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Celebrate the holidays with a show-stopping main course: prime rib.
Erik and Amanda Niel have plenty to celebrate this holiday season. This past May, their Chattanooga restaurant Easy Bistro & Bar, where Erik showcases his love for French Creole cuisine, turned 20. Their other concepts, Little Coyote and Main Street Meats, have also continued to thrive. “It’s overwhelming to think that over 20 years, how many thousands of people have worked for us, have dined with us, have cared about us,” he says. “It’s pretty emotional.”
One of the ways they’ll celebrate is with a show-stopping main course: a smoked standing rib roast, or prime rib. Shortly after taking over Main Street Meats in 2014, the team began offering customers smoked turkeys at Thanksgiving, which evolved into offering rib roasts at Christmas. “We sell them both raw, which are butchered and tied and ready to cook, as well as smoked and ready to reheat,” Erik says. They traditionally source from Bear Creek Farm in Williamson County, Tennessee, or the sustainable farm Niman Ranch. “It’s not an inexpensive endeavor, especially as the price of meat continues to rise,” he adds. “But with a little bit of effort, it’s well worth it for the holidays.”
When sending customers home with a cut like this, the butchers offer loads of tips on how to prep, smoke, and serve it—that includes getting it to room temperature before you cook it and using little seasoning. “You just brought home this beautiful piece of meat; you really don’t want to do much to it,” Erik says. From there, it’s a matter of time—smoking can take as long as four to five hours depending on the size, and it’s essential to let it rest before serving. “An hour at the minimum,” he instructs. Once it’s done, you can slice it thin or thick, depending on your preference, and you’ll get pieces that range from rare to well done. “Some people want it mooing, very pink, but then you have Grandma who wants it well done. The beauty of the rib roast is that you’ve got something for everyone.”
Get the Recipe
recipe
yields
Serves 8 to 10
Ingredients
(4-bone) Bear Creek Farms standing rib roast (ask your butcher to separate the ribs from the loin, and then tie the loin back together for smoking)
Kosher salt
Sea salt
Special equipment:
Smoker
Wood chips
Instant-read thermometer (Niel recommends Meater)
Butcher paper
Well-sealed cooler (Niel recommends Yeti)
steps
Prep: Remove rib roast from the refrigerator and set it on a tray on the counter 6 to 8 hours before cooking.
One hour before cooking, season surface of roast liberally with kosher salt.
Prepare your preferred smoker/barbecue pit: Build a fire and bring temperature to 250 degrees. Add hardwood chips at your discretion. (Use more chips if you prefer a heavy smoke flavor.)
Insert instant-read thermometer into the middle of the loin, as deeply as you can.
Smoke and Rest: Place rib roast into smoker, bone-side down, as far away from heat source as you can get it.
Cover and smoke at 250 degrees for as long as it takes. This will probably be 4 to 5 hours. Don’t get antsy!
Once internal temp has reached 125 degrees, pull rib roast out of smoker and wrap in butcher paper.
Place wrapped roast in a cooler with the lid open for 30 minutes, then closed for another 90 minutes. Again, please don’t get antsy—it has to rest.
Serve: Cut twine to separate loin from bones. Slice in between each bone and lay on a serving platter.
Slice as much of the loin as you’d like into ¼-inch slices and lay on platter next to and on top of bones.
Season each slice with a pinch or two of sea salt before serving.
Using your senses is the key to making eggplant parmesan, this Charleston chef’s Italian comfort food.
Eggplant parmesan is one of those dishes where the quality of ingredients and close attention to each stage of the cooking process are as important as the technique. Chef Vinson Petrillo of Costa in Charleston developed his version from memories of the dish he used to make with his dad.
“There’s no recipe,” he says of the tomato sauce that’s the base of this dish. “It was more like finding that flavor. It’s like five ingredients, but it’s all really good ingredients, and that makes a huge difference.” Although he gives approximate times for cooking the sauce, he emphasizes that “it’s really about the way that it starts to smell.” When you’re melding the sauce’s base flavors of garlic and basil, “You can’t walk away from it,” the chef says. “You have to feel it transform and smell it because everything’s so simple, and that’s what Italian food is. It depends on your stove; it depends on your taste.”
Petrillo’s updated take on seasoning this dish, and many others at Costa, is Red Boat fish sauce, which he uses as an alternative to salt. He recommends Sicilian oregano, which comes on the stem and can be found in specialty stores or online, as well as San Marzano canned tomatoes, Sicilian olive oil, and high-quality parmesan cheese. Pecorino cheese can be purchased already grated (but not shredded), and he introduces us to Fior di Latte, literally “flower of milk,” a firmer mozzarella made from cow’s milk.
5-6 bunches basil, leaves picked from stems (approximately 1½ cups)
20 garlic cloves, sliced
15 Cantabrian anchovies, chopped
Red chile flakes, to taste
Generous pinch of Diamond Crystal kosher salt, plus more as needed
106 ounces (#10 can) San Marzano whole tomatoes
4 teaspoons Red Boat fish sauce, plus more as needed
For the eggplant:
1 medium eggplant
1 teaspoon salt, plus more for sprinkling
1 cup all-purpose flour
1⅓ tablespoons Sicilian oregano, divided
8 egg yolks
4 cups panko breadcrumbs, divided
¼ cup finely grated pecorino cheese, plus more for sprinkling
Sicilian olive oil for frying, plus more for drizzling
Canola oil for frying
2 tablespoons hand-grated high-quality parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
1 cup thick-grated low-moisture mozzarella cheese such as Fior di Latte
6-8 ounces fresh mozzarella, sliced
Fresh basil leaves for garnish
Special equipment: 8-inch mesh breading basket, deep-fry thermometer
steps
Make the Sauce
In a large, wide-bottom pot such as a rondeau, heat olive oil over medium. Add basil leaves, garlic, anchovies, chile flakes, and a generous pinch of salt, and cook, stirring frequently, until garlic just starts to change color, basil crisps, and anchovies melt; mixture should be very fragrant, approximately 10 to 15 minutes.
Add tomatoes and continue to cook, mashing with a potato masher until size of pieces is uniform. Stir in fish sauce, reduce heat to low, and cook for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Taste and season with additional salt or fish sauce as needed at least once during cooking and again after 1 hour. Makes approximately 1 gallon.
Bread and Fry the Eggplant
While sauce is simmering, slice eggplants just slightly thicker than ¼ inch (but not as thick as ½ inch). (Pro tip: Eggplant will shrink when cooked, so it needs to be thick enough to stand up to the breading.) Place eggplant slices on a baking tray and sprinkle each piece with a pinch of salt, then stack slices on top of each other. Allow eggplant to sit out for 15 to 20 minutes. (This removes bitterness and acts as a brine to enhance flavor).
Create a breading station: In a shallow dish or bowl, combine flour, 1 tablespoon oregano, and 1 teaspoon salt. In another dish, whisk together egg yolks with 2 tablespoons of water until combined. In a food processor or by hand, pulse or crush 2 cups breadcrumbs to a fine consistency. In a third dish large enough to hold all eggplant slices, combine crushed breadcrumbs, whole breadcrumbs, 1 teaspoon oregano, and ¼ cup pecorino cheese.
Discard any liquid from eggplant. Using a mesh breading basket, dip eggplant into flour one piece at a time, shaking gently in flour to completely coat. Remove eggplant and shake off any excess flour. By hand or using tongs, dip eggplant into egg wash, being sure to allow excess egg to drain off. Dip eggplant into panko mixture, turning several times to coat thoroughly. Repeat with all eggplant pieces and allow to sit in panko for 5 minutes. Remove eggplant to a tray.
Add olive oil and canola oil in a 50:50 mix to a two-inch depth in a deep cast-iron skillet or dutch oven and heat to 375 degrees. (Pro tip: Using a mix of oils allows for frying at a higher temperature without bitterness.) Fry eggplant in batches until pieces are deep golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes, flipping halfway through to evenly fry both sides. Remove to a baking rack and sprinkle with salt and more finely grated pecorino.
Bake the Eggplant
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a 10-ounce casserole dish, spread 4 ounces of tomato sauce to cover the bottom. Top with 4 to 5 pieces of fried eggplant, overlapping as needed but being sure to cover the sauce. Spread another 4 ounces of tomato sauce on top, lifting any overlapping parts of the eggplant as you go to make sure sauce gets in between pieces.
Top with 2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese, covering entire surface of dish, and cover with thick-grated mozzarella. (Pro tip: This is the time for personal preference; Petrillo likes to cover the entire surface for “this indulgent, little bit of a pull thing going on.”)
Place fresh mozzarella slices on top, then drizzle with more olive oil. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes. In the last 5 minutes, if cheese isn’t browning or bubbling, increase heat to broil, keeping a close eye to avoid burning.
Remove from oven and grate more parmesan cheese on top. Serve the eggplant parmesan garnished with fresh basil
Find fresh spots to eat and drink around the Palmetto State in the Local Palate’s guide to new South Carolina restaurants, from our 2022 New Restaurants Issue.
Nicknamed the Hostess City of the South, Savannah is known for its hospitality. From early morning to late night, food and beverage folks feed the community well, then swap stories at local dives till closing time. But the city’s thriving food scene is relatively new, having taken off in 2014 with the opening of The Grey. The fine-dining spot established Savannah as a culinary destination, setting off an explosion of new bars and restaurants that encouraged both friendly competition and collaboration in the industry. Chefs began sourcing local ingredients, the city developed a rich cocktail culture and grow-ing international food scene, and diners no longer had to go downtown to get a good meal. Festivals are also a draw, with travelers pouring in for the annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade and the inaugural Hostess City Food and Wine Fest, and new hotels popping up around town to host them. With all the changes of the last decade, the best thing about Savannah is still its people, who celebrate community and welcome newcomers warmly.
Best Places to Eat, Drink, and Explore
Pancakes at Flora and Fauna, Image courtesy of John Park
Most Decadent Desserts: Cotton & Rye Save room for dessert at Cotton & Rye, where their housemade shortbread candy bars with caramel, chocolate, and crème fraîche and indulgent peanut butter pie will hit the spot.
When six perfect dumplings arrive at your table, eat them before your friends do. Located behind a few doors in a quiet strip mall, this Chinese restaurant is so well-loved in Savannah that if you stand anywhere long enough, you’ll hear a local mention it.
Upstairs at Hotel Bardo’s Italian restaurant, chef Matthew Cruz teaches courses like a farmers market cooking class where participants help build a truly exceptional multicourse meal with ingredients from the market across the street.
In an alleyway in the historic district, Alley Cat offers spirits served in beautifully mismatched glassware off a newspaper-like menu called the Alley Cat Rag. This spot changed the cocktail scene in Savannah, “leading the modern American cocktail revolution” with style.
This charming neighborhood spot is part bakery, part coffee house, open for breakfast and lunch daily, and part supper club Wednesday through Sunday. Friendly staff and sunlight pouring in through large windows make it a cheery stop.
For a filling lunch that will warm you up when it’s cold outside, head to Klom Klom for killer Thai food. Don’t miss the duck chiang mai khao soi served in a creamy curry sauce with crispy fried noodles.
Cocktails at Bar Julian
Best Wine Bar: Late Air Grab a seat at the bar at Late Air and order the caesar salad with anchovies and whatever wine the bartender is drinking lately. And don’t miss the desserts, which range from rich, chocolatey creations to light-as-air sorbets.
Prettiest Plates: Common Thread Chef-owner Brandon Carter heads the kitchen at Common Thread, where presentation is just as spectacular as taste. The CT lasagna, for example, with pork ragù, eggplant, and mushrooms, looks almost too good to eat.
Brochu’s chicken is unmatched. Get the legendary dirty rice with grilled chicken bits or the fried chicken sandwich with sunchoke hot sauce, then finish off your meal with bourbon banana pudding.
With this superlative given by a longtime local, Bar Julian rooftop lives up to the hype with a beautiful view of the city and great food like the Julian burger and handcrafted pizzas to pair with cocktails.
Claim to Fame
Chef Mashama Bailey
To say chef Mashama Bailey transformed Savannah’s food scene would be an understatement. Previously working in New York kitchens, Bailey took a leap of faith and teamed up with restaurateur John O. Morisano to open The Grey in this small Southern city just over 10 years ago. “I knew that I wanted to relocate, and I knew that I wanted to run my own restaurant, and I also knew it was time to leave Gabrielle [in NYC],” says Bailey. “It was very timely to look at a different opportunity.”
In a city largely built for visitors, The Grey was built for locals. The chef serves upscale Southern fare to anyone lucky enough to have a reservation. “It wasn’t until I started to develop the menu that the point of view started to shine through,” she says. “It was a local restaurant that focused on local ingredients. I really wanted to highlight local farmers. And it was soulful. And that’s what drew people in, our intentionality.” When asked what she wants The Grey to represent, she says, “Community. I want it to represent what people were eating in the region. I wanted people to sit down and feel nostalgic.”
The Gray chef Mashama Bailey, Image courtesy of Chia Chong
Opened in 2009, this bustling farmers market perfectly encapsulates the Savannah experience: community, food, and art, with locals and visitors strolling beneath Spanish moss-draped live oak trees at the beautiful Forsyth Park.
This teahouse by the river carries teas from around the globe. The beloved business is led by Wayne Ashford, a world-traveler who is as knowledgeable as he is passionate about tea and the stories behind each cup.
A maze of used, new, and rare books, this independent bookstore is eclectic (and a little hectic). Customers are met with the scent of dusty old tomes filled with tales of history and adventure.
Where to Stay
Municipal Grand Guest Room, Image courtesy of Kelly Calvillo
Savannah has seen a rise in luxury hotels in the last decade, especially downtown. Municipal Grand—all business on the outside, yet cozy and stylish inside—is a standout stay that opened earlier this year. The hotel’s location is tough to beat, situated near the river, right next to SCAD’s Trustees Theater and the popular Leopold’s Ice Cream at the heart of downtown. The on-site restaurant, Municipal Bar, serves Mediterranean bites breakfast through dessert. Come spring, guests can lounge by the rooftop pool, where they’ll have a beautiful view of the church-steeple skyline.
Meet a Local
Colin Breland, co-owner of Late Air
Late Air, a cozy wine bar serving natural wines and elevated bites a little off the beaten path, is owned by husband-and-wife duo Colin Breland and Madeline Ott. We caught up with Breland to hear about what it means to be a part of Savannah’s community.
What is unique about the wine program at Late Air?
We work only with very small producers. We work with people who make wine in the way that wine was made before the industrialization of the wine industry. It’s kind of an ode to the old peasant wine-making style. There are no chemical additives, only a little bit of sulfur. It’s just wine with nothing to hide behind.
Colin Breland and Madeline Ott, owners of Late Air, Wine Bar in Savannah GA
How did the local community shape your vision?
We felt there was not enough representation of the wines we drank, and not enough owner-operated businesses in Savannah. We wanted to bring a fresh perspective to this place. We wanted to see how we could bring the high-end product and high-end service into a casual environment. We got to know our community through doing pop-ups and put the name out there for about a year before we opened our doors so we could get to know the people around us. We wanted to make it as welcoming as possible.
What drew you to Savannah?
My wife went to school here. I came down here from New York City, and we decided to move around the country after she graduated. We moved around to a lot of places and then we kind of tossed around ideas of where we wanted to go, like Nashville, or back home to Virginia Beach, where we’re from. Savannah kept coming up as a place we wanted to go back to, but there was this notion that there wasn’t a place we wanted to eat or drink there. It felt like the city was calling us back to it, and so we visited a few times and fell back in love with it, and pretty organically found the place where Late Air is now.
Walk us through a perfect day in Savannah.
Waking up on a Saturday, grabbing a coffee from Good Fortune Market on the way to the farmers market, cruising through saying hi to friends and farmers and filling up a grocery bag for the week. After that, grabbing brunch or lunch at Sixby, our friendly neighborhood café. Then a little afternoon walk downtown would be really nice, maybe stopping at Provisions to grab a bottle of wine. The perfect dinner scenario, we’d probably go to Brochu’s right at 5:30 when they open, grab a bunch of oysters, then go grab cocktails at Lone Wolf after.
How do you give back to the community?
My wife and I help out with Renegade Rescue, a dog rescue in Savannah that we’re super close with. We do their Wag-o-ween event every year, a donations-based party. Late Air was actually owned by the woman who started the Wag-o-ween event—it [used to be] a pet store. We’ve helped carry on the tradition of creating space for those people. It’s been really cool to see.
Small town hospitality meets historic charm at the iconic Main Street.
Every community has its Main Street, where essential transactions take place, stories are swapped over coffee, and delicious meals are enjoyed among friends and families. While some Main Streets have lost their luster, taking a back seat to big city development, others celebrate their history, embrace preservation-based economic development, and are enjoying new vitality. Cooperating with Main Street America, a program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, prominent buildings are being artfully restored and reused for offices, retail settings, and exciting new coffee shops, bars, and restaurants. These are a few of our favorites across the South.
Main Streets Across the South
Historically Hip | Hammond, Louisiana
Although Hammond was established in 1818, the railroad’s arrival in 1854 transformed this town into a transportation hub and eventually a tourist destination. Where the railroad tracks meet Thomas Street today, you’ll find beautifully renovated Victorian, art deco, and mid-century modern architecture. Along with its shops, Hammond has become “historically hip.”
When it comes to the town’s culinary culture, it’s said that if you’ve discovered Tope La and Streetside restaurants, you’re on the right path. Tope Là offers exceptional Creole Cajun cuisine, while Streetside Market, reminiscent of an open market, serves both Southern and internationally inspired specialties. Also important are Luma Coffee Roasters in the restored Rexall Drugs building, offering delightfully casual meals. Plus, you won’t want to miss the Voodoo pizza from Tommy’s on Thomas. True to Louisiana, this house special is made with Creole barbeque sauce, then topped with alligator sausage and much more. So delicious it’ll put a spell on you. If you’re in town on Saturdays, you can enjoy all of this plus the weekly farmers market.
Settled 17,000 years ago along the Ocmulgee River, NewTown Macon is where extraordinary history and remarkable culture come together. Home to Otis Redding, Little Richard, and Allman Brothers Band, the town is also adjacent to the Ocmulgee Mounds National Historic Park.
If you’re feeling a touch peckish, H&H Soul Food is extolled for its stick-to-ya-ribs soul food including the Red Dog (biscuit, fried chicken), Jamioe Bowl (catfish, cheese grits), and Soul Rolls (fried chicken egg rolls). There’s also Kudzu Seafood Company, serving up fresh Gulf seafood and Southern specialties.
For the ultimate in casual, The Rookery’s burgers and soul-satisfying Jimmy Carter shake (peanut butter, bacon) are local favorites. Nu-Way Weiners’ red-hued hot dogs have been pulling crowds since 1916. Craving something sweet? Dovetail’s “cracked pie,” featuring a cookie crust, pecan filling, and salted caramel gelato, is a wonderful Southern specialty.
Bas Rouge
Fair Winds and Following Seas | Easton, Maryland
With the Chesapeake Bay in its backyard, Easton’s main street is ideal for weekend adventures. Its rich history, well-preserved Colonial and Victorian architecture, stylish boutiques, and award-winning restaurants have made it one of the most appealing small towns in America.
Chef Harley Peet (2024 James Beard Award recipient for Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic) is the maestro behind Bas Rouge, promising exceptional cuisine, wines, and service. Other acclaimed destinations include The Wardroom, an epicurean marketplace during the day, a relaxed yet sophisticated wine and pasta bar at night, and The Stewart, best known for its $1 million collection of rare whiskeys and vintage Champagnes. Alternatively, Tiger Lily, a vibrant and somewhat eclectic tiki bar with an internationally flamboyant menu, and Out of the Fire, an unpretentious destination with a menu emphasizing fresh, locally produced foods, are both hometown favorites.
With so many alluring options, visitors can take in a progressive dinner with drinks at one place and meals at another, for an extravagant and multifaceted experience.
A Taste of History | Bardstown, Kentucky
Established in 1780, Bardstown is recognized as the Bourbon Capital of the World. With nearly 200 buildings on the National Register of Historic Places, a stroll through Bardstown is a passage through time. And although there are plenty of attractions, bourbon is the hallmark of this community.
The Old Talbott Tavern stocks more than 200 bourbons along with an inspired menu. The Bar at Willett, part of the longstanding Willett Distillery estate, offers vintage whiskeys and innovative small plates, including “the best egg salad sandwich ever.”
For exemplary regional cooking, Mammy’s Kitchen & Bar is the place. Their iconic hot brown, adapted for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, is an essential place to start, but you’ll probably want to return for a Kentucky Cornbread Mafia Burger as well.
Should you prefer travel by rail, My Old Kentucky Dinner Train serves gourmet meals while you wind through bourbon country in the comfort of their beautifully restored 1940s vintage dining cars.
A Different Kind of Thrill | Park Avenue District, Orlando, Florida
The stylish Park Avenue District in Orlando’s Winter Park neighborhood, renowned for its public artworks, distinctive shopping experiences, and edifying museums that surround the town’s verdant Central Park, offers considerably more than its theme park neighbors to the south. The visually distinctive Craftsman-style Winter Park rail station at the park, served by Amtrak and SunRail, makes a visit as easy as stepping off the carriage.
Start by visiting The Morse Museum, housing the world’s most comprehensive collection of works by Louis Tiffany. Alternatively, the Scenic Boat Tour through local lakes and narrow manmade canals is an enjoyable pastime.
The neighborhood is also home to an impressive selection of fashionable cafés, bakeries and restaurants. A meal at Prato, led by James Beard-nominated chef Brandon McGlamery, immerses you in refined Italian gastronomy. Coupled with sophisticated decor, Prato mirrors everything that’s wonderful about this community.
If you’d like something more bespoke, Ômo by Jônt is an uncommon experience. Meals are served as a progressive tasting menu limited to 16 guests, with each course enjoyed in a different room.
From eighteenth-century mansions to swanky, Prohibition-era hotels, all of these destinations have been refurbished and updated with plenty of amenities for a modern-day traveler.
Check out these 10 recently opened and soon-to-open restaurants from Miami to Louisville, with Lebanese mezze to rustic Italian food and Spanish vermouth bars.
For our first full year cooking alongside you, we really made some waves in the kitchen! From a plantain tarte tatin to pickled potato salad, we found timeless recipes we will be making again and again. Thank you for helping us cook through some of the best cookbooks in the South and for being a part of our TLP Cookbook Club community.
What Can I Bring? : Recipes to Help You Live Your Guest Life by Casey Elsass was an unexpected favorite read of the year, and this pickled potato salad is foolproof. Pickles and pepperoncini as the flavor bombs of your potato salad? Genius.
From Skillet Love: From Steak to Cake: More Than 150 Recipes in One Cast-Iron Pan, this blueberry-lemon ricotta cake is perfect for blueberry season, but a year-round staple for author, Anne Byrn. While the ricotta was a surprise ingredient, she said, “So many cake recipes include sour cream and cream cheese, so what could go wrong with adding this milky and decadent cheese?”
When the summer garden is booming, soup doesn’t often come to mind. But this summer soup recipe from Caro Chambers’ What to Cook When You Don’t Feel Like Cooking, does a great job of honoring summer’s bountiful harvest and throwing it all in the pot. Find more recipes and thoughts in our cookbook review here.
This is the showstopper for your holiday table. Steven Satterfield brings new life to the classic sweet potato casserole in his book Root to Leaf: A Southern Chef Cooks Through the Seasons, exchanging it for candied squash with woodsy rosemary and toasted pecans.
As we wrap up 2025, we enter into a season of reflection and anticipation. 2025 has been a journey, that much we can all agree on. We’ve seen massive moments in the Southern culinary world from the introduction of the MICHELIN to the American South guide to dozens of new and notable restaurants cropping up. While huge headlines can dominate the culinary heatmap in the South, we’ve kept our ear to the ground for some of the underlying trends that made this year unique.
Recap our favorite culinary trends of 2025 (including a couple new ones) here and help us predict the next culinary trends for 2026 at the poll below!
1. Fancy Hot Dogs
While many commit to healthier dining for the new year, we’re just contemplating all the fancy hot dogs we still need to eat. Hot dogs are a culinary American anthem, and while a classic can really go a long way, it was great to see “glizzys” get a little more glamorous in 2025.
Read about everything from onion dip dogs to hotdogs topped with caviar in our Summer Trends list.
The Kimchi Dog at Connie’s
2. Celery Salads
Celery stepped away from the hot wings plate and into the limelight in 2025, and we support it wholeheartedly. Really, we once had a team meeting discussing celery salads for over an hour. Try these three celery salads from some of our favorite Southern chefs here:
Jason Stanhope of Lowland in Charleston, South Carolina shares his now-famous celery salad with […]
3. Potato Chips On Sandwiches
Sandwiches are all about balancing taste and texture. And if you have yet to try this combo, welcome to your newest, crunchy obsession. Our go-to chip purveyor is Lowcountry Kettle Chips. From spicing up a tuna salad sandwich with a bag of Carolina Reaper chips to pairing a fried white fish sandwich with crispy Pickle-Flavored chips, the options are endless. Toss some Sea Salt chips on a peanut butter and banana sandwich, and experience a full spectrum of textures.
Hands-on, intimate dining services are beginning to be prioritized, so, naturally, we’ve noticed the return of tableside service carts.
Have your martini served as if you’re James Bond at Crawford Brothers Steakhouse in Raleigh, North Carolina. Crawford Brothers offers an interactive tableside martini service that allows guests to select savory, Vesper, or New Alaska, to be mixed at the table with their preferred garnish.
At The Marigold Club in Houston, your tableside sundae experience comes dressed to the nines, complete with cherry on top. Select your preferred flavors from strawberries & cream, clotted cream, or chocolate and then pile on unique toppings like vanilla chantilly, banana jam, and candied hazelnuts.
Coffee programs are on the rise across the South, receiving as much attention to curation as bar programs. Concepts like Rob McDaniel’s Bayonet in Birmingham are leaning into having intentionally specialized programs for all beverages. Partnering with Non-Fiction Coffee, Bayonet serves tableside pourovers expertly paired with their pastry program.
Help us predict the next big culinary trend by voting below!
From a lemon-dill chicken soup that comes close to curing the winter blues, to a drink that would be at home in Paris Hilton’s hands—and a couple of crabs in between, these recipes are here to serve you, your guests, and your respective tastebuds. From quick ‘n easy Pimento Cheese sandwiches when you’re in a pinch to simple sheet pan dinners that don’t skimp on flavor, you’re sure to find space in your kitchen for these recipes in the coming year.
While spring is the only cure to seasonal depression, this soup comes pretty close. Allium-laden and nutritionally-bolstered with rice and fennel, this soup integrates lemon zest and dill for brightness, even amidst the harshest winters.
Sometimes returning to a classic is the way to go; enter: the Broccoli and Cheese Casserole. Coming together in under an hour, from ingredients you likely already have in your fridge, this family classic is unlikely to turn heads but more unlikely to disappoint.
If you were an unlucky hard-shell blue crab, this is how you’d want to be prepared. Dipped in a spiced beer batter, fried ‘till golden-brown, and served with a remoulade-esque dipping sauce; worse fates can befall both crabs and your taste buds.
Named for the iconic pink flowers that adorn Augusta National, this refreshing drink, brightened by pineapple juice and colored by grenadine, is sure to provide enough kick to render even the slowest round of golf a riveting spectacle.
This Cajun Sheet-Pan Shrimp “Boil” sits at the crossroads of culinary faithfulness and efficiency: it delivers the same beloved flavors, in a fraction of the time, with a fraction of the mess.
When you’re working with fish like red snapper, you want to make sure you’re getting your money’s worth. This crudo, flavored by bright citrus, hot peppers, and wonderfully balanced with fatty avocado and EVOO is sure to impress anyone.
Bursting with flavor from jammy blackberries and dotted with little sweet dumplings, this Blackberry Doobie does double duty on carbs and sweets if you make the accompanying biscuits and honey butter.
More often than not, a sense-forward, throw-in-whatever-you-like approach to cooking will allow you to both learn more and to develop a sense of what you enjoy. These Marinated Louisiana Crab Claws are an exercise in this approach to cooking; simple, rustic, and—as long as you trust your tastebuds—delicious to you, the cook.
Reinterpreting traditional French cassoulet with field peas and andouille sausage was a no-brainer, says chef EJ Miller of Chardon, which opened in March 2025 in Houston. “It just makes sense,” Miller explains. “The flavors of Texas and the Gulf Coast go really well with French cuisine; otherwise we wouldn’t have Cajun food.”
He developed the recipe originally using crowder peas, which he says were too protein heavy. Fresh black-eyed peas were the solution, he says: “As fresh as you can possibly get, because it holds onto that starch and helps thicken the sauce.” Black-eyed pea season is also longer, giving the dish longevity on his late winter-early spring menu. “That time of year when you can get those field peas fresh, there’s something nice about it.”
He also highly recommends Best Stop andouille sausage from Scott, Louisiana. “It’s a great product. The spice level is right; after you render out that fat it lends that spice into the entire dish,” he says. He also likes the larger casing size, which allows him to dice the sausage to the same size as a black-eyed pea; uniformity is important with a dish like cassoulet that’s cooked down “so you don’t have all these odds and ends in there.” Miller finishes off the dish traditionally with house-cured D’Artagnan duck leg quarters.
Black-Eyed Pea Cassoulet with Duck Confit
For the black eyed peas:
2 cups fresh or individually quick frozen black-eyed peas (uncooked)
1-2 tablespoons duck fat or extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, diced
½ cup diced carrot
½ cup diced celery
2-3 tablespoons diced fennel bulb, plus fronds for garnish
5 ounces andouille sausage, diced (Miller uses Best Stop)
2 tablespoons tomato paste
½ cup dry white wine
4 cups chicken stock
2 fresh thyme sprigs
1 bay leaf
Salt and pepper to taste
For the crispy duck confit:
4 duck legs (skin-on, bone-in)
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
2 garlic cloves, smashed
2 fresh thyme sprigs
1 bay leaf, crumbled
2 cups duck fat (rendered or store-bought)
steps
In a 3-quart pot, bring salted water to a boil. Rinse fresh black-eyed peas and add to pot; simmer for 25 to 30 minutes until tender. (Alternatively, thaw from frozen and simmer 20 to 25 minutes.) Drain well.
In a dutch oven, heat 1 to 2 tablespoons of duck fat or olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrot, celery, and fennel; sauté 5 to 7 minutes until softened. Add diced andouille and cook 5 minutes until browned. Stir in tomato paste and cook 2 minutes. Pour in white wine and reduce by half, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add cooked black-eyed peas, chicken stock, thyme sprigs, and bay leaf. Simmer uncovered for 30 to 40 minutes until thickened and flavorful. Remove thyme and bay leaf, and season with salt and pepper.
Pat duck legs dry. Rub thoroughly with salt, pepper, smashed garlic, thyme, and bay leaf. Cover and refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours.
Preheat oven to 225 degrees. Rinse duck legs to remove cure and pat dry. Place legs in a baking dish and cover fully with duck fat. Bake uncovered for 2½ to 3 hours, until meat is tender. Let cool in fat if making ahead. To serve, sear skin-side down in a skillet over medium heat for 5 to 8 minutes until crispy.
Spoon cassoulet into four bowls. Top each with a crispy duck leg. Garnish with fennel fronds if desired. Serve with crusty bread or cornbread.
Part three of our three-part docuseries celebrating the Southern oyster
Our oyster story concludes in Louisiana. ShellBoundis a docuseries that explores the deep cultural, environmental, and human stories behind Southern oysters. Across its episodes, the series traces oysters from reef to raw bar, revealing how this humble protein connects history, family, cuisine, and coastal resilience. The third and final episode brings the journey to a close in Louisiana, where oysters are not just food, but identity—woven into daily life, labor, and legacy.
This final chapter of our story centers on Louisiana oyster culture as a living tradition shaped by relationships: between farmers and water, chefs and growers, families and generations past. We follow oyster farmer Boris Guerrero of Grand Isle Sea Farms, whose multigenerational farming roots stretch from Ecuador to coastal Louisiana. For Guerrero and his family, oyster farming is both inherited instinct and learned craft, built through trial and error, long days on the water, and partnerships with hatcheries like the Michael C. Voisin Oyster Hatchery facility that supplies seed oysters for sustainable growth. It also confronts the challenges farmers face, from the slow patience required to raise market-size oysters to the devastation of Hurricane Ida, which wiped out years of work and forced growers like the Guerreros to rebuild from scratch. Resilience emerges as a central theme, with oysters serving as a metaphor for the people who cultivate them along Louisiana’s vulnerable coast.
Shifting from farm to city, the episode explores New Orleans’ oyster bars as cultural gathering spaces where shuckers, chefs, locals, and visitors connect over shared plates. At Fives Raw Bar, Chef Sarah Master pays homage to the oyster’s story of grit and determination on every plate she creates. Conversations about flavor, craft, and community underscore how oysters bring people together across backgrounds. The series closes on a note of gratitude and purpose, portraying oyster farming not just as a job, but as a calling—one rooted in freedom, hard work, and a profound sense of place.
Just as oysters can’t live without the support of one another, this collaboration would not be possible without the support of our partners. Our deepest thanks go to Oyster South, a nonprofit that connects communities, provides resources for Southern oyster farmers, and promotes healthy waters, for providing a storytelling grant which allowed us to enlist the team behind BLK ELK, a cutting-edge Arkansas production outfit to help shape this compelling look into the world of Southern oysters. To support the work of Oyster South, learn more here.
For the full oyster story, check out Episode 1 on Virginia’s coastline conservation here and Episode 2 capturing the collaboration going on between chef and farmer in North Carolina here.
We’re sharing all that we know and love about Southern oysters— from why they matter to some of the many people who are harvesting or farming them; from how to shuck and taste them to how best to pair them with a drink. Consider this your Southern Oysters 101 and then some.
