Benne Bits
BENNE (OR SESAME) SEEDS PLAY AN INTEGRAL ROLE in both savory and sweet dishes throughout the coastal Carolina and Georgia Lowcountry, and rare is the Charleston or Savannah cocktail reception or tea that doesn’t include a bowl of these tiny nuggets, which are eaten almost like peanuts. Benne bits are available in tins all over […]
Blue Cheese Straws
I WAS VIRTUALLY RAISED EATING THE CHEDDAR cheese straws that my grandmother, mother, and aunt would bake for cocktail receptions, teas, and other social events, but it was only many years later that my friend, colleague, and neighbor Craig Claiborne introduced me to these tangy blue cheese straws he had learned to make in his […]
Country Ham and Broccoli Tartlets
THESE DAINTY TEA TARTLETS CAN BE MADE WITH just flour, but I find that the cornmeal adds not only delectable flavor but a much more interesting texture. This is still another way Southerners use up either the scraggly ends of a country ham or simply leftover ham. Fresh asparagus tips or pieces of green or […]
Cajun Popcorn with Garlic Mayonnaise
CAJUN POPCORN, ORIGINALLY POPULARIZED IN THE 1980s by chef Paul Prudhomme at K-Paul’s Louisiana Kitchen in New Orleans, has to be one of the greatest innovations in modern Southern cookery and the ideal food for stylish cocktail parties. Since Paul served the crawfish with a thick sherry wine sauce at the restaurant, I have no […]
Worth the Hike Trail Mix
THEORETICALLY, THIS MIXTURE will keep for about 1 month at room temperature or for about 6 months in the refrigerator—but I have not been able to fully test this out, for obvious reasons. You can play around with the ingredients, using different nuts or different dried fruit, or you can substitute M&M’s for some or […]
Chili Roasted Pepitas
ROASTED PUMPKIN SEEDS are every bit as addictive as roasted sunflower seeds, so take care when making and serving these. You can buy pumpkin seeds in health food stores, but you can also roast the seeds from any pumpkin you happen to have on hand. Just wash the seeds in a bowl of water to […]
Tamari Roasted Sunflower Seeds
WARNING! THESE SUNFLOWER seeds are highly addictive. Do not attempt this recipe unless you have a good stock of beer to go with them or your self-control is firmly in hand. To those with self-control, I might add that these sunflower seeds make a wonderful addition to salads, especially spinach salad dressed with a soy […]
Roasted Chestnuts
LOOK FOR IMPORTED CHESTNUTS during the winter holiday season. The aroma of roasting chestnuts adds a festive touch to any gathering. SERVES 4 TO 6 INGREDIENTS 1 pound chestnuts INSTRUCTIONS Preheat the oven to 450°F. With the tip of a sharp knife, score the flat side of each nut with an X. Arrange […]
Spiced Mixed Nuts
TO WATCH YOUR FRIENDS attack a bowl of nuts is to watch their true personalities emerge. Do they fish out the pecans and leave the peanuts behind? Or do your friends grab the nuts by the handful and pop them all in their mouths at once— going for the full flavor, the big sensation? Or […]
Pizza Waffles
When I was a little girl, my big brother, Cory, taught me how to make pizza toast. It was basically an English muffin topped with pizza sauce and cheese and tossed into the oven for a few minutes. This recipe is in honor of my pizza-lovin’ brother, Cory! prep time: 5 minutes cook time: 35 […]