Lowcountry Blues

Hot Vittles & Cool Blues

(Scroll down to "The Playlist" and hit play before reading... works better that way!)

Come on in a hurry y'all... We about to get low!

We're hangin' with Chef Maurice Ungaro and blues guitarist Cool John Ferguson.

Straight outta Beaufort, South Carolina...We gonna throw down with some Frogmore Stew, have a little drink and listen to some righteous blues guitar. That's just the way it's done down in the Lowcountry.

Come get your blues on... we fixin' to rustle up some vittles and get low.

The pots are on!

The Plate... 

Lowcountry Frogmore Stew

First we must go over the rules... Rule #1... RELAX!

The original recipe for Frogmore Stew is credited to Richard Gay of Gay Fish Company, located in the community of Frogmore on St. Helena Island, just off the coast of South Carolina. Ok, it's not really a stew... but it is a "One Pot Wonder" otherwise known as a Lowcountry Boil. 

Like they say "when you're lucky enough to meet someone that really knows how to put together the local vittles"... "Then you're lucky enough!"  Today we are lucky enough to have Chef Maurice in the house. And he is sharing he's secret recipe for "Lowcountry Frogmore Stew". And, it is awesome!

Now you can serve it up fancy on a platter or just throw down some newspaper on a picnic table and eat it with your hands. Serve it up with your favorite dipping sauce and don't forget your "Cobbler" cocktail.

What you need... 

3 lbs of shrimp / shell-on

2 lbs sausage, andouille or Kielbasa cut into 1/2" slices

8-12 new potatoes

6 ears of corn / cut into 2" pieces

4 onions / Peeled & cut in half

3 lemons / cut in half

1 box Old Bay or Zatarain's Crab Boil

Salt

What you do...

Salt and heat 8 quarts of water in a large stock pot to boil.

Add the crab boil, potatoes, onions and squeeze in the lemon juice.

When the potatoes are half cooked (about 10 min), add the sausage.

After 10 min add the corn.

Let simmer for 10 min then add the shrimp.

Turn the heat off and stir until the shrimp turn pink.

Strain and serve.

*A couple of options here- serve with soft butter and olive oil for the corn & potatoes).

Maybe a side of spicy cocktail sauce, lemon wedges and chopped peppers.

Thanks Chef Maurice!

The Playlist... 

Lowcountry Blues- feat. Cool John Ferguson

When Cool John hits the stage you know something cool and magical is about to happen. He just glides all over the guitar with a super cool, but commanding style. It doesn't matter if he's playing low country acoustic blues or tearing through a Hendrix riff, this guy rocks. 

Self-taught and holding the guitar all wrong with the bass strings on the bottom, he was too good to go to the trouble to change. 

Check out his laid back style with Taj Mahal on "Song for Brenda". And then switch gears and listen while he rips a slow burn on "King Bee" with Captain Luke. Then crank it up a notch with "The Cat Ate The Rat, The Rat Ate The Wizard". 

Good stuff man. 

       The "Playlist" runs on Spotify- Click on the link to listen to  Lowcountry Blues

The Bar... 

Lowcountry Cobbler

We're going way back to the 1830's for this one. One of the first cocktails to use ice and named the Cobbler because of the of the crushed ice resembling cobblestones.  

What you Need... 

1 1/2 oz. gin

1 oz Peach brandy

1/2 oz simple syrup

1/2 oz fresh lemon juice

4 raspberries

Mint for garnish

What you do...

Combine all ingredients and shake well. 

Pour into a rocks glass or mason jar.

Top with crushed ice.

Garnish with mint.

It didn't matter where the music came from. I just learned it all.
- Cool John Ferguson

Get More Cool John Ferguson On iTunes

Cool John Ferguson

Keep The Blues Alive And Visit

Music Maker Relief Foundation 

Please... Day Drink Responsibly 

& Keep On Cookin'!