Author: Debbi Covington

You know it’s tomato season in the South Carolina Lowcountry when you can’t find one single frozen pie crust in the freezer at Publix. Everyone’s making tomato pies. It’s a Beaufort thing.

The spring catering season has been a whirlwind of annual meetings, cocktail parties and weddings. Even though I’m around food almost all of the time, I often get sidetracked and skip lunch. I recently discovered flatbreads in the deli section at Publix. They’ve been lifesavers for me!

I love salads! I honestly believe that you can put almost any fruit or vegetable on a bed of lettuces and make a fabulous salad. The five salads this week have no measurements, just a list of ingredients. Mix and match the salad toppings, cheeses and nuts to your taste and top with one of these delicious vinaigrettes. Simple, beautiful and delicious!

Don’t you just love a good salad? I know I do! Salads are kind of my “thing.” I often use whatever fresh fruits and vegetables we have in the refrigerator to come up with new concoctions. The thing is, I don’t particularly care for bottled vinaigrettes and dressings. It’s so easy to whip up a fresh, homemade dressing!

One of the advantages of having a lot of friends is celebrating a lot of birthdays! The past couple of months have been a whirlwind of birthday soirees – many of them commemorated at one of our favorite local hot spots, The Old Bull Tavern on West Street. As is custom with the best of friendships, someone unfailingly volunteers to bring a home-baked birthday cake.  

Weddings are so much fun and offer a zillion reasons for pre-nuptial parties. Do you like to dress up in pearls and heels? If so, then this menu has been tailored just for you. A tea party is a great function for a bridesmaid’s event, a wedding shower or even a thank you to the people who have helped you plan and organize your wedding. Very simple to prepare and execute, an afternoon tea can be as casual or as elegant as you desire.

Weddings are so much fun and offer a zillion reasons for pre-nuptial parties. Do you like to dress up in pearls and heels? If so, then this menu has been tailored just for you.

Cool weather makes me crave some of my most favorite comfort foods. At the top of the list are pasta and dark chocolate. Imagine a chilly March evening in front of a roaring fire with a glass of Cabernet and a plate loaded with creamy Salmon Romanoff.

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. Corned beef is a beef brisket or round roast cured in brine which leaves the beef bright red and flavorful.

MARDI GRAS is Fat Tuesday! It’s the last night of eating rich and fatty foods before the ritual fasting of the Lenten season which begins the next day on Ash Wednesday. Fat Tuesday is sometimes referred to as Shrove Tuesday — from the word “shrive” meaning “confess.” This week’s recipes are perfect for a Mardi Gras themed party.