Terra’s Chef Mike Davis has been selected to cook a dinner for the James Beard Foundation in New York City’s historic Beard House. The dinner, entitled “Southern Roots,” will showcase Chef Davis’s unique spin on Southern flavors and will take place on February 9, 2010.
Committed to bringing local meat and produce to the table, Davis strives to use the freshest and finest ingredients in creative new ways, and the dinner’s menu will reflect this. The evening’s starters will include smoked trout hoecakes with arugula and crème fraîche, followed by main courses that include Port Royal shrimp rémoulade with fried green tomato salad and country ham and Madeira-Braised South Carolina squab and wild mushroom fricassee with corn spoonbread. Guests will finish with Key West cannoli, complete with almond tuile, Key lime mousse, and rum–coconut coulis.
Each dish on Chef Davis’s menu has been carefully paired with a Spanish wine donated by Grassroots Wine, a small South Carolina and Alabama dealer.
“This is such an honor,” says Davis, who founded Terra three years ago. “I owe a lot to the chefs who’ve taught me, but also to growing up in the South, where food has always been my passion. I’m looking forward to cooking in the James Beard kitchen and preparing a sample of what we have on the menu each night at Terra.”
Davis was born in Alabama and graduated from Johnson & Wales. He cooked under several prominent Charleston chefs, and in New Orleans, he worked as a sous chef under Chefs Frank Stitt and Susan Spicer, both James Beard award-winning cooks. Since settling in South Carolina and opening Terra, Davis has received numerous recognitions for his wine and culinary expertise.
His restaurant has earned the prestigious Wine Spectator Award of Excellence for three years running, and last year Davis was selected to participate in the exclusive Taste of the South, the annual Southern Foodways Alliance Benefit. He was also featured as Restaurant Hospitality magazine’s October 2009 Rising Star, and has recently been interviewed on NPR’s “A Chef’s Table,” which airs nationwide.
All proceeds from the dinner will go to the James Beard Foundation. The Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to celebrating and supporting the diverse culinary traditions of America through various programs such as educational workshops and culinary scholarships.
Get Your Bubby For Valentine's Day (or just for sippen')
Champagne for Valentine's Day
Why not pick up a beautiful bottle of bubbly for your blushing bride or beau?
Chandon Brut Rose NV $13.97/btl
Domaine Carneros Brut Rose NV $35.99/btl
Drappier Brut Rose NV $42.99/btl
Moet Nectar Imperial Rose NV $56.99/btl
Veuve Clicquot Brut Rose NV $57.99/btl
Billecart Salmon Brut Rose NV $89.99/btl
Take 10% off any 12 bottles at the Gourmet Shop!!!!
Gus Burger Comes to Columbia
If you've ever had a wild night out in my home town of Charlottesville, or if you happened to go to college at UVA, you've likely frequented the White Spot. It's quintessentially Charlottesville. And what makes it so memorable/ridiculous is the Gus Burger. This Gus Burger (one hamburger pattie, cheese, and a fried egg). is one of the three best burgers I've had in my life.
And the Gus Burger was the inspiration for this Saturday lunch. Although my burger was slightly more upscale ( not that in any way it needs to be). I simply went to Earth Fare and got one of their prepared Bison burgers and some Wil-Moore Farm eggs (you have to have good eggs for this.) and a hearty bun. Do not overcook the burger because Bison is less fatty than beef. The egg serves to add that extra umph to the burger, almost like cheesy goodness. Screw the veggies on your burger for this, they just get in the way.
I'm also a huge fan of the Plu Gra butter, which is slathered on every part of the burger and some Dubliner white cheddar.
Motor Supply Celebrates 20 Years of Great Eats
Motor Supply Co. Bistro, is celebrating their 20th anniversary in January 2010. Since opening in December 1989, Motor Supply, simply called “Motor” by the locals, has been serving some of the most inventive and original cuisine in town. Motor owner Eddie Wales handwrites the menu daily, which changes daily to reflect what’s in season and available locally.
Motor Supply Co. Bistro is wrapping up the 20th anniversary series of events with a special wine dinner at the restaurant. Chef Tim Peters will partner with a local wine distributor for a six course, prix-fixe menu. The dinner will feature seasonal produce, seafood and meat raised by local farmers and artisans, who Chef Peters is passionate about supporting.
WHEN: Sunday, January 31; A special hors d’oeuvres and cocktail hour starts at 6 p.m., and dinner will be served at 7 p.m.
Incredible I know, and this five ingredient (ish) masterpiece came together from all the jewels of the Midlands. We went to the farmers' market bright and early Saturday morning where I picked up the bacon from Caw Caw Creek. On a sidenote, I also got my Anson Mills oats, and Living Lettuce sprouts (truly spectacular). I picked up this local butter cheese (Happy Cow) from Rosewood as well as the Butterpatch Jerseys butter, and Wil-Moore eggs. The bread, though not local, came from the bakery section at Earth Fare (can't beat the baked goods).
I recently learned to flip my eggs like Bobby Flay and have been practicing continually (and going through some eggs) ever since. Quick tips: the burner should be on low heat, use enough butter and don't skimp, swiral the egg so it doesn't stick, and then in a wrist motion, give it a flip.
I like to salt my eggs with huge flecks of sea salt and freshly cracked pepper as well.
Peaceful Villa Blueberry Pear Butter
1532 Sunset Blvd
West Columbia, SC
803.708.1379
I wrote back in November about how I visited the Peaceful Villa and the owner Katherine Abel was kind enough to show me around the store. After our tour Katherine allowed to sample her Blueberry Pear Butter which she makes herself for the store. I fell in love with this gem in a bottle and have since been lathering it up on all my homemade breads. I made this exceptional honey wheat bread last week and every morning I wake dreaming about this hearty treat with Peaceful Villa Blueberry Pear Butter atop. You have to give Katherine and Ed and visit.
Here's her recipe for pear butter if you want to try this seasonal treat yourself. Although the butter that's pictured in Blueberry Pear Butter, Pear Butter is even more seasonal.
Peaceful Villa Pear Butter
1 cup pear pulp 1/4 tsp cup sugar 1/4 tsp cup vinegar 1/4 tsp ground cardamom seed 1/4 tsp thyme 1/4 tsp anise 2 drops orange or rose water
Method
1. Wash all the pears carefully and place, whole, in a big pot. Cover with water just to the top of the pears.
2. Bring to boil and turn down heat to just maintain the boil for about 1 hour or until the fruit is soft.
3. When cool, seat a large metal colander with small holes on top of another pot and use a big slotted spoon to transfer the fruit to the colander.
4. Use a potato masher to strain the fruit pulp through the colander and then discard the skins and seeds (throw them outside for the birds to eat).
5. Continue doing this till all the fruit is finished and your pot below is ready with all the pulp. The juice left behind in the first big pot is very delicious and can be strained and poured into 2-liter soda jugs and frozen to sweeten and drink later.
6. To the pulp in the pot, add sugar and vinegar to taste, without diluting the pulp too much. Approximately 1/4 cup of sugar to 1 cup of pulp, and 1/4 cup of vinegar (any vinegar you love will be the right vinegar) to 1 cup of pulp is usually about right.
7. Add spices that interest you - ground cardamom In the Middle East is used as a spice for sweet dishes as well as traditional flavoring in coffee and tea so I always love to use it. Fennel is also wonderful as well as anise and a pinch of thyme. A few drops of rose or orange water and do a nice bit of magic, too. It's just an experiment of mood and taste, go with your imagination!
8. Bring the pulp/spice/sugar/vinegar mix to a full rolling boil, stirring continuously to avoid burning the bottom and reducing the heat to just maintain the boil.
9. Continue with the canning process as appropriate for your needs. Here's a great link for a different pear butter recipe, but with pictures to show similar steps. http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/pear_butter/
Restaurant Week in the Midlands!
Here's a New Year's Resolution for you: Be good to your taste buds! For one week in January, Columbia residents can dine in style at some of the area's best restaurants for a fraction of the cost of a regular meal. Restaurant Week Columbia will be a seven-day celebration in the Midlands to be held Jan.11-17, 2010.
From fine dining to casual, participating restaurants will feature special menu items, promotions and discounts. Diners can sample new restaurants or dine at old favorites while tasting a variety of exceptional dishes being prepared by chefs at a great value. The event is a reminder that Columbia and the surrounding area is a culinary destination with top chefs, farm to table dining, wonderful wine and a lot more to discover and explore.
Participating restaurants range from family friendly to candlelight chic and include: Blue Marlin, Carolina's Restaurant at the Clarion Hotel, Cellar on Greene, Dianne's on Divine, Great American Grill at the Hilton Garden Inn, Hennessy's, Hudson's Smokehouse, Lexington Arms, Liberty Steakhouse, Mac's on Main, Miyo's (at the Village at Sandhill), MoMo's Bistro, Mr. Friendly's, Ristorante Divino, Ruth's Chris Steakhouse, Sakitumi, Solstice, Terra and Villa Tronco.
By The Columbia Foodie | November 24, 2009 at 08:31 AM EST | No Comments
What's Thanksgiving without stuffing and good stuffing really isn't that difficult to make. I love Harvest Eating with Keith Snow. This recipe is simple and amazing. What makes it for me is the cremini mushrooms. Cornbread stuffing is so much better than traditional stuffing in my opinion.
A few tips to remember:
Deglaze the pan with sherry, it truly makes the dish.
Turn off the pan when you deglaze and use a wooden spoon to deglaze.
Use a huge bowl for this or you'll run out of space.
By The Columbia Foodie | November 23, 2009 at 08:23 AM EST | No Comments
The Columbia Foodie will appear on Palmetto People on channel 7 (in the Midlands) for the Thanksgiving Food Episode at 7 am, 11:30 am, 6 pm, and 10:30 pm Monday Nov 23. Check it out.
By The Columbia Foodie | November 16, 2009 at 03:43 PM EST | No Comments
The weekend was beautiful, the leaves are at their peak and it seems we are actually enjoying a fall here in South Carolina. It was the perfect weekend for festivals and farmers' markets, both of which I frequented. We headed to the farmers' market to pick up the most heavenly coconut pie from Tasty Treats Bakery in Leesville, SC. It was a huge hit at our tailgate before the South Carolina/Florida Game. I also found this great little nook called the Peaceful Villa. It's a farm outlet and Mediterranean Market in West Columbia. They had a booth at the farmers' market with the most devine guacomole. I, like you am having a bit of difficulty discerning the theme of it but I'm going to try and pay a visit to it in the coming weeks.
Sunday was the SC Oyster Fest. It was loads of fun. The weather was incredible, the cheap bubbly was flowing and the oysters set the night on fire. It was an event that Columbia should be proud of though the oyster lines were a bit too long and there should have been a few more vendors. The setting at the Robert Mills House could not have been more memorable. I will be back again and again. The Blue Dogs played all the oldies and goodies and we just sipped and relaxed the night away.
By The Columbia Foodie | November 13, 2009 at 04:21 PM EST | No Comments
I’m getting set for a delightfully delicious weekend. I’m headed to Amsa’s Free Candlelight Yoga Class tonight and Potluck Dinner afterward. I’m bringing my homemade sea salt focaccia with this delicious fig jam that I found at Earth Fare yesterday. I’ll put the recipe up as soon as I get to it. It’s super easy. The jam is delightful paired with a triple cream blue brie, but I decided that wasn’t exactly yogic for some reason. We’ll skip the uber fatty yet delectable cheese and just keep it at the fig spread tonight. I had supper club last night where I tried out the focaccia because I had formerly been making it with rosemary instead of sea salt. But you know how I feel about salt.
Saturday I’m headed to the Whaley Street Farmers’ Market bright and early to pick up some of those beautiful Back Country Farm Goats Milk Soaps. They have this intricate embossing on the side that makes them a perfect seasonal gift. I also need to pick up a coconut pie from Miss Rachel’s Bake Shop. They have pumpkin bread and sweet potato pie as well but the moment I tried the coconut it was love at first bite.
And of course, of course, I’ll be headed to the Oyster Festival with the Blue Dogs. Gates open at 11 am at the Robert Mills House. Tickets are $5 in advance and $10 the day of the show. The Blue Dogs are playing, and that takes me back to the good ole days when I was young and worry free (not to say that I’ve gotten any more mature since then). There are a bunch of other bands playing as well. It should be a good time. I’ll be the one knee deep in oyster shells. Cannot wait.
By The Columbia Foodie | November 12, 2009 at 03:04 PM EST | No Comments
Most girls want jewelry, purses, or expensive cloths. Me, I want salt. Fleur de sel to be exact. This is the best finishing salt in the world. There is a marked diffence in foods finished with and without fleur de sel.
Specifically, fleur de sel or flower of salt is a hand-harvested sea salt collected by workers who scrape only the top layer of salt before it sinks to the bottom of large salt pans. Traditional French fleur de sel is collected off the coast of Brittany (most notably in the town of Guérande - Fleur de Sel de Guérande, hand harvested from salt marsh water being the most revered), Noirmoutier, and also Camargue, and is slightly grey due to the sandy minerals collected in the process of harvesting the salt from the pans.
I was thrilled to find it at the Gourmet Shop and even at a rate of $16.99 I couldn't pass it up. I promise, it will change your life.
By The Columbia Foodie | November 12, 2009 at 02:42 PM EST | No Comments
Thanksgiving is upon us again. Ahh the holiday of all things food. And as Thanksgiving is built around a famously delicious bird, I thought it necessary to talk turkey. When you are looking into picking out your bird there are a few things that you should consider. I'm a fan of organic or Heritage breed turkeys.
My favorite are the Heritage breeds because they taste like a bird should taste. And they run around frolicking and snacking until the day they move on to turkey neverland. You can ensure that they aren’t pumped full of the antibiotics or hormones that in 20 years will magically turn all of those us into bionic ogres if we’re not careful. Organic birds are also good to go.
Bare in mind that grass fed birds will take a bit longer to cook. Just stick the thermometer in and when it reaches 150 degrees, pull it out because it will continue to cook until it gets to 165 degrees.
By The Columbia Foodie | November 10, 2009 at 08:44 AM EST | No Comments
For those of us that don't live within a close proximity to Sand Hills it can be quite the field trip to get all the way out there. But upon arrival I was immediately drawn to the booze. Yes, the unlikely wine shop, Corked was a breath of fresh air. It has interesting wines that you won't find elsewhere in Columbia at a good price point and the owner, Kevin Niemann makes you want to come back. He's knowledgeable without being pushy, over zealous, or snooty in the least. We tried a bottle of Layer Cake's Primitivo. And yes you do taste hints of chocolate and mocha with a bit of a spicy finish. It's from Puglio, Italy and it's priced at around $18 per bottle. A great cold weather sip. If you like a hearty zin, this is your guy.
By The Columbia Foodie | November 09, 2009 at 09:00 AM EST | No Comments
Annual "Good Eats" & "The Go Social Club's" Chili Cook Off & Panther Tailgate Block Party Jackalope Jacks Sunday, November 15th from 1-6. 1936 E. 7th Street, Charlotte, NC, 28204 704-347-1918
Here are some of the highlights so far
•Amateur & Pro Categories w/Cash Prizes & Trophies*-$20 entrance fee for Amateur's & $40 for the Pros (Pot will be split amoungt winning entries) You can enter as many different type/and styles of chili for the same price and up your chances of winning!
•Two Categories-Traditional Beef & Bean(you can also do beef only) & A Specialty Category (speciality of your choice and can encompass any ingredients)
There will be 5 total winners. One winner for each category for Amateurs and one winner for each category for Pros. Then, there will be a PEOPLE'S CHOICE all around BEST CHILI winner that attendees with pick!
•Tasting portions will be $1 per tasting, buy ten and get a FREE beer!
•Panther Block Party-Watch the game on all the TV's-inside and out, Cornhole Tournament, Skee Ball Tournament
•Drink Specials -Buy 10 samples and get one beer FREE!
• Music
Parking - we will be using the parking lot for the cookoff but there is plenty of parking in and around the neighborhoods close by.
Information for those entering-
-NEED TO KNOW BY Thurs the 12th of Nov that you are competing
-Check in will start at 10 am the day of the Cook Off
-Chili can be brought finished to the event (preferable)
-You can enter in one or both of the categories-let me know by the 12th
-Looking for at least 3 gallons of chili for the pros and at least 1 gallon-hopefully more for the amateurs,as it will increase your chance of winning(I will be providing portion cups, which we will be using to serve the chili)
-You should be able to provide a means of serving(utensils), heating unit(we will be providing a grill to heat the chili and steam well for those that do not have one), a table(if you have one), a chafing dish(if you have one) and a smile for the guests of the event! I will need to know what you need ASAP, in order to make arrangements.
-You can promote your restaurant and or business at the event in any way you see fit(flyers, giveaways, etc). You will need at least one person manning your area serving and talking to the crowd-Talk you Chili up for a chance to win the PEOPLE'S CHOICE!
*Cash prizes will be based on number of teams entering
By The Columbia Foodie | November 08, 2009 at 12:27 PM EST | No Comments
All Local Farmers' Market 711 Whaley Street 8-12 Every Saturday
You can't help but to be proud of your little community upon entering the Farmers' Market on Whaley Street. Small but varied with an overwhelming feeling of community, the farmers' market is the highlight of a Saturday morning. Though the farmers' market a Whaley Street isn't a vast and sprawling metropolis it successfully hits on every major food group and a few in betweens. You'll find the usual standouts like Caw Caw Creek and Anson Mills as well as Living Lettuces, Bell Honey, and Veggie Patch. You'll find whimsically adorned goats milk soaps, homemade toffee, coconut pie, and sweet potato pie. Pay a buck for a coffee and then indulge in the a hearty Gervais and Vine breakfast. All the more reason to make it a part of your Saturday ritual.
By The Columbia Foodie | November 06, 2009 at 01:20 PM EST | No Comments
In an effort to highlight the best and the brightest in terms of all things delicious I thought it helpful for CF to make a weekly list of foodie picks. Here goes.
1. Super Natural Cooking By Heidi Swanson
One of my favorite cookbooks out there right now. Heidi Swanson, author of 101 Cookbooks shows you how to stock the pantry of the all natural chef. You must make the granola because after you do, never again will you whole heartedly be able to settle for the store bought version.
2. All Clad's Slow Cooker
While an investment, in the winter time a good slow cooker comes in handy. This is one of the best and it's worth the extra dough. For starters, this isn't any eye sore on the counter, but a rather a culinary device that doubles as art. Well to each their own. It's sturdy, easy to transport, and most importantly your recipes we'll come out marvelously.
3. The Local Coffee Variety at Earth Fare
For the coffee connoisseur this is nothing short of paradise. The selection of fabulous local coffees at Earth Fare is out of this world. Grind to there, throw it in the French press and you'll never need a coffee shop again.
By The Columbia Foodie | November 05, 2009 at 04:54 PM EST | No Comments
Thursday, November 12, 7:00pm
GourCastello Banfi is a family-owned vineyard estate and winery in the Brunello region of Tuscany. Together with its sister estates in Piedmont, Vigne Regali and Principessa Gavi, it has become recognized the world over for its dedication to excellence and sparking a renaissance in the art of Italian winemaking.
By The Columbia Foodie | November 05, 2009 at 04:37 PM EST | 1 comment
The readers of the Free Times just voted Gervais and Vine the best place for a first date. Makes sense to me considering the ample wine list and small plate menu. Get a little tipsy and enjoy some good eats. Even if your date turns out to be as exciting as televised bird watching you're good to go. In other news, this little treasure on Gervais won best wine list as well. I'll drink a glass of pinot to that.
