The Third Act
I have been planning this for Fifty-Two Years.
Through Mephistopheles, Faustus made a deal with the devil to sell his soul for twenty-four years of magical knowledge. In my late teens, I argued with my future mother-in-law that the deal a modern Faustus would make with the devil in exchange for his soul would be for money. The nights were long we argued this. Eventually, there was an understanding. I accepted a deal to exchange a year of my life to help her realize her dream so I could pursue a dream of my own. Together, with her daughter and son, we opened The Frog & Owl Café. The promised “check” never cashed, so I am certain if the Devil thinks there is a claim on my soul, he is mistaken - voided by a higher court. I walk free, no appeal from the Devil will stand. What did occur in the exchange was entrance to the realm of Food. She is my muse and I became a vassal of Demeter, though I did not understand it was she, not Food, who was my goddess. To Demeter and her daughter, Persephone, I return to much later in this story. I need to absorb this revelation about Demeter (Ceres) and the connection of Food, Demeter & Persephone. The possession of my soul remains intact, having devoted my life to the table, with no compromise to the spirit of such an undertaking and no binding deal for my soul, I remain (at least in a limited fashion) in possession of my soul.
Rocca di Cerere - Enna, Sicily
So, with Chris, I set my personal imperative aside and did her bidding. Now, fifty-two years later, Demeter has discharged her devoted subject allowing me to pursue my personal dreams, set aside so long ago. This is my Third Act, having found the courage to act. It has been a long road , the work often arduous and also exhilarating. I cannot deny Demeter has shaped me; with no regret or that Food as my muse has not inspired me, I owe so much to them. It is time to harvest the seeds (or rather the orchard) planted so many years ago.
I am excited, yet guarded, accepting my corporeal limits - though in dreaming, Death has sent a messenger imploring me to use this time wisely. Thus, the Third Act.
So much to say, so little time….
Prologue- Part 1 - A very Brief History
Early in my life I was always on a quest and forever determined to “do something”. In 1971, at the age of nineteen, I found myself in the woods of Western North Carolina, living on Buck Creek Road. My deal was to build a small café that would fulfill my mother-in-law-to-be’s dream of a small antique store with an adjoining café. The antique store never materialized, instead, an iconic destination; ground-breaking and bucolic restaurant came to life in the old Buck Creek Mill, astride the babbling Little Buck Creek. My reward was to be - after 1 year, a return to college and the creative pursuit of photography. This was the check that did not cash. Instead, I became a chef. To no regret.
Frog & Owl Café - circa 1975
These were pioneer days. So many new vistas to view, so many mountains to scale, so many discoveries. In the kitchen of the F&O we followed the innovators of Europe and gleaned the gardens of Gold Mine Road, Billy Cabin Mountain, the Franklin Highway and the pond of Icenhower Trout Farm. The wilds of the surrounding mountains made their way to the table. It was a young couples’ massively naive, inspired, creative, romantic, and delicious adventure.
INSANE FOOD!
Medium-rare Duck Breast with Green Peppercorn Cognac Cream Sauce, Fernand Point’s Marjolaine, Steak Diane table side, Trout Bleu, Chocolate Mousse, French Onion Soup, Vitello Tonnato, Souffle “Darnell” (a dessert souffle made with double distilled pear & corn moonshine; provided by one of our mountain-folk suppliers), Pommes Anne. OH THE SWEET memories…
Our clientele, sophisticated, world travelers, diners of the globe graced our table, entranced by the song of Little Buck Creek - they taught us so much, standards I’ve never abandoned…
I pause here - this parable long, yet, simple - Food, the Table; those who sit and those who serve, and its telling is what I have been granted the time to share…but my stove calls, for the moment.