18 Seaboard, Not Quite Low Country

18 Seaboard She-Crab soup and Fried Green Tomatoes

Mother's Day came and went, but the salty grits and dried shrimps still linger as a memory on my tongue. I was treated to a low country Sunday brunch...(well it seems like that was the theme any way), at 18 Seaboard restaurant in Raleigh, NC. Sunday brunch at 18 Seaboard happens only once per year, according to the staff, on Mother's Day only...how nice.

The appetizer started off deliciously with creamy She-crab soup and cornmeal crusted fried green tomatoes. For those of us who have had a low country meal in Charleston and Savannah should know what the creamy concoction tastes like, sweet crab on top of lightly salted cream with a dust of black pepper. It was a comfort in a bowl and a great introduction to the meal. Fried green tomatoes are another southern favorite of mine. Tart, crisp with buttermilk dip, summer is sure coming.

18 Seaboard Shrimp and Grits

The main course arrived with a bowl of salty, cheesy grits and salty grilled, dried shrimp. What have they done to my Shrimp and Grits? Where is the sauce? If this is what the restaurant calls "Shrimp and Grits", I was fooled. I call it "Grits and Salty Grilled Shrimp"!

I was so disappointed in this last dish that I stopped eating after a couple bites and could not wait to come home to make my own version of the dish. It is rather simple actually. All you need is head-on East coast or Gulf shrimp, Chorizo or Andouille, garlic, paprika, cayenne, thyme, good roux, white wine, seafood stock and a tongue that keeps you in line with the taste of the low country version.  Voila, the shrimp is made.

Grits are similar to polenta, but ground more coarsely and not as fine as corn meal. Add 1 cup of grit, 2 cups of water, 1 cup of milk and a pinch of salt and pepper. Bring it to boil and simmer, stir constantly until the mixture is reduced by 1/2. Grate any type of cheese in, about 1 cup.  Let it comes to room temperature.

Homemade Version Of Shrimp and Grits

Pour the shrimps and its sauce on top of the warm grits, pull the shrimps apart, taste the fat from its head. The sweet, succulent shrimps dance on the gently spiced gravy. My rage came to peace and my craving satisfied. 18 Seaboard, be careful of what you serve. If it ain't Shrimp and Grits, don't call it so.

Early that morning, my children woke me up with a shower of artwork and poetry.  As their eyes close and the sun set over the horizon, calmness came over me.  The peaceful breath of my children, the laughter and the dance, all that made me twisted got untied…what could really be better. 

Happy Belated Mother’s Day.

Cheers!

Teera

Mango and Me

My daughter and Mangos at the House

After retiring from the military, my grandfather moved the family out of the military base and into a house that he designed and built, on the outskirts of the city. His passion lied with making things with his hands. Making furniture and growing a mango were 2 of his passions. The new house was built in a mango orchard. I had lived with my grandparents from the age of 3 months to my teenage years. The controversial topics of conversation between my grandparents had always been about which plant to grow and where, on the new property. My grandmother would always prefer the herbs and the chili. My grandfather, on the other hand, preferred flowers. One plant they always agreed on was mango.

Mexican Mangos

During the dry season, while it freezes and snows in NC, the mango trees in the tropics are in bloom. April to May in the tropics is when mango arrives. Bats and fire ants often get to the sweet ripened ones before we could get a hold of them. My grandmother would pick the ones that were not quite ripe, lay them out in a shady, air tight room and cover them with Cassod leaves ( Bai Kee Lek) until they ripened. You can curry the Cassod leaves, by the way. That topic is for another day. There are many types and flavors of mango. Some are eaten when they are young and some when they are ripe. Some are sweet from the bottom up and some the opposite. Knowing how pick the ripe fruits is your second nature when fruits trees are steps away.

Young Mango Salad

I eat mango as a part of a meal, dessert and snack. I make salad out of the young, tart, crisp mango and drizzle with tamarind, palm sugar, chili dressing. The combination gives you a tropical destination, but for me...a taste of home. Really, who needs bacon or butter?

The large round, meaty mango can be used to make Thai red curry. The body of this type of mango holds up well when ripe. The flavor is not too sweet.
The ripe smaller type of mango, I eat them as dessert, accompanied by coconut sticky rice. Thai desserts are typically fruits. If you can step out to the backyard and pick fruits to calm the palate from eating spicy food in a hot climate, why would you bother baking and heating up the house!

Mango an Sticky Rice

Mangos and I go way back. I spent a bit of time throughout my childhood climbing its branch, watching the setting sun over the rice field beyond. The rustling of leaves as the wind passes by, gave me a sense of coolness and being calm. My grandfather seemed to also find most comfort in solitude with the mango trees. His passion lied in growing the fruits and me. He passed away several years ago. These days, when the Mexican mango floods the local markets, I savor the flavors and the memories of my grandfather with every passing bite...I hope you will enjoy it too.

Cheers!
Teera

Carolina (Beach) on My Mind

Seafood at "Shuckin Shack"

Hungry for the sweet taste of crab and the crunchy texture of fried soft shell, my family and I decided to head to North Carolina coast. After driving for about 2 ½ hours south, passing Wilmington, we reached the beach and the Atlantic Ocean. The sea surge can be as high as a 3-story building during many hurricanes in this neck of the woods. The area we went to is called “Carolina Beach”.

I was pleasantly surprised to find warm water, soft white sand and a laid back downtown in the area. The Gulf Stream does wonders to the temperature of the water and the availability of seafood along the strip.

We stumbled upon a dive bar called "Shuckin Shack", 2 blocks from the beach. With 2 young children we visited the joint early and found the freshest seafood on the strip. On top of the quality, the price was just right. We had a dozen oysters, 1 pound of steamed shrimp, a basket full of steamed blue crab claws, corn on the cob, coleslaw and hush puppies, all for under $30. The oysters were cold and briny.  It was served with house-pickled chili. The shrimps were sweet, succulent, perfectly cooked, and sprinkled with a dust of old bay seasoning.  The blue crab claws were steamed to perfection. I finish the basket without any help of craw crushing tool.  Our children shared a basket of fish and chips and they want to go back.

Seafood at Blackburn

We also found a seafood market, right off the boat docking area in Carolina Beach--Blackburn Seafood market. Though they did not have any live soft shell crab there, they had an abundance of local fish. Spotted trout, flounder, blue fish, Virginia mullet, black Sea Bass, Tuna, Mahi Mahi, and Spanish mackerel were a few. The North Carolina shrimp were abundant as well. After finding out that I was looking for live soft shell crab, the store clerk picked up the phone to inquire about live soft shell crab at another market and sent me to another seafood market. What a camaraderie the fishermen have, helping one another out! I was impressed. 

Live soft shell crab and conch at Sea View

The crab place that I was sent to was "Sea View Crab". The live crab was not the only thing there. There were live conch and lobster as well. The fish selection was not as abundant, but what they did have looked awesome.

More NC fish at Sea View

North Carolina Shrimps...Yum!

Small, laid back, the beach town of Carolina Beach has it all...soft white sand, warm water and fresh seafood. My cooler was filled with the goods as we set sail for home, but really, I wanted to stay....and flow with the Gulf Stream.

Cheers!
Teera