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Culinary Event Celebrates Georgia Coast Bounty, Benefits Local Non-Profit

Published on by Rebekah2 Comments

I couldn’t be more excited to tell y’all about the Inaugural Saint Simons Food & Spirits Festival happening this September at Gascoigne Bluff in my favorite vacation destination…the beautiful Golden Isles of Georgia.

If you’re like me and love seafood and Southern cuisine, this is an event you won’t want to miss. Headlined by James Beard – award-winning television personality, cookbook author and grand dame of Southern cooking –  Nathalie Dupree and her co-author, Cynthia Graubart, the festival will highlight the talents of many major players in the culinary world.

Nathalie Dupree was a household name when I was growing up and like many of you, I am a very big fan of her cookbooks. Other participants will include Atlanta chef of No. 246 Restaurant, Ford Fry; food blogger and cookbook author Libbie Summers and Saint Simons’ own beekeeper, Ted Dennard, founder of Savannah Bee Company.

Think wild Georgia shrimp & grits. Crab cakes. Local honey. Fine wine. The food is sure to be Some Kinda Good, but the cause is even better.

While celebrating the bounty of Georgia’s Golden Isles, the Saint Simons Food & Spirits Festival will raise dollars and awareness for Hospice of the Golden Isles, the only community-based, non-profit hospice serving the area. A variety of ticket prices will cater to every budget.

Culinary talent, bluegrass musical performances and local, coastal cuisine–what’s not to love? I hope you’ll join me and area restaurants, regional farmers and artisans at the first event of its kind September 21 – 23.

Find out who’ll be there, learn more about volunteer opportunities and get the full event schedule by visiting The Saint Simons Food & Spirits Festival website.

Never been to the Golden Isles? Check out my photo gallery to get a glimpse.

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Fried Pie Features Georgia’s Finest Fruit

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If Georgia were a food, it would be a fried peach pie with bourbon and cinnamon. Nothing says pride in the Peach State like a made from scratch buttery pie pastry, filled with local, sweet peaches fresh from the Farmers’ Market. At first taste of Fried Peach Pies with Bourbon and Cinnamon , you won’t even need to visit the fair when it comes to town. The flaky, crunchy exterior of this turnover with soft, bright red-orange peaches in the center, dusted with cinnamon sugar is one fine way to celebrate this summer fruit. Don’t limit these peach pies to dessert–pour yourself a glass of sweet tea and savor one for breakfast!

First things first. I’m all about a short cut folks, but nothing beats homemade pie dough. Combine self-rising flour, sugar and kosher salt with cold, cubed butter and a little egg wash and you’ve got yourself something to write home about. A food processor is the quickest way to bring everything together. Divide the dough onto a floured surface into 10 equal discs. Then cover with plastic wrap and chill in the freezer for at least 45 minutes.

Now, while everything gets underway, go ahead and crank up Georgia Blues by Jimi Hendricks and Lonnie Youngblood.

Lately, Saturday morning finds me at the Statesboro Mainstreet Farmers’ Market. I really enjoy talking with the area farmers and learning about what they grow and how they like to cook their crops. These were some of the most beautiful peaches I’ve ever seen, grown by Jacob’s Produce, a family farm located off of GA Hwy 17 in Screven County.

To peel peaches, forgo the vegetable peeler. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add peaches one at a time with a slotted spoon. Let them boil for about 45 seconds, then remove them from the boiling water and put them directly into an ice bath for about 20 seconds. This is the best way to get the most fruit out of your peach. Man alive, those are pretty!

Once your peaches are peeled and sliced, transfer them to a large skillet and add in a good quality bourbon (I like Bulleit Rye American Whiskey), lemon juice, brown sugar, tapioca and cinnamon. You’ll let those flavors marry for about 10 minutes before cooking them.

In an earlier blog post, I mentioned tapioca and many of my readers had questions about it. This is tapioca. Tapioca is an ingredient in tapioca pudding. It can be found on the baking aisle of your grocery store near the cornstarch and baking powder. Tapioca is used as a thickening agent and to sweeten fruit pies.

Once the peach mixture has set and cooled in the freezer for about 20 minutes, create an assembly line for the fun part! You can use water to moisten the edges of your pie dough, but I used milk for added flavor.

Roll out each disc of dough six inches wide. Fill the center with about a teaspoon of the peach mixture, but don’t overfill it. Then, paint the edges with milk, fold over and seal.

I like to use a fork to seal the edges because it makes a pretty pattern. 🙂

Fry the pies in vegetable oil by the batch. The length of time you’ll fry them will depend on how hot your oil is. My first batch took a little longer than the others. You just want to achieve that deep, dark golden brown color. Remove them from the oil and onto a paper towel-lined plate and immediately dust them with cinnamon sugar. The kitchen is smelling Some Kinda Good at this point, y’all.

These peach pies are a real treat. It doesn’t get more Southern than this.

Homemade Pimiento-Cheese, A Revelation

Published on by Rebekah8 Comments

 “Juicy tomatoes and pimiento cheese are dreamy together. Especially when they’re in bite-size form.” – Denise Gee, Porch Parties

If I’m being honest, my memories of pimiento cheese are not fond. The words alone make me envision those store-bought, orange-colored round tubs that my grandma kept faithfully on the second shelf of the refrigerator growing up, at eye level next to the sweet tea. I will never forget her spreading that unappetizing orange substance between two pieces of white bread. Fortunately, however, making pimento cheese at home takes on a whole new meaning. This Southern classic is really nothing more than a combination of garden-fresh vegetables and delicious cheeses bound by mayonnaise and seasoned to taste. It’s really quite versatile–spread it on crackers, use it to top off your hamburger or in this case, fill up plump cherry tomatoes.

This recipe was inspired by Porch Parties, a fantastic entertaining book I picked up on St. Simons Island. With only a few ingredients, the most time-consuming part about it is slicing the tomatoes and removing the pulp. You’ll need a small onion, 3 fresh garlic cloves, some jalapeno peppers, cherry tomatoes and of course a 7 ounce jar of sliced pimientos. As for the cheese, you’ll use a 1/2 pound of yellow mild cheddar and 1/2 pound of white sharp cheddar, shredded. The mixture is then seasoned with white pepper and held together with a cup of mayonnaise.

A pimento or cherry pepper is a variety of a large, red, heart-shaped chili pepper that’s sweet, succulent and more aromatic than the red bell pepper. In my grocery store, they were located on the international aisle with the salsa, not on the aisle with the pickles and olives, like you might think.

Slice off the stems of your cherry tomatoes, then with a melon baller, scoop out the pulp. You’ll need about 24 tomatoes.
While the tomatoes drain on paper towels, remove the seeds and the veins from your jalapeno peppers, de-skin the onion and hull your garlic cloves. Quarter the onion to help your food processor out, throw everything in and give it a whirl…

They smell really good all diced up! Drain the vegetable mixture to get rid of the natural water from the peppers and onions. This will help your mixture to be less runny.

Meanwhile, shred up your cheeses.
Combine the drained pimientos and the chopped vegetables with the cheese. Then add in your mayonnaise. The recipe called for 1 cup, but in hindsight, I would’ve only added about half. I ended up adding more cheese to balance things out. I am not a fan of mayonnaise so, if you’re like me–there’s good news! You can’t taste it. The mayonnaise really just serves as a binder, the taste is very subtle. Season generously with white pepper and a little salt.

Put about a teaspoon of the mixture in each cherry tomato halve, then top them off with slivered jalapeno peppers. They make such pretty, colorful bites and are fun to serve.

Be sure to try the spread on crackers too.

The jalapeno-pimiento cheese stuffed cherry tomatoes are sweet with a little heat and the flavor of the sharp cheese is a nice bite. On the next go ’round, I’ll make just a few tweaks: include less mayo, cut back on the onion, include more cheese–add Wickles.

What’s your take on pimiento cheese? If you’ve never made it at home, give it a chance!

Georgia Blueberries Star in Summer Tart

Published on by Rebekah1 Comment

I’ve always loved the concept of a tart. I think it’s the ease of preparation that appeals to me. The idea that you can whip up a pastry base and fill it with anything you like, whether sweet or savory is just exciting, and the ridges–I can’t get over the ridges. Any combination of summer fruit will make a beautiful tart. This buttery, comforting blueberry tart was inspired by The New York Times Dining & Wine Recipes of Summer Fruit. Continue reading “Georgia Blueberries Star in Summer Tart” →

Start the Day at Palmer’s Village Cafe

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Palmer’s Village Cafe
St. Simons Island, Georgia

Breakfast on vacation. It’s probably my favorite meal. Whether you rise with the sun or sleep until 10 a.m., the food at Palmer’s Village Cafe on St. Simons Island will motivate you to get up and moving. They take pride in their ingredients and present plates with no detail undone. I’ve never been when there isn’t a crowd and that’s because, where there’s good food, you’ll find people.

I appreciate the thoughtfulness of the menu items. There aren’t many places you can go to find an omelet with crab meat and homemade pimento cheese garnished with grilled, pickled okra. The dishes are regional too, like the Coastal Delight: an open-faced whole egg omelet topped with goat cheese, sautéed shrimp, spiced pecans and arugula. The breakfast items range from $3.95 to about $12.

Smack dab between the Island hardware store and a small real estate company on Mallery Street, locals and vacationers fill the seats at Palmer’s. It’s my favorite place to start the day on the Island.

I ordered the Challah Bread French Toast served with Palmer’s Village Cafe signature maple syrup. You won’t find Aunt Jemima here. The Fresh Fruit side dish had juicy orange segments, sliced bananas and red strawberries.

Now, y’all didn’t think I forgot the meat, did you? Not just bacon or sausage…country ham. Salty and seasoned just right. That’s what I’m talkin’ ’bout!

 Artwork by local artist Cathie Parmelee decorates the walls and is available for purchase.

This is my favorite piece.

Colorful coffee mugs bring in fun pops of color.

Open for breakfast and lunch Tuesday – Sunday from 7:30 a.m. – 2 p.m., you’ll feel welcome from the moment you step inside the creaking front door. No matter how busy Palmer’s may be, the staff members will make sure your coffee cup is full and you’ve always got everything you need.

Palmer's Village Cafe on Urbanspoon

Farm to Table Fried Green Tomatoes

Published on by Rebekah11 Comments

A visit to the lowcountry these days or any seafood restaurant worth its weight wouldn’t be complete without a taste of Fried Green Tomatoes. Once considered a poor man’s food, today the dish is served with fancy dipping sauces all over the South and prices range anywhere from $7 for an appetizer to $16 or more for an entrée. For me, the Fried Green Tomato symbolizes stories of days gone by and aside from their crunchy, salty exterior, it’s the farm to table concept and nostalgia factor that make them so appealing.

It’s been said that Fried Green Tomatoes came about because when there was little to nothing to eat, farmers would harvest the green tomatoes before they ripened and fry them up. I don’t have a farm, but thankfully, you can purchase green tomatoes at Farmers Markets and in most produce sections of the grocery store.

I prefer my Fried Green Tomatoes crunchy, so I like to slice them thin, but it’s personal preference. My mom prefers hers on the thicker side.

Once your tomatoes are sliced, you’ll want to lay them on a baking sheet and salt them well. I used kosher salt because the pebbles are bigger and it really brings out the flavor. The salt also will draw the moisture out of the tomatoes.

I took this tip from Paula Deen. Put your salted tomatoes in a colander in the sink and allow them to drain for about 30 minutes before cooking. There’s nothing worse than a soggy, fried…anything.

My Great Aunt had 1 brother and 2 sisters, and recently shared with me that my Great-Grandmother would fix fried green tomatoes in a cast iron skillet, using cornmeal ground from fresh corn on the family farm in the 1950s. These are the stories that make a recipe rich. I used equal parts cornmeal and self-rising flour, then seasoned the mixture with 2 tsp of Old Bay and a healthy dash of black pepper. I’ve seen many variations of the recipe, but no buttermilk is needed!

After the tomato is coated good on each side, shake off any excess before dropping it into the hot vegetable oil. Be sure to roll the sides of the tomato in the flour mixture too, for a nice, even coating.

Fry the tomatoes, flipping once during cooking, just until golden…

…then remove and drain on paper towels.

This was my first time making the lowcountry dish, and I gotta tell ya, it wasn’t hard at all. Look how pretty they turned out! Serve them hot.

My favorite way to eat a Fried Green Tomato is on a BLT (bacon, lettuce and tomato) sandwich. Now, there’s a way to elevate a classic to the next level.

What’s your take on the Fried Green Tomato? Love it? Hate it? Tell me how you like them! Is there a certain sauce you enjoy eating with them? I asked two of my favorite chefs to recommend a sauce, and one recommends a goat cheese basil sauce and the other, a zesty citrus remoulade.

I’m looking forward to experimenting.

Ingredients
3 Large Green Tomatoes
½ cup cornmeal
½ cup self-rising flour
2 Teaspoons Old Bay Seasoning
Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper to taste
Vegetable Oil for frying
Green Onion for garnish, optional

Directions:
Slice tomatoes about ¼ of an inch thick. Place them on a flat surface and season with salt. Transfer the tomatoes to a colander and allow them to drain in the sink for at least 30 minutes. Meanwhile, fill a cast iron skillet or 10-inch frying pan with vegetable oil halfway full and set over medium heat. The oil will be ready for frying when sizzling occurs after gently sprinkled with water. In a small dish, use a fork to combine the cornmeal, flour, Old Bay, salt and pepper. Dredge the tomatoes in the flour mixture on each side. Roll the sides of the tomato in the flour mixture too, to ensure an even coating. Shake off any excess before dropping the tomato slices into the hot oil. Fry the tomato slices until golden brown, turning once during cooking.  Remove them from the oil and drain on paper towels. Garnish with green onion.  Serve warm with Ranch Dressing if desired.

Watch me cook this recipe of fried green tomatoes on an episode of Statesboro Cooks!

Toasted Almond Berry Bites Perfect for Cocktails

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I hadn’t planned to blog about these, but they were just too cute not to share. With a package of sugar cookie dough and a little creativity, the options are endless! I created these Toasted Almond Berry Bites with Independence Day in mind, but this dainty dessert is elegant enough for an afternoon tea or to serve as an attractive appetizer with cocktails.

My Toasted Almond Berry Bites took less than 30 minutes to prepare and you’ll only need a few ingredients. Cream cheese is like a blank canvas. You can flavor it however you wish! The kosher salt and lemon juice will just enhance whichever flavors you choose to use. Is there a flavored wine you like? Use it instead of the coffee. Don’t like vanilla extract? Use coconut or lemon extract. What’s your favorite fruit? Dice strawberries for the topping or toss on freshly picked blackberries. Be creative and have fun!

You’ll need a mini cupcake pan. This pan makes everything cute! It’s one of my favorite baking supplies. Of course, roasted almond slivers would have been perfect to top off these berry bites, but I didn’t have any, so I used Honey Roasted Peanuts. I put a few handfuls in a Zip Lock bag and beat them on the counter top with my rolling-pin until they were the right consistency for sprinkling. I was still able to achieve the crunch I was looking for with the peanuts.

Fill your mini cupcake pan with little balls of sugar cookie dough, pressing your thumb print in the center of each to make a whole for the filling. Then bake your sugar cookie tarts in a pre-heated 375 degree oven for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, whip up your filling. Whisk the cream cheese together with the Toasted Almond Coffee, vanilla extract, lemon juice and sugar. Once the cookie tarts have cooled, add your filling and then decorate with fresh berries. Sprinkle with nuts. If you’d prefer, you can put them in the fridge to allow them to set but this isn’t absolutely necessary.

Place them on a pretty platter and enjoy! These are especially good with a cold glass of Pinot Grigio.

Let me know if you make these. I’d love to hear about how you enjoyed them and how you made them your own!

Here’s the recipe:

  • 1 package of refrigerated sugar cookie dough
  • 1 8 oz. package of cream cheese, softened
  • 2 tbs brewed Dunkin’ Donuts Toasted Almond Coffee, cooled
  • Sugar, to taste
  • Kosher Salt
  • Lemon Juice
  • Pure Vanilla Extract, to taste
  • Fresh berries – I used raspberries and blueberries
  • Honey Roasted Peanuts, chopped for sprinkling or Almonds, toasted

Happy baking, eat well.

The Island’s Only Alfresco Dining Experience Awaits

Published on by Rebekah3 Comments

Ocean Terrace Grille
St. Simons Island, Georgia

If your family is anything like mine, you’ll know what I mean when I say a beach outing can leave you exhausted. The checklist of items we lug through the sand usually includes everything but the kitchen sink. Beach chairs. Tent. Cooler–packed to the brim. Towels. Radio. You get the idea. Thanks to The King and Prince Beach & Golf Resort however, and their recently opened Ocean Terrace Grille, our load will be a little lighter this summer because we’ll be leaving the lunch fixings at home.

Conveniently located on the ocean’s edge, Ocean Terrace Grille is open to the public. While visiting St. Simons Island in the Golden Isles of Georgia, you can walk over from any location on East beach, just as you are, to enjoy the ocean breeze, have a cocktail or one of Chef Jeff’s scrumptious creations. Like the atmosphere, the menu is casual featuring salads, sandwiches, fresh wraps and burgers. The prices range from $5 for a classic garden salad to $11 for a shrimp salad wrap.

Nothing beats a properly garnished cocktail, especially on a hot day in Georgia at the beach. The full bar has an impressive selection of frozen and specialty cocktails as well as beer and wine. We visited on July 4th, and the K&P Independence specialty cocktail with coconut rum, Blue Curacao and pineapple juice was a fine way to celebrate our nation’s independence. Beautiful job, bartender.

We ordered chips and salsa for an appetizer at $7. The tri-colored chips were served with the best and most refreshing salsa I’ve ever tasted. A little cilantro, diced tomatoes and onion along with something fruity (mango maybe?) definitely made my taste buds say wow! The service also was timely and hospitable.

I ordered the Grilled Fish Sandwich, blackened, on a Brioche bun with lettuce, tomato and lemon aioli. Served with kettle chips, the sandwich showcases the catch of the day–on that day it was grouper: flaky, white, moist and fork-tender. Just look at those gorgeous grill marks!

You do not have to be a guest of The King and Prince to enjoy lunch or dinner at Ocean Terrace Grille. It is the island’s only alfresco oceanside dining establishment and everyone is welcomed and encouraged to come and experience it.

Weather permitting, the Grille opens daily at 11 a.m. Breathtaking views of the Atlantic ocean, seagulls flying overhead and sounds of crashing waves will keep you coming back again and again.

Sorry sandwich meat, on my next beach trip, you’ll be staying in the fridge.

Ocean Terrace Grille on Urbanspoon

Dining the Way the South Intended

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South City Kitchen
Midtown Atlanta, Georgia

In a city as large as Atlanta, Georgia choosing a place to dine is like being on a weight-loss plan and trying to fill your plate with only your favorite dishes on Thanksgiving. That was the situation last Saturday as we drove around the A-T-L in search of the perfect brunch spot. It was South City Kitchen that won me over–the lively patio full of happy customers drew me in and as soon as I laid eyes on the menu, I knew we’d made the right choice.

We were greeted politely, then led through the cool, sophisticated dining room out onto the more relaxed patio. We took a seat in the wicker chairs and soon after, our well-dressed waiter delivered a bread basket and poured us up a cold glass of purified water. It’s the little details that really take a dining experience up a notch, like watching your server pour water into a clean drinking glass while sitting outside in the June humidity.  Filled with warm, soft biscuits and golden corn muffins, the basket also sported softened butter and cold apple butter for spreading. One bite of that biscuit and it was circa 1991 and I was in my Grandma’s kitchen without a care in the world.

On the menu, you’ll find many southern classics like Buttermilk Fried Chicken, BBQ Pork Sandwiches, She-Crab Soup and Grits & Grillades. Unpredictable side options like corn and tomato, kale salad and fingerlings are a nice surprise. The prices ranged anywhere from $5.95 for their House Made Granola to $19 for the Shrimp & Red Mule Grits- stone ground from Athens, Georgia.

The atmosphere is settling like a slower pace from a previous time. As a customer, you get the feeling you’re a respected guest. The restaurant’s most popular menu item is the Buttermilk Fried Chicken. Shrimp & Red Mule Grits takes second place.

I decided on the Buttermilk Fried Chicken and Waffle with pure maple syrup for $17. I must admit, I’ve always been curious of the combination. Crazy as it seems, it works. The crunchy fried chicken with the buttery waffle…now I know why it’s a Snoop Dogg favorite. Right on Snoop Doggy Dog!

We finished the meal with a sweet and fruity Watermelon Sorbet, available by one scoop or two, with coffee.

Finding parking was the only challenge to eating here, but after the chicken & waffle dish, it sure didn’t hurt me to walk a few blocks. Open since 1993, South City Kitchen lives up to its motto…dining the way the South intended.

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