Happy Independence Day!

A 4th of July Celebration, St. Helena Island, SC, 1939 (more photos from the event here.)

The Library of Congress has more historical photos taken of Independence Day celebrations around America here…enjoy!

• Southern Hoe Cakes from Group Recipes

• Fried Corn Meal Mush From About.Com: Southern Food

• Lavender Flavored Lemonade from Southern Sandra

• Buttermilk Fried Chicken from Simply Recipes

• Carolina Fish Muddle from History.Org

• Colonial Corn Pudding from Foodreference.Com

• Georgia Peanut Salsa from Taste of Home

• Thomas Jefferson’s Ice Cream From Slashfood

• Colonial Innkeeper’s Pie from Cooks.Com

Enjoy the Holiday!

Join us tomorrow to enjoy an interesting series of historical 4th of July photos taken across the United States, courtesy of the Library of Congress.

July’s Free Cookbook Preview…

Been to Google Books lately? Google Books has been gradually placing the full text of thousands of books online, many of them free full previews of culinary books that are either out-of-print or have been added online with the permission of their publishers.

One of the latter gems we’ve recently stumbled upon is Creme Brulee: The Bonjour Way, a 72 page book of interesting recipes from Randolph W. Mann.

You can read the whole book for free on Google Books here…enjoy!

If you decide to purchase it, Amazon.Com has the book here.

This zesty relish gets its fiery nature from lots of freshly grated ginger, but the bite is tempered by sweet oranges, dried cherries, honey, and spice. It goes great with roast pork, turkey, or game (especially venison) and a dab on a hot, buttered biscuit is a fine way to kick-start the morning, too.

Here’s a photo of the Firecracker Chutney below.

Ingredients:

2 cups dried cherries (about 14 oz)
1 cup grated fresh ginger root
3 large oranges, peeled & chopped (white pith and seeds removed); juice reserved (see below)
2 Tbsp orange zest
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 Tbsp brandy
Water plus reserved juice from oranges to equal 1 cup

PREPARATION:

Place all ingredients in a large, heavy saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring frequently.
Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally and adding
a bit more water if needed. Chill thoroughly before serving. Makes about 2 pints.

Cook’s Notes:

• 5 or 6 tangerines (depending on size) can be substituted for the oranges.

• Southern Comfort, Grand Mariner, bourbon, or dark rum can be substituted for the brandy, or it can be omitted.

• For another layer of zing, try adding a finely minced jalapeno pepper.

Enjoy!

You Can Read More of Doug’s Recipe Corner Here.

Note: This original Hugging the Coast article also appears on eHow as:

• How to Make Delicious Firecracker Chutney With Oranges, Ginger, and Dried Cherries
  

(You can see more Hugging the Coast eHow articles here.)

This refreshing and cooling summer recipe won’t heat up your kitchen but will spice up any meal, picnic, or family gathering where you decide to serve it.

Here’s a photo of the Sun and Moon Orange and Sweet Onion Salad below.

Ingredients:

2 large navel orange (or 4 tangerines)
1 medium seedless cucumber
1 medium sweet onion
1/4 cup green olives (I used Spanish olives with pimento, but any pitted green olive would be fine)
1/4 cup parsley leaves, loosely packed (cilantro would be nice also), divided
1/4 tsp each of paprika, cumin, & cinnamon
1/8 tsp white pepper
Pinch or two of cayenne or red pepper flakes
Salt to taste
1 lemon, divided
Pita breads (non-pocket type) or thick (gordita-type) tortillas
Olive oil
1 container (8 oz) plain or flavored hummus

PREPARATION:

Peel the oranges, removing all the white pith, and cut into 1/2 inch chunks. Peel and cut the cucumber into 1/2 inch chunks. Peel and cut the onion into 1/2 inch chunks or quarter and cut onto very thin slices. Leave the olives whole or slice, as desired. Finely mince the parsley leaves and reserve a tablespoon.

Combine all the above in a mixing bowl with a squeeze of lemon juice (about a teaspoon) and mix. Sprinkle on the spices and mix gently. Taste, adding a little salt, if desired.

Toast or grill the breads with a little olive oil and a sprinkle of salt, and cut into 8 pieces.

TO SERVE:

To serve, mound 1/4 of the hummus in the center of a small plate (drizzle a little olive oil on top, if desired), spoon 1/4 of the salad around it, and arrange the bread pieces around the outer edge of the plate, points outward, in a sun pattern. Decorate the hummus with a thin, half-moon slice of lemon and a pinch of reserved parsley.

Serves 4.

Enjoy!

Join us tomorrow to find out more about how to make Firecracker Chutney, Doug DuCap’s original recipe which features dried cherries, fresh ginger, and oranges.

You Can Read More of Doug’s Recipe Corner Here.

Note: This original Hugging the Coast article also appears on eHow as:

• How to Make Sun and Moon Orange and Sweet Onion Salad
  

(You can see more Hugging the Coast eHow articles here.)

Looking Back: 6/23/2008-6/29/2008

Monday: A Week of Onion Rings: Frito Corn Chip Encrusted Onion Rings

Tuesday: A Week of Onion Rings: Hawaiian Sesame Coconut Onion Rings

Wednesday: A Week of Onion Rings: Cheese and Chive Onion Rings

Thursday: A Week of Onion Rings: Curly Ramen Crunch Onion Rings

Friday: A Week of Onion Rings: Stuffed Potato Skin Onion Rings

Saturday: A Week of Onion Rings: Southern Style Sweet Corn Onion Rings

Sunday: You are here

Also, please join us tomorrow to see Doug’s recipe for Sun and Moon Orange and Sweet Onion Salad which is perfect for July 4th family gatherings and picnics.

Here’s Day 6 of the A Week of Onion Rings series which features Southern Style Sweet Corn Onion Rings.

(Yesterday’s featured onion rings were Stuffed Potato Skin Onion Rings.)

This one’s a little different, but still very easy. It captures the flavor of sweet summer corn and wraps it around the onion in a golden, pillowy crust. Perfect with grilled food of all kinds.

This recipe uses canned corn, but you can make it using fresh corn scraped off the cob. Adjust the salt and sugar to your taste. A nominal amount of garlic powder is invoked for its mysterious power to enhance the flavor of corn while not making its own presence known.

Ingredients:

1 can (about 15 oz) cream-style corn (I use Del Monte because they add less sugar)
1 cup self-rising flour (plus additional if needed)
1/8 tsp white pepper (or more to taste)
1/8 tsp garlic powder
1/4 to 1/2 tsp salt
Oil for frying
1 very large yellow or Vidalia onion, cut and separated into 3/4 inch rings

Preparation:

Pulse the corn in a food processor or blender until nearly smooth. Remove to a bowl and whisk in the flour 1/4 cup at a time until a thick batter is achieved. Whisk in the spices and set aside. Heat 1/2 to 3/4 inches oil in a heavy skillet to 375 degrees.

Dip an onion ring into the batter, coating thickly. Lay it gently into the oil and cook until golden, turning once. Remove and drain on paper towels. Repeat with remaining rings. You can do 2-3 at a time depending on the size of your skillet, but take care not to crowd the pan or let the temperature drop too much, or the rings will turn out greasy.
Enjoy!

Serving Suggestions:

• A pinch or three of cayenne adds a little counterbalance to the corn’s sweetness.

• Add some finely minced sweet red or green pepper, or finely minced pickled jalapeno to the batter.

• Take a large soft kaiser roll, put a big onion ring on the bottom half, put a heap of smoky pulled pork inside the onion ring, top with creamy cole slaw, put the lid on, bite. The great outdoors just got greater, didn’t it?

You Can Read More of Doug’s Recipe Corner Here.

Note: This original Hugging the Coast article also appears on eHow as:

• How to Make Gigantic Southern Style Sweet Corn Onion Rings
  

(You can see more Hugging the Coast eHow articles here.)

Here’s Day 5 of the A Week of Onion Rings series which features Stuffed Potato Skin Onion Rings.

(Yesterday’s featured onion rings were Curly Ramen Crunch Onion Rings.)

Onion rings that taste like those All-American bacon & cheese & sour cream & butter & chive goodies that many of us secretly wish we could eat for at least one meal a day? Preposterous! Impossible! Absurd! But on the other hand…could it be possible?

The answer is yes! These onion rings are a hybrid of two appetizer platter superstars. They work great as rings, but are even better as jumbo-sized onion chips (and easier to use as dipping scoops after they’re done!)

Even though it seems like beer batter might be a good starting point, the beer provides an off-note to an already complex flavor spectrum. Milk works out much better.

Ingredients:

1 4 oz packet Idahoan “Loaded Baked” mashed potato mix, divided
2 cups Basic Batter (made with milk)…see the ingredients list for this batter to the right.
Oil for frying
1 very large yellow or Vidalia onion, cut and separated into 3/4 inch rings

Preparation:

Pulse 1/2 cup of the potato mix in a food processor or blender until powdered. Add this to the batter; stir well and set aside. Put the remaining potato mix in a shallow bowl.

Heat 1/2 to 3/4 inches oil in a heavy skillet to 375 degrees. Dip an onion ring into the batter, coating thickly, and dredge in the dry potato mix. Lay it gently into the oil and cook until golden, turning once. Remove and drain on paper towels. Repeat with remaining rings. You can do 2-3 at a time depending on the size of your skillet, but take care not to crowd the pan or let the temperature drop too much, or the rings will turn out greasy.

Enjoy!

Serving Suggestions:

• Other flavors of mashed potato mix (butter & chive, four cheese, etc.) work well too. (Haven’t tried the mashed sweet potato mix yet, but it looks promising.)

• Nacho cheese sauce? Sour cream? Ranch dip? All of the above? Sounds good to me!.

Join us tomorrow to read Doug’s new recipe for Southern Style Sweet Corn Onion Rings as part of his Week of Onion Rings Series which celebrates the official start of Summer.

You Can Read More of Doug’s Recipe Corner Here.

Note: This original Hugging the Coast article also appears on eHow as:

• How to Make Gigantic Stuffed Potato Skin Onion Rings
  

(You can see more Hugging the Coast eHow articles here.)

Here’s Day 4 of the A Week of Onion Rings series which features Curly Ramen Crunch Onion Rings.

(Yesterday’s featured onion rings were Cheese and Chive Onion Rings.)

If you’re looking for the ultimate crunch experience, these are for you. You get to ‘mainline’ your ramen noodles, and work in a vegetable at the same time! They’re fun, delicious, and totally addictive.

You want to use the inexpensive, cellophane wrapped ‘block’-type ramen. Choose a flavor you like; I used Roast Beef but most would work equally well, I think. The batter has to be quite thick to hold the crushed ramen in place, so test one and whisk in a tablespoon or so of additional flour if necessary.

Ingredients:

2 blocks ramen noodles (with 1 flavoring packet reserved)
2 cups Basic Batter (made with beer)…see the ingredients list for this batter to the right.
Oil for frying
1 very large yellow or Vidalia onion, cut and separated into 3/4 inch rings

Preparation:

Break off half of one block and pulse it in a food processor or blender until finely ground. Stir these into the batter and set aside. Break up the remaining noodles into small chunks and either processes them carefully in small batches until they’re chopped into small bits (but not ground) or put them in a heavy duty plastic bag and crush them with a rolling pin or soup can. Spread the crushed noodles in a shallow bowl and shake the contents of the flavor packet over them; mix thoroughly.

Heat 1/2 to 3/4 inches oil in a heavy skillet to 375 degrees. Dip an onion ring into the batter, coating thickly, and dredge in the crushed noodles. Lay it gently into the oil and cook until golden, turning once. Remove and drain on paper towels. Repeat with remaining rings. You can do 2-3 at a time depending on the size of your skillet, but take care not to crowd the pan or let the temperature drop too much, or the rings will turn out greasy.

Enjoy!

Serving Suggestions:

• Got a bunch of leftover Duck Sauce packets choking out the butter & cheese from their rightful compartment in the refrigerator? Now you know what you were saving them for!

• If you’ve already evicted all your Chinese takeout packets, some mango chutney would be quite nice, too.

• A sweet Thai chili sauce (like Sriracha) might just be the killer app for these crunchy delights.

Join us tomorrow to read Doug’s new recipe for Stuffed Potato Skin Onion Rings as part of his Week of Onion Rings Series which celebrates the official start of Summer.

You Can Read More of Doug’s Recipe Corner Here.

Note: This original Hugging the Coast article also appears on eHow as:

• How to Make Gigantic Curly Ramen Crunch Onion Rings
  

(You can see more Hugging the Coast eHow articles here.)

Here’s Day 3 of the A Week of Onion Rings series which features Cheese and Chive Onion Rings.

(Yesterday’s featured onion rings were Hawaiian Sesame Coconut Onion Rings.)

This may be the very best use of beer batter ever! The chives are the perfect liaison between the cheddar and onion flavors. The only thing you really need with these is. . . more beer!

Ingredients:

1 cup (4 oz) finely shredded cheddar cheese (I use Tillamook Sharp)
2 Tbsp freeze-dried chives (or 3 Tbsp fresh minced chives)
2 cups Basic Batter (made with beer)…see the ingredients list for this batter to the right.
Oil for frying
1 very large yellow or Vidalia onion, cut and separated into 3/4 inch rings

Preparation:

Mix the cheese and chives into the batter. Heat 1/2 to 3/4 inches oil in a heavy skillet to 375 degrees. Dip an onion ring into the batter, coating thickly. Lay it gently into the oil and cook until golden, turning once. Remove and drain on paper towels. Repeat with remaining rings. You can do 2-3 at a time depending on the size of your skillet, but take care not to crowd the pan or let the temperature drop too much, or the rings will turn out greasy.

Enjoy!

Serving Suggestions:

• To get a crunchy/toasty coating, dredge the battered rings in panko bread crumbs before frying. Finely crushed pretzels might be a winner, too.

• Horseradish cheddar, pepper jack, or swiss can be substituted for the cheddar.

• My best serving suggestion? Three words: Thick. Juicy. Steak.

Join us tomorrow to read Doug’s new recipe for Curly Ramen Crunch Onion Rings as part of his Week of Onion Rings Series which celebrates the official start of Summer.

You Can Read More of Doug’s Recipe Corner Here.

Note: This original Hugging the Coast article also appears on eHow as:

• How to Make Gigantic Cheese and Chive Onion Rings
  

(You can see more Hugging the Coast eHow articles here.)

Here’s Day 2 of the A Week of Onion Rings series which features Hawaiian Sesame Coconut Onion Rings.

(Yesterday’s featured onion rings were Frito Encrusted Onion Rings.)

Crunchy and slightly sweet, these onion rings have a delightful, multi-faceted flavor.

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp ground ginger
1/4 cup ground macadamia nuts
1/4 cup ground almonds
2 cups Basic Batter (made with milk)…see the ingredients list for this batter to the right.
4 Tbsp sesame seeds
1 1/2 cups sweetened shredded coconut
Oil for frying
1 very large yellow or Vidalia onion, cut and separated into 3/4 inch rings

Preparation:

Mix the ginger and nuts into the batter. Combine the sesame seeds and coconut in a shallow bowl. Heat 1/2 to 3/4 inches oil in a heavy skillet to 375 degrees. Dip an onion ring into the batter, coating thickly, and dredge in the sesame/coconut mixture. Lay it gently into the oil and cook until golden, turning once. Remove and drain on paper towels. Repeat with remaining rings. You can do 2-3 at a time depending on the size of your skillet, but take care not to crowd the pan or let the temperature drop too much, or the rings will turn out greasy.

Enjoy!

Serving Suggestions:

• These would go great with a garlicky roast pork sandwich topped with pea sprouts and mango salsa.

• Pineapple yogurt, whipped with a squeeze of fresh lemon or orange juice, would make a yummy dipping sauce.

• Try these with your next Big Kahuna Burger, washed down with a tasty beverage.

Join us tomorrow to read Doug’s new recipe for Cheese and Chive Onion Rings (which uses a beer batter) as part of his Week of Onion Rings Series which celebrates the official start of Summer.

You Can Read More of Doug’s Recipe Corner Here.

Note: This original Hugging the Coast article also appears on eHow as:

• How to Make Gigantic Hawaiian Sesame Coconut Onion Rings
  

(You can see more Hugging the Coast eHow articles here.)

When you ask for an ‘order’ of onion rings at Bessingers or Melvins (and many other barbecue restaurants here in Charleston), you only get one onion ring.

But that’s okay, because these are not your run-of-the-mill onion rings: they’re thick, meaty cuts from colossal yellow onions, generously battered and deep-fried to a rich golden brown. More often than not, the onion ring is larger than the hearty sandwich it comes with!

Before I moved here, I’d only ever had the small, skinny type of ring where the onion was more implied than actual. I’ve really come to love these crispy, Brobdingnagian delights that give the onion a starring role, so when I found some truly enormous yellow onions recently, I got the urge to experiment with some onion ring-related “What if…?” ideas I’d been having lately.

The results? Some of the most beautiful and sinfully delicious onion rings I’ve ever tasted. Best of all, they’re a snap to make! But take note: these aren’t for the faint of heart or the clogged of artery. These onion rings are decidedly not diet or health conscious. They will, however, fill and enrich you in ways that have nothing whatsoever to do with their calories, for they are a joy to behold and a delight to eat. Their fragrance is like the lost, sacred incense of the gleaming roadside diner and the drive-in (not ‘thru’) burger joint. Breathe deeply and let memory speak . . .

Is Moderation, as Hesiod advised, best in all things, or does the Road of Excess, as William Blake proposed, lead to the Palace of Wisdom? That is for each of us to decide, but I do know this: the sweetest onions are the ones that are biggest around the middle. If we, too, must be big around the middle to be sweet than so be it!

A Few Tips for Making the Onion Rings

I used yellow onions and Vidalias in these recipes and they both produced fine results. Use the biggest onions you can find (there’s no such thing as too big!) and cut them 3/4 of an inch thick. Don’t worry about the onion being ‘raw’ or too strong: by the time the coating cooks, the onion will be mellow and tender (while still holding its shape.) Also, if you want to fit more in your skillet or fryer, you can break the onion slices into large chunks and make jumbo-sized Onion Chips (a favorite in Eastern PA); batter, dredge, and fry them the same as rings.

Some of the proportions will be approximate depending on the size of the onions you use, how much you choose to coat them, how spicy or sweet, etc. Let your own tastes be your guide and feel free to improvise and experiment.

Regarding the batter, I wanted to start with something basic that I could work variations on. Some of the ideas I had been thinking about could begin with a beer batter, but others would need something more subtle, like milk. The following Basic Batter Recipe works perfectly with either.

Basic Batter:

1 cup self-rising flour
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp white pepper
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup of milk or beer

Mix the dry ingredients well. Add the wet ingredients and whisk gently until smooth. Makes 2 cups.

The Basic Batter Recipe creates a thinnish, crispy coating which is very nice on its own, but it’s really just a jumping off point for imagination. The first idea I wanted to try was a corn-chip encrusted onion ring, and while I didn’t get what I was after on the first attempt, the solution was a revelation that opened up a world of exciting (and tasty!) possibilities.

Frito Encrusted Onion Rings:

I ground up some Fritos corn chips in the food processor and heated about 3/4 inch of oil in a large, heavy, high-sided skillet (better than a home deep-fryer in this case because of the size of the rings). Then I dipped a ring in the batter, dredged it in the Frito crumbs and slid it into the oil. The resulting ring was good, but it didn’t have the flavor and texture I was after. I decided to give the old ’some in, some on’ theory a try. I stirred about 1/2 cup of Frito crumbs into the batter, let it sit for 5 minutes, and tried again.

The second time was the charm: a thick, intensely corn-flavored coating with a crunchy exterior and perfectly cooked onion inside. Heaven on a June day!

Ingredients:

2 cups corn chip crumbs, divided
2 cups Basic Batter (made with beer or milk; either one works well)
Oil for frying
1 very large yellow or Vidalia onion, cut and separated into 3/4 inch rings

Preparation:

Mix 1/2 cup of the crumbs into the batter. Spread the remaining crumbs in a shallow bowl. Heat 1/2 to 3/4 inches oil in a heavy skillet to 375 degrees. Dip an onion ring into the batter, coating thickly, and dredge in the corn chip crumbs. Lay it gently into the oil and cook until golden, turning once. Remove and drain on paper towels. Repeat with remaining rings. You can do 2-3 at a time depending on the size of your skillet, but take care not to crowd the pan or let the temperature drop too much, or the rings will turn out greasy.

Variations & Serving Suggestions:

• 1/2 tablespoon chipotle powder or chipotle sauce added to the batter definitely raises the ‘zing’ level quite nicely.

• A Salsa con Queso dipping sauce would be delicious with these.

• For a smoother, less crunchy surface, you can skip the crumb-dredging step.

Join us tomorrow to read Doug’s new recipe for Hawaiian Sesame Coconut Onion Rings as part of his Week of Onion Rings Series which celebrates the official start of Summer.

You Can Read More of Doug’s Recipe Corner Here.

Note: This original Hugging the Coast article also appears on eHow as:

• How to Make Gigantic Frito Encrusted Corn Chip Onion Rings
  

(You can see more Hugging the Coast eHow articles here.)

Looking Back: 6/16/2008-6/22/2008

Monday: Cucumber, Apple, & Spinach Salad With Curried Pecans and Lemony Coriander Dressing

Tuesday: What This Year’s James Beard Awards Say About American Cuisine

Wednesday: Shoot Your Food! The Fine Art of Food Photography Part I of II

Thursday: Shoot Your Food! The Fine Art of Food Photography Part II of II

Friday: Fish For Friday Recipe of the Week: King Prawn Pancetta Fried Rice

Saturday: Weekend Video Spotlight: Meet Chef Bob Waggoner of Charleston Grill

Sunday: You are here

Also, please join us tomorrow for the beginning of next week’s special feature, A Week of Onion Rings, when Doug DuCap will be sharing one of his new recipes for gigantic gourmet onion rings each day to celebrate the official start of summer.

CharlestonPlace1 has made an interesting video of Charleston Grill chef Bob Waggoner making Venison Carpaccio which you can see below (or here ).

BTW, Waggoner is also the author of Charleston Grill at Charleston Place: French Influenced Lowcountry Cuisine.

The moment I saw this recipe I knew I had to share it with you because of its perfect combination of elegance and simplicity. Here’s a recipe for King Prawn Pancetta Fried Rice from the folks at The Sugar Bar.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup long grain white rice/basmati rice
1/2 cup water, for cooking the rice
1/3 cup lettuce, sliced
1/3 cup king prawns, shelled and deveined
2 slices smoked pancetta
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 tsp fish sauce
sprinkling of dried oregano
pepper, for seasoning
mild tasting vegetable oil, for frying

How to Make King Prawn Pancetta Fried Rice
See More of Hugging the Coast’s Fish For Friday Recipes

Part II: Where to Share Your Food Photos
and/or Find Culinary Visual Inspiration

(If you missed Part I: Tips For Photographing Food Like a Pro For Your Blog or Website you can read it here.)

1. A Few Words About Tastespotting, Plus Other Places to Share Your Food Photos and Get Inspired

If you’re like me and love to think, write, and lust over inspiring photos of food, you’ll be sad to hear that the influential food porn site, Tastespotting is no more.

According to a note on the homepage of the site, the blog was closed down for legal reasons amid much online speculation on Metafilter, Serious Eats, and (most ominously) here.

If you’re a food blogger, columnist, or home cook this news hits especially hard as the photos on Tastespotting probably launched nearly as many posts, columns, meals, and food articles as ships that sailed for Helen of Troy.

On the bright side, two good alternatives to Tastespotting for sharing your food photos have just emerged: Food Gawker and