By Brooke A. Brown

With the West Virginia primary election just weeks away, I feel it’s necessary to echo the Charleston Gazette’s endorsement of Senator Barack Obama and his campaign for the presidency of the United States of America. Not only because I strongly agree that the Senator is “a deep thinker who rises above partisan sniping” with “instincts that are more than sound,” and that the war in Iraq is one that should never have been authorized, but also because he’s a fellow foodie.

As an adamant supporter, I’ve followed the campaign very closely since it began over a year ago. And just as Obama has been consistent with his message of change, so is he with his consumption of local delicacies while on the campaign trail. From pancakes in Pittsburgh (at Pamela’s, no less!) and pizza in Oregon to cheesesteak in Philly and chicken wings right here in Charleston, Obama clearly relishes the opportunity to experience a town’s local flavor through its culinary offerings.

And what better way to connect with folks than through food? Conversation becomes inevitable when you’re gathered around a dining table, and it’s time that we the people have a discussion about the future of this country without the influence of lobbyists, political action committees or special interest groups. Obama is the only candidate in this election with whom we can have such a conversation.

Maybe this food connection is a sort of validation that I’ve endorsed the candidate who best represents my personal convictions. But I’ve also read his books, his Blueprint for Change and several of his speeches, so my admiration and support for Obama certainly extends beyond the gastronomical realm. I suppose that what I’m getting at is this: just as I’d urge you to try an oyster po’ boy or an Indian curry, I’m asking you to give Barack Obama your thoughtful consideration, as well.

Yes we can!

By Brooke A. Brown

Last weekend, I was having a leisurely lunch over at the Bluegrass Kitchen when I overheard some talk about John and Keeley Steele’s other restaurant venture, the Tricky Fish. From what I was hearing, it sounded as if the place was finally open for business. With fond memories of overstuffed oyster po’ boys from Hyman’s Seafood in the other Charleston (South Carolina, y’all) forced immediately to the front of my mind, I asked our server if what I was hearing was true. It was!

Fast forward to Monday of this week and I’m standing inside the laid-back, beach-weathered and work-in-progress environs of Tricky Fish, searching the menu board for that fried oyster phenomenon. With a simple menu (click on image to the right) featuring hot dogs, pulled-pork bar-b-que, chicken wings and fried things, it was easy to spot. I quickly ordered one up, along with a side of onion rings, while my Lovely Miss S chose the fried catfish sandwich and a side of hush puppies.

While waiting for our number to be called, we noticed a nifty bar in the back of the comfortably eclectic space. It is currently non-functional as typical bars go, but I hope the future holds a cooler and a tap or two. And maybe even a jukebox. One deserves a refreshing brew and a Jimmy Buffett tune whilst chowing down fried seafood.

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Here’s the clip:
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By Brooke A. Brown

More than a couple of times in recent weeks I’ve found myself having lunch at the South Hills Market and Café. You guys know about this place, right? It used to be affiliated with the Bridge Road Bistro before it broke ties with that restaurant and, under new ownership, became something else. And then it went away and was vacant for a while. But it’s back, baby (under new ownership once again), and it is better than ever.

So good, in fact, that I keep forgetting to take pictures of the place. And that’s why I’m borrowing a few from area blogger Oncee, who apparently used his iPhone to snap a few good ones (thank you, sir).

What’s really nice about this latest version of the market is that they have a handful of tables and chairs where one can casually dine on gourmet soups and salads, delicious wraps and sandwiches. And they even serve – get this – breakfast. It was just yesterday that I had a cup of the roasted tomato soup, the roasted turkey sandwich with red onion marmalade, which is served on cranberry bread, and a side of pastini – tiny pearls of pasta mixed with spinach, garlic, sun-dried tomatoes and black olives. (more…)

By Brooke A. Brown

So I’m at the movies recently with my Lovely Miss S and our good friend Kaarms.  After purchasing tickets (for Juno, a wonderful little film) and deciding upon which sweet treat to best complement our salty popcorn, we found ourselves in familiar territory: butter on the popcorn? And if so, how much?

Some of us instinctively ask for ‘lots’ of butter upon ordering the popcorn. Others ask for ‘just a bit’ after they’ve given it a second thought. But something strange and somewhat beautiful happened on this fateful night. Upon our various requests for butter application, the girl behind the counter at Park Place Stadium Cinemas simply pointed our attention to a new station set up directly behind us – a self-buttering station!

That’s right, folks. You can now control how much butter goes onto your popcorn. Kaarms equated this revelation as being like a “hug from Jesus,” and with great flair soaked her kernels in melted, sweet-creamery goodness (so much so that the wax-lined bag later proved penetrable, leaving a buttery reminder of this historic event on her lap). Miss S reveled in the process, as well, and quickly mastered the single button applicator.

Now, I have no idea if this is a national trend, but it’s definitely the first time I’ve encountered such a thing. Will it last? Only time will tell. But I will tell you this: being able to butter your own bag or bucket of movie popcorn almost makes it worth the exorbitant expense.

Brown will also tell you about the principal wines in each of those regions after which WineBoy nemesis, Pierre N’Cest Pas, will offer his scathing critique of his performance. Tune in and be both educated and entertained.

“Bread is the king of the table and all else is merely the court that surrounds the king.” -Louis Bromfield

“If thou tastest a crust of bread, thou tastest all the stars and all the heavens.” -Robert Browning

“I’ve never baited a hook with a rye before.”
-Jerry Seinfeld

By Brooke A. Brown

I don’t know about you, but I can recall several instances where I’ve found myself saying that the best part of the meal was the bread. Now, such a statement can either be an actual compliment to the bread, or a smack-down to everything that followed. For the sake of this post, I want to focus on the former.

To me, there are only a handful of restaurants in Charleston where the bread takes on a starring role. In my humble view, the top 3 are as follows:

1. The Poppyseed Rolls at Tidewater Grill
2. The Garlic Nan at Sitar of India
3. The Pita Bread at Morocco’s (sorry, no web link… but visit them at 1604 Washington Street)

Who am I leaving out? List your favorites (ranked or not) in the comments below.

By Brooke A. Brown

To celebrate our recent “spring forward,” as well as the fact that Easter is just a few weeks away, I wanted to somehow feature a favorite sugary snack of mine that magically appears on grocery store shelves this time of year. Now, I’ve heard of roasting marshmallow Peeps on camping trips. I’ve even heard tale of Peeps crashing fondue parties. But I’ve never seen anything quite like this before:

COOKING WITH PEEPS!

Yes, those are green peppers in the pan along with some finely chopped garlic and a mixture of pink Peeps bunnies and chicks. The recipe for Peppers and Peeps Stir-Fry doesn’t specify which color of Peeps to use, but one must admit that the pink variety strike a vibrant contrast to the strips of green bell peppers.

Before you cast this off as a total joke, it must be noted that Peeps have actually become a favorite gourmet ingredient in recent years. The Peeps web site proudly mentions this in its list of “Fun Facts,” promoting their effectiveness in applications such as the aforementioned fondue, as well as créme brulée, cappuccino toppings and s’mores.

As for the Peppers and Peeps Stir Fry? Sure, it’s a funny and, perhaps, inspired use of Peeps in a non-traditional sense. But for the sake of our collective palates… let’s just agree that this one is a joke.

Feel free to share your reci-Peeps in the comments below. And please clarify any preferences that may apply (color, bunny vs. chick, staleness, etc.).

When one thinks of having lunch in Charleston, several places immediately come to mind: Blossom Deli, First Watch, Graziano’s, Rio Grande, Sam’s Hot Dogs, Sitar of India, Tidewater… the list is certainly familiar to fellow downtown laborers. There’s a place, however, that is oft forgotten, and probably for good reason considering its location. But the promise of free parking, not to mention really good food, might be enough to bring it to the forefront of the “what’s for lunch?” debate.

The Charleston Marriott has pretty much always housed restaurants that serve good food, but one was typically high-end and pricey (Tarragon Room) while the other offered a simpler menu and severely dated environs (Allie’s American Grille). All that has changed with the phasing out/closing of the former and renovation/relaunch of the latter as the Whitewater Grille. (more…)