Magnolias, Porches and Sweet Tea

Cracker Barrel Old Country Stores - the big surprise.

It was just another early Monday morning when the phone rang. The voice on the other end said, “May I speak with your distribution manager about purchasing some books?” I thought for a second—oh, that must be me. After all, I was the CEO of everything: author, publicist, speaker, event planner, cleaner-upper, and receptionist. “ Certainly,” I replied, “they come in cases of 12. Would you like a case?” The gentleman said,” We need 3,000 and plan to pick them up in two weeks.”

Magnolias, Porches, and Sweet Tea, published in 2013, includes the works of over 30 of Charleston’s finest artists, making it a powerful journey through the South Carolina Lowcountry. On its cover, I encouraged readers to curl up on their front porch rocker, relax with a tall glass of sweet tea, and enjoy the journey.

How did it become the featured book for Cracker Barrel Old Country Stores? There was a serendipitous encounter at Barnes & Noble on Hilton Head Island with one of the Board of Directors for Cracker Barrel, who discovered the book on their shelves.

At the time, I didn’t realize Cracker Barrel had themes for all their stores set up on a table at the front near the entrance. Their upcoming theme was all about front porches in the South - so my book was a perfect fit.

Friendly smiles, slow-simmered Chicken n’Dumplins, Fried Chicken, and Buttermilk pancakes make it a unique dining experience. And now my book. Travelers can return home with a true taste of the old South.

My memories of eating breakfast at Cracker Barrel go way back to all the times we made it our go-to place on our way to Stuart, Florida. It was just a little over an hour from our home in Beaufort, and we could arrive in time for morning coffee and pancakes dripping in maple syrup. We made the trip at least twice a year and always looked forward to a big country breakfast with all the trimmings. Did I ever think my books would be featured there? Never.

I’ve decided to make a few copies of the book available. If you are interested in ordering a copy, message me at pat@patbranning.com.

The book is hardbound, 11 1/2 x 9, 140 pages of recipes and stories, and 30 full-color images of paintings by beloved Charleston artists and fine art photography.

Published 2013.

The cover piece is an original painting by Beaufort’s well-known artist Nancy Ricker Rhett. She painted the scene from memory of a porch she had admired in Summerville, SC.

Front porches have long been a way of life in the South, a vehicle for preservation of oral history, or socialization, a way to spread the news, and perhaps a little gossip. It’s where we gather after supper to enjoy a dish of Mama’s Peach Cobbler and talk to neighbors passing by.

Our yellow lab, Charlie, would thump his tail on the wooden floor in contentment, with one eye open to keep watch for visitors.

It’s all about soft summer breezes, the scent of freshly mowed grass, the cadence of our Southern orchestra of Whippoorwills, cicadas, and bullfrogs, and someone strumming softly on an old banjo.

The front porch is the heart and soul of the South.