Hello from Mark Twain National Forest!

[Ozark Wizard]

Greetings and felicitations!

I would like to finally introduce myself after being a forum "voyeur" for some time now. It is my wish that there may be someone here that may enjoy my input on some of the topics I have seen. I have been enjoying my semi-retirement on the Ozark Plateau, Finding interesting hardwoods and setting free some interesting pipes, figures and boxes, and letting seasons pass. Of late I have been playing with blending tobaccos, curing, casing and occasionally topping some pretty tasty treats, hoping to grow some varieties next year.

Hello again, and thanks for allowing me to join the Brothers of Briar!

 

[Brewdude]

Great intro Mr Wizard. I'm interested to see what you've "set free" from the hardwoods. Craftsmen (and women) who dabble in such idioms always fascinate me. And do tell us about your blending/curing/casing experiences.

And welcome to BoB. Great place to be.


Cheers,

RR

 

[Hermit]

Welcome to BoB.

 

[scotties22]

Welcome! Where are you from? I grew up not too far from Fort Leonard Wood

 

[Old Nate]

Ozark, welcometo the brotherhood!

 

[DrT999]

Welcome to BoB! I'm sure we'll enjoy hearing from you and seeing your work

"T"

 

[d4klutz]

welcome to the BoB forums! glad to have you here. I look forward to reading your input.

 

[Hiram-2011]

Welcome aboard.

 

[Briar Spirit]

Welcome to BoB, I am looking forward to reading about our home mixing/blending and your home casing/toppings, I dabble every once in a while with home blends/mixes myself, nothing too extravagant I might add but I have an interest in it, home topping/casing interests me immensely so I am really looking forward to reading about your experiences on that subject. :cheers: :sunny:

 

[DrumsAndBeer]

Welcome aboard.

 

[RobJ]

Welcome Ozark Wizard!

 

[Stick]

Welcome to the Brethren Ozark! Great to have you along and look forward to sharing a bowl...

 

[Ozark Wizard]

Here's a recipe for something I call "Grandpa's Sweater" ( Most likely because it gives me that warm childhood memory of sitting with GB and helping him with the fires)

I measure parts by volume, not weight in my blends, as I have found that weights vary according to moisture content and are not always as consistent as volume. Maybe just my opinion, but it seems that I have noticed variations in even the Big Boy's blends, probably due to weights not always being a good standard of measurement for leaf....

3 parts stoved Virginia
3 parts air cured burley
2 parts black Cavendish, uncased
1 part light Cavendish, cased with honey and vanilla
1 part Cyprian latakia
1 part green river burley turned to perique (Home recipe)

I then wrap in wax paper and lightly press/stuff into a cylinder about an inch and a quarter inner diameter for 6 weeks. Not a heavy press, but very tight. After 6 weeks I have to plunge it out with a dowel, and it looks like rope. It cuts into medallions, or can be rubbed out like a crumble cake. The taste is not aromatic, but sweeter than English. The Perique gives a dried fruit taste, like a hint of plum. The honey and vanilla eases the latakia from a campfire to a apple wood smoker sensation.

Thus, Grandpa's sweater, the smell of the fire, autumn leaves, grandma baking something yummy..

Oh, the nicotine. Yah, it's there, good to sit with this one at first, at least until you get the feel..

The bulk of the tobaccos I deal with myself, the exceptions are the latakia and the perique, they are blenders from pipes and cigars.com. The reset are homegrown and prepared.

Good Schnitzel!!

 

[Briar Spirit]

1 part green river burley turned to perique (Home recipe)

If you ever feel inclined to share with us I'd love to learn more about this. :sunny:

 

[Ozark Wizard]

Welcome!  Where are you from?  I grew up not too far from Fort Leonard Wood

Scotties22, where I come from is a long thin thread, across an endless ocean, down a river of red... Where I am is a part of Mark Twain closer to Arkansas. Ozark county...

 

[scotties22]

Welcome!  Where are you from?  I grew up not too far from Fort Leonard Wood

Scotties22, where I come from is a long thin thread, across an endless ocean, down a river of red... Where I am is a part of Mark Twain closer to Arkansas. Ozark county...

Bit more "nothing but trees" down that way than up where I'm from, but it's beautiful country. My grandpa was raised south of Cabool, down that way somewhere.

 

[MichaelM]

Welcome Wizard :cheers:
That recipe looks like a winner. Very interesting, and I also would love to know more about you perique process.
Mike.

 

[Ozark Wizard]

Welcome Wizard :cheers:
That recipe looks like a winner.  Very interesting, and I also would love to know more about you perique process.
Mike.

Seems to be my favorite in my rotation. Just put some more in the "press" last week, it will be pulled just before Christmas. I'm moving pretty quickly through my 9/11 batch, (my enthusiasm has increased my consumption rate) alas.

I'll get around to digitizing the Perique recipe, it's in an old family ledger book in rather rough cursive handwriting.... Easy enough to make though

 

[Natch]

A bit late, but welcome from the Arkansas side of the border. I paddle your streams most every late summer (when the Buffalo, Illinois, Cassatat and other Ozark creeks down in the Boston Mountains or Ouachitas run too low to paddle). Jacks Fork, Eleven Point and several smaller streams up in your NF have more constant springs to keep them up year round.

Natch

 

[Ozark Wizard]

A bit late, but welcome from the Arkansas side of the border.  I paddle your streams most every late summer (when the Buffalo, Illinois, Cassatat and other Ozark creeks down in the Boston Mountains or Ouachitas run too low to paddle).  Jacks Fork, Eleven Point and several smaller streams up in your NF have more constant springs to keep them up year round.

Natch

Well Hello, neighbor!

Nice to hear from someone in this neck of the woods. Keep trying to get some fishing done, but the animals keep me pretty busy.... Here the bass will be running soon, hoping for a shot at them...

I'm out by Gladetop, In Mark Twain National Forest. I can see Arkansas from there.. Give us a wave sometime!! Lets drown some worms or something!