TheState.com: Food

Rain may put pumpkin pie in peril, Nestle says

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 07:22 EST

The holidays may not be so sweet this year.

Nestle - which sells nearly all the canned pumpkin in the U.S. - says poor weather hurt its harvest, creating a potential shortage of its Libby's pumpkin pie products through the holidays.

In a statement to customers this week, Nestle said heavy rains made it nearly impossible to pick its pumpkins during this year's harvest.

The longer the pumpkins sit in the muddy fields, the more they deteriorate. As a result, Nestle said this week that it would not pack any more pumpkins this year, which means it may be hard to find its canned pumpkin and pumpkin pie filling product until next year's harvest.

"Mother nature had other plans for us," the company said in an open apology to customers online.

Local tasting events

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 12:10 EST

Corked

Village at Sandhill, 661-3 Promenade Place, (803) 708-4755, corkedwineshop.com

Every Friday: 6-8 p.m. Sample wine with light snacks from Corked's gourmet food selections. $5 per person

Every Saturday: 4-6 p.m. Sample "leftovers" from Friday. $3

Tuesday: 6-8 p.m. Two or three wines. Free

Guy Fieri in the house!

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 09:44 EST

During a recent visit to the Midlands, the Food Network's Guy Fieri sampled burgers and country cooking in Five Points and Lexington.

The Farmer's Shed in Lexington and Pawleys Front Porch in Five Points confirmed Fieri spent time filming segments for his "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives" program.

On his show, Fieri - a boisterous guy with bleached, spiky hair and sunburned face who wears bowling shirts - travels the country visiting local eateries.

Farmer's Shed owner Shirley Sease said the segment on her business is supposed to air after Christmas.

At Pawleys Front Porch, the show "liked the creativity of the hamburgers," said chef Kyle Taylor.

Recipes: Farmer's Shed strawberry pudding, squash casserole, field peas, peach cobbler

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 09:44 EST

Strawberry pudding

8 to 10 servings

1 box vanilla wafers (You will not use an entire box.) 1 (3.4-ounce) box instant cheesecake pudding 1 cup milk 1 cup sour cream 1 cup Cool Whip 1 quart fresh strawberries, washed and sliced

-- * In large mixing bowl, mix pudding, milk and sour cream with a whisk or spoon.

-- * Add Cool Whip and mix well.

What's good here? The Backyard Cafe

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 07:19 EST

Peg Mead is the owner and operator of The Backyard Cafe in West Columbia. She and her husband, Mike Wilson, opened the restaurant 1 1/2 years ago.

What's good here?

"One of our most popular is our roast beef. You can have it two ways. We have an open-faced sandwich on toasted sourdough or the roast beef dinner with Yukon gold mashed potatoes and vegetable medley. The roast beef is slow cooked for 17 hours. It's really good. ... We try to make everything here we can. We don't want the preservatives and things that come in premade items."

Anything else popular?

"Our hamburgers. That's why we opened the restaurant. We were on an eternal quest for that good hamburger. We spent years and years looking."

Carolina Kitchen: Frozen assets yield tasty creation

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 14:25 EST

I need more room in the freezer. I do not need another freezer, just a bit more room in this one.

You see, in order to make the most of the space in my small home, the refrigerator is recessed into the wall so that it doesn't stick out into the floor, thus allowing me to put a real dinette table in the middle of the kitchen. The table is really my only "countertop space" since, having measured for a new countertop earlier this year, I only have just under 10 feet of counter available for working, holding the microwave, dish drain (no dishwasher), toaster and food processor. The "problem" is that the hole in the wall will only hold the smaller sized fridges and thus, the smaller freezer.

And holiday baking season is just getting started.

Hmmm.

The bacon can stay, it takes up relatively little space. I'll take out one pack because I just didn't remember having bought that much.

Local tasting events

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 13:23 EST

Corked

Village at Sandhill, 661-3 Promenade Place, (803) 708-4755, corkedwineshop.com

Thursday: 6-8 p.m. Beaujolais Nouveau release party. $10, limited seating

Every Friday: 6-8 p.m. Sample wine with light snacks from Corked's gourmet food selections. $5 per person

Every Saturday: 4-6 p.m. Sample "leftovers" from Friday. $3

Recipe: Marinated eggplant sandwich

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 13:23 EST

Marinated eggplant sandwich

1 serving

1/4 pound eggplant, sliced thin

3-4 tomato slices

Handful mixed greens

Cooks' calendar

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 13:23 EST

EVENTS

Holiday celebration at Sandhill Farmers Market 2:30 p.m. til dusk, Tuesday (the last day of the season). Kids can make edible turkeys from fruit and vegetables, ornaments from natural materials and pet baby lambs. Local produce, plants, baked goods, wool, and more. Live music by Keith Tracy. 900 Clemson Road, across from Village at Sandhill.

HOLIDAY HOTLINES

Have questions about holiday cooking and baking? Check out these sites:

Butterball Turkey: (800) BUTTERBALL (800-288-8372); Butterball.com. New this year is Turkey Texting. Text the word TURKEY to 36888 to get weekly turkey tips, thawing reminders and cooking alerts to your mobile phone.

Tastings: Weekly wine, beer and spirits reviews

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 13:23 EST

- Kishmir India Pale Ale, Highland Brewing Co., Asheville, N.C., 5.6 percent alcohol, $7 six pack

What a beautiful hazy apricot color and sweet malt aroma this beer has as you pour it into the glass. The flavors blend together and are not overpowering. Flavors of caramel and orange peel with layers of hops and malt flow together. The bitterness was in check with the smooth body. This beer would work well with Asian dishes or subtle grilled menus.

- 2008 Big House Red, California $12

This wine is a blend of varietals, such as Syrah, Grenache, Tannat, Mourvedre, Sangiovesse and Barbera. The flavors are big and powerful, yet harmonious and well structured.

A great nose full of dark ripe berries with a hint of spice leads into a full body emphasizing the dark fruit with hints of oak. The finish is lush and soft. It has subtle and balanced hints of the different grapes.

Send us your holiday cookie recipes!

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 14:33 EST

Are you a Christmas cookie queen (or king)? Do friends start asking about your homemade fudge the day after Thanksgiving?

We're looking for bakers who make a special treat during the holiday season to feature in the Life & Style section in December.

Send your name, daytime telephone number and a little about your special recipe.

E-mail msexton@thestate.com, or mail to Cookie recipes, Megan Sexton, The State newsroom, P.O. Box 1333, Columbia, SC 29202.

Deadline: Nov. 30

Dining out: Local restaurant news

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 13:55 EST

WHERE THERE'S SMOKE ...

Smoke, a restaurant partnership between Tom Hall and Dan Huntley, has opened in Blythewood. As Hall describes it, Smoke will be a "smoked meats, local produce, barbecues, oyster, craft beer and swine bar."

Bluegrass every Thursday, live music on Fridays (this week, Danielle Howle) and kick back and enjoy football on Saturdays. Check out the boudin balls (deep-fried cajun pork and rice balls) and the Dixie springrolls (fried wonton filled with pork, tasso ham and collard greens) on the appetizer menu and the Plowman dinner (house sausage, brisket and ribs). Open for buffet lunch 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday; dinner 5:30 p.m. until closing Thursday, Friday and Saturday. 10324 Wilson Blvd., Blythewood (Exit 24 off I-77, go east, Smoke is the first building on the right), (803) 754-0270. Order your smoked turkey and other meats now for the holidays.

DINING

Solstice Kitchen & Wine Bar, 841-4 Sparkleberry Lane, is now serving lunch 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Tuesday through Friday. The lunch menu will offer some of the same dinner creations that Solstice is known for as well as some sandwiches, burgers and salads. Check out what Ricky Mollohan and Chef Blythe Kelly have put together at solsticekitchen.com. (803) 788-6966

Local tasting events

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 13:20 EST

Corked

Village at Sandhill, 661-3 Promenade Place, (803) 708-4755, corkedwineshop.com

Thursday: 6-8 p.m. Beaujolais Nouveau release party. $10, limited seating

Every Friday: 6-8 p.m. Sample wine with light snacks from Corked's gourmet food selections. $5 per person

Every Saturday: 4-6 p.m. Sample "leftovers" from Friday. $3

We want your Christmas cookie recipes

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 13:12 EST

Are you a Christmas cookie queen (or king)?

Do friends start asking about your homemade fudge the day after Thanksgiving?

We're looking for bakers who make a special treat during the holiday season to feature in the Life & Style section in December.

Send your name, daytime telephone number and a little about your special recipe. E-mail msexton@thestate.com, or mail to Cookie recipes, Megan Sexton, The State newsroom, P.O. Box 1333, Columbia, SC 29202

Local tasting events

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 12:55 EST

Corked

Village at Sandhill, 661-3 Promenade Place, (803) 708-4755, corkedwineshop.com

Tonight: 5:30-8 p.m. De Vine Divas featuring Tracey Nishimura of Pampered Chef. Food sponsored by New York Butcher Shoppe. $10

Nov. 19: 6-8 p.m. Beaujolais Nouveau release party. $10, limited seating

Every Friday: 6-8 p.m. Sample wine with light snacks from Corked's gourmet food selections. $5 per person

This site celebrates baking mishaps

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 13:02 EST

Someone who decorates cakes for a living should possess certain skills.

Spelling is an important one. For example, success is not quite as sweet when the inscription reads, "Contralulation's Ronan."

An eye for color helps, too. Piped dark brown swirls are never a good idea on a cake dotted with plastic farm animals.

Finally, a few words about customer service: When someone requests that nothing be written on the cake, "NOTHING" should not be written on the cake.

For those working outside these margins, there is Cake Wrecks (http://cakewrecks.blogspot.com/), Jen Yates' popular blog and new book of the same name (Andrews McMeel, $12.99), celebrating the folly of professional confections gone horribly, horribly wrong. Think of them as epic fails, with frosting. There are Hello Kitty cakes that look more like gerbils with glandular problems, fondant ribbons gnarled into hideous nests, and squishy inscriptions that read, "Happy 3th Birthday, Evan." As Yates, 31, defines it, a Cake Wreck is "any cake that is unintentionally sad, silly, creepy, inappropriate - you name it."

Adluh Grits Cookoff: Winning recipes

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 22:58 EST

Recipes continue below video player:

Adluh held its 10th annual Adluh Grits Cookoff on Saturday in Columbia. These are the winning recipes.

First Place: Brandon Velie, Juniper restaurant, Ridge Spring

Maple Soy Glazed Manchester Farms Quail Breast Medallions with Gingered Butternut Squash Adluh Grits and Rawl Farms Flash Fried Collards

Local food-related events

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:21 EST

Rosewood Market's annual turkey tasting is 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday. Sample free-range natural turkey, tofu turkey and holiday fruit pies and fixings. 2803 Rosewood Drive; (803) 765-1083; rosewoodmarket.com

The March of Dimes Signature Chefs Auction will be 6 p.m. Sunday. Sample the best from the area's finest restaurants, bid on silent auction packages and enjoy a live auction of dining, travel and entertainment packages. Tickets are $150 per person, $1,500 for a corporate table of eight. For more information, contact Betsy Britt, (803) 252-5200, or marchofdimes.com/southcarolina.

Columbia Family Shelter's Brews, Bluegrass and BBQ will be held 5:30-9 p.m. Nov. 12 at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church Hellenic Center, Sumter and Calhoun streets in Columbia. Enjoy an evening of beer, wine, barbecue, live music from the Papa String Band and Black Water, a photo exhibit and door prizes. Tickets are $30; all proceeds go to Columbia Family Shelter. (803) 771-7040

The 14th Annual South Carolina Oyster Festival will be 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Nov. 15 at Robert Mills House and Hampton-Preston Mansion, 1615 and 1616 Blanding St. It will feature children's activities and live music from Blue Dogs, Tom Hall and the Plowboys, Danielle Howle and more. Tickets: $5 advance, $10 day of festival, free for children 12 and younger. Tickets are available at Robert Mills House Museum Shop, California Chicken Grill, BaWa Oyster Co. and online at etix.com. More information: (803) 252-2128

Local tasting events

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:09 EST

Cellar on Greene

2001-D Greene St., (803) 343-3303; cellarongreene.com

Saturday: 12-2 p.m. Holiday reserve wine sale and tasting. Taste before you buy wine for your holiday occasion. $10 per person.

City Art

1224 Lincoln St.

Carolina Kitchen: The joy of eating alone

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 13:39 EST

What do you eat when you're alone? Tell us at food@thestate.com, and we'll share your answers in a future column.

I'm finishing up an interesting book, "What We Eat When We Eat Alone," by Deborah Madison and Patrick McFarlin (Gibbs Smith Publishing).

It took me a minute to get past the title because to some (even me, sometimes) the thought of eating at home, alone, sounds depressing. This book, though, is not.

Over the course of a few years, the authors asked friends, family and professional acquaintances this question: "What do you eat when you eat alone?" The answers are wide ranging. Some offer amusing stories; others eat simple creations using one main ingredient; some create complicated dinners.

In general, the authors found that men tend toward meat and potatoes and women gravitate to salads and fish. Partners, alone through some circumstance or another, tend to save up and savor those flavors that their significant others don't particularly enjoy (ranging from pickled herring and caramelized onions over mashed potatoes to Spam). A friend of mine, Josh, is a chef, and when he's not eating a steak, he likes to try out new recipes when the wife and kids are out of town. Others reach for comfort food such as salmon cakes and polenta.

Tastings: Weekly wine, beer and spirits reviews

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 13:10 EST

- Duck Rabbit Milk Stout, North Carolina, 5.7 percent alcohol, $8 per 6 pack

This beer has all the right stuff: great aromas, rich flavors and medium carbonation. The aromas of vanilla and black coffee flow smoothly into the taste. The flavors are supple. Dark coffee, milk chocolate and creamy vanilla are framed by roasted hops notes. Perfect for an evening when the weather turns colder and with cream sauce meals and dessert.

- New Amsterdam Gin, United States, 80 proof, $15, 750 ml

This is a good-quality, value-priced gin. Aromas of orange and whispers of juniper precede well-layered flavors of orange zest and citrus, with herbs and juniper adding a subtle undertone. This sweet-and-tangy gin has a medium-dry finish that works well for mixing, especially in fruit-based cocktails or as an alternative to vodka in cosmopolitans.

- 2008 Beringer Founders' Estate Chardonnay, California, $11

Local tasting events

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 13:10 EST

Cellar on Greene

2001-D Greene St., (803) 343-3303; cellarongreene.com

Saturday: 12-2 p.m. Holiday reserve wine sale and tasting. Taste before you buy wine for your holiday occasion. $10 per person.

City Art

1224 Lincoln St.

Cooks' calendar

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 13:10 EST

EVENTS

Rosewood Market's annual turkey tasting is 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday. Sample free-range natural turkey, tofu turkey and holiday fruit pies and fixings. 2803 Rosewood Drive; (803) 765-1083; rosewoodmarket.com

St. David's Episcopal Church Fall Bazaar will feature soups prepared by the Blythewood High School culinary class. Three different frozen soups will be sold, along with baked goods, Santa shop items and books. Proceeds go to charity. The bazaar will be 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday at 605 Polo Road.

The March of Dimes Signature Chefs Auction will be Sunday at 6 p.m. Sample the best from the area's finest restaurants, bid on silent auction packages and enjoy a live auction of dining, travel and entertainment packages. Tickets are $150 per person, $1,500 for a corporate table of eight. For more information, contact Betsy Britt, (803) 252-5200, or marchofdimes.com/southcarolina.

Columbia Family Shelter's First Annual Brews, Bluegrass and BBQ will be held 5:30-9 p.m. Nov. 12 at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church Hellenic Center, Sumter and Calhoun streets in Columbia. Enjoy an evening of beer, wine, barbecue, live music from the Papa String Band and Black Water, a photo exhibit and door prizes. Tickets are $30; all proceeds go to Columbia Family Shelter. (803) 771-7040

Thrifty Thanksgiving Recipes

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 13:10 EST

Dry-brined roasted turkey

12 servings

For the turkey:

1 (12- to 14-pound) fresh turkey

1/4 cup kosher salt mixed with lemon pepper and herbs such as sage, rosemary and thyme

Heloise: Cakes in a coffee can

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 13:10 EST

TREAT FOR THE TROOPS

Our church group sends baked goods as care packages to military personnel in Iraq. We brainstormed several ideas, such as shoe boxes, etc., but found that the best way to send a cake to anyone overseas is to bake the cake in a small, metal coffee can. After baking, remove the cake to cool. Then repack it in the can, put the plastic lid on the coffee can and pack the can in a postal box. Soldiers tell us they love getting cakes this way for two reasons: The cake arrives in one piece, and it can be stored easily, with an airtight lid, if it's not eaten all at once. - Gwen, via e-mail

HELOISE'S HOT COCOA MIX

There's a chill in the air, and that means it's time to reprint Heloise's Hot Cocoa Mix recipe.

Combine 2 cups powdered milk, a dash of salt, 1/4 cup cocoa and 1 cup powdered sugar. Store in a nice container. Decorated containers make great holiday gift ideas. Type or hand-write a label with these directions:

Dining out: Local food news

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 12:11 EDT

Garden Bistro is Giving Back 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Tuesday. Proceeds from all food sales at the bistro that day (dine-in, take-out and delivery) go to the Columbia Jaycees Charities Foundation, benefiting Jaycee Camp Hope, Epworth Children's Home and other local charities. 932 Gervais St., (803) 933-9085 or fax (803) 933-0689; gardenbistrosc.com

Mo Mo's Bistro has reopened at 2930 Devine St. Executive Chef Jason Wilcox will present a menu featuring old favorites, an expanded list of small plates (tapas) and new monthly specials. The online menu lists entrees from $22 to $30, including pan-seared duck breast with hand-torn pasta, pea tendrils, wild mushrooms and roasted garlic marscapone cream ($24) and Caw Caw Creek pork chop with arugula-almond pesto slaw, fingerling potato salad, grilled asparagus and Madeira demi-glace ($24). Restaurant hours are 5:30-11 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday; bar opens at 5 p.m. (803) 252-2700, momosondevine.com

Anthony's Dairy Bar at 2001 Hampton St. has a new menu. The restaurant now offers salads, gyros (lamb and grilled chicken) and pitas in addition to its famous fried chicken and burgers. Try a pita combo (choose chicken, steak or turkey pita with fries, pickle and drink), $6.95. Open 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Saturday. (803) 255-0900

Mom and Dad, want to enjoy a night out but need a baby sitter? Solstice Kitchen & Wine Bar has scheduled its next baby sitters night for Wednesday. Make a reservation for yourself at Solstice for dinner before 7 p.m. and, for $5 per child, the restaurant provides a baby sitter, meal and entertainment for your kids. Limited to the first 15 children. 841-4 Sparkleberry Lane, (803) 788-6966.

Rather take your pooch to dinner? The next Doggie Dinner at Solstice is Nov. 11. Pupcakes supplies the three-course dog dinner (humans order off the Solstice menu), $10 per dog. Call Pupcakes for reservations. (803) 461-0236.

Local tasting events

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 12:11 EDT

Cellar on Greene

2001-D Greene St., (803) 343-3303; cellarongreene.com

Saturday: 12-2 p.m. Giant wine sale and free tasting.

City Art

1224 Lincoln St.

What's good here? Gina's Pizza and Italian Gourmet

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 15:42 EDT

WHAT'S GOOD HERE: Get to know the people behind local restaurants

Gina Rockwood opened Gina's Pizza and Italian Gourmet in the Friarsgate neighborhood of Irmo almost four years ago.

What's good here?

"Definitely the pizza, although we do have other stuff. We have pasta, subs, strombolis and calzones. We have 20 different gourmet pizzas."

Tell us about the pizza.

Local tasting events

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 13:53 EDT

Cellar on Greene

2001-D Greene St., (803) 343-3303; cellarongreene.com

Tonight: Taste Argentina's Dona Paula wines, five wines. $5

Saturday: 12-2 p.m. Giant wine sale and free tasting.

City Art

Cooks' calendar of events

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 13:53 EDT

EVENTS

The March of Dimes Signature Chefs Auction will be Nov. 8 at 6 p.m. Sample the best from the area's finest restaurants, bid on silent auction packages and enjoy a live auction of dining, travel and entertainment packages. Tickets are $150 per person, $1,500 for a corporate table of eight. For more information, contact Betsy Britt, (803) 252-5200 or marchofdimes.com/southcarolina.

The 14th Annual South Carolina Oyster Festival will be 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Nov. 15 at Robert Mills House and Hampton-Preston Mansion, 1615 and 1616 Blanding St. It will feature children's activities and live music from Blue Dogs, Tom Hall and the Plowboys, Danielle Howle and more. Tickets: $5 advance, $10 day of festival, free for children 12 and younger. Tickets are available at Robert Mills House Museum Shop, California Chicken Grill, BaWa Oyster Co. and online at etix.com. More information: (803) 252-2128

CONTESTS