOST ROMANTIC PLACE IN ALABAMA,” and, “rewild” your passion with the wildflowers and wildlife of Cleburne County as inspiration.
Here are other pleasurable and positive, PLANTS + PEOPLE places to help you plan your trip to romantic, Cleburne County:
*CLEBURNE COUNTY FARMERS’ MARKET- Ross Street at Chamber of Commerce, Heflin, AL 36264; Tuesdays and Saturdays 8 a.m.-1 p.m., late April – mid-May
*CLEBURNE COUNTY FARMSTANDS- Charles Wright (Heflin), Lost Creek Gristmill (Ranburne), The Tasteful Garden (Heflin)
*CLEBURNE COUNTY WINERIES- are highlights on the popular, North Alabama Wine Trail (www.northalabamawinetrail.com); Fruithurst Winery Company has 15 acres of muscadine grapes they use for their wines, 27091 County Road 49, Fruithurst, AL 36262, 256-463-1003; High Country Cellars, blend and bottle their wines here and have a charming retail shop at 849 Almon Street (Highway 9), Heflin, AL 36264, 256-463-3456
*CLEBURNE COUNTY PLANTS ADVICE/EDUCATION- Alabama Cooperative Extension System local office at 72 Brockford Road, Suite A, Heflin, AL 36264, 256-463-2620
*PLANTING AN IDEA- Add a L-O-V-E, outdoor “text sculpture” to all the photographic natural beauty in Cleburne County. Then, get ready for the happy couples to arrive and record their romantic adventures.
Y’ALL COME to Cleburne County, “ALABAMA’S MOST ROMANTIC DESTINATION” on your 67-County, Alabama Garden Party tour! There is lots to LOVE here.
Thank you, Laurie Johnson, Alabama cook and hostess extraordinaire, for this creative and delicious menu of pairings, couplings, couplets, combinations, combos, partners, marriages, yoke-mates…I hope the folks in Cleburne County LOVE our salute to “ALABAMA’S MOST ROMANTIC DESTINATION” and they thank us with a couple of glasses of locally-made wine paired with cornbread from Flora’s Table.
Cleburne County Romantic Dinner with Wine Pairings
Whether you’re celebrating an anniversary, Valentine’s Day or simply a romantic date night at home, nothing says romance like “special occasion” foods, each coupled with the perfect wine. With this four-course menu, keep serving sizes small, plate intimately and share the best bites and sips. Plan on leftovers and re-cork the wines to savor the next day to remember your special night.
Set the mood by arranging flowers, lighting candles and playing your favorite smooth music. Mix and match plates and napkins for an eclectic and appealing ensemble. Start with a sparkling wine toast over chilled raw (aphrodisiac) oysters with a champagne mignonette drizzle. Follow with a cool fresh Bosch pear, pecan and bleu cheese salad with a glass of crisp white pinot grigio. Accompany your main dish, hearty beef tenderloin Oscar, with a full-bodied red cabernet sauvignon or merlot. End with a decadent (but very easy/make ahead) chocolate dessert, Pots de Crème, and a glass of red zinfandel. Together, take your time to cook, delight in the ambiance and savor the paired food and wine flights. True romance on a plate and in a glass!
- Starter – Fresh raw oysters with a champagne mignonette – toasted with sparkling wine
- Champagne mignonette – Combine 2 tbsp. finely minced shallots, 3 tbsp. champagne or white wine vinegar, 1 tbsp. of freshly ground pepper, 1 tsp. minced parsley and a pinch of salt. Chill well and splash in ~ 3 tbsp. chilled champagne just before serving.
- Serve chilled oysters on their half shell, on ice with a spoon of mignonette and a glass of champagne or sparkling wine to toast the start of your romantic evening.
- Salad – Crisp pears, pecans and bleu cheese on fresh spring greens – paired with pinot grigio
- Top spring greens with fresh pear slices, toasted pecans and bleu cheese. Dress with olive oil, salt and pepper and enjoy with a crisp white wine such as pinot grigio.
- Main Course – Grilled beef tenderloin Oscar – coupled with cabernet sauvignon or merlot
- Bring your tenderloins to room temperature with a brush of olive oil and a good sprinkle of salt, pepper, onion and garlic powders and herbs of your choice (on both sides).
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- Sear the tenderloins on the stove top in a hot, oven-proof grill pan with olive oil ~ 2 minutes per side. If very thick, turn on their edges and sear the sides ~1 minute.
- Place in the oven for ~ 10 minutes or to an internal temperature of 130F for medium rare. Remove to a serving platter, place a pat of butter on top and let rest.
- In the meantime, sauté 6 fresh asparagus tips in olive oil or butter, salt and pepper and warm some lump crab meat in a little butter. Lightly roast a few cherry tomatoes at 350F for about 10 minutes with olive oil, salt and pepper.
- Top the steaks, Oscar style, with crab and asparagus and serve with the roasted tomatoes. Enjoy with a full-bodied red cabernet sauvignon or merlot.
- Dessert – Chocolate Pots De Crème – paired with a red zinfandel
- In a blender, shred 11 oz. of semisweet chocolate chips with a pinch of salt, 1/2 cup sugar and 1 tbsp. cayenne pepper (optional) until it’s a crumbly mixture.
- Heat 2 cups heavy cream on stovetop until very hot, just before boiling.
- Pour the hot cream into the chocolate crumble and run the blender until smooth. (Be careful that the hot liquid doesn’t blow out on you.) Blend in 2 tbsp. vanilla extract.
- Pour into ramekins and chill, at least 3 hours until set (can be made several days ahead).
- Serve with whipped cream, shaved chocolate and fresh berries coupled with a rich, sweet red zinfandel.
Also, check out Alabama Bicentennial: 200 ways to save Alabama for the next 200 years.
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