Art for September

September 4th, 2011

“Artifacts, Artscapes and Organics,” an exhibit of photographs by Terri Swaggerty, will be on view at the Knoxville Tomato Head
Restaurant, 12 Market Square, from September 3rd through September 30th, 2011.

From September's exhibit, "Artifacts, Artscapes, and Organics," by Terri Swaggerty. The Tomato Head Knoxville

From September's exhibit, "Artifacts, Artscapes, and Organics," by Terri Swaggerty. The Tomato Head Knoxville

Swaggerty says, “This exhibit is a collection of eclectic images with an overall southern flavor. It’s a photographic art journal of the past 18
months. All I had to do was look… to find art… around every corner.”

At The Tomato Head Maryville, an exhibit of Jarrod Justice’s will be on view from September 4th through October 1st, 2011.

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Posted in Knoxville, Maryville, Monthly Art, Uncategorized

The Tomato Head’s Sausage Gravy

September 3rd, 2011

We’ve been doing a lot with biscuits lately. Maybe it’s because we’re ready for a little fall to come on in or we’re just enjoying how versatile truly delicious biscuits can be. No matter, Mahasti shared The Tomato Head recipe for Sausage Gravy on WBIR this morning , featuring sausage from Benton’s Bacon. (Hint…you can only get their sausage if you visit their store, and it’s worth the trip).

The recipe is fast, filling, and will have you smiling about your morning all day long. Can’t stand at the stove today? Simply come by for brunch, served 10am – 3pm, and we’ll have the biscuits and gravy ready for you.

Tomato Head’s Sausage Gravy
¼ lb butter
½ lb Benton’s or other breakfast sausage
1/3 cup all purpose flour
4 cups warm milk
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper

1 recipe The Tomato Head’s Best Biscuits

While biscuits are cooking:

In a large skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Add sausage and sauté until sausage has browned. Add flour and whisk until all the flour is incorporated and no lumps remain. Slowly add the warm milk while whisking constantly. Lower heat to low – add salt and pepper and whisk constantly until desired consistency is reached.

Serve immediately over hot biscuits.

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Posted in Knoxville, Maryville, Recipes, Uncategorized

County Tres Leche

August 21st, 2011

Yee haw! This is a good way to end a meal, have a snack, or simply enjoy a new cultural twist on a classic treat.

Mahasti presented The Tomato Head’s recipe for “Country Tres Leche” on WBIR this weekend. What makes it country? The recipe is based upon The Tomato Head’s “Best Biscuits” recipe, instead of the traditional lady fingers or sponge cake. Give it a whirl and let us know what you think.

The Tomato Head’s Country Tres Leche

(aka, Biscuits soaked in three milks topped with blackberry compote and cream)

For Milk Soaked Biscuits:

1 cup sweetened condensed milk

1 cup evaporated milk

1 cup heavy cream

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/8 tsp ground clove

6 – 8 day-old biscuits

In a small bowl mix together condensed milk, evaporated milk, heavy cream, cinnamon, and clove.

Place biscuits in an 8 X 11 baking dish.  Pour 1 ½ cups of the milk mixture over the biscuits and allow biscuits to soak for 2 hours or overnight.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Bake milk soaked biscuits for 20 minutes until heated through.

For Blackberry Compote:

1 lb fresh or frozen blackberries

1/3 cup sugar

Place blackberries and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat.  Cook mixture just until sugar has completely dissolved.  Remove from heat and set aside.

To Serve:

Place each biscuit on a plate.  Pour ¼ cup of the remaining milk mixture over each biscuit, followed by ¼ cup of heavy cream and 1/3 cup of blackberry compote.  Serve immediately.

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Posted in Knoxville, Maryville, Recipes, Uncategorized

The Tomato Head’s Fried Green Tomatoes

July 16th, 2011

The South in the summer? Friend green tomatoes. The two things are synonymous and equally loved. Mahasti’s sharing The Tomato Head’s recipe for fried green tomatoes and both the Maryville and Knoxville restaurants will be serving them today as an appetizer accompanied by a honey mustard dressing.

Tomato Head’s Fried Green Tomatoes

1.5 pounds green tomatoes
2/3 cup cornmeal
1.5 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
2/3 cup buttermilk
2 cups vegetable oil for frying
1 cup all purpose flour for dusting

Cut the ends off the tomatoes and slice into ¼ inch thick slices. Place the tomatoes on a paper towel lined baking sheet, in a single layer. Cover the tomatoes with more paper towels and let sit for 20 minutes.

Place cornmeal in blender with salt and cayenne pepper and process until fine. Fill 3 small bowls one with cornmeal mixture, one with flour and one with buttermilk.

After 20 minutes move tomatoes to dry paper towel, cover with more paper towels and press dry. Heat the oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium heat. Dip the tomatoes in flour, then buttermilk and then in the cornmeal mixture. Fry the tomatoes in the hot oil, 3-4 at a time for 2-3 minutes per side, or until golden brown. Drain on a wire rack.

Serve as a side dish or with honey mustard dressing as an appetizer.

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Posted in Knoxville, Maryville, Recipes, Uncategorized

Tomato Head’s Father’s Day Buttermilk Cake with Fresh Strawberries and Blueberries

June 18th, 2011

Every holiday needs a little something special cooked up to celebrate. Father’s Day is no exception. With the season presenting berries of all flavors, Mahasti prepared another memorable dessert for The Tomato Head. You can give this recipe a whirl at home and present it to your favorite fella or come to either the Maryville or Knoxville restaunt today. We’ll be serving it at both locations. Happy Father’s Day!

Tomato Head’s Father’s Day Buttermilk Cake with Fresh Strawberries and Blueberries

2.25 cups all purpose flour

1.25 cups granulated sugar

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 stick butter, cut into small pieces

1.5 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup buttermilk

4 egg whites

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a medium bowl, sift together flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.  Place dry ingredients in the bowl of an electric mixer.  Mix the ingredients with a paddle attachment on low speed.  Gradually add the butter and mix until the mixture resembles sand.  (if you don’t have a mixer you can do this with a biscuit cutter).  Mix together the buttermilk, vanilla and egg whites and gradually add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients.  Beat the mixture on medium high speed for 1 minute ( or with a wooden spoon until well mixed)

Pour batter into a parchment lined 9 X 13 baking pan.  Bake in the middle of the oven for 30 – 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.  Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes.  Remove the cake to a cooling rack and allow the cake to come to room temperature before serving.

Whipped Cream

1 cup heavy cream

1 Tbsp confectioners sugar

1 tsp vanilla

Place all the ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer with a whisk attachment.  Beat until whipped cream is the consistency you desire.  ( If you don’t have a mixer this can be done with a whisk.)

Cut the cake into desired size pieces and serve with fresh whipped cream, sliced strawberries and fresh blueberries.

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Posted in Knoxville, Maryville, Recipes, Specials, Uncategorized

June’s Featured Art at The Tomato Head

June 2nd, 2011

June 3rd—also known as a First Friday in downtown Knoxville–will be the last opportunity to view “Astonishing Tales of Perilous Adventure,” a mixed-media exhibit featuring the work of six artists from Work Horse Collective. After June 3rd the exhibit will move to the Maryville Tomato Head location where it will be on display through July 3rd.

New at the Knoxville location this month will be photography from The Boys and Girls Club of the Tennessee Valley. Images featured were produced through the ImageMakers photography program of The Club. The program encourages youth to learn and practice black-and-white, color, digital, and alternative process photography. All are invited to view the photo exhibit, on display through July 2nd.

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Posted in Knoxville, Maryville, Monthly Art, Uncategorized

Kids Need Dirt

May 26th, 2011

We tend to use our blog to talk about food, art, cycling, and community events that are near and dear to us. This entry falls across several of those categories and we want to share it with as many people as possible. So any help you can give, either in support or in helping to spread the word, is greatly appreciated.

One of our friends, Katie Ries (former Tomato Head employee, amazing artist, founder of Urban Land Scouts and current staffer at CAC Beardsley Farm) has yet another inspiring idea she’s working to bring to life. She’s launching Urban Land Scout Summer Camp at CAC Beardsley Farm.

What it is:

The camp envisioned will help educate and engage young people in Knox County with concrete examples of urban  stewardship and healthy living through gardening at CAC Beardsley Community Farm. The goal of the camp is to give young people indelible skills and information to help them be good stewards of the land where they live and to model and promote the health of their own communities. All campers will participate in raising and harvesting produce at CAC Beardsley Community Farm, as well as related tasks like planting, weeding, weighing produce, and watering. Campers will be served  breakfast, snack, and lunch daily. At the end of the session, each camper will go home with seeds and soil  to tend at their homes or in a community garden. Urban Land Scout Camp expects its campers to observe, reflect, participate, and celebrate the natural world as we find it in our urban environment and to engage critically in a design practice of investigation, iteration, and refinement.

Who is it for and when:

The hope is for the Urban Land Scout Summer Camp to open its doors this July to sixty campers (grades 5th – 7th) over three sessions.  Sessions would run Monday – Friday, beginning at 8:30am and ending at 12:30pm, or, the afternoon sessions would run from 1:30pm – 4:30pm. Campers should be ages 10 – 14. Participants will do farm chores, eat together, make things, and work on earning Urban Land Scout badges. Best of all, the camp hopes to offer the activities at no cost to our campers and their families.

Who is supporting the camp:

The Tomato Head and Cruze Dairy Farm are providing meals for the camp, and several local individuals have already contributed to the camp. But the camp still needs your support.

Sound like something you or your organization could support? You can make a tax-deductible donation to the sponsoring non-profit for the camp, Schools of Influence Education Foundation, here: Support Urban Land Scout Camp

Lastly, if you know a young person rising into grades 5th – 7th (or the parents of one) who attends any of the Knox County schools listed below and who might be interested in Urban Land Scout Camp, please send them our way. Or download this application and hand it to them.

Eligible Schools:

Elementary:
Beaumont
Belle Morris
Christenberry
Dogwood
East Knox Co
Greene
Inskip
Lonsdale
Maynard
Mooreland Heights
Norwood
Pond Gap
Sarah Moore Greene
South Knoxville
Springhill
Westview

Middle Schools:
Vine
Holston
Northwest
South Doyle
Whittle

For more information regarding the Urban Land Scout Camp, please contact Katie Ries at 865-235-1730.

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Posted in Knoxville, Uncategorized

Tomato Head’s Red Velvet Cake for Your Mama!

May 7th, 2011

Mahasti presented the recipe for The Tomato Head’s Red Velvet Cake on WBIR this morning. Mother’s Day is tomorrow…got a gift, yet? Making something for mama is always a fine idea, and a red velvet cake says “I love you” slice after slice. If you’re just not a baker or comfy in the kitchen, consider bringing your mater to The Tomato Head’s brunch. We’ll be serving on Sunday from 10am – 3pm. After 3pm we’ll shift service to our regular menu. Happy Mother’s Day!

Tomato Head’s Red Velvet Cake

2.5 cups all purpose flour
¾ tsp baking soda
¼ cup Dutch process cocoa
½ tsp. salt
1.25 cup sugar
1.5 cup vegetable oil
1 cup buttermilk
2 eggs
1 Tbsp red food coloring
1 tsp cider vinegar
1.5 Tbsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Line the bottom of a 9 X 13 pan with parchment paper, grease the sides, and set aside.

Into a medium bowl sift flour, baking soda, cocoa, and salt. Place eggs in another medium bowl and beat lightly with a whisk. Add oil, buttermilk, food coloring, vinegar, and vanilla. Whisk to incorporate the ingredients. Add the sugar to the wet ingredients and mix well. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients. Whisk well until all the flour is incorporated. Pour the batter into prepared pan. Bake for 20 – 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

Allow cake to cool in pan. Flip the cake out of pan onto a cooling rack. Peel parchment paper off bottom. Re-flip cake back onto a cutting board. Dust the top with powdered sugar. Cut into desired size squares. Serve with a side of whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

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Posted in Knoxville, Maryville, Recipes, Specials, Uncategorized

New Tomato Head Cycling Jerseys Are Here!

May 5th, 2011

Need a new jersey?

The new Tomato Head cycling jerseys are in. Made by Hincapie Sports in a sleek race fit, the jerseys feature team colors of bright yellow and green and are available in limited number at each restaurant. ($70 )

Tomato Head 2011 Cycling Jersey

The Tomato Head 2011 Cycling Jersey

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Posted in Cycling, Knoxville, Maryville, Uncategorized

Tour de Blount

April 29th, 2011

You know we like bikes.

Do you know about the Tour de Blount?

2011 marks the 20th anniversary of this beautiful and challenging ride. To celebrate this milestone in the Tour de Blount’s history, the event will move to downtown Maryville with a start at the Blount County Courthouse.

Race packet pick up will be held on Friday, May 13, with the race taking place on Saturday, May 14. We’ll be posting more info about The Tomato Head’s involvement and support of the event, but until then, if you like to ride, join the Tour!

Bike ride registration/info

Tour de Blount on Facebook

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Posted in Maryville, Uncategorized

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