Ingredients

 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

4 tbsp freshly squeezed orange juice

2 tbsp brown sugar

1/4 tsp salt

ground pepper to taste

8 cups mixed green lettuce

1/2 small red onion, sliced thin

1 cup dried cranberries

2 ripe pears, sliced

1 cup seedless red grapes

1 cup candied pecans

1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

Preparation

Combine the balsamic vinegar, olive oil, freshly squeezed orange juice, brown sugar, salt, and pepper in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Heat for 5 minutes while stirring to dissolve the sugar.

Remove from heat and let the vinaigrette cool to room temperature.

Wash the salad greens and place them in a large salad bowl.

Top with sliced onions, grapes, cranberries, sliced pears and pecans. Add crumbled feta cheese.

Serve with vinaigrette.

Ingredients

3 medium beets, peeled and sliced

1 tbsp olive oil

3 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1/4 tsp freshly-ground black pepper

1/2 cup red onion, sliced thin

aluminum foil

1 1/2 cup tortellini pasta, cooked

1/4 cup sun dried tomatoes, chopped

1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped

1/3 cup pesto sauce

1/4 cup goat cheese, crumbled

Preparation

Preheat oven to 450°.

Cut beet slices in half. Add beets, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, pepper,

and red onion in a bowl and mix gently.

Make an aluminum foil bowl and pour in beet and onion mixture.

Fold over the sides of the foil bowl to seal closed. Cook in oven for 1 hour.

Remove from heat and cool for 15 minutes.

Place cooked tortellini pasta in large bowl.

Add sun dried tomatoes and basil.

Empty contents of the foil bowl into the mixing bowl.

Add the pesto and mix well. Chill for 1 hour in the refrigerator.

Sprinkle on crumbled goat cheese before serving.

Ingredients

1 small shallot

4 tsp red wine vinegar

1/2 tsp minced garlic

salt

freshly-ground black pepper

1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

3 medium heirloom tomatoes

2 tbsp flat leaf parsley

1 tsp parmesan cheese

Preparation:

Peel and mince the shallot.

Mix shallot in a medium-sized bowl with the garlic, vinegar, a pinch of salt, and a few turns of freshly-ground black pepper.

Let marinate for one hour in the refrigerator.

Stir in the olive oil.

Slice tomatoes and lay them out on a dish.

Spoon shallot mixture over tomatoes.

Top with parsley and parmesan cheese.

Add salt and pepper to taste.

Ingredients

2 large cans mandarin oranges, drained

1 tub Cool Whip

1 can crushed pineapple, drained

1 box orange Jello mix

16 oz tub large curd cottage cheese

1/2 bag of mini marshmallows

1/4 cup chopped pecans

Preparation

Mix cottage cheese and Cool Whip in a small bowl and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, mix mandarin oranges, crushed pineapple and orange Jello mix.  Stir thoroughly.

Fold in the Cool Whip and cheese mixture.

Add mini marshmallows and stir gently.

Top with chopped pecans.

Ingredients

Oil for frying

3 cups water

3 teabags

1/4 cup sugar

3 lbs fryer chicken pieces

2 cups all purpose flour

1 tbsp garlic salt

3 tbsp lemon pepper seasoning, divided

1 tsp poultry seasoning

1 tsp pepper

1 tsp paprika

2 eggs, beaten

1 cup buttermilk

lemons for garnish (optional)

Preparation:

Bring water to a boil. Stir in sugar. Add teabags and remove from heat. Allow tea to steep for 5 minutes. Discard teabags and allow tea to cool. Pour into large bowl and add chicken pieces. Allow to marinate in tea 4-6 hours or overnight, stirring and rearranging occasionally to ensure all pieces marinate properly.

Heat oil in fryer to 375º. Combine flour, garlic salt, 2 tbsp lemon pepper, poultry seasoning, pepper, and paprika in shallow dish. In separate dish, combine eggs, buttermilk, and 1 tbsp lemon pepper. Remove chicken pieces from marinade and roll in soup mixture, then dredge in flour mixture. Place pieces in fryer and cook for 10-15 minutes or until juices run clear and chicken is cooked through. Garnish with lemon slices if desired.

Ingredients

For Sauce:

1 green bell pepper

1 red bell pepper

1 vidalia onion

1/3 cup butter

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1/2 tsp salt

1/8 tsp pepper

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup cream cheese

1/8 tsp paprika

Yellow stone ground

grits, prepared

For Chicken:

Oil for frying

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut in strips

1 can condensed cream of chicken soup

1 egg

1 tsp seasoning salt

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp oregano

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

Preparation

Heat oil in fryer to 350º.

For Sauce:

Remove and discard seeds from bell peppers. Cut in strips and then into 1 inch pieces. Slice and cut onion into 1 inch pieces. In a large skillet melt butter. Add bell peppers, onion, garlic, salt, and pepper. Sauté on medium heat until tender. Reduce heat to low and add heavy cream, cream cheese and paprika. Continue stirring until sauce is creamy. Cover and remove from heat. Add additional cream or water if sauce is too thick.

Prepare grits according to package.

For Chicken:

In shallow dish combine soup, egg, and seasoning salt. Mix well.

In resealable plastic bag mix flour, oregano, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper.

Dip chicken strips in soup mixture and turn to coat evenly. Add pieces one at a time into plastic bag and shake to coat. Gently place in fryer. Fry chicken strips 7-10 minutes each or until juices run clear. Drain on paper towel.

Spoon grits into bowl. Top with two chicken strips and sauce.

Ingredients

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

3 tbsp sugar

2 tbsp vegetable oil

1 1/2 tsp dry mustard

1/4 tsp celery salt

1 tbsp mayonaise

3 cups cabbage coleslaw mix

1/4 cup blue cheese crumbles

1/2 cup ranch dressing

Texas Pete sauce to taste

Oil for frying

4 skinless boneless chicken breasts

3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour, divided

1 tbsp garlic salt

3 1/4 tsp pepper, divided

1 tbsp paprika

1/2 tsp poultry seasoning

1 tsp salt

2 egg yolks, beaten

1 1/2 cup water

Sliced pickles

Sandwich buns

Preparation

For slaw:

Combine first 6 ingredients in a large bowl and mix. Add cabbage and blue cheese crumbles and toss to combine. Place slaw in refrigerator until ready for use.

For hot ranch sauce:

Combine ranch dressing and Texas Pete sauce to desired heat and place in refrigerator until ready for use.

For Chicken:

Heat oil in fryer to 375º. In medium bowl mix 2 cups of flour, garlic salt, 3 tsp pepper, paprika, and poultry seasoning. In separate bowl, stir together 1 1/3 cups of flour, salt, egg yolks, and water. Pound chicken breasts flat on cutting board by covering with plastic wrap and pounding with a tenderizer mallet. Cut breasts in half. Moisten each piece of chicken with a little water then dip each side in dry mix. Shake off excess and dip in the wet mix, then dip in the dry mix again. Place pieces in fryer and cook for 10-15 minutes or until juices run clear and chicken is cooked through.

To assemble sandwiches, place chicken on bun, add hot ranch sauce and blue cheese slaw, and top with sliced pickles.

Ingredients

1/4 cup honey

2 tsp Tabasco

1/4 tsp dried crushed red pepper

3-4 lbs fryer chicken pieces

2 cups all-purpose flour, divided

1 tbsp garlic salt

1/2 tbsp paprika

1 1/2 tsp pepper, divided

2 tsp poultry seasoning

1 egg

3/4 cup buttermilk

1/2 tsp salt

Preparation

For Hot Honey Sauce:

In a small bowl, combine honey, Tabasco, and red pepper.

Stir well and set aside.

For Chicken:

Heat oil in fryer to 375º.

In a large resealable plastic bag, combine 1 1/2 cups flour, garlic salt, paprika, 1 tsp pepper, and poultry seasoning. In shallow bowl, combine eggs, buttermilk, salt, and remaining flour and pepper. Dip chicken in egg mixture, then place in the bag and shake to coat. Place pieces in fryer and cook for 10-15 minutes or until juices run clear and chicken is cooked through. Drizzle honey mixture over chicken before serving.

In the Style of Robertson’s Cafeteria, formerly of 11 Broad St, 1947.

Ingredients

1 gallon pasteurized skim milk

3/4 cup white vinegar

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

1/2 cup heavy cream

Preparation

Pour the skim milk into a large saucepan and place over medium heat. Heat to 120 degrees F. Remove from the heat and gently pour in the vinegar. Stir slowly for 1 to 2 minutes. The curd will separate from the whey. Cover and allow to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Pour the mixture into a colander lined with cheesecloth and allow to sit and drain for 5 minutes. Gather up the edges of the cloth and rinse under cold water for 3 to 5 minutes or until the curd is cooled, squeezing and moving the mixture the whole time. Once cooled, squeeze as dry as possible and transfer to a mixing bowl. Add the salt and stir to combine, breaking up the curd into bite-size pieces as you go. If ready to serve immediately, stir in the heavy cream. Serve with poached peaches.

About the Chef:

Meet Chef Forrest Parker, named 2016 South Carolina Chef Ambassador for the Lowcountry, and Chef de Cuisine at The Vendue Inn’s Drawing Room. Few know more about the state of peaches than Chef Parker, celebrated for his work as an “agricultural archeologist,” rediscovering and reintroducing heirloom varieties of fruits and vegetables to state growers.  His unique historical perspective adds a unique sense of time and place to his menus. Drawing from the rich heritage of our culinary past, Parker brings us his recipes for South Carolina’s favorite summer fruit, created in homage to the seeds of the past.

Inspired by Sarah Rutledge, 1847

Ingredients:

7 Pounds Peaches (Pared & Cut in Half)

3 Pounds Brown Sugar

1 Qt Vinegar

1 tsp Powdered Clove

1 tsp Powdered Cinnamon

Preparation

Boil spices, sugar and vinegar for 15 min.Pour over peaches into bowl and allow to steap for 30 minutes. To can, pour over peaches in sterilized glass mason jars and allow to cool. Seal and process as per canning.

For the Poached Peach Syllabub

Inspired by Sarah Rutledge, 1847

Ingredients

1 Quart Heavy Cream

1 cup Sweet Wine, such as Eiswein or Sauterne

1 cup Madeira (I prefer the Historic Charleston Sercial)

Juice and Zest of 2 Lemons

1/2 cup sugar

Pinch each grated Nutmeg, Cinnamon

Preparartion

Whisk vigorously for 10 minutes, until froth forms. Pour into individual glasses or one large serving platter. Allow to chill overnight until thickened. To serve, top with chilled spice poached peaches, a drizzle of SC honey, fresh basil, and peanuts.

About the Chef:

Meet Chef Forrest Parker, named 2016 South Carolina Chef Ambassador for the Lowcountry, and Chef de Cuisine at The Vendue Inn’s Drawing Room. Few know more about the state of peaches than Chef Parker, celebrated for his work as an “agricultural archeologist,” rediscovering and reintroducing heirloom varieties of fruits and vegetables to state growers.  His unique historical perspective adds a unique sense of time and place to his menus. Drawing from the rich heritage of our culinary past, Parker brings us his recipes for South Carolina’s favorite summer fruit, created in homage to the seeds of the past.