Bridging

I had a great talk with Jill on Tuesday about some of the reasons (besides food!) why she and Johnny love running a restaurant.

Jill has mentioned to me on several occasions that she likes the opportunity for community involvement that the restaurant offers. She wants the Smokehouse to serve as a hub where people come to meet and connect. She hopes to bring together different organizations and community members who can help each other- whether in building a business or in raising money for a cause.

So this is a post to give you the scoop on how Johnny and Jill have jumped into the Euharlee community. Believe me when I tell you that they love helping people and getting involved in new activities.

-- Euharlee Farmer’s Market and Artisan’s Fair

Every Friday from 5-8 PM, farmers and artisans gather in the back parking lot of the Smokehouse to sell their wares. I love the fact that this farmer’s market is in the evening. If you love fresh produce but don’t like having to get up early on Saturday morning, this is the perfect solution! Jill calls it “the better way to farmer’s market” and recommends dinner at the Smokehouse before stocking up on delicious fresh veggies.

This is the first summer for the farmer’s market in Euharlee and it’s been great to see it expand. Jill says of the project, “It’s growing organically, just like the vegetables.”

--Covered Bridge Fall Festival and Chili Cook-Off

The farmer’s market isn’t the only thing happening in Euharlee. Johnny is really looking forward to the chili cook off on Saturday October 23rd from 10 am-5pm. This looks like it’s going to be a day of fun for the entire family.

Plus: Euharlee is STILL RECRUITING teams to sign up. If you have a good chili recipe, team up with your neighbors, family, coworkers, whoever and give competition a try! Johnny thinks it’s loads of fun :)

For more information contact Nancy Rewitzer at 770-386-1542 or nrewitzer@euharlee.com

--Haunted Euharlee

October 30-31st from 6-9 pm

only $2 per person!

I’m so sad that I won’t be in town for this rocking event. For Halloween, Euharlee is putting together an amazing ghost tour. The walking tour begins at Johnny Mitchell’s Smokehouse and lasts for approximately 1 hour. Along the way, participants will stop and see evidence of paranormal activity in Euharlee! It’s going to be an amazing combination of using technology to track paranormal activity and using history to offer interpretations of the evidence. Jill is getting really excited about this because not only is it fun to see what technology provides but also this is a great way to learn about the history of Euharlee. Did you know that there used to be a cotton gin where the Smokehouse now stands? How *exactly* does a cotton gin work? What about the ghost “Bill” who sometimes haunts the Smokehouse?

Johnny Mitchell’s Smokehouse is collaborating with the Paulding County Paranormal Society and the Euharlee Historical Society to put together this fun and educational event.

So please, bring your family (it is a family friendly event!) and enjoy a nice fall evening in the spooky city of Euharlee. Jill told me that the Smokehouse is even going to have some “ghost tour specials” so come eat and tour or tour and eat.

More info available at hauntedeuharlee.com

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So I’ve talked to you about Johnny Mitchell’s Smokehouse and how they’re involved with the community of Euharlee, “The Covered Bridge City” but why is this post called “Bridging”?

That comes straight from Jill. When talking about her desire to bring the community together through the Smokehouse, she said, “Part of our story is bridging."

I know she and Johnny are both truly committed to that.

Short but Sweet

Another quote from the guestbook:

"This place rocks"

Guestbook

Another fun quote from the guest book:

"You are now my favorite place to eat"

This is from someone in Rome, so major kudos to Johnny's. In case you haven't noticed, I think Johnny's is my favorite place to eat too!

Vacation's Over

Sorry to everyone who was disappointed with the lack of new posts this week. I've been out of town, away from my computer and Johnny's amazing food, so there hasn't been anything new to blog about. The good news is that I'm back now and you can look forward to a new post sometime this week. Yummy!

More Good News:

I've finally started loading delicious food pictures onto the Johnny Mitchell's Smokehouse Facebook page. These are the same as Flickr but it should be much easier for you to comment on your favorites.

Check it out HERE

and please become a fan :)

Guestbook Fun

Here's another great quote from the guestbook:

"Absolutely wonderful experience. Great food, atmosphere, and service. We definitely will be return guests."

With an endorsement like that, what's stopping you from running out to Johnny's right now? :)

More From the Guestbook

Here's another fun quote from the guestbook.

"Fabulous! We'll be back. Loved the brisket quesadillas, hash-browns, and Coca-Cola cake."

I haven't tried the Coca-Cola cake yet, but you may have noticed that brisket quesadillas are one of my favorites too :)

You Missed It!

If you didn't make it to Johnny's today, you missed some amazing specials!

Soup of the Day: Chicken Vegetable

Special Dessert: Mardi Gras Bread Pudding

Johnny says his chicken vegetable soup is good for the soul and I quite agree. The smooth yet flavorful broth, yummy chunks of chicken, and a healthy dose of vegetables make for a soup that will fill your stomach and warm your heart.

In honor of Mardi Gras, Jill put together this very special bread pudding. Unlike other bread puddings I’ve had, it wasn’t mushy! This was a special dish for today only. Recommendation: beg Jill to make it again next year!

In the mean time, be sure to visit Johnny’s often so you won’t miss out on other very special daily specials.

See pictures on Flickr

Check back later for photos and a post about the fish filet with onion nibs and mac n' cheese!

Fun Quote From the Guestbook

I thought I would spice things up a little bit by posting quotes from the guestbook at Johnny's. We'll see how it goes but here's the first one:

“The brisket is like meat-flavored cotton candy! Melts in your mouth!”

Also, don't miss tomorrow's post about tonight's Winter Wine Dinner!

Blue Corn Chips

If you’re paying a lot of attention to these posts and pictures–and I hope you are–you may have noticed something: I mention blue corn chips for the black bean queso dip, yet all the chips on the party pick plate are, well, yellow. Don’t worry, I’m not color blind and neither are Johnny and Jill. True blue corn chips are nearing extinction in Bartow County. The only blue corn chips Johnny can find are yellow corn chips that have been dyed blue. That sounds a bit hinky to me and Johnny doesn’t want to serve dyed corn chips to his customers. So in the absence of naturally blue corn chips, we’re sticking with yellow.

According to Johnny, JMS is committed to avoiding oddly dyed or enhanced foods. They strive to get fresh veggies. They make their own sauces from scratch, rather than just enhancing store-bought products.

I’m pretty sure a bit of blue dye isn’t going to hurt me, but I like knowing that Johnny is very careful about what he puts into the food we eat.

Vegetarians Welcome

I bet you never would have guessed that Jill used to be a vegetarian. Now she claims to be addicted to meat and must eat brisket every day.

You can still find Jill's vegetarian roots in many dishes unique to Johnny Mitchell's Smokehouse.

Don't forget: JMS sides are pure veggie. You won't find any pork chunks lurking in these baked beans!

About Johnny Mitchell's Smokehouse

From the JMS Menu:

Jill and Johnny Mitchell bring thirty-two years of experience to their second restaurant, Johnny Mitchell’s Smokehouse. “We believe that food should make sense, should be lovingly prepared, and should be enjoyed with amiable company.”

Jill grew up in California’s San Joaquin Valley, producer of the world’s best fruits and nut, in a family of ranchers and hunters. She understands how quality and freshness of ingredients matter in the thoughtful creation of imaginative dishes.

Johnny says that he’s the last native son born in Atlanta. He hales from a long line of fine southern cooks. His aunt Bea ran her own restaurant in Atlanta for many years. Famous for his real-wood, slow-cooked BBQ, as well as his endearing personality, Johnny is a versatile chef equally able to prepare haute cuisine or low country fare.

Together, Jill, Johnny, and their dedicated, talented staff bring a love for food and for feeding people to Euharlee Georgia, the Covered Bridge City.

Johnny Mitchell's Smokehouse

100 Covered Bridge Road

Euharlee, GA 30145