A couple of days ago my dear friend AC showed up to Party on the Porch with a particularly thoughtful hostess gift: a gallon bag of gorgeous fresh basil. I used some for garnish on some pasta the next day and I still had a ton left. I certainly didn’t need more...
It has come to my attention that I don’t post anywhere near enough recipes for sweets. There are reasons for that. First, I’m not really a baker, and what little baking I do is usually bread-type things rather than dessert-type things. Second, I’m not much of a...
I love summer squash, and if you've clicked in here on purpose, I suspect you do, too. I like it sautéed, roasted, breaded and fried. I also REALLY like squash casserole. It's squashy and cheesy with a lovely crunchy cracker crust. I don't make squash casserole...
I was at my parents’ house recently, and my mom was making me take home tomatoes from their garden. (That makes it sound like a bad thing--it’s not.) I guess we were talking about what to do with tomatoes when she announced that a gentleman they know has the best...
Several years ago it seemed I was making stuffed mushrooms every time I turned around. Nearly every party I catered had somebody asking for them. I made sausage and cream cheese stuffed mushrooms, French onion stuffed mushrooms, crab stuffed mushrooms, bacon and...
If Leslie Anne Tarabella isn’t your personal friend, I’m so sorry. But chin up! Leslie Anne writes these terrific collections of stories that help the rest of the universe understand the Deep South. She’s a hoot, and very insightful. Is there a word for that? In any...
I absolutely adore balsamic vinegar. Balsamic vinegar and I met in the 1980s and have been best friends ever since. Balsamic vinaigrette is a staple at my house, and I’m a threat to drizzle it on anything at all. (I’m not kidding, I often have it on tomato cheese...
As long as we’re cooking quick and easy summer food, you need to know about delicious Baked Shrimp Scampi. (You’ll note that this is also a quick and easy blog post.) This recipe is based on the typical North American version of Shrimp Scampi, specifically the one...
I haven’t made Sweet Potato Hummus in a while, and I made it last weekend for a party. It’s one of those things I forget about, and then when I do make it I think, “Why am I not making this all the time?!?” There’s nothing authentic about it, and I don’t care. ...
Ah, barbecue. Barbecue is practically a religion in the South, and Alabama White Barbecue Sauce is quickly becoming a big deal all over. It debuted commercially in Decatur, Alabama at Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Que in 1925, but probably predates that. Barbecue in general...
I know y’all like detailed history lessons and such, but I’m busy this week and you’re just going to have to make do with the condensed version. Here it is: bloody marys have been around since the 1920s; they were probably invented by Fernand Petiot at Harry’s Bar in...
A while back I was in a mixed-age group of local cooks and we were talking about food. I know that’s difficult to imagine, but I swear it’s true. Anyway, the subject of party food came up. Every single one of us agreed that our favorite culinary genre was Southern...
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