My first memory of Egg Nog is not related to any experience of my own. I saw Cousin Eddie drink an Egg Nog filled moose glass on Christmas Vacation and that was that. I remember it looked like thick milk sprinkled with something brown and not very appetizing. I also know that there was more than likely some adult beverage mixed in with the Nog. My own family never has had Egg Nog around the holidays for some strange reason, nor have I ever been to a party that served the creamy drink, so I haven’t had the chance to try it. I guess I also never felt the desire to go out to purchase a carton of Egg Nog because the main ingredients are things that make my tummy sing a very angry version of Jingle Bells – cream, eggs, and milk – and I like to avoid angry Christmas songs.
With the rising popularity of the “Farm to Table” movement and along side it star chefs like Sean Brock, Kevin Gillespie, and John Besh all promoting the concept in different ways, their influences have started to change the way I utilize local ingredients at home. Mostly it means considering a broader scope of fresh, seasonal, ingredients and trying to utilize as much of it as possible without waste. Learning to cook seasonally and locally has Southerners really considering our roots and a return to a society based around knowing and understanding where our food comes from, and if possible meeting the person responsible for producing it. Thinking about all this and the holidays inspired me to explore a Roasted Leg of Lamb for a nice change of pace.
We are wrapping up our series with the guys from Local Three. We’ve been following (video 1, video 2) these guys through the process of opening their local Atlanta restaurant, and the day is finally upon us. Chef Chris Hall gave us a final sneak peak of the menu, before the official December opening of Local Three. This time Chris let us show you what’s behind the food at Local Three and how it’s cooked using fresh ingredients while keeping it simple and delicious. This video will have your mouth watering when you see all that pork jowl, squash and kale. Stay tuned because we’ll have 2 more videos coming to close out our Local Three series you won’t want to miss. Stay Hungry Y’all !
After getting this recipe correct I seriously considered renaming this website to Bourbon, Bacon & Butter : A Southerner’s Journey, but I digress. It’s recipes like these that Southerners should live and breath for. The spirit of the South is alive in these ingredients, from the soil presence in the pecans, to the sweet Kentucky water in the Bourbon. There is nothing like the unique texture and flavor and sweet Southern reminders of a Pecan Pie. A Thanksgiving tradition that we Southerners should all share a slice of. Here is our recipe for Bourbon Pecan Pie.
We had a really great opportunity this month to sit down with Executive Chef Chip Ulbrich of South City Kitchen. If your not familiar with South City Kitchen, it’s a great Southern style restaurant with two locations in and around the Atlanta,GA area known for dishes like their Fried Chicken and Fried Green Tomatoes. Chef Chip spent some time showing us how to cook Collard Greens in less than 30 minutes that are flavorful, full of texture and easy to prepare. He gave us every instruction we needed to make this fool proof. So if you’re looking for a modern way of cooking Southern Style Collard Greens Chef Chip’s recipe will point you in in the right culinary direction. Stay Hungry Ya’ll !
-The Hungry Southerner
This is the first of a 2 part series with Chef Chip Ulbrich. Check back soon for our interview with him in this month’s Local, Fresh, Sustainable Series where we talk about what South City Kitchen is doing with local farmers and ingredients and what they have coming for Thanksgiving.
The Hungry Southerner 