WHAT? Sugar in the rough. Before refined sugar was popularized in America around the time of World War I, sorghum syrup was a common sweetener that was used on pancakes or in baking. Its use was so widespread that it was known as "the sugar of the Plains." The juice is extracted from the stalks of the sorghum plant and, like maple syrup, is boiled down. Today, you can find sorghum syrup, which is far better for you than refined sugar, at health food stores. Other varieties of the sorghum plant furnish a millet-like grain, used in porridge, breads, and soups in many parts of the world. In the United States, however, despite the grain's reputation as "a powerhouse of nutrition" (Food Lover's Companion), it is mostly used for animal fodder.
WHERE? Heart of the Blue Ridge at the Beard House
WHEN? Thursday, November 17, 2016
HOW? Sorghum-Braised Heritage Pork Collar with Purple Cape Beans, House-Cured Bacon, and Pork Rind Crust
