TennesseeFarmTable.com

Saving Seeds and Stories with John Coykendall. Master Gardener at Blackberry Farm.

Seed Saving & Stories with our seed-saving pal John Coykendall of Knoxville, TN. John tells us how he became a seed saver, some of the varieties he has saved, where to find old-time heirloom seed like the ones he saves, and shares plus some cute stories. John and I (Amy) worked together in the garden at Blackberry Farm together in 2007, where I learned from John the importance of this heirloom seed.

Hoppin' John Recipes and Chicken Pot Pie Recipe

Today we are setting the table with Comfort Food for Cold weather that is also economical. The sort of food that we can make a big pot of and eat on for several days. I (Amy Campbell) share my recipe for chicken pot pie that came about after a failed pot of chicken and dumplings. and I also share 2 Hoppin’ John recipes from two late great Ladies Minnie Pearl and Phila Hach also Mary Dee Dee Constantine also shares a Hoppin John Recipe from Lisa Smith.

A Knoxville Tamale Tale with historian Jack Neely. "Mary's Hot Tamales" memory by Fred Sauceman

“A Knoxville Tamale Tale” with Jack Neely. Jack shares the rich history of the tamale in Knoxville. It's not all ham, soup beans and sorghum in the culinary history of East Tennessee. Jack shares the rich tamale history dating back to as early as 1890. Jack is the Executive Director of the Knoxville History Project. Fred Sauceman offers up a Knoxville food history memory involving sisters Clara Robinson and Mary Manuel who made and sold Hot Tamales on Magnolia, Avenue in Knoxville at the former "Mary's Hot Tamales", in his “Pot Luck Radio segment.

Pumpkin Pies from Tennessee and Gluten Free Pumpkin Pie Recipe

James Gann, Music Educator in Blount Co, TN won a blue ribbon for his pumpkin pie at the Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center. James lets us know about the type of pumpkin he grows and his pie. Haylee Gibadowski describes how to process a fresh pumpkin for pies and shares her recipe for a gluten and dairy-free pumpkin pie that is delicious. (Recipe below, keep scrolling) Fred Sauceman’s Pot Luck Radio series features novelist Adriana Trigiani, Author of Big Stone Gap, Milk Glass Moon, and Big Cherry Holler describes her Appalachian autumn memories and a little story involving Elizabeth Taylor and a chicken bone.

JC Holdway memories with Chef Joseph Lenn and his grandmother, sister of J.C. Holdway. Carter Family Chow Chow recipe from Fred Sauceman

Memories of J.C. Holdway from his sister, Juanita Holdway Evans; Chef Joseph Lenn; and her daughter, Emily Lenn. Fred Saucepan shares Joe and Janette Carter’s Chow Chow recipe and kitchen memories. Today, I went to the deep freeze and pulled out a recording that I made in 2016 with Chef Joseph Lenn, Joseph’s mother (Emily Lenn), and a late friend of mine, Juanita Evans, who was Joseph Lenn’s grandmother and the sister of J.C. Holdway. J.C. Holdway is the namesake of the downtown Knoxville restaurant created by Chef Joseph Lenn and named after his Uncle Joe. The restaurant, J.C. Holdway, has been in the news lately, receiving the prestigious designation of “Recommended” by the renowned Michelin Guide in its inaugural regional publication of restaurants in the Southeast. Chef Lenn is also a James Beard Award–winning chef. I thought it would be a great time to play this recording we made together before he opened his restaurant. I am an artist, and I wanted to paint a portrait of Uncle Joe as a kind of encouraging gift to Chef Lenn before the restaurant was created. You may have seen that painting, along with my portraits of Allan Benton, Eugenia Duke, Bill Best, and John Coykendall at J.C. Holdway. We also hear a recording by Fred Saucepan with memories from Janette and Joe Carter (children of A.P. and Sara Carter of the original band The Carter Family) as he shares their recipe for Chow Chow. And I share news of the Resilient Farmer Fund fundraiser concert tonight (Nov. 15, 2025) at the Paramount Theatre in Bristol, TN/VA. Doors open at 6, and music starts at 7 p.m.