Shrimp & grits were made famous in the South Carolina Low Country, where it’s been a favorite on-the-boat breakfast for shrimpers for years. This dish was famously brought to the nation’s attention when New York Times legendary food writer Craig Claiborne, a Mississippi native, had dinner with Chef Bill Neal at Crook’s Corner in Chapel Hill, NC. At Tupelo Honey they take our shrimp and grits very, very seriously but aren’t afraid to mix it up by adding goat cheese to the grits as their own signature twist.
Shrimp & Goat Cheese Grits with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce Recipe
2 Tbsp. plus 1.5 tsp. olive oil
1 lb. large uncooked shrimp, peeled, deveined, and tails removed
1 Tbsp. minced garlic
1/2 cup thinly sliced roasted red bell pepper
2 Tbsp. Creole Spice (recipe below)
1/4 cup dry white wine (such as Sauvignon Blanc)
3 Tbsp. unsalted cold butter
Goat Cheese Grits (recipe below)
Creole Spice Recipe
Ingredients:
1 Tbsp. sugar
5 tsp. sea salt
1 Tbsp. smoked paprika
2 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp. white pepper
Directions:
1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet on high heat. Add the shrimp and garlic and cook for about 4 minutes, or until the shrimp begins to turn a little pink.
2. Add the bell peppers and creole spice and cook for about 2 minutes, or until the peppers are heated through. Add the wine and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, just until the shrimp turns pink.
3. Remove from the heat and add the butter, swirling the pan to combine all the liquids. Serve the shrimp over the grits and top with the warm sauce left in the skillet.
*Makes 4 servings.
Creole Spice Recipe
Directions:
Combine the following ingredients:
*Makes 1/4 cup.
1 cup yellow stone ground grits
2 cups water
3 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1/3 cup heavy cream
1.5 tsp. sea salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup goat cheese
Finely ground cornmeal
Goat Cheese Grits Recipe
Taking their love of goat cheese to the next level, you can make this recipe in two ways. One of for a traditional dish of grits and the fry is to fry the goat cheese grits after coating them in cornmeal. The outcome? Grit croutons and grit cakes!
Read on for the recipes. And for more Tupelo Honey recipes click here.
Directions
1. Combine water and salt in a stock, put on high heat, and bring to a boil.
2. Add butter and grits at the same time and stir for a couple minutes to prevent clumping or sticking. DO NOT ADD THE BUTTER AT THE BEGINNING WITH THE WATER. Adding the butter and grits at the same time, and NOT melting the butter while the water heats up, is imperative to a creamy final product).
3. Bring grits, salt, water and butter back to a boil. Add heavy cream.
4. Bring to a boil again, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 30-35 minutes until thick and creamy, stirring occasionally. Add goat cheese and black pepper and taste for seasoning.
*Makes 4-6 portions of delicious goat cheese grits.
5. When complete, pour cooked grits into an 8×8 baking pan, ensuring even distribution, and allow to cool for at least 12 hours.
6. When completely cool, turn baking pan over and allow grit “cake” to fall out onto a cutting board.
Special guest blogger Kathy Witt, author of the soon to be released Cincinnati Scavenger:The Ultimate Search for Cincinnati’s Hidden Treasures, shared a new post.
Land of Oz offers spectacular views from its perch atop Beech Mountain. Photo: Kathy Witt
High atop Beech Mountain in North Carolina and hidden within the trees is the somewhere over the rainbow: the Land of Oz. It is as magical as the world L. Frank Baum created in his classic Oz book series that was brought to the screen in the 1939 Academy Award-winning movie. And it is where those looking for their heart’s desire find the Yellow Brick Road.
Professor Marvel has set up shop at the Land of Oz. Photo: Kathy Witt.
Play:
The Land of Oz opens only during its annual events, including Autumn in Oz (www.landofoznc.com/autumnatoz), a festival featuring an interactive theatrical experience, with performances by the beloved Scarecrow, Tin Woodman and Cowardly Lion and frights compliments of the Wicked Witch of the West and her band of Winged Monkeys.
The most famous pair of striped leggings in the world may be seen at the Beech Mountain History Museum. Photo: Kathy Witt
From the twister that rocks the Gale’s Kansas farmhouse to the Emerald City, visitors experience the story brought to life as the Yellow Brick Road unwinds through the site of the original 1970s theme park.
The Yellow Brick Road leads visitors to Munchkinland.
Autumn in Oz takes place over three weekends: September 9-11, 16-18 and 23-25, 2022. Admission tickets are $55 (www.showpass.com/o/land-of-oz-theme-park). Rounding out the fun are live performances, face painting, craft and memorabilia vendors and food and beverages for purchase. Add-on experiences: Scenic Lift Ride ($15), a round-trip chairlift ride to the park from Beech Mountain Ski Resort; and exclusive access to the Over the Rainbow Observation Deck ($6), for unparalleled views from the top of Beech Mountain on a site that has not been open to the public in more than 20 years.
“I’d turn back if I were you.” The Wicked Witch’s Castle at the Land of Oz. Photo: Kathy Witt
Stay:
The Klonteska Condominiums at 4 Seasons at Beech Mountain (www.beechgetaway.com) are homey and comfortable and have spectacular views of the mountains. Two-, three- and four-bedroom units feature private, covered balconies for taking in those views, plus gas-log fireplace, equipped kitchen and large whirlpool tub in the master bath. Located in downtown Beech Mountain, the condos are close to shops and restaurants, and a short and scenic drive to the Land of Oz.
Enjoy pizza, air hockey and more at Famous Brick Oven Pizzeria, located at the top of Beech Mountain. Photo: Kathy Witt
Eat: When it comes to restaurants, Beech Mountain is all about the local experience, from the always-bustling Famous Brick Oven Pizza with live music, arcade and air hockey to the cozy and iconic Alpen Restaurant & Bar, a traditional European inn.
Fred’s General Mercantile is a Beech Mountain staple and has been serving delicious food, groceries, and Beech Mountain apparel since 1979. Photo: Kathy Witt
Locals and visitors alike find Fred’s General Mercantile (www.fredsgeneral.com) irresistible and can while away a couple of pleasant hours browsing its shelves. The store was established by Fred Pfohl in 1979 when the original Land of Oz Theme Park was still open. Pfohl worked summers at Land of Oz while attending Appalachian State University. When he and his wife, Margie, decided to build the store, Jack Pentes, who designed the theme park, prepared the blueprints.
Glinda the Good Witch greets a visitor during Autumn in Oz. Photo: The Land of Oz
Visitors come to Fred’s for fresh produce, stuffed animals, clothing, hardware, ski gear rentals and more. They also come to enjoy made-to-order breakfasts – the Fred Muffin is a fan fave – at Fred’s Backside Deli, as well as hot and cold sandwiches, grilled burgers, soups, salads and other lunch fare and sweets including cakes, pies and cookies.
Treat:
The most famous pair of striped leggings in the world may be seen at the Beech Mountain History Museum. Photo: Kathy WittThe Scarecrow is a fan favorite during the Land of Oz’s Autumn in Oz event. Photo: The Land of Oz.
Before heading to Autumn in Oz, stop in at the free-admission Beech Mountain History Museum (www.facebook.com/BeechMountainHistoricalSociety), a true jewel of a museum operated by Beech Mountain Historical Society volunteers. Inside is a diorama of the original Land of Oz Theme Park along with related memorabilia and the volunteer guides love to share the Oz chapter of Beech Mountain history. Also here is the definitive backstory of the park – Tim Hollis’ photo-rich book, The Land of Oz. Museum hours during Autumn in Oz are 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Thursday-Sunday.
Read:
The perfect souvenir of your visit to the Land of Oz? Author Tim Hollis’s book, The Land of Oz, available at the Beech Mountain History Museum. Provided
Tim Hollis visited the Land of Oz on a rainy day in the summer of 1975, returned while working on his book, The Land of Oz, and then again for the book’s launch in 2016.
“The park is a unique opportunity to live through the plot of the movie,” he said.
Hollis also has a museum in his hometown of Dale, AL. Among the thousands of cartoon characters, board games, lunch boxes, Christmas and Halloween collectibles and more at the Tim Hollis Pop Culture Museum is “The Wizard of Oz” memorabilia: toys, games, coloring books, the 40 original Oz books written by Baum and his successors – even a smattering of park souvenirs. The free-admission museum is open by appointment only with 48-hour’s advance notice. Call 205-648-6110.
For more information, Autumn in Oz and Beech Mountain, visit Beech Mountain Visitors Center, www.beechmtn.com.
Fred’s Backside Deli’s Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie Recipe
Ingredients
9-inch pie crust
1/2 C sugar
1/2 C brown sugar
1/2 C flour
1 1/2 sticks of room temperature butter
2 eggs
1 C semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 C walnuts
Instructions
In a large bowl, combine the first six ingredients and then fold in 1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips and 1 cup of walnuts.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and bake at 350-degrees until a toothpick comes out clean. (Fred’s motto is, “If you can smell it, it’s about done!”)
About Special Guest Blogger Kathy Witt
Kathy Witt is an award-winning travel and lifestyle writer who writes a monthly syndicated travel column for Tribune News Service, is a regular contributor to Kentucky Living, Georgia and Travel Goods magazines and RealFoodTraveler.com as well as other outlets like County. She is the author of several books, including Cincinnati Scavenger (Fall 2022) Secret Cincinnati andThe Secret of the Belles, Her book, Perfect Day Kentucky: Daily Itineraries for the Discerning Traveler, another travel-themed book, will be released in Fall 2023. Kathy is a member of SATW (Society of American Travel Writers), Authors Guild and the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators.
