The Buxton School is a tiny college prep school in the tiny hamlet of Williamstown in western Massachusetts. Only about 80 kids comprise its four grades, 9th-12th. Once a year, the entire student body, along with a bevy of game faculty chaperones, sets out on a school trip. They sometimes visit a foreign country but usually pack up a caravan of buses to explore an American city.
This past February, the entire school spread out over Atlanta to study our city’s culture, history, footprint and municipal character. One group studied the diverse neighborhoods, others looked at politics and government, arts and music, civil rights and race relations, and homelessness and inequality.
Then, there was the food group — eight hungry young souls who chose to eat their way through Atlanta. (A full third of the student body tried to get this elective.) But, before the students could pack their forks, they had to come up with an agenda and set up meetings and excursions with local thinkers and food personalities.
A junior named Kevin Rutledge did much of the early research. “It was all on the Internet,” he said. “We Googled some of the names we saw on a (food) TV show and went from there. One of the advantages of the food group is we can reach out to people more casually. And all the people we met with seemed so happy to have us.”
Cookbook author Virginia Willis took the group on a tour of the Sweet Auburn Curb Market. Rutledge and two other students attempted to hit every food stall in the market, starting with the overstuffed arepas at Arepa Mia and continuing on to barbecue, savory pies and popcorn. Two of them succeeded.
Emory University ethnobotanist Cassandra Quave told the group about her research into the interactions between plants and humans.
Food photographer and stylist Angie Mosier invited the group to help her prepare a full Southern meal, complete with fried chicken, grits, black-eyed peas, collard greens, cornbread and banana pudding.
“I had never had banana pudding or pimento cheese before,” said junior Iona Green, still sounding palate-struck at the experience.
“Angie made an audio recording of everyone trying the pimento cheese for the first time,” Rutledge added.
The Buxton food group also took two excursions into Atlanta restaurants. Pitmaster Wade McSwain of Pit Boss BBQ in College Park gave the group a behind-the-scenes tour of his operation, proudly showing off his propane-free, all-hardwood smoker.
Then, I took the group to Buford Highway. Rutledge had reached out so sweetly and directly on Twitter, asking for a little of my time, that I decided to invite them to lunch on my favorite street.
I decided on Northern China Eatery. With all its pictures of food and Chinese signage on the walls, I figured it would look like no other Chinese restaurants these kids had ever seen. But I knew they would like all the dumplings and noodles for which this restaurant is famous. Everyone does.
As it turned out, these kids had real game. Sure, the lamb dumplings, chive pies and dan dan noodles went fast, but the plate of slivered braised pig ears proved to be the hot commodity. Junior James Mulligan, who described himself as “an exotic eater,” went for thirds.
“I had never tried a pig’s ear,” said Green, who nibbled tentatively but appreciatively.
Rutledge best liked the dish I always crave at Northern China Eatery: a simple but weird salad of shredded raw potato, carrots and cilantro in a vinegary dressing.
After lunch, I directed the group to the Buford Highway Farmers Market and sent them on a treasure hunt for some of my favorite finds, including Russian tarragon soda.
“I spent so much time in that Russian section,” Rutledge said, “and I still feel like I didn’t have enough time.”
“That place was really overwhelming,” piped in Mulligan.
On their one free night in Atlanta, a group of kids returned to both Northern China Eatery and the market to continue their research.
Once back in Massachusetts, each of the various groups prepared their reports, which will be collated into a keepsake book.
The food group had a supplemental task, however. They had to make dinner for the school.
About the Author
