Charleston Featured in Budget Travel

The content below is not totally East Cooper specific. Gullah Cuisine and Thornhill Farm are East of the Cooper. Hominy Grill is on the peninsula and worth a stop as well.

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SOUTH CAROLINA'S LOW COUNTRY
Start in Charleston and the counties surrounding it.
This might come as a surprise, but the cuisine of South Carolina's low country has a lot more to offer than shrimp and grits. The region is named for the southern counties along the coast. True low-country food is a complex mix of fresh seafood, native rice, and legumes, and is seeing a renaissance unlike any other cuisine in the U.S.

"The food and products available in this region are completely different from what was around ten years ago," says Sean Brock, chef of McCrady's in Charleston. Farmers are reintroducing many of the crops that were lost after the Civil War, such as original breeds of wheat, corn, and benne, and many kitchens are reviving long-neglected recipes. This reenergized food scene has earned Charleston chefs the James Beard Foundation awards for Best Chef in the Southeast the past three years. For thorough exploration, start in Charleston and wind south among the moss-draped oaks that line coastal Route 17.

Three essential stops: If you think grits are a mushy breakfast food, you've never had Robert Stehling's worthy version. Hominy Grill, in Charleston, delivers creamy perfection: local shrimp sautéed with bacon, scallions, and mushrooms over cheddar and Parmesan-spiked Old Mill of Guilford grits (207 Rutledge Ave., 843/937-0930, hominygrill.com, $17). In McClellanville, Thornhill Farm (Hwy. 17 N., 843/887-3500, ourlocalfoods.com) is a store, not a restaurant, but its supply of local meats, artisanal cheeses, and fresh veggies is unrivaled. Grab some fixings for a sandwich, and don't forget to get a Coke as well. In between the two, Charlotte Jenkins' Gullah Cuisine restaurant is a tribute to the low-country's African-American heritage. Jenkins has been ladling out the region's tastiest she-crab soup since 1997. If crab's not to your liking, opt for a plate of Gullah rice, a cousin to paella (1717 Hwy. 17 N., 843/881-9076, gullahcuisine.com, a cup of she-crab soup $6).

City Slickers in the Park

If you plan to be in the Charleston area this weekend (August 14, 2010) you may want to head over to the Memorial Waterfront Park in Mount Pleasant for Movies at the Park. This week's movie is City Slickers. The show starts at 9:00 PM. Bring a chair or blanket. There is no charge for the movie (if you are local, you already paid for it). Parking in the lot is normally 50 cents per hour. The fee was waived last couple of times. I am not sure about this time. Food and beverages will be available for purchase.
Memorial Waterfront Park is located near Patriots Point and the Ravenel Bridge.

We went a few weeks ago and saw E.T. In June, we saw Blind Side with some friends. The movies at the park have been a great time. There are a lot of families who head out there with blankets and snacks. Click on the links for more information.


Future Movie nights are:

September 18 - Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory

October 2 - Rudy