Outside Coweta - Wargo's Pumpkin Patch - Luthersville

October 8, 2015

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Wargo's Pumpkin Patch Luthersville, GA © Susan Crutchfield Photography

It’s officially fall, and probably our favorite time of year!

Halloween, cool weather, crunchy leaves and pumpkin flavored everything. It’s all right up our alley!

We also love a good pumpkin patch.

Wargo’s Pumpkin patch is a new place to go for free fall family fun.

Corey and Monica Wargofcak live on the family farm that has been passed down through generations.

They always wanted a fun place to take their kids in the fall to celebrate the autumn season.

As a service to the community, they decided to open their property to visitors each October.

The endeavor begins as a family affair way before the air gets that telltale crisp.

In early June, the family sows a variety of pumpkin seeds in their fields.

They pumpkins are tended until early October when they are harvested.

This is a labor-intensive process as it is all done by hand.

In addition to a large variety of pumpkins, Wargo’s offers a range of delicious fair food and fun activities for the kids like painting, a small petting zoo and hayrides.

The animals in the petting zoo are the family’s goats and chickens. Monica laughs as she describes to us how friendly the chickens are. Apparently, they get lots of love from the Wargofcak kids and they eat up the attention.

For those who can’t get enough of local markets, there will also be handmade items for sale from local artisans and crafters.

We were excited to see Adam’s Honey had a booth. This is an award winning local honey brand we had never heard of, but are excited to try out.

Wargo’s is open every weekend of October and admission, parking, hayrides, painting and the petting zoo are all completely free.

The pumpkins are all for sale, but the Wargofcak's choose a different charity each year and donate the proceeds.

We love the Wargo’s Pumpkin Patch t-shirts that feature the original artwork seen on the signs. These will be for sale alongside the arts and crafts.

Luthersville is a short drive from Newnan and the Wargo’s signs are everywhere showing the way to the farm.

For more details, check out the Wargo’s Facebook page.

Happy fall! If you make it to Wargo’s, we would love to see your photos and hear about your experience!

Garlic Thai - Newnan

July 8, 2015

We adore a good patio dining experience, and Garlic Thai in downtown Newnan has a cute little sidewalk patio!

In addition to the charming atmosphere created by sunny yellow walls with an exposed brick wall on one side, Garlic Thai has amazing cuisine.

We started out our meal with cups of tea.

Both the jasmine tea and the Thai iced tea were delicious. One was light and flowery, while the other was thick, milky and syrupy sweet.

We arrived at the restaurant beyond the point of hunger, so we immediately ordered coconut soup to stave off a state of hangry.

We’ve never really met a cup of coconut soup we didn’t like, and this was no exception. The green onions floating on top really brought out the rich, salty flavor of the broth.

After we felt we had enough food in us to have a civil conversation with each other, we ordered a California roll to share.

The crab and avocado were very fresh, and the robust flavor of the sesame seeds on top was a nice addition.

Susan is a huge pad Thai fan, so she ordered the Garlic Thai version, which was loaded with shrimp and peanuts. She was very impressed with the delicious, chewy glass noodles and the buttery shrimp flavor that permeated the dish.

We also tried one of the specials, the curry puff, a flaky potato based pastry served with yellow curry sauce and a sweet cucumber salad. The green curry potato paste that filled the fried shell was just the right level of spice.

The heartiness of the dish made it extremely filling. We couldn’t resist ordering dessert to finish our meal.

The durian cheesecake was heavenly. The creaminess was cut by the fibrous durian fruit. It was not too sweet and almost had the flavor of a hard cheese. It was drizzled with a delicious fresh raspberry sauce and served with whipped cream and cherries.

The red bean ice cream was a nice summer treat. It was served in a triangular slice and topped with chocolate sauce, whipped cream and cherries.

It actually tasted pleasantly fruity and the creamy dessert was extra textured, almost grainy.

We left the restaurant full of delicious food with the well wishes of the extremely friendly staff. Garlic Thai is open seven days a week for lunch and dinner. You can also order the food to be delivered to your home. Check out their Facebook page for changing menu items and specials. If you have ever dined at Garlic Thai, we would love to know what your favorite dish is!

Meat N Greet - Newnan

May 27, 2015

There is one restaurant in Newnan that we find ourselves consistently drawn to.

We are frequent diners at Meat N Greet in downtown Newnan.

Ever since they opened their doors to the public a little over a year ago, Meat N Greet has been a staple for Cowetans looking for a relaxed environment and amazing casual American cuisine.

The interior of the restaurant is decorated a trendy blend of reclaimed barn wood, natural stone and upcycled light fixtures.

Located right across from Full Circle Toys on the square, Meat N Greet serves up craft beers and boutique burgers.

We visited on a fine spring day and chose to sit on their newly opened patio. The weather was perfect with sun’s rays softened by a light breeze.

We decided to celebrate the perfect weather by enjoying a honeysuckle martini. Neither of us are huge drinkers, but for those who like to indulge, the adult beverage menu includes an extensive selection of microbrews, wines and specialty cocktails. The Moscow mule, a Meat N Greet favorite, is delicious.

This cocktail turned out to be an amazing choice for a patio lunch. It was a refreshing vodka martini with flowery citrus notes.

We grabbed some onion tangles for an appetizer. Having dined here often, we knew we were getting into some sinfully fried territory. The havoc eating a massive plate of fried onions wreaks on your stomach later is worth the crispy, breaded treat that is a pile of onion tangles.

The Meet N Greet menu includes a selection of unique appetizers, hot dogs and burgers. There are vegetarian options for both burgers and dogs. We got a burger with fries and a hot dog with veggies on the side.

The one eyed willie is indescribably delicious. A juicy burger is piled with lettuce, onions, bacon and cheddar cheese. The whole burger is topped with a fried egg and finished off with smoky tomato jam. Meet N Greet fries are made from scratch in house and you can taste it. They are perfectly seasoned with a hearty potato flavor and just a slight sweetness.

The textbook dog comes with all the traditional hot dog toppings including ketchup, mustard and relish. Since Rebekah is a vegetarian, she ordered the meat free dog. It honestly tastes pretty similar to a pork dog and was absolutely spot on with the textbook toppings.

Meet N Greet offers in season vegetables as a side option. They just happen to be Brussels sprouts at the moment, which despite the universal negative reviews from children forced to eat their veggies, happens to be one of our favorites. They did not disappoint. They were caramelized in a sweet bourbon vinegar based glaze and sprinkled with pecans and a peppery seasoning.

Of course we had to try dessert. We don’t normally get dessert, but it was a treat yourself kind of day, so we went for it.

The bourbon pecan bar came with a scoop of cold, sweet vanilla bean ice cream. It was a little slice of brown sugary, buttery heaven. It is definitely a quintessentially southern dessert.

We also tried the moonpie bread pudding. We were a little hesitant about this one, but the server highly recommended it so we decided to give it a shot. We are very glad we did. It was amazing. It was served in a cute little jelly jar. The dessert was rich and buttery with an almost cake like consistency.

By the time lunch was over, we were so full we practically had to roll ourselves out of the restaurant. Meet N Greet is open seven days a week from eleven to eleven. You can follow their Facebook page to get updates on specialty menu items and beverages.

Coweta Events - Farmhouse Pasture Sale - Newnan

April 9, 2015

We love an outdoor market that gathers local artists and business owners together to sell their wares, which is why we love downtown Newnan Market Days so much. When we saw that there was going to be a pop up market in a pasture we were very excited.

Having missed the first year of this event last year, we were not exactly sure what to expect.

We were not disappointed. The Farmhouse Sale was set in a beautiful field on a cute farm property.

It was a perfect spring day with a light breeze that kept the area cool.

The vendors all seemed to be carefully selected. Every one of them had beautiful wares that were displayed in the most appealing way.

There was a wide range of products from rustic refinished furniture to handmade bath and body products.

We were amazed at the creativity that the artists showed in repurposing items destined for the landfill into unique pieces with enduring utility.

As we browsed through the booths, we saw so many things that we didn’t even know we needed. Many of the vendors had one of a kind houseware pieces that represented a wide range of styles.

In addition to stunning furniture and rustic lawn décor, the Pasture sale also featured original art, adorable upcycled clothing, antiques, hand knitted and crocheted items of all kinds and jewelry to name just a few.

After all the shopping, we just had to sample some of the food that was available.

The event had two food trucks.

Susan was very excited to see Tex’s Tacos. She has an enthusiastic appreciation for their lime fries.

SnoBayou is a Louisiana based company that serves what they call snow balls, which are decedent desserts.

We couldn’t resist taking a puppy treat to go from SnoBayou.

We loved this pop up market and can’t wait to go back next year!

Newnan Farmhouse Pasture Sale Jim Starr Road

The Farmhouse Pasture Sale is held the first weekend of April.

Be sure to follow them on Facebook to keep up with the next event and learn about expected vendors ahead of time.

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Downtown Olive & Kitchen Supply Co. - Newnan

March 25, 2015

Update: Downtown Olive is now closed. Please support local businesses.

Living in the south, we know that we are supposed to use butter like it’s going out of style, but honestly for the most part we prefer using olive oil. We won’t mention that to our grandma. That’s why we were really excited when we noticed that there is a new olive oil store in town!

Downtown Olive and Kitchen Supply Company is right on the square in downtown Newnan across the street from Stairway to Heaven Antique Mall. Food lovers will be in heaven from the moment they walk into the brightly lit store.

There are rows of infused olive oil and vinegar for sampling and a friendly employee to walk you through the process and give you recipe tips.

We spoke with the owner, Amy and her husband Ted about how Downtown Olive was conceived.

Amy’s father chose a military career that took the family from one small US town to the next. As a result, Amy was very familiar with the typical American downtown from a small age. She loved the small town feel of a downtown with several small scale locally owned specialty shops.

Her early encounters with small town stores left her with a strong desire to open her own gift shop someday. In the hustle and bustle of everyday life, her dream of owning a shop got pushed to a back burner. She married, moved to Newnan and started a family.

The opportunity finally came for Amy to realize her dream around a year ago. Her love of cooking, healthy eating and fine foods came together into her unique shop.

The olive oil and vinegar available in Downtown Olive is Olivelle and is sourced from Italy, Greece and Spain. The oil is the same olive oil you would be served at a restaurant in Italy. Amy smiled as she told us stories of world travelers who came in skeptical that the oil was true European olive oil and leaving with several bottles after declaring that they never thought they would taste oil like that in Georgia.

In addition to the infused olive oils and vinegars, Downtown Olive also offers a range of functional and fun cooking accessories. Many of the kitchen gadgets feature bright colors and uniquely whimsical designs. The shop also has tea towels printed with witty graphics, charming dishware and pre-prepared specialty foods.

All of the merchandise in Downtown Olive has Amy’s stamp of approval. As a mom to a pre teen girl with a range of severe allergies, Amy has to be able to prepare dishes that the whole family can enjoy and also meet her daughter’s strict medical requirements. As a busy Mom and small business owner, Amy needs kitchen tools that will match her need for utility and quick clean up. You can be sure that anything you buy in Downtown Olive lives up to these standards.

Amy and Ted are always working to improve and expand the store. The latest additions to the shop are gorgeous pieces of kitchen furniture that have a rustic, hand crafted look and Big Green Egg barbecue cookers.

We loved browsing through the store and looking at all the fun kitchen supplies and accessories. We especially enjoyed getting to sample some of the oils and vinegars. Our favorites were the caramelized garlic and the Tahitian lime infused olive oils.

We are used to cooking with olive oil, but Amy gave us some great tips on new and interesting ways to use oil and vinegar. She suggests pouring it over your ice cream and adding a little salt on top, using olive oil to make popcorn from scratch, delicious marinades, yogurt and cottage cheese toppings and as a delicious addition to a fruit and cheese plate. We really can’t wait to try it on ice cream!

If you have not yet stopped by Downtown Olive, we strongly suggest it. It is a delightful experience for your taste buds and we’re sure you will come away with something you love! If you are out and about on one of Newnan’s Market Days, look for Amy and Ted walking around with treats made with their infused olive oils. Follow Downtown Olive on Facebook to get their latest updates, get sneak peeks of new products and an array of yummy recipes. Amy was kind enough to give us one of her favorite recipes. Please let us know if you tried it and how it tastes!

Pesto Chicken Grill Pouches

Caramelized Garlic Olive Oil or Primagoccia Olive Oil*
8 chicken tenderloins
salt and pepper
Pesto Alla Genovese by Genevese Specialties*
2 zucchini, thinly sliced
1 large Vidalia onion, thinly sliced
1 can garlic diced tomatoes, drained or 4 roma tomatoes, chopped
16oz. thin spaghetti
Pasta Salt Rocks*
*Available at Downtown Olive & Kitchen Supply Co.

Preheat grill to medium. Cut four 16" sheets of foil. Drizzle 1 tsp. olive oil into the bottom half of each piece of foil. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and lay 2 tenderloins on each piece of foil over the olive oil. Spread 1 T. pesto on top of chicken. Top with zucchini, onion and tomatoes. Top with 3 T. pesto. Bring the longer side of foil over the chicken and vegetables and fold the three open sides of foil together and pinch the edges to make a good seal. Cover and grill the packets over indirect heat for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, bring a pot of water to a boil. Add a salt rock to the water for 2 minutes. Remove the salt rock, add the spaghetti to the boiling water and cook according to the package directions. Drain. Place pasta on plates and with a knife carefully cut an edge of each grill pouch and slide it onto the pasta. Serves 4.

Handcrafted in Coweta - Adictos a la Salsa

March 12, 2015

Adictos a la Salsa Newnan, GA Photo © 2015 Susan Crutchfield Photography

We both have very different tastes and what we enjoy as far as different foods goes varies widely. Susan is not a huge fan of sauces and condiments, while Rebekah puts them on anything she can.

We can both agree though that we are totally addicted to the amazing Adictos a la Salsa that comes right out of Coweta County.

We had our first taste of this delicious salsa when Susan purchased a mango salsa at one of the Main Street Newnan Market Days.

As soon as we tasted it, we knew we were hooked. We are not alone in our addiction. The name of Adictos a la Salsa is no coincidence.

Kellie and Bob invited us into the immaculately clean commercial kitchen in Newnan where they prepare their salsa to hear the story of how they got started and to watch the salsa get made.

Kellie first began to experiment with salsa when she obtained an authentic recipe from her Arizona in laws who all have strong Latino roots. She always loved visiting them and enjoying the amazing variety of authentic Mexican food they served.

She was amazed at the simplicity of the basic salsa recipe and how delicious it tasted with the vegetables and herbs she pulled from her own garden.

Kellie has a very creative mind and a knack for research, so of course she had to tweak the recipe and make it her own.

She loved the taste of the old world recipe, but also wanted to infuse it with the flavors of the Southwest. After extensive research on different types of salsa, she came up with the amazing creation that she now calls Adictos a la Salsa.

At first she only made the salsa for friends and family. Increasingly, her friends would request that she bring her salsa to parties and events. Eventually, people began dropping by her house and ask for some salsa.

Even though her homemade salsa was so popular, Kellie had no thoughts of making it into a commercially available product. She was busy with her full time corporate job. Then, the recession hit and she found herself in the same jobless boat as so many other Americans.

Kellie says she may not have tried to start a business if it hadn’t been for the encouragement and enthusiasm of her husband Bob. He was confidant that the average person would love her salsa.

Most of the salsas commercially available in Georgia lack the flavor and depth of a traditional salsa. Bob knew that Kellie’s blend far surpassed the watery tomato sauce fare that most Southerners think of as salsa.

The first focus groups confirmed this. They told Kellie that once you start eating the salsa, it’s very hard to stop.

Adictos a la Salsa is very much a family affair. Kellie and Bob work very well as a team. Kellie is the creative researcher and Bob is good at the business side. Kellie’s sister, a graphic designer, helped develop the packaging and the cute blurbs on the back of every jar.

Kellie and Bob are very particular about safety and quality. Kellie went back to school to learn modern food handling and safety practices. They are certified by the Department of Agriculture and test their product three times a week to ensure quality.

The salsa is available in a jarred version or a fresh. Kellie and Bob make the fresh salsa each week. The jarred salsa is made to their specifications by a packing plant. During the summer, the fresh salsa is still made with the vegetables Kellie grows in her garden.

The fresh salsa is all natural with no preservatives. The salsa in the jars uses apple cider vinegar as a preservative and is also all natural. Kellie explained to us that the apple cider vinegar gives the jarred salsa a little extra sweetness that some people prefer. Adictos a la Salsa is available in rehab (mild), habit (medium) and dose (hot). They also have delicious seasonal salsas in mango peach, cranberry and pumpkin cashew that are available at different times of the year.

We love the thick, chunky texture of Adictos a la Salsa. The tomato flavor takes a backseat to the onion, garlic and herbs that meld together to form a spicy, yet savory treat.

Bob and Kellie sell their salsa at various markets throughout the year. You can also purchase it locally at the Corner Arts Gallery and online through their website and Etsy store.

They encourage people to not just think of salsa as a medium for chips, but to explore all the ways in which you can add it to your daily meals and snacks. It’s a tasty way to get a healthy dose of vegetables in your life. You can add it to pasta dishes, hot dogs and hamburgers, scrambled eggs, on top of a bagel or soups, stews and chili.

We love the passion and drive the pair have for their company and can’t wait to see where they take it. They have plans to introduce a tomatilla salsa in the near future. Follow them on Facebook and Instagram to get frequent updates. You can also visit their website for recipes and suggestions for creative uses for your new favorite condiment.

Fall Taste of Newnan 2014 © Susan Crutchfield Photography

Coweta Events - Taste of Newnan Fall 2014 - Newnan

October 8, 2014

In case regular readers haven’t noticed, we love Coweta’s local restaurants! The chain restaurants we have here tend to be the big box kind that serve microwaved frozen meals. In our experience, the local restaurants tend to serve dishes that use fresh, and many times local, ingredients prepared from scratch.

The Taste of Newnan is a biannual event that allows restaurants from all over the area to showcase the type of foods they offer.

The downtown Newnan Square is closed off for the night to allow tents to be set up on the sidewalk. It’s a fun street fair with tons of food, live music and even a few carnival rides for the kids.

Every corner of the square has a booth that sells the tickets that are used as the Taste of Newnan currency. Each ticket is one dollar, and most vendors charge one or two tickets for a generous portion of food.

It’s the perfect risk free way to try a new restaurant!

The Taste of Newnan always attracts fairly large crowds. We really love the festive atmosphere of the cooking food, milling crowds, happy people and playing children.

The day could not have been more perfect for an outdoor event! It was crisp autumn weather with lots of sunshine. We ate far too much of our favorite foods from local Newnan restaurants.

Pita by Beirut was serving delicious hummus, gyros and baklava.

At one point, we saw a man pushing a cart with candied and caramel apples. We followed him to the Goldens On The Square tent.

We were very happy with the results of our stalking! We had several people stop us to ask where they could get their own candy apple.

Meat 'N Greet, among our favorite restaurants in downtown Newnan, had one of the most popular tents on the block.

We managed to snag a pork slider before the lines got too long!

Fabiano’s was quite popular as well. They had huge stacks of cheese and pepperoni pizza.

Much to our delight, Leaf and Bean had a cart where they were serving freshly brewed coffee, tea and mini muffins!

Nothing goes better with a cup of Leaf and Bean coffee than doughnuts! Our favorite part of Main Street Newnan events are the doughnuts.

Your Chef To Go, a local catering company, makes these perfect little doughnuts from scratch right in their tent. They smother them in cinnamon and sugar and hand them to you hot off the fryer. They are absolutely amazing!

We have never been to Ten East Washington, but they had some very tasty cold salads.

By the time we got to Let Them Eat Toffee, we had just enough room for some chocolate and King of Pops!

We were sad that we missed out on eating one of Twisted Peelz’ tasty patties, but we had absolutely no more room!

No Newnan event is complete until Mr. Personality makes an appearance. We were excited to spot him with his rose and dressed in all his autumn finery.

We also spotted a zombie making his way through the crowd, though we didn’t see any restaurants serving brains.

As the night fell, the live music started to ramp up and more people showed up. We were excited to welcome some of our friends from Atlanta and LaGrange. We enjoyed introducing them to the Taste of Newnan.

People were gathered around the band enjoying their food and the beautiful night.

We had so much fun and can’t wait until the next one!

The Taste of Newnan is held twice every year in the spring and fall.

The next one will be in the spring of 2015. They are always looking for volunteers to help with the Taste of Newnan.

We hope to see you at the next one!

Maguire's - Senoia

September 24, 2014

Since The Walking Dead began filming in Senoia, many amazing new shops and restaurants have opened their doors. Maguire’s, an Irish pub and restaurant located below the Redneck Gourmet, predates the zombie invasion of Senoia.

The menu is a mixture of traditional Irish dishes and more contemporary American pub fare.

The Maguire’s experience begins with a steep descent down a narrow brick staircase and through a heavy wooden door into the dark, richly decorated pub.

The dark wooden furniture, deep red exposed brick and beefy hewed ceiling beams magnify the darkness of the basement restaurant. The natural plank floors and the bronze colored stamped tin ceiling tiles add a touch of warmth to the darkness.

The dim lighting and dark décor do not combine to make Maguire’s in any way gloomy. Instead, the atmosphere is lively and patrons always seem to be having a great time.

The walls are decorated with beautifully photographed black and white prints. There are also a few Irish artifacts and architectural drawings scattered throughout the restaurant.

We arrived on a hot day with giant appetites after walking around the downtown shops. We were extremely happy to be immediately served pretzel sticks with mustard. The crunchy pretzels tasted amazing with the tangy mustard.

We loved the pretzel sticks so much that we decided to try the pretzel appetizer. These were a more traditional soft pretzel served with a sharp cheese sauce. The yeasty pretzels came out hot and salty and were so delicious when dipped into the sharp cheddar cheese sauce.

We ordered three entrees from our friendly waitress. The Asian chicken sandwich was a grilled chicken breast on a fresh bun with buffalo sauce, cheese, tomatoes and lettuce. It made a delicious sandwich with the vegetables nicely complimenting the sharp cheese and tangy sauce.

The bangers and mash, the United Kingdom name for sausage and mashed potatoes, was a satisfyingly simple dish. The potatoes were mashed with the skins on and were buttery and extremely flavorful. The bangers were spiced with traditional sausage flavors and were a savory addition to the meal. It came with fresh, buttery sautéed spinach on the side.

Our third entrée was from the seafood section of the menu. The salmon cakes with roasted potatoes were delicious. The cakes were made with ground salmon mixed with a variety of fresh vegetables. The salmon flavor was not overwhelming and blended perfectly with the carrots, onions and peppers. They came with a tart horseradish based sauce that went very well with the salmon cakes. The roasted potatoes were done to perfection. They were not over seasoned and the simple potato flavor was allowed to shine through. This entrée was served with a side of buttery broccoli.

The menu seems to be composed of simple palatable foods. The true flavors of the basic ingredients are emphasized, instead of covered. Maguire’s is an excellent restaurant to get plain, simple food with few frills.

They offer an excellent wine list as well as specialty mixed drinks and desserts. They have a large selection of dessert drinks and espresso based coffees.

Maguire’s contributes extensively to the community through charitable donations. Since they opened, they have given around thirty thousand dollars to local charities.

They offer a private dining experience for those wishing to host events at the restaurant. They also have a rewards program that offers deals and discounts to loyal customers.

We had a great time at Maguire’s and were very impressed with the friendliness of the entire staff. We highly recommend giving this restaurant a try! Follow Maguire's on Facebook to learn about upcoming events and special menu items.

Historical Highlight - Daniel Newnan

September 3, 2014

A lot of our blog about Coweta County is focused on Newnan. This is because Newnan is not only the seat of Coweta County, but it is also the largest town in Coweta. This has been the case since 1828 when Newnan acquired its name and status as the county seat. Up until this year, the town that is now Newnan was located around where Starbucks and Southtowne Motors are now and was called Bullsboro. When the town was moved to where the square is now located, it took on the name of the recently retired Secretary of State of Georgia, General Daniel Newnan.

So, who was Daniel Newnan? Newnan was first and foremost a dedicated soldier. He was also a committed politician, a husband and father and a plantation owner. Newnan was born in Salisbury, North Carolina three years before the end of the Revolutionary War. His father was a physician who married the daughter of a very wealthy man. Together, they had eight children.

In 1796, when he was 16, Newnan began his studies at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He was there for only two years before getting into trouble that brought great disapproval from his parents. A friend of the family who was a notable North Carolina politician at the time believed that military service would straighten out the young Newnan. John Steele secured a junior commission with the US Army and by March of 1799, Newnan was a second lieutenant in the Fourth United States Infantry.

Military life did not seem to suit the teenage Newnan. He barely lasted three years before suddenly turning in his resignation in January of 1802. The now twenty two year old Newnan picked up his life and moved near Milledgeville, Georgia where he bought a plantation. He began to grow crops using slave labor.

Soon after moving to Georgia, Newnan became deeply involved in the state militia. Four years after relocating to Georgia, he was appointed adjutant general of Georgia, a highly respected and coveted position. At this point in time, the Georgia Militia were very concerned about Florida. The state was a colony of Spain and the United States desperately wanted to annex it. Additionally, Newnan and other plantation owners in the militia were concerned that Native Americans living in Florida were harboring escaped slaves.

In the hottest months of 1812, Newnan added to his reputation of military prowess when he led a small unit of Georgia volunteers down to Florida to attack the Native Americans that dared to welcome slaves into their numbers. They planned to decimate entire villages by killing the inhabitants and burning them to the ground. The plan failed miserably when the militia turned out to be unprepared to meet the Seminoles on their own turf. They were badly beaten and had to beat a hasty retreat with many sick men and no food. Newnan detailed the incident in a letter to his commander, which highlighted his skills, greatly exaggerated the number of Seminole deaths and blamed other officers for some of the problems. This Florida encounter greatly added to his military reputation.

In 1814, Newnan was in a skirmish with the Creek Indians in Alabama where he was seriously wounded by three shots. This effectively ended his military combat career and politics became his main focus. At this time, Newnan had moved his plantation from Milledgeville to Putnam County. Census records show him being married with five children. In 1817, he gave up his position of adjutant general and was made major general over the Third Division of the Georgia Militia.

Newnan’s political career began to escalate in 1820 when he was elected to the lower house of the legislature where he lent his military and agricultural expertise to internal committees. After a long military career, he was appointed as superintendent of the Georgia State Penitentiary at the age of forty-three. From this position, he rose to become Secretary of State of Georgia on November 15, 1825. He served in this capacity for two years.

Newnan moved once again to a new plantation in Henry County. Here, he achieved the height of his political career with an election to the twenty-second congress. He spent two years in Washington heading committees and fighting for the causes that meant the most to him. When he failed to win a congressional reelection, he resumed his position as adjutant general in Georgia. In 1835, at the age of fifty-five, Newnan tried to reenlist in the military and was kindly but firmly refused. In 1837, he became brigadier general of Georgia.

After his retirement, he moved outside of Rossville, Georgia on the Tennessee border to a community later named Newnan Springs. This is where Newnan spent his last days until he quietly passed away at the age of seventy-one. He is buried at Newnan Springs Cemetery in Catoosa County, Georgia. In 1927, the city of Newnan donated money to erect a bronze plaque to mark his gravesite and outline his accomplishments as a soldier and politician.

In addition to his final home in Newnan Springs and the city of Newnan in Coweta County, Daniel Newnan has a fort and a lake named after him.

Let Them Eat Toffee - Newnan

August 13, 2014

When we were younger, the film Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory was so frequently watched that we could quote the entire movie. Our greatest childhood dream was to gain access to that candy paradise. When Phyllis and Kerry Graham invited us into their candy shop to watch how the toffee is made, it felt a little like the fulfillment of a lifelong dream.

Let Them Eat Toffee is a cozy shop tucked into the square between a hair salon and a Thai restaurant. The sweet aroma of candy in the making draws you right in the door of the warmly decorated shop with trays of freshly made sweets on display.

Kerry learned the art of toffee making the traditional southern way, in his mother’s kitchen. He carried the knowledge with him through the years until it collided with the skills of his Florida neighbor, Pierre, a French master chocolatier. This was the birth of the dark chocolate covered toffee that launched Let Them Eat Toffee.

Walking into the tiny kitchen where Kerry carefully hand makes the shop’s candy, our eyes were instantly drawn to the large basin of chocolate. The dark liquid is constantly kept in motion by a wheel. It was a mesmerizing sight to our chocolate loving souls.

We were surprised to learn just how precise the toffee making process is. Any variation in temperature, humidity or ingredients will change the consistency of the candy. It truly is an art.

The delicate process of cooking down the ingredients into a thick, golden brown syrup seems like second nature to Kerry

The result is a crisp, buttery sweet confection with a warm caramel flavor that recalls southern traditions.

The Grahams are very careful to ensure their raw ingredients are ethically sourced. They like to keep their products free from unnecessary additives and fillers. It is also important to them to use local ingredients as often as possible.

The Grahams are passionate about making their shop a community enterprise. They view community involvement as a way to connect with people and strengthen Coweta.

In addition to their hand prepared candies, the shop carries a few products from other chocolate companies as well as chocolate themed t-shirts and greeting cards. They also offer gourmet popsicles from the Atlanta based company King of Pops.

Let Them Eat Toffee has many exciting plans for the future of the shop, so keep an eye on their Facebook page for updates. We recommend the rich, flavorful fig Newnans, melt in your mouth chocolate truffles and the classic toffee.

There are still a few horses on the Newnan square from The Newnan-Coweta Historical Society public art exhibit A Horsey Affair.

Coweta Snapshot- A Horsey Affair - Newnan

August 9, 2014

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