Lowcountry Cuisine Summer/Fall 2019

www.LowcountryCuisineMag.com | www.MountPleasantRestaurant.com | www.CharlestonRecipes.com lowcountry cuisine LC 15 F amily recipes have a way of tying generations together in a way that few other things can. We are big on family here at Lowcountry Cuisine , and we love sharing the recipes and memories that raised us. Mike Brown, managing director, had his mother write down her memories and a favorite recipe that has been enjoyed for at least five generations. This is her story: My name is Edwina Brown, and this recipe was one of my favorite meals my grandmother made, for both the comforting taste and because it was definitely a sign of the season in our household. My grandmother, Annie Fowler Dixon, was “Mama” to all of us — her children and most of her grandchildren alike. Growing up on a farm in rural Alamance County on the outskirts of Burlington, North Carolina, meant eating whatever was in season or what had been canned or preserved. Though the “farm-to-table” movement is trendy now, it was necessary then. Just about everything we ate came directly from the farm to the table. This recipe for “new corn soup” was so called because it was made only when the field corn was just large enough to have formed into an ear and the tassels were barely turning brown. I can still hear Mama saying, “It’s time to pick some new corn,” and I knew we were going to have her tender, delicious white corn soup. Some people have referred to this soup as “poor man’s soup,” and I guess you could call it that. … But, if that’s true, then some poor people were eating mighty good if it was anything like Mama’s. All you need to complete this oh-so-comforting soup is a biscuit to soak up the delicious broth! MAMA’S NEW CORN SOUP Ingredients • 8-10 ears of fresh corn (any tender, small-kernel corn) • 3 slices of bacon • 1/2 quart of whole milk • 1/2 quart half-and-half • 1/2 stick of butter • Salt and pepper, to taste Preparation Cut kernels from corn, cutting down twice — first getting the top of the kernels, then cutting to the cobb and scraping down the cob and into a bowl for the corn “milk.” In a large, heavy pot over medium heat, brown bacon until crisp and remove to drain. Stir cut corn into bacon drippings for one minute. Add equal parts milk and half-and- half, adding a little at a time until corn is well covered and depth is the amount of soup desired. Heat until hot, but do not allow to boil. Add butter. Add salt to taste, and add pepper lightly. Stir, then serve. Suggestion : Serve in a bowl over a biscuit or any soft white bread. Note : If a thicker soup is desired, make a slurry of milk and flour by stirring together 2 tablespoons flour and 2 tablespoons milk, slowly adding it to hot soup (not boiling — never let it boil) and then stirring and cooking gently until it is at the thickness desired. Adjust seasonings as needed. COMPILED BY ANNE SHULER TOOLE Lowcountry Cuisine Family Favorites Photo by Mike Brown.