Colvin Run Mill Historic Site

CONTACT INFORMATION: Colvin Run General Store is open Thursday through Sunday, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Ticketed Mill Tours available Saturday and Sunday. The grounds are open daily from dawn to dusk.
703-759-2771 TTY 711
10017 Colvin Run Road
Great Falls, Virginia 22066
Kiersten Fiore
Acting Site Manager

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Colvin Run Mill Recipes

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COLVIN RUN MILL CORNBREAD

Ingredients:
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 teaspoons baking powder
3 tablespoons sugar
1 egg
1 cup milk
1/4 cup shortening (soft) or vegetable oil
A display of cornbread

 

 
Mix together the dry ingredients. Beat together the egg, milk and shortening/oil. Add the liquids to the dry ingredients. Mix quickly by hand. Pour into greased 8x8 or 9x9 baking pan. Bake at 425 degrees for 20-25 minutes

COLVIN RUN MILL GRITS

Ingredients:
1 cup stone-ground grits
4 cups water
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter (optional)
A bowl of grits

 

 
Place grits in a large bowl and cover with cold water, skimming off chaff from surface. Repeat until all chaff is removed. Drain grits through a sieve.
Bring water to boil in a medium saucepan. Stir in salt, then slowly stir in grits. Reduce heat to simmer and cover. Stir frequently until grits are thick and creamy, about 40 minutes.

COLVIN RUN MILL DUSTIES

Ingredients:
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/3 cup shortening
Pinch of salt
4 tablespoons water
Your choice of favorite preserves
Powdered sugar
Baked dusties sprinkled with powdered sugar

 

 
Cut shortening into flour until the texture of mix is crumbly. Add water and work into a dough. On a floured surface, roll out dough to 1/8 inch thickness Cut 4-inch circles. The recipe should yield eight circles. Put 3/4 tablespoon of preserves in the center of each circle, then fold circle in half. Crimp edges of half circle with tines of fork to seal. Bake at 425 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Dust with powdered sugar after baking.

COLVIN RUN MILL CORNMEAL SHORTBREAD COOKIE

The stone ground cornmeal adds a pleasant bit of crunch to this buttery shortbread.

Ingredients:
1 cup flour
1/3 cup Colvin Run Mill Stone Ground Cornmeal
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 oz. unsalted butter (1 stick), softened to cool room temp.
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure extract (Ex: vanilla, orange, lemon, almond, etc.)
Great Falls Tea Garden logo

 

 

Combine flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt in bowl. Set aside. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
In food processor, beat butter briefly. Add sugar and beat to mix well. Add extract, blend. Add dry ingredients and blend until just mixed and has somewhat formed a ball.
Turn out onto a piece of wax paper. Shape into a round to prepare for rolling.
Cover with another piece of wax paper for easy rolling to desired thickness.
Cut into desired shape/s, and place on baking sheet lined with parchment. Bake in preheated 325° oven 20-30 minutes, depending on size and thickness. Remove from oven. Let cool on baking sheet. Store in airtight container for several days. May be frozen. Makes 20-40 cookies depending on size and thickness.

Variations:
The dough can be rolled into small balls (agate size) and pressed down with the bottom of a glass that has been buttered and sugared,  or the balls can be pressed down with a fork criss-cross style.
Substitute 1/3 cup stone ground whole wheat flour or ground nuts of your choice for the cornmeal.
Substitute 1/4 cup cocoa powder for 1/4 cup flour to make a chocolate-flavored shortbread.
Grind 2 tablespoons of dry tea leaves (your favorite flavor, such as spiced, grey, peach, etc.) and add to the dry ingredients. Omit the extract. Experiment and enjoy!

Recipe courtesy of Tea Specialist Chef Laurie Bell, Great Falls Tea Garden, LLC

COLVIN RUN MILL BANANA BREAD

This recipe is quick and easy. Using stone ground whole wheat flour adds a wholesome texture and slightly nutty taste, even if you don’t add nuts. Bake extra loaves to have in the freezer for unexpected guests or as thoughtful hostess gifts.
Ingredients:
1 1/4 cup Colvin Run Mill Stone Ground Whole Wheat Flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 mounded cup VERY ripe banana (the softer and blacker the better)
2 eggs
1/3 cup canola oil
Great Falls Tea Garden logo

 

 
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a standard size loaf pan and set aside.
Mix dry ingredients together. Set aside.
Mash banana well – a portable mixer works great, or mash by hand. Add eggs and oil. Blend well. Add dry ingredients and mix until well blended, but do not overmix. Pour into prepared loaf pan. Bake in preheated oven for 50–60 minutes until center is cooked and edges come away slightly from pan. Cool slightly, and remove from pan to cooling rack to finish cooling.
This bread lasts for several days if wrapped well. It freezes beautifully, too.
 
Variations:
A portion of all-purpose flour may be substituted for some or all of the whole wheat flour.
1/4 to 1/2 cup chopped nuts are an optional addition. Fold into batter after dry ingredients.
Use 2 or 3 small loaf pans and bake 45-50 minutes.
Cut slices of banana bread into bite size pieces and top with curried chicken salad for a delicious appetizer, brunch or luncheon treat.
Recipe courtesy of Tea Specialist Chef Laurie Bell, Great Falls Tea Garden, LLC
 

Brown Sugar Muffin Recipe

 

Crazy Chocolate Tea Cake

This recipe’s origin is attributed to World War II when some ingredients were scarce. There are no eggs or milk in this recipe but it is still so wonderfully moist and flavorful it doesn’t need frosting (although you can frost it if you want to!). It has had various names through the decades: War Cake, Victory Cake, Wacky Cake, Dump Cake… I like calling it Crazy Cake because it is crazy easy to make and eat!! Adding the ground tea is my creation. It is not a necessity but adds a welcome flavor note to the cake.

 

Ingredients:

Dry tea leaves – use either: 2 Tbsp Great Falls Tea Garden dry tea leaves (Spiced Chai, Creamy Orange, Grey, or tea of your choice) OR: use dry tea from 2 teabags of your favorite flavor
1 ½ cups all purpose flour (and see variations below)
3 heaping Tbsp cocoa powder (1/3 cup), sifted to remove any lumps
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
1/3 cup canola oil
1 cup cold water 1 Tbsp vinegar (white or apple cider)

 

 

Grease an 8x8 or 9x9 inch baking pan and preheat oven to 350°.

 

If using loose leaf tea finely grind the dry tea in a spice grinder (or open the teabags)
Combine ground tea, flour, sugar, baking soda and salt in a bowl. Set aside.
Combine oil, water and vinegar in a 2-cup measuring cup or bowl. Add to dry ingredients and whisk until blended. (A hand whisk is fine. No need for an electric mixer)
Pour into greased pan and bake for 30 – 35 minutes until top looks dry and cake pulls away from sides of pan. Cool slightly to eat warm. When cool, wrap well to store for 2 days.

 

 

Variations: Experiment and Enjoy!!

 

  • Add a handful of chocolate chips or raisins to the batter
  • Batter can be baked in 2 or 3 small loaf pans
  • Use a cup of cold coffee in place of the cold water for a mocha flavored cake
  • Substitute some stone ground whole wheat flour or almond flour for some of the all-purpose flour
  • A fruit puree such as raspberry or strawberry, or a citrus sauce or curd napping the plate can enhance the presentation. Balance the sauce flavor with that of the tea.

 

NOTE: I buy stone ground whole wheat flour and cornmeal from the General Store at the historic Colvin Run Mill on Route 7 in Great Falls. The grains are ground on site. Great Falls Tea Garden’s custom tea blends and other single origin teas are also available at the Colvin Run Mill General Store.

 

Recipe courtesy of Certified Tea Specialist Chef Laurie Bell, Great Falls Tea Garden, LLC – www.greatfallsteagarden.com

 

Lemon cornmeal cookies recipe

 

Soft wheat pretzel recipe

 

Tea Shortbread Cookies

 

Ingredients:

Dry tea leaves – use either: 2 Tbsp Great Falls Tea Garden dry tea leaves (Spiced Chai, Creamy Orange, Grey, or tea of your choice) OR: use dry tea from 2 teabags of your favorite flavor
1/3 cup Colvin Run Mill stone ground wheat flour, OR cornmeal, OR almond/nut flour 1 cup flour >½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
4 oz unsalted butter, softened to cool room temp.
1/3 cup sugar


Finely grind the dry tea in a spice grinder, or open 2 teabags.
Combine ground tea, flours, baking powder and salt in bowl. Set aside.
In food processor, mixer, or by hand, beat butter briefly. Add sugar and beat to mix well. Add dry ingredients and blend until just mixed and has somewhat formed a ball.
Turn out onto a piece of wax paper. Shape into a flattened round to prepare for rolling.
Cover with another piece of wax paper and roll to desired thickness.
Cut into desired shape/s, place on baking sheet lined with parchment and bake in preheated 325° oven and bake 20 - 30 minutes, depending on size and thickness. Remove from oven. Let cool on baking sheet. Eat and enjoy! (May be frozen if wrapped well.)

 

Variations: Experiment and Enjoy!!
  • The dough can be rolled into small balls (agate size) and pressed down with the bottom of a glass that has been buttered and sugared or they can be pressed down with a fork – criss-cross style.
  • For “Witches Fingers”, shape into pencil thin lengths, use almond slices for fingernails and a knife to slash the dough to look like “knuckles”. Check after 15 minutes in oven.
  • Substitute your favorite flavor of tea and/or nuts/grain in this recipe. (Try Great Falls Coconut Crème with pecans, Spiced Chai with almonds, or Great Falls Grey with walnuts, for example.)
  • Stone ground cornmeal and an orange or peach flavored tea is another great combo. The graininess of the cornmeal adds an interesting texture to the cookies.
  • You may also substitute ¼ cup cocoa powder for ¼ cup flour to make a chocolate chai or other chocolate flavored shortbread.
  • To make a nut flour, finely grind 2 oz. nuts in a spice grinder or food processor. Be careful not to over process or it will turn into nut butter.

 

NOTE: I buy stone ground whole wheat flour and cornmeal from the General Store at the historic Colvin Run Mill on Route 7 in Great Falls. The grains are ground on site. Great Falls Tea Garden’s custom tea blends and other single origin teas are also available at the Colvin Run Mill General Store.

 

Recipe courtesy of Certified Tea Specialist Chef Laurie Bell, Great Falls Tea Garden, LLC – www.greatfallsteagarden.com

 

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Green apple pie panna cotta
Green Apple Pie Chai Panna Cotta

Green apple pie chai panna cotta

 

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