A lot of people, apparently.

Chickens are the new Yorkies and everyone – from city dweller to suburbanite to rural local – seems to be hopping on the clucking bandwagon. Why? The answer is simple: the incredible, edible egg.

“You can’t compare these to grocery store eggs. These are the most delicious, flavorful, wonderful, fresh, colorful eggs you’ve ever eaten,” says local photographer Kip Bulwinkle. He and his wife, Liz, are newbie chicken raisers in the pro-hen neighborhood of Park Circle. It started simply enough: they wanted to control their own food, and supplement their garden with protein. At $10 a pop, they bought 15 chickens on Craigslist without a clue of what to expect. “There’s always a mental barrier to do something new. Then you think, ‘I can do this!’”

Kip and Liz say the process is incredibly easy. And fun, because as it turns out, chickens have personalities. Their Leghorns (which Kip describes as cat-like) are mischievous and can cop a ‘tude. Whereas their Orpingtons (dog-like) curl up and watch TV with them. We ask Kip if he’ll raise chickens forever. “Unless we move to Manhattan.”

So clearly, people get hooked. As was the case with Karen Simmons. A woman who used to bring a microwave with her camping, she’s now raising nearly 200 chickens with her husband, David, in Awendaw. What started as 24 chickens has turned into a full-fledged company selling 90+ dozen eggs a month, subscriptions to chicken catalogues and Backyard Poultry (with features like Feather Loss Fully Explained), hen and rooster calendars and art throughout the house, and sometimes 45 dozen eggs in the refrigerator at one time. “It’s a hobby that got out of hand,” laughs David.

Owners of Break an Egg Productions (the Simmons own television production company DBS, hence the play on “break a leg”), Karen and David are positively giddy about their chickens. Every chicken has a name, and Karen knows them all. She introduces us to Alvin (the rooster who looked like a chipmunk when he was born), Acne (the hen with the black head), Oprah (the “big, black and loud” one), and countless others. She and David have raised each one from wee little chick. They watch the chickens make friends (Karen giggles, “They have their clicks.”). They have happy hour at the coop. They think of the chickens as part of the family. All this from a woman who says, “I’m not a country girl.”

Our photographer, Andrew Stephen Cebulka, is talking with her about the effect of moon cycles, fascinated. See, he’s just purchased five chickens himself, raising them through a neighborhood co-op on James Island. For Andrew, it’s all about further educating himself on our relationship with food. He talks about how the animal itself and the plastic-wrapped poultry we buy at the grocery store are so disconnected in our minds. Which is why he plans on slaughtering his chickens down the road. This, coming from a former vegan. For him, the chickens are about education (neighborhood kids feed them), responsibility, and becoming re-connected with the food source. And, of course, that delicious egg.

So, are you in? Chicken-raiser for life? Here are a few tips from the Simmons:

1. Pick your breeds wisely: Want the ultimate egg producer? White Leghorns are the best layers. Want more of a friendly pet? The Buff Orpington is for you.
2. Feeding tricks: Give your gals some crushed oyster shells for a harder egg shell.
3. The fresh hard-boiled egg: Remember, this isn’t your grocery store egg. These bad boys are hours or days fresh, so it’s a different ball game for hard-boiled. To get a nice, easy peel, ease them into boiling water with baking soda via a slotted spoon. Boil for 15 minutes and then immediately set them into iced water. Peel away!

Click here for more photos
Break an Egg Productions available at Boone Hall Farms and Seewee Outpost

Story by: Caroline Nuttall
Photos by: Andrew Stephen Cebulka

Mick Matricciano and Brandon Wogamon got into the beverage business years ago– as childhood friends and neighbors. Like most stories of entrepreneurial success, it all began with a lemonade stand.

Today, they and their other business partner, Matt Fendley, are the cofounders of The Cannonborough Beverage Company. Man oh man, what they’re selling is a whole lot better than lemonade: all-natural, locally sourced, hand-crafted sodas.

First, there was Apple Ginger Honey, a flavor that zings across the tongue, thanks to freshly juiced raw ginger, then mellows into the natural sweetness of apples and honey. Add a splash of bourbon and you’ve got yourself one heck of a bourbon and ginger. A few tries later, there was Strawberry Jalepeno: a beverage that bubbles with the tart, sweet, summery essence of real strawberries and concludes with the clean and fleeting heat of jalepeno. Add yourself some tequila and enjoy.

Unsurprisingly, these flavor combinations come courtesy of two F+B community members who’ve been lucky enough to work with some of Charleston’s master mixologists. Both Mick and Brandon used to work at the Gin Joint. Brandon now works at Social and Mick shakes things up over at the Belmont, for whom he won last year’s mixology competition at the 2011 Charleston Wine + Food Festival. Mick also recently graduated from the Charleston Art Institute’s culinary program.

“We took things we learned at the Gin Joint about making a balanced cocktail; the sweet, the sour, the right amount of acid,” explains Brandon, and they put it into something all ages can savor. That’s why, as Mick says, “You can add alcohol to this and have a well-balanced cocktail.”

When it comes to making these cocktail-quality sodas, the Cannonborough Beverage Company does three things: “We buy whole fruits and vegetables, juice, blend, and [force] carbonate ourselves,” Mick explains. They also work in small, 5-gallon batches, refuse to use anything artificial, and sweeten only with real sugar, honey, and agave. Besides, thanks to the use of all-natural, locally sourced ingredients, they don’t need to do much more than “let the produce do the work.”

Like so many local Charleston area chefs, the Cannonborough Beverage Company has learned to start with a main component, locally sourced of course, and add two to three accents so as not to bombard the palate with superfluous or competing flavors. While these sodas are flavored with complimentary notes, they’re not meant to be overly complex.

“Basically, we’re kids ourselves,” Brandon shrugs, “with a serious product.”

A serious product that’s sure to please next month as the trio makes their debut at the Charleston Farmer’s Market downtown. Each Saturday they’ll be stationed and ready like the soda jerks of old with three different lip-smacking, frosty, effervescent original creations like Lemon Mint, Cucumber & Orange and Cherry Vanilla to quench your thirst.

We won’t tell if there’s a little bit more than soda in your cup.

Available at Downtown Farmer’s Market
Saturdays, beginning April 7; 8am – 2pm

Story by: Annabel Jones
Photos by: Karson Photography

OPENING NIGHT

The Festival started off with a bang. Literally. Sean Brock’s fuel tank shot off and exploded into a dude’s wine glass. ‘Tis the fireworks we’ve come to expect from the most incredible Festival of the year. Standout dishes were aplenty, but our faves were (1) lobster bone marrow ravioli from Tristan, (2) the gnocchi with gorgonzola cream from now we forget where don’t hate us, and (3) the braised short rib with pasta from The Wild Olive. Quentin Baxter and crew played next to a clever guy swimming in the Aquarium’s fish tank with a wine glass, while a sea of people danced, drank, and ate. If there’s one event to sum up the awesomeness that is the Wine + Food Festival, this is it.

OAK AFTER PARTY

You’d think that you couldn’t possibly eat another bite after rounding 40-ish chef stations at Opening Night. But when Jeremiah Bacon puts mini burgers, steak and taleggio sandwiches, and pork belly in your path, you find a way. The private after parties of the Festival are probably the most coveted tickets we have in Charleston, and Oak hosted the first one late Thursday night. It was full of great food, beautiful people, local and national chef-lebrities, black jack and roulette tables, and a lot of libations. Faves of the night: (1) the dark & stormy with ginger jalapeno simple syrup, (2) seeing former Tristan Chef Aaron Deal back to Charleston for the first time since he left 3 years ago (he’s now opening a restaurant in Roanoke, VA), and (3) did we mention Bacon’s steak and taleggio sandwiches?!  2:00 AM closes the first night of the Fest.

WINE AROUND THE GARDEN

We missed the bus to Middleton for Wine Around the Garden. Fail. Actually, we’ll go ahead and say Epic Fail because this may be the best event of the entire Festival. Don’t miss it next year. We’ll try not to either.

PERFECTLY PAIRED DINNER AT ANSON

The title of this event hits the nail on the head – perfectly paired dinner at Anson, indeed. When sweetbreads are your favorite dish of the night and you hate sweetbreads, that’s a good chef. Anson’s Jeremy Holst and visiting chef Kelly English put out an incredibly delicious and comforting multi-courser paired perfectly with velvety smooth wines from Amizetta Vineyards. Showstoppers were (1) sweetbreads & dumplings of handmade potato gnocchi with truffle & fennel, (2) Cabernet brined North America lamb rack with andouille flan, and (3) Amizetta’s 2008 Merlot from Napa. Nearly all of our local top chefs got their start at Anson, as we see why. It is officially our new very favorite everyone’s-heard-of-but-still-under-the-radar restaurant in Charleston.

CYPRESS AFTER PARTY

The best thing we’ve eaten at the Festival (which is hard to say, mind you) came at about 1:00 AM at the night 2 after party at Cypress. A mini made-to-order pork belly sandwich topped with pickled goodies inside a soft sticky bun. Perfection. Of course what else would you expect from our James Beard hero a.k.a. Chef Craig Deihl? Fave part of the night was when Deihl and other chefs starting showing off in the kitchen – or “The Meat Room” – making it look like some kind of speed butcher reality show (vegetarians need not apply). Star-studded night from a star-studded chef. Tattoo us mega fans.

PINOT ENVY UNCORKED!

Friday’s gorgeous but super-hot sun made drinking red in the culinary tents nearly impossible. Cue Saturday’s relentless downpour and an entire event dedicated to wine’s highly revered black grape, and you have us making up for lost time. Pinotphiles shook off their umbrellas, slapped on their bracelets, and began tackling pinots from a lineup of over10 different vineyards—some yet to grace the market. We said we’d found our favorite early on, and not just because the maker from Maysara Winery in McMinnville, or gave such generous pours. That proved to be a rookie statement, as every new room at Lookout Pavilion held equally friendly and very, very drinkable bottles. If it hadn’t been for the scallops over truffle pound cake, the French four-spice duck and curried quinoa, or Eurasia’s oyster stew, we wouldn’t have made it into the night. Don’t be one of the envious next year.

SPIRIT TASTING: A DECONSTRUCTIVE + COCKTAILIAN STUDY

A class in gin-making and mixology by a beloved bev brand was both an unusually boozy and educational way to spend a Saturday morning. “Who is ready for gin at 11am?” was the question asked by Charlotte Voicey, one of the speakers, before the tasting began. One guy giddily answered,  ”I purposely didn’t eat breakfast to make this even more exciting!” We tasted some special high-proof uncut Hendricks (smuggled through customs from Scotland for our W+F drinking pleasure) and 4 mini gin cocktails that wowed- Miser’s Cooler, the spicy and gazpachoesque Cubeb Berry Red Snapper, the Ramorris Gin Fizz (jazzed up with powdered orris root), and the  uber-intense Clockwork Orange. We were sagely warned to go easy on the distillates and essences set out before us lest we anesthetize our taste buds for the day. But Hendrick’s really impressed with their witty gin-centric recipes, spiel, and even poetry swag- “Cuddle the ironic. Consider a cucumber in your gin and tonic.” Happily.

FESTIVAL AFTER HOURS: TAKING IT TO THE STREETS

Try to stop Charleston’s W+F diehards. You just can’t. Winos and foodies sloshed to the Bus Shed in their chic-on-the-top, galoshes-on-the-bottom attire and decided one thing: They were going to party. Break dancers, jugglers, drink-slingers, and late-night yumminess gave us plenty to take in—and oh, did we ever—but the sneak-attack dance floor emerged as the real star, giving extremely happy Festivalites (it’s a word) a way to let it out via high-energy music and the best party of the weekend. Maybe it should rain during the Festival every year.

FIG AFTER PARTY

FIG’s after party was the Festival’s original, underground after party that beyond an intimate, exclusive group of chefs, you had to be very lucky to hear about. Well, word has spread. Lata’s late night party was more like a packed Opening Night and a small after hours. Great people and countless food and bev stations filling the tented parking lot made the pouring rain – and ankle deep water – all worth it. Forget just the Festival – this is easily one of the best parties of the entire year. It’s official: Everything Mike Lata touches – from food to parties – is gold.

Photos by: Karson Photography and Charleston Wine + Food Festival

Mink, along with Karalee Neilsen and John Kenney, embarked on the regal task of filling yet another hole in the Charleston food and bev scene last July. Call it a sign of the times, but the restaurant group felt the need for an inexpensive bar with a sense of community. Their signature style is in the details and practically every inch is recycled or refurbished. There are top hats above the sound booth, National Geographics dating back to 1964 lining the wall and an enormous patio out front. You can pull up a stool to the wrap-around bar, settle into a cozy leather booth or relax in the lounge area, where portraits of American royals the likes of George Washington and Babe Ruth will soon cover the ceiling.

The vibe is decidedly New Orleans complete with Mardi Gras beads, colorful decorations and stadium cups filled with punch. There is a space cleared for bands and the promise of live music. The jukebox, a refurbished Wurlitzer, plays hard-to-find recordings and albums you want to hear in their entirety like Exile on Main St. Have good taste in music and an even better collection? Patrons are encouraged to bring their own vinyls. It’s that kind of place.

REV’s roster of restaurants includes such local hangouts as Poe’s Tavern, Taco Boy, Monza and Closed For Business, but food is not the main act here. While the menu will grow, the kitchen might not, and the chili and burgers (meat and vegetarian) are really just there to fill your belly between drinks, which will soon include their own cinnamon infused whiskey. The full bar is no match for the beer: you can find vintage brews such as Iron City, and they are the only place around serving cans of Shiner Bock, Ballantine, Genesee and National Bohemian.

As with all REV establishments, The Royal American took shape once the building was chosen. The Ole Charleston Forge on Morrison Drive is old, dusty, and shakes every time the train rattles by.  The location is perfect: secluded yet trendy, with ample parking. A hop, skip and a bike ride from their downtown Taco Boy location, the neighborhood is the talk of many artists, musicians and other hip people you’d really like to knock a few back with.

“People are looking for a place where they know the bartender and feel at home,” explains Neilsen. So now we have it: our very own Cheers bar, with a REV twist.

The Royal American, 970 Morrison Drive
5pm-2am daily, 843-817-6925
Connect on Facebook

Story by: Carter Worrell Dandridge
Photos by: Austin Dandridge

And that’s what the sandwich shop is all about: quality food without the fanfare. The grub is what you’d expect from a trendy lunch spot in Austin, Brooklyn or Venice Beach: a mix of middle eastern staples and creative newbies. Think Falafel or Sabich with a side of popcorn or curry cauliflower. The veggies are abundant; a lactose-intolerant vegetarian would be able to test nearly half the menu. The bread is homemade, available for individual purchase and absolutely incredible. It goes unsaid that the ingredients are primarily local; of course they are. If asked, you can hear how the lamb in the gyro is from Moss Hill Farms in Springfield, SC, but you won’t find it written on the chalkboard menu. The goal is to serve delicious sandwiches, not alienate non-foodies with pretentious facts.

This attitude of inclusion radiates from every corner of Butcher & Bee. There is only one table in the entire restaurant, forcing a sense of community to all who dine in. There is an urban garden out back, right next to the composter, and there is talk of community dinners with guest chefs down the road. The idea of promoting local community certainly helped out when, after being denied by eleven banks, owner Shem-Tov turned to a local establishment, Southcoast Community Bank, for the restaurant’s loan.

The vibe inside is quite organic: there is little distinction between what is used and what is sold. All of the furniture is reclaimed or recycled, from the mismatched bar stools to the antique cash-register. A mix of rustic woods and cool steel, everything in the restaurant serves a purpose while still looking unintentionally cool.

Tucked away in one of the few corners of Charleston still sacred to locals, Butcher & Bee is destined to be a word-of-mouth wonder. Shem-Tov is keeping a low profile, hoping to attract the exact clientele that will absolutely love the restaurant’s under the radar status. Even the hours sound cool: 11-3…am and pm. The late-night dinner is only available Thursday-Saturday. There is no liquor license to speak of so you can BYOB until midnight if you feel so inclined, although that might require coming back Saturday or Sunday morning for a brunch of french toast and shrimp and grits. There’s a horseshoe above the back door for good luck, but we doubt they’ll need it. Who needs luck when you have delicious food…and free parking.

Let the buzz for Bee begin…

Butcher & Bee
654 King Street
(843) 619.0202
Butcher & Bee on Facebook
ButcherAndBee.com

Story by: Carter Worrell (welcome back to Charleston, Carter!)

We believe the best food reviewer to whom you should listen is…well, you. Which is why we ask you to tweet us your best “bites” in Charleston so we can share your recommendations with other cuisine lovers in the city. Here are your best pics of the moment:

“Whole Foods mud cake gelato”
- Dan Boland

“Fresh shrimp with grit cakes served with an Octoberfest brew!”
- Mandy Von See

“John’s Island Tomato Tarte Tatin from FIG. I had it almost a month ago and I am still salivating. SO good”
- Salt & Seaweed

“I would have to say pimento cheese from Closed for Business ”
- Susannah Lee Armstrong-Tracy

“Frogmore stew!!”
- Chelsea Ruth

“Basil pad thai”
- Jennifer Denton

“EVO’s Pistachio pesto pizza”
- Betsy Hayden

“I second Basil’s pad thai”
- Amanda Bunting Comen

“Jalapeno grit bites and a cold beer”
- Christy Wegmen James

“Anything at The Macintosh”
- Margaret Willard

“Tater Tachos at the Recovery Room!”
- Sara Roth

“Carbonara pasta at Two Boroughs. It’s a bowl of ‘hot damn that’s good!’”
- Kinsey Giddick

“Still obsessed with The Turkey from Bull Street Gourmet!”
- Emily Hill

“Sitting with the windows open at Closed for Business with a big ‘ol pork slap and a cold draught beer”
- Seaton Brown

“Lucky No. 1 sandwich at Tattooed Moose”
- Caroline Millard

“Husk’s cheeseburger at lunch is still the best thing ever no matter what the season!”
- Bailey Surrett

“The cheese plates at O’Hara & Flynn are awesome – specifically their apple/honey/brie plate. It’s my fave cozy place in Charleston!”
- Shauna Mackenzie

“Nachos at Taco Boy!”
- Linley Hariss Murphy

“The Italian Roll, soon to be on Caviar & Bananas new sushi menu…a-mazing”
- Caroline Nuttall

“Biggie’s mac & cheese!”
- Kristie Person

“California Burger at Coleman Public House”
- Josh Labovitz

“Baja Fish Taco at Zia Taqueria”
- Cait B

“Deviled eggs at The Glass Onion!”
- Ivie Parker

“Cypress wood fire burger with bacon jam and pimento cheese…bar menu”
- Nathan Needle

“The amazingly delicious Asian rib at Coleman Public House!”
- Antonia M. Krenza

“Graze’s pimento mac and cheese… yum!”
- Elizabeth Poindexter

“FIGs ricotta gnocci with lamb bolognese….dear God thank you for that tasty dish ”
- Samantha White

Story by: You
Photos by: Andrew Stephen Cebulka, John Smoak, Terry Manier, and provided

Nor is this your late night greasy fried chicken and biscuit snack.

This is Xiao Bao Biscuit company, a home-run restaurant with delicious events popping up around our city, and a husband-wife duo that’s changing how Charleston views traditional home cooking.

Joshua Walker and his sprightly wife Duolan Li were witness to the New York City culinary scene in the early 2000s where, “it was all about the ingredients,” Walker explains.

Walker, who has family in Ridgeville, worked in art and design, while his eventual bride led a life in finance. This past January, the two were married in Brooklyn before setting off for a six-month expedition through Asia.

They traveled through over five countries, working and eating with the locals along the way. While learning the ropes of the Japanese rice fields, the couple caught up with a former Tokyo ad exec who’d given up the corporate life to become a tomato farmer and home sake brewer.

Their hosts along the way, like the tomato farmer, worked hard and ate simply. An echo back to Southern soul foods. Simple, sophisticated. Not pretentious.

So, upon returning to the U.S., the couple made the move from the big city to the old South. But this isn’t Green Acres; it’s more like acres of greens and fresh ingredients.

“Being in the South is one of the few regions with a very strong sense of tradition,” says Walker. “We’d go on vacation here, see how connected Charleston was to local, native food, and that was something we really wanted to celebrate.”

Asian food was a culinary discipline the couple thought wasn’t well represented in Charleston – one that was close to home for Duolan Li and a palette she and her husband both loved so much.

And so began Xiao Bao.

When asked what Xiao Bao means, Joshua smiles before giving us a quick lesson in Mandarin. He says, “It’s a tonal language, which means one word can have several meanings depending on how you say it.”

Little one or little biscuit: one a term of endearment Joshua calls his wife, the other the perfect name for the newest addition to the Charleston culinary circle.

The couple has hosted several events across town including a home-cooked and sold-out ramen night at Remedy Market last month. Coming up this weekend is a Banh Mi and Bubble Tea dinner at Hope and Union.

So ditch the carry out menu and run away from the P.F. Chang’s train. It’s time for a taste of real Southern/Asian comfort food.

XiaoBaoBiscuit.com
Xiao Bao on Facebook

Xaio Bao @ Hope and Union – Aug 13, 7pm
199 St. Philip Street, Downtown – (843) 922-1023
Bahn Mi ($9), bubble tea ($3), black tea panna cotta with salted ginger caramel ($3.50)

Story by: Caroline Millard
Photos by: Karson Photography

Enter Matthew Dukes Hanna, a Lowcountry native who grew up licking Big Ed’s Heirloom Barbecue Sauce off his fingers.

First produced in small, specialty batches at Big Ed’s Barbecue Restaurant & Pigtail Hunt Camp in 1980, a lucky few have been wrist deep in Big Ed’s Heirloom Barbecue Sauce for more than 30 years. After decades of requests to sell the sauce to the general public, it is finally making its bottled debut on grocery store shelves, restaurants and cafés in the Lowcountry.

The Remedy Market has already jumped on board to smother its sandwiches and line its shelves with the famous-soon-to-be-more-famous sauce. If Spring Street’s not your scene, you can also pick up a bottle (or four) at Heirloom Book Company on lower King, House of Brews in Mount Pleasant, and others with the hip and happening mindset.

So now the big question. Who is “Big Ed?” That would be the culinary creator behind the sauce, also known as Matt’s dad. The production of this sauce is truly a family affair; Matt’s mom, dad, brother and sis were all involved in turning the family favorite into a viable product. When Big Ed, a long-time realtor in Allendale, SC, felt the strain of the recession, the family convened and decided to try to turn a little profit from something they knew and loved, and knew others would love to have at their tables. It quickly became available in five grocery stores in Allendale, and Matt has now decided to bring the goods to Charleston.

While the secret’s in the sauce, the bottle describes it as “a robust, tangy, vinegar based heirloom barbecue sauce and marinade with just the perfect hint of pepper and a slightly sweet undertone.” Those are some fancy words, but we can tell you this: it is GOOD. We came to the table with Matt, CHARLIE photographer Andrew Cebulka, and other local foodie friends for a full-on BBQ dinner. Plates quickly became doused in red and the sounds were that of a truly great barbeque: tiny moans and smacking lips.

Besides what’s in it, we love Big Ed’s Heirloom Barbecue Sauce just from its bottle alone. And it’s no surprise, the way Matt meticulously compared tiny details and asked locals for their opinions day in and day out over coffee at Baked. Tagged as the “Specialty of the South,” it stands out from its counterparts with a cool, vintage design. Its label will appeal to the health-conscious too; it boasts a gluten free, fat free, cholesterol free and preservatives free recipe. Having watched his father battle diabetes for years, Matt is passionate about consumers realizing that barbeque doesn’t have to be unhealthy. Sure, it’s perfect for a pig roast, but can also be used to marinate tofu, and as a salad dressing. Seriously.

The sauce has already gotten the big stamp of approval from the South Carolina Specialty Foods Association and is part of Lowcountry Local First. They’re looking for more retail and specialty food stores to carry the product (so if that’s you, give them a shout), and hope to be in 1,000 new spots by the end of their first year.

As for what’s next? Matt wants to branch out nationwide, open a barbeque catering service, and become involved philanthropically with the American Diabetes Association.

But first thing’s first. Go get yourself a bottle, you saucy minx.

Don’t miss the launch event on 8/21 at Heirloom Book Co. (843-722-6377)
Big Ed’s Heirloom Barbecue Sauce (the flagship product of Pigtail Brands)

Story by: Katie Strumpf
Photos by: Andrew Stephen Cebulka

Old Pond Produce:
Located off of—wait for it—Old Pond Road, owner Harry Byrd brings a wide variety of goods to the table. Look for free range eggs, some good-looking bell peppers, and heirloom tomatoes galore. Goin’ fishin’? Byrd sells live bait, too. And don’t forget to come back over the holidays to pick up your Christmas tree.
Open 10am – 7pm daily.

Fields Farm:
Stop at one of their produce stands (they have one located at the intersection of River Road and Maybank Highway and another nestled outside their farm on River Road), and you’re guaranteed to be greeted with a, “hey, sweetie.” Customer service at its finest, no? The Fields Family keeps their stands open year round seven days a week and says their tomatoes are the best seller. Check out their amazing watermelons too.
Open 9:30am – 7:30pm daily.

Rosebank Farms:
Half the reason to head out this way is to see the legendary bearded owner Sidi Limehouse himself. Nestled under their white tent just before you reach Kiawah and Seabrook Islands, you’ll find everything from sweet corn (definitely going home with you) to heavenly butter beans. Need a gift for your sweetheart? Grab a bouquet of fresh-cut wild flowers.
Open 9am – 6pm daily.

Freeman Farm:
Blueberries, melon peppers, potatoes, black-eyed peas—yeah, they’ve got ‘em. Don’t miss their assortment of relishes and Sea Island Honey, either. Rose Freeman’s favorite? She says their greens are the best, so pop back by later this year to get your own sample.
Open Monday-Saturday 8:30am – 6pm and Sunday 9am – 5:30pm.

Carroll O’Neal’s Honor Stand:
Yes, these do actually exist. Just past Briar’s Creek on River Road rests a tiny white tent, where—if you’re lucky—you’ll run into owner Caroll O’Neal himself restocking some of those fine looking squash and zucchini. Pop by the stand anytime (literally) and simply slide your money in the lockbox. Need eggs? Give him a call at (843) 224-9001 and he’ll bring some fresh farm eggs out to you. We hear he’s about to add some boiled peanuts in the mix, so you best get trucking.
Open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Thanks be to Johns Island.

Story by: Evans Craddock
Photos by: Jason A. Zwiker

Summer is for playing in the water, drinking beer, and grilling out. And of course, it’s all about the pimento cheese.

Once something nobody outside the South had ever heard of, this secret Southern spread is making strides. It’s on Twitter. It’s popping up on ex-pats’ NYC restaurant menus. And it’s about to hit the silver screen.

Nicole Lang, a Virginia-based filmmaker and member of the Southern Foodways Alliance, has spent the past several months traveling through the South for a documentary on the great cheese spread, which will premiere in Oxford, Mississippi in October. Charleston was of course en route, where she interviewed Ted Lee, historian Robert Moss, and Hominy Grill’s Robert Stehling.

“I was shocked that a food as perfect as pimento cheese had existed: cheese, mayo, tangy peppers, cayenne, and I had gone my whole life without even a mere mention of it – anywhere,” Lang says as she recalls her first taste (circa 2007). She was hooked immediately.

Now, people’s opinions on pimento cheese can be as varied – and strong – as that of politics. So, we’re ready to take whatever agreement or disagreement comes our way in this next bold move. Here we go…CHARLIE’s Top 3 Countdown to the best pimento cheese ever:

#3: Palmetto Cheese. Otherwise known as “The Pimento Cheese with Soul.” The packaging immediately makes you want to love it – two down-home Southern women whipping up a batch with love. The spicy version of this one with the jalapenos is the way to go, as it balances out the super creamy texture. It’s the best mass-produced pimento cheese on the market, and you should never go below it in quality.
Available at most grocery stores.

#2: Callie’s Pimento Cheese. This was top of our list for a long, long time. It’s classic, with thick cuts of cheddar and less mayonnaisey than others. The fiery version is super hot, so stick with original on this one. It is impossible to eat this and not be a pimento cheese fan forevermore.
Available at Caviar & Bananas.

And the winner is…drum roll please….

#1: Ted’s Pimento Cheese. As in Ted from Ted’s Butcherblock. We were so dead set on Callie’s that Ted gave us the first taste free. He knew a junky when he saw one and knew we’d be back. He was right. Ted’s spread is not classic, so be prepared. It’s more savory, filled with mild chili spices, with almost a Mexican quality. It’s to die for. Slap some on top of his beef tenderloin and your life will never be the same.
Available at Ted’s Butcherblock.

The world of pimento cheese is a democracy. So here, Charleston, are your favorites:

“Palmetto Cheese, it is just good stuff! ”
- Angela Newton

“Village Bakery! It’s the best ever!!”
- Katherine Austin Smith

“Giddy Goat! It’s local, fresh and contains ZERO mayonnaise! Also the owner is kind of a badass.”
- Katie Norris

“Second on the Giddy Goat. Caviar and Bananas makes an amazing version as well. I like both with a slice or two of jalapeno!”
- Erin Perkins

“‎Callie’s Biscuits & Pimento Cheese – either flavor is smooth and cracktastic, one bite and you’ll cold shoulder the shizzlit out of Palmetto (my former fave). Some meals for me consist of a tub of Callie’s, some homemade crostini, and a bottle of something red on the balcony. Git sum!”
- Chris Pertgen

“Palmetto Cheese (the kind with jalapenos) – it’s very addictive!”
- Carol Bain Linder

“Toss up between: Randall Everett Felkel’s with Grand Marnier or Kimberly Martin Baldwin’s recipe!”
- Kelly Martin

“In the grocery store, Palmetto Cheese. Out & about… Glass Onion makes a great one, as does Triangle Char & Bar. Yummy!!!!”
- Patti Noe

“Palmetto, the jalapeno kind. Jim N Nick’s paired with their spicy sausage links is a close second.”
- Antonia M. Krenza

“Callie’s.”
- Nathan Needle

“Rita’s on Folly has an awesome pimento cheese burger!”
- Amanda Bunting Comen

“Poogan’s Porch Pimento Cheese Fritters with Green Tomato Chutney…because nothing beats fried cheese!”
- Whitney Chappell Grove

“Sesame.“
- Lyn Tally

“Totally agree on the Palmetto, with jalapeno! That bite adds just the right zip.”
- Edith Howle

“Palmetto Cheese with Jalapeno!”
- Heather Morin

“‎Callie’s Biscuits & Pimento Cheese – Fiery!”
- Rebecca Blackman

“‎Glass Onion. Their grilled pimento cheese sandwich is to die for.”
- Angel Powell

“‎Callie’s Biscuits & Pimento Cheese – the fiery!”
- Libba Osborne

“Laura Alberts on Daniel Island makes some FANTASTIC pimento cheese. It’s almost as good as palmetto cheese!”
- @JameyandClaire

“Hands down @calliesbiscuits pimento is the best. Introduced friends and fam to it now they demand I have some when they visit.”
- Joshua Labovitz

“Drop In Deli on Folly Beach has the best Pimiento Cheese in town – hands down. Their Pimiento Cheese BLT is rockin’ awesome.”
- @follywoodrocks

“Closed for Business! with the tomato soup, perfection.”
- Christa Cariddi

How about you? What is your pot of pimento cheese gold?

Pimento Cheese on Twitter
Nicole Lang’s blog, Food Punk
B-T-S of the film journey (Like Thelma and Louise But With More Pimento Cheese. Way More.)

Story by: Caroline Nuttall