Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe

We didn't bump into Ruth or Idgie at the Whistle Stop Cafe, in Juliette, Middle Georgia, but we did encounter foul weather, a stray kitten with a stump for a tail, and sample the local fare, including the famous fried green tomatoes, Southern fried chicken, fried catfish, collard greens, black eyed peas,  and pecan cobbler, served with bottomless sweet iced tea in jam jars!!

Pretty unassuming from the outside, but quirky without being too kitsch on the inside ...

If you look closely, you can see a photo, on the wall above Isabella, of the stars from the movie

A few freight trains whistled their way past us during lunch, much to the kids' sheer terror!! (They were pretty loud!!)

Crunchy, with a touch of spice, our FGTs were delicious!!

My southern fried chicken, collard greens (kind of vinegary but not unpleasant), and black eyed peas - Daniel ate most of these, and Dave's fried catfish, et al.

Pecan Cobbler - kind of like a deconstructed pecan pie, crossed with Golden Syrup dumplings, drizzled in caramel sauce

A faded old sign out the front of the cafe boasted "Fine food at fair prices"; at $49 (minus tips), we'd have to agree!!

Back out into the weather ...

It wasn't a great day to be out and about, but we did wander into Bear's antique store, which had a few curious pieces, including Bear himself - ex US Army with a story to tell to anyone who stood still long enough, and on such a wet day, there was a never ending audience for his tales about the bits and pieces he and his wife had collected.

Bear pointed out a slightly cheesy and very faded framed poster of the stars from the movie, with Japanese writing underneath, which Bear claimed was the photographer's name, "... but I don't read Japanese", he drawled. 

With my basic knowledge of katakana, I read it to him: Fu-rai-do gu-ri-n to-ma-to. No doubt, Bear will use that in his patter to the next tourist who wanders into his lair. He had a story about most items and told us about a pottery wind chime with Appalachian fern designs on it by an artist from North Carolina, whose father won some environmental award. We bought the windchime, even though it's missing most of the strings and has a broken piece!

We also bought a china plate that I was taken with - I loved the scene of an early American woman, churning butter (so Bear says), with a baby in a crib, a pussy waiting expectantly, and a rifle over the fireplace! 

The plate has a dark green border around the edge and a stamp on the base ...

Bear surmised it was American, late 19th century, but if anyone knows more, let me know!! We paid $8 for it which I thought was pretty good for such an interesting scene, and a little souvenir of our rainy afternoon in Juliette.

P.S. After a little research, I've found similar pieces on EBay and Etsy, which are also Taylor Smith Taylor china, with designs by an American industrial designer/graphic designer/illustrator/architect/entrepreneur, Walter Dorwin Teague, who created many designs in the 50s, including the Kodak Brownie!

Here's one currently for sale in the States for about $18, in a squarish shape ...

Different stamp, too ...

Kristen, any thoughts??