Happy New Year-Part 3

I am living proof that Googling for info can be an addictive sport. In one such foray while researching Low Country vacation options, I stumbled upon the Geechee Girl Rice Cafe website. For those who might not know, the Gullah (or Geechee) community of the coastal South Carolina and Georgia low country is an Afro-American subculture, descendants of Southern slaves.

What makes the Gullah so interesting is that this group has uniquely preserved its linguistic and cultural heritage for over 150 years — including crafts, music, folk art, and coastal agrarian traditions — including their cuisine. This is where Valerie Erwin comes in. She owns a restaurant in the greater Philly area, the Geechee Girl Rice Cafe, where she doles out helpings of Low Country ‘fusion’ cuisine in tribute to her heritage and family foodways. I don’t want to mislead anyone, as I have not eaten at her restaurant — but let’s just say it’s on my to-do list. Until that field trip becomes a reality, she’s graciously shared a couple of recipes off her menu to the general public via her restaurant website, one being the “Crispy Hoppin’ John” which I filed away some time ago for future use. You foodies may want to check out her site and the restaurant menu …

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Happy New Year-Part 2

Like many a Southern recipe, the infusion of pork into water so as to create a robust stock, is what flavors the greens so well (and works for field peas too!). The ‘assembly’ of greens referenced in the recipe covers a wide range of options, but I have to say that I’m partial to mustard and collard greens, but have been warming up to kale prepared by this method as well.  But any combination of them will work for the New Year’s meal where the greens are supposed to shine as the center piece of the meal.

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