Old Mill Store in Pigeon Forge

After dining at the Old Mill Restaurant we had to wander over to see the mill up close and check out the flour produced at the mill. Once inside we could see the the 175 year old mill at work, with its massive flint granite stones, each weighing one ton grinding grain into the 1,000 pounds of flour and grits that is produced six days a week. Each bag produced is bagged by and hand tied with the same miller's knot that has been used through the centuries.There is something inside me that satisfies my being when I can partipate not only the history and tradition as well as supporting a local business that has been operating for 175 years. So we left with arms filled with pancake mixes, flour and grits. It didn't hurt that we had sampled the pancakes and yellow grits produced at the mill earlier at breakfast. One of the bags of pancake mix, the sweet potato pancakes went into my Foodie Pen Pal box and was shipped off to Florida. ( More on this next post). The following morning after our visit I couldn't wait to try the Spiced Pumpkin Pancake Mix. I was suprised to find all I had to add was water. (Egg and oil were optional). I served my pancakes with traditional Buttermilk Syrup (post 11/23/12) and they were delicious. The Old Mill is one of the most photographed sites in Pigeon Forge and one of the most historic places to visit. The Old Mill stone ground flours, grits and mixes may be ordered online and shipped anywhere in the country.Visit the web site at http:/www.old-mill.com

Old Mill in Pigeon Forge

One of the oldest and prettiest places to eat pancakes in Pigeon Forge is at the Old Mill Restaurant, Traffic Light #7. The grist mill dates back to the 1800's where it ground the wheat, corn and barley for the settlers living in the Smokies. The mill continues that tradition today providing the flour and grits used in the Old Mill Restaurant and the Old Mill Pottery House Cafe and Grille.Bags of stone ground flour, pancake mixes, grits and more of available for purchase at the Old Mill Store. The dining room overlooks the Little Pigeon River where guest can watch the geese and ducks playing in the river while enjoying the complementary muffins and orange juice.I fell in love with the bear salt and pepper shakers on the table produced and sold across the street at the Mill Pottery Shop. We ordered the Old Mill Breakfast that included two eggs, pancakes, grits, potatoes, preserves, biscuits, gravy for $7.99. Breakfast meats may be added for an additional fee. Every dish was perfect. The biscuits were light and fluffy and the gravy was great and had pieces of sausage throughout. The pancakes were fresh and delicious. The eggs were perfectly cooked. The Old Mill Restarunt is open daily from 8a.m. until 9 p.m. and serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. .

Pancake Day 2013

Shrove Tuesday, Pancake Day or Fastnacht Day, is the same day, the name depends upon where one lives. Shrove Tuesday is the day before Ash Wednesday, the official start of Lent. Shrove is the past tense for shrive, when one asks absolution for ones sins with confession and penance. Housewives use the last of the butter and sugar on this day to prepare for the fast that takes place over the Lenten season. The day is celebrated around the world with the English and Irish eating pancakes. In the German Pennsylvania Dutch Community they eat a yeast raised donut filled with jelly called a Fastnacht.The Polish celebrate with paczki and in Sweden it is semia, a sweet bun filled with whipped cream. In the United States many churches and communities celebrate with pancake suppers both for fellowship and as a fund raiser. Liberal Kansas takes Pancake Day to a whole different level with a three day celebration of the pancake culminating with an International Pancake Day Race with runners in Olney, England.The Pancake Race began in Olney, England in 1445. The people in Liberal, thought it sounded like fun and in 1950 the two towns began flipping pancakes while running through the street for the first International Pancake Day Race. Celebrate Pancake Day with family and friends. Pancakes can be simple and inexpensive or fancy and exotic. For kids make the pancakes in fancy shapes by pouring the pancake batter through a funnel or plastic keptuch type squeeze bottle onto the hot griddle.

Check out my pintrest page for Pancake Day Pancakes and ideas. www.pintrest.com/jvhardin/pancakes/ Find pancake day activities for kids at www.activityvillage.co.uk/pancake_day.htm

New York Cheesecake Pancakes

I have to confess...I often order pancakes not because I think they will taste good, but because I think they will take a pretty picture for my blog or Pintrest page. So it was this morning. After all the hype about IHOP's National Pancake Day, I woke up craving IHop pancakes. Pursing the menue I came across several pancake varieties and a few crepes that really looked good. After going back and forth way too many times, I finally decided on the New York Cheesecake Pancakes. The pancakes are studded with New York Cheesecake and topped with strawberries, strawberry syrup and whipped cream.I must admit the cakes in front of me looked as pretty as the picture on the menue. I'm not a huge fan of over the top sweet, covered with whipped cream pancakes, but these pancakes were really good. I was a little taken aback with the first bite or two when I tasted something soft and thought the pancake batter wasn't completely cooked through, but then realized it was the soft cheesecake I was tasting. While the serving of four pancakes was way to much for me to eat, I must confess the New York Cheesecake Pancakes at IHOP are a winner.

Happy Ground Hog Day

I Love February! I get to celebrate Pancake Month,Ground Hog Day, Panckes Day , Valentine's Day, Lincoln's Birthday, Washington's Birthday, and the last days of winter. Today is ground hog day. My husband has a pretty off beat sense of humor so all week he has been telling his poor Mother that he was going to bring her some ground hog to celebrate the day.His Mother would tell him, " No thank you Michael, just the thought of eating ground hog, makes me sick'. So of course on Ground Hog Day, he shows up at her door carrying a stryofoam take-out container that has Ground Hog for Hardin written in ink on the top. Here you go Mom, he announced as he handed her the box. I had to drive all the way to Sevierville to a Ground Hog Breakfast at the Fire Hall to get this. Mike's Mother had a look of fear and disgust on her face." Michael, I'm not feeling well today, I'm a little sick in my stomach. Sorry , but I can't eat this". It took a little coaxing to get her to open the box and look inside. Her frown turned to smiles as she looked in and saw a McDonald sausage and biscuit inside the box. Ground Hog on a biscuit!! Happy Ground Hog Day