Innholdsfortegnelse for May/June 2023 i Taste of the South

I AM A FARMERS’ MARKET JUNKIE. Wherever I’ve lived over the last 20 years, I’ve been a market regular and loved every minute of it. From weekly staples, like eggs, greens, and tomatoes, to more exotic options (hello, goat ribs!), I revel in all of it. Whether it was the Crescent City Farmers Market in New Orleans or the Putnam Farmers Market where I live now in West Virginia, I’ve always appreciated the hard work that goes into growing delicious and nourishing produce. With this issue in hand, you will be very well equipped to make the most of the late spring and early summer markets. For the last few years, I’ve been a fan of smashed cucumber salads, and this Tomato and Smashed Cucumber Salad (page 20) is one…

“GET OUTSIDE and play in the yard until I call you to come back in the house!” And with those instructions, Dallas and Hannah would walk out the door. Sometimes they frowned for fret of not being able to watch cartoons, or sometimes they’d be happy to get out because that would let them avoid cleaning their room! Either way, though, it meant they were going to get outside and play! Summertime and the end of school always presented a few challenges to our family. I am sure it does for most all families. Kids come home from school and don’t really know how to occupy their time if a teacher isn’t standing over them. Maybe it was just the teacher in me, but I wasn’t going to let them…

THE SCENIC HIGHWAY 30A CORRIDOR situated on Florida’s Gulf Coast—simply known as 30A to generations of visitors—has long been one of the state’s most beloved vacation destinations. Renowned for pristine, white beaches, the more than 20-mile-long stretch separate from Highway 98 is something of a quintessential Southern experience these days, but the area wasn’t always such a bustling beachside hub. Until the 1920s, only a handful of cottages dotted the shoreline. It was then that a few well-placed newspaper advertisements ushered in the initial surge in 30A’s popularity, but it still took another 50 years for substantial community and resort developments to take shape. Today, comfortably equipped cottages surround town centers set up exclusively for shops, dining, and entertainment. This layout means everything, including the beach, is never more than…

dishing with Decades of determination pay off for Birmingham, Alabama’s, RAQUEL ERVIN Many chefs grow up dreaming of one day running their own kitchens. Birmingham-based chef and entrepreneur Raquel Ervin grew up doing just that. By the age of 14, she was managing the kitchen at one of her older sister’s restaurants in Mobile, Alabama, and mastering tricks of the trade to eventually leap into senior positions in corporate kitchens by the age of just 19. It’s been years of nose-to-the-grindstone work ever since, launching not one, not two, but three different ventures and competing several times on both the Food Network and the Cooking Channel. We caught up with Raquel to learn more about her successful career thus far. Where does your love of cooking come from? I grew…

THESE HARD-COOKED BEAUTIES are inherently simple: an egg white shell, mayonnaise or mustard mashed together with the yolks to be piped on top, and a sprinkle of paprika. But this basic recipe is a blank canvas just begging for variations, so we got to work to whip up a few new favorites for your next potluck, family gathering, or church supper. BBQ Deviled Eggs MAKES 24 Pulled pork from your favorite local barbecue spot will shine atop these flavor-packed eggs. ⅓ cup red wine vinegar1 tablespoon sugar½ teaspoon kosher salt¼ cup finely chopped red onion12 hard-cooked large eggs, peeled½ cup mayonnaise¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon barbecue sauce, divided1 teaspoon dry mustard½ teaspoon smoked paprika⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper½ cup pulled smoked pork 1. In a small saucepan, cook vinegar, sugar, and…

RECIPES EXCERPTED WITH PERMISSION FROM ASHLEY MAC’S KITCHEN, © 83 PRESS, 2023 ASHLEY MCMAKIN is best known around the Birmingham, Alabama, area for her five bustling Ashley Mac’s Kitchen cafés, where fresh lunches combine with takeaway family meals and scrumptious sweets for busy weeknights and easy entertaining. A wife and mother of three children, plus her two beloved bonus boys, Ashley is no stranger to hosting in her home. And as long, warm summer days dawn on the South, the McMakin family likes to take their gatherings outdoors to throw festive and delicious porch parties for family and friends. Mother’s Day is no exception. Ashley’s simple secret to flawless entertaining is to work ahead. “I always want the focus in our home to be the people,” she says. “So, I…

THERE’S SOMETHING GLORIOUS about biting into your first tomato each summer. Whether they’re heirlooms tucked into a cheesy tomato pie or simple ruby-red slices squished between two pieces of mayo-slathered white bread, that first taste is incomparable. Tomatoes thrive in the heat of balmy Southern summers, so our insatiable cravings for them are only natural. It’s no wonder, then, that tomatoes are one of the first plants novice gardeners attempt to grow on their own. While they aren’t especially difficult to grow, knowing the basics is essential to a successful crop of juicy, summertime tomatoes. If there’s anyone who knows how to grow tomatoes, it’s Master Gardener John Coykendall of Blackberry Farm in Walland, Tennessee, and Jessica Armstrong, Assistant Manager of Nursey Operations at the Thomas Jefferson Foundation in Charlottesville,…

THE COUNTRY fell in love with home cook extraordinaire Linda Skeens for her approachable, unfussy, and oh-so-delicious recipes, and this stir-together banana pudding is no exception. It combines everything we love about the famed summer dessert—creamy vanilla-kissed pudding, banana slices, rich vanilla wafers, and clouds of whipped topping—into a treat that’s ready in no time. Find more of Linda’s quick and easy sweets plus more in her first-ever cookbook, Blue Ribbon Kitchen: Recipes and Tips from American’s Favorite County Fair Champion, out this summer. Visit lindaskeensblueribbon.com to preorder her cookbook. Banana Pudding MAKES 8 TO 10 SERVINGS This yummy treat will be eaten up in no time at your next potluck. 3 (5.1-ounce) packages French vanilla instant pudding6 cups whole milk1 (8-ounce) carton of sour cream1 (8-ounce) package whipped topping*1…

Spatchcocked Chicken with Peppers and Tomatoes MAKES 4 TO 6 SERVINGS Your next Sunday supper is set thanks to this wholesome meal. 1 (3- to 4-pound) whole chicken, giblets discarded1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided¼ cup olive oil1½ tablespoons red wine vinegar, divided2 teaspoons hot paprika2 teaspoons minced fresh garlic2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano1½ teaspoons ground black pepper, divided1 pound multicolored cherry tomatoes1 pound multicolored miniature bell peppers, seeded and cut into quarters2 Anaheim peppers, cored, cut crosswise, and thinly sliced1 cup thinly sliced yellow onion¼ cup finely shredded fresh Parmesan cheese2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley1 teaspoon chopped fresh tarragon 1. On a cutting board, place chicken, breast side down, with tail end closest to you. Using kitchen shears, cut along both sides of backbone to remove. Turn…

Easy Gooey Butter Cake MAKES 9 (3-INCH) BARS Many thanks to the St. Louis, Missouri, baker who accidentally created this delectable cake by swapping the proportions of flour and sugar. 1 (15.25-ounce) box yellow cake mix3 large eggs, room temperature and divided¾ cup unsalted butter, melted and divided1 (8-ounce) package full-fat cream cheese, softened1 teaspoon vanilla extract½ teaspoon kosher salt3 cups confectioners’ sugarGarnish: confectioners’ sugar 1. Preheat oven to 350°. Spray a 9-inch square baking pan with baking spray with flour and line with parchment paper, letting excess extend over sides. 2. In a large bowl, stir together cake mix, 1 egg, and ½ cup melted butter. Press into an even layer on bottom of prepared pan. 3. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth,…

Slow Cooker Black Beans MAKES 6 TO 8 SERVINGS 1 (16-ounce) bag black beans, rinsed and sorted*4 cups water2 cups vegetable stock2 cups diced yellow onion4 cloves garlic, minced2 teaspoons ground cumin1 bay leaf 1. In a 6-quart slow cooker, add all ingredients. Cover and cook on high until beans are tender, about 3 hours and 30 minutes. *We used Camellia Brand Black Beans. Instant Pot Carnitas with Pineapple Hot Sauce MAKES 6 TO 8 SERVINGS (photo on page 73) This pressure cooker recipe will allow you to throw together an impressive supper on a weeknight. 3 cups finely chopped fresh pineapple1 (5-ounce) bottle hot sauce2 tablespoons sugar1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided1 teaspoon ground black pepper1 teaspoon ground coriander1 teaspoon ground cumin1 teaspoon dried oregano1 (3-pound) boneless pork shoulder, cut…

GROWING UP IN A CREOLE AND CAJUN HOUSEHOLD, my mother would always grab leftover rice, bacon, eggs, and green onions to make a quick fried rice for breakfast. I knew I had a Chinese grandfather on my mother’s side a few generations back, but I put little thought into it as a kid. Now, I know the dish tells a story, rooted in the ties between Creole and Chinese immigrants in Louisiana following the construction of the transcontinental railroad. Many dishes were brought to African American communities by Chinese immigrants who worked alongside Black laborers post-Civil War on the sugar plantations and in railroad construction. The similarities in their cooking brought the communities closer, and dishes like yakamein—a classic noodle soup found in New Orleans—and fried rice became traditions in…