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I just read their website and all they've done is add the word 'French' in front of Low Country.
Grits, rice, fresh veggies, seafood, sausage, pig, etc are all low country ingredients used by the slaves that are still in use today.
The slaves got whatever was leftover by the big houses from the slaughter and as much rice, produce, and seafood that they could eat.
Chitlins, boiled peanuts, shrimp and grits, hominy, pigs feet, purlow, etc aren't French influenced but slave influenced.
"""Examples of French Lowcountry include Duck Confit with local spinach and butter beans, Flounder Nicoise over bacon cheese grits, and Ratatouille with seasonal local squash and eggplant."""
Even they state that the Duck Confit is French but the butter beans are low country. Ditto with the flounder and ratatouille.
Fat Hen is committed to honoring the culinary history of French Lowcountry food through the creation of classic French preparations with the freshest local ingredients and by creating new classics in the spirit of the Huguenots. Examples of French Lowcountry include Duck Confit with local spinach and butter beans, Flounder Nicoise over bacon cheese grits, and Ratatouille with seasonal local squash and eggplant.
Fat Hen is committed to honoring the culinary history of French Lowcountry food through the creation of classic French preparations with the freshest local ingredients and by creating new classics in the spirit of the Huguenots. Examples of French Lowcountry include Duck Confit with local spinach and butter beans, Flounder Nicoise over bacon cheese grits, and Ratatouille with seasonal local squash and eggplant.
Fat Hen has done this. It isn't what was on my grandmother's Sunday dinner table. Or my great grandmothers. We had butter beans, fried chicken, rice and gravy, collards with fatback, biscuits and Kayo syrup, etc.
It wasn't what Charlestonians ate at home.
Not saying this is bad or good, it just isn't low country.
Fat Hen has done this. It isn't what was on my grandmother's Sunday dinner table. Or my great grandmothers. We had butter beans, fried chicken, rice and gravy, collards with fatback, biscuits and Kayo syrup, etc.
It wasn't what Charlestonians ate at home.
Not saying this is bad or good, it just isn't low country.
Some of this is absolutely low country. As far as the restaurant goes, they are combining the two influences.
Some of this is absolutely low country. As far as the restaurant goes, they are combining the two influences.
Just because you add duck to grits does not make it low country.
I would get a copy of Charleston Receipts. While you will find recipes for Hogs Head Cheese, you will not find any recipes for duck confit or ratatouille.
It was first published in 1950 I believe and while it has plenty of Gullah and Geechee influences, aside from a souffle or something minor, very little French.
What the French Hen as done is take French recipes and added a few local touches.
To say a restaurant is carrying on the tradition of French Hugonot eating simply isn't true.
For one thing the Charleston settlers were not able to get their hands on the same produce and meat the French had. They, as did the African Slaves made do with the abudance they had here and as it turns out, were much better cooks than the French.
What merged was low country not French Low Country.
If you want to split hairs, the slaves and the terrain had everything to do with our local cuisine and not the French.
Just because you add duck to grits does not make it low country.
I would get a copy of Charleston Receipts. While you will find recipes for Hogs Head Cheese, you will not find any recipes for duck confit or ratatouille.
It was first published in 1950 I believe and while it has plenty of Gullah and Geechee influences, aside from a souffle or something minor, very little French.
What the French Hen as done is take French recipes and added a few local touches.
To say a restaurant is carrying on the tradition of French Hugonot eating simply isn't true.
For one thing the Charleston settlers were not able to get their hands on the same produce and meat the French had. They, as did the African Slaves made do with the abudance they had here and as it turns out, were much better cooks than the French.
What merged was low country not French Low Country.
If you want to split hairs, the slaves and the terrain had everything to do with our local cuisine and not the French.
I have long had a copy of that.....LOL!!!!
Like OTC, perhaps a history lesson is in order. From Maverick Kitchens and the Hugenot community.
my family is immediately involved with msk so yes, i am very familiar with them.
lol!!!!!
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