I’m fresh back from Charleston, S.C. and what a great four-day trip! On my 6:15 a.m. flight out of New Orleans who should be on the same flight? Cousins Lally Brennan and Ti Adelaide Martin (of Commander’s Palace and Adelaide’s in New Orleans) were also headed to Charleston to a book signing for their marvelous book IN THE LAND OF COCKTAILS! If you don’t already have it, be sure and get it. And, it will make a great Christmas gift for just about anyone who enjoys a cocktail or two.
After a brief walking tour of historic Charleston we lunched at a place called Fast and French, a small, cozy bistro where we enjoyed a platter that featured several slices of delicious pate, wedges of cheese, and chunks of French bread accompanied by three mustards—Creole-style, Dijon and an aioli-type. The minestrone soup was very tasty as was one with sweet potatoes, curry and ham. Our croque monsieur sandwiches were perfect!
After doing the radio show live from Charleston, we headed to Edisto, about a 45-minute drive from the city. Edisto is an island surrounded by saltwater marshes (beautiful) and the coastal waters are a haven for srhimp, crabs, fish and oysters. Our hosts, Jim and Linda McLain welcomed us to their lovely home which has a panoramic view of the saltwater marshes and a wooded area, similar to south Louisiana, filled with palmettos, graceful oaks shrouded with Spanish moss, pines, and wild magnolias. Dinner, prepared by Jim, was perfectly boiled shrimp with perfectly grilled rib-eye steaks accompanied by creamy-smooth mashed potatoes, and steamed asparagus.
The next day we toured Edisto, which was at one time home to many rice and cotton plantations. We chose a water-side restaurant for lunch. Crab soup (more like a thick bisque) and fried shrimp and oyster sandwiches were just the think to tide us over until dinner.
Saturday night, my friend Donnie Bulliard, who now lives and works in Charleston, put out a spread for about 12 of us. (One gentleman, Steve Meaux, turned out to be from Abbeville, La. and we have mutual friends.) The dinner began with crawfish in pastry shells, then chicken breasts stuffed with cranberries and nuts, followed by a leek and shrimp soup, then fried catfish with crawfish etouffee and an assortment of desserts. Whew!
Sunday morning breakfast (at one of the local churches) was shrimp and eggs with grits and muffins. Sunday night we had Jim’s version of shrimp and grits, but instead of the grits he served the shrimp over Carolina rice—fantastic!
Shrimp and grits is their answer to our grillades and grits. Everyone has their own version—all good. In fact, I saw a cookbook by Natalie Dupree that featured a many versions on shrimp and grits, and now I’m sorry I didn’t buy it. Maybe I’ll ask Santa to get it for me!
Now it’s back home to get ready for the holidays. Let me hear about what you’re cooking for the upcoming feasts.
