My First Taste of Amen Street

Amen Street is an unusual name for a restaurant. I probably would have overlooked it had it not been for the multiple referrals I received from various waitresses and strangers when I inquired about a good, local seafood place in Charleston. Now we almost didn't go - in fact, I was initially leaning towards a small, family run sushi joint called Shi Ki - but after calling both places to inquire about their fish sourcing, Amen Street came out on top.

Amen Street is located in a busy part of town, just a block or so from Market Street. We went on a cold, wet, and slow Monday night, so reservations were not necessary. Our waitress was friendly and was able to answer most of our questions regarding fish and wine (we can sometimes be borderline obnoxious when we go out to eat...but we are picky about what we pay for, particularly at pricier establishments). Griffe chose to imbibe a couple Highland Gaelic Ales, while I opted for a light and citrusy South African sauvignon blanc (love!) made by Hill&Dale Wines.

The restaurant was open and airy, with high ceilings, a long bar with two televisions (they had a football game playing while we ate) which created a slightly more casual atmosphere than I had anticipated. Some of the more interesting ornaments included some large chandeliers decorated with sea shells, a row of vertically-aligned, black and white paintings suspended from the wall in a three-dimensional way, and a clever little sign pointing to the restrooms, offering only one word ("Yes") and very conspicuously answering the unspoken question we all ask: "is this the way to the bathroom?"

Starters
Griffe and I shared some fried calamari in a lemon aioli sauce, and a Berry salad (mixed greens, blueberries, spiced pecans, and what appeared to be a clump of brie cheese, lightly tossed with a champagne vinaigrette). The calamari was very tasty, but the addition of bacon pieces was a little too much - I brushed those to the side. Griffe thought it would be better with marinara sauce (they were out).

The berry salad was nice too, albeit slightly bitter, but this was offset by the delicious, sweetened pecans. I thought the cheese was yummy (it was actually a bloomy-rind cheese, not brie - similar, though) but I didn't really like the way it was included as a small wedge you had to continuously bludgeon with your fork in order to evenly disperse into the rest of the salad. Visually appealing, but functionally annoying.

Entrees
After practically grilling the waitress about where their fish came from, we finally settled on some locally caught (and by locally, they meant somewhere between the Carolinas and the Gulf of Mexico...so there's room for debate here). The menu allowed you to pair one of three different preparation methods with the fish of your choice. Griffe and I were both besotted by the sound of "Herb Grilled [fish], Artichoke Risotto Cake, Marinated Tomatoes, in a Tomato Vinaigrette and Herb Oil", so we ordered our fish (Orange Marlin and Redfish, respectively) prepared as such. We were not disappointed:

(pictured: Orange Marlin - my Redfish picture didn't come out well)

The Redfish was tender and incredibly flavorful. The artichoke risotto absolutely melted in my mouth. The only thing that wasn't 100% delectable were the tomatoes, which seemed a little dry to me. Otherwise, it was magnificent!

Dessert
Dessert was a whole other story that involved being hustled by a man selling palm leaf roses in the rain, who eventually accepted our excuse of having no cash and gave me the rose for free, then proceeded to walk us the rest of the way to Kaminsky's (the cozy little dessert place on Market St.)

Dessert: An uber-chocolate cake (called "Taste of Heaven" or something along those lines) + mint tea in a self-serve pot, and the palm leaf rose to garnish. Unfortunately, the cake was actually not as delicious as it looks; a little dry and the addition of mini chocolate chips oozing out of its layers somehow detracted from the flavor...or maybe it was the texture I didn't like. But that shouldn't deter you - things I've eaten at Kaminsky's in the past (such as their berry cobbler) will always keep me coming back for more. AF

Ocean Front Cuisine - BLU on Folly Beach

Yesterday, my fiance and I spent the first of 3 days on our annual trip to Charleston, SC. We've kept this tradition going for the past 5 years, and would have missed this year had our good friends & neighbors not offered us the last few days of their pre-paid beach house rental, which they had to forgo. Thanks to them, our yearly tradition continues!

So, after settling-in, the next item on our list was figuring out where to go for dinner. As our time on the coast is a limited luxury we anxiously look forward to each year, good (local) fish was a prerequisite. We'd eaten at some of the popular local restaurants in years past - from the Crab Shack to Locklear's Beach City Grill on the fishing pier. Ready for something new, we were pleasantly surprised to stumble upon BLU - which serves fine, contemporary coastal cuisine and overlooks the beach.

When we arrived we were impressed with the ambiance of the restaurant, which is located in the lobby level of the Tides Hotel. The decor was modern, with a lot of small touches that played into the blue, watery theme - such as a moving wall of water behind the bar, and some really awesome light fixtures shaped like water droplets. The staff was very helpful, going as far as to give us the lowdown on how and where they get their locally sourced fish, meat, veggies, cheese, and other ingredients.

Even though it was dark out, we decided to sit outside on the large verandah overlooking the beach. While it was quite windy, we didn't mind - sea breezes are something we don't get a lot of in the foothills of western NC. In the spirit of beach trips, we started things off with a round of Mai Tais. While nothing compares to real Hawaiian Mai Tais, (obviously), these weren't half bad. A little orange to garnish, and we were set.

Salad
Next up was the 'Celebration of Beets' - a fabulously simple yet deep-rooted salad (sorry...bad pun) bursting with color, texture, and flavor - which consisted of a mixture of 3 different varieties of local, heirloom beets (including some lovely, golden-colored ones), roasted hazelnuts, local goat's milk ricotta, and local micro greens (sorry for the blurry picture):

All I cay say is - yum! At $9, it's not the least expensive salad you'll ever meet - but the quality of the ingredients and the flavor made it a luxurious little treat.

Main Course
Since the salad was surprisingly filling, I just ordered a tapas plate consisting of pan roasted red drum from Swimming Rock Farm, pork belly dumplings, and sweet corn puree, all in a port wine syrup. The fish was delicious, and the port wine syrup was incredible. I had never tasted pork belly dumplings before, and found them to be a bit chewy - but can't really say whether that's good or bad since I have nothing to compare them to. The flavor was nice, the texture was a little sticky (but I guess that's dumplings?) All in all, a great dish and one that I would recommend.

Griffe decided he wanted something a little more substantial and ordered an actual entree (although, in my opinion the quantity he received was only slightly more than my tapas plate - and nearly double the price!). He had the catch of the day, which on this particular Sunday happened to be hog-nosed snapper. The snapper was cooked with the skin intact, which was perfectly crisped while the fish remained light and flaky. His meal included various summer squashes, micro greens, some kind of potato hash, and a tasty pumpkin puree. Not a very thorough description but I didn't take notes...so bear with me. He seemed to enjoy it, and from the few bites I stole I have only positive things to say.

Dessert
As is our custom, Griffe and I decided to split one dessert - so we spent a few minutes debating just what that lucky confection was going to be. We had narrowed it down to the bread pudding made with Hendersonville, NC apples (a little taste of home in the low country!) and the 'Peanut Butter & Jelly' (a unique idea, and nothing like what you're thinking). As I had already eaten plenty of apple that day, I decided to go for the latter. Griffe either agreed or conceded - either way, he did it gracefully =) We were not disappointed. I think the picture speaks for itself (FYI - the peanut butter is in the ice-cream, the 'jelly' refers to the fresh berries, and the flourless chocolate cake is an added bonus!)

All in all, I give BLU a very positive review based on the quality of the service, the ingredients, the presentation, and of course taste. While the price is a little steep, there is enough variation in the menu to satisfy both your wallet and your belly, particularly if you eat from the appetizers/soups & salads/tapas menus and skip the entree altogether. I recommend this restaurant to anyone that appreciates good quality, sustainably sourced food, and doesn't mind a little ocean mist seasoning their plates and their faces while they dine. AF

Cushaw Squash Thanksgiving Soup

Way back in September I set my sights on a new (to me) and glorious looking specimen of the heirloom food kingdom - the Cushaw Squash. On impulse, I immediately ordered myself one of these crooknecked, small dog-sized cucurbits from our local online market. I brought it home and set it on the table. It made a nice fall-themed centerpiece for a few days, but was eventually retired to the root vegetable basket we keep in the corner of the kitchen.

Here it sat for a number of weeks, occasionally grazed by my hand as I reached past it to grab a couple of sweet potatoes or a purple onion. I admired the thick skin, with it's unique pale green and white stripes, which appeared as though they had been hand-drawn with a colored pencil. I mulled over its possible uses in my mind. Would it last until Thanksgiving? The answer was yes. And probably long afterwards, too.

So, Thanksgiving Eve found me spilling over potential recipes online. A simple, squash soup recipe seemed the way to go (because really, who brings soup to a Thanksgiving dinner? That would be me). Thanksgiving morning arrived, and after pulling out the ingredients called for, and adding a few of my own, I was ready to go.

Cushaw Squash Soup

• 
  1 large cushaw squash
• 2 large carrots, grated
• 1 large turnip (I used purple-top), grated
• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 1 large leek , chopped
  
• 1/2 stick of butter
• 6 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 cups chicken broth
• a few sprigs of fresh oregano
• sea salt and pepper, to taste

I began by poking some holes in the squash with a fork, placing it on a cookie sheet, and putting it in the oven at 400 degrees F for about one hour, rotating every 15 minutes to help it cook more evenly. This softened it up enough so it was easy to scoop out the seeds, remove the skin, and cube the flesh.

While the squash cooked, I prepared my other ingredients; chopping onions, garlic, and leeks, and grating the carrots and turnips. I set these aside, took the squash out of the oven (with potholders!) and cut it in half lengthwise.

While the squash cooled a bit, I melted about 1/4 stick of butter in a large pot (such as a dutch oven) at medium heat, and added my onions and leeks. I allowed these to caramelize, stirring frequently to prevent burning (about 20 mins).

Towards the end, I added the remaining butter, garlic, oregano, salt and pepper. I let it cook for about 5 more minutes, stirring occasionally, and then added the grated vegetables and olive oil. After giving it a couple good turns to get the ingredients mixed, I let it all cook another 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

While the veggies cooked, I took the now not-quite-so-hot squash, scooped out the seeds, removed the skin and chopped it into small chunks/cubes.

This I added to the pot, and poured in about 2 cups of chicken broth. Unfortunately, at this point I was running late and desperately needed to jump in the shower, so to avoid burning the food I turned it down to 'simmer'.

However, as it had not yet reached a high enough temperature it never did manage to simmer properly, and by the time I got done showering and returned to check on it, it wasn't much farther along than before. So, with about 20 minutes left until I had to leave, I turned up the heat again and - however prematurely - began ladling the soup into a food processor, and pureed it until smooth.

So, I multi-tasked by cooking and pureeing simultaneously (I do not recommend this - instead, just give yourself enough time (and heat) to let the chunks of squash get tender first before pureeing).

Needless to say, after waiting for the soup to be fully cooked, brushing my teeth, trying on about 5 different shirts, and then not being able to find a lid for the container I wanted to transport the soup in, I did finally make it to my mom's house for Thanksgiving dinner (a cool 30 minutes late, but with delicious soup in tow!). Of course, after tasting it I was very thankful to the farmer that decided to grow this Slow Food 'Ark of Taste' variety of hearty winter squash. (As I forgot to get a 'final' shot...the picture above shows all that was left after we ate). This is a pretty thick soup, and tastes great hot or cold, with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon. If you happen to have pine nuts available, these make a delicious garnish, as well. Happy Thanksgiving!

The Great Ant Migration

I wish I could have titled this post 'The Great Ant Expulsion' - however, that is not the case. This morning, I went about my watering routine as usual, revitalizing my wilting porch plants before the heat of the day set in. All was going well - the basil was perking up, and even my aloe plant (which I only recently learned how to water correctly) was starting to plump up with gel. But alas, two of my plants remained weak and frail, despite my efforts at quenching their thirst. An otherwise healthy, Black Pearl pepper plant and a nearby pot of patchouli slumped before me like weeping willows. My eyes drifted, inspecting the premises. And then I saw the culprit.

ANTS.

I'd already made about 3 trips to the faucet by the time I made my discovery - in which time, I had likely trampled scores of busy black ants and their larvae luggage. I cringed. A steady stream (nay, a raging river of Mississippian proportions) of these incessant insects was marching with full force from my Oregano plant to my Patchouli plant, a mere four feet away. What were they doing? I wondered silently as they scaled the clay pot en mass, their unborn baggage in tow.

Then I saw the second wave, this time coming in from behind. These must be the gypsy ants, I mused, sneaking their way up from below the deck to squat in my pepper plant. And while their caravan was less dense, it was certainly no less populated. The bastards, I thought.

At this point, I wasn't exactly sure what their game plan was. They were all running around the outside of the pots in a frenzy, seemingly without rhyme or reason. Apparently, the river rocks under the deck must have lost whatever property value they once had, and my potted plants had become the proverbial 'deluxe apartment in the sky'. Maybe the ants were just movin' on up?

Regardless of the reason, these ants made one fatal mistake in their move; they failed to consider the safety of their neighborhood. And so, throwing my environmental integrity out the window in a wave of helplessness and despair (okay, so maybe I was just a little pissed off. We have SO MANY ANTS) I decided to fight back. Being bad never felt so good. (but don't worry, I still feel bad).

Nonetheless, the ants (at least, those that survived Annageddon) have still managed to move into their new digs. And, poisonous sprays aside, it looks like the only way I'm going to get rid of them is if I dig them out - plants and all.

Sigh. What is a girl to do?

Life, Art, and the Thin Line Between: An Interpretive Review of “Black Swan”

There are some that say life imitates art, and others who say that art imitates life. The recent Academy Award-winning psychological thriller, “Black Swan”, provides fodder for both schools of thought, without necessarily championing one over the other.

When Nina (Natalie Portman) is selected to dance the part of both the White & Black swans in the famous ballet, Swan Lake, her life and sense of reality literally begin to fall apart. Her perfectionist, ‘Type A’ personality, overbearing mother, and a critical director who is constantly trying to push her out of her comfort zone (both as a dancer and as a sexual being) all begin ato take a toll on her physical and mental state of mind. In addition, Nina already suffers from bulimia and occasional hallucinations, and feels threatened by her understudy, Lily - another talented dancer who fits the role of the Black Swan to a T.

As rehearsals progress, Nina’s condition worsens. Her inability to passionately portray the Black Swan frustrates her director, and drives her to start exploring her ‘dark’ side. She experiments with sex and drugs, and rebels against her overprotective mother. Her hallucinations become more intense; she is haunted by a doppelganger of herself, as the Black Swan within takes hold and begins to emerge from deep within her psyche.

(I’ll not spoil the entire movie for you by continuing to summarize - instead, see it for yourself, you won’t be disappointed!)

I would think that in most cases, the idea that ‘art imitates life’ would be the most widely accepted interpretation. An artist is usually inspired by something in his or her own life - whether it be a natural phenomenon, an interpersonal relationship, or an internal sense of joy or despair - which is then filtered through the imagination and brought into creation as art. In Black Swan, this is certainly true - Nina’s life is reflected in her art. Her frigid dance style is indicative of her own personal struggles and her attempts to keep them hidden behind a facade of perfection.

Conversely, the concept of ‘life imitating art’ is a theme that permeates the dark and sometimes frightening film. The Black Swan archetype is in polar opposition to Nina’s White Swan temperament of sheltered innocence and naivety. The emergence of the Black Swan in Nina’s personality is directly related to her deep desire to not only play the part, but to be the part. This internal transformation is cinematically portrayed by the physical changes (albeit hallucinatory) that occur to Nina as she dances the part of the Black Swan. Her eyes turn red; her skin fills with goose pimples and soon splits to make way for sleek, glossy black feathers; her dancer’s arms become wings and her pirouetting legs buckle sickeningly into those of a swan. In short, her art becomes her.

It could be that neither philosophy can truly stand alone. Perhaps the two must be taken as a whole - while “Art imitates life, life also imitates art”. We each have a Black and a White swan within - the trick is to maintain a healthy balance.