I wanted to extend a congratulations to the chef and staff at the King and Prince Resort for winning the people's choice award at the 2012 Wild Georgia Shrimp & Grits Festival on Jekyll Island this past weekend. I visited St. Simons and stayed at the King and Prince for a few days last spring to attend a Georgia culinary tour, and I got to know Chef Jeff Kaplan and crew over the course of my stay. Kaplan is new to the hotel - he was in his first week when I visited in April - and it looks like he's off to a damn good start.

For those of you who have never been, St. Simons is a great place for a relaxing, slow-paced getaway. It's not too late for a visit this year, as temperatures remain comfortable with highs in the 70s well into November. You can read about my adventures eating my way through the island, from the sweet Georgia shrimp of the King and Prince to the highly-regarded Southern Soul Barbecue. Georgia shrimp are probably the best I've ever had - they are truly sweeter than those from other regions - and when I went out on a shrimping boat to catch a few, I ended up catching a lot more than just shrimp.

As someone who has personally tasted and enjoyed his take on the infamous southern staple, I wanted to pass on the recipe for Chef Kaplan's winning dish, prepared as a breakfast side or as a main dinner entree as the weather begins to cool down. That heavy cream does the trick, for sure.

SHRIMP & GRITS WITH TASSO CREAM SAUCE

Makes 2 Servings

1 cup heavy cream
3 T. olive oil
1/3 cup Tasso Ham
¼ cup Kernel Corn
¼ cup Diced Tomatoes
2 T. chopped Green Onion
½ cup Wild Georgia Shrimp
1 T. Cajun Seasoning
¼ cup Asiago Cheese
Salt & Pepper to Taste

In one saucepan, sauté the shrimp with Cajun seasoning using olive oil. In another pan, sauté the ham, corn, tomatoes and green onions. Add heavy cream and Asiago cheese; let simmer for two minutes. Add shrimp and serve over stone ground grits of your choice.

Ted Dennard of Savannah Bee Company believes that the traditional view of honey - the sticky jar or honey-bear bottle that's been in the cabinet for years - deserves to be tossed into the trash, once and for all.

Sampling honey as a sommelier would wine, he spouts off tasting notes: Quality, varietal, the whole deal. I've seen him use a scoop and carefully savor his product, but most times he sticks his finger into the barrel and laughs. His hair is blonde and wavy and he resembles a surfer, his smile revealing a boy's spirit in a man's body.

A closer look at Ted's background shines light on his expertise. But it also tells a tale of a worldly man whose knowledge and experience go well beyond the business of bees:

He kept bees in high school then at college at the University of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee. In a tour with the Peace Corps after college, Ted taught beekeeping to village farmers in Central America. He traveled the world to see bees making medicinal manuka honey in New Zealand, rubber honey in Vietnam, logwood honey in Jamaica, heather honey in Ireland, and the famous tilleul lavender honey of France.

Obviously, this guy is good for a conversation.

Both of his stores that I visited in the Savannah area were designed as a tasting room. The walls are lined with bottles of honey, most resembling a slender bottle of wine. He said he's trying to change the public's perception, to inform people that grocery-store honey is the Two-Buck Chuck of the honey world.

While it's Ted's love for his craft that ultimately elevates his product, the honey business is much more exciting that I had originally speculated, especially when you volunteer yourself for a close encounter with the busy bees themselves.

I had the opportunity to head out into the field and hear a bit about the process, interact with the bees. I learned how the queen bee is chosen and fed royal jelly and even saw one up close, but the latter was what I had been anticipating - I wanted to replicate what I've seen on television where someone's entire body is covered with bees. Ted wouldn't go that far, but he did assist me in digging through the hives and holding a few dozen in my hand (see photos... they were actually very friendly).

His only advice: Don't squeeze.

Products of Savannah Bee Company:

Tupelo Honey: Ted's not shy about letting it be known that this is his favorite type of honey. I hate to play favorites, but it's the jar I find myself going back to most often. Pretty cool: The trees from which it comes only bloom once a year for two weeks in the spring.

Cheese, Grill, and Tea Honey: No clue what pairs with what? Savannah Bee puts its accouterment right on the label.

Raw Honeycomb: Bees gather nectar from thousands of flowers and deposit it into a beeswax cell, then stand over it and fan their wings to evaporate the water, leaving behind a rich, syrupy substance (honey). The cell is then capped with a thin layer of beeswax and reserved as food supply for the colony - we know it as honeycomb. This delicacy is an amazing appetizer or dessert, best enjoyed with slices of tart green apple and a wedge of salty sharp cheddar.

A final fact that blew my mind: Five hundred and fifty bees have to visit two million flower blossoms to create one pound of honey, and then they must consume six pounds of honey to generate one pound of beeswax.

Check out these recipes for more ideas on how to add honey to your diet. You can order honey and other products online via Savannah Bee Company's website. When you're in Savannah, stop by and see Ted and his crew. They will be happy to show you around.

Photos:

Bees building honeycomb.

 

 

View inside a hive. 

Yours truly handling the bees! 

 

 

So far, we've talked about preference and personality when it comes to small inns, about having breakfast in bed (Zeigler House) and the flair that an innkeeper can bring to the dining room table (Azalea Inn). Now we move on to another properly placed alliteration that makes bed and breakfasts special: The passion of the proprietor.

The reason Green Palm Innkeeper Diane McCray opened her doors in Savannah was simple: She wanted to work with people in good moods, folks on vacation. Once the employee of a moving company, she grew tired of money being the only reward that she reaped. We were in the kitchen when she told me the story, and I immediately felt a connection with her, understanding fully what she spoke. I mean, can you think of any business where the clientele is more stressed out than a moving company?

Traveling has revealed to me that while many people are unhappy with what they do for a living, very few are willing to make a significant change to correct the situation. Many apply a band-aid and switch firms, others simply complain at happy hour. However some people, like Diane, are able to draw up an audible and find a new path. I have a great respect for this quality, mostly because I understand how difficult it can be to recognize that risks are worth taking.

For me, there is a funny push-and-pull that takes place when it comes to the location of my accommodations. The Green Palm Inn is very inviting, however its proximity to restaurants, bars, the squares, and the waterfront makes it difficult to lounge around the house. Step out the front door and turn right and you're treated to a beautiful walk (few blocks) through Green, Columbia, and Olgethorpe Squares on your way to the center of Savannah. One block north of the Green Palm is Broughton Street, the main east-west drag in the historic district(littered with shops and restaurants).

Feeling like a house guest (as opposed to a customer) is essentially guaranteed at the Green Palm Inn given that it has only four bedrooms. They're large and comfortable, my room was far from small - I had a day bed in addition to the queen (see photos). While I've seen the breakfast crowd spill over to two tables in other inns, meeting and conversing with fellow patrons was a manageable task. After I had my coffee the floodgates opened, and we shared recommendations over Diane's egg quiche, sausage, and cream-cheese danishes.

Moving on from a career doesn't mean you don't take something with you, and Diane has done a wonderful job of combining her corporate organizational skills and efficiency with her desire to become a part of her guests' good memories. When you meet her you can definitely feel it, the pride she takes in her work and, mostly, you can see that she loves what she does. Running a bed and breakfast is no easy task - I'd be willing to bet she puts in more energy now than she did for her corporate job - but effort is all relative when it no longer seems like work.

Photos of the Green Palm Inn:

Yesterday I made the drive from Orlando to Savannah, coming back up the east coast into Georgia after a long weekend in Florida. I'll checking out four bed and breakfasts over the course of the next four nights.

I have many stories to share from Orlando (as well as a few more to come from St. Simons), including trips to Universal Studios and Disney (my balloon ride was unfortunately canceled due to windy weather). I had been traveling through St. Simons and Orlando with friends and fellow writers, but now I am flying solo here in Savannah. I love traveling with a group, however being on my own has its benefits as well.

Productivity and freedom of scheduling are two of them, but sleeping alone in a romantic room is not on the list.

Even though I've been doing this (travel writing) for a year and half, I still have some things to improve upon, and remembering to confirm the size of my party is currently the most relevant. When I arrived at the Zeigler House in Savannah in the early afternoon and met the owner, Jackie, she was surprised to see me.

Well, she was surprised to see only me.

"I thought you were traveling with someone," she told me, "I gave you the most romantic room."

I laughed, but she wasn't kidding. It's called the Giverney Suite, and I almost feel bad staying in here knowing that there are couples sleeping downstairs in smaller rooms. Fresh flowers decorate the coffee and dining tables, and there's even an orchid on the nightstand. From my window I can see the purple clouds and pink sky, the sun setting behind the trees.

The live oaks really do it for me here in Savannah (it seems to be a common trend throughout Georgia). Every other block you find yourself walking under a canopy, strolling in the shaded squares beside the flowering bushes. There are benches everywhere, almost as if they are arranged so another is always in sight (that's probably not true, but it sure seems that way).

Many of the sidewalks are made of old cobblestones or red bricks, which drives home that historic feel. Savannah is a town built around squares - they're everywhere (and beautiful... see map below, I'll have photos later).

An interesting thing about the Zeigler House: Unlike most B&Bs, breakfast is not served in the dining room - you have it at your leisure in your room. My kitchen is stocked with fresh baked goods (made daily by Jackie... cream-cheese danishes, blueberry muffins, monkey bread), cereal, English muffins, coffee, tea, milk, juice, yogurt, etc (all included in room rate).

I think that this could be a welcome change if you are embarking on a romantic weekend - no pressure to get up and go downstairs for a hot meal - you can enjoy coffee and breakfast at your leisure as you wake up in the suite. I'm a social being, yet I can see the allure of not having to leave the comfy bed to run down and eat with the rest of the guests, to not feel obligated when you know the innkeeper has been slaving away at the stove since the crack of dawn. I'm not taking sides, though - I see the benefit in both approaches.

That's why they make chocolate and vanilla.

Photos:

Earlier this week we took the shuttle over to the King and Prince golf course, located about 15 minutes from the resort.

It’s one of the longer drives you can make on the island (99% of the places a visitor would want to frequent are within 5 minutes of the King and Prince Resort), yet when I arrived at the course I realized the benefits of the remoteness, the reason it was decided to not build one closer to the resort – it’s flat out beautiful landscape in every direction.

Something that really interests me about golf: I can’t think of another game that attracts so many bad players. Think about it – people who are admittedly terrible still find themselves hacking away, paying significant money for greens fees and clubs.

And I completely understand why, because I am one of those people. I will admit I am an awful player, but that has never stopped me from enjoying the ambiance. I certainly appreciate those that develop their skills and become good players, however I can never focus on my game long enough to really advance in the sport. Head down? No thank you – there’s simply too much aura to soak up: The beauty of the course and its design, the comradery of a friendly foursome, the sounds of the birds, the smell of the grass and the feel of it on your feet.

That’s right, I play barefoot sometimes (see photo). Most people laugh at me, until they lose the shoes themselves and realize that the short and soft grass of a golf course feels amazing on the bottoms of their feet.

Before we hit the driving range we commandeered the carts and set off to explore the course, taking in the different colors of green against the blue sky and reflective lakes. We located an eagle’s nest high in a tall Georgia pine, as well as a few alligators sunbathing at the edge of the water traps. Pine trees line many of the holes, but marsh land stretches as far as the eye can see on the back nine. The raw, natural surroundings and wildlife of Southeast Georgia make this an interesting course to play - even if you're "not a golfer."

Here are a few photos from the trek around the course:

Photo courtesy Tom Ski.

When I woke up and saw the dusting of snow on the ground (Philly area), I brewed a hot cup of coffee and began looking over my plans for the next two months - specifically my two-week trip to St. Maarten/St. Martin in the middle of February.

I might have mentioned that I just relocated back east from California, and all my friends think it's funny to send me the weather report from Santa Barbara: 70s and sunny today. 

That's all right - no seasonal depression here, however I do require a touch of warmth in my life - and I'll have details of my island plans for you in the beginning of February.

Before that (end of January) I get another shot of the cold when I visit the Finger Lakes to check out Wine on Ice and take a scenic flight over the area.  I was there recently to check out the fall colors, and now I'll see what the winter is like in Upstate New York. The Rosewood Inn (bed and breakfast) will be my home for the weekend. 

It's a long way off, but I confirmed the other day that I will be headed south in April to check out the King and Prince Beach and Golf Resort on St. Simons. More info to come on that - I believe I will wrap it in a trip to check out Savannah as well. 

Stay warm, kids. 

Eagle Island Lodge

At the beginning of November, after I took in the sights and colors of fall in Upstate New York (story to come), I spent a few days off the coast of Southern Georgia in the wilderness on Eagle Island. http://www.privateislandsofgeorgia.com

Complete with seafood boils, oyster roasts, campfires, hot tub, walking trails, private beaches, boat rentals, and a luxurious lodge, it's quite a comfortable way to rough it.  

Owner Andy Hill will transport you from the small fishing town of Darien to Eagle Island (Darien is about an hour drive from the Jacksonville Airport). After that, you call the shots: He'll send his staff over every night to cook dinner for you if you wish, or you can fend for yourself and utilize the crab traps and fishing poles (Andy will also drop oysters off on your dock if you want to order them from the fishermen in Darien). 

Guest of Andy also get access to Sapelo Island, where he stages a truck and directions to a private beach. My recommendation would be to rent a boat and cruise through the snaking rivers of the Intracoastal Waterway. 

Check out these photos - it's a great trip to consider this spring (perhaps as an end of winter celebration?):

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