Dollywoods Aunt Granny’s Restaurant Serves Good Eats


Dollywoods Aunt Granny’s Restaurant Serves Good Eats! Dollywoods Aunt Granny’s Restaurant partners with Lodge Manufacturing Company and announces new menu.

Dollywood’s Aunt Granny’s Restaurant has forged a new alliance and spruced up its menu. The popular Dollywood eatery and Tennessee-based Lodge Manufacturing Company, which crafts nostalgic cast-iron cookware, has teamed up to offer a buffet of mouth-watering ”vittles” served up home-style in the iconic cast iron cookware
Aunt Granny’s, which was recently awarded Amusement Today’s 2017 Golden Ticket Award for Best Theme Park Food, has revamped and expanded its menu to offer new favorites.

One addition, Stone Soup, harkens back to Dolly’s childhood when times were hard and food often scarce. In her cookbook, Dixie Fixins’, Dolly said “Sometimes I like to call this ‘rock consommé, but that’s just a fancy name for the soup Mama used to make out of what seemed like nothing.” Based on the fable of “Stone Soup” Dolly’s mom used what ever was on hand to make the soup. “We always had tomatoes put up, and of course, hocks from the pigs Daddy butchered, so they always went into the soup,” said Dolly. Other ingredients were supplied by the family garden and the hand-picked stone was added by one child “who needed special attention” recalled Dolly. Dolly also shared that her nieces and nephews gave her the special nickname “Aunt Granny.”

Dollywood Vice-President Phil Bernard has high praise for the restaurant’s new menu. “Dollywood is known for its quality southern food offerings, and a visit to the buffet at Aunty Granny’s certainly should be on the list for any foodie,” Bernard said.
Enhancing the focus on great Southern food and partnering with Lodge made good sense, said Mike Otterman, president of Lodge Manufacturing Company, “We are extremely excited about the collaboration between these two great Tennessee companies.”

Aunt Granny’s Restaurant, constructed in 1986 and located in Dollywood’s Rivertown Junction, in Pigeon Forge, has proved a favorite dining spot for guest. Its all-you-can-eat format offers a delightful selection of Southern favorites. Whether you grew up enjoying this type “vittles” or you are just a Johnny-come-lately to these regional gastronomic delights, you are sure to enjoy a visit to Aunt Granny’s.

The following recipe is courtesy of Aunt Granny’s.

Mama’s Stone Soup

2 quarts chicken stock (or canned broth)
1 lb. potatoes (peeled and diced)
1 14 oz. can diced tomatoes
1 small head of cabbage (chopped)
1 lb. turnips (peeled and diced)
2 large carrots (diced)
1 small onion (chopped)
4 garlic cloves (minced)
Ham hock
One very clean stone (optional)
Salt and Pepper to taste

Combine stock, potatoes, tomatoes, cabbage, turnips, carrots, onion garlic and ham hock in a large soup pot. Add stone and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally until soup is thick and vegetables are fork-tender (about 2 hours). Remove ham hock. Cut meat from bone and chop into half-inch pieces and return to soup. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Hey Dolly, soup’s on!

NOTE: The HeySmokies “culinary crew” likes this served with hot buttermilk cornbread, cooked, of course, in a Lodge cast-iron skillet.

Bonus Tip: Remember to remove the soup stone before consumption or you may become your dentists new best friend!

20th Annual Sevier County Relay for Life

20th Annual Sevier County Relay for Life slated for Saturday, June 2, 2018. The Annual Sevier County Relay for Life, which celebrates cancer survivors and honors those who have lost the battle, will begin at noon and continue till midnight, at the Sevier County Courthouse in downtown Sevierville on Saturday June, 2 2018. This free, family-friendly event also raises money to fund research that will someday find a cure for the disease that ranks as one of the nation’s biggest health problems. Come cheer those who have been affected by cancer whether they have been diagnosed 10 days or 10 years. A survivors lap will honor and inspire those facing a cancer diagnosis, and a caregivers lap will recognize the selfless act of those caring for cancer victims.

There are numerous fun activities planned though the day! Be sure and catch the special performance by Priscilla and Little RicKee

for some toe tapping tunes. A ceremony featuring luminary bags representing loved ones lost to cancer will provide an opportunity to grieve while offering comfort. Participants will walk continuously to signify that cancer never sleeps. Campsites are available around the park and food and beverage vendors are also scheduled to help with fundraising. Activities, music and entertainment is scheduled throughout the event.

  • Noon – Relay Begins

  • 12:30 – Entertainment

  • 5:00   – Official Ceremony & Survivor Ceremony (Presentation of survivors, Survivor & Caregiver Lap)

  • 7:00   – 20th Anniversary Celebration

  • 8:00   – Past Committee Recognition

  • 8:30   – Live Auction

  • 9:30   – Luminaria Ceremony

  • 10:00 – Entertainment

  • 11:00 – Womanless Beauty Pageant

  • 12:00 – Closing Ceremony & Winners Announced

Clingmans Dome Observation Tower Closes


Clingmans Dome observation tower closes. Great Smoky Mountains National Park officials announced that the Clingmans Dome Observation Tower will be closed Tuesday, July 10, 2018 through Friday, July 27, 2018 to complete a rehabilitation project that began last year. Workers need to apply a final surface overlay along the tower ramp.

Park visitors will be glad to know that Clingmans Dome overlook and parking area will remain open offering amazing views of the North Carolina side of the park and the surrounding mountains. The trail to the tower, visitor contact station/store, and all trailheads will remain open during the rehab work. Construction traffic is expected to make the drive to the overlook from New Found Gap slower than normal so give yourself extra time.

Last year, contractors repaired deteriorated areas on the concrete columns and walls, stabilized support walls at the base of the ramp, and repaired stone masonry. This work has been made possible through funding received from a Partners in Preservation (PIP) grant. The $250,000 grant was awarded in 2016 to the Friends of the Smokies on behalf of the park after being one of the top nine, most voted for parks in the Partners in Preservation: National Parks Campaign.

Straddling the North Carolina and Tennessee state line at 6,643 feet, Clingmans Dome is the second highest peak east of the Mississippi river.  The tower is an iconic Smoky Mountain landmark and is the highest point in the park. The observation towers unprecedented design is part of the National Park Service’s Mission 66 program. The program transformed park planning, management, and architecture and fundamentally altered the visitor experience in national parks. Since 1959, millions of visitors have climbed the tower and it is a regular hiking destination for the HeySmokies expeditionary team!  One of the rewards of climbing the tower is the 100 mile view on clear days! The minimal preservation work being done will ensure that visitors can continue to enjoy the tower and surrounding beauty for years to come. For more information about the Clingmans Dome Tower, please visit the park website at NPS.

Partners in Preservation is a joint effeort between American Express and the National Trust for Historic Preservation awarding preservation grants to historic places across America. Since 2006 PIP has committed $16 million in preservation funding to nearly 200 diverse sites in eight cities across the country. The program hopes to inspire long-term support from local citizens for the historic places at the heart of their communities.

Second Annual Appalachian Bear Fest

 

Second Annual Appalachian Bear Fest is scheduled for June 2, 2018 from 11 a.m. til 3 p.m. at the ABR Visitor and Education Center, 121 Painted Trillium Way in Townsend, TN. This family friendly event benefits the Appalachian Bear Rescue (ABR) in Townsend.

Many fun activities are planned for the event including live music performed by Pistol Creek Catch of the Day, wildlife exhibits, artists nook, kid’s play area and a petting zoo! Charles the pig will make a special appearance and representatives from the American Eagle Foundation will be on hand to share their knowledge of America’s national symbol, the bald eagle. Smoky mountain hiking icon, Mike Maples, will share his adventures roaming the hills we call Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Everyone is encouraged to bring a lawn chair, kick back and enjoy a lovely afternoon of fun and fellowship in foothills of the Smoky Mountains. Your participation will benefit the amazing and beautiful symbol of the Smokies, the black bear.

The idea for ABR began to percolate after a severe black bear food shortage in 1989 forced bears to forage in highly populated areas. Leaving the shelter of the mountains the bears had many unfortunate conflicts with humans which resulted in a large number of orphaned cubs. A concerned group of volunteers banded together with the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency and Great Smoky Mountains National Park obtaining a corporate charter in early 1991 to make a difference in the lives of orphaned bears.

Since it’s founding ABR has received bears from numerous

national parks, states and the wild lands surrounding the Smokies. Orphaned bears lucky enough to make it to ABR receive a second chance at life in the wild. To date ABR has taken in 269 cubs and yearlings. Current residents include Clementine Bear and Viola Bear. Volunteers work diligently improving the facility to provide the best possible care for each bear needing a new lease on life.

Recent improvements include constructing two new Wild Enclosures and a Cub house for transitioning cubs from the nursery to the outdoor areas. Each Wild Enclosure can support up to ten cubs or yearlings. The oldest building on the property is known as the Red Roof Recovery Center and has recently been upgraded from storage space to a recovery center for injured cubs that are unable to climb.

ABR’s mission is to educate the public on living safely with bears and how to keep them wild. School programs and the Townsend Education Center are vital tools used in accomplishing this mission. ABR offers regular classes and a detailed schedule is available at ABR.org.

ABR is grateful to all of it’s generous supporters without whom this important work would not be possible. Be sure and join us June 2, 2018 and show your support for the Black Bear and ABR.

For more information on Black Bears in the HeySmokies region check out this short, informative video with retired Great Smoky Mountains National Park ranger Butch McDade.

Five Great Smoky Mountain Fishing Spots

Smoky Mountain fishing is fun for the whole family.

Cast your line in the Smoky Mountains for the catch of a lifetime!

Five Great Smoky Mountain Fishing Spots. Smoky Mountain Fishing is one of the most popular activities in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The Smokies have over two thousand miles of streams and rivers within the park boundary.  If you are ready for the challenge, fishing opportunities abound in the Smokies.

Anglers from around the globe visit the park to test their skills in our pristine waters. If you are a novice or a seasoned pro you will be hollerin’ “Fish On” before you know it.  Folks often ask HeySmokies, “What kind of fish do you have in the Smoky Mountains?” The five most common game fish in the Smokies are Brook Trout, Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout, Rock Bass, and Smallmouth Bass. Each of these beauties are a thrill to catch. The HeySmokies fly rod squad agrees that the most beautiful fish we ever caught is the one on the end of our line right now!

The HeySmokies fly rod squad has trekked across the Smokies from end to end over the years and we know where the fish tend to be biting. For those who are unfamiliar with the park here are a few fishing destinations you will want to explore. If you are after Smallmouth bass and Rock bass a couple of good places to begin would be the Big Pigeon River on eastern edge of the park. The Pigeon is easily accessed in Hartford, TN via Interstate 40. The Waterville road I – 40 exit, five miles south of Hartford near Big Creek, is another spot with easy access. If you are after trout you can’t go wrong in Big Greenbrier five miles east of Gatlinburg. Porters Creek and the middle prong of the Little Pigeon river are popular spots in “Big G.” If you plan to visit the North Carolina side of Smokies make plans to cast a line in Cataloochee near Maggie Valley or Deep Creek near Bryson City. Both places offer solitude and a sense of immersion in the mountains.

Brook Trout is the only species of trout native to the Smoky Mountains. This fish is known as “spec” or “speckled trout” by Smoky Mountain natives and is one of the most elusive and difficult to catch. Many anglers are not aware that spec is not a true trout but a “char.” The historic range of char stretches from Canada to north Georgia. “Brookies” in the Smokies usually have a life span of less than three years and rarely grow larger than 8 – 9 inches.

Brown Trout are the largest game fish species in the national park. Primarily found in the

Trout fishing in the Smokies!

Deciding which stream to fish may be the most difficult thing about angling in the Smokies!

lower elevation streams, they thrive in slow moving water with good cover and lot’s of hiding spots. “Brownies” were brought to the the United States from Europe and compete with other species in the Smokies. They are long lived and it is not uncommon for them to survive up to twelve years. The majority caught in the Smokies are six to twelve inches in length and have been known to become thirty inches long weighing eleven pounds. Can you imagine the feeling of reeling in one of those bad boys?

Rainbow Trout are the most common game fish in the Smokies and are highly prized by anglers. Rainbows are found in almost every stream in the national park and are recognized by their familiar pink-toned stripe on their side. Like Brownies, Rainbows are not native to the Smokies, they were introduced from stock in the Northwestern United States. They were released into our mountain streams by logging companies in the early 1900’s. Most Rainbows reeled in by anglers are six to ten inches in length with an average age of three to five years. It is extremely rare to find rainbow trout over twelve inches in length.

Smallmouth bass and rock bass inhabit the lowest elevation streams and rivers in the Smokies on the borders of the park. They prefer cool deeper pools and shaded areas near the banks of the river. These species are native to the Great Lakes region and the Mississippi river. Smallmouth bass are the largest of the two and are usually six to fourteen inches in length. Their lifespan is five to seven years and a five pounder is considered a trophy fish. Rockbass are smaller in size ranging from four to eight inches in length but occasionally reach up to ten inches. Their typical life span is six to eight years.

Bonus angler tip: Did you know only one fishing license is required to fish Great Smoky Mountains National Park? With roughly half the park in North Carolina and the other in Tennessee a valid license from either state gives you total access to over 500,000 square miles of fishing heaven. As if you needed another reason to come fish with us!