PBD

   

The Dagwood

 I had the pleasure of recently having to make a trip up to Clemson for work, and while I was there I visited several of my favorite spots.  I parked the car, and walked around to get a good look at the renovations to the baseball stadium, which looked great by the way.  Of course I went and checked out the football stadium, even though I have seen it thousands of times.  I know I share this feeling with several of my friends, but I can’t go up there, and not go look at the football field.  Anyway, I am getting off subject here, on to the reason for this blog post. 

There are many times in life when people are overwhelmed with nostalgia.  Well I experienced one of those feelings when I sat down for lunch at Pot Belly Deli in Clemson that afternoon.  Most often when I visit PBD, it is on a Sunday following a football game, days when you have to be there before noon, or you will be standing in line outside trying to get in.  Days where I am with a larger group, where we are really just trying to get in and eat, and get out.  This day however, I was alone, and found myself purposely eating slowly, and trying to savor the experience.  I guess to most people, Pot Belly is just a normal deli, but I know to many it is much more than that.  It is a refuge for students looking to get away from the normal campus grub, a meeting place for alumni returning for sporting events, a common staple to anyone who has ever spent significant time in Clemson.

PBD is just cool, that is the one word I can use to try to describe it.  The owner has been the same since I was in school, and he is there everyday making sandwiches, salads, wraps, whatever you desire.  It is pretty obvious which era he grew up in, considering the 70′s and 80′s vinyl records that line the tops of the walls.  There are also countless posters from 80′s movies, and big hair bands.  I don’t believe I had ever noticed the records before, but I thought it was awesome.  I love the fact that he has put his stamp on the place.  He doesn’t try to make it anything it isn’t, and I think that says something.  These records consisted of the type music that my parents grew up listening to.  The same type music that I wasn’t very fond of in highschool, because it wasn’t “cool”, the same type music that when I got to College, all of a sudden, it was very “cool”.  I still listen to that music today, and my dad always gives me a hard time about it, but I truly do believe that the 60′s and 70′s was certainly the greatest music generation ever.  While I was eating my lunch that day, ”What is What Should Never be” by Led Zeppelin was playing over the loud speakers, and was followed by “Looking out my Back Door” by CCR. 

While Pot Belly certainly has developed its own unique atmosphere, the food is the reason everyone keeps returning.  I know there were several days in college when I would eat two meals a day there.  They have unbelievable breakfast bagels, that will keep you full for much of the day.  For a kid with a huge appetite on a college budget, their breakfast was hard to beat.  I always have a hard time deciding what to get when I go back, because I want so many things, but just have to narrow it down to one choice each trip, and this most recent time I landed on the Dagwood.  It is their version of a club sandwich.  Turkey, Ham, Roast beef, bacon, lettuce, cheese, spicy brown mustard, onion, oil and vinegar, served on a hoagie roll.  I don’t know what makes PBD’s food taste so good, maybe it is the quality meat or bread they use.  It could be the fresh vegetables, crispy lettuce to me makes a huge difference on a sandwich.  It could also be the nostalgic feeling that people like myself have when they return, that just makes the sandwich taste like much more than a normal sandwich.  Whatever it may be, this is by far the best deli I have ever experienced, and for as long as I am road tripping to Clemson, I will be grabbing a sandwich from Pot Belly Deli before I make my way back home.

Side note:  For anyone who has not been to PBD lately, they have now closed in the outside seating area for additional room.  It is now a small little sunporch, that large groups can reserve if need be.

Happy Cinco de Mayo

Cinco de Mayo has never been a holiday that I have been able to really get fired up about.  Maybe it is because it seems to always fall during the middle of the week, or maybe it is because Mexican food has become so ordinary that it is just hard to celebrate.  It seems like all mexican restaurants are exactly the same.  There are a few that stand out, and dare to be different, such as, Cantina 1511 in Charlotte and Prickly Pear in Mooresville, NC, both have excellent mexican food, and especially guacamole!  I guess you could say the Cantina 76 in Columbia is trying to stand out, but I wasn’t a big fan when I ate there.  I also understand that it is hard to be different in that category of food, because it really is all so similar, but wouldn’t it be refreshing for someone to open a restaurant with a fresh, new spin on Mexican food?  Or, maybe even a restaurant that is extremely authentic?  There are just too many places serving up bland chicken and cheese quesadillas, or tacos, and that just kind of gets old.

I don’t want to paint the wrong picture here though, I love tacos, even if they are pretty much all the same at the hundreds of different mexican eateries in this area.  I especially enjoy them with a good mexican beer.  I am a little unsure why, but I have always had a slight urge to see how much of a certain food I could eat.  I know, sounds gross, but it is just a weird obsession I have I guess.  Tacos, strangely enough, are one of the main two foods, the other being chicken wings.  I am a competitive enough person, that  I know I would eat way, way too many, and make my night miserable.  My feeling is that it would also be very difficult for me to gain sympathy for feeling bad, just because I wanted to see how many tacos I could eat.  I know it should not even be anything I ever think about, or much less ever consider doing, but I think it would be a pretty cool, rather stupid accomplishment to eat, hmm, say 20 tacos!  I know you are all probably thinking that I am crazy, but I honestly would never do this (unless someone challenged me, and someone else was buying)! 

I think I am having dinner with Mel tonight, I doubt she is up for the challenge!?  Or buying for that matter!

Been away too Long!!

Wow, it has been too long since I have been on here.  I must admit that I have kind of let the blog slip past me, but that doesn’t mean I haven’t continued to enjoy delicious food.  I am going to work harder to keep this blog updated now, as I have recently received a little pushing from Melissa. 

With summer just around the corner, I can foresee lots of cooking out in my near future, and a lot of great food.  There is just absolutely no better time of the year! 

I may even try to catch you up on a few of the highlights over the last few months, including one trip to Houston that consisted of possibly the best steak dinner I have ever had. 

I hope to be able to keep people interested, and I know I didn’t help myself with that by taking several months off, but I am back at it.  So start reading!

Homecoming

Death Valley at Night

Let me begin by warning you that this isn’t an entry about food.  I know this blog centers around food, but today will be an exception.  I wanted to share my thoughts on Clemson University, and how excited I am about the upcoming Homecoming weekend.

My Passion and Love for Clemson University runs very deep.  I can’t remember any time in my life when I wasn’t completely obsessed with Clemson, and everything it encompasses.  I am not totally sure who is to blame for my addiction, but I guess I will not hold it against them.  If I had to choose, I would probably lean towards my late Grandfather, Charlie Mimms.  He played football and baseball for the tigers during his time at Clemson in the mid-forties.  His tenure there was actually interrupted so he could go serve our country during WWII, but he did come back to Clemson to finish his studies once he had returned from Service.   I unfortunately never had the privilege of meeting my Grandfather, however, I like to think that his love for the school that I adore, was something that he passed along to me.

In 1969, Joe Sherman wrote the “Something in these Hills” essay.  Yes, I know, I know, that saying has been used thousands of times, in many ways, however, it just really hits home for me, and I know it does for thousands of others as well.  I don’t know if I can exactly explain what Joe Sherman was speaking of, or even what my opinion of that statement would be.  I do know that if you attended Clemson university, worked there at any time, or ever had a child attend there, then you probably have a good idea of what it means.  It has become almost cliché now, considering how often it is used, but there’s absolutely something in these hills.  It is a love, a common bond between so many that share the same feelings I do, and it is something that continues to draw people back to Clemson for many years after they have left.

This weekend has all the ingredients to be another spectacular weekend in the foothills of South Carolina.  Yes, for the most part, it does all center around the football game, but win or lose, this weekend in special.  I anxiously await my arrival in Clemson late Friday afternoon, when I can see the floats standing tall on Bowman field, with Tillman Hall towering over them, almost as if it is keeping a watchful eye over that sacred ground.  Bowman field is, and always has been, a centerpiece of the Clemson campus.  It originally served as a parade ground for Clemson cadets, including my grandfather, that served and sacrificed for all of us, so that we today can continue to celebrate and enjoy Clemson.  On almost any day when it isn’t raining, and even a few when it is, you can find students enjoying outdoor activities on Bowman.  This weekend that ground that has hosted so many tigers before us, will be on full display, and I can’t wait to see it.

Once Saturday finally arrives, it feels as if Clemson is trying to display exactly what Sherman ment when he said, “There’s something in these hills.”  Saturday is going to be the epitome of what Clemson is all about.  Perfect early fall day with the temperature hovering around seventy degrees at kickoff, and hopefully not a cloud in the sky, just crisp, clean blue skies high above “God’s Country”.  Saturday goes beyond football, beyond the tailgating for me.  It will be an unrivaled feeling of camaraderie and family.  Football Saturdays, in my opinion, are just a unique feeling.  Clemson is a stunningly beautiful place, with more grass than asphalt, more trees than buildings, rolling hills, and Lake Hartwell providing a picturesque backdrop for Death Valley.  Take all those things, and add in over 100,000 people all sharing the same sentiment, all wearing Clemson orange, and all there for one reason, to support Clemson.  It just doesn’t get any better than that.  The leaves will be starting to turn, Esso will be packed, all the stores downtown will be buzzing with people, lines of cars will be all waiving their flags while trying to get to there tailgate spot, and the smell of tailgate food will begin filling the air probably sometime a little before 8:00 A.M.  I can’t wait to walk down Williamson Drive, lined with the tailgaters and their tents, hearing the conversations about football; “Is KP going to be 100%?”, “Can we block Miami’s D-line?”.  I look forward to seeing all the different tailgate spreads, hearing the sounds of college gameday on the numerous tvs scattered throughout, and seeing lots 1 and 2 packed with cars.  I also can’t wait to see the kids, who on that day, at that moment, are not caring about one thing in this world except whose jersey they have on, getting a tiger paw painted on their face, playing football or practicing their cheerleading, maybe getting an autograph from their favorite tiger after the game, or if they are lucky a wrist band or glove.  I can’t wait to see the band turning on to Williamson Drive, led by the cheerleaders and Rally Cats, as they make their way towards the Avenue of Champions and into Memorial Stadium.

The single most exciting, and overwhelming Clemson feeling on Saturdays, in my opinion anyways, comes around 3 or 4 minutes before kickoff.  The buses start making their way around to the Hill from the West End Zone, and the crowd is working into a frenzy.  The Band that Shakes the Southland is getting into formation on the field, as the excitement continues to grow.  Then for one brief second, it seems like all goes silent, and after that brief pause, the first chord of that beloved “Tiger Rag” strikes up, and instantly I have chills.  Coach Swinney appears at the top of the hill, followed by the rest of the boys, and at this moment, everyone in Clemson is happy, excited, and just loves being there.  I have been witnessing this event for over 20 years now, get chills on my arms every time I see it, almost get chills just writing about it.  The entrance has been dubbed “The most exciting 25 seconds in College Football” and for me it is.  I know I am biased, but it certainly is unique.  Can you think of any other team with an entrance like ours?

Saturday will be here and gone before we know it, as will the rest of the season.  I have come to realize that the older I get, the faster time travels.  Due to that fact, I will take everything in Saturday, cherish the moment, and enjoy Clemson University in all its splendor.  This is a big game for our Tigers, and I know Death Valley will be rocking.  Remember last time “the U” was in town?  That was insane, and the loudest I can ever remember Death Valley.  So come about 11:30 or so Saturday, get in your seat, and be loud.  Help make Clemson, and Death Valley everything it is supposed to be.  Stand up and yell on Third down, cheer the defense when they come off the field, and make it tough on Miami.  Dabo and the team deserve it, and I certainly plan on doing my part.

These days are special, so take advantage of them.  We only get a certain amount of them in our lifetime, so I encourage you to do as I will, and embrace all that is going on around Campus.  I cannot wait to step on Campus, the same campus my grandfather walked nearly 60 years ago, same campus that so many have walked before me, and so many will follow.  I know my love for Clemson is shared by thousands, many young and old, and I would be willing to bet they will all attest to the fact that, there is something in these hills, where the blue ridge yawns its greatness.

Go Tigers!!!!!

Arrogantly Shabby

Chive Blossom Café is located on the North Causeway going into beautiful Pawleys Island.  For those of you familiar with the area, it is right behind where the old Easy Street bar use to be.  I am rather familiar with that one particular area, having spent three summers in Pawleys, I spent many hours, probably more than I should have, at Easy Street.  Pawleys is a stunning area, and is known to many by one of its monikers, “Arrogantly Shabby”.  This nickname came about because of the Cypress sided cottages that lined the streets of Pawleys Island before the arrival of Hurricane Hugo in 1989.  Many of these cottages were destroyed; however there still remain a few of the original homes.

Melissa and I had the privilege of visiting Chive Blossom recently, and it was probably my best seafood experience I have had in a long, long time, maybe ever.  This place is Pawleys Island, and everything that is represents.  They have an outdoor seating area under beautiful Oak trees, and the dining area inside is very cozy, and welcoming.  We decided on Chive Blossom due to the recommendation from our good friend Julia Burley (the Burley part is a recent addition, she and Barrett were married this past June).  We had met Julia and Barrett at the Garden City pier for some afternoon entertainment, and were not disappointed.  The locals had turned out in force to sing some karaoke, and I would be willing to pay to go back and see that again.  Best free entertainment you could ever ask for.

Upon arrival at Chive Blossom, we were actually greeted at the door by Julia’s parents, Green and Cindy.  They were standing right inside waiting on a table.  We had called earlier to make reservations, but for any of you that know Cindy or Melissa, you will completely understand why our reservations ended up being pushed back.

We started our meal with another recommendation from Julia (who by the way, may like food as much as I do).  She had told us to try the Black Eye Pea eggrolls, and once we got there to see they were filled with black eye peas, silver queen corn, and country ham, we were sold.  They are accompanied by an orange mustard sauce, and they did not disappoint.  To me, this one dish really speaks to the theme of Chive Blossom, and the creativity of the Chef.  They strive to be creative, and they have more than succeeded.  We did not try one, but one of the most popular items there is the okra pancake.  Yes, I said okra pancake.  I probably should have tried one, because that combination just sounds interesting enough for me to want to eat it.  Anyway, I didn’t, so maybe next time.

Green and Cindy had actually recommended the Grouper entrée to both of us, and for some reason neither of us tried it.  Although, we were both extremely happy with what we did have to eat.  Melissa has been talking about soft shell crab since March.  We had gone to dinner for her brithday, and I had soft shell crab.  It was the first time she had ever seen soft shell crab, so she was a little shocked when they brought out my plate, but she loved it.  Luckily for her, the special that night at Chive Blossom was soft shell crab.  She was sold on that when the waitress told us what it was.  It came with two soft shell crabs and grits.  This was hands down the best soft shell crab I had eaten.  I would be willing to bet it was the best Melissa had ever eaten also!

Soft Shell Crab

I decided on the Southern Bouillabasse.  Bouillabasse is a traditional fish stew, originating in the island of Marseille.  It normally consists of multiple types of fish, and shellfish.  This one however, only had one type of fish, Snapper, along with shrimp and scallops.  The fish was pan seared, and served in a white wine saffron broth.  The dish also included okra, silver queen corn, and grape tomatoes.  I will be honest with you; I didn’t really know I was ordering a “soup”, so when the dish arrived, I was a little shocked, but it was perfect.  Delicious, light, and rich with flavor.  The fish, shrimp and scallops went very well with the vegetables inside the broth.  Great dish and certainly something I would recommend, and eat again.

Chive Blossom, Southern Bouillabasse

Chive Blossom Café was unbelievably good.  There wasn’t any part of the meal or experience for that matter that Melissa and I weren’t completely happy with.  It was a fun place, extremely welcoming atmosphere and people, and delicious local seafood.  I urge anyone in the Pawleys area that loves to eat at local places while they travel to try Chive Blossom Café, I will certainly be going back.  Thanks again to Julia for her wonderful recommendation.

A Personal Favorite

Sorry it has taken so long to update the blog, but the past two weeks have been pretty busy for me.  I do have lots I want to share about my past week or so, especially a restaurant I was fortunate enough to visit this past Saturday (8/21).

Due to the fact that I am a little strapped for time, but still wanted to update the blog I thought I would share one of my favorite summer recipes.  It is a quick, simple, and delicious guacamole recipe.  I am not exactly sure how I came up with this exact recipe, I have been known to just mix things together until I achieve the taste I am searching for.  I will give some credit to Scott, because he makes very good guacamole, and I believe it was his recipe that somewhat inspired this one.  So here it is, please try it, I promise you can’t mess it up, and you will be more than happy with the taste!!

Guacamole Recipe:

• 2 Ripe Haas avocados
• 1/2 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp chopped cilantro (fresh is always better)
• Juice of one lime
• 1 clove of minced garlic
• Dash of hot sauce
• Salt & Pepper to taste

Start by cutting the avocados in half, remove the pits, and scoop the flesh away from the skin of the avocado.  Place in bowl along with the lime juice and mash the avocado.  The lime juice, to me, seems to make the mashing a little easier.  Mix in the onion, cilantro, garlic, hot sauce and S&P.  You can mix until you have reached the desired texture and thickness that you would like for your guacamole.  I also like to drizzle a little olive oil into the mixture while I am mixing it together. 

This recipe is wonderful any way you would like to eat it.  Obviously, it makes a fantastic dip.  I have tried it many ways, and other than just eating it as a dip, it is great on turkey sandwiches, as a topping for a cheeseburger, on homemade tacos, and my personal favorite, use it to replace the mayo on a BLT!! 

Hope you try, and enjoy the recipe, you will not be disappointed.  Again I apologize for taking a while to update the blog, I do have many ideas I want to put on here, so please continue to check it out.  Also, as football season rapidly approaches, and my mind becomes almost totally consumed with football, I am already thinking of tailgate foods.  I plan to have a couple of updates next week that are all about football, and the wonderful foods that everyone associates with tailgating!

Blessings of Summer

It seems like the past three or four weeks here in South Carolina have been the hottest I can remember in a while.  It has been miserably hot, so hot that it isn’t even enjoyable to go outside, unless of course you are sitting on the beach, or on a boat somewhere.  However, most people I know, and probably everyone reading this blog live in the real world, and unfortunately we can’t sit on the beach every day.  I have been telling myself for the past few weeks that I am so ready for summer to be over because of the heat.  I had a slight change of heart last night while I was eating dinner, which is odd, because usually I am only thinking of one thing while eating, and that of course is the task at hand. Summer blesses us with so many great things, and so many enjoyable activities.  It is hard to beat a day on the water or on the beach with good friends, and a perfect summer afternoon.  Outside of all the activities, and other fabulous events that occur during a southern summer, the food that nature provides for us during these few months is outstanding.  Just last night, I had fresh peas (which I had shelled earlier in the day), cooked with okra in them, along with homemade fried okra, and some baked chicken.  I mention the chicken just to round out the meal, summer clearly has nothing to do with providing chicken for us to eat.  Anyway, while eating, it just made me realize all the great things I have had to eat throughout the summer.                 

I have already mentioned the field peas, which are competing very strongly now with okra, as my favorite summertime vegetable.  It seems like every meal made at home in the summer has at least one ingredient that has either come out of your own garden, or a garden of someone close to you that has graciously decided to share some of their crop.  I know personally, for the past few months, there hasn’t been a day where I have gone home and not seen multiple fresh tomatoes on the kitchen counter or table.  A bright red, juicy, perfectly ripened tomato, sliced just to your liking, smashed between two fresh pieces of bread, some fresh lettuce, and a couple of slices of bacon, add a slight bit of mayo, salt and pepper, and you have a perfect summer meal right there.  Who doesn’t like a BLT made with fresh tomatoes??   Another one of my summertime favorites is corn, especially silver queen, or sweet corn, as it is more commonly referred to.  I love corn on the cob, and it is the epitome of summer vegetables.  If you have ever driven through or near Bishopville during the summer, I am sure you would notice the corn fields that line pretty much every road into or out-of-town.  We have been fortunate enough this summer to have a couple of friends bring us fresh corn, and I hate to see it go when the summer ends.  Squash is yet another wonderful vegetable that many people grow in their own backyards, and fresh summer squash is just unbeatable.                 

Aside from all the wonderful vegetables that summer produces, I think the fruit may be better.  Granted, if I am separating fruits and vegetables, the tomato should technically be in the fruit section, but to me, it taste like a vegetable, so I grouped it with the veggies.  I have yet to decide what my favorite fruit is, but it would certainly be one that is provided to us during these hot months.  It would be hard to beat a South Carolina peach.  Peach cobbler has been a long time personal favorite of mine, but there is no wrong way to eat a peach.  I love them any way you could imagine, in cereal, in ice cream, in cobbler, or just by themselves.  I also love blueberries, and lucky for me, my grandmother has enough in her backyard to almost supply the entire town of Bishopville.  Cantaloupe, blackberries, watermelon, are several other wonderful fruits that are very popular summertime items.                

I am very much looking forward to the fall, for numerous reasons, the main reason being that it is the beginning of football season.  I will however miss all of the fresh fruits and vegetables that this unbearable heat has provided us with for many meals throughout the past few months.  I wasn’t really planning on blogging about this topic, but I just couldn’t pass it up, after the delicious meal I had last night, I felt I needed to give praise to nature, and the blessings it has provided us during the summer.                

My Weekend In Food         

 I was fortunate enough to be able to travel to Charleston this weekend to spend a weekend hanging out with the guys.  No offense girls, but we had a pretty good time.  Charleston is a wonderful city for multiple reasons, specifically the restaurants.  Charleston has way way too many restaurants to visit in one summer, or year maybe, much less one weekend.  I was able to partake in some pretty good food while I was there, I didn’t try anything new, but did have some interesting experiences.                

I will just skip talking about Friday night, because my food wasn’t very good, and I am not going to talk badly about any restaurant on here.  It poured down rain all night, the food wasn’t very good, and it just seemed like everything was working against us.  Wasn’t looking good for our fishing trip we had planned the following morning.     

We met at Harris Teeter in Mt. Pleasant around 7:30 or 8:00 Saturday morning to get supplies for our fishing trip.  We spent much of the morning wasting time, and not catching fish, granted, we weren’t putting in much of an effort.  A couple of my buddies had a late night, and weren’t feeling too very well, so the fishing was taking a back seat to feeling better.  We did however catch one shark, which I am almost positive is because of all the chumming one of my late night friends was doing for us over the side of the boat.      

While fishing, we made plans to go downtown for dinner Saturday night, and we ended up at a pizza place on North King St, called Monza.  Monza is centered around a racing theme, and the name derives from the Autodromo Nazionale Monza, which is a forumula one race track outside the city of Monza, Italy.  Don’t let me confuse you, there are not checkered flags and race cars on the wall when you walk in.  It is a very modern setting, and great atmosphere.      

Our Pizza from Saturday night

    

The pizza is a classic Neapolitan style pizza.  It has a thin and crispy crust, and is baked in a wood fired oven.  They do there best to make their pizza stand out, even go so far as to import the flour for the pizza dough from San Felice.  They also do their best to use local ingredients whenever possible for their toppings.  They name their pizzas after classic Italian race car drivers such as: Materassi, Nazzaro, Fangio, Von Trips, Ciccio, and many others.  Saturday, I had the special, which consisted of Goat Cheese (huge fan), Roma tomatoes, red onion, and fresh basil.  It was delicious.  I normally am not one to eat pizza without any type meat on it, but I was persuaded to get the special and split it, by one of my skinny friends.  It was worth it though, I love goat cheese on pizza, on pretty much anything actually, and it went great with the tomatoes and basil.  Monza also offers great appetizers, and salads as well.  I have never tried any of their pasta, but supposedly the Lasagna is out of this world.  It is certainly a place you should try.  Great place to go with friends, enjoy a good Italian beer or wine, and great pizza.  It is in a great area, with lots of good bar choices within walking distance.  Next time you are in Charleston please go check it out.       

Palmetto Pig

    

My last eating adventure of the weekend took place on Sunday.  We went to eat the Sunday buffet at Palmetto Pig in Mt. Pleasant, where I witnessed an eating event of massive proportions.  I didn’t show up to Palmetto Pig with my A game, and I was a little disappointed in myself, especially after the performance of my skinny friend, in fact, it was the same one who convinced me to eat the meatless pizza the night before.  For namesake, my skinny friend will henceforth be referred to as Bubs.  Randy also joined us, so he was there to witness this unbelievable event.  Bubs has been making it a point to let everyone know that I am a new blogger, and I guess he saw this as his opportunity to show me up.  He did just that!  Our menu consisted of BBQ, baked beans, mac n’ cheese, hash and rice, collard greens, BBQ chicken, fried chicken, and I can’t remember what else, the banana pudding was clouding my memory.  We all went through the line the first time and fixed huge plates of “comfort” food.  That expression has always baffled me, I am miserably uncomfortable every time I eat “comfort” food.  Bubs ate his first plate pretty much before I had even sat down.  He was on a mission, and he made sure that Randy and I were witnesses.  He finished his first, and went back for another plate of equal size if not larger.  Finished that with no problem.  By my estimate he is not pushing somewhere near 1500 calories, and he was extremely proud.  He made me very aware after almost every bite that he was eating more than me.  It was like he had won a sporting event.  I guess to celebrate his victory, he helped him self to a large portion of banana pudding, which I will admit was one of the best banana puddings I have ever had.  Bubs went into Palmetto Pig with an agenda, and he had to have left with a stomach ache, although, you would never get him to admit that.          

We had a wonderful weekend, and wonderful food to go along with it.  Charleston is a city where you can always count on having a great time, and even better food.

“burger time”

I was in Atlanta this past weekend for a wedding, and since I knew I was going, I started about a month or so in advance looking for a place I wanted to try while I was there.  I landed on Holeman & Finch Public House.  The “public house” part of the name is very accurate.  The atmosphere is very encouraging for conversation and casual dining, and was extremely unique.  The place was crowded, so we had to sit in the bar area, so we were a little cramped, but it suited our crowd well.  Anyway, onto why I decided to go eat there, and why I convinced 15 other people to go with us. 

Each night, Holeman & Finch makes 24 burgers.  That’s it, no more, no less.  They announce ”burger time” at 10:00 pm by sounding a bull horn, and if you aren’t there between 9:00 and 9:30, you may as well plan on eating something other than a burger.  Some nights the burgers sell out in less than one minute.  Fortunately for us, ”the burger” is available on the Sunday brunch menu.  The burger is surprisingly simple, and the definition of a classic american cheeseburger.  It is so simple that you don’t even have an option when you order it.  The menu just says “the burger”, and that is exactly what we all ordered, simply yell out “the burger” to the waiter and 10 minutes or so later, this plateful of deliciousness arrives.  It is basic, simple, classic, and amazing!!  It is a double patty burger, both patties covered in cheese.  They are served on buttered house made buns, with a small amount of red onion, and house made pickles.  They bring you homemade ketchup and mustard on the side, along with hand cut fries.  The reason behind the 24 burgers each night, is because they believe that if you are going to do a burger, make sure its done right, and they have succeeded.

This burger is almost too big to get it into your mouth, but I succeeded, and the first bite was just as good as I had hoped it would be.  The first sign of a great burger for me, is if juice runs out of the burger when you bite into it.  I can’t stand a dry cheeseburger, and the H&F burger was far from dry.  It was cooked perfectly, and everything went together very well.  The bun was just crispy enough, and had been toasted to perfection to complement the moisture of the beef.  They didn’t over do it with the onions or pickles, and the homemade ketchup and mustard were just another reason this burger stood out.  Needless to say, I finished mine, there was no way I wasn’t going to eat the whole thing.

I actually enjoyed my burger at lunch so much, guess what I ate for dinner?  That’s right, a cheeseburger.  This time it was grilled at home.  I also had slaw, chips, baked beans, and ice cream for dessert.  So my food intake for the day was rather ridiculous.  I had one huge double cheeseburger for lunch, and a large homemade cheeseburger for dinner.  My sides for the day were french fries, coleslaw, baked beans, and potato chips.  I also managed to squeeze in a piece of homemade pound cake between the two meals. 

The Holeman & Finch burger is certainly one I would recommend to anyone in the Atlanta area, it was excellent.  Was it my favorite burger?  That will require some more thought, and I hope to write a blog soon on my top 3 burgers, we shall see if it makes the cut.  Please share any burger places, or your favorite burger if you have one.

Homegrown

        

  What is your favorite food?  This question has always been very difficult for me to answer.  For me it is very similar to asking the question, “What would you buy if you won the lottery?”  There are just too many answers.  For as long as I can remember I have been a food lover, and I believe my passion grows stronger as each day passes. 

            I was raised in Bishopville, South Carolina, a little town of just over 3,000 people, and four stop lights.  It is a typical small southern town, everyone knows everyone, and nothing happens that everyone doesn’t find out about.  Being raised in this small town has certainly shaped my food background.  I am a southerner, and proud of it.  I often tell people that I have no desire to live outside of South Carolina.  I know my interests probably differ from the majority, but there are just too many things here that I love to leave this place.  I love being outside, and South Carolina offers tons of opportunity to be outdoors.  Just the different sites of this place make me not want to leave: whitetail deer feeding in a bean field, muddy rivers surrounded by towering cypress trees, the deep blue waters found in the gulf stream off of our beautiful coast, blooming dogwoods in the spring, and the wonderful colors of the fall.  It may sound like I am biased, and I am, but South Carolina has truly been a wonderful home for me.  Lastly, it is the home of Clemson University.  Speaking of beautiful, there are just things about that place that I can’t explain, and only the people who have experienced it know what I am talking about.  With football right around the corner, I can’t wait to be back in “God’s” country to experience everything that is Clemson University; I was born a Tiger, and always will be.    

            Now that you know my background, and several of the things I enjoy, let me explain how these things have influenced my palate.  With Bishopville being so small, we were very limited in food choices growing up.  Our options outside of the normal fast food places were a small BBQ joint, a country buffet, and a couple different greasy spoons where you could get a burger or hot dog.  Even one place that, to this day, is serving up the best fried bologna sandwich I have ever eaten.  My family meals at night or on Sunday afternoons were centered on the typical southern fixins.  Pot roast, fried chicken, BBQ chicken, black eye peas, butterbeans, collard greens, rice and gravy, turkey and dressing, pretty much any casserole imaginable, and of course mac and cheese, were all items that could be found around our dinner table at any given time.  Holidays were just out of hand, we needed multiple tables/serving areas.  I would like to say I’d be embarrased if you knew how much I ate on holidays, but that’s just not the case, I love food, and large portions of it.  Obviously it wasn’t always the healthiest menu, but it tasted delicious and will always remind me of home. 

          I can’t even begin to list all the different foods I enjoy eating too much of, there are just way too many.  I intend to share my food experiences, and love of everything edible with whoever would like to read it on this blog, so hopefully over time, I will be able to paint a pretty good picture of how I feel about food.  Who knows exactly what each entry will be about; I am still trying to figure that out.  It will be about food, whether it’s good or bad, although, most of the time I intend, or at least hope for it to be good, if not great!  I will be offering my thoughts, opinions, and suggestions, as well as the occasional recipe, due to the fact that I like cooking the food almost as much as I enjoy eating it! 

          Please come back and read what I have to offer, especially if you enjoy food like I do.  I encourage you to leave any suggestions, comments, recipes, or anything that you would like to add to this blog.  I am always open to any restaurant suggestions as well! 

Also, I am new at this, so please be patient, as this blog will be constantly changing in its appearance until I become more familiar with the process.