Author: Debbi Covington

Meatapalooza 2016 The finale of Water Festival is celebrated with an annual Feast of Meats at the home of our friends Jon and Lolita. Every year, Jon cooks enough meat to feed a small army. We lucky invitees, the small army, are happy to scarf up all of his delicious creations. Guests supplement the Meatfest with appetizers, side dishes, desserts and adult beverages. Last year I asked Jon to share some of his smoked meat recipes. We had so much fun that we decided to do a repeat. These are a few his yummy offerings from this year’s soiree.

Today is Thursday and my column was due on Tuesday. With all of the Water Festival revelry this week, I’m having a tough time actually getting anything accomplished. Still, we do have to eat, don’t we? The big question at our house lately is, “What do you want for supper?”

Life’s a beach! Although you may not be able to actually transport your dinner party to the ocean, you can create the ambiance of the beach for your guests. Scatter sand around a centerpiece décor of driftwood, shells and other beach treasures. Decorate your dining table with twinkle lights and candles. Crank up some beach music on the stereo. You can almost feel the ocean breeze! (Photography by Paul Nurnberg.)

It’s that time of year again – Blueberry Season! South Carolina summers bring ripe blueberries to roadside stands, farmers’ markets and local grocery stores. Round and smooth-skinned blueberries are juicy and sweet.

No two tomato pie recipes are the same. If someone actually added them up, I’d be willing to bet that folks from Beaufort have about a zillion recipes for Tomato Pie. They’re all just a teeny little bit different.

I was watching the news this morning and learned that the world has an overrun of cheese – such a huge overrun of cheese that it will take each and every person on the planet eating an extra 3 pounds of cheese this year to get the cheese market back on kilter. I don’t know about you, but I’m ready, able and willing to do my part for the cheese industry. The recipes this week all feature cheese. Some are hot and gooey, some are cool and firm, but all are deliciously cheesy! (Photography by Paul Nurnberg.)

Grilled shrimp is a great summer meal! It’s easy to cook and quite tasty, too. Getting the shrimp ready for the grill is just as important as the actual grilling. That’s where this week’s recipes come in. They’re all marinades for grilled shrimp. You can use whatever type of shrimp you’d like – white, brown or tiger.

A Taste of Italy – Part Two By Debbi CovingtonPhotography by Paul Nurnberg Have you ever dreamed of exploring Italy, visiting the cities and countryside, and eating as the Italians do? Join me on a culinary tour. Just choose a recipe and start cooking. By cooking and sharing regional dishes, we can experience some of the colors, flavors and traditions of Italy.

A Taste of Italy – Part One Photography by Paul Nurnberg Have you ever dreamed of exploring Italy, visiting the cities and countryside, and eating as the Italians do? Join me on a culinary tour. For the next two issues, we’ll be dining on Italian foods. Just choose a recipe and start cooking. By cooking and sharing regional dishes, we can experience some of the colors, flavors and traditions of Italy.

It’s no secret that I’m an Eastern North Carolina girl. I was raised eating vinegar and pepper pork barbecue, fried cornsticks and chicken dumplings. But, I was also lucky to live close enough to the coast to make frequent road trips to Morehead, the Outer Banks and Beaufort – pronounced “Bow-fert.”