Emily Meggett Embodied the Beauty of Gullah Geechee Life and Cuisine

Emily Meggett | Clay Williams

The beloved South Carolina chef, who passed away in April, taught generations how to not just enjoy food, but respect its true origins.

It struck me that during my first meeting with Emily Meggett — a meeting in which she was supposed to be vetting me, a first-time cookbook collaborator, to essentially write her remarkable life story and recount her life’s work — her primary concern was making sure I had enough to eat. She’d prepared a full spread, complete with fried shrimp paired with her lauded pink sauce, fried chicken, and various casseroles. It would set the stage for the remainder of our time together — two years that would include a bounty of seafood dishes and days spent chatting on her porch, overlooking her front yard in Edisto Island.

In April, Mrs. Emily (as she was affectionately called by most who knew her) … Read more

BBQ Salmon

Get ready to level up your summer barbecues, because this BBQ salmon is simply the best! It’s cooked to smoky, tender perfection and topped with homemade barbecue sauce that will leave your mouth watering.

I LOVE salmon. There are so many ways to prepare it, but one of my favorites is to throw it on the grill! And with grilling season in full force, now is the time to try out some new recipes! A few ideas: grilled honey lime salmon, citrus salmon with pineapple salsa, or this grilled salmon with avocado salsa!

Top-down view of BBQ salmon on a white plate served with roasted zucchini.

BBQ Sauce Salmon

This is a simple salmon recipe that will have you coming back all summer long. This BBQ salmon cooks up to charred, tender perfection and is coated with an easy homemade BBQ sauce. Trust me, this combo will have you licking your plate. It’s so good!

This salmon only takes 10 (yes, 10!) minutes … Read more

Proper food storage tips to avoid food poisoning from holiday leftovers

As Memorial Day festivities, known for delicious meals and barbecues, draw to a close, there is bound to be an abundance of leftovers. If proper food storage practices are not followed, these leftovers can quickly become a breeding ground for bacteria and food poisoning.

To ensure the safety of your leftover food, it is crucial to adhere to the following guidelines:

  1. The Two-Hour Rule: All perishable items should be refrigerated within two hours of being taken out of the oven or refrigerator. However, if you are outdoors and the temperature reaches 90 degrees Fahrenheit or higher, the limit decreases to one hour. After one or two hours, perishable food enters the Danger Zone, which is between 40 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit. In this temperature range, bacteria can multiply rapidly, posing a risk to food safety. If any foods have been left out for more than two hours, it is advised
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Please Throw Away All the Scary Stuff in Your Freezer

Emily Chu

Seriously, it’s time

The deepest, darkest corners of my tiny apartment freezer are where good intentions go to die. Because I am frequently cooking for just one or two people, I often have a ton of leftovers, especially little odds and ends, that I just can’t bear to throw into the trash. As such, I’m forever sticking a container of uneaten beans or a single chicken breast into the freezer, never to be seen again.

These random leftovers pile up over time, especially when combined with the containers of extra soup, knobs of ginger, baggies full of cooked rice, and remnants of pasta sauce or pesto, turning my freezer into a pretty terrifying place. It’s an icy museum of my failures — all the food I’ve allowed to become freezer burned in favor of fresher, more compelling groceries.

A few months ago, these random piles of Ziploc bags … Read more

Garlic Infused Olive Oil

If you’re anything like me, then you know that garlic is one of the best ingredients in the kitchen. And when you infuse it into some good quality olive oil, well, get ready for some serious magic! Garlic infused olive oil can be used in countless dishes, adding a rich and savory kick to everything from pasta to roasted veggies to a slice of good crusty bread. Prepare to be addicted!

You’re going to love the extra flavor that garlic olive oil gives your favorite dishes. Try it in some olive oil bread dip or drizzled over pasta salad!

A glass jar filled with olive oil, herbs, and garlic.

Garlic Olive Oil Recipe

If you haven’t been cooking with olive oil, you really need to come to the dark side. I don’t think I could live without it! It adds a delicious, earthy, and slightly fruity flavor to any recipe. Plus, it’s full of healthy fats and is a much … Read more