Blackbeard's Hideout on Ocracoke Island
PLUS: My Easy Corn & Tomato Pie Recipe
Hey there. I hope you’re having a peaceful Saturday morning — and that Hygge & History gives you a bit of positive inspiration for your week.
If you’re reading this, you’re one of my first subscribers. Thank you for your support while I build this little lifelong dream.
So grab a cup of coffee or tea, and let’s get cozy.
History Time
The Man and I are spending this week in what we think is the most magical place in the world — Hatteras Island in North Carolina’s Outer Banks.
If you’ve never been there — it feels like the end of the world, almost as if a pirate ship could sail across the horizon.
I was never really a beach person until I started going to Hatteras.
I think my change in attitude has something to do with the wildness of the Cape Hatteras National Seashore.
But it’s also because the Outer Banks are history beaches.
What do I mean by that?
Because of their isolation, the Outer Banks have their own unique culture and history — much of it fading, but it’s still there.
Especially once you cross the bridge to Hatteras Island — or take the ferry to Ocracoke.
Ocracoke Island — south of Hatteras and only accessible by water or air — was the hideout of the infamous pirate Blackbeard.
Blackbeard’s knowledge of the shallow channels and deadly shoals of Ocracoke Inlet — a busy shipping lane at the time — made him one of the most notorious outlaws of the seventeenth century.
Blackbeard — whose given name was Edward Teach — came to North Carolina from Bristol, England — by way of the West Indies — and entered a life of piracy.
Ocracoke Inlet is where he was ambushed and captured by the Royal Navy — at a place known today as Teach’s Hole.
He was beheaded, and his body thrown overboard into Pamlico Sound. His head was attached to the bow of the Royal Navy ship — and taken up the coast to Hampton, Virginia.
Blackbeard’s severed head greeted ships at the entrance to Chesapeake Bay for years to come — as a warning to other pirates.
Local legend says that Blackbeard’s ghost haunts Ocracoke Island. Searching for his missing head, of course.
Yes, Ocracoke has ghost tours. They’re led by descendants of Blackbeard’s quartermaster. Eighth generation islanders.
Ocracoke even has its own dialect of English — it’s called the Ocracoke brogue. The rhythm and cadence are akin to regional dialects of seventeenth-century English.
There’s also an “island ghost town” just across Ocracoke Inlet — on Portsmouth Island.
The inhabitants left when the shipping lanes changed — because of the shifting sands of the islands and shoals.
Just north of Ocracoke, Hatteras Island has its own fascinating history.
And one of America’s most iconic lighthouses.
Learn more in next Saturday’s Hygge and History.
In the Kitchen
It’s almost the end of corn and tomato season, so I had to share one of my simple summer recipes with you — inspired by Deb Perelmen at Smitten Kitchen.
This corn and tomato pie — with biscuit crust — is perfect for a summer dinner party — or a yummy supper for two.
You need for the crust:
2 cups self-rising flour — I use White Lily
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
3/4 cup buttermilk
OPTIONAL: I season the flour with a little black pepper and garlic powder
You need for the filling:
3 ears of corn — cut from the cob — I leave the corn kernels whole because I like the texture
2 - 3 large tomatoes cut into thick, round slices — we get Hanover tomatoes in season here in Richmond, and they are divine
1-2 green onions, thinly sliced
chives and basil to taste, chopped
8 oz grated cheese — I use a cheddar blend
salt and pepper to taste
1/3 cup mayo
juice of one lemon
A few hours before you assemble the pie, get your tomatoes ready:
Take a baking sheet and line it with paper towels.
Place your sliced tomatoes on the baking sheet.
Salt the tomatoes to leech out moisture and season them.
Leave the tomatoes at room temperature for at least an hour. I’ve left them for four hours before.
This step is key to avoiding a soggy bottom!
Preheat oven to 400° F
Make the Crust:
Add flour and optional seasonings to a large mixing bowl. Whisk until combined.
Add shortening to flour. Mix with a pastry blender until crumbs are the size of peas.
Add buttermilk to the bowl. Stir with a fork until the flour is just moistened with the buttermilk.
Turn out onto a floured surface. Knead dough gently 5-6 times — and divide into two pieces.
Roll out one piece for your bottom crust. Place it into the bottom of your pie dish.
Save piece #2 for your top crust.
Make the Filling:
No soggy bottoms here! I’ve experimented with the assembly of this pie so that the crust stays crisp.
Line the bottom of your pie with a layer of shredded cheese — this helps protect the crust from moisture.
Add half the corn. Season with salt and pepper.
Add half the green onions, basil, and chives.
Add a layer of tomatoes — tomatoes are the top layer, so any moisture is far away from the bottom crust. Season with pepper.
Repeat layering — cheese, corn, herbs, tomatoes
One more layer of cheese
In a small bowl, mix mayo and lemon juice.
Pour over your pie filling.
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve forgotten the mayo and lemon juice until after I’ve put the top crust on.
Get Your Pie Ready for the Oven:
Add the top crust to your filled pie. Crimp the edges and make sure to cut a few holes in the top crust for the pie to vent.
Bake until the crust is just golden and the filling is bubbling, 30-35 minutes.
OPTIONAL: melt some butter to brush on your pie crust when it comes out of the oven.
The best part? When the pie comes out of the oven, you can eat it whenever!
That’s why I love this for a dinner party. Make ahead and serve when folks are ready to eat.
The leftovers are also amazing. Now get yourself to the farmstand and grab some tomatoes while you can!
I freaking love Chex Mix.
It reminds me of being a kid at a holiday party — both delicious and nostalgic.
So as we head into the cooler months — football season and the holidays — I’m starting the Chex Mix Experiment — a once-a-month feature only for paid subscribers!
I’ll be spending my football widow Sundays experimenting with different and unusual Chex Mix recipes — and passing them along to you!
Also coming for paid subscribers — the Hygge & History recipe club — a forum to share and discuss our favorite recipes!
Including those for Chex Mix.
My Personal Hygge
This space is reserved for personal essays about cozy things that I enjoy.
And this one is about how I found ambient videos on YouTube — and realized that creating chill and cozy spaces is my calling.
I worked — and still moonlight — in the food and bev industry for 15 years.
Mostly in cheese and wine-focused places. I’ve dealt with my share of French chefs.
I have hilarious stories — but that’s for another day.
The work could be interesting and a lot of fun — it fed my love of history — but I grew exhausted with The Life.
Performing behind the bar five nights a week. No real weekends or holidays.
It becomes difficult to have relationships with people outside the industry because of your schedule.
Added bonus: There is no financial stability.
I also didn’t want to sell alcohol anymore — and when you’re in The Life, your life revolves around alcohol. It’s always there — and it’s part of your job to imbibe.
If you don’t have a “problem” — you know plenty of people who do. Guests and co-workers.
When you get off work, the only places that are open are bars.
I found solace in my cozy routines — and joy in making my guests happy.
But I wanted to experience that joy in a new way — by connecting with people and creating a fun environment that revolved around something more positive.
It’s hard to extricate yourself from The Life — you have a specific skill set, and there can be a bit of a stigma.
Plus, entry-level jobs typically pay less than what you’re making serving. That was my big problem when I finally finished my B.A.
I wandered for a while. Tried a few different things.
Then, in May of 2022, my stepdad almost lost his leg in an accident.
He was in recovery for months and unable to put any pressure on his leg while it healed. He was basically confined to the living room for the entire summer.
I suggested watching relaxing nature videos on YouTube to bring the outside in.
Then a few weeks later, he and my mom started talking about these “coffee shop videos”.
I had to see what they were talking about — and what a revelation.
Beautiful, relaxing 3D environments to play in the background to help you chill out.
I love them, and the variety is endless.
Lots of jazz — or ambient nature sounds without music.
I put fireplace sounds or rainfall on when I’m going to sleep. AMAZING.
I recently found a channel called Victorian Time that does spooky Victorian videos!
I started watching these videos to relax and focus while I was writing — and soon, I wanted to learn how to design them myself.
I’ve spent the past several months learning how to produce these videos.
Sometimes I can’t believe I didn’t know how to do any of this stuff in January — and now I have a few different YouTube channels. One focuses on Lofi music, and the other on relaxing sounds like thunderstorms and fireplaces.
Every week, I’ll close the newsletter with one of my favorite ambient videos — it might be one of mine or another channel that I enjoy.
I’m still learning — many of the folks out there with channels are true artists who inspire me daily.
Below is one that I’m really proud of — a secret autumn garden with floating leaves, an adorable kitty, and a cute bulldog.
I hope you enjoy it.
Ambient Chillout of the Week
Relax in this sunset autumn garden — with chill Lofi beats.