Working on Choo Choo Chaboogie/Take Me Back to Old Yazoo. Molasses Creek Goes Live on Spotify. Ocracoke Figs are In!

Ocracoke Figs are Ripe!

Hey friends,

We've had some great shows on Ocracoke at Deepwater Theater these past two weeks!  Wonderful audiences at the Ocrafolk Opry and Molasses Creek concerts.  Although we are in the midst of summer, the weather has not hit dogs-days hot yet.  And in spite of all the rain we have had this season the mosquitoes are remarkable tame (Fiddler Dave's son, Lachlan, managed to harness some this week and they pulled him around the beach on a sand sled!)

This last week, Molasses Creek began working in Gary's Soundside Studio on a song that Louie found called Choo Choo Ch'boogie by Louis Jordan.  Here is an old black and white version of the song! 

 With that we are putting another old song that we found being done by the Boswell Sisters and Cab Calloway called Old Yazoo.
 

 We hope to have the new arrangement live and on stage this next week. 

Over the weekend, Gary is off to the Raleigh area to start work on tweaking the Festival Release 2013 to prepare it for national release later this year! 

Molasses Creek Catalog Goes Live on Spotify

For those fans who subscribe to Spotify, Molasses Creek's catalog of past releases went live this last week, updating the listing to 10 albums, 120 + songs.  Songs are also available through iTunes, Rhapsody, Napster, and more! Enjoy and spread the word about Molasses Creek to your friends! Our latest Ocrafolk Festival Release 2013 is available as a CD through our online store (as well as more CDs, T-shirts, and mugs!)

Ocracoke Island News

The most exciting new news is that Ocracoke figs are beginning to come in.  Everyone is busy scurrying around gathering the quickly ripening fruit.  The trees have to be checked every day, or the birds will claim the best of the crop!  If it rains, then figs must be picked extra quick or they will go sour.  There are around 7 different types of fig trees on Ocracoke Island.  In our environment, the trees require very little care . . . they practically grow wild! 

The fig tree at the Ocracoke Preservation Society

 If you have ever picked figs, you will notice that the tree secretes a milky fluid that will give the picker a slight itchy rash . . . easily washed off and well worth the effort.  Fiddler Dave and Lachlan have been checking the tree at the Ocracoke Preservation Society daily for Amy Howard (wife and  the administrator for OPS).  Today they took home between 5 & 10 pounds!  They ferry the fruit back to Amy's mom, Julie Howard, who cooks them down with sugar to make preserves and cans them for keeping. 

Not quite ripe yet!

 These preserves then return to OPS for events and for sale at the store.  Check the OPS website if you are headed to Ocracoke to find out what porch talks are being offered (there is one on figs and fig trees).

If you have picked up some fig preserves (or ordered a jar through the OPS gift shop), one of our favorite ways to use them is to make a traditional Ocracoke Island Fig Cake.  Here is a recipe courtesy of the Ocrafolk Festival (this recipe was adapted by Debbie Wells and featured on the 2011 Ocrafolk Festival T-shirt).  

Fig Cake Recipe
3 large eggs
1 1/2 c sugar
1 c vegetable oil
2 c plain flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground allspice
1/2 c buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 c walnuts coarsely chopped
2 c preserved figs cut up

Grease and flour one large tube or bundt pan
Preheat oven to 350

In a medium mixing bowl, beat eggs until light and foamy.  Add sugar and beat until pale, add oil slowly and beat another minute. Sift together flour, spices, salt and soda.  Add to eggs alternately with buttermilk, beating well after each addition.  Stir in figs, nuts and vanilla. Pour into prepared pan and place in a preheated oven.  Bake for 45 minutes or until cake tests done with a toothpick.  Cool in pan for 20 minutes then invert onto a rack and cool completely.  Transfer to a serving plate and enjoy!

Fish Printing Fun!

Also this week at the OPS Museum, David Scott and Melinda Esham directed a fantastic fish printing session.  Here are some photos.  




 
 
 
 
 
 
     

 That's about all we have for this post. If you are traveling to Ocracoke Island, come by for a show at Deepwater Theater.  Wednesday nights are the Ocrafolk Opry and Thursday nights, Molasses Creek.  Our next shows off the island are on August 18th in Washington & Greenville, NC.  Here are the details!

August 18 ~ Harmony on the Harbor, Washington, NC 1-3 PM, Greenville, NC
August 18 ~ Greenville Sunday in the Park (w/ the Green Grass Cloggers!), 7 PM, Greenville, NC