AUGUST SPOTLIGHT | Okra

Craig Deihl's Roasted Pork Belly and Pickled Okra rock! We asked him for his take on these Southern summer favorites and some recipes from the kitchen of Cypress Lowcountry Grille.

SLOW COUNTRY CUISINE | Craig Deihl

by Wendy Swat Snyder

Low Country staples like okra, collard greens, grits and shrimp drive Chef Craig Deihl’s seasonal menu at Cypress Lowcountry Grille in Charleston. An advocate for animal pasturing and sustainable fishing, Deihl was among the culinary notables tapped to contribute to One Fish, Two Fish, Crawfish, Bluefish - The Smithsonian Sustainable Seafood Cookbook.

“The real challenge in doing a seasonal menu is changing the menu as often as the products change,” says Deihl.

During the hottest months of the year, okra is a mainstay on the menu, matched up with a Deihl favorite – pastured pork. “The quality of the meat is affected by the way the pig is raised, its diet, how it’s slaughtered,” notes Deihl. “All these factors make a huge difference in the final product.”

Chef Deihl's recipe for Pickled Okra follows. Deihl says buy extra okra so you can enjoy it later in the year when it’s not available.

Pickled Okra
1 cup apple cider vinegar
½ cup water
½ cup sugar
3 tbsp.salt
1 tbsp. mustard seeds
4 allspice berries
1 tbsp. mustard seeds
1 tbsp. celery seeds
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper
2 bay leaf
2 cloves garlic
3 cups okra, washed (look for small, firm, green pieces)

In a non-reactive pot combine all ingredients except the okra. Place over high heat and bring to a boil. Add the okra and boil for 4 minutes. Remove from heat and shock the pot in ice water to cool rapidly. Transfer the pickled okra to glass jars and store in the refrigerator for at least 1 week before using. The pickled okra will keep for about one month.


Sources
Keegan-Filion Farm
http://www.keeganfilionfarm.com

Joseph Fields Organics
843-559-5349

Eat More Beef?

Piedmontese cattle originated in the foothills of northwestern Italy and are thought to be a mix of the Auroch and Zebu cattle crossed over 25,000 years ago. We are especially fond of this breed, because Piedmont is also home to the Slow Food movement in Bra, Italy. Today, in the United States, a network of family farmers is raising the cattle on a pure vegetarian feed without the use of antibiotics and without added growth hormones.

The Piedmontese is unique in that it contains myostatin, known as the "double muscle gene." Myostatin is only found in Piedmontese cattle and results in a natural tenderness. Though the beef is naturally lean, the flavor is rich and intense.

Courtesy of Heritage Foods USA

SLOW COUNTRY CUISINE | Sean Brock

by Wendy Swat Snyder

Farm to table philosophy finds delicious expression in the offerings of Chef Sean Brock of McCrady’s Restaurant in Charleston, S.C. Winner of the 2010 James Beard Best Chef Southeast award, Brock is committed to sustainable culinary practices and stocks his kitchen with fresh ingredients from his own plot at Thornhill Farm.

A passionate advocate for the preservation of crops near extinction, Brock also grows a number of indigenous antebellum crops including James Island Red Corn, Benne Seed and Sea Island Red Peas. “The sea island red peas tell a wonderful story,” says Brock, “and have such a wonderful, earthy flavor.”

Brock shares his recipe for Baked Sea Island Red Peas – one of his favorites – for great summertime eating with anything cooked outside on the grill.

Baked Sea Island Red Peas

Ingredients

1 cup of diced Benton’s Bacon
1 large Onion, medium dice
1 large Anaheim pepper, medium dice
5 pickled ramps, rough chop
1 pound dried Sea Island Red Peas (soaked overnight)
½ cup Medjool dates, rough chop
1 cup Western North Carolina BBQ sauce
2 tablespoons sorghum
3/4 cup Kentucky bourbon
2 bay leaves
Salt, white pepper, smoked paprika, hot sauce, Worcestershire and dry mustard to taste

In a large Dutch oven over medium heat, render the diced bacon. When the bacon is rendered of all it’s fat turn up the heat and crisp the bacon. Add onions and pepper and sauté until soft, about 5 minutes. Place remaining ingredients into the pot and place in the oven for two hours at 250F. Stir every half hour or so to make sure they aren’t sticking.

Sources

Green Grocer Farm
George Albers
2463 Leadenwah Drive
Wadmalaw, SC 29487
843-559-5095

Anson Mills
Glenn Roberts
1922C Gervais Street
Columbia, SC 29201
803-467-4122
http://www.ansonmills.com

Slow Food Founder Visits Charleston

by Patricia Agnew

On February 23, the Charleston chapter of Slow Food was honored with a visit from Carlo Petrini, president and founder of Slow Food International and author of the new book Terra Madre exploring worldwide efforts to develop and sustain the local food movement. Slow Food Charleston hosted two events for our distinguished visitor.
Soon after his arrival, a well-attended reception and book-signing took place at McCrady’s, featuring hors d’oeuvres prepared by Executive Chef Sean Brock with local produce and meats from Thornhill Farm near McClellanville.
Cypress was the setting for the splendid event that followed. For a sold-out crowd, Executive Chef Craig Deihl (pictured above with Petrini) prepared an elegant dinner celebrating the much-touted black guinea hog, the small black breed of swine now returning to American tables thanks to the development efforts of Gra Moore of Florence-based Carolina Heritage Farms. Described by Chef Deihl as the most unbelievable pig he’s ever worked with, the hog is noted for its glorious fat and sumptuous meat resulting from a diet of heirloom corn, acorns, hay and other vegetables. Read more...

Carlo Petrini Book Signing at McCrady's

post | wendy s snyder

Place Bid - BiddingForGood Fundraising Auction

Louie's Kids and Slow Food Charleston the 2010 Signature Charities of BB&T Charleston Wine + Food Festival

The online auction for the BB&T Charleston Wine + Food Festival “Fill the Glass" Campaign is up and running. On the block is a series of original mosaics handcrafted by School of the Arts students using...beans and rice. These one-of-a-kind works of art can be viewed at the following link. Hurry - bidding closes March 7!

Place Bid - BiddingForGood Fundraising Auction

post | wendy s snyder

High on the Hog

Slow Food Charleston's Valentine’s Day event to raise awareness of the succulent and sustainable American Guinea Hog was a big success. A healthy crowd turned out to learn more about Gra Moore’s mission to restore the once-flourishing guinea hog population at his Carolina Heritage Farms and bring it to the local market.

A hearty “cheers!” goes out to Ted’s Butcherblock for playing host to the party, and Christophe Chocolatier-Patisserie for supporting our efforts with an innovative tasting menu. Celloist Helen Greenfield and guitarist Steve Green of Unwind Duo struck the right auditory note with a romantic repertory of Beatles classics.

Gra provided Guinea hog bacon for the Thursday event, which was presented dipped in handcrafted chocolate and dusted with savory seasonings such as Szechuan pepper and cayenne pepper. Ted’s staff treated us to a tasting flight for the various sweets: a Chateau Croix Mouton Bordeaux was paired with the chocolate-bathed bacon strips, Lockwood Pinot Noir with a cocoa-dusted nugget and Trignon Muscat with a blue cheese confection.

For more information about advocacy efforts on behalf of the American Guinea Hog and other rare breeds, visit the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy at www.albc-usa.org.

post | wendy s snyder

Feeding Frenzy - Locals Hungry for Food, Inc.

Slow Food Charleston and Lowcountry Local Firsts' alignment with Charleston's Terrace Theater was a huge, sold-out success, proving that the time is right for the food advocacy. Over 125 people were actually turned away from the sold-out event, which took place the evening of August 3rd. After the showing of documentary film on how food is created and distributed in this country, the entire audience stayed put to listen to the panel discussion hosted by Slow Food Charlest and Lowcountry Local First.

Bucolic Paradise

It couldn't have been a more perfect setting. Thackeray Farms on scenic Wadmalaw Island set the lush stage for Slow Food Charleston's first ever Farm-to-Plate picnic. Even moody Mother Nature cooperated with ebbing temperatures, a light breeze and thunder-free skies.

Approximately 60 people (both members and non-members) gathered to sup and sip from their picnic baskets, learn more about the farm (co-farmed by local farmers Rita Bachmann and Shawn Thackeray), and engage in supporting the cause through a live auction and pie sale yesterday afternoon.

Rita and Shawn led an extensive tour of the grounds, which include an expansive field of flowers and produce bordered by a skyline of leafy green trees and assorted outbuildings. The group gathered under a large shed where small spring onions were drying in preparation for fall storage while a stack of mushroom logs stood prepped and ready to eventually sprout fall's harvest.

The mood was light as local event planner and auctioneer extraordinaire Mitchell Crosby took to the microphone to begin the auction of five pies - blueberry with ginger snap crust and a beauty of a cherry pie (that eventually fetched $55!) among them - for the Slow Food Charleston "cause." Competition was fierce enough that a trio of dogs began their loud barking bids for a piece of the proverbial pie! Local businesses from McCrady's restaurant to Charleston Cooks! cooking school generously donated gift certificates to be included in the auction.

The final numbers on total dollars earned are not yet in, but what is certain is that all proceeds will go to the Sanders-Clyde Elementary School/Yo Art Project/Children's Garden Project in downtown Charleston.

Garden Update

The kids at Sanders-Clyde have reaped the rewards of the garden they planted in the spring and prepared meals with the summer harvest. The garden has been prepped for the fruits of the fall semester.

Yo, How Does Your Garden Grow?

Forty-three lucky second-grade students at Sanders-Clyde Elementary School in Charleston are planting and digging their way to finding the answer to this very question.

The 10-week-long course involves the students in all phases of gardening as part of a multi-tiered program that also incorporates the school's math and science courses. As they watch their garden of herbs, peas, flowers and more grow, the students are journaling the process through digital photography and garden diaries written on reporter notebooks, even as they don their very own press corps tags.

The harvested food will eventually be converted into nutritious meals with the helpful guidance of nutritionists and chefs. A collaborative effort between the Charleston Area Children's Garden Project, Yo Art Project, and Slow Food Charleston, this little garden that could is sure to reap delicious and nutritious results that will be permanently documented in a booklet recording the students' gardening experiences, photos, and written observations.

Keep your eye on this blog for upcoming Slow Food Charleston events that will help to further nurture this important project.