saveur Archives - Wood & Spoon

Charleston

Charleston!

Two weeks ago, we traveled to Charleston as a family, Brett and I the captain and co-pilot to a crew of squirmy Cheerio-throwers in the backseat of our packed-to-the-brim SUV. We’ve been to the sweet Southern city of Charleston a number of times, but this was our first time traveling with tiny humans. The kids did terrific on the ride there, in large part due to Mickey Mouse, Cheez-Its, and sugar-coated cereal that I shoved in their mouth any time they opened it to cry. #survival

Where We Stayed

In place of the luxury accommodations we usually opt for, we selected an Airbnb on King Street that boasted quick access to restaurants, coffee shops, and (let’s be honest) Jeni’s Ice Cream. The Saveur events didn’t start until Sunday, so we spent just over 24 hours in the city as a family. It’s fun to watch your kids explore new places, and at 3 and 1, Aimee and George found a bit of adventure everywhere we went. Living room chairs and tables were new jungle gyms. Sidewalks were their ultimate playground for jumping, dancing, and crawling. Friends, I learned last weekend that my kids, given enough patience and nap time and ice cream, are willing and able to travel. While the trip was not without a few hiccups or emergency diaper changes, I think we really have a shot at a future of family traveling. TBD.

Saveur Blog Awards

Once the blog awards crew arrived, the weekend really amped up. I was thrilled to see my dear friend Erin for a second time, and I even got to meet my long-time interwebs lady friend, Rebecca. These two, along with the multitude of other beautiful faces I met throughout the weekend, filled the days with laughter and served as excellent sources of encouragement and relation. Sometimes, as a blogger, you start to feel a little like an island, and it was so reassuring to hear from friends who are in the thick too.

Making New Friends

The kind folks at Saveur set up a fabulous weekend of events for the finalists, including tours of Charleston, cocktail parties, pub crawls, and even panel discussions where we got to hear from industry experts about the ins and out of marketing, brand management, publishing, and social issues within the food industry. Yes, I met Deb, the fairy Godmother of blogging, and yes, she is as delightful and charming and sincere as you might have gathered from her writing. We heard from a number of other authors and even a few Southern entrepreneurs like Carrie Morey and Brooks Reitz.

A Win for Wood and Spoon

My biggest surprise of the weekend was how kind everyone was! Sure, we were all on our best behavior for the weekend, but I was still shocked at how quickly I grew to like so many of the other bloggers and Saveur staff members. It kinda felt like a weekend of summer camp, except there was a ton of booze, the food was great, and no one woke up covered in shaving cream or sunblock. Basically, it was just really rewarding to share in the excitement with a lot of like-minded people, and that was probably the best part of the whole trip.

I was honored to bring home the Reader’s Choice Award in the Best Baking and Sweets category. Although I attribute the win, in large, to the votes of my husband and my crazy-dedicated Selma friends, I am also aware that much of the success of this baby blog has been due to the help, encouragement, and inspiration that I’ve received from other blogger friends like Erin and Rebecca. It’s kinda like that scene from “Mean Girls” where Katy Herron breaks her homecoming crown into pieces and throws bits of it to other girls in the crowd; any win I experience in this new “career” is shared with the beautiful friends who have sewn into this site. So thanks. Y’all are the best.

So here it is: the ins and outs of what we’ve done in Charleston. If you’re a history buff, love the South, or are just really into food, there’s something for everyone there. This is what we’ve done:

Where We Like to Eat in Charleston:

FIG

Approachable, farm-to-table seasonal cuisine.

167 Raw

Cozy, contemporary seafood eatery with a patio, serving oysters, lobster rolls, fish tacos & more.

Jeni’s Ice Cream

No doubt, my favorite ice cream of all time. OF ALL TIME, PEOPLE.

Husk

Delicious, elevated Southern food from chef Sean Brock

Rodney Scott BBQ

In a town with loads of BBQ options, this is the one to try.

The Ordinary

Oysters and seafood in a hip setting.

Xiao Bao Biscuit

Seriously delicious Asian food with influences from China, Thailand, Vietnam and Taiwan.

Callie’s Hot Little Biscuit

Award-winning Southern style biscuits with all the fixings. This is a must-see spot in Charleston!

Chez Nous

French food in the coziest little nook of a restaurant. Romantic and provincial.

Darling Oyster Bar

Terrific cocktails and raw bar in a fun, chic location.

Cru Cafe

My favorite lunch in Charleston, located in the historic district.

What We Like to Do in Charleston:

Downtown Saturday Market
Shopping on King Street
Historical Walking Tours
Horse and Carriage Ride

Jelly Donuts and a SAVEUR Blog Awards Nomination (!!!)

31 Comments / Breakfast

Friends, it is with tons of joy, some nervous sweating, and a dozen jelly donuts that I share with you THE. MOST. EXCITING. NEWS. No, Mom, I’m not pregnant, but… the Wood and Spoon blog is a finalist in the SAVEUR blog awards!

Saveur Blog Awards

I’m shocked, humbled, and so stinking thrilled about this opportunity. The SAVEUR blog awards, basically the Grammy’s of the food blogging world, is a celebration of writers, photographers, cooks, and bakers from all across the world who share their culinary perspectives on the interwebzz. I’m joined by several friends in the “Best Baking and Sweets” category and am looking forward to hanging out with the rest of the nominees at the awards ceremony that will be hosted in Charleston in early October. While winning this award would be so legit- I’m talking cooler than if Steve Carrell hand-delivered a Dundee award straight to my front door- I’m so honored to even have a seat at the table.

Blogging as a Means

I started writing this blog because I wanted to author a cookbook. Blogging seemed like a practice field for writing and recipe development, perhaps even a chance at developing a readership. I thought that if I worked really hard I might eventually meet a publisher that would offer me a cookbook deal. It’d be done.

What I didn’t expect was how much I would fall in love with blogging. The fear I once had about writing (“What will people think? What if I suck? What if I don’t have time for this?) has been replaced with a ton of joy and a deep sense of gratitude. Instead of opposition, I was met with the open arms of readers and fellow bloggers who welcomed me to this home and gave me the room to make myself comfortable. It’s an incredible feeling to be apart of something that extends beyond my life and the four walls I live in. It’s an incredible feeling to belong here.

I still dream of writing books someday, but I’m content and fulfilled growing this little home we’ve made here too. The community I’ve found in this space is real and I’m so grateful for the friends and family who encouraged me to step into blogging. I’m starting to think that the sharing of food, both online and in real life, is one of the truest ways that I can love the people around me. So please keep hanging out here with me, okay? You guys make this awesome, and I’d like to stick around for a while.

Jelly Donuts

Speaking of awesome, let’s snack on some jelly donuts. Cool?

These sparkly mounds of fluff are from a recipe compliments of the fine folks at SAVEUR magazine. The process is straightforward and simple, just a basic yeast donut filled with quality fruit filling and topped with sweet, sandy sugar.

Making the Donuts

To make them, we start by whipping up a sweet dough. Cream some butter and sugar in your stand mixer and add in some yeast, milk, and egg. Once that’s all combined, we toss in some flour and stir until a soft dough forms. Let it all rise for an hour or two until it’s double in size and ready for forming donuts.

Use a biscuit cutter to cut out some dough rounds and allow them to rise a second round. The recipe called for 3″ biscuit cutter, but I used a 2-1/2″ cutter with success. In the meantime, prepare your oil in a large pot over the stove or in a fryer, being sure to crosscheck the temperature with a thermometer. If your grease isn’t hot enough, the donuts will absorb a ton of oil and you’ll be left with jelly donuts that taste kinda like the county fair (which actually isn’t terrible, if we’re being honest). Cook the donuts about 2 minutes on each side, or until they’re lightly golden and puffed.

Finishing the Donuts

Once out of the fryer, transfer the donuts to a big pan of sugar and take care not to burn yourself while you toss the whole lot of it together. Tossing the donuts while they’re fresh from the oil will matte the pastry in thick, glorious clouds of sweetness. Alternatively, you can allow them to cool first for a thinner layer of sugar. If you choose to use powdered sugar, this is the route I’d recommend. Once they’ve cooled a bit, use a piping bag fitted with a medium-sized round tip to fill your donuts with your favorite jelly. I chose strawberry (because duh) but raspberry, blueberry, or even cherry would find themselves right at home nestled in the center of these jelly donuts.

Vote!

If you love this blog and are a fan of what we do here, I hope you’ll consider casting votes for me in the SAVEUR blog awards! You can vote as often as you like, and (BONUS!) the blog with the most votes will win the Reader’s Choice award! You can click here to vote. Be sure to check out all of the other nominees and show them love if you’re into what they’re doing.

Thank you all again for being rockstar supporters of this site. Happy Hump Day and cheers to you!