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Queen of the Food Age

Eat Local Month Recipes

Roasted Red and Green Tomato Casserole

March 30, 2018

A recipe using one of my favorite fruit/vegetables (have we officially decided on what a tomato is?)

It’s officially spring, and Lowcountry Local First Eat Local Month starts on Sunday, which means that I’m going to be looking for ways to use all the fresh produce I’ve found at the Johns Island Farmers Market (my favorite of all the Farmers Markets, and not just because I live on Johns Island). Although they’re not quiiiite in season yet, I still can’t resist buying heirloom tomatoes anytime I see them at the Farmers Market. It’s a problem.

I have something that’s like a sweet tooth, instead of craving candy, I want tomatoes

I found this recipes from Chef Adrianne Calvo and have adapted it a bit to include more of my favorite veggies that I love to roast.

Ingredients:

  • 2 red heirloom tomatoes, thinly sliced
  • 2 green tomatoes, thinly sliced
  • 1 yellow onion, sliced
  • 1 zucchini, sliced
  • 1 cup shredded Brussels sprouts
  • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/4 balsamic vinegar
  • 1/4 cup garlic, slivers
  • 1 teaspoon Trader Joe’s Every Day Seasoning
  • 1 tablespoon parmesan cheese, grated
  • 1 small bunch thyme
  • kosher salt, to taste
  • Red pepper flakes, to taste

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
  2. Pour olive oil in a casserole dish spreading evenly to coat it.
  3. Add garlic slivers, sprinkle with Everyday Seasoning, add the thyme, and add parmesan cheese.
  4. Then, press the slices of tomatoes, onion, and zucchini onto the pan, arranging them evenly and alternating between the veggies.
  5. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar. Season to taste with kosher salt and sprinkle with crushed red pepper. You can add more parmesan cheese if desired.
  6. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until tomatoes begin to brown and deepen in color. Allow to rest for 15 minutes before slicing.

Want to learn more about Eat Local Month?

Eat Local Month is a month-long challenge to eat locally-produced food. We are asking participants to pledge to shift $10 or more of their weekly food spending towards our local food system. $10 is super easy to do… you can do it in a single meal if you want!

Make the pledge & start planning out your local eating choices now!

Random Fodder

How To Build The Perfect Charcuterie Board

March 28, 2018

Whether you’re planning a dinner party, a holiday soiree, or just having friends over, every party is made better with a charcuterie board! They’re easy to put together and always a crowd-pleasing hit. Here are some tips for how to put together the perfect charcuterie board.

This little slice of heaven brought to you by Elise Devoe

Pick Your Cheeses.

Everyone loves cheese! Pick 2-3 different varieties for a well-rounded tray. Brie, cheddar, Swiss and smoked Gouda are most-loved choices. Either leave the blocks whole for guests to cut themselves, or cut the cheese into triangles, or rectangles for easy grabbing.

Choosing Your Meats

A variety of salamis make for an excellent tray. Try Meatcrafters Skinny Salamis or Artisan Salamis for a perfect pairing, as their salamis, cured meats, and sausages are made for charcuterie lovers everywhere! Other good options include prosciutto, dry-cured chorizo, or a capicola. Aim to have an equal distribution of meats and cheese on your tray.

Don’t Forget the Extras!

Dried nuts and fruits, such as almonds, pecans, dried apricots and pitted dates add a bit of pizazz. Tangy options, such as pickles and olives work well too.

Carbs

Italian rustic bread, focaccia or a French baguette would be good possibilities. Cut some slices and place in a basket nearby. Or simply open a box of ritz crackers or saltines for guests to enjoy.

Arrangement

Last, but not least, arrange your items on a platter. Leave room between each item for a visual appeal. Use the extras to space out the meats and cheeses. If you’re feeling lost, you can look to Pinterest for a plethora of party platter arrangement options.

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Quote of the Week

Quote of the Week 3/26/18: I Need A Vacation From My Vacation

March 26, 2018

I know I’m not the first person to say that, and I certainly won’t be the last, but I am absolutely drained from my trip to Seattle. Don’t get me wrong, I had an amazing time and I wouldn’t change a single second, but traveling can really take it out of a person! I feel like I need a week to sleep and eat only lettuce to make up for all the damage I did to my body at Taste of Washington. Delicious, delicious damage.

This week’s quote comes from renowned chef and personal hero, Julia Child. She’s the Meryl Streep of the food world, IMO.

“Fat gives things flavor”
— Julia Child

Preach, girl.

Restaurant Reviews

Felix Cocktails et Cuisine

March 23, 2018

A few weeks ago, I had the honor of dining at Felix Cocktails et Cuisine with a few of my badass foodie friends from #TastemakersCHS for an intimate dinner to try out some of the best of what the restaurant has to offer. Their menu is made up primarily of smaller, shareable plates, so our group was the perfect setting to try out the menu. We started with cocktails–because duh–and I opted for one of the draft cocktails, the St. Félix (brandy, Plantation Original Dark rum, peach, lemon juice, soda water, champagne, $10), which was very refreshing. It tasted a lot like sunshine in a glass.

This is my sunshine on a cloudy day.

Next up, we split an order of their Torsades (ham & cheese puff pastry twists, mornay dipping sauce, $7). They were light and fluffy and a perfect way to start off the meal. Puff pastry is so delicious on its own, and adding ham & cheese made it even tastier.

I could eat like 6 orders of these all on my own.

They had a special that night, of toast with crab and topped with radish and a bunch of other goodies. I forgot to take notes because I was so excited to eat these little bites of springtime. Basically anything on toast is good in my book and these were also quite tasty.

They look like they should go into a museum!

I don’t usually love mushrooms, but the Tarte Flambée (savory mushroom tart, black truffle, heirloom potato, onion, rosemary, arugula, $13) was so tasty and decadent that I didn’t mind all the ‘shrooms. When I come back, this will definitely be something I order again!

Not those kind of shrooms.

My favorite item of the night, however, was the Gnocchi à la Grand-Mère (chicken confit, pâte à choux gnocchi, squash, brussels sprouts, fìnes herbes, brown butter, chestnut honey, $14). My grandmother definitely never made anything as delicious as this. The gnocchi was so fluffy and full of flavor all on its own.

Veggies + pasta is winning combo.

Finally, the Raclette Burger (brasstown grass-fed organic beef, caramelized onion, dijonnaise, raclette, sesame bun, $15) came out for us all to drool over. I’ve seen all those raclette videos on Facebook, and this was like eating straight out of one of those videos. It was perfectly cooked and super greasy, just the way any good burger should be.

The burger is a must try!

We finished off the meal with their Apple Trifle (warm brown butter cake, cinnamon-cayenne ice cream, calvados, $10), which was tasty, but not worth the $10 price tag. It had a good flavor, but the portion size is super small, and it didn’t blow me away like a few of the other menu items we tried.

I ain’t triflin’ with you.

I love going out to eat with friends and sharing lots of little plates, and Felix is a great place to meet up and share food and good company! During the day, the restaurant itself is bright and lively and perfect for any Instagramming you might want to do. At night, it’s super intimate and cozy, and perfect for date night.

My favorite part of dining with other foodies is that no one else cares if you spend 5 minutes taking photos before you eat.

Felix Cocktails et Cuisine
550 King Street
Charleston, SC 29401
843-203-6297

Felix Cocktails et Cuisine Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

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Random Fodder

5 Ways in Which You Can Keep the Weight Off in 2018

March 21, 2018

(image: Pixabay)

The world’s weight issues are becoming increasingly worse, with the World Health Organization calling for widespread action. Their plea came shortly after the Institute of Health Metrics and Evaluation found that 603 million adults and 107 million children from around the world are obese. That is about 5% of all children and 12% of all adults on the entire planet.

Overweight people tend to face many difficulties when trying to lose weight. Thankfully, there are certain steps that can help address the situation. Based on the suggestions of the following medical experts as well as actual health studies, here are 5 ways in which you can keep the weight off this year.

Avoid crash diets

Fitness expert Jillian Michaels advises against crash dieting when trying to keep the weight off. She stressed that weight loss programs such as trendy diets, fasting, and juice cleanses are not sustainable when it comes to losing weight. They might mess up your metabolism in a way that will lead you to gain back the weight once you’ve finished a program.

Don’t stress eat

Food should never be used for anything, else but nourishment – or occasionally, enjoyment. Treating it as a coping mechanism will only lead to more weight gain and a higher risk of obesity. Even if you’ve successfully lost a lot of excess weight, it could return once you depend on food to make your troubles go away. Find other means to de-stress such as a picking up a new hobby.

Healthier snacking

There are times when you won’t be able to control your hunger, which is why many people develop habits like eating midnight snacks. Of course, you can still make it healthy by whipping up nutritious alternatives of your favorite treats. For instance, Leesa suggests putting a twist on the traditional peanut butter and jelly sandwich by incorporating ingredients like fresh fruits. This way, you can avoid sleeping on an empty stomach, and circumvent the extra calories.

Love exercise

The important thing about exercise is to find a pursuit you enjoy because you’re more likely to be consistent with your workouts. “Instead of worrying about calorie expenditure, focus on [finding an] exercise that you love doing,” explains dietitian Alexandra Caspero.

Eat home-cooked meals

Finally, take control of your diet by making your own food. Cornell University’s Global Healthy Weight Registry found that people who find it easy to lose weight often eat home-cooked meals. By preparing your own meals, you can take control of what you consume, which may include monitoring your calorie intake. Even if you don’t have exquisite kitchen skills, there are tons of easy and healthy recipes out there which you can follow.

Losing weight can be a very challenging journey. But as long as you keep a positive attitude and stick to the methods approved by reputable health experts, chances if you stay consistent and motivated you will be successful in the long-term.

**This is a contributed post from Alexander Morris**

Quote of the Week

Quote of the Week 3/19/18: I’m Now A Professional Food Festival Attendee

March 19, 2018

Here’s hoping you guys are fully recovered from your St. Paddy’s Day festivities. It took me most of Sunday in order to feel like a human again. But recover I must, because this week I’m heading to Seattle to take part in the Taste of Washington (basically CHSWFF but in Seattle)! I’m really excited because I’ve never actually been to Seattle, and I really can’t think of a better way to be introduced to the city. For those of you who’ve been, any suggestions for what I should do while I’m there?

This week’s quote is in honor of my upcoming trip and comes from author Sandra Brown. It’s a little risqué and sassy, which is exactly my type of humor.

“The F word turns me on, she whispered.
The F word?
Food”
— Sandra Brown

Food is my #1 turn on for sure.

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Charleston, SC Random Fodder

Charleston Speedboat Adventures

March 14, 2018

So in addition to eating all the food I possibly can, I also spend a lot of time traveling and going on wild adventures all around the world. Sometimes, I forget that Charleston is in and of itself kind of an adventure, and we locals should take the opportunity to treat it as such. In that vein, I decided to do something a bit out of my comfort zone and try the Charleston Speedboat Adventures tour!

hyperlapse harbor from Sydney Gallimore on Vimeo.

It starts out at the Harbor Pointe Marina in West Ashley, kind of near where California Dreaming is. When we arrived, we were greeted by owner Graham pulled out a big laminated map of the Charleston harbor and explained the route we were going to be taking.

TBH I was pretty excited about the laminated map.

Since I’m a big ole wuss when it comes to boating, I brought Elise (aka Cookin’ With Booze) along with me, since she grew up around boats, and the closest I’ve come to driving a boat is reenacting Titanic on the bow of a cruise ship whilst on spring break in college.

RIP Elise’s hat!

How The Tour Works: Graham gave us a quick (but thorough!) tour of the boat and how to work it, and pointed out where to find the safety equipment & lifejackets and how to put them on. Graham drove a boat on his own in front of us as our tour guide, and we were 2 to a boat.

(although Graham says you can fit 3 to a boat… but I think that would be pretty snug unless you’re all Elise-sized)

(how it works, continued) Your job as captain is to keep up with Graham. He communicates via hand signals (which he teaches to you before you get on the boat) the lets you know when to speed up or slow down. Since we were just the 2 boats, he gave the tours by just speaking to us from his boat, but the boats are equipped with radios, so he could potentially communicate with you that way if you’re with a bigger group.

Easy peasy. Just avoid the sandbars and sunken boats littering the harbor.

We passed The Battery and stopped at White Point Gardens for a quick history lesson from Graham. Luckily, it wasn’t super windy, so although we were going pretty fast (and Elise lost her hat!), it wasn’t too choppy!

were having too much fun from Sydney Gallimore on Vimeo.

We kept going and stopped in front of the aquarium (where I used to work in college and where this blog was born!) and Graham gave us some facts about the aquarium and the harbor.

Like how it’s illegal in SC to hold a dolphin in captivity, hence no dolphins at the SC Aquarium!

Then we went around Drum Island and under the bridge, which is a really cool perspective if you’ve never been underneath it!

It’s more impressive from this angle than directly below, trust me.

We also stopped in front of the Yorktown where we got another history lesson (although, since I just visited the Yorktown in December, this was mostly a refresher for me).

Seriously, if you haven’t taken a tour, you really should!

After the Yorktown, we attempted to get close to Fort Sumter, but it got a bit choppy, so we swerved into Shem Creek for a quick trip and Graham gave us a few facts about Ft. Sumter and Shem Creek.

No birds were harmed in the filming of this photograph. Mostly because I wasn’t driving.

On our way back to the marina, we stopped at Castle Pinckney for another quick history lesson, but also mostly so I could take some primo pics of the Cooper River Bridge.

That’s the ticket!

All in all, it was an awesome adventure. It was so much fun to skim along the water and have the wind whip my hair around for 2.5 hours, and my excitement definitely drowned out my fear for most of the excursion. Graham was an awesome tour guide and it was so much fun to see these quintessential Charleston landmarks from a new point of view. If you’re looking for a fun and unique way to explore Charleston, I can’t recommend Charleston Speedboat Adventures (and Graham) enough!

Charleston Speedboat Adventures
56 Ashley Point Dr
Charleston, SC 29407
(843) 800-6003

**Note: I received a free tour in exchange for editorial consideration. All thoughts and opinions are my own**

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Charleston Wine + Food

Charleston Wine + Food 2018

March 9, 2018

Another awesome Charleston Wine + Food festival has come and gone, and I’m only just now overcoming my too-much-eating-and-drinking-and-not-enough-sleep hangover enough to come write about what an amazing time I had this year. It was 5 days of tastebud overload and I loved every second of it. Ready for a recap? Buckle your seatbelts; it’s going to be a loooong ride!

Syd was sick the day we took this. So bummed she’s not in it! Just pretend!

Wednesday: Opening Night – $150

Opening night is always a great way to kick off the festival. This year’s opening night was even bigger than last year, with 2 full tents in Marion Square full of food + drink vendors. Some of my favorite dishes came from Trattoria Lucca / Coda Del Pesce, Red Drum, Parcel32, and drinks from Whispering Angel and Mex 1.

Thursday: Bowen’s Island Fish Camp – $135

Bowen’s Island Fish Camp is always one of my favorite events! When the weather is nice, there’s really no beating the ambiance at Bowen’s. This year’s weather was perfect–albeit a bit windy–and the food and drink were fantastic. My favorites were the pakora fried catfish from Saltbox Seafood Joint in Durham, the Smoked Shrimp Sausage Corn Dog from Bourbon in Cola, and the Grilled Oyster from Hank’s here in Charleston, but all the food was fantastic! You definitely get your money’s worth of food, drink, and entertainment at this event.

Thursday: Winederlust – $95

Marketed as Pinot NV’s younger, hipper cousin, I was really excited for Winederlust. The atmosphere was gorgeous–under a tent at Lowndes Grove–but the threat of rain killed the mood toward the end of the event. The crazy wind and long lines for food and drink were also kind of a buzzkill (literally and figuratively), and having just come from Bowen’s Island, the event was just lacking a certain something. A fun event if you’re into wine, but not worth leaving Bowen’s early for.

Thursday: That’s Amore – $85

The night events are always among my favorites, and if you’re going debating how to spend money on individual festival events, the night parties are definitely the way to go. That’s Amore was a celebration of Italian food + drink at the bus shed downtown and was a whimsical way to end our Thursday! My favorite thing, hands down, was the Carbonara Pizza from Dough Boyz, made with house-cured pork belly, egg yolk, garlic crema, scallion, fresh mozzarella, pecorino and parmesan.

Friday: Cooking With Heritage + Joy – $175

This was my first “excursion” event, which has transportation provided by Lowcountry Valet. We were picked up at the bus shed downtown and taken to Sullivan’s Island for a chat with James Beard Award-winning author Toni Tipton-Martin who chatted with us about the importance of African-American culture on Charleston’s culinary evolution. We then traveled to Red Drum in Mount Pleasant for a 4-course luncheon provided by visiting African-American chefs. I unfortunately had to leave after course 1, but wish I had been able to stay, because the food was delicious!

Friday: Kith + Kin – $195

I would say this was probably my favorite daytime event of the entire festival. It took place at RiverOaks out in Awendaw (again, transportation was provided by Lowcountry Valet), a gorgeous home situated on the Wando River. The scene was picturesque and there were about 20 or so vendors providing food with the theme of recipes that have been passed down from generation to generation. My favorite dishes were the Pork Braciole from Purple Pig in Chicago, the cornmeal-fried catfish from Richard’s Southern Fried in Atlanta, and the Lebanon Bologna sandwich with pepper jelly from Josephine in Nashville. But all the food and wine was fantastic; there literally wasn’t a single thing I didn’t love about this event. If it happens again next year, I’m definitely signing up!

Friday: A Bourbon Affair – $115

So I’m not a huge bourbon drinker (I drink it, but not enough to be able to pick out all the subtle nuances from brand to brand),  so I was worried that this event was going to be a little lost on me. Held in the courtyard of the American College of Building Arts on Meeting Street, it was actually a really fun event that’s perfect for both novice and passionate bourbon drinkers.

Friday: Pecha Kucha + Choir! Choir! Choir! – $45

Pecha Kucha is one of my favorite events that happens in Charleston (a few times a year), and when they partner with Wine + Food, I love it even more because it focuses on my passion: food (duh). This year, the timing of the event meant that it happened basically at the same time as the Nassau Street Saloon, which was one of my favorite events last year, so I left early to attend that. I was able to see 2 speakers and visit with some of the companies of those speaking beforehand, so I felt like still got a good feel for the event. The Music Halls is the perfect venue, and next year I hope they stagger the events a little more, as it’s such a good one to attend!

Friday: Nassau Street Saloon – $75

This year, the paired the street saloon with the popular Chicken Shit Bingo event that happened last year, so there was lots of fun things happening at Lewis Barbecue throughout the night. It seems like I wasn’t the only one who loved this event last year, because this year it was packed to the brim (and some of those old folks who attended were mean about waiting in line). I got to try awesome food, like a Bologna Schwarma slider from Holeman and Finch in Atlanta, Deviled Eggs from Fine + Dandy in Jackson, MS, and pineapple cider from Austin Eastciders.

Saturday: Cast Iron Cookin’ – $135

Spurrier neé Turnquist attended this event, as we only had 1 ticket and I needed some time to recover from Thursday & Friday. She enjoyed learning how to care for and extend the life of cast iron skillets, and the class came together to make a paella to feed the whole crowd.

Saturday: Shucked – $85

Held at North Charleston’s Riverfront Park, this oyster-focused event is definitely one for those who are really into seafood. There wasn’t a lot of food for non-oyster or fish lovers, but luckily Syd & I love all food all the time, so we had an awesome time. Some of my favorite dishes were the Fried Oyster Steam Bun from Cru Cafe, the Smoked Cod pierogi from Salthouse Catering, and the cocktail from Fine and Dandy (clearly we all need to go to Jackson, bc this place is a winner).

Saturday: N. Chas Night Bazaar – $75

Ok so this was definitely the best night event of the festival. Held on the lawn of the Garco Mill building in Park Circle, they strung up some lights and setup a DJ and a dance floor and gathered together what felt like 100 vendors to enjoy. There was a constant hum of food and drink, and we definitely tore up the dance floor until they kicked us out. The food was “globally-inspired” and it was a fun change to be able to enjoy things like curries, steam buns, duck tacos, and the spiciest hot dog I’ve ever encountered.

Sunday: Queens on King – $125

The festival definitely went out with a bang, a flash, and a flurry of feathers with the event Queens on King, a drag show brunch that felt like it was made specifically for me. Upon entry at the William Aiken House, we were greeted with pink cocktails with a cotton candy garnish, breakfast nachos, and sequins and feather boas as far as the eye could see. Food was served family-style, and although the food was delicious, I can’t describe anything in detail, as I was too busy watching the awesome drag show to take time to actually taste anything. PLEASE bring this event back in the future, as it was MY FAVORITE EVENT OF THE ENTIRE FESTIVAL AND WORTH EVERY DAMN PENNY. No contest.

Quote of the Week

Quote of the Week 2/26/18: CHSWFF Is Coming

February 26, 2018

It’s officially (almost) my favorite week of the year! Charleston Wine + Food is a 5-day long celebration of the food, culture, and history of Charleston and the south in general. I’ll be an official member of the Street Team again this year, so you can live vicariously through me on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter (but mostly Instagram).

Maybe this year we’ll take less awkward photos together.

To celebrate this magical time of the year, I selected a quote from author and actress Fannie Flagg, and I think it does a great way of explaining why the festival is so important to Charleston as a whole.

“The food in the South is as important as food anywhere because it defines a person’s culture.”
— Fannie Flagg

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Restaurant Reviews

The Junction Kitchen & Provisions

February 23, 2018

Not too long ago, I was heading to the airport and in the mood for something tasty before I got on the plane, so my mom (thanks for the ride!) & I ended up at The Junction for lunch. I’ve heard great things about it before we went, so I was worried it wouldn’t live up to my expectations, but boy did they ever! I recommend coming with a group of people who are willing to share, because I had the worst case of menu indecision that I’ve had in a long time because everything looked so good!

As a quick glance at their Instagram will confirm.

We ended up splitting the Pimento Cheese Grits ($4.50) as an appetizer. They were delightfully creamy and cheesy, and you should definitely get them. If you like grits, you’ll love these!

Sorry, grits purists, but these were delicious.

I was also intrigued by the Fried Limas ($2.50)on the menu. We ordered them because I love ordering weird/unusual items and I’m so glad they did, because they were surprisingly delicious. Like fried chickpeas but much bigger and whatever spice they use on them should be bottled and sold by the pound.

Let’s just fry all our vegetables from now on, okay?

Fo an actual entree, I ordered the Mexican Hash (cactus-braised pork, black bean pico, crispy cheesy hash browns, honey jalapeño chutney, and an over-easy egg, $11.50). It was a little spicy, but so delicious I couldn’t stop eating.

So many delicious ingredients working together in perfect harmony.

My mom got the Cactus Pork Tacos (cactus braised pork, goat cheese, avocado, arugula, black bean pico, and lime, $8.50), which was similar to the hash, but also very much a stand out dish on its own. If you’re not in the mood for breakfast food, this is what I’d recommend!

Then again, I think tacos are appropriate for every meal.

If you’re ever in the Park Circle area and jonesin’ for something delicious, I highly recommend The Junction!

The Junction Kitchen & Provisions
4438 Spruill Ave
North Charleston, SC 29405
843-745-9189

Junction Kitchen & Provisions Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato