Shrimp and Grits: A Southern Foods Primer

The tasty trip begins on the shrimp boats that congregate in the harbor and along Mount Pleasant's Shem Creek, weaves through the specialty stores and roadside stands offering fresh, local delicacies, and ends with beautifully presented plates at one of downtown's venerated restaurants

Charleston's unique fare stems from its early years as a bustling seaport, when transient settlers from across the globe brought the recipes and foodstuffs of their homelands into the New World. In addition to the fertile land and temperate climate, which continue to allow farmers to harvest during two growing seasons, the new residents discovered the bounty of seafood and game roaming throughout the wilder parts of South Carolina.

What happened next will be familiar to any scholar of American history: The slaves brought to the city from Africa to work on the rice, cotton and tobacco plantations presented new ways of preparing food to the French and English settlers, laying the foundation for the diverse flavors that have become synonymous with the Lowcountry.

Both locals and visitors happily tuck into bowls piled high with Lowcountry boil (also known as Frogmore Stew), the "stone soup" of the region—a simmered combination of shrimp, sausage, potatoes, corn and spices that can be found at backyard barbecues and high-end dining establishments alike.

So what else goes into a proper Charleston meal? A sample menu includes savory delights like rice pilau, okra gumbo, fried green tomatoes, pulled pork barbecue, Hoppin' John, ham-bone-accented collard greens and, arguably, the two most popular dishes in town—she-crab soup and shrimp and grits.

The Bounty of the Sea
In the days before refrigeration, freshness was paramount on any gustatory journey. Thanks to Charleston's proximity to the Atlantic Ocean, seafood became one of the staples of the Lowcountry diet, starting with the bite-size crustaceans that are now served in nearly every restaurant in town.

The innumerable ways to prepare the versatile invertebrate were listed, memorably, in Forrest Gump, but by far the most "Charleston" thing to do with shrimp is to sauté a few of them in some butter, maybe with minced shallot or onion, and place them atop a bed of fluffy, creamy grits.

While there are several places to pick up shrimp throughout town, one of the longest running and most trusted among them is Crosby's Fish and Shrimp Co., located at 2223 Folly Road (on James Island). Though it first opened in 1975, current Crosby's co-owner Joanie Cooksey took over the business from her uncle in 1988, restoring both the building and the clientele after a crippling fire.

Crosby's works with a bevy of fishermen and shrimpers to provide fresh seafood year-round, with locally caught shrimp available during the shrimping season that generally runs from June to January. In addition to shrimp, the waters of the southeastern Atlantic and its surrounding creeks and rivers are also home to flounder, mahi-mahi, grouper, yellowtail and grey snappers, amberjack, wahoo, wreckfish, oysters and more.

Cooksey and her co-owner Ellie Berry keep Crosby's open seven days a week, from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. "We cater to a lot of fishermen, which is why we open early," Cooksey says. "We also unload shrimp boats and fish boats. A typical day is just dealing with fresh seafood, lots of bait and tackle, live bait and a lot of fishermen, in a kind of full circle."

For the men and women who harvest the shrimp, the day begins before dawn on the deck of the trawler—a large boat easily distinguished by the dual nets hanging from booms, or outriggers, that point into the air like antennae. After sailing toward shrimp-laden waters, the boat's smaller "try nets" are dragged until the shrimpers determine they've hit pink gold. Once the try nets begin filling up, the trawler drops the big nets and guides the boat through the water in a lawnmower-type pattern of rows until the onboard freezers are full.

"They catch the shrimp and either freeze 'em or ice 'em," Cooksey says. "They usually stay out two or three days, then they come in, we unload the shrimp, get them off the boat, wash 'em, count 'em, rinse 'em, box 'em and then bring them up to sale. It is a process!"

Depending on the time of year, Crosby's shrimpers could come back to shore with up to 8,000 pounds of fresh catch, Cooksey reports. She and her employees and providers are passionate about their work and it shows, with the results evidenced by the loyalty of Crosby's customers.

When asked about her favorite aspect of working in the fish business, Cooksey gushes, "we work outside so much, we're able to see the sunrises and sunsets and… the people that work in the seafood business are friends. And obviously the customers—we have such a great local network.

Takin' It to the Table
Once the ingredients have been drawn out of the sea, it's the local chefs' time to shine. With a mind-boggling number of fine-dining establishments (some say Charleston has the most per capita of any Southern city), diners have a wide variety of options for where to get that Lowcountry fix.

Restaurants like Peninsula Grill, Cypress, Magnolias, Carolina's, Hominy Grill and The Boathouse all have internationally known chefs who put their signature touches on traditional dishes, many of them prepared with local ingredients. All of these establishments are also members of the Sustainable Seafood Initiative, a program sponsored in part by the South Carolina Aquarium that helps to ensure "fish for the future" by urging participating restaurants to use locally and domestically caught seafood whenever possible.

No matter where visitors decide to dig in, the tastes of Charleston will hopefully linger—a pleasant reminder of how colliding cultures and nature's abundance worked in harmony to create the Lowcountry cuisine of today.

Get a complete list of Charleston's restaurants.

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Photos by (from top to bottom): Matthew Scott (2) and Rick McKee/Cypress Cookbook (2).

Oak Steakhouse Housed in a spectacular setting on Broad Street which features arched doors, eighteen foot ceilings, mahogany paneling and 150 year old heart of pine floors. The menu, composed of traditional items such as Steak Tartare, Shrimp Cocktail, Porterhouse and New York Strip, appears to offer classic steakhouse fare. At second glance, it weaves Italian flavors and dishes throughout. Serving dinner Monday through Saturday, 5pm until 11pm. Sunday Brunch 11 am until 3pm.

McCrady's Inventive cuisine. Fresh from the farm. Named one of the Top Ten Restaurants in North America by Opinionated About Dining. McCrady's Restaurant, located in an historic 1778 Georgian public house, offers an award-winning dining experience with the best of new Southern cuisine. Chef Sean Brock's (2008 James Beard Rising Star Chef Nominee) sensationally presented dishes one of Charleston's most extensive wine lists. Private dining available in the spectacular Long Room, Gallery, Chef's Room, and Cypress Room.

High Cotton Restaurant Welcome to pure Charleston. An atmosphere rich in Lowcountry high-life since antebellum times. A hearty, southern menu, featuring regional favorites, steaks, game and fresh seafood – all prepared with the famous Maverick artistry. Also known for our award-winning wine selection and irresistible desserts. Don’t miss the High Cotton bar, one of the area’s most popular watering holes. Downtown Charleston. Tel: 843-724-3815. Dinner nightly. Lunch Saturday. Brunch Sunday.