Food Guide for a Quick Trip to Charleston, SC

This past weekend I took a whirlwind of a trip to Charleston, SC to celebrate my beautiful friend Kelly’s bachelorette party. I’ve been itching for the opportunity to check out this city after hearing about its up-and-coming food scene. It lived up to the hype too. In the 48 hours of time spent in the city, I had more giant flaky biscuits and jam than I’d like to admit, along with plenty of other southern favorites and a few unexpected gems along the way. But, in addition to meal after meal of fabulous eats and drinks, the pastel sunsets, palmettos, and quaint southern charm won me over. Charleston, it was a wild ride!

Two Boroughs Larder
It’s a quirky spot. It's open for breakfast for unique breakfast sandwiches and then switches to a trendy bar in the afternoon complete with $3 cans of beer for happy hour and one of the best bowls of ramen I’ve ever had (It comes with crispy pork confit, a soft-boiled egg and housemade noodles but I highly recommend adding on the sesame greens). They also sell provisions and pastries in the front room.

Jeni’s Ice Cream
If you know anything about the Jeni’s Ice Cream franchise you’ll know that they offer some crazy flavors along with the classics and to put it simply, it’s just really great ice cream. The 7 Layer Bar flavor was fab!

The Gin Joint
A great spot to grab some drinks and snacks with friends and definitely a place to order one (or more) of everything and have a tasting party. It’s got that speakeasy vibe and the drinks are seriously innovative. I went for a concoction called the “Banana Hammock” (Flor De Cana 7 Rum, Zaya 12 Rum, Banana, Pineapple, Vanilla Syrup, Lemon, Orgeat, Walnut Dram, Angostura Bitters) that had a distinct caramel nuttiness along with the sweet tropical flavors. Also definitely try out the grilled cheese that they somehow make it inside-out where the bread and meat are on the inside and it's concealed in a pouch of crispy, nearly-burnt cheese.

Hominy Grill
It’s called the best place for brunch in Charleston and I absolutely believe it. They have nailed the perfect southern breakfast, keeping things pretty classic in an “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” sort of mentality. I ordered the shrimp and grits (it’s a splurge but it’s so worth it) but also heard lots of happy words from those who got the “Charleston Nasty Biscuit,” a biscuit stuffed with a fried chicken breast and smothered in sausage gravy.

Firefly Distillery and Irvin House Vineyards
Definitely add this on to your to-do list if you have a chance. It’s about a 30-minute drive outside of the city (stop to see the Angel Oak Tree along the way) but it's quite the experience having the opportunity to try both Charleston wines and spirits at the same location. They make their wine from several varieties of muscadine grapes which are native to the Lowcountry. The distillery lets you try 6 of the many varieties of spirits made by firefly with wild flavors like mint tea vodka, apple pie and caramel moonshine, many fruity flavors, and a 100 proof white lightning moonshine which was quite honestly the smoothest shot I have ever had. Let me just say that after a combination of the two, you’ll definitely need to hang around and check out the farm animals for a bit before taking the drive back.

Stars Rooftop and Grill Room
An excellent spot for a fancy celebratory dinner. There are lots of tempting appetizers so my suggestion is to team up with someone in your party and pick several options to share rather than just sticking with a main course. The deviled eggs were light and tangy and topped with ham and roasted red peppers. We also got a skillet of the truffled Kennebec potato fries which we continued to eat long after we were full until they were completely finished. The fresh blueberry salad with granola, yogurt, and white balsamic was a refreshing in-between course before the spit-roasted chicken with Moroccan flavors and roasted carrots and sunchokes. The S’more Pie also makes for a show-stopping dessert.

And last but not least,

Toast!
Again, a classic southern breakfast. There will be a bit of a wait but if you can hold out it’ll be worth your time. Biscuits again are a must along with the fried green tomatoes.

Lemon Pasta with Bacon and Peas (and welcoming spring)

Spring is like a perhaps hand
(which comes carefully
out of Nowhere) arranging
a window, into which people look (while
people stare
arranging and changing placing
carefully there a strange
thing and a known thing here) and
changing everything carefully

spring is like a perhaps
Hand in a window
(carefully to
and fro moving New and
Old things, while
people stare carefully
moving a perhaps
fraction of flower here placing
an inch of air there) and
without breaking anything.

-E.E. Cummings

In literature, in art, in life, Spring is the time of change and new starts. It is a time to shake off the troubles that Winter brought and to look at the world with fresh new eyes, ready for what will come next. Now, more than any Spring before this in my live, have I felt it representing rebirth as a stronger more confident person and with a greater understanding of what I want to come. In the recent dying days of this Winter, I have plummeted to the bottom but already, with warmer and longer days and the encouragement of those around, I can already feel myself stepping up from that. And, for me at least, the feeling of rejuvenation generally turns into time in the kitchen, and yesterday, this is what resulted from that.

This pea and bacon pasta is very appropriate for the seasonal transition. It still contains the richness that we desire in the colder months from the bacon and mascarpone, while inviting in lemony freshness and bright pops of fresh peas. It’s a quick, throw-together dish that doesn’t necessarily require specific measurements or a strict following of ingredients, but more so encourages intuition and going on what seems and feels right. And when it done this way, it’s a freeing feeling resulting in a pretty fantastic dish. It's letting go, trusting instinct and the things you’ve learned to guide you, and finding yourself with something wonderful. It’s a nice way to welcome the forthcoming Spring.

Lemon Pasta with Creamy Bacon and Pea Sauce
Serves 4-6
Adapted from Jamie Oliver’s Jamie’s Food Revolution

Ingredients
6 slices of bacon
1 lb of pappardelle pasta (I highly recommend the Lemon Pepper Pappardelle from Trader Joe’s)
olive oil
salt and pepper
2 cups frozen peas
3 Tbs. mascarpone cheese
1 lemon
6 oz parmesan

Start by finely slicing the bacon and grating the parmesan cheese and set aside. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to the package instructions.

Meanwhile add a bit of oil to a large frying pan and place over medium heat. Once hot, add the bacon. Crack some fresh black pepper overtop and cook until crispy. Once the bacon is cooked, add in the frozen peas and give everything a stir. Cook for about a minute and then add in the mascarpone cheese. Stir to combine.

By this time the pasta should be about done. Reserve about a half-cup of the pasta water and then drain the pasta into a colander. Add the pasta to the frying pan with the bacon and peas and toss everything together. Squeeze the juice of half a lemon overtop and add in a bit of the pasta water if the sauce needs to be thinned out a bit. Throw in the grated parmesan and a bit of salt, if needed, and give everything a quick mix before serving. 

Chocolate Whisky Fudge

About a week back I was working from home because we had a snowstorm, which in Washington D.C. speak means we got 4 inches. But, rather than getting excited about the idea of working in my pajamas for the day or taking advantage of the chance to coincide household chores with work, I instead took the opportunity to make whisky sugar. That’s a normal thing to do, right…?

An infusion of simply those two things, whisky sugar doesn’t take much effort, just time. After combining the two ingredients and spreading the mixture out on a sheet pan, it goes into a 200-degree oven for about 8 hours until the moisture evaporates and you’re left with something resembling the demerara sugar you started with, but infused with a nice boozy flavor. The whisky doesn’t have an overwhelming presence, but just enough to let you know it’s there. So with whisky sugar at hand, the next natural step was to make chocolate whisky fudge…you know, in order to sprinkle the sugar overtop it. I suppose these are the thoughts that go though your head when cabin-fever craziness coincides with chocolate cravings.

But yes, the next step did indeed happen, the two entities merged, and I have therefore spent the last few days failing at resisting temptation to eat fudge every time I think of it. Which is often. I wasn’t even much a fudge fan to begin with but there’s something different about this one. It takes on a quality that it more like a chocolate truffle since it’s much smoother and creamier than the gritty and crumbly fudge I used to know. The whisky, in both the fudge and the sugar, also lends a deep caramel flavor rounded out by a sprinkling of flaky salt on top.

The fudge itself, excluding the time it takes to make the sugar, actually comes together quickly and easily so it’s certainly something you can make when short on time. Just top with plain demerara sugar instead. Perhaps this is a little untimely with it’s post Valentine’s Day unveiling but if you’re itching for something to do while hiding away in the house, escaping the cold, you too may find that making fudge is a rather nice way to spend the day.

Chocolate Fudge with Whisky Sugar
Adapted from Bon Appétit
Note: you will have lots of leftover sugar, which is great in a cup of coffee. It will keep for 2 months.

Ingredients

For the Whisky Sugar
1 cup demerara sugar
2 Tbs. Whisky (I used Crown Royal Maple Whisky for a bit of added sweetness)

For the Fudge
10 oz bittersweet chocolate chips
4 oz unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 14-oz can sweetened condensed milk
10 Tbs butter, cut into pieces
2 Tbs whisky
1 Tbs light corn syrup
¼ tsp salt
2 tsp vanilla extract
The whisky sugar and Maldon Sea Salt for sprinkling on top

Make the sugar. Heat the oven to 200 degrees and line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Mix together the sugar and whisky and spread out evenly on the pan. Place in the oven for 8 hours leaving the door of the oven slightly ajar. After about 4 hours, I recommend pulling it out and breaking up the sugar with a rolling pin since it will start to form into one big sheet of sugar. By the end of the 8 hours, it should feel like dry sugar again. If not leave in the oven until it does.

Now make the fudge. Line an 8x8 inch brownie pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang on all sides, and brush lightly with vegetable oil. Heat the chocolates in a heatproof bowl that is set overtop a pan of simmering water (don’t allow the bottom of the bowl to touch the water). Stir until the chocolate is just melted and set aside.

In a small saucepan, combine the condensed milk, butter, whisky, corn syrup, salt, and vanilla. Heat on medium, while stirring, until just hot.  Using a rubber spatula, stir a quarter of the milk mixture into the chocolate. Continue adding the milk, one quarter at a time, stirring after each addition. It will look like it’s separating but it will come back together so don’t worry. After adding the last of the milk, stir the mixture vigorously for about 5 minutes. It should be shiny and almost stretchy. Scrape into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Sprinkle over the whisky sugar and the flaky salt, as much as you desire. Let cool, cover, and chill in the fridge for at least 4 hours. Once chilled, remove from the pan and cut into blocks. The fudge will keep in the fridge for a week.

Chocolate Krantz Cake

Sitting at home, in the middle of a Tuesday afternoon, I am in the midst of what is my third bout of illness within a two-month period. This most recent is believed to have been picked-up in the gym somewhere – so much for trying to get back into healthy habits.

With that being said, my winter days of late have been filled with more soups that I really care to recount at this point since they are all starting to taste the same.  Instead I want to tell you about a wonderful chocolate bread/cake I made a month ago for Christmas, a newer holiday tradition in the family. I would kill for a piece of it right now but the effort required to make it is probably about 25 times more than what I have available at the moment so I’ll make do with dreaming about it over the next few episodes of Serial. Sigh.

But anyway, let’s talk about chocolate krantz cake. The recipe comes from Yotam Ottolenghi’s Jerusalem. It’s the only recipe I have made from the book (which I’ve had for about 2 years) but this recipe alone makes having the hard copy worth it. It starts out like a recipe for brioche but then the dough is filled with a thick chocolate paste, shaped into a braid, and, once baked, is doused in a sweet syrup. The result straddles the fine line between bread and cake. The syrup fuses with the chocolate filling, turning it into something kind of resembling chocolate frosting. It’s definitely sweet, but not cloyingly so. But the bread dough gives it a little more heft than a cake, therefore making it much more justifiable as breakfast food or an afternoon snack. But it works just as well as dessert too.

Better yet, the bread keeps wonderfully, which is nice considering that it takes a decent amount of time (2 days!) and effort to make. Can’t lie to you about that but, trust me, it’s worth it. I was still eating slices about 5 or 6 days after making it and they were just as good, if not better, with age. Cooled fresh loaves can also be wrapped tightly in foil and tucked into a plastic bag and frozen for a few months.

Perhaps this may not be quite the right recipe for all of the January gym-goers – because you are either being healthy or are also suffering the gym plague like me – but just you wait. Some day this winter the weather man is going to tell you all about an impending storm and if you plan it just right and start the night before, you’ll be pulling hot krantz cake out of the oven on your snow day. And I can’t imagine too many things nicer than that.

Chocolate Krantz Cake
From Yotam Ottolenghi’s Jerusalem
Make 2 loaves

Please note that you must start preparing the cakes the night before you wish to bake them. Though the cakes themselves don’t take too much time for the physical construction, there is a lot of idle time. But, as mentioned above, it’s well worth the wait.

Ingredients

For the dough
4¼ cups all-purpose flour
½ cup sugar
2 tsp fast-rising active dry yeast
zest of a small lemon
3 eggs
½ cup water
¼ tsp. salt
2/3 cup room-temperature unsalted butter, cut into cubes
unflavored oil, for greasing

For the chocolate filling
½ cup powdered sugar
1/3 cup dutch-process cocoa powder
4½ oz melted dark chocolate
½ cup melted unsalted butter
1 cup coarsely chopped pecans
2 Tbs. sugar

For the syrup
2/3 cup water
1¼ cups sugar

Begin by making the dough. Place the flour, sugar, yeast, and lemon zest in the bowl of a stand mixer with the dough hook attached. Mix for about a minute to combine. Add the eggs and the water. Slowly increase the speed to medium and let mix for about 3 minutes, stopping the mixer as needed and pushing some of the flour into the center of the bowl until the minute comes together. With the mixer still on medium, add the salt and then the butter, a few cubes at a time, until all are added. Keep the mixer going for about another 10 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl periodically and adding a bit more flour if it doesn’t seem to want to form into a ball.

When the dough it ready, it will have formed into a ball and be smooth and shiny and elastic. Place it in a bowl brushed with a little bit of oil to keep it from sticking. Cover the bowl with plastic, and place in the refrigerator overnight.

The next day, you can assemble and bake the cakes. Begin by greasing two 9x4 inch loaf pans and line them with parchment paper. Set aside. Then make the chocolate filling by combining the powdered sugar, cocoa powder, melted chocolate, and melted butter in a bowl until you have a smooth, spreadable paste. Also set aside.

Remove the dough from the fridge and divide in half. Place one on your counter and the other back in the fridge for the time being. Lightly dust the counter with flour and roll the dough into a 15x11 inch rectangle. Position it so that the shorter edge is closest to you. Spread half of the chocolate filling onto the dough, leaving a ¾ inch border on all sides. Sprinkle with half of the pecans and half of the granulated sugar. Brush a little bit of water on the side that is furthest from you. Then, starting at the end closest to you, tightly roll up the dough, pinching to seal it shut once you reach the end. Place the log of dough on the counter so that seam side is down and one end is facing you.

Now time for the slightly tricky part. Use a serrated knife to cut off the ends on each side of the log of dough. Now, running the knife from end to end, cut the log in half, lengthwise. It helps to make long shallow cuts, repeatedly running the knife from top to bottom and gently separating the two sides. Once cut through, lay the two sides so they are both cut side up. Take the end that is furthest from you on the left half and place it on top of the end of the right half, gently pressing them together. Now “braid” the loaf by taking the right half (the one underneath) and placing in overtop the left half, and then doing this once more until the two bottom ends meet up and can be sealed together. It doesn’t have to be perfect so long as the filling of the cake is exposed at the top and both ends are somewhat secure. Lift the cake into the pan and loosely cover with a clean dishtowel. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and while that heats let the loaves rise for 1-1.5 hours, until increased in size by about 20%. Place the two loaf pans in the oven and bake for 30-35 minutes until golden. While the cakes bake, make the syrup. Combine the water and sugar in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Once the sugar dissolves remove from the heat and let cool slightly. When the cakes are finished, place them on a cooling rack and immediately use a pastry brush to disperse the syrup over the cakes until all of the syrup is used up. It will seem like a lot, but will all eventually get soaked into the cake. After an hour remove the cakes from the pans and let cool completely before serving.

Holiday Pinecone Cheeseball

Why is it that cheeseballs only really seem appropriate in the few weeks surrounding Christmas? Maybe it’s because I go to my aunt and uncle’s house every Christmas after an enormous dinner with my family and still somehow eat the better half of a pecan cheeseball with cracked pepper water crackers. Or perhaps it could be because a “cheeseball” is exactly the right word to describe what I feel like after several nights of eggnog and Christmas cookies and, uh, cheeseball. Yeah, that’s probably it.

But really, the other 50 weeks of the year could pass by and my mind would not once even consider a cheeseball. Then, Christmas rolls around and this is suddenly a thing. It doesn’t make sense because cheese in a constant in my life and I would gladly eat this all day, every day. But for future reference, at least there’s buzzfeed to remind me of plenty of other occasions where cheeseballs are suitable.

The holiday cheeseball I made this year was a mildly disturbing yet intriguing pinecone-shaped ball of all things delicious. I made it for a Christmas party my roommates and I held at our house last weekend. As expected, the cheeseball sat on the table for a good hour and a half before someone had the courage to attack it with the cheese spreader. And once that first move was made, the cheeseball lived a very short life thereafter, soon turning into a small pile of residual almonds.

It’s a simple, do-ahead appetizer with a shockingly small list of ingredients despite having a good deal of flavor. This Paula Deen special (shocker!) contains a triad of delicious fats – cream cheese, mayo, bacon – with just dill weed and scallion added in for flavor. After a night’s rest in the fridge, the whole mass just needs to be shaped into a pinecone-ish shape, and covered in almonds. I also sprayed it with edible metallic gold spray because, why not? And that’s it! My only regret was not having ritz crackers…next time.

Holiday Pinecone Cheeseball
Adapted slightly from Paula Deen via Amy Sedaris
Makes one awesome cheeseball

Ingredients
1¼ cup whole unsalted almonds
1 8oz package cream cheese
½ cup mayonnaise
4 crispy cooked bacon slices, crumbled
½ tsp. dill weed
3 scallions, chopped
salt and pepper, to taste
rosemary sprigs for garnish and crackers for serving

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Spread the almonds out on a cookie sheet and toast for 15 minutes. Once toasted, set aside to cool.

In a stand mixer, beat the cream cheese and mayo on medium speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add in the bacon, dill, scallions, salt, and pepper and mix to combine. Transfer to a container and chill overnight.

Before serving, use the cold cheeseball mixture to make a pinecone shape on a serving platter. Press the almonds into the cheeseball at a slight angle, beginning at the tapered end. Continue until the entire thing is covered.  Keep chilled until ready to serve. Garnish the top with sprigs of rosemary and serve with crackers.