The times. (Gainesville, Ga.) 1972-current, November 21, 2018, Image 15

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The times., November 21, 2018, Image 15

About The times. (Gainesville, Ga.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 21, 2018)

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Newspaper Page TextNick Bowman Features Editor | 770-718-3426 | life@gainesvilletimes.com ‘The place that has it air After 27 years, Tomato House still serving up everything you could ever want in a jar Tomato House Farms Where: 22 Stephens Circle, Murrayville When: 8 a.m. - 7 p.m. every day Contact: 706-867-8052 She (Times gainesvilletimes.com Wednesday, November 21,2018 BY LAYNE SALIBA lsaliba@gainesvilletimes.com There’s something unique about Tomato House Farms near Dahlonega in Lumpkin County. Maybe it’s the rows upon rows of jars filled with seemingly endless varieties of salsas, pickles and pre serves. Maybe it’s the fresh, local produce throughout the market or the butcher tucked into the back corner. Maybe it’s the classic, country look to a store that, despite almost three decades of growth, has always tried to stay humble. Whatever it is, it’s been drawing customers to the side of Cleveland Highway for 27 years, and it doesn’t look like things will be slow ing down anytime soon. The market at 22 Ste phens Circle used to sit about a mile down the road from its current location. Tomato House Farms out grew that spot and moved its gift shop — a collection of country trinkets and decor — to its present home about nine years ago. The produce, butcher and jar operation followed about seven years later. “We built a gift store and we’ve been busy ever since,” said Jeffrey Grindle, owner of Tomato House Farms. Every day, customers like Eileen Leary stop by to pick up items she said “you can’t find anywhere else.” “I think it’s just unique,” said Leary, a Hiawassee resident. “If you just want to get something different, this is where you come ... It’s a traditional farmer’s stand — much bigger, though.” And that’s the way Grin dle built it. When the mar ket was down the road, everything was open-air. That little building grew and grew as his son, Casey Grin dle, built more walls and expanded the roof. It would get too hot in the summer and too cold in the winter, but Grindle kept the market open — Tomato House Farms is only closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter — because he knew that’s what he had to do. “People depend on us to be here,” Grindle said. But those people changed over time, and the business has changed with them. Customers “loved the open-air market, but hon estly, people’s shopping methods changed a lot because people like to shop inside too now,” Grindle said. So now, instead of that open-air market, Tomato House Farms is bonafide store: It’s enclosed with air conditioning, heat and plenty of lighting to see everything it offers. “I saw this place grow when he moved,” said Angie Grindle, Jeffrey’s wife. “It Photos by AUSTIN STEELE I The Times Customers shop at Tomato House Farms in Lumpkin County near Dahlonega on Saturday, Nov. 17. The country store has grown over its 27 years but has managed to stay close to its roots. ‘We don’t buy nothing but top quality ...We cut and pack everything here, the way it used to be. That s the key.’ Jeffrey Grindle, owner really, really took off. It’s been growing because he got into gourmet, and he got into other foods and started expanding his lines.” Tomato House Farms added a butcher, which is something Grindle knows quite a bit about. His parents owned a country store and were in the meat business. “There are not many places you can go and request to have something cut,” Grindle said. “We don’t buy nothing but top quality... We cut and pack everything here, the way it used to be. That’s the key.” There’s an entire wall toward the back of the mar ket lined with hot sauce. Everything from four ami gos hot sauce to fireman’s hot sauce. There’s even John McCain-branded sauce and a clear Fairhope Favorites moonshine hot sauce. Then there’s the pickled items: Old fashioned lime pickles, sweet fire relish and pickled eggs. “Most everything we do is home-canned,” Grindle said. “We don’t do it at home, but we have people who do it for us.” That’s because Grindle doesn’t want to deal with all the regulations that come with operating a can nery. Tomato House Farms comes up with the recipes and someone else does the rest. “We sell anything local we can get, too, if it’s good quality,” Grindle said. “We’ve got a lot of local farmers who bring us stuff during the summer and we sell it. Anything I can get local is good.” Those farmers keep the produce fresh, but when the growing season in the area is over for certain produce, Grindle has to go some where else. That’s why he travels to the Atlanta State Farmers Market in For est Park two or three times each week. At first, the market can seem overwhelming -- it’s an ocean of different fla vors and types of items -- but a huge, eclectic amount of variety is just the way Grin dle has come to like things. He said he’s not afraid to purchase something and see if it works in the store. “It’s just always worked,” Grindle said. “I think there’s a market for it, you’ve just got to find it. And you’ve got to have stuff to get people in here. That’s the whole key I think.” And if enough customers request it, he’ll try to get it in the market: That’s how the beer and wine sections came to be. Left: Tomatoes are, as you might expect, how Tomato House Farms got its start in Lumpkin County. The store still trades in tomatoes and the two other goods that launched what was originally a roadside stand: jams and jellies. Below: Jeffrey Grindle, owner of Tomato House Farms, stands in an aisle of his store on Saturday, Nov. 17. Casey Grindle said Tomato House Farms, with over 200 different craft beers, has the biggest selec tion in the Dahlonega area. He said they also have the biggest selection of local wines, too. But no matter what’s added to the store in the future, its heart will always be in the trinity that got it started in the first place: tomatoes, jam and jelly. Grindle said he’s focused on making things more comfortable for his cus tomers while sticking to the roots of where Tomato House Farms came from. “Everybody got used to the old store, like the nos talgic look, and that’s the reason we try not to get too fancy in here,” Grindle said. “We keep it country. That’s why we didn’t paint no ceil ings. And that’s just what I’ve always been around. That’s what customers like.” Some last-minute ideas for sides to save your bacon Happy Thanksgiving! We are offi cially into the holiday season. It’s truly the most wonderful time of the year, and it’s time to get cooking! Everyone needs a signature dish; the one dish that you’re asked to bring to every event. This broc coli casserole is one of my daugh ter Emily’s signature dishes. It is a great side dish and the broccoli makes it healthy. The crunchy cranberry salad recipe is from my sweet grand mother and a staple at our Thanks giving table. It’s best made the day before, which is extremely help ful when the crazy rush of the day comes around. Last, but certainly not least: a great dessert. This toffee pecan caramel pound cake—there just aren’t words to describe it. From my kitchen to yours, I hope you have a blessed Thanksgiving. Emily’s Broccoli Casserole Ingredients: 2 boxes frozen chopped broccoli or 2 (12 ounce) bags of steamable broccoli 2 bags of Boil in the Bag Rice 3 large eggs 1 can cream of mushroom soup 1 cup mayonnaise 1 cup grated Cheddar cheese Salt & Pepper, to taste 1 large can fried onions Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x13-inch casserole dish and set aside. Cook broccoli as directed on package and drain. Cook rice as directed on package and drain. In a large bowl, beat the eggs; then add the soup and mayonnaise. Mix thoroughly and add the cheese. Add the broccoli and rice to this mixture and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Spoon the mixture into the prepared casserole dish. Cook at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Sprinkle fried onions on top of casserole and return to the oven for 5 more minutes or until onions are golden brown. Crunchy Cranberry Salad Ingredients: 1 (3 ounce) package strawberry gelatin 1 (3 ounce) package raspberry gelatin 2 cups boiling water 1 (10 ounce) package frozen sliced strawberries, partially thawed 1(15 14 ounce) can crushed pineapple, undrained 1 (16 ounce) can whole berry cranberry sauce 1 cup chopped celery 14 cup chopped pecans Directions: Dissolve gelatins in boiling water and let cool. Add strawberries, pineapple, cranberry sauce, celery and pecans. Spoon the mixture into a 12x8x2- inch pan or your favorite mold, sprayed lightly with cooking spray. Cover and chill until firm. Unmold onto a lettuce-lined platter. This recipe is best if prepared the day before serving. Toffee Pecan Caramel Pound Cake Ingredients 1 'h cup butter, softened 2 cups brown sugar, packed 1 cup white sugar 5 large eggs 3 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 14 teaspoon salt 1 cup whole milk 1 (8-ounce) bag toffee bits 1 cup chopped pecans 1 cup prepared caramel sauce, warmed Directions: Preheat oven to 325 degrees and generously grease and flour a 12- cup nonstick Bundt pan. Beat the butter until creamy and then add sugars, beating until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until just the yellow disappears after each egg. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture in thirds, alternately with milk in between each third. Beat until just combined. Stir in toffee bits and pecans and spoon into prepared pan. Bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until a wood pick inserted near the center of cake comes out clean. Watch it carefully to prevent excessive browning. The top of the cake may need to be covered with foil near the end of the cooking time. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes. Remove from pan and let cool completely on a wire rack. Drizzle caramel sauce over cooled cake. Crevolyn Wiley is a Gainesville resident with her first published cookbook “Cooking with Crevolyn” available at J&J Foods. She can be contacted at crevolyn.wiley@ jandjfoods.com.