The Spondikes Meet the Carnies: A Classic Cafe Drake HRV Weekend

Cocktails are in order upon Ms. Amee's arrival. Tonight it was all about the Shiso Collins: gin, shiso syrup, lime juice and shiso leaves from the garden.

Our Southern-style cornbread keeps warm in an iron skillet.

Local free-running chicken thighs were BBQ'd for dinner. Cafe Drake HRV marinated the poultry for 8 hours with a dry rub of dark brown sugar, kosher salt, ground nutmeg, cinnamon, cumin and smoked paprika. Roast at 425 degrees F. for 35 minutes and you've achieved the perfection of moist flesh and crackling crispy skin. Boneless? Skinless chicken? Don't even consider it. In fact, find another website - we're not for you. Really.

Bryan waits patiently for all to arrive at the groaning dinner table, laden with BBQ chicken, cornbread, coleslaw with capers and lovage and garden-fresh braised kale.

Chicken served family-style, with cornbread and roasted Vidalia onions and okra from our garden.

The Kids chill Saturday morning with iPads and coffee table books.

We're all Carnies at the Bindlestiff Circus at Der Spiegeltent at Bard College.