“I don’t often get nervous but when I was waiting to go into Rachel’s house my stomach was turning over a wee bit,” says Paula. Paula and Rachel Parton sitting outside Rachel's house Paula McIntyre at the BBQ Paula McIntyre at the distillery Paula McIntyre and Rachel Parton A queen of country met the queen of the kitchen when TV chef Paula McIntyre hung out with Dolly Parton’s sister. The telly veteran says she’s rarely starstruck but cooking with country singer Rachel Parton for a new series almost left her speechless.
Paula was in the US on a whirlwind tour to probe the Ulster Scots cookery connection, including a glimpse of the Parton palate in Tennessee. Moonshine, cornbread, kale and buttermilk cheese were on the menu along with luxurious lobster and some of America’s finest barbecue dishes, but Dolly’s favourite panfried catfish and coleslaw were among the most memorable. “I don’t often get nervous but when I was waiting to go into Rachel’s house my stomach was turning over a wee bit,” says Paula.
Paula McIntyre and Rachel Parton “I love Dolly Parton and I was delighted Rachel agreed to cook with me. “She and Dolly are bringing out a cookbook next week which is full of lovely recipes as an ode to their family. “Rachel made fried catfish and a slaw of many colours which Dolly named.
“When I went into her house she said, ‘my sister Dolly said you should bring your guitar to play for Paula McIntyre’. “Dolly Parton said my name. If I had been struck down then I would have died a happy wo man.
” The secret to the slaw was a mound of icing sugar but the TV chef discovered the whole state has a sweet tooth. “In Tennessee if they can put sugar in anything they will put it in. “In the last episode I over-sugared something and they said it was quite tart.
” Paula, from Aghadowey was keen to get back to the US after attending uni in Rhode Island. Paula McIntyre at the distillery For the six-part series she set out to follow the food footprint of Ulster Scots settlers who became known as Scots Irish, and discovered a connection close to home. “In New Hampshire I met Brad McFadden whose family went over from Aghadowey in the early 1700s.
Maybe my ancestors were his ancestors’ neighbours. “We found a lovely plaque which said it was people from Aghadowey who played a part in bringing white potatoes to New England.” Paula found the Ulster Scots influence in everything from baking to booze.
Moonshine was based on distilling whiskey, and the American staple cornbread is a version of soda bread. She even found a baking soda brand called Clabber Girl, possibly inspired by the Ulster Scots word for muck. “Cornbread is made with flour, baking soda and buttermilk, which is the same as soda bread.
“There’s a lot of influence in ingredients like turnip greens and everyone would have had a kale garden. “There is a lot of pickling and preserving which came from hard winters when people grew vegetables and had to preserve them. Paula McIntyre at the BBQ “Now fermentation and pickling is trendy.
Then it was live or die.” The professional chef and food writer, who also has her own gin and rum brands was delighted to find an ingredient she’d never tasted before. “One thing I really loved was courgette flowers stuffed with buttermilk cheese, which is like a beautiful Italian blue cheese.
“I would go back to Tennessee just to have that cheese again. “I felt so privileged to go and meet all these brilliant cooks, and everyone was very giving and generous with their time.” But even a professional food lover has their limits.
“We filmed in the 2nd Nashville Presbyterian Church, which was started by Adam Adams from Tyrone and 80 per cent of the congregation identify as Scots Irish. “They do a pot luck lunch and one of the dishes was a jellied salad which was not for me. That was nasty,” says Paula.
Paula McIntyre’s Hamely Kitchen USA started on BBC1 on Friday at 7.30pm and the entire series will then be available on the iPlayer..
