Thursday, December 31, 2009

Happy New Year


2010 Is the Year of the Pig for me.

Monday, December 28, 2009

New Years Eve Menu

Grilled Grass-fed Strip Steak
With Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes, Creamed Spinach,
and Poached Lobster Tail with Smoked Bourbon Hollandaise
$36

Crispy Seared North Carolina Striped Bass
With Caw Caw Creek Bacon, Local Sweet Potatoes, Asparagus, Kumquat Marmalade
$25

Pistachio & Bittersweet Cake With Mocha Cream, Banana Custard, Citrus Salted Caramel, Chocolate Pistachio Crunch

Saturday, December 19, 2009

Sunday, December 13, 2009

One Lucky Blog Reader...

































































One lucky reader will receive a free Pig T-shirt
All you have to do is leave a comment of an idea for a feature that you would like to see at Soby's one night! The reader whose idea is chosen will be given the shirt! I can't wait to see what you've got!

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Check out Link Newpaper this week


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I have a piece in this weeks link newspaper about frying turkeys. Check it out. I hope to post it when they load it on the web.

Sunday, November 22, 2009

I wish we had places like these Old Grocery Stores



Harvest Pumpkin Bread























Recipe Yield
3 - 7x3 inch loaf pans

Ingredients
1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
4 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
2/3 cup water
3 cups light brown sugar
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F .Grease and flour three 7x3 inch loaf pans.
2. In a large bowl, mix together pumpkin puree, eggs, oil, water and sugar until well blended. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger. Stir the dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture until just blended. Pour into the prepared pans.
3. Bake for about 50 minutes in the preheated oven. Loaves are done when toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Soby's Thanksgiving Menu

Roasted Brined Turkey
Bourbon-Glazed Heritage Ham
Herb Roasted Rib Roast,

Butternut Squash Soup
Soby's She Crab Soup

Local field greens
Dressing with giblet gravy
Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Sweet Corn Maque Choux
Blackened Green Beans
Maple Butternut Squash Succotash
Shaved Brussel Sprouts w/ Watauga Country Ham
Buttermilk Mashed potatoes
Garlic Cheddar Biscuits

Pecan Pie
Pumpkin Pie
Cranberry-Apple Crisp
Double Chocolate Cream Cake

11-3pm
$29 per person
call 232-7007

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Terrapin Beer Dinner


With the Beer Dinner next week make sure you make you reservation very soon.
We are filling up fast Call 864-232-7007 You don't want to miss it.

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Terrapin Beer Dinner

November 17 At Soby's Loft
The Terrapin Beer Dinner Menu is as follows:

Chef’s Choice Hors D’Oeuvres
Golden Ale

First Course
Logan Turnpike Grits Cake, Wild Georgia Shrimp, Vanilla, Citrus “Ketchup”
SunRay Wheat Beer

Second Course
Sweet Potato Bisque, Split Creek Farms Goat Cheese Brûlée
Rye Pale Ale

Third Course
Cider Barbecue Squab, Heirloom Apple, Caw Caw Creek Bacon, Anson Mills Farro
India Style Brown Ale

Fourth Course
Wicked Chocolate Cake, Pomegranate, Depth Charge Float
Depth Charge Espresso Milk Stout

Also Introducing The brand new IPA from Terrapin, “Hopsicutioner”

Monday, October 19, 2009

Cadillac Jack's South Carolina Trip Diary

I got this from Cadillac Jack's Blog.

The cameras. The flashes. Paparazzi?

Surely not – Have I been found in Charleston at the 21 East Battery Bed and Breakfast nestled behind the Edmondston-Alston House (deep sarcasm here)? I can see them peeking through the wrought iron gates… some daring enough to take a couple of extra steps down the cobblestone drive to strike for a closer shot.

Folk’ snapping away day and night – but, it was not intrusive. Quite the contrary. I found it very interesting.

Pulling out onto the main drive, now outside the gates with the shutterbugs looking back at the Carriage House just beyond a live oak which nearly swallows the estate, I ask Innkeeper Julie as she waves us off home safely to Atlanta about the prestige and uniqueness and interest in the home.

Her answer will surprise you as much as it did me.


But first… our weekend journey through the Palmetto State begins in the Upcountry of South Carolina.





THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8
MID-DAY
I grew up in the Carolina’s. I was familiar with the city of Greenville. Passed through many of times while traveling back home to Charlotte on Interstate 85. I must admit most of the time it was a quick bite to eat (kid friendly, of course) or to top off the tank.

I looked forward to an afternoon of discovey with my wife Donna. Kids at home with Nana. The drive is 2 hours max. Straight shot up 85. It’s a beautiful afternoon. The sun is shining and the sun roof is rolled back. Miranda Lambert’s new CD is blasting and we’re relaxing and we’re laughing and I am as in love with my wife as the day we first met.

AFTERNOON
We check into the Westin Poinsett on South Main Street (Greenville’s only 4 diamond hotel) and we decide to waste no time and waste no sunshine and dart back out the door for some exploration. Visit their website

I learned that Greenville is a city with plenty of stuff to do with the kids (in addition to the many parks around town or green space and trails and the Liberty Bridge at Falls Park on the Reddy River – more on the Falls shortly). Check out the Greenville Zoo (Visit their website) and the new kid’s museum “Children’s Museum of the Upstate” (Visit their website).

A smoothie from the Brew & Ewe on West Broad Street was the perfect complement to our afternoon stroll which continued past the Heritage Green (considered downtown Greenville’s cultural centerpiece) the Peace Center (my dad has attended several events here and he says it’s great for comedians and great for concerts too – it is also the home of the Greenville Symphony) and then to Falls Park and the Reddy River Falls.

Falls Park is the heart of the City’s Riverwalk Park system and is home to Reedy River Falls and the Liberty Bridge which stretches 380 feet across the falls plus two amphitheatres and a beautiful public garden.

NIGHT
My dad was able to drive over from Asheville, North Carolina to join us for a great dinner at Soby’s (Visit their website). “Soup” our waiter told us that the menu had just changed – the chefs mix it up about every quarter to keep it fresh. We discovered and savored delicious and creative dishes inspired by rich, Southern traditions and infused with new, International flavors. Our table was soon filled with Cornmeal Fried Oysters, Soby’s She Crab Soup, a couple of BLT Wedge salads (with a delicious very creamy Blue Cheese dressing). Entrees included Soby’s Meatloaf with Maple Creole Mustard Glaze (dad), Seared Scallops with a sweet corn and bacon risotto (Donna) and I chose Braised Beef Short Ribs and I didn’t even use a knife! The ribs are braised with Thomas Creek Root Beer BBQ Sauce.

Remember me mentioning that the menu is tweaked occasionally? On the last menu the ribs were braised with Cheerwine – a favorite soft drink of mine (not available in Atlanta) that I enjoyed three ways while in South Carolina for the weekend. In a can from the Flying J Truck Stop off I-26 in Columbia. In a cold bottle from the Moon Pie Store in Charleston and from a fountain over ice at the Krystal in Aiken on the return home.

Friday, October 16, 2009

Joel Salatin of Polyface Farms




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I got to hear Joel speak at Furman about green space and farming. Check out his website. http://www.polyfacefarms.com/

Newman Farms Pepper Bacon





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Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Let's help out Georgia farm flood victims.




Photo of Joe Reynolds and Judith Winfrey by Heather Anne Thomas. Farm photo by Judith Winfrey.

Recruiting an Southern Foodways Alliance (SFA) Skillet Brigade: Project Georgia

A number of our SFA friends and family were affected by the the recent flooding in and around Atlanta. SFA member Judith Winfrey, of Love is Love Farm in Douglasville, Georgia, writes:

Storms like these are a good reminder that we always need to support our local, family farmers. Buy directly from farmers at farmer's markets as often as you can. It's a risky job, sometimes, and farmers need you behind them.

Ours is not the only Atlanta farm feeling the impact of this "weather event." We know that the Bray Family Farm, Cane Creek Farm, Fairywood Thicket, Hope's Garden, and Split Cedar Farm suffered losses and damage as well, and suspect that there are others. Please reach out to those farmers if you know them and offer what you can.

Now is the time for Skillet Brigade action. SFA-ers can help with relief in one of several ways. For those in or near the Atlanta area, SFA board president Angie Mosier will be in touch about work opportunities. There are also fundraising relief efforts that you may support:

October 5-11 - Rosebud is hosting a week-long dine out to raise money for the Georgia Flooded Farms Relief Fund. Dine at Rosebud anytime between Monday, October 5 - Sunday, October 11 and a percentage of the proceeds will be donated to this important fund.

October 11 - Woodfire Grill is having a 4 course dinner with wine pairings to benefit Love is Love Farm and the Georgia Flooded Farms Relief Fund.

October 13 - Pig Pickin' at the Farmer's Atlanta Road Market to benefit farmers affected by the flood. They'll be cooking Berkshire shoulders donated by Gum Creek Farms in a La Caja China cooking box. 100% of all donations in exchange for food will be given to farms as they recover from a total loss of crops and livestock from the flood.

October 17 - The Peachtree Road Farmers Market is selling Jim N' Nick's BBQ plates from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. All proceeds will benefit the Peachtree Road Farmers Fund.

More events are added daily, so check back with Slow Food Atlanta often.

We know that not all of you can hop in your car and drive to Atlanta easily. For those outside of the Atlanta area who wish to help, Slow Food Atlanta has set up a fund to help Georgia's flooded sustainable farmers. All contributions to this fund will be tax deductible. For more information, visit www.slowfoodatlanta.org. Or click here to donate now.

The SFA thanks you, in advance, for your support of relief efforts.

Fried chicken with waffles






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Sunday, October 4, 2009

Friday, October 2, 2009

$4 Friday at Soby's on the Side

All sandwiches and salads are $4 - today and every Friday at Soby's on the Side.

What a deal - hard to beat that for lunch today! Call your colleagues and friends and meet at Soby's on the Side. Dine in or carry-out and enjoy your lunch and the Fall weather on the patio at Soby's, if you'd like. For more information, please call 271-8431.

Also, if you're making plans for tonight, don't forget that "Rockfly" will be playing at the Soby's Block Party - music starts at 8 pm- no cover. For more information, please call 232-7007.

Monday, September 28, 2009

Long Island Cheese Pumpkins

We have a farmer that grows these for us.



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Saturday, September 26, 2009

New Fall Menu

Starters
Pimento Cheese Hushpuppies
Jalapeno Honey Butter

Crispy Fried Calamari
Parmesan Creole Sauce, Tomato Horseradish Tartar Sauce

Gullah Shrimp & Grits
Caw Caw Creek Bacon, Creamy Anson Mills Grits, Crispy Bread

Southern Charcuterie Plate
BBQ Pork Rillette, Cured Potted Duck, Caw Caw Country Prosciutto, Foie Bonbon,
Lusty Monk Mustard. Apple Butter, Crispy Bread

Cornmeal Fried Oysters
Horseradish Slaw, Pickled Beets, Old Bay Aioli

Fried Green Tomato Stack
Blackened Haricot Verts, Pimiento Cheese Fondue, Candied Carrot Strips

Grillades and Grits
Hickory Smoked Beef Tenderloin, Exotic Mushrooms, Anson Mills Grits, Fried Quail Egg

Blue Cheese Fondue
Blackened Blue Crab, Toasted Garlic Bruschetta

Chef’s Cheese Selection
Local Honey Comb, Preserved Fruit, Crackers
Soups and Salads.

Soby's She Crab Soup
Finished with a Splash of Sherry

Heirloom Apple Bisque
House Cured Heritage Bacon, Blis Maple Syrup

BLT Wedge
Benton’s Tennessee Bacon, Iceberg Lettuce, Preserved Tomatoes, Creamy Blue Cheese

Romaine Salad
Garlic Herb Cornbread Crouton, Parmesan, Caesar Dressing

Field Greens Salad
English Cucumbers, Toy Box Tomatoes, Tobacco Onions, Ginger Sorghum Vinaigrette

Baby Spinach Salad
Dried Cranberries, Blue Cheese, Spiced Pecans,
Applewood Bacon Buttermilk Dressing, Shaved Smithfield Ham


Entrees

Soby’s Meatloaf with Maple Creole Mustard Glaze
Fresh Ground Beef Tenderloin, Exotic Mushrooms, Mashed Potatoes,
Butternut Squash Succotash, Veal Stock Reduction

New Orleans BBQ Shrimp
Wild Georgia Shrimp, Anson Mills Grits, Roasted Sweet Pepper Relish, Crusty Bread

Soby’s Crab Cakes Remoulade
Sweet Corn Maque Choux, Mashed Potatoes, Haricot Verts

Applewood Smoked Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin
Mashed Potatoes, Broccolini, Habañero Butter Sauce

Southern Fried Ashley Farm’s Chicken
Buttermilk Waffle, Collard Greens, Sweet Potatoes, Sorghum Molasses

Seared Scallops
Sweet Corn & Benton’s Bacon Risotto, Blackened Haricot Verts, Lemon Butter Sauce

Grilled Flat Iron Steak
Parmesan Truffle Fries, Preserved Tomato Butter

Braised Beef Short Ribs
Thomas Creek Root Beer BBQ Sauce, Broccolini, Horseradish Mashed Potatoes

Seared Yellow Fin Tuna
Local Heirloom Pumpkin Gratin, Split Creek Farms Goat Cheese, Braised Fennel,
Applewood Bacon Honey Vinaigrette

Grilled Filet Mignon
Mashed Potatoes, Caramelized Cauliflower, Shaved Brussels Sprouts,
Aged Sherry Veal Reduction

Potato Crusted Grouper
Crawfish Etouffee, Steamed Rice, Toasted Garlic Chive Cream

Slow Foods Ark of Taste

Here is a list of some of the Slow Foods Ark of Taste items we will be growing at Soby's Farm at Dark Hollow

Amish Pie squash
Boston Marrow squash
Amish Paste tomato
Aunt Molly's Husk tomato
Aunt Ruby's German Green tomato
Burbank tomato
Chalk’s Early Jewel tomato
Cherokee Purple tomato
Djena Lee’s Golden Girl tomato
German Pink tomato
Livingston’s Golden Queen tomato
Orange Oxheart tomato
Radiator Charlie’s Mortgage Lifter tomato
Red Fig tomato
Sheboygan tomato
Sudduth Strain Brandywine tomato
Moon & Stars watermelon
Yellow-Meated watermelon
Crane melon
Datil pepper
Fish pepper
Jimmy Nardello's Sweet Italian Frying pepper
Sheepnose Pimiento
Wenk's Yellow Hot pepper
Early Blood Turnip-rooted beet
Amish Deer Tongue lettuce
White Cream sweet potato
Ozette potato
Gilfeather Turnip
Brown Tepary bean
Cherokee Trail of Tears bean
Christmas Lima bean
Crowder Cowpeas
Sea Island Red Peas

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Have I ever told you I love Pigs


Soby's Farm at Dark Hollow

Over the next month I will start farming a 8-9 acre plot of river bottom on the Saulda River. I plan to plow under and plant a winter cover crop to add lots of nutrients to the soil. My grand plan is to have a sustainable heirloom/heritage farm. I will grow a lot of items that are located on Slow Foods Ark of Taste. Here is a link
http://www.slowfoodusa.org/downloads/USArkList_8.14_.09_.pdf

I will post more as I get up and farming.

Monday, September 21, 2009

Euphoria 2009

This weekend at Euphoria I met new friends and saw some old ones. Friday we did Taste of the South. We made Benton's Bacon Wrapped Berkshire Pork Loin, Sweet Potatoes, and Heirloom Apple Butter. Southern Pecan Tarts with Steen's Cane Syrup. Saturday I did a Wine Dinner with David Guas and Virginia Willis . Check out the menu below. Sunday we all pulled off a Big Jazz Brunch. Here are a few random pictures from the weekend.


Sunday, September 13, 2009

Cooking Collard Greens

I cooked my first batch of collard greens of the season yesterday. I started out with a good amount of Goodnight Brother Country Ham from Boone NC. Added some rendered bacon fat. Salt,sugar, a little baking soda to soften them up. A hour or two later they where done. I'm not a big fan of cooking collards all day. I like to have a nice tooth fill when I eat them. I finish them to order with a little infused pepper and cider vinegar. I paired them with a nice veal chop, sweet potatoes, and heirloom apple butter.

Thursday, September 10, 2009

Check out Twitter

I will be adding pictures on the fly with my phone.

http://twitter.com/sobyskitchen

Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Euphoria Wine Dinner Menu

Loft at Soby’s
Saturday 19, 2009

Roasted Heirloom Apple Bisque, Elderberry Preserves

Frisee Salad with Poached Egg and Benton’s Bacon

Seared Oak Island Scallops, Fresh Shell Bean Succotash,
Late Summer Toy Box Tomatoes,

Braised White Oak Pastures Beef Short Ribs, Horseradish Mashed
Potatoes,Anna’s Twice-Backed Spinach Soufflés

Buttermilk Beignets, Chocolate, Passion Fruit

Salted Carmels

Virginia Willis, David Guas, and Shaun Garcia

Your Carolina Demo

http://www.yourcarolina.tv/ycvideo/entry/euphoria_cooking_preview/

Saturday, August 29, 2009

Beachball

We are hanging out at beachball with a VW and a roasted pig.


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Friday, August 21, 2009

Chicago at the Peace Center

This week Chicago is at the Peace Center , and we have been slammed every night. Tonight we are going to smoke ribeyes with wood from old bourbon barrels. It adds a great flavor to the steak before grilling. We will pair that with local fingerling potatoes from Terry Goldenstar, yellow wax bean casserole, and Clemson blue cheese butter.

Sunday, August 16, 2009

Black Truffle Salt


I picked this up in Portland a few weeks ago. I think it would be great with french fries and fried eggs.

The Admiral in West Asheville

Van And I were in Asheville on Thursday and a friend and her husband told me to check out The Admiral. It is a little funky gastropub style place. Van had the wild Sockeye Salmon with Blue Corn Hominy and Fried Green Tomatoes. I had the Kurobota Pork Chop with Pommes Frites,Arugula, Goat Cheese, and Balsamic Reduction. The place sits about 50 people including the outside. They change their menu daily and they have a small garden out front. The place was full the whole time . And on a side note they have PBR in a can.
Here are some pictures from the web.

Monday, August 10, 2009

Kitchen Shots



Foodies Feast menu, and the guys getting ready for service.

Pickled Beets


We pickled a few quarts of beets from the garden.

Converse Deli

If you are in Sparkle Vegas (aka Spartanburg ) check out Converse Deli . Good food and nice staff.


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Sunday, August 9, 2009

Check out Food Inc


It is playing in Greenville and Spartanburg.

Tuesday, August 4, 2009



We visited a chocolate shop in Portland called Cacao. MMMM!





These are a few of our coarses from "Beast". Amazing meal!