News-Record.com

My name is Kim Mills, and I work with Mel on the copydesk at the News & Record. She has allowed me to kidnap her blog for a few entries on my recent trip to Charleston, S.C.

Because my husband had never been to Charelston, I ordered a free visitor’s guide to let him see what the city has to offer. I knew most of his choices would involve historical sites, cannons and the reading of many historical markers, so I decided that I would find something to do, just for me.

That’s when I saw a page in the guidebook for Charleston Cooks! Under the umbrella of Maverick Southern Kitchens, Charleston Cooks! offers cooking classes, from demonstration classes on local cuisine to ongoing Kitchen Fundamentals classes.

My name is Kim Mills and I work with Mel on the copydesk at the News & Record. She has allowed me to kidnap her blog for a few entries on my recent trip to Charleston, S.C.

There are a gazillion tasty restaurants in Charleston. I know that sounds like a lot, but trust me, when you have a limited number of meals and an overwhelming selection of restaurants, pubs, bar and grilles, diners and cafes to choose from, a gazillion seems like the appropriate number.

I am not a fancy restaurant person. Don’t get me wrong, I really enjoy good food and good service, but I don’t really feel comfortable in places where they have a nice young man whose job it is to replace my napkin when I go to the bathroom (there is such a guy, there is such a job, and I did get a new napkin!). So we had some really good food, but the places we went were a little more laidback, like me and my husband, Jeff.

Let’s talk barbecue.

I know that in these parts, the topic of barbecue is a hot one. I was born in Georgia, grew up in South Carolina. I now live here in Greensboro, and my in-laws live in upstate New York, and every one of those places has a barbecue that is specifically theirs. And I like them all. So don’t anyone get offended when I say that Sticky Fingers Ribhouse in Charleston was some of the tastiest barbecue that I’ve had. Four friends decided to open the place years ago and now it’s a small chain. You can buy some of their sauces at local grocery stores if you can’t make the trip to Charleston. But even if you’re not a barbecue fan, the stories and history of the restaurant on their Web site makes for fun reading.

I just returned from a really long road trip with my family, and I have got a ton of pictures, stories and food talk to share. But for right now, I'm gonna concentrate on unpacking all of the jellies, jams, ciders, breads, and various food stuffs we picked up along the way. Aren't you jealous? :)

P.S. Hope you enjoyed Kim's posts in my absence. If you're nice to her, maybe she can be persuaded to take over in the future.

ETA: I realized North Carolina wasn't included in that state count -- it's six with it.

OK, so I'm a couple months late on this. But you have to admit, the idea of pie jousting is pretty darn funny.

Who knows if any of this happens to your food on a regular basis, but the thought is enough to keep me away. The article also contains some good tips on what to look for to keep waiters and bartenders from scamming you.

So apparently Rachel Ray isn't as popular with other chefs as she is with her legions of loyal fans.

From the NY Daily News (third item down):

"Famous fryers Anthony Bourdain and Mario Batali, joined by foodie author Bill Buford, sliced and diced their fellow publicity-hungry potslinger during a talk at the New York Public Library."

"Bourdain said he applauded the celebrity chef movement, "even at it's most satanic," adding, as an example, "Rachael Ray," and under his breath, "that b-." He didn't seem like he was kidding."

I never liked Anthony Bourdain anyway.

Ever wonder where the ice cream sundae was born? Ithaca, N.Y., would have you believe it was first served there in 1892, when Chester Platt mixed vanilla ice cream, cherry syrup and a candied cherry. But the people in Two Rivers, Wis., disagree, saying no, it was really born there in 1881, when Edward Berners mixed ice cream and chocolate sauce.

"Officials on both sides said it isn't clear yet how these "sundae wars" will play out."

Personally, it's my feeling that it's not an ice cream sundae until it has chocolate sauce and a cherry on top.

Details:

Jun 24 2006
8:54:34 am

State : North Carolina
City : Greenville
Referring URL: http://www.chefsblogs.com/directory/Foodies_by_Region/US_Southern/

In honor of my getting rejected by the Red Cross for a lack of iron in my blood, I present to you a list of foods that are high in iron.

- Liver, beef, pork, poultry and fish are excellent sources. They contain heme iron, which is readily absorbed by the body.

- Shellfish, such as shrimp, clams, mussels and oysters

- Iron fortified cereals

- Beans or legumes -- especially kidney beans, pinto beans and chickpeas

- Vegetables such as peas, spinach, and lentils

- Fruits, especially apricots and raisins

- enriched and whole grain breads

- molasses

Notes

- Absorption of iron from any of sources can be improved by eating Vitamin-C rich foods in the same meal, such as orange juice, grapefruit, cantaloupe, greens peppers and tomatoes.

- If you do not eat meat, avoid drinking tea with meals. Tea has tannins, which will decrease the absorption of iron.

Source: American Red Cross handout

One should never read food blogs on an empty stomach. This is something I’ve learned in the past year or so as I’ve amassed a list of wonderful food bloggers that I try to keep up with every week. If the delicious descriptions don’t make my stomach start to rumble, the fabulous photos will start the drooling.

Although cookbooks are still my main recipe source, food blogs are quickly gaining ground. And with blogs, you not only get the recipe and usually a photo or two, you get a commentary on the problems and solutions the author ran into along the way. You can ask questions or drop compliments on each post, or offer suggestions and changes for recipes you’ve tried. Not to mention that whole no-cost thing.

Here are a few of my must-read food blogs.

As we head into the weekend, many of you will be outdoors celebrating our nation's freedom. Or at least the warm weather and freedom for rain. *fingers crossed* And in the spirit of picnics and cookouts, I encourage everyone to load up on brownies this weekend and wash them down with lots of ice cold lemonade.

Here's a recipe from a batch I made this week.