Charleston in Charge
Last weekend, we participated in the annual Charleston Wine and Food Festival. Read on about some of our favorite bites in the Queen City, as well as a recap of what we cooked.
What we made:
Crab doughnut holes with smoked tomato remoulade
We made the delicious snack (a variation of the crab churros recipe in the Poole’s Diner cookbook) at a raging cocktail party at Williams-Sonoma. We were honored to cook with a number of awesome folks: Joshua McFadden, from Ava Gene’s in Portland, Oregon; Matt Bolus, from 404 Kitchen in Nashville; Gavin Kaysen of Spoon & Stable in Minneapolis; and Scott Baird of Trick Dog in San Francisco.
Crab and grits with smoked tomato and crispy garlic
This was our contribution to a multi-course luncheon hosted by CherryBombe magazine. After the feast, Ashley was part of a panel discussion with the other collaborating chefs (Vivian Howard, Carrie Morrey and Jessica Grossman), as well as Ellen Bennett from Hedley & Bennett and Ruth Reichl.
Grilled oysters with roasted tomato butter, country ham crumbs, and Meyer lemon gremolata
We teamed up with Sea Island Forge, makers of gorgeous cauldron grills, and Rappahannock Oysters to rock this fun wood-fire cooked oyster dish.
Where we ate:
We’ve been huge fans of Rodney Scott’s delicious whole hog barbecue for years, and were thrilled to visit his first (brand-new) outpost in Charleston. The whole hog is definitely delicious, but don’t sleep on the and the ribs and the sides (in particular, the collards and the mac and cheese), which blew our minds.
This tiny shellfish emporium is a perfect place to visit for a few dozen oysters and a few glasses of rosé. If the weather’s nice, definitely wait for a patio seat.
The taco joint from chef Sean Brock’s Neighborhood Restaurant Group may be casual, but the easygoing atmosphere belies the excellent quality of every dish, from smoked chicken wings to an insane green chorizo taco topped with a thick wedge of crispy potato. AC’s favorite drink? The Satanico, a frozen concoction of tequila, Chartreuse, pineapple vinegar and tepache.
Our pal Brooks Reitz’s newest project, this tavern-like space keeps focus on the classics, such as steak, brick chicken, shrimp cocktail, and crab Louie. It also features one of the most craveable damn burgers in the Southeast.
Where we stayed:
This luxury hotel just across the street from Marion Square features is housed in a former government building, which makes the beauty of its modern décor and spacious rooms all the more impressive. The lobby bar, dubbed “The Living Room,” quickly became our go-to spot for an afternoon Aperol Spritz.