ABigSlice Journal

A North Georgia Renaissance

There is a lot being said and written about the Dahlonega Renaissance. We all know from Georgia History that the foundation for the birth was gold. And the rebirth? Believe it or not... wine.

This got me thinking. What exactly is involved in a successful renaissance? For an ideal blueprint we should go to the mother of all renaissances, 15th Century Florence, Italy? At its simplest, it was based on three essential things; 1. great location - a prosperous republic in the heart of fertile Tuscany, 2. benevolent benefactors - the enlightened and highly tasteful Medici Family and 3. artistic expression - just to name drop two, the passionate Michelangelo and the exquisite Botticelli. Now, let's apply this blue print to 21st Century Dahlonega, Georgia.

1. Location
Picture Tuscany in your mind's eye. It evokes images of towered towns closely huddled under red tiled roofs, hills ringed with grape vines that stripe the landscape with their army perfect rows, and Italian sunlight that turns the leaves to gold. From what I have seen, you have also just described the incredible Montaluce, mid-October. It is rustic, earthy and amazingly authentic. Italian architecture inspired villas run the gamut from the façades of romanesque churches to the towers of san Gimignano. It is so authentic, in fact, that any moment you expect to hear opera coming from the windows.

2. Benefactor
Florence's House of Medici may not have created the renaissance, but it could not have happened without them. Montaluce's answer to the Medici is the Beecham Family. Their vision is to create a development that is, in every aspect, life-enhancing. Under their supervision Montaluce is combining gracious old world style living with new world ecological responsibility. Residents are invited to try their hand at making home grown wines and at the same time dabbling in organic gardening. The Beecham's philosophy must be, "Live well at home while making the world a better place."

3. Expression
Art comes in many forms. Montaluce's artistic expression happens to take the forms of food and wine. Florence gave the world the passionate genius of Michelangelo. Montaluce's gift to North Georgia winemaking is Stefano Salvini. A master of his craft, Salvini could give local wines a much needed sensual exuberance that it has been missing. But Florence also gave us the restrained genius of Botticelli. La Vigne Ristorante's Chef Steven Hewins hopes to prepare dishes that are as subtly balanced and delicately crafted as Botticelli's best. Despite all of these external influences, Montaluce's expressions promise to be regional, seasonal and unforgettably Georgian.

There you have it. A true renaissance consists of the highest standard of ingredients - yet still the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Montaluce's mix of prime location, conscientious benefactor, and masterful expression has the makings to surpass everyone's expectations. In this respect, beautiful Montaluce represents an honest to goodness, bona fide renaissance.

Odd Ogg, Odd Ogg, Half Turtle, Half Frog

OK boomers... which one of you out there had an Odd Ogg? I still remember the excitement I felt when I got this toy for Christmas. The object of play is very simple. Ogg sits on the floor at some distance from the player. Then you simply roll four brightly colored balls at Ogg, one at a time. When your aim is good and you hit him dead center between his outstretched arms, he comes towards you. But when your aim is off, he sticks out his tongue and rolls further away from you. I ask you, what's not to love about this toy?

I have tried and tried to find someone who remembers Odd Ogg. I spent way too much time trying to describe him to friends ony to have them roll their eyes and stare at each other as if I was on an acid trip! Then about ten years ago I was in an antiques store in Highlands, North Carolina and there he was. Perched up on a shelf, beckoning me with his hard, plastic embrace. I answered and bought him on the spot.

He is not mint condition or anything. He no longer works, but once again I have an Odd Ogg in my room! I have read accounts of people (specifically? a writer from USAToday) who speaks of being terrified of Odd Ogg. Wimp! I say. If you share my love of Odd Ogg or have stories of your own, I would love for you to share them! Anyone have an Ogg that still runs? And... anyone else have a blue eyed Ogg, I've seen a lot of pink eyed ones.

10 Works of Art You Need to See Before You Die by Ted Field

I saw a blog article by Jonathan Jones entitled "The works of art that matter most". It is a list of 10 works of art that you need to see before you die. I thought this might make for some interesting conversation. What are your top ten? Here is the of Mr. Jones, with my choices included as well.

1. Jones : Jan van Eyck, The Madonna of Chancellor Rolin, Musée du Louvre, Paris (image)
Field : Michelangelo, The Creation of Adam, Sistine Chapel, Rome (image)
I love the painting by Van Eyck, the detail is extraordinary. But to me the work of art that everyone needs to see is the Creation of Adam. The miracle of this work is that in the jumble of flesh that is the Sistine Chapel, the essence of who we are is contained in the space between the outstretched fingers of God and Adam. At that very moment he is still an animal, but you can almost feel the divine spark jump from God creating the first human.

2. Jones : Caravaggio, The Burial of St. Lucy, Museo di Palazzo Bellomo, Syracuse, Sicily (image)
Field : Caravaggio, The Deposition from the Cross, The Vatican Museum, Rome (image)
Whereas the Creation of Adam is eternal, miraculous, the Deposition is real, and earthly. What makes this painting so amazing to me is the look that Nicodemus gives the viewer. Just that glance, as if we have interrupted this moving moment is chilling.

3. Jones : Rembrandt, Aristotle with a Bust of Homer, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (image)
4. Field : Lajuwa the Usurper, Ife, Nigeria (image)
As we learn more about ancient African cultures, the beauty and understanding of non-western art increases. The bust of Lajuwa is astounding because it demonstrates the sensitivity of African art. The story goes that Lajuwa stole the Yoruba crown. But tradition dictates that all portrayals of the king be honest and without social commentary. The delicate treatment of the face is exquisite.

5. Jones : San Rock Art, South African National Museum, Cape Town (image)
Field : Nazca Line Drawings, Peru (image)
There is much about these drawings that is unbelievable. First, their size. These simple images are enormous and cover acres. Their designs cannot be fully captured except by air - which leads to another whole discussion that I won't get into. And second, most of these drawings were created by turning over the top layer of rock to expose the darker earth underneath. This area is so dry that the images have remained visible for over 1000 years!

6. Jones : Paul Cézanne, Mont Sainte-Victoire from Les Lauves, Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts, Moscow (image)
Field : Monet, Waterlilies, Orangerie, Paris (image)
I will be the first to admit that I am not a huge fan of impressionism. In fact, when I went into the Orangerie I was not expecting to be dazzled. Boy was I wrong. This work cannot be explained but must be experienced.

7. Jones : Michelangelo, Moses, Church of San Pietro in Vincoli, Rome (image)
Field : Bernini, Apollo and Daphne, Borghese Museum, Rome (image)
I love Michelangleo. And of his sculptures I would rank David ahead of Moses. But for sheer virtuosity, Bernini's Apollo and Daphne can't be beat. As Daphne tries to escape Apollo, she is turned into a laurel tree. Each delicately carved leaf is enough to make you drool.

8. Jones : Leonardo da Vinci, The Adoration of the Magi, Uffizi Gallery, Florence (image)
Field : Leonardo da Vinci, Madonna of the Rocks, Louvre, Paris (image)
When you stand in front of the Madonna of the Rocks it looks as if it is lit from within.

9. Jones : Pablo Picasso, Guernica, Reina Sofia Museum, Madrid (image)
Field : Pable Picasso, Les Demoiselles d'Avignon, MOMA, New York (image)
This is the painting that started it all. Since the Renaissance, no one had dealt with space the way Picasso did. He shatters the glass ceiling and releases 20th Century art with ambiguous backgrounds and African influences.

10. Jones : Velázquez, Las Meninas, Museo Nacional del Prado, Madrid (image)
Field : Velázquez, Pope Innocent X, Galleria Doria Pamphili, Rome (image)
This was a tough one. And probably Las Meninas is the more important painting. But the portrait of Pope Innocent X is harrowing to me. The look is sly and coniving. Pope Innocent X was compared to an evil lawyer, even in his own day. Yet, somehow, Velazquez got the Pope to accept this painting. It is an amazingly emotion and intellectual work, and is considered one of the greatest portraits of all time.

September 11, A Day of Good Deeds

It could be as simple as greeting everyone you meet with a heartfelt smile and a warm handshake, or as grand as rebuilding a home destroyed by a tornado, but many are deciding to memorialize those killed on 9/11 by doing something good for others.

"It was the worst possible day imaginable, and in some ways, a remarkable day, too, in the way in which people responded," says David Paine, cofounder of myGoodDeed.org. "We need to rekindle the way we came together in the spirit of 9/11: It would be almost as much a tragedy to lose that lesson."

It is the goal of mygooddeed.org to turn September 11 into a day dedicated to doing good. A way of reminding Americans of the joy of giving that has, at its heart, a story of courage and heroism. Glenn Winuk was a volunteer fireman and lawyer who worked a block from the World Trade Center. He helped to evacuate his law office before grabbing a medic's bag and heading over to the towers. After the towers collapsed, his remains were found there at the site. David Paine and Glenn's brother Jay decided that the best way to memorialize Glenn was through a day dedicated to good works.

Visit mygooddeed.org and make your pledge, simple or grand, it's all about the act.

Family Dining Poll

If you are familiar with A Big Slice, you know how much importance we place upon the meal. Communcating face-to-face is becoming a lost art, and the effects of this lack of togetherness are being felt. (click here for more on our philosophy)

A recent study conducted by TVLand and Nick at Nite found that familes who dine together describe themselves as closer and more connected that those families who don't. Plus there is less likelihood that their kids will be at risk for destructive behaviors.

This study is all a part of a pro-social initiative developed by the two classic TV networks called TVLand and Nick at Nite's: Share More Than Meals which promotes the benefits of family dining.

Among all respondents, the following perceived major benefits to sharing family meals include:
• Bringing people closer together (89%)
• Teaching children table manners and social skills (86%)
• Keeping family members up to date about what is going on in their lives (84%)
• Helping solve problems for family members (71%)
• Encouraging more healthy eating habits (66%)

This study confirms what A Big Slice knew to be true. We would like to extend their results from traditional families and include all relationships. Social interaction is so important but in today's world it does require that you make an effort. Why not plan a meal for this weekend? We have a lot of ideas...(www.abigslice.com)

To views the complete study, click here.

We Miss You, Princess Diana

Isn't it interesting that if you are shy, or humble, people mistake that for weakness. When you aren't tooting your own horn constantly, and actually put others before yourself with kindness and generosity, you are seen as stupid.

I took a Myers Briggs Personality Test for work several years ago. The premise was that we would recognize the different types and create a more responsive workplace. As it turned out (no surprise to me) I was an introvert. I thought, "How refreshing. A company that will work with me on my strengths." Boy, was I wrong. All they wanted to do was to get me out of my shell. Force me into uncomfortable situations because I needed to "grow". Why is it that introverts need to grow, yet nobody tells the extroverts to shut the hell up?!?

Because the only ones left to tell them to shut up are the introverts... and we are far too nice.

As I have gotten older I have come to realize something. That strength lies with the introverts. We don't need constant propping, or reinforcement, or praise that those insecure extroverts do. When people are tooting their own horn, I long for a mute button.

Now after that tirade, this is the reason I loved Diana. The slight awkwardness, the shy head tilt I found utterly charming. But she got the job done, with compassion and kindness. She was a soft melody - and no tooting!

Now what do we have? The dissonant tunes coming from the tubas of people like Paris and Lindsey. I miss you, Diana. Wish you were here.

To read the entire text of Harry's touching eulogy, click here.

10 Steps to Building Better Sandcastles

1. Decide on the kind of castle you want to make. This doesn’t have to be an elaborate blueprint or rendering. Something as simple as, “I want a big, walled castle with a moat”, or “I want a tower fit for Rapunzel!” Once you have your vision, the work begins.

2. Now you need to pick a suitable spot on the beach. You want to be near the water, but not so near as to lose your creation to the relentless waves. On the other hand, as a kid, some of my favorite beach memories are my cousins and I desperately trying to save the castle from the onslaught. The best time is right after high tide. The water is receeding and you will have plenty of time to create your architectural masterpiece. Once you have found the perfect spot, draw a basic outline on the sand of you castle.

3. Nearby, dig a hole down to the water table. The sand there is dense and moist. The stuff from which the best castles are made. Often as you dig you will go through layers of tiny shells. These are not good to build with, but they are great to drip over the castle in strategic places, walls, roofs, etc.

4. Begin to shovel the wet sand from the hole into the middle of the outline that you have drawn. If you are lucky enough to have a team of architects, one person can be the scooper, and one can pack the sand as it in placed in the outline. Trade off from time to time to give the scooper a break..

5. You need to work as fast as possible. The beach is a windy place and you will notice that the windward side of your castle will begin to dry out rapidly. As it dries out it will begin to blow away.

6. Start in the center of your outline first. If you start with the walls you will constantly be stepping over them to work. If you desire a tower style castle, begin stacking the sand in layers as you would stack pancakes. The sides should be slightly sloping, wider at the bottom, more slender toward the top. Sprinkle water on the sand from time to time. A spray bottle is a great tool to keep the sand moist.

7. Starting at the top begin to shape your castle. Use anything available. Butter knives for walls and roof lines, spoons for windows and doors, forks for interesting texture, plastic molds and buckets are great too. Small sand shovels make wonderful stairways. Start with a ramp, and working from the top down, insert the shovel in vertically about a half inch, and pull it straight out horizontally. Work your way down step by step. Steps always add a certain quality to the overall look!

8. Castles can be any shape or size. Don’t feel pressured to produce Cinderella’s Castle if all you have in you is an Indian burial mound. But also don’t be afraid to go all out. However, if you ever feel that any part of your creation is unstable, do what the architects of old did…buttress it! Add angled supports her and there, it all adds to the gothic feel.

9. Now begin working on the walls. Add entrances on each side for trade and tourism.

10. Finally the moat, the one castle necessity! After all, it must be protected at any cost! A deep surrounding moat is just the ticket and a sure show stopper. Make sure that each of your entrances has a bridge across the moat. Use sticks or shells, or simply build up from the base of the moat to create a path.

Then, stand back and soak in all of the praise from the peasants content to simply walk up and down the beach.

As you can tell, I love making sandcastles and would spend hours and hours working on them. So parents, be aware. Make sure there is enough sunscreen to go around.

Here are some great sandcastle sites for inspiration:
Sandcastle Central
US Open Sandcastle Competition
Sandcastle Building 101

June 17 : Father's Day

We honored mom back in May with breakfast in bed featuring our delicious Eggs Benedict. So now it is time to pay our respects to dad. For him we needed a dish that was hearty and filling. From our vaults we chose a roasted rack of lamb. (click for recipe) And as an interesting accompaniment, lemon verbena pesto! (see below for recipe)

But first we want to whet your appetite with a little Father's Day trivia.

It is believed that the tradition of Father's Day was started by Sonora Louise Smart Dodd of Spokane, Washington. She was simply looking for a way to honor her own dad.

Based on the above fact, it isn't difficult to imagine that the first local Father's Day celebration was also in Spokane on June 19, 1910.

President Woodrow Wilson, in 1916, approved the "idea" of observing an annual Father's Day. But it took eight years and President Calvin Coolidge to make Father's Day a national event.

Still our poor dad's never really had a "date" of their own until 1966. In that year President Lyndon Johnson proclaimed the third Sunday of June as Father's Day.

For the card buying public, Father's Day ranks as the fourth most popular card-sending holiday. Have any idea what the others are? Well wonder no more!

The amount is dollars of cards sold.

1. Christmas : 2 billion
2. Valentine's Day : 188 million
3. Mother's Day : 150 million
4. Father's Day : 103 million
5. Easter : 80 million
6. Halloween : 29 million
7. Thanksgiving : 28 million
8. St. Patrick's Day : 10 million

So, here's to you dad. We may not send you as many cards as mom, but we love you just the same.

May 28 : National Hamburger Day

It probably won’t surprise you to know that the term “hamburger” comes from Hamburg, Germany. Those who live there refer to themselves as Hamburgers just as the people from Frankfurt, Germany call themselves Frankfurters. All in all, we have Germany to thank for naming our fast food delicacies. Oh, with the exception of French Fries. We are so Euro!

The first hamburger was probably just roasted pork on a roll. It was delicious, hot and most importantly, portable. When the Germans began to immigrate to America they brought this idea of a meat sandwich to go with them.

There are many stories as to where the first modern hamburger was invented. If the Texas Legislature is to be believed, then that honor goes to Athens, Texas. By official state proclamation they are the “Original Home of the Hamburger”. According to the McDonald’s Corporation (and they should know) Fletcher Davis, a food vendor at the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair and Athens, Texas café owner, sold his ground beef on a bun to businessmen on the go. They gobbled up his hearty invention and never missed a beat.

World War II saw the hamburgers first major set back. We were at war with the Germans and were not about to enjoy a treat with a teutonic sounding name (remember freedom fries?). So, albeit briefly, the hamburger became known by the decidedly “anglo” name Salisbury Steak. Later, the paths of the burger and the steak diverged with each leaving its own mark on the high school cafeteria lunch menu.

So we at A Big Slice salute the ground beef patty on a bun with a 21 grill salute. Hmmm, interesting that honored sandwich’s day should fall on Memorial Day…. Cook out anyone?

For some tips on grilling click here.

May 21 : National Waitress/Waiter Day

I never worked in food service. Therefore, I often took the wait staff for granted. It wasn't that I was mean but I never thought about their jobs. That is until a good friend of mine began to tell me about her experiences waiting tables.

The work is hard. They are required to lift, balance, run, listen, write and all the time maintain a friendly demeanor while being paid peanuts. My waitress friend told of numerous times of being stiffed by large groups of obviously well-heeled customers. She was leered at, spoken down to (even though she if one of the smartest people I have ever known) and even dismissed.

Recently I was at a wedding. The reception was in a ballroom at the local Marriott. The wait staff was amazing. They worked very efficiently, got our meals to us hot and kept our water and wine glasses full. However, almost no one at my table took the time to say thank you. I have heard people say, "It is their job." Poppycock! Everyone deserves gratitude for a job well done.

So next Monday remember those who serve you day in and day out at your favorite establishment. Remember also that they did not cook the food - they are the messengers. Give them a smile, a kind word. Say "Thank you." And tip them accordingly!