Lowcountry Cuisine Summer/Fall 2019

www.LowcountryCuisineMag.com | www.MountPleasantRestaurant.com | www.CharlestonRecipes.com lowcountry cuisine I had the opportunity in May to go on a culinary tour of Charleston’s Market area with Bulldog Tours. It was called the Savor the Flavors of Charleston Tour, and my intent was to see what may spark interest for a future article on a chef, a cooking trend or a savory tidbit on food history. I found those things but also uncovered a completely different perspective on food in Charleston. As any food-loving human would be, I was excited about the tour because I never turn down a chance to graze or go exploring, though I anticipated I would not learn much new information on food itself. When you’ve lived here all your life, you intimately know the typical local fare — barbecue, fried green tomatoes, sweet tea, pralines, mac and cheese and stone-ground grits. I’ve eaten them all my life, I’ve seen them cooked, I’ve made them myself, I’ve written about them and, in one case, I’ve literally gone swimming in them (the World Grits Festival in St. George is a story for another day). The only thing missing from the tour was a dish especially for me: humble pie, because as I got to know our fellow tour mates — all visitors to this beautiful city — their enthusiasm for these foods unfamiliar to them was exciting, and, suddenly, I was tasting it all with renewed interest. It became more than just food but instead a slice of hometown history in my mouth. Our tour began on the piazza of the Bulldog Tours office as we introduced ourselves to the rest of the group, said where we were from and what food is popular in our own hometowns. From the start, that sparked good conversation. We walked from restaurant to restaurant, and, at each spot, were ushered to a private table where we’d have small plates of a variety of textbook Lowcountry cuisine items. But we weren’t rushed; we broke bread in a relaxed atmosphere together, and that’s where the magic happened. The food brought us together. Our very knowledgeable BY ANNE SHULER TOOLE Tasting the Town Bulldog Tours Photo by Anne Shuler Toole. Photo courtesy of Bulldog Tours. A Bulldog Tour group learns about the Lowcountry cuisine they are about to enjoy. Fried green tomato. M