Southern Hospitality

Sorry for the longer-than-usual break. I've been a little busy—eating.

I spent the weekend in Lowcountry at a wedding of friends, which are actually more like family considering we've spent the last 25+ summers vacationing with them. At this point, Lowcountry—or more specifically, South Carolina—feels like a second home. And the cuisine feels just as familiar.

I couldn't wait to get back and eat shrimp and grits, butter beans, pirlau, sweet tea and fried chicken. I'd been thinking about the latter for weeks, especially as the wedding grew near. I wondered if we'd get a chance to eat it—and not just from any joint, but from Brown's Bar-B-Q in Kingstree, S.C. At one point during our visits down South, we were introduced to Brown's and it made a lasting impression—enough for me to think about it during a weekend when we'd no doubt already be surrounded by amazing food.

At the rehearsal dinner, I got my fill of shrimp and grits, coleslaw and biscuits. At the wedding (which was amazing, by the way), I shoveled in fried catfish, pulled pork, butter beans and more shrimp. At the post-wedding day brunch, I consumed a mountain of pirlau and washed it down with sweet tea.

Somewhere in between, we made the trip to Brown's where we emptied plate after plate of chicken. I'm not kidding when I say it's the best barbecue I've ever eaten. My stomach paid the price, but I know I'll be longing for it again soon.

In the end, I got my fill of Lowcountry cooking. (Don't tell anyone, but I even got a nip of moonshine at the wedding.)

I'm telling you now, there ain't nothing like a Southern party.