Author: Debbi Covington

When Vince and I were first married, what wouldn’t we have given for six weeks alone, just the two of us and our cat? Who would have ever imagined that “beware of what you wish for” would actually come true almost 29 years later? In spite of the pandemic, loss of revenue and missing our friends, we both feel very blessed. Vince and I are still in love with each other. And most importantly, these days especially, we’re still best friends. Social distancing has been keeping us in close quarters – with our spoiled rotten and beloved cat, Belle.

Easter Sunday is my favorite day of the year. Besides being the greatest holy day in the Christian faith, it’s a day spent in communal worship singing the happiest and most glorious songs in the hymnal. Waking up on Easter morning with Christ the Lord is Risen Today bouncing around in my head and on my heart is one of the most sublime parts of the holiday. This “social distancing” business totally goes against the grain of the whole splendid celebration.

It’s that time of year when we all try to eat a little healthier so that we can squeeze back into our summer clothes. My recipes this week are all vegetarian with a Mexican twist. They’re perfect for a Meatless Monday meal. Of course, if you must be a carnivore, you can always add a bit of chorizo to the Chiles Rellenos and/or the Quesedillas. Whatever you do, keep washing your hands and stay healthy! XOX

“May the leprechauns be near you, to spread luck along your way. And, may all the Irish angels smile upon you St. Patrick’s Day.” Corned beef is a long-standing American St. Patrick’s Day tradition. In Ireland, the St. Patrick’s Day meal would most likely be ham and cabbage.

It’s time to roll out the red carpet! The 14th annual Beaufort International Film Festival is in full swing with film makers, directors, screen writers, movie stars and lots of film-loving fans. Our local film festival is six days of pure merriment. This year, Oscar and Emmy winning sound engineer Eugene Gearty is slated to receive the Pat Conroy Lifetime Achievement Award during Sunday night’s Awards Gala. (I’m catering the reception again this year. Yay!)

I blame my editor. Margaret Evans, this is all your fault. We were sitting on the Lowcountry Weekly porch during Water Festival and I mentioned that I was looking for a new historical fiction series to binge watch on Netflix. Almost immediately, Margaret said, “Outlander. Have you watched Outlander yet? I bet you’ll love it.”

An impressive weeknight dinner doesn’t need to be complicated. I completely agree that our freakishly hot weather hasn’t been very inspirational as far as winter recipes are concerned. Typically this would be the season for soups, stews and chilis. January makes me think of gooey grilled cheese and crusty buttered breads. Not this year. Not in Beaufort, South Carolina anyway.

The first couple of weeks in January are my quiet time, a kind of calm after the holiday storm. Christmas decorations have been taken down and put away. The new year has just begun. Catering doesn’t usually start back in full swing until around the 12th. The days are typically cloudy and chilly and nighttime comes too early.

What a fun time of year to be in the kitchen! I love preparing all of the savory goodies and sweet treats that I grew up with at Christmastime. This is the time of year for sausage balls, cheese straws, baby fruitcakes and yule logs. I’ve been feeling inspired to try some new sweets recipes. With a holiday party at our house on Saturday night, last week was the perfect time to experiment.

I love Christmas! I love December! What other month of the year is so overloaded with parties? It’s so much fun to dress up a couple of times a week and spend happy time with our friends. Vince and I hosted our annual Christmas party last weekend. Fifty-five of our dearest friends graced our home on Saturday night. Merriment ensued. We ate, drank, laughed, took a zillion photos and even sang a few carols around the piano. At the end of the evening, I asked some of our party guests to choose three of their favorite offerings from our cocktail buffet.