Staycation. noun: a vacation spent at home or near home, doing enjoyable activities or visiting local attractions. (definition courtesy of dictionary.com)
We should all think about taking a staycation every now and then. Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love to travel, and for me, the research and planning that goes into a trip is exhilarating. But then there are those pesky problems – money and time.
I feel very fortunate to live in a place with a plethora of cool, reasonably priced things to do and see, all within a short drive. There’s very good reason that millions of people visit Nashville and the surrounding areas every year! I’m not just talking about the major tourist attractions that immediately pop into most people’s minds, I’m also talking about the little-known gems just waiting to be discovered.
Recently I found one of those gems in downtown Franklin. As you may have guessed, my vacations revolve around food, no matter what city I’m visiting. So when I play hometown tourist, that doesn’t change. This new discovery of mine needs to go on every food lover’s Nashville staycation to-do list (or vacation to-do list if you’re reading this from afar).
Chapman’s Pie Wagon II sits beside Landmark Booksellers at 114 E. Main Street
Margie Thessin, owner of Franklin on Foot, a company specializing in historical tours of downtown Franklin, recently added something new to her list of offerings, and I’m more than a little excited about it.
The Franklin Food Tour, a five-block walking tour, visits six eateries that serve up dishes reflecting the restaurant’s taste and the theme of the tour, Southern food. Margie says she chose Southern food for “obvious reasons, but also because Southern food is such a broad category these days. It’s come so far beyond the meat ‘n three concept — not that I don’t love good ole comfort food!– and involves foods that are not typically thought of as Southern, such as oysters. Amazingly, people have been eating oysters in the South since way before refrigeration.”
Those oysters are just one small part of the sampler plate guests get at Puckett’s Boat House, Franklin’s newest eatery. In addition, they’ll likely feast on catfish ceviche, hushpuppies, and onion rings with a side of crazy good remoulade for dipping.
Throughout the tour, Margie gives a little background and history on all of the dishes sampled. “What says South more than hush puppies? It’s just another way to prepare cornmeal, traditionally corn being the main starch grown and eaten in the South. And that delicious corn cake at Chapman’s….”
Ah yes, that delicious corn cake. I certainly won’t forget that little piece of heaven any time soon.
Chapman’s Pie Wagon II is actually the meeting point for the tour and where the eating begins. A fresh, seasonal salad is always on the menu at this first stop, easing guests into the dining experience. On the day I stopped by, I was greeted by the friendly owners, Gwen and Dan Perkins, and presented with an amazing peach, snow crab and avocado salad served on a mozzarella corn cake.
While the menu is not necessarily the same for each tour, along the way, you might encounter sweet tea and pimento cheese at Franklin Mercantile, BBQ sliders and fried green tomatoes at Puckett’s Gro. & Restaurant, or authentic gumbo at Papa Boudreaux‘s.
And one thing you can count on for certain is that the tour will always end on a sweet note at Merridee’s Breadbasket. If you’re lucky, you’ll get a slice of my personal favorite, their exquisite chess pie. As you can see, no matter what shows up on that day’s menu, you are sure to leave with a full belly!
Chapman’s Pie Wagon II – Fresh Peach and Snow Crab Salad with Avocado and Peach Puree
Whether you’re truly a visitor to the Nashville area, or playing hometown tourist like I often do, this tour is the way to go. Franklin Food Tours are the third Saturday of every month, from 2-5 p.m., with the next one being this Saturday, July 21st.
The cost is $45/person and works with groups of six to 20 people. Advance reservations and payment are required. For more information, visit www.franklinonfoot.com or call 615-400-3808.
This post also appeared in The Tennessean, where I have a monthly feature in the Taste section!
Puckett’s Boat House – onion rings, fried oysters, catfish ceviche, hush puppies
~Contest Closed~
And the winner is….
#14 – Leslie!
Win 2 Spots on the August Franklin on Foot Food Tour
How would you like to experience all this Southern eatin’ for free?! One reader will win two food tour passes for them + a friend to be used for the August 15th tour.
All you have to do to enter is leave a comment below telling me what your favorite Southern food is!
That part is mandatory, but for up to 2 bonus entries, you can do the following. Note: You must leave a separate comment for each optional entry.
2. Follow me on Twitter (@betheats) and tweet “Win 2 spots for @FranklinonFoot‘s Food Tour from @betheats! http://bit.ly/NpgzeT” and then leave a comment letting me know that you have done so.
3. “Like” Franklin on Foot on Facebook, and leave a comment telling me you did so.
Contest ends on Sunday, July 22nd at Noon CDT. Once the winner is chosen, I’ll contact them via email and post it here on the blog. If the winner doesn’t respond within 48 hours, I’ll be forced to choose another, so be sure to check your email!
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Sara — July 18, 2012 @ 8:28 am
I “liked” FOF on facebook :)
Sara — July 18, 2012 @ 8:34 am
The thing I miss the most when I’m not living in the South is good sweet tea but that’s not a food so I guess I’d say cornmeal breaded pan-fried catfish!
Ginny S. — July 18, 2012 @ 8:38 am
Thanks Beth! What a great giveaway and you always open my eyes to new and exciting culinary adventures around Nashville. I liked Franklin On Foot on Facebook (that’s a mouthful) and my favorite Southern food is either peach cobbler or hoecakes!
Allyn — July 18, 2012 @ 8:51 am
This is so fun! We live in Franklin and are doing a (mostly-2 nights in Atlanta) staycation next week! I’ve never been to Chapman’s, but it’ll have to go on the list.
Liana — July 18, 2012 @ 8:53 am
I liked Franklin on foot on Facebook and tweeted @betheats! My favorite southern food would be some homemade biscuits!
Amanda Sims — July 18, 2012 @ 8:55 am
I LOVE Fried Green Tomatoes! I cannot get enough of them in the summer.
Beth replied: — July 21st, 2012 @ 8:22 am
Same here!
Dani Cox — July 18, 2012 @ 9:05 am
I love the idea of a staycation! Franklin has so much history and fun stuff to offer you don’t even need to go out of town to have a great time. My favorite southern food is collard greens with hot sauce or hash brown casserole from The Country Boy Restaurant in Leipers Fork!
Chrisi Ethridge — July 18, 2012 @ 9:08 am
My favorite southern food is fried cornbread. I’d never had it before moving to KY, and my mother-in-law makes the BEST! Another benefit of marrying her son ;-)
Gay Ledford — July 18, 2012 @ 9:10 am
Loved your article – sounds like a wonderful outing for a group of sisters to take on a weedend outing!! I will have to share this with them. It’s hard to pick my favorite southern food since like you I enjoy so many of them. But if I had to choose it would be fresh sweet corn straight from the garden!!! served with greenbean/new potatoes and fresh tomatoes!!! Now I’m hungry!!1
Beth replied: — July 21st, 2012 @ 8:22 am
Thanks Aunt Gay! Would love for you all to come down and do this tour some time… I would definitely go with you!
Chrisi Ethridge — July 18, 2012 @ 9:10 am
For my second comment, I’ll share my husband’s favorite southern food – a big ole helping of crab/shrimp boil. We love to prepare it with friends while visiting the gulf coast each summer. Nothing beats fresh seafood!
Amanda Sims — July 18, 2012 @ 9:15 am
I followed you on Twitter!
Leslie — July 18, 2012 @ 9:15 am
My favorite Southern food is fried chicken. :)
Amanda Sims — July 18, 2012 @ 9:16 am
I ‘liked’ Franklin on Foot via FB! I really would love to take this tour.
Leslie — July 18, 2012 @ 9:16 am
Tweeted.
https://twitter.com/LouEffie/status/225594883040227328
Leslie — July 18, 2012 @ 9:17 am
Liked FOF.
Sarah Goodin — July 18, 2012 @ 10:31 am
I would have to say pintos and cornbread is my favorite Southern food!
David Henley — July 18, 2012 @ 10:48 am
My favorite southern food is collared greens with pork
David Henley — July 18, 2012 @ 10:49 am
Liked Franklin on Foot on Facebook
Kendra — July 18, 2012 @ 10:51 am
Tweeted!
https://twitter.com/kendrapurnell/status/225618093878165504
Kendra — July 18, 2012 @ 10:52 am
Sweet Tea is my favorite Southern food!
Brady — July 18, 2012 @ 11:06 am
I love Southern Fried Chicken (as well as any other kind of Fried Chicken.) My favorite dish in the south since I moved here would have to be Squash Casserole. I can’t get enough of it. I especially love the one at Arnold’s.
Beth replied: — July 21st, 2012 @ 8:21 am
Same here. LOVE squash casserole!
Brady — July 18, 2012 @ 11:06 am
I re-tweeted.
Brady — July 18, 2012 @ 11:06 am
And I liked on facebook.
Rachel — July 18, 2012 @ 11:24 am
who can pass up some good ol’ southern creamed corn?!
SarahD — July 18, 2012 @ 12:03 pm
My favorite is pulled pork bar-b-que.
SarahD — July 18, 2012 @ 12:03 pm
Re-Tweeted as well.
SarahD — July 18, 2012 @ 12:04 pm
Liked Franklin on Foot on Facebook.
Kristen — July 18, 2012 @ 12:44 pm
Nothing beats my daddy’s fried green tomatoes!
Julie Berry — July 18, 2012 @ 1:04 pm
Fried green tomatoes with yummy sauce.
Beth replied: — July 21st, 2012 @ 8:19 am
Yes, yes, and yes. Fried green tomatoes are a weakness of mine. Did you happen to see this post I did last summer about F.Scott’s? Was one of the best fried green tomato preparations I’ve ever had! http://www.eat-drink-smile.com/2011/06/f-scotts-nine-dine.html
Julie Berry — July 18, 2012 @ 1:04 pm
Following you on Twitter and tweeted.
Shelia M. Voss — July 18, 2012 @ 1:55 pm
My favorite Southern food is Pecan Pie! Growing up, we had 10 acrea of pwcan orchards. My Dad & I planted that orchard when I was 10. Pecans were always plentiful, so pies were abundant! Now I even make minature Pecan Cups… Same great Southern taste, just more portable!!! And easy to take to my friends & share; that IS the Southern way to cook, right!
Rachel — July 18, 2012 @ 2:00 pm
How to pick just one? Southern style veggies – cream corn, okra & tomatoes, squash casserole, fried green tomatoes….they all are favorites in my book :)
Jill — July 18, 2012 @ 2:19 pm
My favorite food is fried okra. It makes me think of my family.
Jill — July 18, 2012 @ 2:20 pm
I liked Franklin on Foot on facebook.
Dolly Kelly — July 18, 2012 @ 2:36 pm
My granddaddy got me hooked on cornbread and buttermilk; you crumble the cornbread into a tall glass, pour buttermilk on top, and eat with a spoon. Not for everyone’s taste and not usually found on a menu, but I love it. And it is def southern.
Dolly Kelly — July 18, 2012 @ 2:38 pm
I liked Franklin on Foot on facebook.
Hedy — July 18, 2012 @ 6:06 pm
Thanks for letting me know about this gem in our own town!
Hedy — July 18, 2012 @ 6:14 pm
I liked Franklin on Foot
Bethany — July 18, 2012 @ 7:53 pm
My favorite Southern food is banana pudding. My husband and I served it as the “groom’s cake” when we got married.
missie cartwright — July 18, 2012 @ 8:21 pm
It would have to be white beans with onions and fried okra & corn and of course fried potatoes! Thank you!
j3nn — July 19, 2012 @ 12:17 am
That Boat House sampling basket looks fabulous! It has some out-of-the-ordinary appetizers. I dig it! And love the array of fresh avocado. Yum.
Mandy — July 19, 2012 @ 7:10 am
My favorite southern food by far is buttermilk pie. I used to sit down as a kid at my grandma’s and eat it straight out of the pie plate watching Saturday morning cartoons. Yummy!
Mandy — July 19, 2012 @ 7:11 am
Like FOF on Facebook
Michelle — July 19, 2012 @ 11:47 am
I love the southern “soul-food” version of turnip greens. Cooked for 11 hours. lol. You must put in ham hocks.
Michelle — July 19, 2012 @ 11:54 am
I sent the tweet and I follow you too.
ashleynashville3 — July 19, 2012 @ 12:32 pm
Fried Okra! For sure!
Lannae — July 19, 2012 @ 2:48 pm
Dang Girl, I will be working out of town that week (I work out of town a lot)… also the week of my birthday. I will miss this walking tour, but it sounds so fun! Have your winner think of me while I am out of town!
Beth replied: — July 21st, 2012 @ 8:17 am
Hey Lannae, if you win (I’ll count this as your entry), you can use it for another future walking tour since you won’t be in town on that date! :-)
Jenny — July 19, 2012 @ 6:21 pm
My favorite has always been cornbread, soaked in black eyed peas and collard greens :)
Jenny — July 19, 2012 @ 6:22 pm
I also liked Franklin on Foot on Facebook…
Katie — July 20, 2012 @ 11:04 pm
Yum! I’ll always be partial to bowl of shrimp and creamy grits, extra cheesy.
Beth replied: — July 21st, 2012 @ 8:16 am
Oh yeah, you’re speaking my language Katie!
Guso de Obaldia — July 21, 2012 @ 3:32 am
One of my favorites was from 55 South. Carl Schultheis made a banana fosters desert that was to die for. It wasn’t part of the menu, but I had asked him in advance to make it for my sister for her birthday. Great times!
Beth replied: — July 21st, 2012 @ 8:16 am
Was it a bananas foster bread pudding? I’ve had that there a couple of times (but it’s been a long time- TOO long!) and it was amazing!
Guso de Obaldia — July 21, 2012 @ 3:32 am
I have also submitted a twitter link.
Jenny J — July 21, 2012 @ 11:35 am
Next time you have a good, hot piece of cornbread, try breaking it up into a glass and drowning it with buttermilk. Grab a spoon and go to town! I learned that from my grandfather who grew up eating it that way in the mountains of West Virginia.
Dana Beth — July 21, 2012 @ 1:53 pm
fried green tomatoes. or is it fried okra? or cornbread? or maybe its Country ham & biscuits.
ummm all of the above
Dana Beth — July 21, 2012 @ 1:54 pm
and i liked FoF on facebook
Ben — July 21, 2012 @ 3:21 pm
I enjoy fried oreos at a fair.
Gayle — July 21, 2012 @ 4:07 pm
My favorite Southern food is fried catfish!
Gayle — July 21, 2012 @ 4:08 pm
I “liked” Franklin On Foot.
Wallace — July 21, 2012 @ 9:54 pm
It is tough to pick just one, but I think fried chicken wins narrowly over mac ‘n cheese, biscuits, creamed corn, chess pie, etc….
Emily — July 22, 2012 @ 8:52 am
I don’t know of it’s Southern, per se, but all my family is from West Point, Georgia going back to the Civil War, and we have this great family recipe for Beer Bread. It’s a must whenever we all get together. (Also, I love friend green tomatoes and -my 7 year old self would be very mad for saying this, but- fried okra.)
Emily — July 22, 2012 @ 8:53 am
Also, I tweeted to you and “liked” FOF. :-)
Shelley DeLaCruz — July 22, 2012 @ 9:23 am
I love fried chicken and fried green tomatoes. Do we see a similarity between the two? Ha! :-)
Shelley DeLaCruz — July 22, 2012 @ 9:23 am
I also liked on Facebook!!!
Natalie — July 22, 2012 @ 10:10 am
Liked FOF on Facebook! My favorite is fried chicken or some southern BBQ
Janice — July 22, 2012 @ 10:44 am
My favorite souther food would be squash cassarole
Janice — July 22, 2012 @ 10:46 am
I have liked Franklin on Foot on Facebook