Around the Table — Long Distance Dine-Around
Wow — it’s been a week filled with food nostalgia for me. You’ll see what I mean as you get to the entree. But first, get a taste of some noteworthy events designed to tickle the tastebuds and get a helping of the latest community food news. There’s lots to sample, so take a seat — you know what to do. Bon appetit!
COCKTAILS
Bubbly and purses: The champagne will be flowing from 6 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 20 during the second annual Toast to Totes gala presented by the Florence Area Literacy Council. The Cottage at Francis Marion University will be the elegant setting for this exciting fundraiser featuring fine chocolates, tantalizing hors d’oeuvres and a mega handbag auction! Music by Melanie McMillan will set the mood for this decadent girls’ night out. Tickets are $35 and you can buy them at the FALC offices, 240 S. Dargan St. or online at http://florencearealiteracycouncil.com.
APPETIZERS
Open: Steve and Donna’s Place is now open at 1719 S. Irby St., in Florence, at the former site of Ebbie’s. Owners Steve and Donna Huggins, formerly of
Woody’s Barbecue, are excited about betting back into the restaurant and catering business. I stopped in on Wednesday to have a taste and a look around. The dining room is welcoming, bright and clean with a light country decor. Lots of people were enjoying good ol’ Southern fare — that made me hungrier. Here’s the scoop: Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., food is served cafe style which means you head to the buffet, pick your meat-and-three, and they serve it up for you. On Friday and Saturday from 4 to 9 p.m., the buffet is serve yourself. The day I visited, offerings included barbecue, chicken, lima beans, greens, green beans, rice, mac-and-cheese, gravy, yeast rolls, hush puppies, deviled eggs and some salad items such as cole slaw, broccoli salad, potato salad and green salad. The barbecued chicken I had was juicy and tangy, the greens had a touch of vinegar, and the hush puppies were crunchy on the outside and moist on the inside. The dining room is large enough to accommodate your office party, and the Huggins do catering, too. Don’t forget the homemade cakes and pies! For more information on Steve and Donna’s Place, call them at (843) 669-2222.
Changes: Driving down Second Loop Road, I noticed that Blease’s has now become Joe’s Bar & Grill. I gave them a call and found out that the business has changed hands. Though the menu and food is the same, there are some new appetizer items such as fried mushrooms and jalapeno poppers. The pool tables are back, as well. If that’s your thing, stop in and check it out. For more info, call them at (843) 662-6565.
Great time: If you missed Hobnob’s Italian Holiday Nights this week, you missed a treat. The aromas that filled that air as Chef Randy prepared fresh Italian delicacies was absolutely heavenly. Everywhere you turned in the shop, something delicious was beckoning for a taste be it appetizers, desserts or wines. (Oh, and I tasted everything!) I have to say that Hobnob’s artisan cheeses are to die for — if you haven’t tried them, get by there today and treat yourself. For a gift recently, my sister brought me a beautifully wrapped wedge of handcut pecorino tartufo from Hobnob along with a bottle of one of their boutique wines. (Thanx, sis! What a perfect gift for this foodie!) Visit
Be there: Diamond Dining/Fine Flavors of Florence is ready to tempt your tastebuds on Nov. 18. Beginning at 6 p.m. at Florence Civic Center, guests will dig in to a delicious array of dishes from Fatz, Victor’s, Outback, Redbone, Creek Ratz, Chili’s, Bizzell’s, IFH, Piggly Wiggly, Indigo Joe’s, Ultimate Gullah and more! Wash it down with the finest fall beers and a holiday wine tasting. A spectacular auction of desirables will highlight the event. Tickets are just $30; get them at the Greater Florence Area Chamber of Commerce. Call (843) 665-0515 for more details. Must be 21 or older to attend this event.
Fill the hole in our bagel market: Here’s more about Einstein Bros — This popular bagel shop and cafe has its eye on the Florence market, and they are actively seeking enthusiastic business people interested in the franchise. If you or someone you know might like to explore the possibilities, click here http://web.enbc.com/~admin4/franchising/ to learn more.
Almost ready: The brick oven has been installed and that means Roma Oven (next to Harris Teeter) is on the brink of its opening date. Word is that it's only two weeks away! Watch here for more in the coming days ...
Almost ready, too: Renovations are still underway at the site of New York Butcher Shoppe, set to open soon at the Shops at Seven Oaks on Hoffmeyer Road. Owner Brent Tiller says he is eyeing an opening date of Dec. 8, so you'll likely be able to do some of your holiday gift and party shopping there. Watch this blog for new details each week!
ENTREE
When Michele came home a few weeks ago and announced she was making a business trip to the Los Angeles area, well, I felt just a wee bit jealous. I’d long wanted to return to the land of my birth to see the sights and sample some of the good eats I used to enjoy as a young girl. But, life always gets in the way, you know?
I did fantasize about ways I could go along with her, but wasn’t crazy about tapping into my savings right now or trying to juggle care for my grandson. That aside, I have a flying phobia — by the time I’d arrive at the train station, she’d be heading back to LAX for the return flight.
Michele left before dawn the morning of my birthday (oh, the injustice!), and as I closed the door behind her, I had a silly urge to give her something symbolic to scatter about the California landscape in lieu of my eventual ashes — I don’t know, a lock of hair, perhaps, or a few fingernail clippings. Instead, I quickly scribbled down the names of a few eateries and such she needed to check out. I ran outside just as the black Honda turned onto Pineneedles Road and disappeared into the fog ...
Later that day, she called fresh out of her meeting to say she was heading back to her hotel.
Heh. Not so fast, Ms. Honda Business Woman.
I remember walking to See’s as a child with my grandmother — let me tell you, there’s nothing more memorable in a child’s mind than the sights and smell of a real, old-fashioned candy shop. It would take me forever to pick out a treat or two from the legion of chocolate-dipped confections, each cradled lovingly inside its own paper cup.
A trip to See’s was like Christmas, indeed.
Day 2 of Michele’s West Coast Adventure dawned, and I was beginning to see the possibilities of enjoying a nostalgic California tasting — even if it was via osmosis. Michele called that morning, and, after listening to her chatter about the weather, the bad drivers and such, I made another suggestion.
“Hey, if you get hungry, you can’t go wrong with an In-and-Out Burger,” I said.
Now, Michele can’t resist a good burger. Knowing this, I took deliberate advantage, smiling as I detailed the Mapquested directions in front of me. I placed my order: “Be sure to get the classic cheeseburger with onions ...” I might not get an actual taste of my old fave, but I’d at least get a commerative menu (with a smear of “spread,” please!).
On Day 3, Michele had a little surprise of her own. I was caught totally off-guard.
“Guess what I saw today?” she asked. “A Shakey’s Pizza parlor — and I’m going there for dinner.”
She didn’t.
Oh, yes she did.
She had uttered the name of the zenith of all my prior pizza experiences. If any of you grew up around a Shakey’s, you likely share my sentiments. You will also remember the Shakey’s Pledge: “Pizza-wise, I Pledge Allegiance to Shakey's, the only real authentic first original certified genuine family pizza parlor in the world!”
The Shakey’s of my youth wasn’t just a pizza parlor, it was a destination. The dark pub-like decor, heavy wood furniture, beer-by-the-pitcher (my tender years meant I missed out on that perk) and live entertainment made this a favorite of kids and grown-ups, alike. Some nights, we’d sing along with a barber shop quartet, others we’d watch silent movies while a man with a straw hat and handlebar moustache played the piano or the banjo. Speaking of pianos, every Shakey’s had a player piano — you could hear a tune and watch it magically play for a nickel. The kitchen also had a large viewing window with stools so the littlest ones could
watch the pizzas being made. I particularly loved the “notices” on the walls scrawled with decrees such as “Shakey made a deal with the bank: Shakey doesn’t cash checks ... the bank doesn’t make pizza ...” Bada bing!
Shakey’s jingle might have been “We serve fun at Shakey’s ... also pizza,” but pizza was no afterthought. All the joviality and Dixieland jazz in the world won’t win loyal customers if the pizza ain’t great — and Shakey’s pizza was. I’m not sure that there was a single secret to it; it was likely a lucky combination of things: that thin crust that was crispy on the bottom and bubbled up on the top; the thick, spicy sauce that they “painted” on with a brush; the mix of cheeses (of which cheddar, surprisingly, was one); the oregano and other spices that I could never quite identify. Whatever the magic combo, it’s one that hundreds of people like me have been trying to get a recipe for — or at least somewhat replicate — for decades, now. Try searching for “Shakey’s Pizza” + “recipe” and you’ll see what I mean.
Shakey’s was founded in Sacramento in 1954 by Sherwood “Shakey” Johnson, a guy who was just looking for some pizza and beer. Shakey’s eventually became a pioneer of the franchise concept, as each one kept to a common design and menu. It even had its own baseball card collection at one point, and if you get your hands on one of those cards, you might have something quite valuable. Shakey’s sadly disappeared several years ago, then was bought by a company that took the chain to, weirdly enough, Singapore. Then, another company bought it and, from the reviews of the pizza during that time, it wasn’t a good move. It’s changed hands a bit, but now word is that the current owners have done a decent job of resurrecting the original product.
I’ll let you know. Michele will be home on Friday, and if she follows my directions, she’ll have a pizza in her suitcase ...
TAKE OUT
Enjoy this Shakey’s Pizza commercial from the ’70s:
DESSERT
Pee Dee Health Care, P.A. is proud to present the annual Community Thanksgiving Dinner from noon to 2 p.m. Nov. 23 at Mayo High School.The dinner, which is free and open to the public, features a traditional Thanksgiving meal with all of the trimmings for everyone in attendance. More than 2,000 dinners were served last year … that’s a lot of turkey! Kudos to Pee Dee Health Care, Nucor Steel and all the churches and volunteers who are making this happen. Mayo High School is located at 364 Chestnut St., in Darlington.
Like to cook? Try these great recipes courtesy of The Food Channel:
FOOD EVENTS:
Junior Women's Club Annual Oyster Roast: Saturday, Nov. 15 at the National Bean Market Museum, Lake City. Call (843) 374-8611.
Kole Miller Barbecue Fundraiser: Young Chef's Academy is sponsoring a fundraiser for Kole Miller on Wednesday, Nov. 19 featuring a barbeque plate with slaw, beans, bread and a dessert. Tickets are $8 and available at Young Chef's Academy, 1257 Celebration Blvd., Florence. For more info, call (843) 679-1805. Kole is a 4-year old student at McLaurin Elementary who was recently diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor. He is currently being treated at St. Jude Medical Center. Funds raised will be used to defray expenses for the family. To learn more about the fundraiser and how you can help, call (843) 679-1805. Click here for updates on Kole’s condition.
Third Thursday: Inner Views magazine will present Third Thursday from 6 to 8 p.m. Nov. 20 at Cafe Florentine on Second Loop Road. There will be drink specials, complimentary appetizers and special guests. Co-sponsored by Galloway & Moseley Fine Jewelers.
Byrdtown’s Taste of Bluegrass: Nov. 22 from 5 to 7 p.m. Back by popular demand! Come out for the second year of great food prepared by local chefs and wonderful music by bluegrass bands from all over South Carolina. Tickets are $10 a person or $25 a family. Price includes food. Call Jennifer at (843) 383-4514 for more info.
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