When I first returned to Charleston in 2011, one of my immediate misgivings was the lack of Vietnamese restaurants. Having lived here in the 90's, I was used to treks to Ashley Phosphate for Cha Gio (crispy spring rolls wrapped in lettuce cups with fresh herbs), Goi Cuon (fresh spring rolls wrapped in rice paper) …
Video: Mercado San Miguel
The Mercado San Miguel was featured in the Madrid episode of No Reservations. This was the first meal I ate in Spain. Galician percebes, or (gooseneck barnacles), elvers (baby eels), cockles (berbecheros) and of course the famous jamon Iberico Bellota (the black hooved, acorn fed ham from the Dehesa). If you should find yourself in …
Farmer’s Market Haul
A Soccarat for Grendel
Soccarat: the elusive and ethereal crust of rice that forms at the bottom of the paella pan. Impassioned fans of the dish will literally fight over this, much in the same way as the impassioned football fans of FC Barcelona and Real Madrid. On the particular night in question, more than 16 years ago, we …
TV is fun! http://ow.ly/l1TqO
TV is fun! http://ow.ly/l1TqO
The Grendel Sleeps Tonight. Joseph Hewett, 1977-2013
Saddened to hear this week of the passing of my friend Joseph Hewett.I met Joe as part of the Lake Gordon Mafia, when I was working as a tour guide. We'd host weekly throwdowns - Joe and I would cook, Josh Ivey would grab bread from Dinardo's, a bottle of Mendoza and pull out some …
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An Importance of Whelks
Yesterday, I finally picked up Ben Shewry's Origin book down at Heirloom Books. Wild. Foraged. Hyper-local. This is one look at the future of fine dining in the near century. Intensely inspiring. Of course, he's working with a roto vap and a few things I don't have access to - but that's technique. It's his …
Waking up the gumpchezgump blog. Notes f
Waking up the gumpchezgump blog. Notes from the Monday's James Beard dinner. http://ow.ly/jhue3
2013 CW&F James Beard Dinner
So Monday night marked the final event of the 2013 Charleston Wine and Food Festival. I was blessed to be asked to participate in the event, serving hors d'oeuvres prior to the event. Inside the historic bastion of Fort Moultrie, I was joined by James Beard winners Nathalie Dupree, Matt and Ted Lee, and of …
Finally, join us at Fort Moultrie with s
Finally, join us at Fort Moultrie with some "up and coming" Charleston chefs. #2013 CW&F #OVPH #gumpchezgump http://ow.ly/iLf8L