The Day I Ate Like Royalty

Hey all.  I have neatly resolved, tonight, in this very moment, to get back on the posting pony.  That is, I miss you, I want you, oh baby oh baby.  I mean, I'm wishin' & hopin' to be here more regularly.  Take from that what you will, I'm personally not sure how far that resolve will actually take  me.  But I'm gonna try!

I have a very  good excuse for being gone these past few days, though!  Let me give you the back story, by way of Handsome's & my conversation a few months ago:

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H: Hey, I found out that there's something I thought I was good at but turns out maybe I'm not.

M: Yeah, what is that?

H: See, I thought I was doing a good job, but they guys (at work) tell me I'm not.

M: YES. What are we talking about?

H: Well, it turns out that a lot of the guys at work actually plan stuff for special occasions, like anniversaries and stuff, and they take trips or go away for the night.

M: Oh yeah?

H: Yeah.  Is that something you'd even want to do?? (he asked, incredulously)

It's at this point I should say that Handsome was genuinely surprised to find out that not everyone just goes to dinner or takes a day trip.  Bless him.

M: Well, I wouldn't turn down a trip.  You know I like to go places & travel.

H: Oh, okay.

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So, this  past week, H & I packed up and headed down to Charleston, SC for a belated anniversary trip.  We'd never been to Charleston, and felt that it was our duty, as SC residents, to experience all the state has to offer.  It was lovely.  Seriously, the 4 whole days together were awesome, and not a single blue pant or gray polo shirt (Handsome's uniform) in the whole mix!

I want to tell you all about it, especially since I took enough pictures to fill this space for months.  But instead of just flooding you with the whole thing at once, I'm going to take pieces of it to share.  And because I do what I want, I'm going to start with our last day (It has nothing to do with the fact that yesterday is still fresh in my memory and the other parts are getting harder & harder to remember...).

Handsome's mother's cousin's son (yes, all that was necessary) works at a restaurant in Charleston.  Not just any restaurant, mind you.  No, he works at what Bon Apetit labeled (in 2010) the #1 new restaurant in THE UNITED STATES, Husk Restaurant.  Crazy, right?  The man who opened this restaurant had one goal in mind when he opened it: to prove that Southern food  is the best on the planet.  If you know anything about me, you know Handsome & I were waaaay in over our heads the moment we walked through the door.  

After we said hello to Handsome's mom's cousin's son, we headed up to our seats and picked out two entrees and a side (I mean, it was bacon cornbread, what choice did I have??).  Just regular fare, enough for two people.  Minding our own business.  And then.  Then it started.  Random servers started coming up to our table, saying, "Justin (who is Handsome's mother's cousin's son) sent this up" and "Justin wanted you to try this" and "This isn't on the menu, but Justin prepared it for you".  In a word, ridiculous!

We ended up eating 4 courses, 3 appetizers, 2 sides, 2 entrees, and 1 dessert.  It took us nearly 2 hours to eat all of the food that was sent up.  By about the 5th or 6th dish, I was getting gunshy whenever a waiter walked by our table, fearful that they were bringing us more food!

Kentuckyaki Glazed Crispy Pig Ear Lettuce Wraps with Pickled Cabbage and Cilantro 

Dave’s Clams with Smoked Peppers and Onions, SC Okra, Sweet Tomato Beer Broth, Crispy Toast

Not on the menu: Summer Sausage (prepared by Justin) with stone ground mustard, house pickles (AMAZING!) and mild chow-chow

SC Shrimp and Grits with Tomato Braised Peppers and Onions, Okra, Surry Sausage 

VA Lamb BBQ with Johns Island Carrot and Cabbage Slaw, Fried Potato Wedges

A Skillet of Benton’s Bacon Cornbread & Baked Geechie Boy Grits with Surry County Smoked Sausage 

Not on the menu: Chocolate Trifle with Truffles, featuring chocolate cake, shaved white chocolate, a ganache, and a caramel sauce.

You can see why the thought of someone bringing even more food to our table might have frightened me.  It was all so delicious (although I didn't eat the clams - not a seafood gal) and fun to feel like a food critic or royalty or just plain awesome.  Handsome & I laughed our way through the majority of each dish, and I think our waitress was quite impressed with the amount of food we were able to put away.  We didn't eat again the entire day, and no one minded in the least.

And now,  lest you think this experience changed me, I want you to know that I ate Kraft Mac & Cheese with a side of Tyson chicken fingers for lunch today.  #howthemightyhavefallen

Food can't change me,

TFW