(Music plays) A lot of people would argue that there's nothing more American than apple pie.

Well, in the south we like our apple pie fried.

Shocker, I know.

(Theme music plays- The Avett Brothers "Will You Return") I'm Vivian and I'm a chef.

My husband, Ben and I were working for some of the best chefs in New York City when my parents offered to help us open our own restaurant.

Of course, there was a catch.

We had to open this restaurant in Eastern North Carolina, where I grew up and said I would never return.

(theme music) (theme music) So this is my life.

Raising twins, living in the house I grew up in, and exploring the south, one ingredient at a time.

Previously on A Chef's Life.

We have been planning this huge lunch for the Southern Foodways Symposium in Oxford, Mississippi.

In my mind I had built this up to be this moment where I prove to the chef world that I am worthy and the fear that my butter beans would not make it to the plate was terrifying.

We're so happy to welcome Vivian Howard.

(Applause) (Music plays) (Mixer mixing) So today is really my first day back in the kitchen after my long absence.

In addition, while I was gone the seasons changed and it's just very difficult coming in after not being here and trying to make several menu changes in a day.

It's difficult for me.

It's not fair to them but it's what's happening.

(Music plays) Kim's making a triple-decker...blah blah.

Kim's making a triple-decker apple pie and it's inspired by a recipe from Edna Lewis's The Taste of Country Cooking.

She's been a huge influence on our food here.

(Vacuum sealing) When we first made this pie we could never get the crust right because we were just using lard from the grery store and this year we started rendering our own lard from the pigs that we get and it has improved the crust tremendously.

(Vacuum sealing) For years I just got up in the morning, came to work, worked all day, went home, went to bed, and came to work the next day.

And now I have all these cool opportunities.

Things that take me outside of my community and outside of that daily grind.

I'm getting ready to do a cooking demo at the International Home and Houseware Show in Chicago.

But now as I'm preparing for it and after I know I'm cooking after Ming Tsai and before Rick Bayless, I'm really nervous.

Because we are always....

So because a few years ago we were you know, we were always putting grits...sorry.

Because a few years ago (laughs) we were always like stirring something into grits or pairing grits with something we decided to make an entire section of the menu called Pimp My Grits.

The way that I kind of came up with this dish was grits, fried apples, and country ham for breakfast in Appalachia.

But the other element here is this white cheddar.

Oh my god!

Sorry.

I've only gone 17 minutes.

I....don't know what I can do.

It's just not that simple.

I sent in a much more complex recipe and she responded by saying it was too complex and I'd never be able to finish it in 35 minutes.

Now this is too simple.

I feel like these days as soon as I get home from one trip I start thinking about prepping up for another.

Being away from my family, away from my restaurant, and away from my new house is really starting to wear on me.

They feel a little...

They might be cooked a little more than I wanted.

I think they are okay.

I think you're going to have a hard time cooking them less than that.

It's hot.

So you got the white cheddar on top and then the glazed apples, country ham....

I love it.

I think it's really good.

Okay.

We'll make one for the staff at 5 o'clock.

Okay.

Awesome.

Yay!

Apples are one of those rare fruits that work equally well in both savory and sweet applications.

I think it's because their texture's so nice.

They're crunchy when raw and soft and subtle after they've been cooked.

(Cars driving by) For years I've been hearing about this heirloom apple guy who lives several hours west of here.

Lee Calhoun is the world's foremost expert on old timey southern apples.

I'm going to talk to him in hopes of learning quite a bit on the subject.

But also, I want to get a few apple trees for my naked yard.

(Music plays) How are you?

I'm Vivian.

-Do you want me to call you Lee?

-Sure.

My parents wouldn't approve of that so...Lee.

That's my handle.

(Laughter) How did you get into like, this type of apple?

Started growing a few apple trees as a hobby and you got to track 'em down.

I mean they're out IN very remote places, really old trees that are dying.

All of these antique apples somebody grew the first tree from a seed.

So I knew enough to know that if I could find an old tree I could take a twig off of it and graft it and make myself a tree.

So I just got in the car and started driving around and looking for old trees.

Sometimes an elderly man or elderly gentlemen would come to the door and I'd say what kind of tree is that out in the pasture?

And he'd say that's an Early Harvest apple that my dad planted in 1910.

So if he put a name to it I'd get a twig take it home and graft it and make myself a tree.

So I can imagine that it became like an all consuming passion of yours driving...

I can envision you driving around the south looking for these old apple trees.

I did.

Well, Edith and I together, my late wife.

We went as far as West Virginia and as far south as Alabama.

Could you show me possibly how you would graft an apple tree?

Yeah, sure.

You have a root, an apple root that you insert a twig into.

The twig and the root grow together and the root pumps water and nutrients up to the twig.

It sends out a chute and that chute becomes a new apple tree.

And because the new apple tree comes 100 percent from the twig whatever the twig is, that's what the new tree will be.

There's nothing to do with the root?

The root is just a pump but you split the root, you sharpen the twig, and you insert the twig in the root.

-See how the... -Uh huh.

Then you tie them together.

Then one of these buds on the twig will grow up to be the new tree.

(Music plays) There's a lot of southern history wrapping around these old apples.

There are several apples here that were originally made by slaves.

Now to me that's part of southern history and it's well worth remembering.

Southerners, all the way down almost to the Florida line have grown apples for hundreds of years on their farm to feed their farm families.

We used to have this... it was a barbecue restaurant but they had other things.

They had this uhh, it was called an Apple Jack.

Yeah the filling is dried apples.

It looks like a half moon.

Right.

So a lot of these apples are meant for drying?

Oh absolutely.

And to dry the apples do you peel them?

Not necessarily.

You core them and slice them horizontally into rings.

And dry them in the sun or?

Yes, usually on a tin roof.

I'm asking all these questions because I want to get some apples today to dry.

Sure sure.

And um, I'm obviously not gonna be able to put them on my tin roof.

(Laughter) Although I do have a metal roof.

(Laughter) Thank you very very much.

I enjoyed every minute of it.

I really did.

(Music plays) Apples are an interesting ingredient because they come at such a crucial time.

Things like watermelons, blueberries, and peaches are gone.

And you're looking for something to kind of bridge that gap between late summer and early fall and apples do just that.

So, we've got grits with white cheddar, stewed apples, and crisp country ham bits.

Cheddar and apple is a classic combination so we've got this sweet and salty and funky combination all in this grit.

The other thing is Jason, if you can talk about implementing this at the bar, we are going to have a ton of apple cores.

So, if you want to do some infused liquors... Or anything with those cores.

That's a great way to do it.

I want y'all to give it a shot.

(Music plays) Hey, how are y'all?

What are you having, Mom?

I'm having your chicken and rice.

Okay (laughs).

Don't critique it too hard now.

-What?

-My chicken and rice.

Oh (laughs).

What's that for?

Pork chop.

Okay, I'm just...

I mean I haven't been here in like three weeks.

I think that, you know we can definitely tell when Vivian is not here.

It's...It's always good to see Vivian in the kitchen again (laughs).

Is there anyway I can have this look like remotely like it's supposed to?

That's over.

That's what I'm saying.

You got to have some sense of like, what is right.

Is there anymore of this?

Okay, the rest of the food is at the table, guys.

Oh my god!

You're kidding me!

That's a fundamental element of the dish so if we are not talking about that we're not... we're not communicating.

Alright, are you bringing me a ribeye?

I got to get something out.

They're not going to be happy with that.

Please check and see.

I'm so sorry.

As I anticipated my first night back sucks.

I know everybody is working hard and doing their best but if I want things to be the way I want them to be I'm going to have to be here more, obviously.

We've sent out some really sloppy food that I'm not proud of and very disappointed.

(Music plays) So, I'm going to attempt to dry some apples outside.

So, I grew up here in Deep Run and we had this restaurant called the B and S Cafe.

My mom always called it the B and S Calf.

Even as a child that bothered me.

Um, because I knew French people would not call it the B and S Calf.

And what I remember most about this place was their Apple Jacks.

When you walked in the front door they had a little platter with these apple turnover fried pies that had paper wrapped around them and the paper was like greasy with pork fat.

So, I'm going to learn from the owner of the B and S how to make these Apple Jacks.

She told me I was going to need some dried apples.

So I got my black twigs from Lee Calhoun.

Whoops, this might be harder than I thought.

And we're going to dry a few of them per his instructions.

He said to core them and then slice them and hang them to dry.

So I'm going to take this mandolin, which we use all the time in the restaurant and I think it's a great tool.

People are scared to death of it because it can really cut you.

So you need to be super careful.

Make sure your hands are dry.

My hands aren't but I'm an expert.

I'm just gonna slicing it into rings.

Oh my god!

I just cut myself.

(Laughter) I just called myself an expert then cut myself.

That's so embarrassing.

-Ben!

-Yeah?

Do we have any band aids?

I feel like a dumb ass.

What'd you do?

Like this?

Yeah I was talking.

Talking about how great I was and then I cut myself.

So embarrassing (laughs).

Okay.

Back to it.

(Music plays) I have this metal rod that I lined with some plastic wrap.

I'm gonna slide my rings on here and we're going to put this outside and let it dry.

Lee said for three days.

For years, I mean ever since we opened Chef and The Farmer I've been trying to recreate this B and S Apple Jack.

And I just have not been quite able to get it.

So the other day my dad says Clara Barwick lives right down the street from you and she used to own the B and S. So I called her and thank god she's willing to show me the secrets of the Apple Jack.

Hey Mrs. Barwick.

Hello Vivian.

Let me give you a hug.

Okay.

I just want to say thank you for doing this today.

We were at the restaurant and this woman was eating.

We have this triple-decker apple pie.

She said this reminds me of the Apple Jack at the B and S Cafe.

For me, that was such a huge compliment Thank you.

So, we're going to make these apple pies and I dried some apples.

Does that look about right?

And we need to cook 'em.

Okay.

Just dump 'em in there.

It doesn't take much water.

Water comes out of the apples.

In the meantime you want us to make the dough?

-Yes, that sounds great.

-Okay.

Oh my lord!

I just saw all your salt and pepper shakers.

(laughs) That is wild.

So I've got over 900 sets.

I've got all the states in the United States.

Wow, that is amazing.

Okay I'm gonna dump it in here.

Okay.

You're not going to measure or anything?

I don't.

Okay.

Let's take the sugar and sugar the apples.

You want me to put sugar in the pot?

Uh huh.

I put about half of that.

Okay.

We tried making apple jacks at Chef and the Farmer several years ago based on your apple jacks from the B and S Cafe and they were never right.

There were two things that we were doing wrong.

We were using fresh apples for one and also we didn't use any lard in our crusts.

I don't measure this either.

I just do that.

Okay.

Put it in there and I get my water and I might use all the flour.

If I do I just get out some more.

(Music plays) So it's still pretty soft.

Uh huh but I'm gonna take it out now.

I'm gonna spread some of this flour.

(Music plays) So, y'all would make apple jacks in the morning or?

We'd make 'em every Friday and Saturday morning.

It's a lot of handmade work that went into it but I didn't cost more than like a dollar fifty.

Oh we never charged a dollar and a half for an apple jack.

We never charged over a dollar.

I don't know what they would cost now?

Oh, I can tell you if I make this at Chef and the Farmer it would be about eight dollars and fifty cents.

Well it would be worth it.

(Laughter) Alright Mrs. Barwick, can we roll some out together?

Yes you may.

(Music plays) I'm gonna redeem myself today Mrs. Barwick.

Several months ago we made butterlk biscuits with a woman who is a buttermilk biscuit expert and I tried to do it myself and I.. it was a catastrophe.

So, I'm here to show everyone that I can do this.

A lot of this takes experience.

It does.

And I could see the way that you were handling the dough and you know, it's feel and experience.

I don't have that.

See you're making yours prettier than I did now.

Well, like I said, I'm going to redeem myself today.

(Laughter) Come and look at these Mrs. Barwick.

-Taste them first and see.

-I would love to.

It's great.

Okay.

(Music plays) I'm surprised by how little apple you put in there.

I always want more more more.

(Laughter) See, that's the way it does it.

That way, that's not going to pop open.

It's gonna fry beautifully.

It will.

So, is this a special fork you got here?

I like the three prong fork.

(Music playing) It's your clock.

Every hour.

-Even all night long?

-Nope.

It's light activated.

(Music playing) That's so good.

Is it really?

What I love about this is that the crust is so crispy and um, thin and it's not doughy at all and I love it.

I am so glad.

Thank you so much Mrs. Barwick... You're welcome.

-For doing this.

-I've enjoyed it.

You were wonderful.

I was a little bit anxious about it but I have thoroughly enjoyed it.

(Music plays) I'm working on the filling for my apple jacks.

We're going to put this on the menu at the Boiler Room and I think it will work great over there because we can make them in mass.

We can make a big batch at the beginning of the week and put them in the freezer.

The only issue is these dried apples are a lot different than the ones Mrs. Barwick used so I'm hoping I can make them a lot better.

I've chopped them up.

I want this to be almost exactly what I ate at the B and S a million years ago and I am going to use some cider in some of the place of the water.

Someone told me a long time ago, never add water because you could be adding something that will add flavor.

I'm also gonna add sugar and some water because if I added all apple cider it would be overwhelmingly sweet.

And although Mrs. Barwick didn't add lemon zest I'm going to because I love the combination of lemon and apple so sorry Mrs. Barwick.

I gotta do it.

(Music plays) Kim, you wanna look at this?

It will eventually be yours.

How do you feel about adding another dessert to the repertoire over there?

We could try it.

So that's like four cups of flour and about two thirds cup lard.

We're gonna add hot water to it.

Do you mind if I feel that?

Yeah.

So far the Boiler Room has been a good thing for our business.

One of the toughest things has just been the fact that we do a lot of the heavy prep for the Boiler Room over here.

I'm saying we like I have some part in it.

We is...that's her French name.

We're still trying to figure out how to make that work.

It's working for the Boiler Room.

We need to figure out how to make it work for Chef and the Farmer.

Okay, so see how it's absorbed all the liquid?

Is that how big they're going to be in the dough?

These apples are not ideal.

They should be like, thinner... Thinner.

(Music plays) So, I'm gonna cut this little circle and we're going to roll it a little further, a little thinner.

And she fried them in lard.

I was going to ask you that but how would they be able to do that?

They won't be able to do that in the Boiler Room.

But will you see if the lard fryer is on up front and we can fry some he?

So, we want these to look really rustic.

Can't wait to try it.

You want me to go drop one?

Let's drop two.

(Music plays) Alright, they're ready Kim.

Do you have the rosemary sugar?

Yes, rosemary sugar and a little sprinkle of salt.

Just be careful when tossing it because of all these little edges.

Do you think they can be gentle with that?

You know it's a bunch of men over there.

(Laughter) Shut it down.

It's so good, isn't it?

Just shut it down right now.

I think it would be better to do it here than at the Boiler Room.

Yeah because you can control it.

I think it's the lard that's really making it too.

I just think they'll careless over there.

Heil Kim!

(Laughter) (Music plays) Given the amount of time it takes to roll out each little apple jack it will be a challenge to implement serving them at the Boiler Room, but they're so good and so evocative of a time and place here that I'm really gonna try and make it happen.

Okay, so what these are, are a reiteration of something I grew up eating called Apple Jacks.

The idea is we will do a certain number.

Y'all can sell them until they're gone.

And people get excited about it like they need to get here by a certain time to have one of these.

Because I really think it is that good.

It is.

Awesome.

Thank y'all.

-Thank you.

-Thank you.

(Music plays) We're gonna go plant an apple tree.

Ohh.

So right there.

That's the graft.

I got wet!

(Flo crying) What happened honey?

I got wet.

I got wet.

You did get wet.

It's okay.

I'm sorry.

It's okay.

You didn't get that wet.

(Flo crying) -You're okay.

-You're okay.

Theodore!

What are you doin'?!

-That was not nice.

-Not nice.

-Say I'm sorry.

-I sorry.

Say I'm sorry Flo.

I sorry.

I sorry Flo.

Go give Flo a kiss.

I'm digging a hole.

I'm gonna be shocked if this thing lives.

It will be shocked too.

Laughter (Music plays) For more information on A Chef's Life visit PBS.org/food A Chef's Life is available on DVD.

To order visit PBS.org or call us at 1-800-PLAY-PBS