South Carolina Cuisine Lowcountry Cuisine

South Carolina Cuisine

Lowcountry Cuisine

The United States is unique among nations for its sheer geographical diversity. Its expansive territory and the wide variance of climates, elevations and typographies make for an inherently colorful and multifarious mix of regionally-shaped cultures. Perhaps most notable among the cultural features that are shaped by their surrounding landscape and environment is cuisine. Were one to travel the United States in search of distinct, exciting and exotic foods reflective of their various geographical contexts, one would find almost unlimited opportunities for new discovery. One particular regional cuisine which is exceptionally distinct, exciting and exotic is the Lowcountry Cooking of coastal South Carolina.

Like so many aspects of life below the fall line, the food of lowcountry is shaped by the preeminence of the coastal marshes and estuaries in its surround. Both in terms of the impact that this has on its agricultural climate and on the accessibility of myriad marine-based food sources, the waters surrounding the great city of Charleston and extending as far south as Coastal Georgia are directly responsible for forging one of the unique delicacy menus in the continental U.S. Prather (2012) tells that "according to John Martin Taylor-author of Hoppin' John's Lowcountry Cooking and arguably the foremost authority on the region's cuisine-this area stretches along the South Carolina coast from the Savannah River in Georgia north to Pawley's Island. Inland it encompasses about 80 miles of low-elevation land." (Prather, p. 1)

As Taylor (2000) goes on to indicate in the aforementioned text, the relationship between the people of this region and their coastline has been an intimate one. Quite in fact, a rich, vibrant and specific culture encompasses this region and takes many of its distinguishing features from its environment. In fact, as Taylor explains it, the sheer dominance of wetlands on the South Carolina landscape would demand a cultural adaptation to the micro-climate's peculiarities. Accordingly, Taylor (2000) tells in his book that "in the three counties into which modern Charleston, the capital of the Lowcountry, sprawls, there are more than five hundred thousand acres of wetlands -- salt marsh, rivers, swamps, ponds, creeks, lakes, and former rice fields. That's an acre per resident! The people of the Lowcountry -- Sandlappers -- have lived off those waters, played on them, and made them their lives for three hundred years." (Taylor, p. 4)

Taylor goes on to describe an incredible preponderance and variety of marine-life in this region and, in the centuries prior to refrigeration, a kind only accessible to those living in the immediate region. As such, the lowcountry cooking traditions that would emerge would be heavily influenced by the availability of shrimp, crabs, oysters, frogs and fish, with distinct spices and recipes revolving around these key ingredients. Of course, geography and region alone cannot shape an entire culinary tradition. In the case of lowcountry cuisine, an unusual hybrid of ethnic influences would also factor into its evolution. The spice and emphasis on seafood reflect some Caribbean traditions as is common in coastal regions of the U.S. However, the common use of rice and field peas, both emigrated from Spain and cultivated especially well in the warm, wet climate of the lowcountry, would come to set this cuisine apart. (Taylor, p. 6)

Its distinction would only be further cemented by the role that African styles of preparation would play. Today, Taylor indicates, lowcountry cooking cannot accurately be traced to any single ethnic tradition, though the fingerprints of myriad groups can be seen on the course of its development. Taylor notes that "it is not European, African, or West Indian dishes specifically that characterize Lowcountry cooking; rather, it is the nuances of combination and a respect for the past that make the cuisine unique. Sweeping generalizations about the South and southern food simply don't apply to this distinctive area. Lowcountry food is Creole cooking, but it is more heavily influenced by Africans than is the cuisine of Louisiana." (Taylor, p. 6)

In light of the wide range of influences that have entered into its creation, it is not surprising that a number of dishes central to lowcountry cuisine carry significant cultural importance to inhabitants of the region. Many dishes are considered staples of life in the region and are served to mark specific occasions. For instance, Taylor describes the importance of the "Hoppin' John" to cultural life in the lowcountry. This rice, bean and shrimp-based dish is simple, affordable and traditionally served on New Year's Day. It is intended to bring good financial fortune in the coming year to the individual consuming it. Taylor reports that the Hoppin' John is an excellent demonstration of the merging of ethnic and regional influences. Accordingly, Taylor tells that the dish "is daily fare in the rice lands of West Africa. Black cooks in plantation kitchens taught their mistresses about the dish." (Taylor, p. 6)

Another cultural attachment between cuisine and tradition is found in the Seafood Boil. Used to mark special occasions or simply to host a social gathering, the seafood boils will typically consist of dishes such as the turtle-based Cooter Stew, the crab-roe derived She-Crab Stew or a Shrimp and Grits dish. Often, these dishes will be paired with traditional southern sides such as collared greens, corn-breads, baked mac-n-cheese, cole-slaws and pork-based dishes. Like many of the traditions already discussed in lowcountry cuisine, the seafood boil is an African tradition adopted to mainstream use. The expedience with which the seafood boil style of cooking could feed impromptu gatherings would make it a favorite mode of feasting among slaves. Today, it is a tradition carried out by all races and not just in the Carolina coastal regions but in the south at large.