Queen of the Food Age

As we get into the last week of Lowcountry Local First’s “Eat Local Challenge,” I really wanted to spotlight a cool local product that I think deserves more recognition. Lazy Bean Coffee is bottled, cold brew coffee that’s brewed in small batches right here in Charleston by 2 College of Charleston grads, Andrew London and my friend Max Boettcher.

Cue obligatory Cooper-River-Bridge-photo-shoot

Right now, Lazy Bean comes in 2 flavors, Original (a classic blend with cream & sugar) and Black. They’re both really mild and are a quick convenient way to get an extra shot of caffeine without sacrificing your soul to a certain coffee conglomerate I won’t name here.

*coughstarbuckscough*

I love the Original cream + sugar version because it tastes like what I want coffee to taste like. It’s not too sweet or too creamy, but is a really good balance of both flavors. It also lacks the “fakeness” that can often be found in other versions of pre-bottled coffees.

Although it do sometimes mistake the bottle for BBQ sauce.

I’m not usually a fan of black coffee, but Lazy Bean’s version is super mild, without any of the bitterness that’s usually associated with straight up black coffee. If you’re a more avid coffee connoisseur who likes their coffee to punch them in the face in the morning, you might want a stronger brew, but for the casual coffee imbiber like me, it’s great.

I like my coffee like I like my men…

Right now, you can buy both versions of the Lazy Bean blends at Mixson Market and the Veggie Bin in North Charleston. The guys also sell it in the night market on occasion. Keep up with their Facebook & Twitter accounts to see when they’ll be out around town.

#CoffeeAddictsUnite

As you probably know, I’ve been participating in the Lowcountry Local First “Eat Local Challenge” for the month of April. Since participating in this challenge, I’ve had my eyes opened to all the incredible opportunities afforded to me in the Lowcountry. I used to think that if I wanted to shop for local produce, my only option was to stop at the Veggie Bin, try to make it to the Farmers Market downtown on Saturdays, or start growing veggies in my backyard. But there are actually tons of shops, markets, and farms, and farmers markets around Charleston if you know where to look for them and don’t mind driving a bit out of your way to get there.

Lettuce. Turnip. The Beet.

Recently, I discovered a really awesome Kickstarter campaign called Lowcountry Street Grocery,  that wants to take an old school bus and convert it into a farmers market on wheels. Transforming the traditional farmers market model into a mobile venture would allow them to serve areas in and around Charleston that wouldn’t normally have access to fresh, healthy, and (most importantly) affordable food.

Yummy green leafy goodness.

I think at its core, the idea of putting a farmers market onto a bus sounds like a really cool idea. But that’s just the beginning. I spoke to associate director Kate Dewitt who said that they have big plans for LSG. They want to make the process of ordering fresh produce as convenient and seamless as possible, so they’re going to incorporate online ordering, and easy pick-up so that eating healthy can be just as easy as going through a drive-thru.

Fresh food, fast!

They’re also putting a huge amount of focus on serving those who wouldn’t ordinarily be able to afford the premium that’s often associated with healthier food, like people on the SNAP program. They also want to incorporate an educational element that instructs people on different elements, such as nutrition, tutorials, garden starter kits, mobile gardens, meal kits, cooking demos, information on food storage and preparation… the possibilities are seemingly endless.

“We already operate a school garden at Memminger for grades 3-6 which was designed to incorporate agriculture into their science and math curriculums. They learn about growing food that’s good for you, your bodies, the environment, and the community, as well. Really creating a healthier community means more than just having a point of sale. You have to know how to incorporate it into your life in a meaningful way.”
-Kate Dewitt

LSG has already leased a farm in Ravenel, SC where they’re growing crops such as microgreens that might soon find their way onto the bus. They’re also planning on partnering with local, up and coming farms like Spade & Clover in order to create mutually beneficial relationships to support local farmers. The idea of uplifting the community truly comes full circle for Lowcountry Street Grocery.

Giving back and paying it forward. What a great concept!

LSG’s Kickstarter officially launched April 3, and they have until May 5th to raise the $40,000 they need to purchase and retrofit an old school bus into 2-aisle grocery store on wheels. At the time of writing, they had raised about 38% of their goal with 19 days left. Their Kickstarter is full of awesome rewards for contributing to their campaign, including a Benefit Dinner at Edmund’s Oast; a “backyard garden blitz,” where members of the LSG team will come and build a raised-bed garden in your home; and a 1-year online pre-order + $150 opening credit that also gives a 1-year pre-order to 2 SNAP recipients so that everyone can benefit from this great service. However, Kickstarter is an all or nothing deal. If they don’t raise at least $40,000 by May 5th, they won’t get a single dollar that was pledged through Kickstarter. Don’t delay; join me in supporting this awesome cause today!

Now that’s a party bus.

Support Lowcountry Street Grocery on Kickstarter!
Follow LSG on Facebook!
Visit the LSG website to learn more!

Since signing up to be part of the Eat Local Challenge with Lowcountry Local First, I’ve been on the lookout for cool, local Charleston goodies. I happened to stumble upon Batch Charleston, a subscription box that curates Charleston food products according to a common theme.

Only the finest curtains in the background.

This month’s theme was “Just Brunch” and included goods that one would eat during brunch time.

aka my favorite time

When you first open up the box, there’s a sheet that highlights the products and the purveyors, so you can get to know a little bit more about the products included that month.

Om nom nom

Everything comes packed nicely and attractively, and I was so pumped up about the Geechie boy grits. Those are going to come in handy when I have company over this weekend!

What to use first?!

The first thing I broke into was the Benne Wafers. They were delicious.

So yummy. Very selfie. Wow.

The coffee was yummy and rich and was just what I needed to wake me up in the morning.

And it was especially delicious in my coffee mug from the Charleston Tea Plantation! #LocalCeption

I haven’t gotten into the jam yet, but I can’t wait to grab some bread from Browns Court Bakery and slather it up!

I love me some strawberry preserves.

I’m having friends in from out of town this weekend, and I’m going to cook up these grits with red onions from Ambrose Farms, butter and garlic from Blackbird Market, and maybe some cheese from the Johns Island Farmers Market!

Sweet onions, garlic, butter, om nom nom

All in all, I was pretty happy with my Batch subscription. April’s theme is “On The Verandah” and May’s is “Picnic Basket,” which both sound super fun. I’m especially excited for August’s “Chef’s Choice” box. The boxes ship for $34.99 a month and includes free shipping, so it’s a great way to open yourself up to new local experiences!