I’ve had other writing focuses, from visual art to music to personal profiles. I’ve been an American Studies college instructor, written two books of ghost stories, and even taught and published poetry.

But this writerly “beat” continues to light me up 15 years in. Why do I like covering food and food-based travel so much?

Because it’s magic hiding in plain sight. And it’s part of our everyday.

Food is the most banal of our needs besides air, the everyday ritual that connects us to interbeing, that denies the gap between us and place, others, ourselves, our purpose, our life force to begin again another day. That’s big and heady, sure, but think about the intimacy of it all.

There is dignity of humanness in service and sometimes jubilant magic in the richness of the sun-warmed peach, the freshly caught shrimp still smelling of wet salt, or that moment when you get a flash that this is one of the nights to remember, sitting beside each other in a crowded dining room.

Growing food, making it, or serving it can be the most noble of things to do for another, but it’s not saccharine. It’s often dirty and tiring and requires the strength of observation, of study, as well as defiance against the cult of convenience that’s always tempting us with the deadly sin of what-is-the-point.

That’s why I created The Southern Fork 10 years ago, to dig into the stories beyond the ingredients, the snappy chef bios, the flashy cocktails or soundbytes.

There’s something going on here, and I’m here for it. You are too, or you wouldn’t be engaged with my work enough to be on this email list. Thank you for that. And know that this newsletter — which will return to its regular format next month — will always be free.

But I’m ready to engage more with you, so I’m doubling down. There’s so much more than a podcast can encompass.

Today, I’m launching The Southern Fork Substack subscription, a robust, more À la minute version of my work and way of viewing the world. For $5/month, each subscriber will receive:

Subscribe now

• A Pocket Pebbles newsletter each Friday. Written in a short, easy-to-read-and-reference format, this list will be smooth stones of inspiration to skip across the surface of your weekend, from kitchen tools I’m learning to love, news-y items from past guests or my current travels, and always a seasonal drink recommendation or two.

• A meatier, bi-weekly article that focuses on the kind of content you’ve come to expect from me. Think travel recommendations, restaurant deep dives, chef conversations, and farm focuses; they’ll all be here.

• A new, Substack website designed to help you use the resources I share through searchable tags that can help you plan your next meal, long weekend, or restaurant visit.

Subscribe now

Everyone on this list will receive the first Pocket Pebbles email tomorrow, so I hope you’ll find something of value in it.

I’ll continue to write for other publications and produce other podcasts beyond my own. And a new The Southern Fork podcast season will launch in September 2026. But welcome my new home address. :)

I’m so excited to share more opinions, more recommendations, and more of just the beauty and inspiration I find out on the road. I hope you’ll join me.

Let’s dig in.

— Steph

What a month

My first thought this month is thank you. I have really felt very supported and cheered on since the publication of South Carolina Cocktails. Emails, all kinds of emojis via text and Instagram (which I love), as well as all the sales have been so fun to see!

It was a fast, intense writing and photography process in 2025 that occurred around my other work. Then there were edits, then silence for six months as it went to press. And therefore, as is the nature of my work, I parked it on the “done” side of my mental to do list and continued thinking about the next deadline, the next trip, the next interview I needed to schedule. So to me it feels a bit like it’s around a second time, this time for the publicity, the signings, and the wonderful bartenders that are featured on every page finally getting to see it too.

Actually, that’s been my favorite thing about this experience, the fact so many people contributed to this project, and with its publication, they are now able to enjoy it too. If you haven’t yet snagged a copy, you can purchase a signed one at this link, or if you’re in South Carolina, join in the fun and get a cocktail from the book as well as a signed copy at a signing.

However, this month also saw the finale episode of Season 10 of The Southern Fork, as well as my annual “super bowl,” Charleston Wine + Food, and my first byline with Michelin, who is celebrating the first ever stars awarded in the American South. Whew! Maybe I’ll take a rest … or better yet, a trip to NYC. Stay tuned. :)

Updates

Podcasts
Note: All links below are for Apple Podcasts, but you can find The Southern Fork on almost any platform that streams audio, from YouTube to Spotify and many places in between.

• Bintou N’Daw is a truly inspired chef making her own way to much acclaim in Charleston, SC. I really felt her heart during this conversation, so I hope you’ll take a listen (and then maybe make a reservation, too).

• Breweries have been very much a part of the Lowcountry for much of the last two decades, and Munkle Brewing, located on Meeting Street Road, is one of my favorites for their balanced flavor profiles, culinary precision, and great patio. Founder Palmer Quimby and I sit down over a pint to discuss how it all happens.

• And to celebrate the book release, I thought it fitting that the season finale celebrate the art of the craft cocktail. The Gin Joint’s James Bolt is quietly making some of the best seasonal cocktails in Charleston, and his culinary-driven approach was the basis for an interview that covers everything from cooking background to Carolina gold rice orgeat.

Articles & Book Signings

• Upcoming cocktail fun and book signings:

  • Friday, March 27, 5:30-8:30 p.m. / Town Hall rooftop as part of Florence Wine & Food, Florence, SC

  • Saturday, April 4, 3-5 p.m. with Itinerant Literate & the bar team of Jackrabbit Filly, North Charleston, SC .

• My first byline for Michelin’s online magazine, “Iconic Foods of the American South”, had me diving deep into so many memories of past meals during my travels in this region I call home. I could honestly go for a bowl of Dooky Chase’s gumbo right now!

• I haven’t added the Instapot or Air Fryer to my kitchen, but my trusty crock pot still gets used from time to time. This latest article for Simply Recipes shares one of my go-to recipes for pork chops and gravy that requires very little work. I’ve taken a photo of this recipe for friends for years, so it was really fun to see it shared with a wider audience than my phone contacts. :)

Other published media I like right now: Ali Rosen, TV host and cookbook author, is now having success in another genre — romance fiction. Her latest, Slow Burn, is a solid beach read that will make you want to perfect your pasta-making game. And if you truly prefer to bring some Italian flair to your kitchen instead of just reading about it, check out Katie Parla’s Food of the Italian Islands. I’m looking forward to cooking again soon from it when all the spring and summer produce starts rolling in. Last year, I made my favorite eggplant dish ever from it.

On my mind: always a million things, especially at 3 a. m. … this month — hibernation versus action. Everything in nature here in South Carolina feels like it’s generating new things: migration flight patterns, flowers, leaves, and pollen (so much pollen!). Eating seasonally has connected me more to the slow but steady turning of the seasons, so as the strawberries ripen and the night time temps become warmer, I’m interested in new projects, new travel horizons, and less couch and TV time at the end of cold weekdays.

Cooking soundtrack album: Saugerties Sessions, Winyah

Best thing I cooked this month: a Hetty McKinnon-inspired sheet pan cabbage and chickpeas. I tossed with soy, sesame oil, and hot sauce, then roasted in a 350 degree oven until the cabbage edges began to char. Topped with sesame seeds, scallions, and a good sprinkling of rice wine vinegar, this was a made up 15-minute dish that tasted fantastic for an economical side dish.

Until next time,

Steph

The book is here, and I want to sign it for you

If you live in South Carolina, have visited, or are just enamored by mixology at your own home bar, do I have a book for you. :)

South Carolina Cocktails: An Elegant Collection of Over 100 Recipes Inspired by the Palmetto State is now available for sale, and you can get your signed and personalized copy direct from ME at this link.

Published by Cider Mill Press, an imprint from HarperCollins, this is 254 full-color pages of 100 recipes, profiles, bar behind-the-scenes, and cocktail inspiration. And while I also took a lot of photos for it, this was by no means a solo effort.

Many talented photographers kindly donated images too, plenty of people pointed the way to a favorite cocktail or bar they loved, and of course, 100 different bartenders shared a recipe. This is my love letter to the social culture and sensory chemistry of my adoptive home state, and my favorite part of all was documenting so many people who make South Carolina just a little better with one sip.

I hope you’ll want a copy to add to your bar or bookshelf. I can’t wait to sign one for you.

AND … If you’re in Charleston this weekend for SEWE, I’ll be signing books at Doar Bros. tomorrow from 4-6 p.m., where they will be featuring their cocktail from the book. Hope to see you there!

Updates

Podcasts
Note: All links below are for Apple Podcasts, but you can find The Southern Fork on almost any platform that streams audio, from YouTube to Spotify and many places in between.

• Thanks to the Food & Wine Classic Charleston, I got the opportunity to interview Andrew Zimmern about a shared love we have of sustainable seafood. Yes, he is as nice as he seems on television. Yes, he is even more intelligent in person! And no, he didn’t bring any “bizarre foods” for me to try.

• Olivia Myers isn’t one of those people you’ll see blowing up on social media. Instead, she is literally a boots-on-the-ground changemaker through her Lowcountry Grocery RX program. She combines a love of good food and community with her background as a nutritionist, and what results is truly changing lives for the better.

Articles

• “Mar to Mesa” for Auberge Journal invited me to dive deep into the sustainable seafood world of Mexico’s Baja Peninsula through the eyes of two masterful chefs at two of the most beautiful resorts I have ever visited. There is a lot happening beyond infinity pools and cool drinks at resorts with world class culinary programs, and these chefs are leading others to think differently about luxury.

• One of my favorite Charleston chefs, Kevin Johnson, is behind the new Ladder 13 in Columbia, SC, which I previewed in a “now open” article for the Post & Courier’s Free Times edition. Sign me up for ANY pizza that is topped with preserved lemon, ok?

• This chicken and rice recipe was the most popular Simply Recipes recipe of 2025, so that news arrived. :)

• And below, “the best thing I cooked this month” provides one more recipe bonus.

Other published media I like right now: If you’ve followed my cooking and eating journey for a while, then you know how important Carolina Gold rice is to it, and recently, its seed availability was in question. “Saving Carolina Gold” by Parker Milner of the Post & Courier provides an inside look at the kinds of conversations behind the recipe posts, the restaurant dishes, and gets to the heart of why talking about food begins by talking to farmers.

On my mind: always a million things, especially at 3 a.m. … this month — beginning before I am ready. News alert: I never feel quite ready! I love, like love, research and preparation, but life most often asks me at some point to say “enough” and begin, learning through the process (like I did for this book.) That isn’t pretty, but messy and sometimes monotonous; however, gifts abound.

Cooking soundtrack album: Revelator, Tedeschi Trucks Band

Best thing I cooked this month: I make cakes frequently, but I’ve never had my friends react to being “taste testers” like they did with this one. Upon request, I tested over the holidays, and it’s already published! Meet the Kentucky Butter Cake, my latest byline from Simply Recipes. Fire up the oven and let me know if your friends want additional slices too.

Until next time,

Steph

Here we are again

We hear a lot about social media being our highlight reel, but for someone like me, showing you the highlights is my job. I eat at fabulous places then share my favorites so you can add them to your list; I show you beautiful vistas that inspire your wanderlust; I write down the instructions for my recipes to the best of my ability so you can make them too.

For me, social media is for us to connect, but most especially through inspiration.

And I bet you can guess what is coming next. Yes, not every day, every moment is inspiring for me. A lot of it is hard, just like it is for you. It’s that concept of sonder, right? That idea when you realize that everyone’s life is as rich and full as your own, including those frustrating, or not-what-you-thought it would be, or heartbreaking times.

Something that never makes my highlight reel is the professional and soul-level floundering that occurs in the space between projects. I am grateful to have had bigger, more encompassing work these past few years, from the SFA Oral History baking project to producing SAVEUR’s podcast or writing my own cocktail book that publishes next month. But projects end and make space for new ones. I’m in that space now, and it makes my nerves jangly sometimes. David Whyte comes back to me in these times, and I learn as best as I can where “here” is by leaning into my personal routine, remembering to look up when I hear a hawk, and text back my friends when they text me.

If you’re hearing the urgent question “what’s next” in your life too, then may this little highlight of mine make you feel less alone. I promise if you stand in your question, you’ll see something you didn’t know was there. Happy New Year friends.

Updates

Podcasts
Note: All links below are for Apple Podcasts, but you can find The Southern Fork on almost any platform that streams audio, from YouTube to Spotify and many places in between.

• Merci, located in Charleston, SC, ended up being one of my most exciting restaurant visits of 2025, so in this conversation, co-owners Courtney and Michael Zentner delve into the importance of community relationships and their event production company, The Drifter. The chef shares his insights into their menu development and culinary philosophy, and they both embrace the challenges of running a small restaurant.

• Trey McMillan of Lowcountry Oyster Company shares insights into the world of oyster farming, discussing the significance of location, the transition from fishing to oyster cultivation, and the crafting of the Lowcountry Cup oyster. If you dream about a day on the waters of the South Carolina Lowcountry, then this episode will transport you there.

• And finally, I released a mini-episode recap for 2025, sharing my best bite, restaurant, and stay. If you are interested in planning some food and travel fun this year, I hope you’ll take these recs into consideration.

Articles

I didn’t publish a new byline in December. However, if you’re interested in popping into a read from one of my favorites of the past, check out this article about oyster diving from WaPo. The research trip was done in December of 2018, and so this time of year, I always remember the bitter cold and snow coming into Easton, Md. later in the day after a morning on the water. It was a mix of bracing excitement then cozy conversation with a beer beside a warm fire.

Other published media I like right now: I don’t know about you, but the trend toward longer, rambling podcasts often loses me during the listen. This podcast, Practical Reverence — a Conversation with Robin Wall Kimmerer, was a welcome departure. The Emergence Magazine Podcast was one of my finds from 2025, and I love the substance served here in 59 minutes.

On my mind: always a million things, especially at 3 a.m. … this month — showing up. 2025 was a year of me committing more to showing up daily in my life and for those in it instead of waiting for some future moment to do big things. Small things are where it’s at, I’ve learned. And despite that, the holidays and all their pre-written scripts often send me spinning. But when it doubt, do the dishes. I’m already in the kitchen anyway, right?

Cooking soundtrack album: Grace, Jeff Buckley

Best thing I cooked this month: Apple & Cauliflower Salad from William Dissen’s Thoughtful Cooking . So, heads up: this isn’t an easy “throw together salad.” It takes time and planning. But it is worth every second, and my family wholeheartedly already requested this for next year’s Thanksgiving. Why? Because it was crunchy, sweet, savory, and not really dominated by one ingredient but a symphony of how they played together.

Until next time,

Steph

Responding to your request for feedback

The Michelin awards came to the American South.

This has been huge news in my world since the announcement was made in April of this year. Highly regarded and lauded as a standard of excellence for the food world, Michelin was finally going to send inspectors into this region I cover and call home. The chefs were thrillingly nervous; the media abuzz, and I’ll admit I was seriously excited. I bought a new dress (see below) and organized travel to attend the ceremony in Greenville, SC.

And … a lot did and didn’t happen, so I’ve heard from many of you asking what I thought. But before we get to that, a few things to clear up first:

• Allow me to clarify the term “pay to play” I see swirling around on social media. It is absolutely true that various tourism boards got together under the Travel South USA moniker to bring Michelin to their regions of the South. By bring, that means spend a lot of money together. However, the individual awards for the restaurants were decided by Michelin, so the intimation that a restaurant bought an award directly is misguided.

• Unfortunately, Savannah was not included under this umbrella, so the smoking hot food scene that includes Kyle Jacovino, Mashama Bailey, the team at Late Air, and many others, was not reviewed.

• Unlike the James Beard Awards where the committee is a not-so-secret army of past winners and food media, the job of Michelin inspectors is a paid full-time position, not a volunteer one. Hope that clears it up for those couple of folks who asked me if I was one of the reviewers. :) Flattered, but no.

My takeaways:

• First and foremost, the massive news of the awards was that Michelin released the FULL list of American South award recipients early. So by lunchtime, all of us en route or just arriving were reading the list of winners. Overall consensus is that this was an in-house mistake, not something planned — it would be like announcing Oscar winners on the red carpet — but Michelin did not address this and neither did the ceremony. But it couldn’t be helped; the early reveal just kind of deflated things.

• I absolutely loved that those who were honored were! It was thrilling to be in the room when so many past guests and friends were recognized for the work they do. Restaurants brought whole teams, there was a lot of cheering and tears, and I was so proud of so many.

• I felt the amount of stars given was stingy and uneven overall. While all the stars were very well deserved (for Charleston alone, all three winners, Juan Cassalett, Dano Heinze, and Orlando Pagán have been featured on The Southern Fork), there were those who were only given other designations by the guide or omitted all together.

• And finally, while the ceremony was lavish and well produced, at times I felt chefs and culinary professionals were rushed off the stage too quickly in order to get to a sponsor moment. I’m always for the chefs, and for many, this is one of the crowning achievements of their career. I wished they’d had a bit more time on stage.

Overall, though, I am extremely grateful that the Michelin team invited me to attend and experience this night. To see my Southern food community spiffed up and all gathered together to celebrate each other reminded of the high level of excellence in Southern restaurants I often take for granted. I hope this is just the beginning for Michelin, and that we will still more stars in our Southern skies soon.

Updates

Podcasts
Note: All links below are for Apple Podcasts, but you can find The Southern Fork on almost any platform that streams audio, from YouTube to Spotify and many places in between.

• Kaitlin Bryant and Mark Ekstrom, co-owners of Auspicious Baking Co. in Savannah, Ga., share their journey from humble beginnings to running a successful bakery with two locations, a wholesale business, and one seriously decadent hashbrown. The conversation also delves into some challenges, but their enthusiasm for the journey will have you considering that dream that you’ve deferred a little too long.

• Just over the South Carolina state border from Myrtle Beach is Calabash, North Carolina, a small commercial fishing town that’s been known for generations, especially for its shrimp. Lifelong Calabash resident Chef and Captain Bob Taylor shares insights about his life at Waterfront Seafood Shack on the banks of the Calabash River.

Articles

• I shared a progressive Charleston dinner weekend of sorts for The Club, Exclusive Resorts’ newest print magazine. Although online is fun, this piece is simply stellar in print because of the layout work by the design team and the stunning photography of Mike Schalk. And honestly, when I am not actively working, you’re often likely to find me posting up at one of the spots here.

• As part of my duties as Charleston expert for Conde Nast Traveler, I got to pop into some exceptional AirBnbs for my latest article. While this byline focused on the booming bachelorette visitors to the city, these wonderful locales would be fitting for any go-big-or-go-home group trip to the Lowcountry, so I hope you’ll save the list if a visit here is on the horizon.

• And while I’m currently in development for something new for Simply Recipes, if you’re looking for an easy, last minute side dish for the Thanksgiving table, check out my popular Pineapple Casserole recipe published last year. Trust me, it’s a conversation starter. ;)

Other published media I like right now: My prolific writing colleague Stephanie Hunt’s new book, Enchanting Gardens: Inspired Landscape Design from Veranda is a worthy coffee table book for anyone on your holiday list that dreams in seed catalogs and wisteria arbors in full bloom. It’s a perfect escape for dreary days inside with a warm cup of something.

On my mind: always a million things, especially at 3 a.m. … this month — the power of living with the seasons instead of dreading them. My journey with eating local has really deepened into eating seasonally, and that rhythm now informs my whole life, so I look forward to the ebb and flow of seasons instead of gritting my teeth through winter as I used to do. This short piece from the Farmer’s Almanac is a solid exploration of the idea of seasonality (yet another publication whose season is coming to a close in 2026). Small changes in this direction have grounded me in large ways I could not have imagined.

Cooking soundtrack album: How Do You Do, Mayer Hawthorne

Best thing I cooked this month: I had so many events and travel time this month that my cooking was minimal, but often that means I turn to the excellent NYT Cooking app to use up some pantry items. This one-pot za’atar chicken and rice did just that, and I didn’t even have to go to the store since I substituted Anson Mills Carolina Gold rice middlins. P.S. The leftovers were just as soul satisfying.

Until next time,

Steph

Resilience is an underused attribute

Have you been to Birmingham, AL? Well, if you haven’t, and since you’re on this newsletter list, I bet you might enjoy it. :)

First, the adaptive reuse of the numerous historical buildings — think mainstreet-style buildings from the 1880s-1960s — makes for a beautiful, varied city full of interesting spaces. And second, what’s often in those spaces are some of the best food and drink in the South!

You might not know that B’ham is where Southern Living magazine is based, and now, because of that, home to a major office of Dot Dash Meredith (a publisher for a lot of the magazine titles I’ve worked for). Therefore, I’ve had the opportunity to visit on and off for about a decade now, but I always find new reasons to return.

One perfect bite of brisket, Southbound Food Festival.

I returned this time for the Southbound Food Festival hosted by Southern Living, but also had time to visit the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, which has been continuously open since the 1990s. Even as a student of history and former American Studies instructor, I was blown away by how much I didn’t know, heartbroken at the cruelty that we are capable as humans, and at the same time, inspired by the resilience we are capable of, too.

We all need reminders of both, when we are in a firehose of distraction and destruction as we are now, I benefit from looking for examples of resilience. I found more than a few “ordinary” heroes to tuck into my inspiration files this month in Birmingham. My hope is that when you go looking for resilience inspiration, you’ll find it too.

Updates

Podcasts

• Morning Glory Homestead is a family-run micro farm on the St. Helena Island, SC, and through the work of Tony and Belinda Jones, the stories of the island become rooted in the very land from which they spring. This discussion highlights the importance of sustainable farming, community education, and the preservation of cultural traditions.

• Savannah is having a moment, and Late Air is one of the must visits in the city. In this conversation, Colin Breland and Madeline Ott, co-owners of Late Air, discuss their journey in establishing a unique dining experience in a city whose culinary community is popping with creativity.

Articles

• The annual Best Restaurants of Charleston debuted on Conde Nast Traveler, a list I’ve been honored to contribute since 2017 (!). This year’s 40 restaurants prove that Charleston’s culinary scenes is blossoming into a garden of style and flavor that is cementing this city as a culinary touchstone for the country.

Other published media I like right now: Netflix’s Chef’s Table is always cozy TV, and this month I finally watched Tootsie Tomanetz’ BBQ episode, which was a beautiful study of a quiet life of hard work that left me inspired.

On my mind: always a million things, especially at 3 a.m. … this month — child hunger at home. The suspension of SNAP benefits (40% of SNAP recipients are CHILDREN) has me thinking about this big, general term that I’ve investigated, from my 2016 article about SNAP in The Post and Courier to reimagining school lunches in 2018 for Saveur, to even my podcast about Jones Valley Teaching Farm — who I just popped in on this month. Child hunger is multifaceted and hiding in plain sight all around us. Check on the children in your orbit and you might be surprised what you find.

Cooking soundtrack album: The Vandalist, Noga Erez

Best thing I cooked this month: Weeknight Green Shakshuka from a Sarah Copeland recipe on NYT Cooking. If you’ve peeked into my fridge, you know I always have a salad spinner full of greens , and always eggs, too, so I was able to put this together easily, especially with a generous dousing of Red Clay Hot Sauce (learn more that in this episode).

Until next time,

Steph

Season Debut for TSF is in the books

Welcome back to the new, evolved iteration of The Southern Fork. Whew. ;)

Last week, the first episode of the 10th season of the podcast debuted, featuring Kazu Murakami and Chris Schoedler from Sushi-Wa in Charleston. I felt their friendship and collaboration, which results in one helluva restaurant, was a fitting place to begin again.

Overall, while the show’s quality and video extras will continue to evolve, this season shifts the format from a straight interview into more focused storytelling. There’s also new theme music, new credits and intro, and overall, my hope is to provide a more meaty listening experience (And yes, I’m all about that pun).

I can tell you it’s been great fun and stretched me a lot to bring this creative baby back into the world, which is available for listening wherever you get your podcasts. I’m energized and excited after getting a new perspective and some time to breathe and dream — and write a book, too. As always, I hope that you enjoy and feel like subscribing so you don’t miss new episodes every two weeks.

Updates

• I put the current Charleston puzzle together in print for my latest for Conde Nast Traveler. Despite the intense development pressure, this city is full of creative people doing wonderful things, and this article highlights a lot of them in areas from history to culture to beautiful bowties.

• On the opposite end of the spectrum, I shared a simple uplevel of ranch water for Simply Recipes, inspired by a friend and easy enough to make tonight. If you’re Southern, the fall can still be hot, and so this gives you that refreshing porch sip in autumnal tones.

• If constructing layered desserts is more your thing, my banana pudding also debuted on Simply Recipes. With a marshmallow-y meringue topping and plenty of rich vanilla flavor, this recipe gleans inspiration from some of the great classics, but is still no-bake.

Other published media I like right now: This time last year, I put TSF on a hiatus with a last episode featuring Sammy Monsour and Kassady Wiggins. This year, Sammy has just debuted his own podcast on Heritage Radio Network — how cool! Check it out for chef chats and BTS feelings.

On my mind: always a million things, especially at 3 a.m. … this month — unplugging and moving a little more. While I’ve walked or run for years (low-cost and simple no matter your location), I’ve been drawn to an exercise class setting to let my thoughts go and let someone else lead for a change. Enter Class Pass, where I’ve already gotten hooked on occasional yoga and pilates classes with no commitment to one studio. And not only is it a great workout, I feel like my brain receives a mental shampoo! [not sponsored, just fandom]

Cooking soundtrack album: Charm, Clairo

Best thing I cooked this month: My favorite eggplant recipe of the summer was Vishwesh Bhatt’s Eggplant with Green Pigeon Peas from I Am From Here. I subbed out Rancho Gordo’s Santa Maria Pinquitos because I had them on hand, spooned it all over Carolina Gold rice, and served it to a vegetarian friend. Get on the dried bean train if you’re not already! They’re quickly becoming one of my staples to keep on hand.

Until next time,

Steph

Back on the mic

It’s happening. The intricate itinerary for recording season 10 of The Southern Fork is underway, which means it’s all about date coordination, hotel stays, and juggling the other work at my desk in the process.

As I mentioned last month, one of those big projects has been producing Place Settings, a podcast from SAVEUR. As someone who relishes the “kitchen chat” as I like to call it, this podcast, with a mix of hosts from around the world, along with Texas guests, has given me the opportunity to hone my remote recording skills.

However, that’s not all.

It’s also allowed me to get back on the mic in my first podcast recording since last August. :) If you’re interested, check out “Inside Panther City BBQ’s Tex-Mex Twist on Barbecue.” I’ve provided the Spotify link here, but of course, you can stream it wherever you get your podcasts.

More is coming soon, of course, as The Southern Fork returns next month. Please take the time to subscribe on your favorite podcast app (or YouTube) so when the first episode drops, you’ll know it. Hope you’re ready to get hungry!

Updates

• I was part of a bevy of writers documenting “50 States, 50 Desserts” for Conde Nast Traveler. In South Carolina, we highlighted the benne wafer, which gets a new twist as Charleston’s cuisine continues to evolve.

• The Local Palate added my article online (that originally appeared in print) covering Manchester Quail Farm’s innovative work supplying natural fertilizer to fellow farmers. I affectionally refer to this story as my “quail poop story,” but honestly, I’m thrilled that TLP understands and is willing to feature the connection between good food and good growing practices! Manchester is a vital cog in the SC Midlands farming community, and they’re using that influence and community connection to improve soil and farm outcomes for fellow farmers.

• And finally, if you have a business that you feel might be a great sponsor for The Southern Fork, we’d love to know! In 2024, the show reached 50K listeners who are interested in cooking, culinary travel, and more, so please reach out to pamela@pls-consultants.com to get the conversation started.

Other published media I like right now: Highlighting two of my favorite novelists this month: first, Barbara Kingsolver had a wonderful, nuanced conversation addressing some of the themes of Demon Copperhead (have you read it yet???) on the Ezra Klein Show. And second, I finished re-reading The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd, something that I first read when it was published in 2001. After crisscrossing South Carolina a lot in my work these past couple of years, the descriptions of the landscape in deep summer resonated anew for me.

On my mind: always a million things, especially at 3 a.m. … this month — self-study. Know me, and you soon learn that self-directed learning is a joy of my life. It’s also allowed me to respond to the rapidly shifting media profession throughout my career, but recently, something has stumped me: learning Spanish. Fellow media folks suggested the Language Transfer app, and so I’m digging in. More to report soon!

Cooking soundtrack album: Cancionera, Natalia Lafourcade

Best thing I cooked this month: This cantaloupe salad was so easy, it really doesn’t need a recipe, but if you’d like to make it like I made it, here’s the link to how. It’s melon season here, so this is a way to take it out of the afternoon snack slot and onto the dinner or brunch table.

Until next time,

Steph

Season 10 coming soon

Well, you know my news now, and I’m so glad the secret is out! I paused the podcast last year because it needed a creative refresh, and I was unable to do it (or even see what was possible) until I stepped away. Those of you who follow along here know what a difficult decision it was, and I didn’t really know how, or if, I’d pick it up again.

Little by little, ideas percolated in the back of my mind, evolution happened and new sprouts of inspiration began to unfold into meetings, spreadsheets, and new sponsorship partners. I am ready and can’t wait to show you what we’ve been building for this season that promises to be filled with Lowcountry love.

While I’m deep in pre-production mode for the 10th Anniversary Season of The Southern Fork launching this fall, it is still summer, my favorite time of year, so I’m taking big gulps of it whenever I can, from weekday evenings on the beach, and slicing and salting all the tomatoes I can eat, to plenty of gardenia-sniffing and sweaty exercise walks under live oak trees.

I’ve also been working up a storm on some other projects, so let’s get down to it.

Updates

• The Southern Fork became an official production studio this spring when I began a contract with SAVEUR as executive producer of the second season of their Place Settings podcast, in partnership with Travel Texas. Our first episode debuted last week, so please give it a listen and subscribe to hear more episodes from Texas, one of my favorite destinations for a great meal!

• And during cocktail book research, I found an enclave of 1970s-80s cocktail shooters in the shag community, and I was fascinated by this slice of life. Thankfully editor Erin Perkins of Eater Carolinas also got interested in the idea, and so you can read all about it in “Inside the Wild World of Shag and Shots in North Myrtle Beach.”

• Speaking of cocktail books, guess what’s on pre-sale? Cheers!

Other published media I like right now: I dipped into two classic shows this month. Fresh Air’s episode remembering iconic interviewer Bill Moyers (after his recent death) reminded me just why he’s been a go-to teacher in my life. And This American Life’s “Suddenly: A Mirror!” episode reinforced that Ira Glass and team are still some of the best audio story producers out there. They just weave a web and pull you in slowly.

On my mind: always a million things, especially at 3 a.m. … this month — Mark Marhefka of Abundant Seafood. On July 1 while fishing 50 miles off the Charleston coast, his boat, the Amy Marie, was struck by lightning. While all aboard made it back to shore safely, the boat’s electronics and other navigation was fried, which is extremely costly, especially because while he’s landlocked, he’s not earning any income. This trailblazing fisherman has been an outsized influence on The Southern Fork since the day I met him, so if you’d like to help, please click here.

Cooking soundtrack album: Lost on the River, The New Basement Tapes

Best thing I cooked this month: This time of year, I do a lot more salads than stovetop cooking. However, Katie Parla’s Pasta Alla Norma from her book Food of the Italian Islands, was probably the best pasta dish I have ever made (and I even substituted the cheese it calls for). I will try another recipe from this book soon!

Until next time,

Steph

Summer = pimento cheese season

May went by in a blur, I intended to write. Actually, though, it didn’t. There were long stretches of working days, quiet and still with my hands on the keyboard and audio books in my earbuds during walking breaks, punctuated by bursts of travel and restaurants and meetings, then of course, the holiday. So I missed emailing you.

But here we are, with school out for lots of people and summer bearing down on us, at least in much of the South. I feel like I wait for this moment each year — catching the first view of the summer stretched out like a hammock between trees — and then it’s already June, the first peaches in my fridge just today and the asparagus of April but a memory.

If you’re headed out on the boat, to the playground, or just want a cool snack from the fridge on a hot day, my pimento cheese recipe on Simply Recipes will do you right (that is, if you’re not a vegan ;) ). One reviewer called it “just like grandma’s” — which thrilled my soul — but you can also customize it too in order to make it your signature recipe of the summer.

As for all those projects I’ve been working on? More to come very soon — stay tuned right here!

Article Updates

Per usual, I always have Charleston on the editorial brain, so when Conde Nast Traveler reached out for a new best bars list, I jumped at the chance. I haven’t covered bars in the city since 2020, so this year’s list feels really fresh.

Other published media I like right now: For a lot of us, it’s backyard entertaining season, so you could be looking for a summer cocktail recipe at home (versus a bar) to share with friends. If so, check out this new book, Spirited Women, which has 45 cocktail recipes from women in the spirits industry, along with their stories, which makes for good reading beyond just the sips.

On my mind: always a million things, especially at 3 a.m. … this month — native plants. There are so many benefits to growing them (including my favorite: they LIKE to grow in your area, so it’s easier to get them to thrive). But how do you know what works in your backyard? Just put in your zip code in this Audubon website, and get a customized list with photos and specifics.

Cooking soundtrack album: Heavy Love, Buddy Guy

Best thing I cooked this month: Braised leeks with chickpeas, inspired by an Alice Waters recipe in The Art of Simple Food II, a cookbook I often turn to in order to learn a new (to me) way to cook a specific vegetable. This came together in less than 30 minutes, using canned chickpeas and chicken stock, and tasted like it had been cooking for much longer than that.

Until next time,

Steph

Spring cleaning the mindset

What I do is a constant reinvention of work flow. In many ways, this is what I love about it, that there is always another project ahead, a surprise assignment or pitch acceptance on its way to my inbox, or another story to find out on the road or at my local coffee shop.

But in order for all that new to come in, things are always flowing out too. At least 50% of the publications I’ve written for throughout the years are no longer publishing or not publishing the sections I wrote for, and if you count the ones that have been gutted of their former glory by venture capitalists, then that number is even higher. It’s one of the favorite subjects of my fellow media folks and me, and we bemoan over beers or bourbon at the bar, or sigh longingly about some past life that few people I knew lived, where we could throw Holly Go Lightly parties before jetting off on assignment on some magazine’s dime.

I left the teaching profession more than 20 years ago, and was freelancing before that, but the bulk of my career has seen editors laid off, my publications cease, my payments delayed (or worse). And I’ve spent years working and writing while always mourning all that we are losing. But here’s the thing I’ve realized:

I’m your gal in the breach. :)

I’ve published more than 500 pieces of edit since 2015, and released 372 podcast episodes, and I share this not to brag (though it is fun to see those numbers listed here), but because I’ve come to something lately.

I am, in fact, at the right place and the right time. I’m glad you’re here too, preheating the oven sometime to make my mom’s chicken casserole, learning about independent cheese producers in the South, or getting to know a barbecue pitmaster. We need all kinds of stories, including ones that make us hungry. Thanks for sticking around — there’s always more to come.

Article Updates

• To that end, however, my tenure with Hanna Raskin’s The Food Section has ended, but I appreciate all of you who read along for Charleston restaurant news! It was an experiment, so we are on to new horizons.

• I went home to visit family and do some research for The 15 Best Things to Do in Charlotte for Conde Nast Traveler. It’s been a few years since I covered the city, and each time I’m struck by how big it feels and how varied life is in this city that I grew up in. And yes, I did change a tire at a fake pitstop at the NASCAR museum and thus available for pit crew freelance work as well.

Other published media I like right now: “Conch: Queen of the Florida Keys” was a well-reported and interesting podcast produced by Adwoa Gyimah-Brempong for Gravy. And in the completely opposite direction, I just finished Hello, Beautiful and loved its multifaceted storytelling that created so many rich, fully nuanced characters.

On my mind: always a million things, especially at 3 a.m. … this month — the power of technology. We hear a lot about its negativity, to be sure, but as the proud owner of a new laptop, I am enjoying the “new car feel” and how it is already helping me do my job more effectively. And what a battery life!

Cooking soundtrack album: fingerlings4, Andrew Bird

Best thing I cooked this month: Chestnut mushrooms. Although you should never say yes to allowing me to lead a mushroom foraging hike, I have nevertheless expanded my knowledge beyond the basic button and portabella, thanks to farmers markets and my Community Supported weekly groceries. My favorite way to cook them is the “steakhouse” way my mom taught me: in a medium pan with salted butter and a good shake of garlic powder. Great with eggs, rice bowls, and atop salads, the three ways I most often incorporate them.

Until next time,

Steph

Keep a firm grip on that kite string, Steph

Spring is technicolor in Charleston. Right now, the hot pink azaleas in my neighborhood have blossoms the size of hibiscus, the trees are leafing out in chartreuse green, the wisteria unfolding into grape cluster pantomime on trees and fences. We’re having a real season too (cool nights, warmer days), not like some years when the switch flips from cold to beach weather in a week.

Bees on yellow jessamine next to a busy street. Video: Stephanie Burt

Now that the book has gone to the editor and I’m in planning and process, proposal and negotiation for new, upcoming projects, my creativity feels like it’s warming up too, able to stretch and unfold and not have to be so contained. It’s a great feeling, a clear-blue-sky feeling, and I’ll admit I like to fly at 20,000 feet, living for the brainstorm and the idea.

However, last night I was reminded that it’s not just the idea but the execution that makes a thing when I visited The Gibbes Museum for the upcoming Art Charleston preview. While there, I had the opportunity to see the new exhibit Statement Pieces, and it was truly excellent, juxtaposing the works in the Gibbes collection with some of designer Alexander McQueen’s couture pieces. This was the second time I’d come inches away from McQueen’s work — there was an excellent traveling show at the Columbia Art Museum last year — and I was freshly struck by yes, the imaginative output of one of the most creative minds in my lifetime, but most certainly by the execution.

His work isn’t just fantastical and fanciful; it’s exquisitely constructed, feathers overlapping each other in symmetry, tailoring that tucks a sleeve just so or bones a corset in delicate strength, with the color and texture creating some kind of its own harmony.

A quick snapshot of one of the exhibits in The Gibbes Museum “Statement Pieces.”

True too, the curating of artwork beside fashion is its own genius execution. I was reminded that good work isn’t just about wild ideas or imagination on the end of a kite string caught by the wind; it’s about tiny stitches, keeping scissors sharp and brushes clean, and keeping at the thing when it looks like a pile of fabric on the floor.

As David Lynch says, “You have to find a way to get the thing done.” All I can say is “noted.”

Article Updates

• Sure, the latest "How to Throw a Perfect Bachelorette Party in Charleston” article for Conde Nast Traveler keeps the soon-to-be married female in mind, but this article is chocked full of great recommendations, from boutique hotels and funky Folly Beach retreats to coffee shops and cocktail bars. I’ve stayed in the hotels, sipped the cocktails, and even taken a sail on the boats in question, so these are real up-to-date recs no matter your marital status. :)

• Nightcap weekly newsletters covering Charleston restaurant news

Other published media I like right now: Kara Newman’s work in Wine Enthusiast is always a treat; when I see her byline, I read it because it is informative and engaging. She recently reviewed Tip Top Cocktails (remember that podcast episode?), which makes me like her work even more.

On my mind: always a million things, especially at 3 a.m. … this month — juggling it all. The life of a entrepreneur/contractor/freelancer is not for the weak, especially during tax season when one has to find time to organize the QuickBooks we too often ignore. But we soldier on, scribbles on sticky notes meaning something only to us, and sometimes not even then.

Cooking soundtrack album: is, My Morning Jacket

Best thing I cooked this month: Lightly Pickled Cabbage salad from BUDMO! by Anna Volosyna. I interviewed Anna a couple of years ago on an author panel and have had her cookbook on my shelf since. I grew up with “refrigerator slaw” and this is a variation on the theme — it’s been great all month when I needed some good food packed with prebiotics (around all that eating out and festival-ing!).

Until next time,

Steph

Here’s my (try as hard as I can) monthly round-up for those of you who want to learn about or keep up a little more with me and the work that I do. Hope you enjoy.

Festival season is upon us

When I first moved to Charleston in 2005, there was a “social season” that began each year with the Southeastern Wildlife Exposition (SEWE). But these days, in a city that has 7 million visitors a year, that cycle is definitely obscured if not downright discarded.

Still, however you slice up the calendar, my spring festival season is here. A couple of weeks ago, I was thrilled to once again participate on the Fresh on the Menu stage in the Certified SC tent at SEWE, hosted by The Lee Brothers. Jason Stanhope (Lowland) and Rutter’s Ranch were my stage partners, and the result was a creamy risotto studded with SC guanciale.

This Wednesday, Charleston Wine + Food kicks off. I’m starting the event in style, hosting an author chat with Shane Mitchell at the Charleston Library Society, in partnership with The Bitter Southerner and Buxton Books. A multi-James Beard award-winning author, Shane’s newest book is The Crop Cycle, and we’ll delve into some stories and details that go beyond the page. You don’t want to miss the rare opportunity to hear her speak about her work, so if you’re in town, we’d love to have you join us. Click here for tickets!

Article Updates

• Weekly “Nightcap” newsletters for The Food Section — from Edmund’s Oast to Mexican bread, and everywhere in between this month.

• I have a lot of things in process but not much additionally to show you at the moment. More to come soon!

Other published media I like right now: Do you need some positive news? Read The Wonder of Wetlands by Stephanie Hunt, chronicling five Southerners from different walks of life who are working to protect these landscapes Hunt calls “superheroes of ecology”. This project falls under a top category in my world: I wish I’d written it. :)

On my mind: always a million things, especially at 3 a.m. … this month — power company tree cutting. The trees in our neighborhoods are our everyday connection to the natural world, and they improve health and communities, so why the hacking by hordes of crews nationwide? There has to be a better way to live with electricity and trees, even when the lines aren’t buried (a budget line item that is often an incentive/discount for new developers and rarely used in established ‘hoods). If you know of a community doing it right, please send me the info!

Cooking soundtrack album: The Very Best of Chicago: Only the Beginning, Chicago

Best thing I cooked this month: It was all about the easy stuff this month, but I still started with fresh ingredients most nights. This quick-sauteed Rooting Down Farms turnip greens “nest” with good eggs and chili crisp was a highlight.

Until next time,

Steph

New gig, same beat (and yes, there will be oysters)

I’ve been burning up the road since Thanksgiving, but only a couple of hours at a time for a couple of days at a time. After crisscrossing South Carolina researching its craft cocktail culture, I always come home to Charleston.

This year marks 20 years here—give or take a couple of years moving away before moving back— and from the first day I became a resident, I have written about this city (I started here as a staff writer in Special Sections for The Post and Courier). Charleston’s culture, history, people, and environment have been my beat ever since, from my time as online editor for The Local Palate or covering a perfect day eating here for CNN’s Parts Unknown to the recent work you often see cataloged in this newsletter.

For me, the key to learning about this place has always been through the plate, so I’ve eaten my way through those assignments too, watching culinary careers blossom from the kitchen side door and the barstool, visited farms and docks in rubber boots, and taken a turn or two around prep kitchens and home kitchens myself.

I’m not tired yet. There’s always something happening in the restaurant scene here, some new delicious bite to try, and someone new to meet who I just sense is an emerging talent; so when Hanna Raskin invited me to join The Food Section team as Nightcap Editor, it was an easy yes.

“Ok, cool!” you say. “But what is Nightcap?”

“Unlike other TFS newsletters, which are typically devoted to a single narrative, it features a collection of short items about the Lowcountry’s food-and-beverage scene. It’s lively, buzzy, and very much of the moment: Nightcap aims to be your go-to source for what’s really going on when restaurants close, partnerships dissolve, and fancy events go awry. Nightcap is where readers will find out first which food truck is upgrading to a permanent location, and what an acclaimed out-of-town chef has in mind for her new Charleston bistro.” — The Food Section

Want to subscribe? Click this link for a promo code of $5 off The Food Section subscription, and you’ll not only get a weekly newsletter from me, but all the great food coverage the publication has to offer. Or just skip the link and enter “BURT” at checkout. The next newsletter drops Monday night — can’t wait for you to read it.

Article Updates

• One bite of charcuterie last year in Florida was enough to get me beyond the plate and out on the Florida farm trail, tracking a story about wild boar charcuterie, now ready for you to read in the current issue of The Local Palate. Wild boar is in an invasive species issue in many states, so my hope is that this is a farm and chef partnership trend that catches on.

• We’re experiencing a colder than normal winter here in the South, and that always means I’m craving a pot of my mom’s chicken and rice, a pantry recipe you can make too, thanks to my newest byline on Simply Recipes. It’s feed-a-whole family comfort for the dark days of winter.

Other published media I like right now: Wildsam’s “How a Texas Mill Turns Propane Tanks Into Famed BBQ Pits” may be an archived story, but I’m always catching up on my reading. This piece dives deep into the process of creative reuse, which I always find inspiring, but especially when it results in delicious barbecue. It reminds me of The Southern Fork podcast conversation with Hector Garate of Palmira BBQ, who also crafted his own smoker.

On my mind: always a million things, especially at 3 a.m. … this month — the same as last month: cocktail recipes! My book deadline is imminent.

Cooking soundtrack album: Dance, No One’s Watching, Ezra Collective

Best thing I cooked this month: Actually, forget month. These Mr. Charlie’s Yeast Rolls from Anne Byrn’s Baking in the American South are one of the best things I’ve ever made. They were pillowy perfection for Christmas day.

Until next time,

Steph