Never Been to Beaufort, SC? Well Bless Your Heart
Welcome to the land of shrimp, collards and grits, y'all!
Fried green tomatoes, Frogmore Stew, Shrimp and Grits with a big ‘ol Banana Pudding are things we love to share around our Southern table.
My corner of the South is the land of shrimp, collards, and grits - a land of gracious plenty, where everyone is darlin’, strangers say “hello,” and someone’s heart is always bein’ blessed.
Whether you were born and raised here or came later in life as a stranger, Beaufort and the Lowcountry will capture your heart and imagination with a hold that can never be broken. So much more than a playground for tourists, this region is a place that echoes on in the hearts of all who have experienced it. No matter where you’re from, where you’ve been, or where you’re going, these Atlantic-splashed shores feel like home.
My first visit to Beaufort so captivated me that it has led to a lifetime of trips down her sea-scented streets with secret gardens, pristine 18th-century mansions with intricate iron gates, and gas-lit alleyways. The clip-clop sound of horses with their carriages on the roads became a lifetime memory of a place deeply rooted in history along saltwater bluffs.
Lucent blue skies, blustery cumulus days, and waters that sparkle along our seascapes and marshlands enchant. Graceful live oaks shade twisted lanes, as legends of ghosts whisper of those long-lost souls who could never bear to leave this place.
I love our roadside markets with their rickety shelves overflowing with cascading herbs and vegetables. When the coveted heirloom tomatoes arrive each June, I want to see people dancing in the streets! Sound the trumpets!
Each evening, summer’s heat begins to wane, and soft breezes drift in on the evening tide, signaling a welcome reprieve from the scorching heat of a Lowcountry afternoon.
July picnics with friends were always a time of sharing our finest Southern fixin’s. My dear friend Celia was a Southern woman in the truest sense of the word, known for her hospitality. She knew everyone’s first name: Darlin’, Dumplin’, Shuga, and honey.
Best of all, she knew how to tell a good story, put on her pearls, and serve ice-cold sweet tea at a moment’s notice. I can still hear the sizzle of her famous chicken cooking in a cast-iron skillet as it popped its way to a crisp, golden brown.
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Celia’s Rhubarb Pie with Cassis
Use all rhubarb or a combination of rhubarb and strawberries. Excellent either way, and the topping ties it all together for a memorable 4th of July dessert.
Rhubarb can make a runny pie, so depending on the freshness and thus moisture content of your rhubarb, you may need to increase the amount of cornstarch in the filling. Don’t cut back on the cassis, but add a little more thickener instead.
I use a glass pie dish so I can see when the crust on the sides is browning, which signals that the pie is finished.
Rhubarb Pie with Cassis and Brown Sugar Crumble Topping
Filling:
2¼ pounds diced rhubarb (about 8 cups)
¾ cup Crème de cassis (black currant liqueur)
Grated zest of 2 organic oranges
A little less than 1½ cups (10 ounces) of sugar
¼ cup (1 ounce) cornstarch, more as needed
Crust:
2½ cups flour
6 tablespoons cold butter
1/3 cup (2¼ ounces) shortening
¼ cup sugar
1 teaspoon powdered ginger
Pinch of salt
About 4 tablespoons of ice water, as needed
Feel free to swap out a cup or two of raspberries with sliced strawberries, blueberries, or blackberries. Remember to drain any berry juice left over in the bowl of berries.
1. The night before, mix the rhubarb with the cassis and the orange zest in a non-corrosive container. Cover and refrigerate.
2. Cut the butter into chunks and put it in the food processor with the shortening, sugar, ginger, and salt. Process until the mixture is crumbly and pebbly, then gradually add tablespoons of ice water and pulse until the dough forms a ball. Place the ball in an airtight container and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
3. Drain the rhubarb and pour the liquid into a saucepan. Set the rhubarb aside. Whisk the sugar and the cornstarch into the liquid and slowly bring to a boil, whisking constantly. Cook until it turns clear and thickens. Add more cornstarch, a tablespoon at a time, until you get a very thick consistency. Cook until it turns clear after each addition, and only then add more cornstarch.
4. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
5. Roll out half of the dough to a 12-inch circle to fit a 10-inch cake pan. Lightly spray the pan with baking spray and fit the dough into the pan, trimming the edges. A store-bought pie crust is fine.
6. Mix the rhubarb with the thickened liquid and pour it into the pan.
Brown Sugar Crumble Topping
If precise pie crust decorating is not your thing, free-form crumble topping most certainly is a delicious alternative. a simple blend of melted butter, brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon, this crumble is scattered all over the filling and supplies the perfect crumbly crunch to the fruit below.
1/2 cup packed light or dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
Combine the sugar, cinnamon, and flour. Pour the melted butter on top and, using a fork, gently mix until crumbles form. Sprinkle crumble topping all over the filling.
Bake the pie in the preheated oven for 55 minutes to 1 hour. Let cool completely before cutting.
