February 2022
So much bacon and bottarga
Hi all —
Here’s my (try as hard as I can) monthly round-up for those of you who want to learn / keep up a little more with me and the work that I do. Hope you enjoy.
And … 2022, Go!
The holiday season is kind of the Super Bowl for food writers, but we work on that editorial often months in advance, and there’s always a deep breath for a couple of weeks after edits are done and it’s time for all those 1099s to come in the mail (bring it, the more the merrier).
Well, now I’ve exhaled, and here we go again. Let’s dig in. ;)
Season 7 of The Southern Fork is again dropping every Friday after a debut earlier this month. I went to Raleigh to record some shows and research NC Mullet bottarga for Saveur. While there, I also ate lot of seafood and drank some local grain-powered beer at FullSteam’s new RTP location. And I finally got to share all my thoughts on bacon after I and plenty of taste testers clocked in for some serious bacon sampling! IF you’re looking for the Best Bacons in America, I got you right here, also for Saveur.
And finally, closer to home on East Bay Street in Charleston, a profile of Shiki, Charleston’s oldest sushi restaurant (something I worked on in the Fall) finally made its screen debut on Resy. Son James Park has taken over the business from his parents, and with it, refreshed its spirit.
Each time I delve into a behind-the-scenes story, I am inspired by the passion with which so many in this field approach their job. It motivates me to keep going and teaches me something about technique or tradition along the way. And sometimes I get bacon.
The Baconer’s Smoked Paprika Bacon in a Smithey Ironware Skillet.
Episode Updates
Cheryl Day helped me kick off Season 7 with a sweet conversation on all things baking and her new masterpiece-of-a-cookbook. If you can’t get to Savannah to check out her bakery, then you can get your cookie and confection fix from Goldbelly.
Matt Kelly, restauranteur extraordinaire in Durham, NC, sat down with me for a rare interview over croissants at The Durham Hotel. I love how creative he is and how his mind considers food, and you get a dose of that here!
And I was honored to chat with author, cook, and television host Sheri Castle, someone I’m proud to call a colleague and now extra proud to see her fantastic smile on PBSNC’s Key Ingredient.
Other podcast episodes I like right now: Lightning Bugs with Ben Folds had a wonderful episode with Derek Waters, the creator of one of my favorite comedy shows ever, Drunk History. If you’re an innovator (and we can all be, no matter the field), it’s an inspiring listen. And if you’re baking this weekend and need some sweet, relaxing ear candy, listen to Steel Magnolias talking all things stack cakes.
On my mind: always a million things, especially at 3 a.m. I’m thinking about daily joy a lot this month, how to feel my life as I’m living it instead of just running from one thing to another. Do you ever think about that? Daily journaling helps me slow everything down, but also looking for “pleasant” exchanges and simple experiences and letting go of the bigger expectations of things. It’s a practice, and I know I am not sticking with it if I’m awake at 3 a.m. ruminating!
Cooking soundtrack album: Storyville 1954, Dave Brubeck
Best thing I cooked this month: Lowcountry Fungi fresh oyster mushroom enchiladas, adapted from Turnip Greens & Tortillas by Eddie Hernandez.
Until next time,
Steph