By Ginny Masullo
TFW Contributing Writer

Past and present members of the Ozark Poets and Writers Collective board will bare all on Aug. 31 as they open themselves up to scrutiny and read from their own works and works they admire.

As usual, the event takes place at 7 p.m. in Nightbird Books at 215 W. Dickson St. in Fayetteville. An open mic will precede and follow the 40-minute feature. With readers such as Mohja Kahf, limerickman Steve Holst, Amylou Wilson, Burnetta Hinterthuer and Doug Shields, the night promises to rock ’n’ roll and be a bit unpredictable.
For example, one reader plans to cull from the works of one of OPWC’s well-known founders, the late Brenda Moossy. Moossy was known for writing revealing poems with lots of soul and straight talk.
For decades, the Ozark Mountains have attracted writers and other artists. Tapping into that rich vein, the collective was founded in 1992. Its first venue was the long gone Baker Man on Block Street. Just a few poets gathered there to share their work. The audience grew and several of the poets decided to call the group the Ozark Poetry Collective. They broadened the format to include other writers and songwriters.
Eventually, an official board formed and OPWC defined its mission to support and promote community involvement in Ozark literary arts. In the past they have featured Miller Williams, Naomi Shihab Nye, Jim Whitehead, Molly Giles and singer/songwriters Emily Kaitz and Still on the Hill — to just name a few.
OPWC readings are always free. That’s not to say folks don’t dig into their pockets when a hat is passed. Proceeds go to the featured performer (enough to pay for gas) and to fund future readings.

WINE OF THE WEEK Bruce Cochran

Hello Everyone,

Let’s talk about seafood dishes this week, something good on a warm summer evening. I’m listing some of my all-time favorite dishes and the wines that pair best with them.

Try a new wine this week!

Bruce

It’s always seemed to me there’s more variety in seafood dishes than in beef dishes.

From mussels and clams to Lobster Newberg, some are very light and delicate while others are much richer — especially those recipes that include cream and butter. Some have lemon juice, which really affects a wine’s flavor, while others do not. Here are some of my favorite seafood and wine combinations:

• Boiled shrimp with Riesling: I’ve loved this match for years, ever since as a young fellow I was introduced to it by a much more worldly couple. The Riesling should be on the dry side, but many Riesling lovers, myself among them, prefer the classic “off-dry” style. Ideally, the small amount of residual sugar in the wine is offset, almost hidden, by Riesling’s naturally tart, green apple-like acidity, which also obviates the need for lemon.

• Mussels with sauvignon blanc: Here’s another classic, especially with today’s crisp, lively, unoaked “Pacific Rim” style popularized by New Zealand sauvignon blancs. I include dishes such as cioppino here, an Italian seafood soup or stew where seafood is simmered in a tomato-based broth. For this combination I do like a little lemon juice.

• Sautéed grouper with lightly oaked chardonnay: This dish can change a lot with the sauce, but simply deglazing the pan with wine, then reducing the wine a bit is one of my favorites. Too much oak can dominate the fish, but I think a subtle touch of oak adds some complexity and body — hopefully just enough to complement this wonderful fish. This is also the style of wine I like with most seafood bisques and other cream-based soups.

And speaking of cream — and, yes, butter — I can’t resist a good Lobster Newberg. Rich in flavor and texture, for me it calls for a full-throttle, oaky, buttery chardonnay, an increasingly difficult style to find. Younger readers may not have had this classic combination yet, which means you have something to look forward to.

Another style of chardonnay, found in many Central Coast offerings, has tropical fruit notes that pair well with fruit salsas. The combination of sweet and spicy is great on swordfish.

And for us red wine lovers, it’s hard to beat tuna steaks and pinot noir, preferably one that emphasizes cherry-like fruit flavors over toasty oak and puckery tannins.

The newly released California Karma Chardonnay is made with Monterey County grapes, where cool ocean breezes help the grapes retain their crisp, tart, palate-cleansing acidity. Seventy percent unoaked, this is the style I like with sautéed grouper and seafood bisques. It retails for around $13-$14 a bottle.

Bruce Cochran has traveled to every major wine region on four continents. A 30-year veteran of the wine trade, he taught continuing education wine classes for 26 years at colleges throughout Arkansas.

Restaurant: Hammontree’s Grilled Cheese

Party of: Just moi

Time: noon

Preamble ramble

With sandwich names such as Edam and Weep, Parmageddon and Jack to the Future, I couldn’t resist trying Hammontree’s. Besides, it’s a restaurant that specializes in grilled cheese sandwiches, and there aren’t too many things in my life that rank higher than gooey, melted cheese. I arrived at noon, and the place was packed. I opted to sit at the bar rather than wait on a table or wilt in the very hot sun out on the patio. Wilting is just so unattractive.

Food for thought

I decided on the Cheebacca sandwich, which is sharp white cheddar, house cheese (a blend of Monterey Jack, white cheddar and Asiago cheeses), bacon, pulled pork, grilled onions and garlic cilantro sauce on toasted sourdough.

Hammontree’s Grilled Cheese sits next to You Know Uno’s and behind Hog Haus near Dickson Street in Fayetteville. (PHOTO: RICHARD DAVIS)

So you’d think that a sandwich with not only that much cheese but also bacon on it would have to be absolutely fantastic, right? Wrong.

It wasn’t bad, but when I took the first bite, I waited for something to happen. Anything. I didn’t have to have a taste explosion, maybe just a little bit of a spark. I got nada. The cheddar wasn’t sharp enough to break through the other flavors, and the cilantro in the sauce was barely noticeable. In fact, none of the flavors stood out; they were all equally mild. It wasn’t so bland that it was inedible, but it was so bland that I wouldn’t order it again.

Wait a minute

Jason the Most Righteous and Awesome Bartender (probably not his official title) was great. I ordered my food at 12:06 and by 12:22 I had a sandwich, potato chips and the obligatory pickle spear in front of me. (Why can’t a restaurant serve something besides chips and a pickle with their sandwiches?)

Jason kept my drink filled and paid attention to me without making me feel like I was being stalked. He also was sporting a Millennium Falcon shirt, which really has nothing to do with the quality of the food or service. It did, however, appeal to my geeky side and earned him a little bit bigger tip.

The Sporkcast
(on a scale of 1-5 sporks)

Atmosphere: 4.6 steel sporks with brick handles.

The industrial design of the place works well, and the abundance of windows makes up for the lack of artwork. The one piece of art that did speak to me was the velvet Elvis. Unfortunately, I am not at liberty to discuss what the velvet Elvis spoke to me about.

Food: 3.2 sporks dripping with melted cheese with the potential of being a 5. I didn’t like the sandwich I ordered, but the menu is full of other choices. You can even build your own melt from a more than decent selection of cheeses, meats and sauces. They also offer hot dogs, organic salads and, most importantly, a full bar.

Staff: 5 very shiny sporks stuck in a wedge of Gouda. Not only was Jason as close to perfect as you could find in a waiter, but the entire wait staff was smiling and seemed to really enjoy their jobs.

Dollars spent: About 9 bucks. The prices start out at $2.50 for the kid’s menu items and go up to $6.95.

Chance of returning: Even though I wasn’t pleased with my sandwich, I found the other menu choices intriguing enough to try Hammontree’s again. Of course, my decision to return could just be that I’m a total sucker for cheesy puns.