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Get the complete recipe for Charleston Shrimp and Grits.  This is the traditional Charleston Shrimp and Grits recipe, and why would we have it any other way? If you are visiting and have never tried this dish, please do so!  I know you will fall in love with this tasty Charleston treat!  If you are a resident of the area, I am sure you have heard of alternative ways but I am just going to post the original Charleston Shrimp and Grits recipe

.Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hours, 00 minutes

Ingredients:

·         1 1/2 pounds medium shrimp, peeled, halved lengthwise, and deveined if you wish

·         Juice of 1 lemon

·         Tabasco or other hot pepper sauce

·         1 1/2 teaspoons salt or more to taste

·         1 1/2 cups stone-ground grits, not instant or quick-cooking

·         6 thick slices bacon, chopped

·         1 small onion, finely chopped 

·         1/4 cup finely chopped green bell pepper

·         1 garlic clove, minced

·         1/2 cup thinly sliced scallions 

·         2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour

·         1 cup chicken stock

·         1 to 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

·         1 cup (about 1/4 pound) grated medium to sharp Cheddar cheese

·         Tabasco or other hot pepper sauce

·         Preparation

·         Combine the shrimp with the lemon juice and a couple of generous splashes of hot pepper sauce. Let sit while you begin the grits and gravy.

·         Make the grits in a large heavy saucepan, first bringing 6 cups of water and 1 teaspoon of the salt to a boil. Whisk in the grits a few handfuls at a time. (They will bubble up initially.) When you have added all the grits, reduce the heat to a very low simmer and cook over low heat for 35 to 40 minutes, stirring occasionally at first and more frequently toward the end.

·         While the grits simmer, get the gravy under way. Fry the bacon in a medium skillet over medium heat until brown but still limp. Stir in the onion, green pepper, and garlic and continue cooking until the onion and pepper are limp, about 5 minutes. Add the scallions, sprinkle the flour over the mixture, and continue sautéing for 5 minutes longer. Stir in the stock and remaining salt and cook for 5 minutes longer. Remove from the heat while you finish the grits.

·         When the grits are thick and creamy, stir in as much of the butter as you wish, followed by the cheese. Add a splash of hot pepper sauce and additional salt if you like. Cover the grits while you finish the gravy.

·         Return the gravy to medium heat and stir in the shrimp. Cook until the shrimp are opaque throughout, about 5 minutes. Serve immediately, mounding the grits in large shallow bowls or on plates and covering them with shrimp and gravy.

·         Serves: 4 (Unless you are really hungry!).

·         Credits: From A Real American Breakfast. Copyright 2002 by Cheryl Alters Jamison and Bill Jamison. All rights reserved. HarperCollins Publishers.

Enjoy Charleston Shrimp and Grits tomorrow morning guys! 

In my last post about gas prices and what people in Charleston are doing to combat them, I got a comment from a lady about a new website.  The name of the website is LowCountryYardSales.com.  Essentially, this is a page for people to buy and sell personal treasures.  How does this save gas?  You can drive to one location directly and buy what you want rather than driving to 15 and maybe not finding it?  I know most enjoy going from spot to spot but if gas prices are a concern, I would strongly suggest using LowCountryYardSales.com as a place for you to go and look for some bargains! 

Gas prices are soaring across the United States, including right here in Charleston, South Carolina.  I know most of my readers are located in Charleston, SC.  and that we are all feeling the pain at the pump. 

 How are you dealing with the rising gas prices?

 1.  Planning your daily required trips such as work and grocery shopping so that you go don’t waste gas?

 2.  Riding to work with a co-worker?

 3.  Buying a car that is better on gas?

 What are you cutting out of your life because of gas prices?  Vacation out of town?  Dining out less? 

 Maybe you are not changing anything at all.  If you are though, please post some comments at steps you have taken to combat the high gas prices!  I will post them later in a new article for everyone to read in a more organized matter.

Davidson won the Southern Conference Basketball Tournament for the third year straight.  College of Charleston beat The Citadel in the first round but ran out of steam against Elon in the semifinals of the 2008 Southern Conference Basketball Tournament. I attended all the games from Saturday until the finals on Monday night. I could have scripted how this tournament would end (Davidson 2008 Champs) but to the credit of Elon- good try! Davidson must be able to the Charleston as they are headed to the big dance once again! I hope some of my readers were able to come out to this great even in North Charleston!

The importance of going green should be mentioned as often as possible.  I always enjoy sharing other local blogs with my readers so let me tell you about a blog I found recently, GoGreenCharleston.org.  GoGreenCharleston.org is a site dedicated to sharing the importance and benefits of going green within your community.  After all, if the efforts do not start local, where will they begin? Charleston is a beautiful place, I think we should all do everything in our power to preserve the beauty of Charleston, SC.  Please, do not put this off, visit GoGreenCharleston.org for valuable tips and quality discussion of green living within Charleston. 

This may not be about your quality of life, but it may be the future generations of your family. 

Enjoy the rest of the weekend everyone!

If you are planning on touring Charleston then I would suggest doing so by horse and carriage. Whether you are on a vacation to Charleston or planning a romantic outing, a horse carriage ride in Charleston is a great method to see what the city of Charleston has to offer.  Are you are ready to ride in elegance? Great! Old South Carriage Company is one of the more popular carriage services in Charleston.  Olde Town Carriage Company has been in business for over 25 years providing professional tour guides to vistors, they even can handle special events and large groups.  Carolina Polo and Carriage Company is a local family owned company that specializes in providing romantic adventures and is a great option if you are planning a wedding in Charleston.  Lastly, Classic Carriage Tours provides rides for couples and wagons for large groups.  All of the companies have unique offers and experiences.  I would suggest visiting the websites of each to gather a better idea of what they have to offer and if they will fit within your budget.  Enjoy your ride and view of the great city of Charleston! Don’t forget to give the horse a treat!

     Maybe you are considering visiting Charleston for a vacation?  Or you’re coming in for a business trip?  Whatever the reason, Charleston offers an exciting night life atmosphere! 

     So do you drive around Charleston (maybe you should take a taxi?) and take a guess at which bar or club looks like it is right for you?  Relax, we have you covered!  

     I recently discovered two sites that provide helpful reviews of Charleston bars and clubs.  CharlestonBars.com provides a detailed list of bars in the area, along with forums, pictures, videos and much more!  If you are looking to have an elegant night out with your someone special, then hop over to CharlestonCocktail.com.  The site features reviews of restaurants and bars in the Charleston area.  They even have pictures and a “Charleston Calendar of Events” to keep you local guys well informed!  So if you’re going out on the town anytime soon, check these two sites out first.  Don’t forget the most important thing, have fun and be safe!

It’s here!

The 25th annual Friends of the Library book sale “BookFest 2007” is at the Gaillard Auditorium this weekend. The event kicked off with a catered pre-sale on Thursday and continues through 3 pm on Sunday.

This is the chance to browse through tens of thousands of books donated to support the Charleston County Public Library.

Whether you forgot to pick up the latest thriller when it was on the shelf last summer or are looking for an elusive art catalog, rubbing shoulders with fellow local book lovers at this family-friendly event always makes for a good time.

In the rainy seasons, flooding is never far from the minds of ladies and gentlemen of the South Carolina Lowcountry.

Because, of course, Lowcountry means low country, and coastal low country to boot.

Every a heavy day of rain, you can watch cars and trucks bravely attempting to slip through hood-high waters in especially low-lying areas of the peninsula. Quite often, they fail in the attempt and sit, steaming and in need of towing, in the slow rolling wake of other vehicles.

Sandbags in the storeroom. Stocking up on gallon jugs of fresh water, flashlights, batteries, and emergency food items.

All part of living in the potential path of tropical storms.

Now that the hot, dry winds of summer are settling back a bit, the October scares are starting to settle into place.

Creative Spark Center for the Arts, the National Park Service at Fort Moultrie, and Poe’s Tavern are working hand in claw to produce a creepy thrill in the catacombs this Halloween season. Poe: Back from the Grave will feature live actors from PURE Theatre and Cabaret Kiki. Saturday, October 13. 7, 7:30, 8, and 8:30 PM. $25. For more information, call Creative Spark (843) 881-3780.

And don’t forget the ghosts of Charleston proper.

 Charleston Lore & Legends Ghost Theatre is debuting a brand new show for the season. Check them out one block south of the Market, at 161 Church Street, Monday through Saturday, 10 AM to 10 PM, and Sunday, 12 PM to 8 PM, if you dare. Shows every hour and a half. Adults $9, Children 4-12, $6, and children 3 and under, Free. For more information, call (843) 937-0916.