Innholdsfortegnelse for January - February 2013 i Taste of the South

CAST IRON STIRS EMOTION IN us Southerners. Whether you use your skillets every week or they anchor the back of a kitchen cabinet, their satin surface comforts. You know you can depend on them for crispy chicken, dark roux, and a crunchy cornbread crust. My grandmother—like your grandmother— was, of course, a great cook, and cast iron was always at the ready. She spent hours in the kitchen every day, cooking for her family and baking from scratch. She decorated birthday and wedding cakes, despite her arthritic hands, and must have owned every shape and size of cake pan Wilton ever thought of making. But it was my grandfather who used the cornbread skillet most days. He liked his a little burnt, the way he ate it during his years…

BCS BOUND? If you’re heading to the Discover BCS National Championship Game in Miami on January 7, drop in to Yardbird Southern Table & Bar, a self-described house of worship to farmfresh ingredients, classic Southern cooking, and Southern hospitality, located in South Beach just across McArthur Parkway from the Orange Bowl. Llewellyn’s Fine Fried Chicken, made according to owner John Kunkel’s great-grandmother’s 27-hour recipe and served with spicy Tabasco honey, is the most popular dish on the menu. We hear the deviled eggs are pretty good, too. For reservations, go to runchickenrun.com. OYSTER LOVER´S DREAM It’s an oyster lover’s dream—80,000 pounds of oysters, ready to be shucked and eaten, at the world’s largest oyster roast, the Lowcountry Oyster Festival on January 27. Sponsored by the Charleston Restaurant Association, the event…

FRIED CHICKEN WINGS WITH HONEY-LIME SAUCE Yield: 1 dozen wings 1⁄2 cup honey 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice 2 teaspoons hot sauce or to taste 1 teaspoon plus 1⁄8 teaspoon kosher salt, divided Dash ground allspice 1 dozen chicken wings 6 to 8 cups canola oil 1⁄2 teaspoon ground black pepper Lime wedges (optional) 1. In a small bowl, combine honey, lime juice, hot sauce, 1⁄8 teaspoon salt, and allspice. 2. Remove and discard tips from chicken wings 3. In a deep cast-iron skillet, pour enough oil to fill halfway; heat oil over medium-high heat to 350°. Gently add half of wings to hot oil. Cook until golden brown, turning occasionally, 10 minutes for halved wings, 15 minutes for whole wings. Adjust heat if needed to maintain temperature. 4. Remove…

BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP Recipe courtesy of Susan Lewis Smith, Birmingham, Alabama Yield: 6 to 8 servings 2 tablespoons butter 1 medium yellow onion, chopped 2 large carrots, chopped 2 stalks celery, chopped 1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and chopped (approximately 8 cups squash) 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth 1⁄4 teaspoon ground red pepper Salt to taste Pepper to taste 1 teaspoon raw honey 1 cup heavy whipping cream Garnish: olive oil, chopped fresh parsley, and crushed red pepper 1. In a large Dutch oven or stockpot, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion, carrot, and celery, and cook until onion is translucent. Add butternut squash and chicken broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer until vegetables are very tender, 15 to 20 minutes. 2. Remove from heat,…

Cauliflower Love I love, love, love your magazine! It’s one I sit down and read, cover to cover, the day it comes. I work from home, so my lunch break is my magazine time. Your latest November/ December 2012 issue was a huge hit. I’ve already found two “keepers” among the recipes. I made Christy Jordan’s stuff ed pork chops [“Southern Plate Suppers,” page 22]; they were delicious! I paired them with the Roasted Cauliflower with Brown Butter and Almonds from “The Ultimate Christmas Cooking Guide” [page 31]. My 15-year-old son asked for seconds—on cauliflower! Keep the “keepers” coming, Taste of the South! —Lisa Funderburg, Springfield, Illinois Want More Taste? I just recently discovered your magazine, and I love it. When did this publication start? I am interested in collecting…

When Southern coal miners asked a company salesman for a solid and filling snack, the Chattanooga Bakery created the Moon Pie, and one of the South’s favorite treats was born. Since the 1930s, working men have enjoyed the iconic pairing of a Moon Pie with a 10-ounce RC (Royal Crown) Cola, each costing just a nickel in those days. More recently, the marshmallow-stuffed Moon Pie has become a favorite of Mardi Gras float riders in New Orleans and Mobile for its superior throwability. Available in chocolate (the original flavor), banana, and vanilla, the original Moon Pie has been joined by double-decker and mini sizes in strawberry, lemon, and orange, as well as crunchy varieties in peanut butter and mint.…

Allan BENTON Owner, Benton’s Smoky Mountain Country Hams, Madisonville, Tennessee When you start talking about cast iron in the South, people get sparkles in their eyes. It’s more than just a utensil. If I could have only one type of cookware, without a doubt, it would be cast iron. I have some skillets that have been in my family for generations; I don’t even know how old they are. I’m very proud of an old cast-iron pot that was hung on a crane and used to cook over an open fire. Each of my great-grandmothers owned this cast-iron pot at one time. One of them sold it to the other. I acquired the pot through my mother’s side of the family, and she told me the story of how one…

M y grandparents had a motor home for many years. They traveled as far south as Belize in Central America and as far north as the Arctic Circle in Alaska. They loved Alaska and traveled there multiple times, each trip lasting an entire summer. They meandered from Georgia to what seemed like halfway around the world to the far reaches of the Pacific Northwest. In the ‘70s, the Alaska Highway that they traveled on was little more than a bumpy gravel road. Seeing their grainy photo slideshows of Eskimos in sealskin coats, moose grazing against the backdrop of snow-capped mountains, and grizzly bears in the river with salmon trapped in their powerful jaws gave me glimpses into this exotic wilderness. Wild though it might have been, the trips didn’t involve…

BLUE CORNMEAL Sweet blue corn has a higher protein content than white or yellow corn. It’s also higher in an essential amino acid called lysine, making it a complete protein. Source: mcewenandsons.com WHITE CORNMEAL A traditional favorite of Southern cooks for cornbread and hushpuppies, stone-ground white cornmeal is available bolted (sifted) or unbolted. Unbolted cornmeal has a gritty texture; it’s often referred to as old-fashioned cornmeal. Like all stone-ground cornmeals, it should be stored in the freezer to preserve its freshness. Source: weisenberger.com SELF-RISING CORNMEAL MIX Nothing is more convenient than self-rising cornmeal mix, available in both white and yellow varieties. A little bit of flour, baking powder, and salt are added to the cornmeal in the correct proportions for perfect cornbread. Source: marthawhite.com…

M y ancestors were sharecroppers. They lived in shacks and moved from farm to farm as they found work. They didn’t have computers, video games, cell phones, or even electricity. School was a special treat when they could afford time away from the fields. But, oh my goodness, do I have a rich heritage! My Grandmama, Lucille, is one of the kindest people you could ever hope to meet. Always ready with a smile and a chuckle, she is a joy to be around. She doesn’t have a lot from her childhood because her family’s possessions were so few. But she does have one special heirloom: three tiny cast-iron skillets she received on her sixth birthday. Birthdays usually weren’t a gift-giving occasion, but her daddy had a little seed money…

A piece of chicken breaded and fried—what could be simpler? But in the hands of good Southern cooks, fried chicken is sublime. For folks who grew up in the country, Sunday’s chicken dinner was often wandering in the backyard on Saturday. Today, people don’t have that kind of time—or that kind of yard. Now almost everyone heads to the local shack, joint, or diner for a fried chicken fix. And good fried chicken has migrated beyond the South. As people move, they take their favorite foods with them. More than that, though, fried chicken is landing on white tablecloths in some of the country’s finest restaurants. Fried chicken might not be the sole property of the South anymore, but it’s still home to the best. Here are our top picks…

When I saw the name of your new cookbook, Mastering the Art of Southern Cooking, I thought, that’s a nod to Julia Child. But it’s more than just a nod to her. Julia Child inspired this book, didn’t she? Nathalie: Yes, she did. She always told me that I should write a big book on Southern cooking. And I couldn’t help but acknowledge her tremendous influence in my life. In the introduction to the book, you tell the story of how you met her and how she came to influence your career. That was very inspiring. Nathalie: I realize now that many women feel they get their start from just one brush with someone. That was certainly true in my case. I didn’t even know who Julia Child was when…

Just a Taste Page 7: Location courtesy High Hampton Inn, Cashiers, North Carolina, highhamptoninn.com. Southern Plate Suppers Pages 17–22: Cast-iron pizza pan by Lodge, 423-837-7181, lodgemfg.com. Cast-Iron: The Southern Workhorse Pages 24–46: Cast-iron baking dishes and mini cast-iron skillets by Lodge, 423-837-7181, lodgemfg.com; round cutting board (pages 24 and 26) available at Europe 2 You, 770-998-7175, europe2you.com; crinkled mini baker (page 42) available at Anthropologie, 800-309-2500, anthropologie.com. Family Favorites Pages 85–86: Pistachio Creme and Old Havana bowls available at Anthropologie, 800-309-2500, anthropologie.com.…

MEYER LEMON BUTTERMILK CHESS PIE Yield: approximately 8 servings 1⁄2 (14.1-ounce) box refrigerated piecrusts (1 sheet) 1 1⁄2 cups sugar 1 tablespoon yellow cornmeal 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1⁄4 teaspoon salt 4 large eggs, at room temperature 1⁄2 cup whole buttermilk, at room temperature 2 tablespoons sour cream 1⁄2 cup butter, melted and cooled 1 tablespoon Meyer lemon zest 6 tablespoons fresh Meyer lemon juice 1 1⁄2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1. Preheat oven to 350°. Unroll piecrust, and fit into a 9-inch glass or metal pie plate. Fold excess dough under, and flute edges. Set aside. 2. In a medium bowl, whisk together sugar, cornmeal, flour, and salt. 3. In another medium bowl, beat eggs thoroughly with a wire whisk. Add sugar mixture to eggs, whisking to combine. 4. In…