CELEBRATING YEARS OF LOWCOUNTRY OYSTER HERITAGE
I married into the oyster business 30 years ago. My husband's grandfather moved to Hilton Head Island in the early 1900s and started one of the first oyster shucking houses in the area, and it has been a mainstay in the Toomer family for all of these years.
NEW PROGRAM HOPES ‘SEA-TO-TABLE’ FOCUS WILL LURE VISITORS AND BUSINESSES
Aquaculture, sea-to-table, aqua-tourism, merroir: Larry Hughes loves using expressive terms for the Lowcountry Oyster Trail.
“Why can’t we have aqua-tourism? We have ecotourism,” he said. “It’s just tourism focused on our special marine ecosystem.”
When it comes to oysters, “merroir” is the maritime version of what terroir is to wine — the environmental factors that affect the grapes the wine is made of. The term is gaining acceptance among oyster lovers.
Food, like fashion, has cycles. For example, fashion houses are saying that florals and pastels will make a comeback this year, but don’t expect demure, namby-pamby patterns and colors. And that goes for food, too; we foodies have high expectations and want our food to shine on the catwalk, too. Dishes must look pretty, but they’ve also got to taste good — really good. We’ve all jumped on a food bandwagon and tried a food trend or two. Acai bowls and avocado toast are hot but, predictably, they will be replaced with something new and exciting. Luckily, it isn’t too hard to keep up with the latest food trends thanks to television shows, websites, blogs, apps, podcasts, social media, newspapers and magazines, word of mouth and restaurants. Here are a few food trends to enjoy now — and good news: Some are very easy to make at home.
When legendary restaurateur Charlie Golson fell ill, friends and family rallied to keep his beloved island restaurant running.
If there are two things that define a visit to Charlie’s L’etoile Verte (French for “Charlie’s Green Star”), they are constant change and a sense of sharing.
SOME MOMENTS IN LIFE CALL FOR CELEBRATION. AND SOME CELEBRATIONS CALL FOR A LITTLE SOMETHING EXTRA.
When you want to make a statement with your soiree, there’s nothing like gathering a few dozen of your closest friends for a lavish dinner party. The drinks flow, the food entices, the conversation buzzes and memories are made. But then it all comes to a screeching halt when you have to decide who’s going to clean up.
GO-TO ADVICE FOR WINNING WINES AND COCKTAILS
My friends, here we are again. Another year has flown by and we are staring down the barrel of the holiday season. So many presents to buy and wrap, so many meals to plan and prepare… It can be daunting, especially without the benefits of a festive tipple. But what should we drink? Here are a few tips to get you in the holiday spirit:
PODCASTS DISH ON FLAVORS, HISTORY AND CULTURAL APPETITES
Podcasts seem to be cropping up everywhere, covering every subject on the planet — and for good reason. They’re free and can be listened to on your schedule using an app like iTunes, Soundcloud, Player FM, TuneIn, Google Play, Stitched, Spotify, etc. And because most podcasts run about 30 to 60 minutes, they’re not a huge time commitment. Looking for a few treats for your ears? Here are a few podcasts to snack on — though listener beware: Some of these podcasts may contain salty language.
A CELEBRATION OF DELICIOUS FOOD, TASTY BEER AND SIPPABLE LIBATIONS
Traditionally, pubs were places to drink and the food was something to serve so that the clients could continue to indulge in more of the same. Coined in the 1990s, the term ‘gastropub’ is a pub where more upscale food is served.
Owner John Kelm II opened his 125-seat Original 46 Gastropub in April of 2017. “I’ve been involved in three restaurants locally and I have always wanted to showcase craft beer and bourbons. We have over 130 bourbons. Our culinary team is very hands-on and creative. What we are doing is taking pub food and putting a lot of love into it with better ingredients and taking it to the next level. But the thing that makes it really special is that we have a fantastic staff.” says Kelm.
