A Very Lowcountry Thanksgiving

November 20, 2005

“The staples of classic Southern food are butter, sugar, salt, pepper, hot sauce, vinegar, ham hocks, and to put it bluntly...fat! When's the last time you heard someone saying they're going up North to get some of that good Yankee food?” These are the words of Paula Deen – Savannah resident and southern cooking guru.

I have been planning my first Lowcountry Thanksgiving in my head for some time now. And you have heard me say before that I am seeing everything this year with a fresh set of eyes. So, committed to new traditions, I tuned into the aforementioned Paula Deen’s “Southern Thanksgiving” special on the Food Network to get some inspiration and hopefully offer my guests a southern twist for my favorite holiday.

For those of you celebrating your first holiday season in the Lowcountry, I thought I would share my plans as a Jersey girl goes southern. I mean hey, for the first time in my life, using the grill for Thanksgiving Dinner is an option, flip flops are appropriate attire, oysters are on the menu and lawn games are a go.

We are going to do appetizers outside, with a fire going in our outdoor “fire pit.” We (and by we I mean my husband, Joe) are going to roast oysters and serve them with the traditional hot sauce, melted butter and cocktail sauce. May River shrimp is on the menu as well – and we (again, Joe) will wrap it in bacon, douse it in hot sauce and grill it up. I’ll finish off the appetizers with sugar roasted pecans (“pee cahns” if you want to sound authentic). And, some boring stuff for the less adventurous.

While the grill and fire are going outside, I hope that the competitive side of the boys (helped along with some local, Palmetto Pale Ale) will get the best of them and they will partake in some lawn games – bocce and horseshoes. When have we ever been able to offer this before!?!

Come the main course, I need to stick with my old standbys … I am tempted to deep fry the turkey, but I just can’t get past the turkey being done in 30 minutes and no turkey smells in the house to show for it. Garlic smashed potatoes, fruit and bread stuffing, caramelized Vidalia onions rolls and a new sweet potato recipe courtesy of Ms. Deen.

Dessert offers some interesting options for the southern cooking newbie. I’d love to give pumpkin cheesecake a try, but I am hoping that I can find that pre-made somewhere or one of my guests will offer to handle that … Mom?

Finally, what will be most important about this day - yet too often is overlooked - giving thanks. I am thankful that I have my mother and sister so close and, that for what may have been the first time ever, we all agreed on one thing – moving to Bluffton. I am thankful that Joe’s father, who we haven’t see in four years, will be with us for Thanksgiving – and I am grateful to Joe’s mom, who passed away five years ago, but raised a wonderful son. I am thankful for small towns, good neighbors, new friends and new traditions. Happy Thanksgiving Bluffton!