Soaking it all in

A good way to blow your good eating habits and your pocket book is shopping for food when you’re hungry. It’s just a bad idea folks, too much temptation while your tummy is rumbling saying, “Feed me.” It’s something I tend to do far too often. I start off with the best intentions of getting healthy items but hunger has its own plan. “Let’s see I need chicken for dinner tonight … oh wait this pizza will take only 15 minutes and has pepperoni and BACON . I should get the chicken to make ahead for tomorrow’s dinner, and get the pizza for tonight. YES. In the meantime let me snag this bag of chips and start on these now while shopping.” Crunch, crunch, crunch crunch…YAY CHEETOS! Of course then I need a soda to wash down the chips. There were a few times where I grabbed a ready-made sandwich at the deli to go along with the chips and soda. And if the hunger lingers I may start going aisle by aisle, searching for the next quick grab and chew option. OMG pickles, I need some for th...

In 1978, the low-budget science-fiction film “Attack of the Killer Tomatoes” was a hit among young moviegoers. The film was a spoof on the horror and sci-fi genre movies of that time and featured monstrous tomatoes revolting against humans, killing them off one by one. Today, however, tomatoes are highly regarded in helping humans in battling a barrage of diseases. Prostate and breast cancer, surprisingly, top the list. Research indicates that tomatoes contain lycopene, which scientists consider to be a strong antioxidant. “Several studies have shown that a diet high in fruits, vegetables, soy, fiber, lycopene — which you find in tomatoes — and the omega-3 fatty acids reduces the risk of both breast cancer and prostate cancer,” Dr. Dean Ornish, a clinical professor of medicine at the University of California San Francisco, reported when speaking about the benefits of a more plant-based diet while in Savannah in November of 2016. “These diets contain a lot of naturally occurring an...

If you had to eat the same meal for 30 days what would you choose? OMG; decisions, decisions. See, I can actually do this. If I had to live on chicken soup, or say chili, or fried chicken for 30 days, no problem. Better yet tell me I can only eat ice cream and I’ll make it work for breakfast, lunch and dinner — EASY. Oh, 30 days’ worth of Lowcountry boils. YES, please! Wait! Pizza, yes by gosh. Pizza is definitely something I do for more than 30 days. Let’s see, what else would I possibly consider? Hmm. It would be easy to pick something like tacos (way too easy). As much as I like hot dogs I’m not sure I could commit to that for 30 days straight. I think I would stick to something from my childhood. Something I asked my mom to make nearly every day. Bistec de palomilla, con arroz y frijoles negros! (Palomilla steak with white rice and black beans). Mouthwateringly delicious to even think about. A palomilla steak is just top-round or a sirloin cut. The magic is that...

This story was originally printed in the Dec./Jan. 2015 edition of Liberty Life Magazine. Daufuskie Island Rum Company will be celebrating their first year in business this December and owners Anthony Chase and his newlywed wife Kristi are still in awe of just how successful their little venture has become. During a somewhat rainy October afternoon, Chase greets a group of visitors who came to tour his 1,500 square foot business and distillery. He glances at the large group gathered in the foyer and can barely contain his excitement. “Those push pins represent where people live right now and we’ve had visitors from 48 different states already,” Chase says pointing to two different maps on the wall of his tasting room. He says they are only missing guests from South Dakota and Alaska. “And we’ve already had visitors from 38 different countries as well,” he adds. “It’s been pretty remarkable to see the number of people who actually come to Daufuskie Island…we have about 300 people ...

Mead is similar to wine except instead of being derived from fermented grapes it is made from fermented honey, water and yeast. The first time I ever heard of and tasted Mead was at the the Savannah Bee Company. “It is the oldest form of alcohol that exists,” Savannah Bee Company’s Broughton Street location Mead bar manager Laurie Garner said during an interview I did with her for a magazine story years ago. “It predates wine by about 6,000 years,” Chelsea Miller added. She was at the River Street location working as the Mead bar manager. “The way it all started was that people crushed the (honey) combs to extract the honey and they would throw the empty combs in buckets which would then collect with rain water. Someone thought to add yeast,” Garner explained. “And somebody was lucky enough to take a sip of it and they called it the nectar of the Gods.” Miller said there are about 50 types of Mead recognized by the American Mead Association and the Savannah Bee Company carries an...

From the carpeting that lines the parking lot to the hundreds of pictures that give life to its interior walls, much can be said about the eclectic look of the Old School Diner. But it is more than just the ambiance that lures Coastal Georgia residents and tourists to the hidden gem. And while the perfectly cooked shrimp, saucy ribs and delectable hush puppies are what people hem and haw over, it’s the man behind the food who truly symbolizes the restaurant’s soul. The eatery is nestled along the bend of the South Newport River, not far from the pristine Harris Neck Wildlife Refuge. Chef Jerome Brown doesn’t just think of his diner as a place to have a meal. It is his home away from home, and — should they need a special sanctuary — his customers’ home as well. Those who frequent the restaurant are not just closed-out bar tabs and paid receipts — he sees them as members of his family. Born in Waycross, Webster Tyrone Jerome Brown cultivated his cooking skills at the Buccaneer Club...

The best thing about Coastal Georgia is the easy access to fresh local seafood. Locals tend to know where you can find the tastiest places offering up fresh dock-to-diner delights. Some of these best kept secrets are nearby, tucked away off Highway 17 near Shellman’s Bluff. These no frills diners have been around for quite some time, a testament to the scrumptious meals they place before their patrons. Some are well-known to visitors from around the world, simply by word of mouth. You may have to ask for directions and be willing to venture a little bit further off the beaten path but the meals, atmosphere and southern hospitality makes it all worthwhile. We stopped in and had a meal at two of these hidden gems. We also spoke to a few locals who offered up a few more suggestions within the area. The Fish Dock at Pelican Point, Crescent Formerly called Pelican Point Restaurant, The Fish Dock has been pleasing palates since 1986 when Michael Phillips opened the eatery that sits o...