February 2020
LA Dreams, Oyster Roasts, and the SEWE Certified SC stage
Hi all and Happy Almost Spring —
Here’s my (try as hard as I can) monthly round-up for those of you that want to learn / keep up a little more with me and the work that I do. Hope you enjoy.
There’s Southern food happening — even in L.A.!
If you follow along on Instagram (and I’d love to have you if that’s your sort of thing), then you know I just returned from a research and recording trip in L.A., palm trees and everything! I ate all the things, vintage shopped for at least a few hours, saw the California bounty at the Hollywood Farmers Market, and recorded some great podcasts about Southern food in the city that I can’t wait to share with you when the new season begins March 6.
I’ll be sharing much more about my L.A. findings in the next few months, but personally, it was the overwhelming inspiration of color, flavor, and creative people I had been craving. If just that statement makes you feel worn out and weary, then I implore you to look beyond your front door or your phone screen for inspiration. It doesn’t have to be a plane ride away, but it’s there if you go looking.
It’s oyster roast season in the Lowcountry
Oyster roasts are one of the best things about Fall and Winter in the Lowcountry, despite the sometimes 70-degree days. It’s great to get together — or meet new friends — around a table of freshly steamed oysters. I personally like mine with lots of lemon and Saltines, and some kind of light beer in a koozie, but it’s a tradition for sure, something I wrote about this month for Conde Nast Traveler.
If you’re thinking of putting one on yourself, then Chef Jason Stanhope of FIG has just the instructions for you I shared for the Sea Island Forge Hot Seat. I am NOT promising this will make your food as good as Jason’s but it’s a good start. For me? I just want to attend and gab and not have to deal with all the clean up!
SEWE Certified SC Stage
I’m thrilled to be joining Matt and Ted Lee again this year on the Southeastern Wildlife Festival’s Certified SC Fresh on the Menu stage for three days of FREE demos pairing some of South Carolina’s best chefs with some of its stellar local producers. If you want to say “hey,” I’ll be on stage in Marion Square at 2 p.m. on Sunday, but here’s the whole schedule if you want to make a weekend of it.
Podcasts I like right now: Just like you I’m inundated with content, so I just got around to listening to this 2018 Gravy episode about the phenomenon of the aquarium smoker in Chicago. If you like ‘cue, take a listen.
On my mind: always a million things, especially at 3 a.m. But still also the wine tariffs, threatening the bottom line for many a restaurant. Ep. 161’s Mike Lata wrote an op-ed for the Post and Courier yesterday. I 100-percent agree.
Cooking: I’ve returned to the roasted chicken because this version from Fish Hawk Acres is just too good. And I’m still making banana bread on cooler days, but not as much cooking this month with all the work and travel.
Until next time,
Steph