On February 24, the Eastern Shore of Virginia Historical Society in partnership with the Eastern Shore of Virginia Foodways Group brings you the return of The South You Never Ate: Second Helpings. In 2016, Chef Amy Brandt created a seven course dinner that reinvented traditional Eastern Shore foods. She began with oysters representing three different salt ecologies, roasted oysters with a collard juice reduction, baked Rockfish with stewed tomatoes, Hayman sweet potato spoon bread, and oyster pie. Roasted Hog Island mutton was served with century figs and paired with a 2014 Vintners Blend from Chatham Vineyards.
“The ingredients and flavors of the Eastern Shore of Virginia stand as one of the great undiscovered culinary traditions in the United States. The taste of an oyster varies from creek to creek, from Bayside to Seaside; local diners passionately debate the quality of clam fritters, sweet potato pies, oyster stews, and bitter greens,” writes Dr. Bernard L. Herman, George B. Tindall Distinguished Professor of Southern Studies, UNC Chapel Hill.
This year brings a new menu with Old Hotel clam fritters with Pungo Mills whole hominy salad garnished with flash fried pea crabs and silversides; smoked Lynnhaven Inlet “fatback” mullets and Chesapeake Bay mackerel with bitter “Accomack broccoli” greens; family-style lattice top oyster pie with pan fried black twig apples; Hog Island mutton roast with Hayman sweet potato spoonbread, oven-caramelized carrots and parsnips and seaside yeast rolls; and ending with Housekeeper’s Companion overnight pone with a trio of Eastern Shore century figs and fig syrup reduction and Eastern Shore grown toasted benne. Each course will be paired with a wine or spirit. In between each course, Dr. Herman will speak about the histories of each dish.
The South You Never Ate: Second Helpings is sponsored by Gus and Airlia Gustafson, Chatham Vineyards, Amy Brandt Catering, Sewansescott Oysters/H.M. Terry, Matt and Eden Ertle with Island View Farm/Seaside Lamb, Pungo Creek Mills, and Shooting Point Oyster Company. Proceeds from the dinner benefit the Eastern Shore Virginia Historical Society, and their commitment to bringing exciting and quality educational programs to the Shore community. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit shorehistory.org or call the Historical Society at historic Ker Place (757) 787-8012.
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