Lisa Jeffries Nobling – Raleigh, NC

Tag: News and Observer

  • The Hushpuppies are a Big Deal

    I almost laughed out loud when I read this line from George Cox’s review of Garner’s (somewhat new) Shuck ‘Em Shack:

    Hushpuppies are not bad for a commercial product, though the Southerner in me cringes at paying $1.99 for a dozen.

    I can remember going to Dockside at some point in college, one of the best locations in Wilmington for a great coastal view – paired with a bite to eat and a tasty drink. only to find out at that point they had decided to not offer hushpuppies at all. (Something about space for the fryer or it being the off-season… clearly I was in no mind for any excuses.) Everyone at our table heavily considered just leaving before ordering anything. What’s a Po’ Boy sandwich with a no hushpuppies? (The answer: not much.)

    Same situation with the ill-fated Sunny Side Too, which also called Garner home. (I can name more than a handful of reasons this local restaurant didn’t last, sadly. But I won’t.)

    My point is this: in Carolina, and much of the South, hushpuppies are expected. And we more often than not expect them to be yummy and a complimentary part of the Southern seafood meal.

    You can read Greg’s entire report on the Shuck ‘Em Shack online at http://www.newsobserver.com/2011/01/14/917251/where-you-can-shuck-to-your-hearts.html.

  • Put the Boys to Work… at Hardly Working

    I realize Thanksgiving has just come and gone, but Christmas dinner is right around the corner. I love Andrea Weigl’s suggestion of putting the boys to work!

    Thursday when I serve Thanksgiving dinner to a small group of friends, everyone will contribute. I will bake a pecan pie and a pumpkin cheesecake. My husband will cook leg of lamb on the smoker. (One tip for holiday sanity is cooking the meat outside on the grill, in the smoker or in the deep-fryer. Luckily, many men who like to cook don’t mind spending the day outside, drinking a beer and minding the meat.) A friend will make stuffed acorn squash and the homemade noodles that are his family’s tradition. A third will clear the table.

    She’s right – it’s not at all an up-hill battle to suggest that the man (and his buddies) hang around outside with beer, a fried turkey, and perhaps even a fire pit.