Innholdsfortegnelse for July - August 2017 i Taste of the South

Last summer, I got to visit Chattooga Belle Farm, a u-pick fruit orchard near Long Creek, South Carolina, for a video shoot. While the camera crew did their thing, I wandered into the peach orchard, and lost myself in a Southern summer wonderland. Laden with sunset-colored fruit, the branches draped groundward, creating a cocoon from the outside world. Sunlight filtered through the rustling leaves, dappling the grass below with its dancing light. At first I walked with soft, deliberate steps, lest I disturb the serenity of this magical place. But the beauty had awoken my inner 9-year-old, so I had no choice but to climb the nearest suitable tree. Being careful not to crush the pale purple and blue morning glories winding their way up its trunk, I scurried up…

CREAMED CORN Makes about 6 servings The unbeatable flavor of this classic dish is even better the next day. 12 medium ears corn, shucked 4 strips bacon ½ cup chopped yellow onion 1 clove garlic, minced ½ cup heavy whipping cream, divided 1½ teaspoons kosher salt, divided ½ teaspoon ground black pepper 1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper 2 tablespoons chopped green onion 1. Using a sharp knife, cut corn kernels from cobs (about 3 cups). Using the back of a spoon, scrape cobs to remove pulp (about 1½ cups). 2. In a 10-inch cast-iron skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon, and let drain on paper towels, reserving drippings in skillet. 3. Add onion to skillet; cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Add garlic; cook for 1…

1 GROUPER CHEEKS Want to eat like a local in the Florida Keys? Drop into Hogfish Bar & Grill on Stock Island, a true locals’ spot, where people who fish eat fish. We recommend the grouper cheeks, tender nuggets of fish that have been dipped in buttermilk and dredged in seasoned flour, then fried to a crispy delight. Owner Bobby Mongelli says they taste sweet like scallops. 2 SALT BREAD Drop by Burke’s Bakery in Danville, Kentucky, for a loaf of traditional salt-rising bread, a yeast-less bread that was popular in the Appalachian region more than 100 years ago. Fifth generation owner Joedy Burke learned the process through his apprenticeship to his father and grandfather. Surprisingly tangy in flavor, this Southern treat calls for a road trip. 3 CULTURED BUTTER…

If you were raised in the South, you know about catfish. It was quite possibly the first fish you tasted, as well as the subject of a favorite pastime. Many Southerners recall warm summer days spent sitting at the edge of a lake, fishing pole in hand, toes dipped in the water, eagerly anticipating a tug on the line. And when the end of that fishing pole began to dip down toward the water, it almost always meant that a fish fry would soon follow. Your first bite of catfish was probably crisp on the outside, tender on the inside, dipped in tartar sauce, and served in a red plastic basket with a side of hushpuppies. It’s this savory combination of flavor and texture that has solidified the catfish as…

1 BUXTON HALL BARBECUE Pitmaster Elliott Moss had a dream when opening Buxton Hall: to keep the tradition of Eastern Carolina-style barbecue alive. Starting the night before, he and his team smoke whole hogs from Vandele Farms over a live, wood-fueled fire and infuse them with flavor using a vinegar mopping sauce, a Moss family recipe. Calling themselves the evangelicals of Eastern-style barbecue, the team at Buxton Hall reveres the Appalachian philosophy of using every part of the pig, letting their greens simmer under the cooking pork to soak up all the drippings. 2 OXBOW BAKERY Mile-high meringue and Southern heritage collide in the ultimate pies at this bakery in Old Town Palestine, Texas. Owned and operated by mother and son team Becky and David Wolfe, Oxbow Bakery offers more…

1 SIMMONS-WRIGHT GENERAL STORE Owned by the same family since it opened in 1884 in Kewanee, Mississippi, this general store is a time capsule of Southern culture. Still a working store (they sell hoop cheese, local sorghum, and essential farm tools), they also sell antiques such as vintage cast iron. Do yourself a favor and stop by for lunch or breakfast, then wander the creaking plank floors while you wait for your homestyle Southern cooking. It’s an experience you’ll never forget. 2 SEQUATCHIE COVE FARM & CREAMERY Less than a half hour drive from Chattanooga, Tennessee, Sequatchie Cove Farm is the perfect Saturday trip for lovers of lush, rolling pastures—and delicious cheese. Get a look at this private working farm, visit the trading post, and taste some of the award-winning…

Southerners take their sandwiches very seriously. What started as a staple in every school kid’s lunchbox can now be enjoyed any way and any time of day. Whether you love classic pimiento cheese or you crave an over-the-top muffuletta, there’s a sandwich for every Southerner. • Pimiento Cheese • BLT • Muffaletta • Hot Brown • Fried Bologna • Barbecue • Grouper PIMIENTO CHEESE Perfectly at home on two pieces of white bread or on a decadently dressed fresh-baked bun, pimiento cheese is truly the spread of the South. CALLIE’S HOT LITTLE BISCUIT CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA Callie’s may be known for biscuits, but the pimiento cheese has a kick that makes their grilled sandwich mouthwateringly delicious. Multiple locations | 843.737.5159 calliesbiscuits.com LOLA COVINGTON, LOUISIANA Housed in Covington’s train depot, LOLA…

These Texas-made chocolates are dusted with edible gold 1. FRENCH BROAD CHOCOLATES PEANUT BUTTER TUMBLERS These Peanut Butter Tumblers are sprinkled with sea salt to bring out the rich flavors of French Broad’s bean-to-bar dark chocolate. Add in the peanut butter and milk chocolate filling, and we’re hooked. $15.75 for 6-piece box; frenchbroadchocolates.com 2. LOWCOUNTRY KETTLE POTATO CHIPS Handcrafted in Charleston, South Carolina, these potato chips have Southern flavor packed into every bite. While we love all four varieties, for the full South Carolina experience, try the Mustard BBQ Flavor. $36 for box of 24 bags; lowcountrykettle.com 3. MAGGIE LOUISE CONFECTIONS CIRCUS PEANUTS Forget the circus peanuts you grew up with. These decadent milk chocolate treats are filled with creamy peanut butter candy that will have you thinking you’re at…

3WAYS TO CUSTOMIZE YOUR COBBLER 1 PICK YOUR DISH You can use a 13x9, a skillet, or 8 small oven-proof dishes 2 CHOOSE THE FRUIT The filling is up to you—use 8 cups of your favorite fruit 3 TOP IT YOUR WAY The versatile dough can be cut into rounds or strips COBBLER DOUGH Makes enough dough for 8 servings 1½ cups all-purpose flour ½ cup plain yellow cornmeal ¼ cup sugar 1 tablespoon baking powder ½ teaspoon kosher salt ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon ½ cup cold unsalted butter, cubed ¾ cup heavy whipping cream 1. In the work bowl of a food processor, place flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon; pulse until combined. Add cold butter, and pulse until mixture is crumbly. With processor running, add cream,…

Having grown up romping through the vegetable patches of her family’s farm in small town Georgia, Robyn Stone is more than familiar with the food of the South. She also understands the sacred status of supper below the Mason-Dixon Line, and that the busyness of day-to-day life can make cooking downright difficult. With her new cookbook, Add a Pinch, Robyn is helping home cooks get fresh and flavorful meals on the table, no matter how fast the hands on the clock seem to spin. Far from the realm of cookbooks used only for special occasions, Add a Pinch is destined to be a permanent resident of your kitchen counter. What makes Add a Pinch a go-to for the Southern home cook? It’s filled with recipes that are based on those…

Most summers of my childhood were spent at my grandparents’ house. Hidden away down a dirt road, it was a six-year-old’s paradise. I spent my days weaving through the tall stalks of tomatoes in their garden, and my evenings tucked between Grandmama’s and Granddaddy’s big rockers in my own little rocking chair. And in between all of that, we were in the kitchen. I soaked up every motion Grandmama made while cooking. Whether she was wrapping her weathered fingers around my tiny hands on a wooden spoon stirring greens, or dunking freshly cut squash into a Dutch oven full of vegetable oil, I was there for it all. Summer afternoons were reserved for snapping beans. We would grab two gray paint buckets and get to work. Grocery bag upon grocery…