McClellanville Soft Shell Crabs ( First Of the Season)

Heirloom Tomato's

If all goes well we should have over a 100 heirloom tomato plants. I have Black Krim, Cherokee Purple, Brandywine, Abe Lincoln, Boxcar Willie, Amish Paste, Black Prince, Watermelon Beefsteak, Lemon Boy, Mr Stripy, Mortgage Lifter, and Hillbilly just to name a few. It has been a hard backbreaking job to break up new garden beds without a tiller. Cross your fingers.

Finally Planting

This week I finally got some item's planted in the kitchen garden. I planted a few rows of Easter Egg Radishes.  I also planted a small amount of micro green's. Hope to have radishes in 20- 30 days. The Garden has been slow going over the last few weeks.  I hope to have it back on track very soon. Here is a pic of what they look like when picked.

Local Triggerfish

Local Triggerfish , Daufuskie Island Shrimp and Rice, Green Beans, Sweet Pimento Tarter Sauce

Cornbread

Over the past few weeks I have be working to come up with the best cornbread recipe. The black iron pan is the most important part of the recipe. Finding the right cornmeal is important as well. I've used artisan local cornmeal, store brand, and a few others. The one that I think has the best flavor and produces the darkest brown crust is Yelton's. It is milled in Western North Carolina by Lakeside Mill. They have been milling since the 1700's. You can find their cornmeal in a few locally owned stores (Bilo, Ingles, etc.).

Cornmeal bag photo is from Likeside Mill.

Guest Chef Virginia Willis on Your Carolina

Virginia and I were on Your Carolina today. Check it out.

Shaun

http://www.yourcarolina.tv/ycvideo/entry/chef_virginia_willis/

Thomas Creek Beer Dinner

Soby’s New South

Presents a Dinner With
Thomas Creek Brewery
Thursday March 26, 2009
Call Stepanie at 864 232-7007 or email me

Chefs Choice Hors D’Oeuvres
Dockside Pilsner, River Falls Red Ale

First Course
Blackened Tuna Pizza, Goat Cheese Basil Pesto
Appalachian Amber Ale

Second Course
Seared Duck Breast, Creamy Antebellum Grits, Pickled Cherries
Class Five IPA

Third Course
Cocoa Crusted Berkshire Pork Loin, Charred Onion, Scallion, Artichoke,
Natural Jus
Deep Water Dopplebock

Fourth Course
Dark Chocolate Stout Cake, Peanut Ice Cream, Pretzel Crumb
Pump House Porter

What is Southern Food?

Southern food, what does that mean to you? To me it means sweet tea, screen doors and a nice humid summer night. But you say it's winter. I know but that's what keeps me going, waiting to see the fireflies and the smell of Mamma's Sunday fried chicken. As I sit here in January reflecting the year past. I let my mind wander to times that were simpler. I wish I could see my Grandmother again and taste her country style steak and gravy. I still catch smells that bring back many memories, be it chocolate cake, country sausage or even cornbread. This year I want to slow down and really find what southern food means to you. Does it mean Church picnics ,potlucks or fish fries after a day at the lake? As the year goes by please let me know what southern food is to you. Lets have a great year.


Shaun

Shaun's Bethal Trails Farm Heritage Turkey

This Heritage Turkey was raised in Gray Court SC 

Chicken and Cracked Pepper Biscuits

Fried chicken and biscuit, need I say more?

Sea Island Red Peas

We just got some of the coolest peas from Anson Mills. They are a tiny cowpea known as Sea Island Red Pea. These Peas are a part of a local Gullah dish named "Reesy Peesy" We are going to make some Red Pea gravy with local smoked ham hock's.

Allan Benton's Country Ham's

We use a lot of Benton's ham and bacon at the restaurant.  It is some of the best, if not the best ham I've ever had the pleasure of using.  I love when we get some in. The box and invoice have one of the worlds best smells- smoked pork! You have got to love it!  We have it on the deviled eggs and sometimes salads.  Guest loved it at the Farm to Table Dinner.  Below is the Bio from there web sit and there is a link on the right.

Benton’s Smoky Mountain Country Hams are slow cured using salt, brown sugar, and sodium nitrite and typically aged 9-10 months, though hams are available 1 year and older. This time-honored practice dates back to the era of our forefathers, when the preparation and preservation of meat was a way of life and sustenance. Although the hands of time and technology have sculpted many aspects of our modern world, at Benton’s Smoky Mountain Country Hams we have upheld the traditional dry-curing process and are striving to produce world class country hams and bacon. Our business was started in 1947 by the late Albert H. Hicks, a dairy farmer who began curing and selling country hams out of a building in his backyard. Allan Benton, a former high school guidance counselor, took over the business in 1973 and relocated it to the present location on US Hwy 411 near Madisonville, TN. Out of this modest, painted block building, Allan Benton and his employees have honed the dry-curing of hams and bacon into a culinary art and have catapulted the products from a simple breakfast mainstay into the world of gourmet cooking, where they have been praised for their characteristic flavor. Most recently, Benton’s prosciutto, a domestic version of the renowned prosciutto specialty hams of Parma, Italy, has grown rapidly in popularity and has been featured in a broad spectrum of high-end restaurants, as well as in a number of magazines and other food publications. Benton’s Country Hams and Bacon are available either unsmoked or hickory-smoked. Hickory smoking is performed in a small, wood stove smokehouse behind the business, imparting a distinct smoked flavor that many customers prefer. Our products make excellent gifts and can be shipped anywhere in the United States. We invite you to try some today. Copywrite Allan Benton

Abita Root Beer Float

 Last night I put together a little drink dessert. I paired some of Teryi's Ice Cream and Abita Root Beer and finished it off with praline whipped cream and chocolate straws. Guest went crazy about it. Here is a Bio about Abita Root Beer

Abita brews its root beer with spring water, herbs, vanilla and yucca (which creates foam). Unlike most soft drink manufacturers, Abita sweetens its root beer with the pure Louisiana cane sugar. The resulting taste is reminiscent of soft drinks made in the 1940's and 1950's before bottlers turned to corn sugar and fructose. Like earlier root beers, Abita is also caffeine-free

Soby’s Thanksgiving

Soby's will be doing Thanksgiving this year 11-3 buffet style with two  chef carving stations and lots of good Southern Food.  Price is $30 for adults,12 for kids and free for 6 and under call 864 232-2007 .  Log onto Open Table to make a web reservation. Check out the menu.

Soby’s Thanksgiving

Butternut Squash Soup , Soby’s She Crab Soup

Field Greens, Pecan Vinaigrette, Applewood Bacon Ranch,

 Cranberry Orange Vinaigrette, Sorghum Vinaigrette

Cranberry Onion Jam , Traditional Cranberry Sauce

Herb Roasted Turkey, Giblet Gravy

Chef Carved Bourbon Maple Glazed Ham

Chef Carved Slow Roasted Prime Rib of Beef, Horseradish Cream

French Green Beans, Toasted Pecans

Sweet Potato Gratin

Mashed Potatoes

Autumn Vegetable Succotash

Sweet Corn Maque Choux

Roasted Brussels Spouts, Heirloom Apples, Slab Bacon

Sage Brown Butter Dressing

Soby’s Garlic Cheddar Biscuits

Pecan Pie ---- Egg Custard

Pumpkin Chocolate Cake ---  Apple Cranberry Crisp

Farm to Table Dinner

We had a great time at the Farm to Table dinner. The group loved Evin from Split Creek Farm's and I got a lot of praise about the food and wine pairings. We hope to start having one for every season with different farmers speaking

Local Hertiage Turkeys.

We are taking orders for Bethal Trails Farm Heritage Bronze Turkeys.  They will be available starting Monday November 24. 

They will be $5 lb .  Limited amount so reserve now. 

email me at shaun@sobys.com

Loft at Soby's Farm To Table Dinner Menu

Loft at Soby’s
Farm To Table Dinner
October 23, 2008
6:30 pm
$75++ Per Person

Deviled Eggs Country Ham
Eggs From Putney Farms Honea Path S.C.
Country Ham from Allan Benton Madisonville T.N.
2004 Domaine Carneros Brut

Roasted Heirloom Pumpkin Bisque Honey Cream
Pumpkins from Jeff Isbell Easley S.C.
Honey from Beewell Honey Pickens S.C.
2007 Benziger Chardonnay, Carneros

Smoked Trout, Thomasville Tomme, Candied Root Vegetables
Trout from Carolina Mountain Trout Andrews N.C.
Cheese from Sweat Grass Dairy Thomasville G.A.
Vegetables, Terry Goldenstar, Travels Rest, S.C.
2006 Foley “Rancho Santa Rosa” Pinot Noir,
Sta. Rita Hills

Heritage Pork Saltimbocca, Creamy Grits
Pork from Bethel Trails Farm, Enoree S.C.
Grits, from Anson Mills Columbia S.C.
2005 Benziger “Tribute”, Sonoma Mountain

Goat Cheese Tart, Apple Confit, Honey Ice Cream
Cheese from Split Creek Farm Anderson S.C.
Apples from Nivens Apple Farm, Moore S.C.
2005 King Estate Pinot Gris Vin Glace, Oregon

Welcome Furman Parents

This weekend is Furman's parents weekend.  Last night we did over 400 covers and tonight we have over 200 reservation.  We are going to stay focused and knock it out. Jason Ezell brought in some awesome Golden Corvina and Yellow-Eye Snapper from the coast, both sold out fast.  

Back from Holiday.

I started back to work yesterday after being on holiday .  I hope to have a few new tidbits on this week.  I have some local heirloom peaches come in from a friend's family farm.  I'm doing a special 4th of July part in the loft as well. I will post the pictures soon.

Chef's Garden

Here is some photo's from my garden.  Over the years I've had the best luck with tomatoes.  Last year we planted a number of berry bushes. The two raised bed have drip irrigation and on a timer.  I  hope to plant a small fruit tree orchard this fall.