subject: Eating In South Carolina [print this page] Food has evolved along with humans, and thank goodness for that! Far from the bare-bones stuff eaten for basic sustenance purposes, modern cuisine is a rich celebration of local ingredients, historic interactions, and cultural identity. Even within countries or states, there are variations on the local foodstuffs. If you're in South Carolina, you're in for a treat: the southern-style Low-Country cuisine.
In South Carolina, there are two kinds of gatherings which call for a Boil. The first, which is known as a Frogmore or Beaufort Stew, originates in the Gullah African-American community; during the slave trade, large group gatherings would need to be fed as quickly as possible, with foods that were immediately available. Boiling a large group of ingredients in a pot is quick and easy. The Frogmore Stew typically involves shrimp, sausage, red potatoes, and corn on the cob. The flavors are usually mild, with less cayenne and hot sauce used. The boil is named for the different communities and counties in South Carolina, each of which has its own unique twist on this communal one-pot meal.
The other type of Low Country Boil is an Oyster Roast; cooks will pile the molluscs onto a mesh grill that is placed over hot coals, and then drape wet burlap sacks over top in order to steam them as well. These events are popular during the harvest season, when the oysters are as fresh as possible. The Boils and Roasts are large parties, attended by family, friends, or the entire neighborhood; celebrations often go long into the night. If you are invited to one of these special events, count yourself lucky!
South Carolina chefs pride themselves on their catfish stew. This dish is made from fillets of catfish, usually the sides of the animal, which are cooked on a heavy boil for that 'melt-in-your-mouth' tenderness. Hot sauce, crushed tomatoes, onions, and potatoes are added to the meat to create the entree. No tomatoes are used in white catfish stew.
For a rich appetizer, you must try she-crab soup. With a base of heavy cream, the soup is made of Atlantic blue crab meat, crab roe, dry sherry, pureed rice, and shallots. It is similar to bisque, and is featured on the menus of many Charleston restaurants as well as specialty cafes all over the state. Ironically, many of the crabs used in she-crab soup may in fact be male; the name comes from the fact that the soup uses the eggs, or roe, from a gravid crab who is carrying them internally; it gives the soup its distinctive orange color. There are many more dishes that can be found in the South Carolina Low-Country; with all these rich seafood ingredients in such hearty meals, you might never want to eat again!
