7 Authentic Lowcountry Food You Must Try

Lowcountry Food - Oyster Roast

Lowcountry Cooking And The Resilient Gullah People

The Gullah people of the Lowcountry are the descendants of African slaves. These resilient people have maintained much of their African heritage with their own culture, food, and language.

There is some debate over what boundaries officially designate the Lowcountry. Geographically speaking, the Lowcountry encompasses the coastal regions of South Carolina and Georgia, including the sea islands. Lowcountry cooking uses ingredients that can be grown, picked, or fished out of the waters from Charleston, SC, to Savannah, GA.

Southern cooking has much to thank the Gullah people for. Out of necessity, Gullah cuisine used ingredients like rice, grits, and shrimp. Those were the readily available ingredients.

Most Gullah cuisine is uncomplicated, one-pot style cooking from farm or sea to table. Seafood is readily available and plays a heavy role in the cuisine.

Lowcountry Boil Also Called Frogmore Stew

Before you have a chance to say “no, thanks,” let’s clarify that no frogs are used in this dish. The name comes from a community on St. Helena Island, called Frogmore.

The essential components of this dish are shrimp, sausage, corn, and potatoes. Seafood seasoning is added, and the stew is slow-cooked, in a zesty broth, over an open fire.

Hoppin’ John

Hoppin’ John is made with black-eyed peas, rice, and meat. Usually, pork, ham, or bacon would be the meat of choice.

Traditionally, Hoppin’ John is eaten on New Year’s Day to bring good luck in the new year.

Shrimp And Grits

Nothing says Southern cooking quite like a bowl of grits does!

Grits are made from either stone-ground corn or hominy that are boiled to become a dense porridge. Various flavors are then added and served as a sweet or savory dish.

Shrimp and grits originated in Africa when shellfish were added to ground maize. As seafood and rice are plentiful in the southern coastal region, the dish has become a staple in many Lowcountry kitchens. Today, shrimp and grits have become the poster dish for Lowcountry food.

Collard Greens

The origin of Collard Greens in the south goes back to the days when slaves were given leftover greens from the plantation kitchens. The greens would be slow-cooked with ham hocks or pig’s feet in a savory broth for hours.

Today, collard greens are considered a southern staple. You will find them on most menus throughout Georgia and the South Carolina Lowcountry.

Boiled Peanuts

Don’t visit South Carolina without trying their official snack, the boiled peanut.

As with most great Lowcountry cuisine, boiled peanuts were introduced to the south by African slaves. During the civil war, soldiers roasted or boiled peanuts over a campfire. They were one of the few available food sources.

Today you will see this popular snack at roadside stands, farmer’s markets, and grocery stores throughout the south.

Chicken Bog

Imagine chicken pieces getting “bogged down” in a hot tub of rice to better understand this dish.

Chicken bog is standard fare in Lowcountry cooking. It’s made with three essential ingredients: chicken, smoked sausage, and rice. From there, an onion can be added along with a variety of spices.

This one-pot dish is cooked on low for hours, creating a melting pot of delicious aromas.

Okra Stew

The basic stew will start with ingredients like okra, tomato paste, onion, garlic, and whatever meat is available. Each chef will then add spices according to taste.

How thick the stew will become ultimately depends on the chop of the okra. Big chunks of okra will simmer in the stew and give it a thinner consistency. Smaller okra pieces create a thicker stew.

After cooking low and slow for several hours, the flavors marry together and become a hearty bowl of comforting Lowcountry food.

Host An Oyster Roast

Bring your family and friends together to discover South Carolina’s favorite way to party. Lowcountry food is all about using the sea’s bounty, and oysters are plentiful in the south.

  • Start with a large steel plate placed over a wood fire to serve as a flat top grill.
  • Shovel a large number of oysters onto the steel plate.
  • Soak a burlap bag in water and throw it over the oysters to trap in the steam and smoke.
  • When the oysters are ready to eat, their shells will start to open slightly.
  • Toss the steamed oysters onto a table with saltine crackers, lemon wedges, and a selection of hot sauces.
  • Have lots of paper towels on hand, and dig in!

If all that sounds like way too much work, then join us instead. The only thing better than hosting an oyster roast is having a friend who hosts the oyster roast!

Our 7-Day Lowcountry Food Feast tour explores Lowcountry food as we travel from Charleston to Savannah. You’ll spend a week immersed in the cuisine and culture of the resilient people of this great area.

For more information, go online or call today!

Duration
10 days
Group Size
14 to 42

10 DAY MUSIC HISTORY TOUR -Fantastic Voyage Land of Funk

Experience the Land of Funk on our Black Music History Tour — one of the most exciting and authentic multi-day tours in all of North America. Our expert guides will take you on a musical journey through the heart of America, following in the footsteps of black music pioneers to explore how their influence is present throughout all aspects of American culture.

You’ll get an insider’s look into the musical heritage and highlights of Black Music, visiting legendary music studios, iconic venues and even hearing from some music legends themselves! Travel with us to legendary sites across 8 cities including Detroit, Cleveland, Dayton Cinninatti Nashville, and Memphis, to learn stories through music. From Motown to The Rock roll Hall of Fame to Dayton and Cincinnati, The Funk Capitol, and on to Nashville and Soulsville in Memphis TN.

We invite you on a breathtaking journey through the heart of American music, exploring the true Rythem of America, American Soul and Funk Music

★★★★★
★★★★★
from
TBD
Duration
11 days
Group Size
14 to 42

11 DAY MUSIC HISTORY TOUR - WHY THEY SING THE BLUES

Why They Sing the Blues is an unforgettable journey into the land that spawned the single most important root source of modern American popular music- The Delta Blues.

This 12-day journey tells the untold stories of Southern bluesmen and women and how the places where they lived and the times in which they existed–and continue to exist–influenced their music. The tour will take you to Nashville, Memphis, Clarksville, and all through the Mississippi Delta down to Jackson and New Orleans where you will Hear Live music, walk the city streets, visit the radio stations, see the cotton fields, visit Blues museums to learn why musicians such as Robert Johnson Howlin Wolf, Muddy, Waters, BB King, and countless others sang the blues way down in the Mississippi Delta.

Whether you're a die-hard blues fan or a casual traveler in search of an interesting trip, you'll find facts you didn't know, places you've never seen, and you'll gain a new appreciation for the area that gave birth to the blues.

★★★★★
★★★★★
from
TBD
Duration
7 days
Group Size
14 to 42

7-DAY CIVIL RIGHTS TOUR - WOMEN OF STRENGTH

Experience the resiliency and determination of the brave women who worked tirelessly throughout the Civil Rights Movement to gain racial justice and equality in America. This journey takes you to six cities, where you'll see significant sites where key parts of this historic movement unfolded both in cities, schools, and houses of worship.

This Homage will include in-depth discussions of black women leaders and activities such as Rosa Parks, Ida B Wells, Ella Baker, Daisy Bates, Fannie Lou Hammer, and many others.

By "walking in the footsteps" of these remarkable women, you'll discover how the achievement of our most basic civil rights—including voting rights, equal educational opportunities, and desegregation—was accomplished in large part due to these indefatigable and courageous women.

★★★★★
★★★★★
from
TBD