Ozark Epicurean

10/31/2024

Thank you Bestside Boxes & Boards for making the centerpiece for our celebration yesterday. It was truly lovely.

We honored Harlan Wayne Renner’s first birthday in heaven with family and a few close friends. We crafted some memorial garden stones, enjoyed a small cake (that his big sister helped make), and made some potted plants out of baby plants.

I wasn’t sure how I’d feel on this day, but honestly, the days (and weeks and months) leading up to it were much harder. Yesterday, I felt a sense of peace, kinship, and relief that we’ve made it through the first year of losing him.

Thanks to everyone for the notes and cards and texts, and honestly, to anyone who has been a support for us over the last year. You’re all earth angels. 😇 I’m grateful.

10/25/2024

🥂Congratulations Margie Mergelkamp Brockmeier, you’ve won the artisanal cheese trio giveaway 🧀🧀🧀 message me so we can arrange a rendezvous 🥂

To everyone who didn’t win, don’t fret 🎸
You’re still in the running for a fully-styled cheeseboard (valued $150). The only catch is, we need to hit 1000 follows by turkey day 🦃 so keep sharing the Ozark Epicurean page with your food loving friends and using to win.

Thanks so much for helping me push past that pesky 500 mark! I’m so grateful, and very excited to share what’s coming your way next.

Forks and knives 🍴
Carissa Renner

10/25/2024

Meet Mimi Cryes 😭 a 1923 silent film star, whose fame and ego get her into sticky situations with men, and whose voice was MADE for silent movies 🎥

As we find out that the murder victim had been charging Mimi an exorbitant amount of money to “handle” her paparazzi and suitors, the death of this “fixer” / bodyguard-type makes her a prime suspect.

Did she do it???

Swallowtail Farm to Table and Fireridge Farmstand, thank you for an outstanding evening! The murder mystery dinner was delightful, deceptive, and delectable.

Can’t wait to come back for more dinner clubs next season.

10/20/2024

Thanks for pushing me over the 500 followers mark 🥂 I’ll create the drawing for the mini cheese giveaway tomorrow. But in the meantime, look what came!

We are officially in business 👩‍💼

10/20/2024

Hey friends! I have a goal to double my Facebook followers by Thanksgiving for my business page, and I’m baiting you with cheese! (But, like, reallllllly good cheese).

PS - support from afar in the form of follows and likes and reviews is greatly appreciated! But you have to be local to win the cheese 🧀

https://www.facebook.com/share/caNohUYNGp1FU1Mh/?mibextid=WC7FNe

Ok friends, let’s play!

I have three tremendously well crafted cheeses in my fridge that need a new home, and 490 followers.

So, I’m doing a mini giveaway when I hit 500 followers!

But then… because I like to play big, I’m giving away a fully styled cheese board (value $150) for Thanksgiving when we DOUBLE that number and hit 1000 🙌

Here’s how to play:

1️⃣ Like and follow the Ozark Epicurean page, if you haven’t already

2️⃣ Share this post on your page or in your stories, tag three friends who love food and live locally in the Ozarks! Use hashtag so it’s easy for me to find you when I’m tallying up entries.

3️⃣ Anyone who completes steps one and two will be entered to win both the mini cheese basket, and the fully styled cheese board (but we have to hit 1000 followers by Turkey day!)

🥂Thank you to each of you who have helped me come this far this quickly! Let’s keep the momentum going, so we can have more cool events and great food here at the lake, created by locals, for locals.🥂

10/20/2024

Ok friends, let’s play!

I have three tremendously well crafted cheeses in my fridge that need a new home, and 490 followers.

So, I’m doing a mini giveaway when I hit 500 followers!

But then… because I like to play big, I’m giving away a fully styled cheese board (value $150) for Thanksgiving when we DOUBLE that number and hit 1000 🙌

Here’s how to play:

1️⃣ Like and follow the Ozark Epicurean page, if you haven’t already

2️⃣ Share this post on your page or in your stories, tag three friends who love food and live locally in the Ozarks! Use hashtag so it’s easy for me to find you when I’m tallying up entries.

3️⃣ Anyone who completes steps one and two will be entered to win both the mini cheese basket, and the fully styled cheese board (but we have to hit 1000 followers by Turkey day!)

🥂Thank you to each of you who have helped me come this far this quickly! Let’s keep the momentum going, so we can have more cool events and great food here at the lake, created by locals, for locals.🥂

10/17/2024

Cool!

Fruit of the Gods

With the weather changing and temps dropping it's time to harvest Persimmon. The Greek scientific name actually means divine and is translated as fruit of the gods.

These fruits in the wild are small but highly flavorful and packed with health benefits. The seeds can even be roasted and brewed like coffee.

We collect the seed to use it as rootstock for the 10 improved varieties that we grow on the farm. The named varieties are tennis ball sized and have few seeds. We plan to have 4 varieties available in the spring.

As fall takes hold we have only 2 sales days remaining this season. Come out to see us Sat for apple trees and fruiting shrubs. See you soon.

10/11/2024

Thank you Anna Maria, for the lovely marigolds!

Last of the cut flowers of the year going off to Ozark Epicurean for the interactive cave dinner this weekend. Tickets may still be available! Check Ozark Epicurean page for details

10/11/2024

Holy smokes! Thank you Jordan Salisbury for seeing my vision for Ozark Epicurean as clearly as I did, before it came fully into focus for the rest of the world. Your faith in me has helped me move forward toward the bigger picture, and I’m so grateful.

Y’all! 🥂

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/ZhbgFWtc4188XTt7/?mibextid=WC7FNe

10/11/2024

Beyond grateful. Thank you Lake of the Ozarks Living for taking time to highlight my little corner of the lake.

10/10/2024

One of my biggest inspirations in my cooking career has been my ride or die bestie Melissa Cipponeri, who’s coming in tomorrow to co-chef Underground Gourmet with me!

While she’s a culinary graduate with a focus on pastry, don’t sleep on her savory skills! She’s got more talent in her pinky finger thank most cooks out there.

I’ve never sat at her table and not loved what was on my plate, and her venison ragu is amongst my top 10 favorite lifetime meals.

Not only do I get to spend the weekend with my girl, but I get to serve beautiful food with her, which is how we met and became friends when we were 15 years old. And now we’re 25, so like… long time…

Annnnnd she’s bringing me a few pounds of perfect figs from 🙌

📸
🍽️ Sun and Bloom Farms

10/10/2024

I don’t know who needs to hear this but I just received 6 pounds of cheese on my doorstep.

10/08/2024

The first time Lindsey Webster-Dillon and I walked through Bridal Cave with the intention of creating a menu in mind, I knew I needed locally grown pink oyster mushrooms. Enter Amanda Navarra in my DMs. Ask, and the universe will provide. Thank you, Amanda, for your obvious time, love, and tenderness while custom growing these delicacies for our event Saturday!

Isn’t Mother Nature freaking incredible?! (PS these are photos of the actual cave, and the actual mushrooms we’ll be eating.)

09/28/2024

Still time to get to Cider Fest at FireRidge Farmstand - here ‘til 4:00.

09/25/2024

Surprise! I am popping up at Fireridge Farmstand this Saturday for Cider Fest. I’ll be selling fresh culinary herbs, finishing salts, culinary holiday gifts, unique thumbprint cookie flavors, breads, bagels, and jams from locally sourced ingredients. And whatever else I can produce in the next three days! Come visit 10-4 and make sure to save room for lunch at Swallowtail Farm to Table!

We are T-3 DAYS away from our 2nd annual CIDER FEST!!! We have been prepping, planning, and working hard to make sure this event is a BLAST!!! Don’t forget, we will be closed on Friday to get everything ready for the big day! See you soon!!

Wednesday 9-6
Thursday 9-6
Friday CLOSED
Saturday CIDER FEST 10-4

09/21/2024

Halloween Grazing Table Workshop was a spooky success! Loved meeting all the smiling faces, and I adore this feast that the girls put together! Perfection achieved. See y’all for Christmas 🎄

09/18/2024

Ok friends, tomorrow is prep day for my Halloween Grazing Table Workshop, so registration will close tonight!

09/17/2024

Just posting a little summer recap from the kitchen

09/16/2024

SPOOKY (she says in a wobbly voice)