This recap is coming a little later than normal due to the nature of the holidays. November was a blast! I had the opportunity to go to the James Beard Foundation’s Taste America dinner held at the Cigar Factory here in Charleston. It was such a beautiful event, with some very interesting food. The dinner menu was created by Dan Barbar, along with three other local James Beard award winning chefs from Charleston. The theme was food waste and reuse, incorporating underutilized crops and cuts of meat which in turn supports long-term health of the land.
Ready for this lineup?? The first course (not pictured) was emmer gleanings risotto with dried goat and rice bran, which I enjoyed.
Our second course was Calf’s head with leather britches, sweet potato, and oat hull jus created by Sean Brock. It sounds crazy, but once we got past the name and tried it, it was actually pretty good.
I struggled a bit with this next one to be honest. The third course was meant to be something like a burrito — benne cake and pork blood crêpes with waste ham, coastal rye shoots, and field pea guacamole created by Dan Barber. I think it was the texture of the crêpes that I wasn't a fan of, but it was a really creative dish.
The dessert course was a sprouted chestnut cake with sorghum foam and orange, created by Katy Keefe of McCrady’s. I'm not a huge sorghum fan, but I at least gave it a try.
This was unlike any other dinner I've been too, and I'm glad I had the opportunity to experience.
I also attended the Lowcountry Hoedown for the first time. This all-inclusive affair featured samplings from dozens of Southern distilleries, craft breweries & restaurants, plus a wild array of live entertainment. It was the perfect opportunity for a girl’s night out.
We ended the evening with a drink at Cane Ruhm Bar, a super cute and colorful spot off of East Bay Street. I definitely would like to go back and try the food.
I spent quite some time in the kitchen with my girlfriend’s recipe testing for work. Our menu consisted of soup, salad and a savory dessert. I forgot just how much I love French onion soup.
One of the highlights of November was celebrating my 30th birthday. Whit got me a Nespresso VertuoLine Coffee Maker and I'm loving it. But the excitement didn’t stop there. I packed my bags for a girls trip to Florida for a few days and had a blast. More about our trip coming soon!
A college friend of ours tied the knot. Both the ceremony and reception were at the Island House on John’s Island, which has an amazing view of the Stono River. It was a beautiful evening for a wedding.
I received this cute hoodie from Jarret Bay Clothing Company in the photo below. If you are looking for nautical inspired gifts, check them out.
I had the pleasure of joining the Cocktail Bandits for happy hour one evening. We had a great time trying out several delicious cocktails from Carmella’s. One of my favorites was the Orange Cremtini.
Thanksgiving was spent with Whit’s family. Everyone gathers at his grandparents house for a few days and then ends the weekend at the Clemson/Carolina game.
Game day!
How cute are Whit's grandparents?! I just adore these two! They know how to host quite the tailgate.
November was packed full of travel and quality time spent with family and friends. So much to be thankful for!
Lowcountry hoedown looks like alot of fun. Just like something me and my husband would enjoy.
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