Bluffton is the fastest growing municipality in South Carolina. To help serve the rapidly expanding population, many restaurants have decided to set up shop on the mainland.

In search of oysters, pad Thai, spanakopita, sole meunière, jerk chicken, pimento cheese, crab cakes or churros? No need to cross the bridge. You can find all of those items on Bluffton menus. Gone are the days when it used to be hard to find a kitchen open past 9 p.m.


Ingredients:

2 cups drained well-cooked or canned chickpeas, reserve liquid
1/4 cup tahini with some of its oil
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus oil for drizzling
2 cloves garlic, peeled
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/2 tablespoon ground cumin
1/2 tablespoon paprika, plus a sprinkling for garnish
Juice of 1 lemon, more as needed
Chopped fresh parsley leaves for garnish

Asian food covers a spectrum of endless possibilities – the myriad of spices procured and the combination of ingredients used to create recipes are so diverse and complex and rooted in culinary tradition. We tend to think of Asian food as Chinese, Vietnamese or Thai, but the largest country in Asia is Russia and the smallest independent state is an archipelago of islands known as The Maldives - two extreme examples of how the cuisines within Asia are vastly different. When we think “Russian”, we think borscht, caviar and beef Stroganoff, whereas in The Maldives, coconuts, fish and cassava are the staples. The geographical make-up of Asia dictates that we add in China, India, Japan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey and about forty-six other countries whose cultures are ancient, which means the culinary traditions are deeply embedded in the palate.

Simplicity in Italian cuisine is the sign of perfection.

The beautiful red color of the pears is perfect for the holidays. Brightened by the red wine and reminiscent of winter, it makes an elegant presentation.

  • 6 Anjou or Bartlett pears
  • 1cupsugar
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 3 cinnamon sticks
  • 3 cups of Chianti
  • 1 tablespoon whole butter
  • Powdered sugar for garnish
  • Mint leaves for garnish
  • Cinnamon or vanilla gelato