South Carolina: Water, Art, Peanuts and Seafood

From walking the beach to wandering the arts  travels in the Low Country of South Carolina—Beaufort County—Blufton to Hilton Head—-uncover hidden gems. One of which is the May River, known for its oysters….. the river was “gold” with oysters plumper, richer and more delectable than anywhere else.

I happen upon the 80th Annual Seafood Festival in Blufton with some of the most intriguing art forms around…and some of the best—and most unique southern delights….like boiled peanuts.  Yep, boiled peanuts.

Boiled peanuts are a traditional snack in South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia, northern Florida, Alabama, and Mississippi. They are an acquired taste, but according to southerners, they are totally addictive. From May through November, all over the south, you will see roadside stands – ranging from woodsheds to shiny trailers – offering fresh boiled peanuts. Check out this website for a great history of boiled peanuts and all sorts of cool recipes.#mce_temp_url# .

From peanuts to fudge is not a great leap and as an alltime favorite in the south, this was champion fudge—-especially the pumpkin flavor….

Fudge is a drier version of fondant, made by boiling sugar in milk to the soft-ball stage and then beating the mixture while it cools so that it acquires a smooth, creamy texture. Fudge is an American invention: Some food historians peg the date to February 14, 1886, but the exact origin and inventor are disputed. Most stories claim that the first batch of fudge resulted from a bungled (“fudged”) batch of caramels, hence the name from the interjection, “Oh fudge!”.  One of the first documentations of fudge is in a letter written by Emelyn Battersby Hartridge, then a student at Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, New York. She wrote that a schoolmate’s cousin made fudge in Baltimore in 1886 and sold it for 40 cents a pound. She obtained the recipe, and in 1888, made 30 pounds of it for the Vassar Senior Auction. Word of the confection spread to other women’s colleges. Wellesley and Smith developed their own versions of this “original” fudge recipe.  In Beaufort County the reigning fudge making champion is, “The Island Fudge Shoppe” (www.islandfudge.com) on Hilton Head where she has been making fudge for over 20 years.

The fun menu tradition was carried on by the local artists and shrimp, crab an other goodies were hanging all over the place.. (is this a joke or not?  You tell me!!!)

The history of the festival, who is doing what where and the best place for cold beer and seafood after the festival closes was recounted to me by the shrimp making sculptor who also makes oyster shucking tables out of recycled wood.  A funny character with a story telling bent (another great souther tradition). Check out his amazing “outsider” art at: www.dpiercegiltner.com.

From shrimp art to shrimp eating the next step was the seafood and the Blufton Oyster Company was the place to be (great music, cold beer and fresh seafood…what more can you ask for….) and (yes, the shrimp flag is backwards because the wind was pushing it that way….). The seafood was fresh off the boat…..

This link leads to a discussion about the current state of the river and what is happening to the oyster production….http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/news/features/aug09/bluffton.html.

and a few more visual treats…..

and a last vintage sign to say farewell…..