Coastal Uncorked 2010
A little over four months ago, while battling biker traffic but looking at an empty restaurant, I came up with the idea for a food and wine festival in May. Several great people have joined with me and I am very excited to say that this May will be the first year for Coastal Uncorked!
Coastal Uncorked will be a weeklong celebration of Coastal Cuisine and wine. It will feature a restaurant week with participating restaurants offering a three course menu for only $20.10. This is a great way to try out restaurants that you have wanted to visit. CU will also feature an Iron Chef style chef competition, beer and wine tastings at area hotels, beach music and concerts at area attractions, a gourmet food and wine golf tournament, a cake decorating competition, and a charity Gala dinner to end the week.
The dates for 2010 are May 16-23rd. Mark your calendars and watch for more information soon. A poster contest will kick off in November, so you artists get your Coastal food and wine ideas ready and you could be the featured artist on the inaugural poster!
I encourage you all to buy local food, eat at local restaurants, and as always cook well, eat well, and live well!
Ciao,
Chef Kurt
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
The Cure
The Cure
I just finished curing a bunch of stuff and thought I would share my successes with you.
Curing is one of the oldest ways to flavor and preserve meats and seafood. Along with smoking, salt (and sugar) cures have been used for hundreds of years, back to ancient Roman times. Salt cures are pretty easy, using a mix of salt, sugar and spices all you need is quality meats and time.
I made some cured and smoked beef brisket. To do this, I rubbed and rested the briskets overnight. The rub recipe is below. Then I hot smoked at 200 F for 12 hours. It had a wonderful smoke flavor and “bark” or outer crust, and a nice smoke ring. Really delicious.
Next, I corned the rest of the brisket. This soaks for five days in the corning brine, and then is simmered until fork tender. We had fun with this, sandwiches, corned beef and cabbage, and corned beef hash to name a few.
Finally, I cured some pork belly using the basic cure recipe below. It cured for two weeks and is hanging in the cooler for another two weeks. If I cold smoked this, it would be bacon, but we use it un-smoked in a number of recipes.
All I can say is, if you love to cook, try a cure. They are easy, deeply satisfying ways to work a little culinary magic!
Ciao,
Chef Kurt
BASIC CURE
1 pound kosher salt
½ pound sugar
3 ounces pink salt (for color and preserving qualities)
CORNED BEEF BRINE
1 gallon water
1 3/4 cups kosher salt
½ cup sugar
1 ounce pink salt
3 garlic cloves
2 Tablespoons pickling spice
For one beef brisket, about 5 lbs.
Bring all to a boil, cool completely, brine beef for five days covered in liquid. Drain, cover with cold water and simmer until fork tender.
BBQ RUB
4 Tablespoons paprika
3 Tablespoons kosher salt
2 Tablespoons chili powder
1 Tablespoon each ground black pepper, cayenne pepper, ground coriander, brown sugar, oregano, ground white pepper, dried thyme
I just finished curing a bunch of stuff and thought I would share my successes with you.
Curing is one of the oldest ways to flavor and preserve meats and seafood. Along with smoking, salt (and sugar) cures have been used for hundreds of years, back to ancient Roman times. Salt cures are pretty easy, using a mix of salt, sugar and spices all you need is quality meats and time.
I made some cured and smoked beef brisket. To do this, I rubbed and rested the briskets overnight. The rub recipe is below. Then I hot smoked at 200 F for 12 hours. It had a wonderful smoke flavor and “bark” or outer crust, and a nice smoke ring. Really delicious.
Next, I corned the rest of the brisket. This soaks for five days in the corning brine, and then is simmered until fork tender. We had fun with this, sandwiches, corned beef and cabbage, and corned beef hash to name a few.
Finally, I cured some pork belly using the basic cure recipe below. It cured for two weeks and is hanging in the cooler for another two weeks. If I cold smoked this, it would be bacon, but we use it un-smoked in a number of recipes.
All I can say is, if you love to cook, try a cure. They are easy, deeply satisfying ways to work a little culinary magic!
Ciao,
Chef Kurt
BASIC CURE
1 pound kosher salt
½ pound sugar
3 ounces pink salt (for color and preserving qualities)
CORNED BEEF BRINE
1 gallon water
1 3/4 cups kosher salt
½ cup sugar
1 ounce pink salt
3 garlic cloves
2 Tablespoons pickling spice
For one beef brisket, about 5 lbs.
Bring all to a boil, cool completely, brine beef for five days covered in liquid. Drain, cover with cold water and simmer until fork tender.
BBQ RUB
4 Tablespoons paprika
3 Tablespoons kosher salt
2 Tablespoons chili powder
1 Tablespoon each ground black pepper, cayenne pepper, ground coriander, brown sugar, oregano, ground white pepper, dried thyme
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Beware Bennett, Cave, and James
Well, I hate to say it, but I guess it is buyer beware when it comes to dealing with small farms.
I struck up a conversation with Mike James from Bennett, Cave, and James Organic Farming Systems in February through Local Harvest and thought he was our man for fresh, local produce. We met and toured the farm (before anything was growing), and he promised fresh veggies all summer long. I personally paid $230 for a CSA share.
I called, and called, and called, and it was one excuse after another. Too hot, too wet, too dry, got out of the field late. Finally in June I got one delivery of unripe corn and field peas (which I had to throw away). I never saw another thing from him.
Mike refuses to refund my CSA, but left me an angry slurred message on my cell phone. I guess I write that money off. I reported him to the SC Department of Agriculture, Better Business Bureau, and Local Harvest hoping that no one else would be duped.
My advice to you, support your local farmers but do your homework before you write the check. Ask for references and call them. Deal only with reputable sources.
Good luck, eat local and eat well!
Chef Kurt
I struck up a conversation with Mike James from Bennett, Cave, and James Organic Farming Systems in February through Local Harvest and thought he was our man for fresh, local produce. We met and toured the farm (before anything was growing), and he promised fresh veggies all summer long. I personally paid $230 for a CSA share.
I called, and called, and called, and it was one excuse after another. Too hot, too wet, too dry, got out of the field late. Finally in June I got one delivery of unripe corn and field peas (which I had to throw away). I never saw another thing from him.
Mike refuses to refund my CSA, but left me an angry slurred message on my cell phone. I guess I write that money off. I reported him to the SC Department of Agriculture, Better Business Bureau, and Local Harvest hoping that no one else would be duped.
My advice to you, support your local farmers but do your homework before you write the check. Ask for references and call them. Deal only with reputable sources.
Good luck, eat local and eat well!
Chef Kurt
Monday, May 25, 2009
Myrtle Beach Food and Wine Festival, May 2010?
Alright, we just might be onto something here. I met last week with Kara-Anne Serradimigni who is producing the Taste Gourmet Expo May 21-23, 2010 at the Myrtle beach Convention Center. We think that there is room to expand on the weekend, make it a destination for culinary tourists. Here are some ideas that I had
Events outside of the Taste show (to not compete but to take place before, after, or on evenings during Taste show)
I am thinking from the perspective of a tourist, what will engage them for a long weekend or week. What will they want to do in Myrtle Beach in addition to the Taste show?
restaurant promotions
winemaker dinners
progressive dinners
nightly after party at different bars
concert at Broadway, market commons, or myrtle square mall
"happy hour" wine tastings in select hotels
beach party
culinary tours to oyster beds, clam beds, farms, shrimp docks, etc.
complimentary food and wine at select golf courses
I am also meeting with James Clark and a few others later this week to discuss. I’ll keep you informed!
Events outside of the Taste show (to not compete but to take place before, after, or on evenings during Taste show)
I am thinking from the perspective of a tourist, what will engage them for a long weekend or week. What will they want to do in Myrtle Beach in addition to the Taste show?
restaurant promotions
winemaker dinners
progressive dinners
nightly after party at different bars
concert at Broadway, market commons, or myrtle square mall
"happy hour" wine tastings in select hotels
beach party
culinary tours to oyster beds, clam beds, farms, shrimp docks, etc.
complimentary food and wine at select golf courses
I am also meeting with James Clark and a few others later this week to discuss. I’ll keep you informed!
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Good-Bye Bike Rallies
OK, what’s done is done. We can not rewind the clock and make everything nice with the bikers. I think that we, as a community, need to move on and plan to attract business to our area in May (and other times of the year).
We need to attract people, people who don’t have kids in school in May. I would love to see us have a PGA tournament but have no idea how that would happen. I could see a sand sculpture competition or other beach centric attraction. Not enough surf for that unfortunately. Maybe Freestyle Park could do a mini X Games in May?
What I do think could work is a Myrtle Beach Food and Wine Festival, to rival Charleston, Miami, or Aspen. There is already a gourmet food and wine show planned for the convention center in may 2010 called Taste. The ACF is going to hold a culinary competition in conjunction and I have heard talk of a BBQ competition as well. I think that the restaurant community could join in; offering promotions for a 7-10 day period in participating restaurants and possibly do winemaker dinners as well. There could also be gala charity dinners with celebrity chefs, similar to the one at the High Museum Wine Auction that I catered for four years.
I, for one, am going to look forward and figure this out. The bikers are not coming back. I think the rallies will get smaller and smaller and die out. I saw the same thing happen with Freak-nik in Atlanta. Let’s embrace the future and plan for it so we can all succeed.
We need to attract people, people who don’t have kids in school in May. I would love to see us have a PGA tournament but have no idea how that would happen. I could see a sand sculpture competition or other beach centric attraction. Not enough surf for that unfortunately. Maybe Freestyle Park could do a mini X Games in May?
What I do think could work is a Myrtle Beach Food and Wine Festival, to rival Charleston, Miami, or Aspen. There is already a gourmet food and wine show planned for the convention center in may 2010 called Taste. The ACF is going to hold a culinary competition in conjunction and I have heard talk of a BBQ competition as well. I think that the restaurant community could join in; offering promotions for a 7-10 day period in participating restaurants and possibly do winemaker dinners as well. There could also be gala charity dinners with celebrity chefs, similar to the one at the High Museum Wine Auction that I catered for four years.
I, for one, am going to look forward and figure this out. The bikers are not coming back. I think the rallies will get smaller and smaller and die out. I saw the same thing happen with Freak-nik in Atlanta. Let’s embrace the future and plan for it so we can all succeed.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
culinary magic
I put together bacon, beets, and balsamic the other day and it was amazing. The bacon was house cured from a Caw Caw Creek pig, true aged balsamic, and roasted beets. Just thought I would share!
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Something’s Happening Here
It has been an interesting spring here in Myrtle Beach. Of course, we are just settling down from the terrible wild fires that burned almost 20,000 acres. But food wise, it seems like momentum is growing in a way that I have not seen before.
I have been looking for six years to establish relationships with local farmers, cheese makers, and boutique food producers. I have found some great ones, Caw Caw Creek and Carolina Rice Plantation to name a few, but the produce never seemed to work out. Well, it appears that I will be buying a bunch of stuff from Mike James of Bennett, Cave, and James Organic Farms in Andrews, SC. We met a few weeks back and are on track to start buying produce next week. I even got to tell him some stuff that I wanted planted, very exciting!
Today I went out picking strawberries at Thompson Farms in Conway. They are on Bucksville Drive and this is the first year of U-Pick berries. I talked with Scott Thompson, the owner, and he explained that his grandparents farmed the land many years ago. He had to run off to plant tomatoes and peppers, but said he would be selling to locals, tourists, and restaurants as well.
Then I got to work and Mike Zemke, VP of DDG, told me about two gentlemen from a company called Green Stream that want to talk about picking up recyclables at the restaurants. I have been carting glass, plastic, and metals to the recycling center in my truck since we opened here, so I was especially excited to hear about that. The amount of recyclable waste that just one busy restaurant produces is astounding.
So, after years of looking and trying, it seems like the tide is turning for Myrtle Beach. We apparently will be able to have fresh local produce delivered to the restaurants this summer. We may soon be able to have all of our recyclable waste put back into the system. These are wonderful things and make me very hopeful.
Take care and eat something fresh and local today!
I have been looking for six years to establish relationships with local farmers, cheese makers, and boutique food producers. I have found some great ones, Caw Caw Creek and Carolina Rice Plantation to name a few, but the produce never seemed to work out. Well, it appears that I will be buying a bunch of stuff from Mike James of Bennett, Cave, and James Organic Farms in Andrews, SC. We met a few weeks back and are on track to start buying produce next week. I even got to tell him some stuff that I wanted planted, very exciting!
Today I went out picking strawberries at Thompson Farms in Conway. They are on Bucksville Drive and this is the first year of U-Pick berries. I talked with Scott Thompson, the owner, and he explained that his grandparents farmed the land many years ago. He had to run off to plant tomatoes and peppers, but said he would be selling to locals, tourists, and restaurants as well.
Then I got to work and Mike Zemke, VP of DDG, told me about two gentlemen from a company called Green Stream that want to talk about picking up recyclables at the restaurants. I have been carting glass, plastic, and metals to the recycling center in my truck since we opened here, so I was especially excited to hear about that. The amount of recyclable waste that just one busy restaurant produces is astounding.
So, after years of looking and trying, it seems like the tide is turning for Myrtle Beach. We apparently will be able to have fresh local produce delivered to the restaurants this summer. We may soon be able to have all of our recyclable waste put back into the system. These are wonderful things and make me very hopeful.
Take care and eat something fresh and local today!
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