While I've been doing supperclubs for over 14 years, a lot of folks in the High Country aren't familiar with my approach to food or life for that matter. I believe more have either heard or know about my wife, Kelly McCoy aka Rivergirl and her devotion to the New River. But then again, some may not know about her love of food, especially ones that can be foraged. So on occasion, we will post past articles, videos, recipes and reviews that make our approach to life unique.
Here's an article by my dear friend, Franka Phillip. This was published in the Caribbean Beat Magazine in 2010. Hope you enjoy "Saving The Best For Last" (* Note: the link at the end of article no longer works as that was back in the day)
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If you had to describe a memorable meal, what comes to mind? For me, it’s more than just the food. It’s the taste, aroma, visual presentation, feel of the ingredients in your mouth or sometimes the sound of the utensil cutting through it. It's the sensations you feel when you experience unusual flavors that dance in your mouth and you simply want to savor the moment. The buildup or anticipation, environment, folks around you sharing conversations and memories, sounds of everything around you. The reveal, consumption, sighs of contentment, afterglow of having experienced a moment you'd remember forever. A moment that sparks life into every cell of your body. It’s the experience of it all that stands out and allows you to recall the moment years after it has occurred. Our intention is to make each dining experience so spectacular that it stays with you forever. While I can’t reveal the location or menu for our upcoming dining experience, I can hint at some of the things we have in store to make this a truly memorable one. Our chosen theme will reflect the Five Elements: Water, Wood, Fire, Earth & Air. The main course will be cooked in a buried fire pit. Pachamanca (from Quechua pacha “earth”, manka “pot”) is a traditional Peruvian dish baked with the aid of hot stones. Our good friends at Holy City Hog, will be providing us with their finest Ossabaw pig for the feast. Ossabaw pork is considered the Jewel of the South and its meat tends to be slightly darker than most. It has a unique texture and resembles the much sought-after jamón ibérico from the black Iberian swine. It will be slow roasted over hot volcanic rocks, buried with sweet potatoes, corn, a plethora of herbs, covered with banana leaves and earth to trap the heat and flavors. Our guests will have a hands on experience learning all about this style of cooking and the importance of heritage breeds. (Don’t worry, if you are vegetarian/vegan/celiac/or any other food allergy or preference…we will customize the menu for you) If that wasn’t enough to get your juices flowing…we thought we’d offer another Peruvian dish that will surely leave a burning impression in your memory bank. Our friends at COBO will be providing the fresh seafood combination of octopus, scallops and shrimp, which will be marinated in Leche de Tigre. But that’s all I’ll say about that. Of course, as with all of our experiences, each will benefit a non-profit. High Country Breast Cancer Foundation will be our July's featured organization. Their mission is to support breast cancer patients, survivors and their families of the High Country NC. Irene Sawyer, founder and president, is a force to be reckoned with when it comes to ensuring the foundation’s efforts are direct from wallet to patient. Which means, she covers the cost of everything with her own earnings from her Real Estate business. The pink tents, their signature tutus, pink ducks, food, t-shirts, advertising expenses, etc. We couldn’t think of a better organization to share our experience with and show our support than HCBCF. As always, 100% of the auction proceeds will benefit the organization. We eagerly look forward to revealing the other elemental courses to our members and guests on July 30th. Kelly & I can’t wait to share our table with you. Get your seats while you still can and experience something truly memorable.
It’s T.I.M.E. Growing up in Trinidad, I used to spend my school holidays with my paternal grandparents (Raymond & Sylvia). Every year, my grandpa would "whip" up a batch of pepper sauce for his personal consumption. And every year, he'd have my eldest cousin, Andre, assist him. I was always jealous of Andre getting to learn the finer arts of pepper sauce making. Mind you, personally I can't tolerate hot sauces...but it was a bond and an insider's knowledge that was being passed on between men. My grandpa died in 1993, I never got the recipe and Andre never shared it. Jump ahead seven years later, when I moved to Charleston, SC. As any Caribbean ex-pat will tell you, when you return to your homeland for whatever reason...you always bring an empty suitcase...to fill it with food items that will carry you through till your next visit. I have a lot of friends who enjoy the commercial hot sauces from Trinidad. And every year, I'd return to the States with a few bottles of hot sauce for them. One year, I was unable to return to Trinidad and my friends were becoming hot sauce deprived. So after some coaxing, I decided to replicate the commercial recipe. My "re-creation" turned out to be a lot more flavorful and robust than the commercial versions. Well, at least so my friends told me. Remember, I can't tolerate hot sauces! I would go by smell as to whether there were enough spices or citrus. I'd also drive fifteen minutes to my trusted friend, Kelli, (whose taste buds are phenomenal in picking up nuances of flavors) for her to sample each batch and let me know what was missing or if it was spot on. 99% of the time, my nose was spot on! My dad, Terry, came to visit in January 2012...just in time to help me make a huge batch of hot sauce. As we were making it, my dad, nonchalantly mentioned that I was making Raymond's recipe!!! Whether I picked it up inadvertently or he was guiding my hand from beyond, I am forever grateful to know I can share my grandpa's Hot Sauce and Salsa with you! It's also the reason LOVE is listed as an ingredient on each bottle! Jump ahead to 2023, where I partnered with High Vibe Freeze Dried, to create a freeze dried version of the sauces! They can now be used as a rub, spice or rehydrated into the original sauce. Best part...it now has a shelf life of 20+ years! I hope you enjoy it as much as we all have... -Renata Dos Santos |
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