May 11th, 2021

82 Queen, Charleston, South Carolina, Restaurant, Review, Lowcountry Cuisine, Historic Charleston, Good Food, Will Travel, Spring Travel

Charleston, South Carolina is known for its Lowcountry cuisine. This type of cooking has influences from the coast and from soul food. Classics like the she-crab soup and the shrimp and grits are some of the offerings I taste as I go from one restaurant to another. Which one is best? As you know that is so personal but so is a blog. My personal experiences!!

Lunch at 82 Queen in Charleston in early March was memorable because of those 2 dishes I mentioned above.

The restaurant is located at 82 Queen Street. http://www.82queen.com

It opened in 1982 and it is considered one of Charleston’s oldest restaurants.

March is a great time of the year in Charleston. Cooler evenings and days are warm, perfect for enjoying an outdoor lunch.

Starting with the French 75. Love this cocktail. I wanted made with Courvoisier because it makes such a difference. Very refreshing.

I was recommended to have the Queen’s Salad which was a mixture of lettuce, grape tomatoes, cucumbers, green onions, sweet corn, field peas, apple wood bacon, hard boiled egg, with a cheddar, buttermilk herb dressing. Starting with a salad and a cocktail, it is perfect for me.

They have been serving the She Crab Soup probably since the restaurant opened so there is perfection in its taste. Here, in Delaware, I don’t see this soup in restaurants. You use the female crab for this tasty soup.

Best of the several ones tasted I decided to look for their recipe. I think I found it and here it goes.

1 cup chopped celery

1/4 cup chopped carrots

1/4 cup chopped onion

1 stick plus 2 tablespoons butter divided

1/2 cup of flour

3 cups milk

1 cup heavy cream

2 cups fish stock or water and fish base

1/4 lb. crab roe

1 lb. white crabmeat

1/4 sherry

1 tablespoon Tabasco or your preferred hot sauce

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce.

Lightly saute celery, carrots and onion in 2 tablespoons of butter. In a separate pot, melt remaining 1 stick of butter; stir in the flour to make a roux. Whisk in milk and cream until smooth. Bring to a boil. Add sauteed veggies and remaining ingredients. Simmer 20 minutes. Serve and garnish with sherry.

This soup has the consistency of a bisque. The recipe came from Great American Publishers.

The other dish we had was one that has also been made in this restaurant forever. Their Barbeque Shrimp & Grits. Shrimp, stone ground grits, a bourbon-barbeque sauce, applewood baon, cheddar, and scallions.

On this particular trip the Fried Green Tomatoes were offered as starters but I can tell you that if you like to share this one is a nice big portion. I ate it all. It was my total favorite.

Pimento cheese, a must, stone ground-grits the best partner, and tomato bacon jam. The best.

So if you decide to take a trip to Charleston check these restaurants here on AboutMyBeaches. You can put Charleston on the search and see if some of them catch your interest.

AboutMyBeaches has a FB page.

March 15th, 2015

Fried Green Tomatoes, Love Them!, Fried Green Tomato, Fig, Bacon, Corn Stack, Merryman’s Green Tomato Pickle, Recipes, Restaurants Serving Fried Green Tomatoes, Rehoboth Beach, Bethany Beach, Delaware Beaches, Cape Charles, Virginia, Charleston, South Carolina, It’s All About Green Tomatoes

I am crushed that Fried Green Tomatoes…..not a Southern dish.  That they, apparently, entered the American culinary scene in the Northeast and Midwest, with a link to Jewish immigrants.  I love them and when I see them on menus, I do order them.  Having been in Charleston, I tasted them everywhere I could.  But, let me tell you that, here, at the Delaware Beaches, we have some pretty awesome ones served at our local restaurants.

Looking forward to my fig tree this year.  Not just to eat figs off the tree but to also prepare my Fried Green Tomato, Fig, Bacon, Corn Stack….It is my own recipe; not begged, borrowed, or stolen.  You can get the recipe by clicking on the month of August of 2013 on the archives of AboutMyBeaches and scrolling down to the 11th.

In Rehoboth Beach, Delaware:

FINS ALE HOUSE & RAW BAR on Coastal Highway.  I just had these the other day.  They were delicious and hopefully, they will keep them on the menu.

BLUE MOON located on Baltimore Avenue in Downtown Rehoboth Beach.  This is a signature appetizer.  The fried green tomatoes are served with herbed sheep’s cheese, onion, compote, pesto and a balsamic drizzle.  Definitely, a blending of flavors.

In Bethany Beach, Delaware:

PATSY’S RESTAURANT in Downtown Bethany Beach.  Her fried green tomatoes are topped with roasted red pepper/Vermont cheddar cheese spread with fresh basil pesto and balsamic reduction.

Cape Charles, Virginia’s Eastern Shore:

AQUA AT KINGS CREEK MARINA in Cape Charles serves a Fried Green Tomato BLT Salad…smoked bacon and mixed greens, tossed with a roasted tomato vinaigrette.

Historic Charleston, South Carolina:

TBONZ in Historic Charleston had these great fried green tomatoes….they went in my burger.

SOUTHEND BREWERY & SMOKE HOUSE, located in Downtown Charleston had never had anyone topped their pizza with fried green tomatoes.  Of course, pimento cheese was included.  The pizza did not wow me here.  But, the combination of pizza and fried green tomatoes was pretty good.

LOWCOUNTRY BISTRO, located in Historic Charleston has a great Ambrose Farms Spinach Salad….an addition of Fried Green Tomatoes made it just perfect.

A.W. SHUCK’S – We stopped here with our Culinary Tour (post in the making)….the praline butter on the fried green tomatoes was delish.

TOAST, located on Meeting St. had their fried green tomatoes with sweet pepper relish.

The following recipe is soooooo good.  You can serve it with roast beef, chicken, or even in a sandwich.  It takes some time to make but once in the jars you can store them for a long time.  Give it as presents to special friends.

MERRYMAN’S GREEN TOMATO PICKLE

1 peck (8 quarts or approx. 20 lbs of small green tomatoes

6 red peppers

12 large onions

5 tablespoons celery seed

5 tablespoons mustard seed

1/2 gal. cider vinegar

3 lbs. light brown sugar

1 cup salt

Slice the tomatoes and onions very thin.  Cut peppers into thin strips.  Place alternatively (some tomato, some onion, some peppers) in layers in a large bowl, sprinkling salt over each layer.

Let mixture sit for several hours or overnight to draw out liquid.

Squeeze the pickle dry and place in a large kettle.  Pour vinegar, sugar, mustard seed and celery seed over pickle.

Cook slowly until onion is clear and tomato is almost transparent.  One to two hours.  Check and stir often.

Place in sterilized jars and seal.

Note:  It is usually served in my house during the Holiday Season.  It is an old Merryman recipe.

Have a good one!!