Innholdsfortegnelse for January - February 2016 i Taste of the South

I’M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND ADMIT IT—we’re a little obsessed with cast iron here at Taste of the South. Sure, we love Christmas, and we adore Thanksgiving. But cast iron, my friends—cast iron is our passion. We spend the year filing away ideas for our annual cast iron issue. We burst into each others’ offices, eyes gleaming with new ideas for skillet-born dishes. And then finally, we join forces with our test kitchen, and bring our ideas to life for you. Dishes like our Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie (page 54), which we took to with a bevy of spoons; or our cheese-cracker-topped twist on Poppy Seed Chicken Casserole (page 46), a favorite of our taste testers. And it wouldn’t be a cast-iron issue without a skillet full of warm,…

Eureka Springs, Arkansas Nestled in the heart of the Ozark Mountains, Eureka Springs, Arkansas, is an artsy and eclectic town that has a little something for everyone. GRAND TAVERNE Located on the ground floor of the historic Grand Central Hotel, this restaurant is the go-to spot in town for gourmet cuisine. Everything is prepared from scratch, using local ingredients and herbs grown on their balcony herb garden. Enjoy some of Chef Jeff Clements’ beautiful dishes by candlelight for a truly luxurious dining experience. grandcentralresort.com MID STREET CAFÉ This undergound café is the place to be for breakfast. It has consistently won the award for best coffee in Arkansas, and it features tasty breakfast favorites like hearty omelets and cheesy grits. Housed in a building built in 1888, Mud Street Café’s…

One of the highlights of my trip to Charleston was getting to experience the 10th Annual Cast-Iron Cookoff. The area’s most inspired and talented chefs gather into teams to see who can cook whom under the table! Celebrating Appalachian cuisine is the name of the game, but there’s a special twist—the dishes must be prepared or served in cast iron. While open to the public, the event is really geared to the chefs—peers cheering each other on, pushing their creativity to new limits as they explore new ways with Appalachian cuisine. But what I loved most about this competition is the importance of showcasing local and traditional ingredients. Not having grown up in this wild and wonderful pocket of the Mountain South, I loved getting to watch these chefs in…

A king cake is a traditional French confection served throughout Louisiana during Carnival, which runs Jan. 6 through Mardi Gras Day. The two main varieties are frosted Danish king cakes and almond-filled puff pastry king cakes, known as Galettes des Rois. Danish king cakes are often decorated with a white sugar glaze and purple, green and gold sugar. Each cake has a hidden charm—often a bean or baby—that bestows luck on the person who finds it in his or her slice. During the Mardi Gras season, king cakes can be found in bakeries, grocery stores and even gas stations all along the Bayou Bounty Trail. CANE SYRUP One of the South’s most popular pantry staples is born on the sugar cane farms of the Bayou Bounty Culinary Trail. Cane syrup…

My mother always bought a half-gallon of buttermilk with a green label. I remember this quite distinctly because as a child I had the unfortunate experience of taking a big gulp of the stuff, having been reeled in by the very enticing name— buttermilk. Being a fan of both the ingredients I believed to be in the carton, I eagerly took a swig only to find a thick, sour emulsion instead of the expected sweet, buttery cream. Thinking it must have gone bad, I exclaimed it needed to be thrown out, only to be told that it was supposed to taste like that. Doubting my mother’s sanity, I placed the green-labeled carton back in the refrigerator, carefully sliding it to the very back of the shelf in an attempt to…

If you’re trying to cook more during the week, skillet suppers are a great solution. These juicy pork chops get big flavor from apples and Dijon mustard. MUSTARD-BAKED PORK CHOPS Makes 4 servings These delicious apple-topped pork chops make a comforting supper. 4 (6-ounce) bone-in pork rib chops (about 1 inch thick) 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided 2 Granny Smith apples, peeled and thinly sliced 1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced 1/2 cup chicken broth 1/4 cup Dijon mustard 8 small fresh thyme sprigs Garnish: fresh thyme 1. Preheat oven to 450°. Sprinkle pork with salt and pepper. Let stand at room temperature 10 minutes. 2. In a 12-inch cast-iron skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat. Add apple and…

Before making its way to your morning cup of coffee, some of Community Coffee Company’s finest beans begin their journey in Chiapas, Mexico. There, nestled in the foothills of the El Triunfo Ecological Biosphere Reserve, the beans are grown, nurtured and hand-picked by fourth-generation coffee producers at Finca Monte Grande. For 12 years, the Finca Monte Grande Moises family and the Saurage family, of Community Coffee Company in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, have worked together to make great coffee. Finca Monte Grande is situated in an ideal valley for growing flavorful high-elevation coffee beans. The lush tropical mountain ranges that surround Finca Monte Grande protect the coffee plants from Pacific Ocean and Gulf of Mexico breezes and help maintain a steady temperature that encourages rich, flavorful beans. Each winter, Guatemalan families…

CRISBEE PUCK Seasoning cast-iron pans between uses is crucial to maintaining the nonstick surface, but it’s easy to over-apply liquid oils. The Crisbee Puck is a solidified mixture of soybean oil, palm oil, and beeswax that you rub into the cooking surface. Simply wipe with a paper towel, and you’re on your way to a perfectly seasoned skillet. $7; crisbeepuck.com LODGE SCRUB BRUSH Well-seasoned cast-iron skillets are mostly nonstick, but sometimes it takes more than a quick swipe with a paper towel to get them clean. In these cases, we employ a tool like this Lodge Scrub Brush. The stiff nylon bristles are perfect for loosening stubborn food particles without damaging the surface of your beloved pans. $8.75; lodgemfg.com CAST-IRON SKILLET HANDLE HOLDER Cast-iron skillets get hot—everywhere! Keep your hands…

FROM PLANTATION DINING ROOMS AND BACKYARD SMOKEHOUSES TO CAJUN CRAWFISH BOILS AND FINE CREOLE DINING, BAYOU BOUNTY STARTING IN LAFAYETTE AND CONTINUING SOUTHEAST TOWARD HOUMA, HUNGRY TRAVELERS CAN FILL UP ON AUTHENTIC CAJUN CULTURE AND CUISINE. SUGAR CANE FIELDS, ROADSIDE BOUDIN VENDORS AND IDYLLIC BAYOU SCENERY WILL LEAVE VISITORS CRAVING MORE. WHERE THE BAYOU MEETS THE GULF From Louisiana’s earliest inhabited days, the waterways and fertile farmland of the Bayou Bounty Culinary Trail have provided chefs with raw material for the area’s famed cuisine. Here, the marshy streams called bayous meet the Gulf of Mexico to create the perfect environment for shrimp, crabs, crawfish and an array of fish and other wildlife found in Cajun and Creole cooking. From the rice farmers and cattle ranchers of Acadiana to the oystermen…

BREAKFAST FRIES WITH SMOKED SAUSAGE Makes about 8 servings Tender cubes of potato and caramelized onions come together in this hearty comforting hash. 6 cups peeled cubed Yukongold potatoes (about 4 largepotatoes)21/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided2 tablespoons canola oil1/2 pound smoked sausage, sliced1 cup chopped yellow onion1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper1 (4-ounce) jar diced pimientos,drained1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage 1. In a large saucepan, combine potato and 1/2 teaspoon salt; add water to cover. Bring to a boil; cook until tender, about 6 minutes. Drain. 2. In a large cast-iron skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add sausage and onion; cook, stirring frequently, until browned, about 4 minutes. Add potato; cook until lightly browned, stirring occasionally, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in pimiento, sage, and remaining 2 teaspoons…

MENU MANCHEGO POLENTA BITES MASHED CAULIFLOWER WITH ROASTED GARLIC ROASTED ASPARAGUS WITH FETA AND CRANBERRIES CITRUS-ROASTED CHICKEN WITH OLIVES LEMON OLIVE OIL CAKE If I could name five dishes every home cook should master, a really good roasted chicken would be number one on my list. Number two would be roasted asparagus, simply because it is so easy, you can prepare it any season, and everyone loves it. This month’s supper club menu kicks off the year with a healthy start, but what I love most is that it gives me even more reasons to break out my mom’s cast-iron skillet. Hope you enjoy! SUPPER CLUB EASY PREP PLAN HOST: CHICKEN The day before or morning of your gathering, rub chicken with dry brine and refrigerate, uncovered. About an hour…

After years spent running her catering business from tiny basement kitchens in New York City restaurants, Sara Foster decided to bring her culinary talents back to the South. Originally from rural Tennessee, Sara meandered back down South to Durham, North Carolina, with her husband, Peter. Together, with numerous family members and friends, they cobbled together their restaurant, Foster’s Market. Now, 25 years later, Sara has gathered some of her very best recipes in her latest cookbook, Foster’s Market Favorites. Did you cook much while growing up? I come from a long line of family cooks. Everyone in my family—men, women, and children—knew how to cook. Our family gatherings revolved around food, and my grandparents had a farm, so I spent time gardening and cooking with what we grew. Tell us…

When it comes to keeping your cast iron in top shape, there are a few basic rules you should always follow. Read on to learn some of our tricks of the trade to take the best care of your cast-iron cookware. CLEANING The main concern with cast iron is to protect the precious nonstick surface that you’ve taken years to create. Avoid harsh detergents, scouring pads, and dishwashers, and go easy on the soap. STORING After cleaning, dry your cookware immediately to keep rust at bay. Heat your pan on the stove over low heat or place in the oven at 400° for 10 minutes or until dry. Rub with a light coating of oil while the pan is still warm, then let cool completely. TIP Go easy when applying…

What makes the Lafayette food scene unique? Louisiana cooks have a tradition of using everything they have and only using what’s in season. Boucheries (whole hog roasts) and huge batches of gumbo are examples of how families make great meals that bring the community together. What do you love most about cooking in southeast Louisiana? It’s an exciting time in Lafayette right now; many young chefs are going to farmers’ markets (and even hosting their own) and getting back to the roots of Cajun cooking. And as you drive east on La. Hwy. 90 down into the bayous, it’s amazing to see the abundance of fish and shrimp—and even bycatchand seeing what people are doing with all that seafood.…

STRAWBERRY COBBLER Makes 6 to 8 servings Cornmeal buttermilk biscuits pair perfectly with the jammy goodness of this strawberry cobbler. Cobbler: 6 cups quartered fresh Floridastrawberries (about 2 pounds)1 cup granulated sugar1/4 cup cornstarch1 large egg, lightly beaten1 teaspoon lime zest1 tablespoon fresh lime juice1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon1/4 teaspoon kosher salt Topping: 2 cups self-rising flour1/3 cup plain cornmeal1/3 cup granulated sugar8 tablespoons cold unsaltedbutter, cubed2/3 cup whole buttermilk1 tablespoon coarse sugarVanilla ice cream, to serve 1. Preheat oven to 350°. Spray a 10-inch enamel-coated cast-iron skillet with cooking spray. 2. For cobbler: In a large bowl, stir together strawberries, sugar, cornstarch, egg, lime zest and juice, cinnamon, and salt. Transfer to prepared skillet. 3. For topping: In a medium bowl, stir together flour, cornmeal, and granulated sugar. Using a…

One hundred years ago, a Southern cook shopping for cast-iron cookware had many options. From venerable names like Griswold, founded in Erie, Pennsylvania, at the end of the Civil War, and Wagner of Sidney, Ohio, to young Southern upstarts like Birmingham Stove & Range Company and Lodge Manufacturing of South Pittsburg, Tennessee, a number of American cast-iron cookware companies dotted the landscape. Today most of these companies have gone by the wayside. Only one century-old American cast-iron cookware company has survived into the new millennium—Lodge Manufacturing, founded by Joseph Lodge in 1896. How did Lodge become the lone American survivor in the cast-iron cookware world? “I attribute our success to four things,” says Bob Kellermann, Joseph Lodge’s great grandson and current CEO of the family-owned company. “First is innovation, second…

Raleigh, North Carolina-based chef Ashley Christensen opened her first restaurant, Poole’s Diner, in 2007, serving comfort food classics with local and seasonal ingredients. In the years since, she has added six more eateries, which under her direction dish out everything from fried chicken to wood-fired steaks to coffee and cocktails. In addition to her impressive résumé as restaurateur, she has also built quite a reputation as a talented chef, earning the 2014 James Beard Award for “Best Chef: Southeast.” Do you have a beloved cast-iron heirloom? I have a cast-iron skillet that was handed down from my dad’s parents. Interestingly, they weren’t from the South; they were from New York. It’s a tradition that expands beyond regional lines, which I love. Favorite thing to cook in a cast-iron skillet? It’s…