There are times when I miss Beaufort S.C. and the Sea Islands. This is the time when shrimp are getting large and fishing at Hunting Island is always good. In Beaufort, behind the Piggly Wiggly there is a tree hanging over a dirt area. When you drive your truck under it, it opens up into a dirt road. Every thing is grown up so that if you don't know where it is you would never find it. The only thing behind the Piggly Wiggly is the loading dock and the trash dumpsters. Drive a little ways into the high sea grass, the dirt road is full of pot holes, and opens at area beside the railroad tracks. Park, and get your stuff, you have to walk in. Down these railroad tracks is the spot for shrimp and catfish.
That looks like a steam bake to me. From the edge of the Blue Ridge Mt.s to the coast, South Carolina seems to be touched by God himself. Every day I wake up I have to say thank-you. I'm a penny-less, rich man. Even though I'm in the foothills on the other side of the state, I'm setting down a 5 gal. bucket, a nap sack of fishing tackle, and cast net. It is high tide, taking the cast net, throwing it out and pulling it right back in to revile six shrimp. That's a good sign. I bait the fishing poles two hooks with one shrimp. With that pole in the water hike back to the truck for the cooler and ice, we're catching fish. My sinus is feeling better just thinking about it. Reminiscing, the smell in the air. The size of the shrimp and how clean the catfish were there. I didn't buy shrimp is a grocery store, for 3 years after I left. I'm hearing more and more, about shrimp-n-grits these days. They even have shrimp-n-grits in N.Y. City. There are a 1000 ways to make shrimp. Did you see Forest Gump? The movie is what took me to the low country in 1995. They filmed the Viet-nam scenes of the movie at Fripp Island.
Fripp Island was one of the best jobs, and very sad when the job ended. I could have stayed after construction ended, but I didn't. We all have those "But I Didn't" moments I guess. Even though I knew I had art talent, the scenery, and vastness of the marsh, just brought it out even more. The whole area is great. Port Royal, that's where Paris Island USMC is at. For me Port Royal, is where the restaurant and the shrimp boat, meet. On the marsh side of the restaurant it has a glassed in deck, with a view of the shrimp boats lined up at the dock. Now, of course the name of the place is, "Dock Side". The dish their is Frogmore Stew, named after Frogmore S.C. It is a iron pot brought to your table steaming hot, filled with "wondermiss".
If you don't have a large pot, the kind you might use at church, or a homeless shelter, buy one. In the south, between deep fried turkeys, crab boils, and shrimp, it's a must have. This time of year, summer headed toward fall, you catch 5 gal buckets of crab or shrimp. Not in the same bucket, the crabs will eat your shrimp. You sit around out side cleaning the heads off, bagging up freezer bags, and drinking beer. A fire even if it's hot, and OFF spray. Here is you frogmore stew; You got your pot, again we don't measure, but pour in some white wine and a whole beer, 2 if you got um. Vinegar for some twang 1/2 a cup or so and 1/2 a box of Bay Seasoning. Now myself, more than a dash of tobacco sauce and a cayenne pepper or two. Bring this to a steady simmer, or almost boiling.
Keep in mind while the Bay seasoning and hot pepper, are filling the air. You are not going to find shrimp this big in any store. Maybe in a high price shrimp cocktail, or a seafood speciality store. In the low country you can buy them on the side of the road, like they sell boiled peanuts. Boiled peanuts, that is another good reason for a big pot. You are getting Southern ever minute, but back to the Frogmore Stew. Chop up 2 large onions, pronounced (on-yons) and 8 ears of corn left on the cob into the pot. Cut 2 lbs. Hillshire Farms hot sausage into 1/2 inch or so. Large or small, just cut it up and in the pot with red potatoes. Let simmer, and enjoy the smells. Put on some Jimmy Buffet music, grab another beer, when potatoes and corn are done, turn the pot up to a boil. Grab two big hand fulls of the cleaned shrimp, or 4 lbs., throw it into the pot and cover for 10 to 15 minutes. Half pound shrimp and 4 or 5 potatoes for each person.
(Pink Shrimp do not over cook the shrimp)
Eight of your friends are now your best friends forever, and the rest of your friends hate you.
That looks like a steam bake to me. From the edge of the Blue Ridge Mt.s to the coast, South Carolina seems to be touched by God himself. Every day I wake up I have to say thank-you. I'm a penny-less, rich man. Even though I'm in the foothills on the other side of the state, I'm setting down a 5 gal. bucket, a nap sack of fishing tackle, and cast net. It is high tide, taking the cast net, throwing it out and pulling it right back in to revile six shrimp. That's a good sign. I bait the fishing poles two hooks with one shrimp. With that pole in the water hike back to the truck for the cooler and ice, we're catching fish. My sinus is feeling better just thinking about it. Reminiscing, the smell in the air. The size of the shrimp and how clean the catfish were there. I didn't buy shrimp is a grocery store, for 3 years after I left. I'm hearing more and more, about shrimp-n-grits these days. They even have shrimp-n-grits in N.Y. City. There are a 1000 ways to make shrimp. Did you see Forest Gump? The movie is what took me to the low country in 1995. They filmed the Viet-nam scenes of the movie at Fripp Island.
Fripp Island was one of the best jobs, and very sad when the job ended. I could have stayed after construction ended, but I didn't. We all have those "But I Didn't" moments I guess. Even though I knew I had art talent, the scenery, and vastness of the marsh, just brought it out even more. The whole area is great. Port Royal, that's where Paris Island USMC is at. For me Port Royal, is where the restaurant and the shrimp boat, meet. On the marsh side of the restaurant it has a glassed in deck, with a view of the shrimp boats lined up at the dock. Now, of course the name of the place is, "Dock Side". The dish their is Frogmore Stew, named after Frogmore S.C. It is a iron pot brought to your table steaming hot, filled with "wondermiss".
If you don't have a large pot, the kind you might use at church, or a homeless shelter, buy one. In the south, between deep fried turkeys, crab boils, and shrimp, it's a must have. This time of year, summer headed toward fall, you catch 5 gal buckets of crab or shrimp. Not in the same bucket, the crabs will eat your shrimp. You sit around out side cleaning the heads off, bagging up freezer bags, and drinking beer. A fire even if it's hot, and OFF spray. Here is you frogmore stew; You got your pot, again we don't measure, but pour in some white wine and a whole beer, 2 if you got um. Vinegar for some twang 1/2 a cup or so and 1/2 a box of Bay Seasoning. Now myself, more than a dash of tobacco sauce and a cayenne pepper or two. Bring this to a steady simmer, or almost boiling.
Keep in mind while the Bay seasoning and hot pepper, are filling the air. You are not going to find shrimp this big in any store. Maybe in a high price shrimp cocktail, or a seafood speciality store. In the low country you can buy them on the side of the road, like they sell boiled peanuts. Boiled peanuts, that is another good reason for a big pot. You are getting Southern ever minute, but back to the Frogmore Stew. Chop up 2 large onions, pronounced (on-yons) and 8 ears of corn left on the cob into the pot. Cut 2 lbs. Hillshire Farms hot sausage into 1/2 inch or so. Large or small, just cut it up and in the pot with red potatoes. Let simmer, and enjoy the smells. Put on some Jimmy Buffet music, grab another beer, when potatoes and corn are done, turn the pot up to a boil. Grab two big hand fulls of the cleaned shrimp, or 4 lbs., throw it into the pot and cover for 10 to 15 minutes. Half pound shrimp and 4 or 5 potatoes for each person.
(Pink Shrimp do not over cook the shrimp)
Eight of your friends are now your best friends forever, and the rest of your friends hate you.
my family are from georgia and we call this a low country boil..boy this is so good..i enjoy your page...keep it up
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