>>> A MAN WHOSE COOKING SKILLS WERE FIRST NOTICED AT FOOTBALL
TAILGATE GATHERINGS HAS ESTABLISHED A POSTRETIREMENT
FOOD CAREER, FIRST AS A CATERER AND THEN AS A RESTAURATEUR.
HE'S DON SIMMONS, AND HE'S THE PROPRIETOR OF A HIGHLY REGARDED
HOME-COOKING RESTAURANT IN ASHEBORO.
BOB GARNER TAKES US ALONG TO SAMPLE THE FARE AT MAGNOLIA 23.
>> THERE'S CERTAINLY NO MYSTERY ABOUT WHAT ATTRACTS SO MANY
PEOPLE TO MAGNOLIA 23.
>> HOME, SOUTHERN COOKED FOOD SOME PEOPLE EXPRESS AS SOUL
FOOD.
WELL, ALL OUR RECIPES FROM -- WE CALL DOWN HOME RECIPES FROM OUR
PARENTS, AND DORIS, WHICH IS MY WIFE, HER MOTHER AND MY MOTHER.
EVERYTHING IS COOKED FROM SCRATCH.
AND WE STICK WITH OUR -- I'LL SAY STICK WITH OUR REGULAR
RECIPES.
>> ONE OF WHICH IS THE RESTAURANT'S FAMOUS GRILLED PORK
CHOP.
THIS HAS A NICE GLAZE ON IT.
IT'S COOKED ON A GRILL.
AND IT'S GLAZED WITH SORT OF A BARBECUE SAUCE.
I CAN JUST TELL FROM CUTTING THAT, THE TEXTURE IS PERFECT.
NOW, EVEN THOUGH THAT HAS THE GRILL MARKS ON IT, YOU DON'T
NORMALLY GET A PORK CHOP QUITE THAT TENDER AND FALL APART
WITHOUT PUTTING IT IN SOME MOIST HEAT FOR A WHILE SO THE MEAT CAN
KIND OF RELAX.
AND THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENED THERE.OOH!
BEAUTIFUL, DARK GREEN COLLARD GREENS.
MMM.
WONDERFUL, LUSCIOUS TEXTURE ON YOUR TONGUE AND ON YOUR PALATE,
WHICH TELLS YOU THAT THERE'S SOME ANIMAL FAT IN THERE FOR
SEASONING BUT NOT TOO MUCH.
JUST THE RIGHT AMOUNT.
LOVE THE WAY THOSE BITE AND THE WAY THEY FEEL.
OH, OH.
LOOK AT THE PRESENTATION ON THIS MAC AND CHEESE, THE WAY THAT HAS
THAT GOLDEN BROWN TOP, THAT CHEWY LOOKING MELTED CHEESE.
MMM.
NOW, ONE OF THE PROBLEMS WITH COOKING REALLY SUPERLATIVE MAC
AND CHEESE IS THAT IF YOU MAKE A WHOLE PAN OF IT, IT TENDS TO DRY
OUT.
THIS LOOKS LIKE IT WAS ACTUALLY INDIVIDUALLY PREPARED BY THE
SERVING WHICH ALLOWS YOU MORE FLEXIBILITY AS TO WHAT TO DO
WITH IT TO MAKE SURE IT'S MOIST AND YET HAS SOME NICE STRUCTURE
TO IT.
OH, THAT'S SO GOOD!
TRIP ADVISOR HAS JUST RATED MAGNOLIA 23'S FRIED CHICKEN AS
AMONG THE TOP 100 IN THE COUNTRY; ACTUALLY, 63.
AND EVERYBODY KNOWS ONCE YOU GET IN THE TOP 100, IT'S ALL
SUBJECTIVE ANYWAY, THAT YOU COULD FALL ANYWHERE ACCORDING TO
ONE PERSON'S OPINION.
THIS IS COOKED IN A CAST IRON FRYING PAN RATHER THAN A DEEP
FRYER, WHICH UNDOUBTEDLY IS ONE OF THE MAIN REASONS IT MADE THAT
HIGH RATING.
OH, MY GOSH!
IT'S CRISPY, HAS SOME CRACKLE TO IT WHEN YOU BITE INTO IT, YET
IT'S WONDERFULLY SOFT AND LUSCIOUS JUST BELOW THE SURFACE.
THE SALT LEVEL IS JUST RIGHT.
OH.
OH, MAN, BLACKBERRY COBBLER WITH KIND OF A BISCUIT-TYPE CRUST TO
IT AND A NICE ICE COLD VANILLA ICE CREAM.
BLACKBERRY COBBLER IS ACTUALLY ONE OF MY FAVORITES BECAUSE WHEN
YOU WENT OUT AND GATHERED THESE IN THE SUMMERTIME, YOU ALWAYS
HAD AN INVESTMENT.
YOU ALWAYS CAME HOME WITH PLENTY OF SCRATCHES, AND THE BERRIES
TASTED EVEN BETTER BECAUSE OF THAT.
ASHEBORO HAS ALWAYS BEEN A NATURAL MEETING SPOT BETWEEN THE
CHARLOTTE AND THE TRIANGLE AREAS, AND MAGNOLIA 23 MAKES IT
EVEN MORE OF ONE.
FOR "NORTH CAROLINA WEEKEND," I'M BOB GARNER.