Ode To The River Rats

What a wonderful ‘reunion’ it was, yesterday at Lulu’s in Gulf Shores.  A huge thank you from the bottom of my heart to all the folks who showed up in the beginning of LuLu’s and have remained great friends on this wild journey. They are affectionately known as The River Rats, and are some of my favorite people in the world!
Following  is an excerpt from my first cookbook, and it pretty much sums up everything about that precious time two decades ago. I really can’t believe it’s been 20 years!
Cheers my friends! Gumbo Love to every one of you! Love, LuLu
“LuLu’s became the local watering hole. It was a hit; it was a vibe. More than anything, it was fun. Regulars emerged, staking claim on tables and barstools. Romances blossomed, soap-opera dramas unfolded, marriages were put asunder, and lifelong friendships were formed. Bail was set and paid. The denizens of Fish River and Magnolia River, the “River Rats,“ kept the bar busy every Sunday. To not be at LuLu’s was to be out of the loop. It was the official unofficial meeting place; there was always a knot of “Rats” stationed at the end of the boat bar. It was town-hall, community center, front porch… for many of the folks along the rivers and bays it was church.”

Peets Wisdom

This cold snap feels like an April’s Fools joke!

My granddaughter wants to know when it’s going to stop being winter.

This reminds me of some of my mother’s wisdom that she shared in her later years of life. It was early April, a year or so before she died. We were driving past one of the epic pecan orchards in  Baldwin County on  a beautiful bright  sunny day. I was certain that warm weather had settled in for the season. She said, “Oh no. It will be cold again before that.”  I asked her why. “When one new green leaf has sprouted on the pecan trees, then the cold is definitely gone.”  For the next few weeks I paid close attention to the trees. One more cold snap came. And then the trees sprouted. She was totally right!
I miss her every day.

This time of year, I turn to nature for signs of change and I feel her warm presence like the coming of Summer!

 

What are some of your sure signs of seasons changing?
Share in the comments!

 

Lots of love, LuLu

Thank You Atlanta Magazine!

Allison Entrekin did a fantastic job telling my story in Atlanta Magazine this week. A big thank you to her and photographer Stephanie Eley and their crew for a very fun day spent together at LuLu’s North Myrtle Beach.

“Lucy’s daughter Mara was born in July 1971. Ten and a half months later, another daughter, Melanie, arrived. Lucy was an eighteen-year-old wife and mother of two trying to keep house while her husband worked at the same shipyard as her parents. She wanted to do as her grandmother had done and prepare elaborate meals for her family; problem was, she’d never been taught how.  So she cracked open the Mobile Junior League cookbook,  Jubilee!, and decided to make the first thing that caught her eye: chocolate pound cake. “’Cause that’s practical,” she laughs. But you know what? It was really good. “I found I loved the instant gratification of creating something,” Lucy says.

Thus began Lucy’s adventures in gastronomy, which accompanied her through the many twists and turns to come.”  (READ MORE…)

Happy First Day of Spring!

Happy First Day of Spring! Oh how I love this season. Days are longer, the leaves are coming back, flowers are in bloom, and of course the temperatures are perfect – not too cold and not too hot. I can open my windows to freshen the house and hear the birds chirping outside. It’s also the height of Strawberry Season! Strawberry Festivals are happening all over the South and produce stock at the markets is abundant.
To celebrate this glorious season, today I’m sharing from Gumbo Love my ‘Classic Southern Pound Cake With Strawberries’. If you make it, let me know how it goes. What are your favorite Springtime rituals in the kitchen and life?
Please share in the comments!
Wishing you a sweet and sunshine-filled first day of the season!
All my Gumbo Love,
LuLu

Classic Southern Pound Cake With Strawberries
Serves 12 to 16
1 ½ cups (three sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature, plus more for the pan
3 cups all purpose flour, plus more for the pan
3 cups plus 2 tablespoons sugar
3 cups sliced fresh strawberries
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon sea salt
5 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup whole milk
2 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract (or use almond or any other flavored extract)
Fresh whipped cream (recipe follows) for garnish

Fresh Whipped Cream
1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract or flavored liqueur
3 tablespoons sugar

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Butter and flour a 10-inch tube pan (a tube pan is preferred but if you use a Bundt pan instead, you’ll need to make sure to leave 1 inch of space at the top of the pan, so you may end up with a small amount of leftover batter).
2. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of the sugar over the sliced strawberries. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve the cake.
3. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt and set aside.
4. In a large bowl, beat the butter on medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Add the remaining 3 cups of sugar, ½ cup at a time, and beat until fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
5. Reduce the mixer speed to low and alternate adding the flour mixture and the milk, starting and finishing with the flour mixture. Add the vanilla and mix to incorporate.
6. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for one hour and 10 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes, then turn the cake out onto the rack to cool completely. Serve each piece with a spoonful of the chilled strawberries and a dollop of fresh whipped cream.

Fresh Whipped Cream
1. Place a medium metal bowl in the freezer to chill.
2. When ready to prepare the whipped cream, placed the cream and a vanilla in the chilled bowl. With an electric mixer, whip the cream on medium speed gradually adding the sugar. The cream will begin to thicken.
3. Whip the cream until it begins to form stiff peaks. Be careful not to over whip or the cream will separate.

This Big Crazy Family

It is great to be in North Myrtle Beach today. If you would have told me  few years ago that I’d be running three restaurants, I’d have thought “No way!”

But then things start happening and one thing leads to another and then WHAM!


Even though LuLu’s is growing (and growing up I might add) we  still feel like a big family which I think is one of the many reasons why families love to visit us.

It’s been an incredible journey getting here –  just the construction alone blows my mind, but then installing the restaurant and operations, and most of all the people – the wonderful crew! They’ve achieved great heights here in a short time period. I mean –  this was a hard hat zone just s few months ago! LOL

I am just giddy excited today – proud of the accomplishments of all three of my “children” – while Gulf Shores and Destin cheer on their littlest sis, North Myrtle Beach! Tune in  to social media this week  for all of the details and fun pics from The South Carolina Restaurant and Lodgings Award Ceremony.

We really are like a big, crazy family. Come see us and join in the fun! Many thanks to everyone who has visited one of the restaurants – we love you like family!

All of my Gumbo Love, LuLu

Will You be My Valentine?

To me, Valentines Day means cute cards, candy hearts, sweet stuff,  and expressing love and gratitude for the people and things most important in my life. At the LuLu’s restaurants around Valentine’s Day every year we celebrate Vow Renewal where literally hundreds of couples celebrate their commitments to each other.  Yesterday in Gulf Shores we had nearly 300 couples renewing their vows. It’s happening today in Destin and for the first time ever in North Myrtle   Beach on February 14th. It’s literally the sweetest time of the year!

As my Valentine to you this year I’d like to share the recipe for my Fresh Strawberry and Chocolate Angel Food Trifle. Let me know if you try it or if you have a special Valentine’s sweet that you like to make.
Wishing you all  lots of Chocolate, Sweetness, and Gumbo Love for Valentine’s Day!
Love, LuLu

Fresh Strawberry And Chocolate Angel Food Trifle

Serves 8-10

Pudding:

3 ½ cups whole milk

1 vanilla bean,  or 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

¾ cup sugar

2 large eggs at room temp

1 egg yolk

3 tablespoons cornstarch

Pinch of sea salt

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

 

Trifle:

4 cups leftover Chocolate Angel Food Cake, torn into bite sized pieces

3 cups fresh whipped cream

3 cups fresh strawberries, hulled, halved, plus a few whole strawberries for garnish

 

To make the pudding:

  1. Pour 3 cups of the milk into a medium saucepan. Split the vanilla bean and scrape the seeds into the milk. (If you are not using a vanilla bean, wait to add to the vanilla extract until later as directed.) Add the scraped bean pod and 1/2 cup of the sugar to the milk. Heat the milk mixture over medium heat, stirring continuously, until the sugar has dissolved. Cover, remove from the heat, and let sit for at least 15 minutes.
  2. While the milk is heating, whisk together the eggs, the egg yolk, the remaining 1/4 cup sugar, the remaining 1/2 cup milk, the cornstarch, and the salt.
  3. Slowly pour about 1 cup of the warm milk through a strainer into the egg mixture, stirring continuously, to slowly temper the eggs and bring them to the same temperature as the warm milk, keeping them from curdling. Gradually pour the remaining milk through the strainer into the egg mixture.
  4. Transfer the mixture to a clean large saucepan and cook the pudding  over medium heat, stirring continuously, until it thickens. Remove from the heat. Add the butter and the vanilla extract.  (If you did not use a vanilla bean). Whisk until the mixture is smooth, then pour into a bowl or individual cups. Let cool for 10 minutes, then cover with plastic wrap, pressed directly against the surface of the pudding  to prevent a skin from forming and let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for four hours or overnight.

To assemble the trifle:

  1. In a clear bowl or trifle dish, start with a bottom layer of pudding, then add cake pieces so they can soak in the pudding. Follow with a layer of whipped cream, then a layer of berries. Repeat the process, ending with the whipped cream. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least four hours. Garnish with whole strawberries before serving.

 

Oyster Stew à la LuLu

It’s a freezing cold day almost everywhere! All eyes are on  New Orleans with the Saints playoff game happening there. So today I’d like to share a New Orleans inspired recipe from my first cookbook “LuLu’s Kitchen” that will keep you toasty warm and extra satisfied!

This recipe is rich and exotic using a triple-cream fancy cheese which was inspired by a dish I once had at K-Paul’s in New Orleans. But the star of this dish remains fresh oysters that are plentiful and delectable along the Gulf Coast in the “R” months. I love that the liquid that runs off when the oysters are shucked is called liquor. Perhaps it is because oysters have a mystical reputation for enhanced sensuality or the fact that I’ve known pals who have ended up in the back seat of a car after too much of either. I just know that almost nothing is better on any day in the south that dips under 70 degrees than a bowl of oyster stew and a piece of toasted bunny bread for dipping.

Happy cooking and WHO DAT!!

PS let me know in the comments if you make Oyster Stew or if you have any great go-to cold-day or gameday recipes!

 

OYSTER STEW A LA LULU

Makes 11 Cups                                                                    

1 quart oysters in “liquor”

Ice water

1 stick unsalted butter

4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 cup celery finely chopped

1 cup white onion, finely chopped

½ cup small button mushrooms, thinly sliced

2 cups heavy cream

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon white pepper

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

½ pound brie cheese or any soft triple-cream cheese, like St. Andre’, with rind removed

½ cup dry (drinkable) white wine

¾ cup green onions, finely chopped

2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped

Generous dash of LuLu’s Perfect Pepper Sauce or any “medium-hot”

            hot sauce (optional)

 

  1. Drain oysters and refrigerate until ready to use. Reserve liquor and add enough ice water to yield 3 cups of liquid. Set aside.
  2. In large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat until it is just sizzling. (It is important not to let the butter brown at all.)
  3. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute.
  4. Add celery, onions, and mushrooms and continue to sauté until they are soft.
  5. Add oyster liquor-water mixture, then heavy cream. Do not add heavy cream first or it might scorch.
  6. Add salt, white pepper and cayenne. Cook for about 5 minutes or until stew is just about to boil. Reduce heat to low and cover. Continue simmering for another 5 minutes.
  7. Add cheese and wine stirring constantly until cheese is melted.
  8. Add oysters and green onions. Cover and continue to cook until edges of oysters curl, about 2-3 minutes.
  9. Add parsley and hot sauce. Adjust seasonings and serve immediately.

 

LuLu Clue:  When we counted out a quart of oysters at the restaurant, it yielded 39 oysters and 2 cups of liquor. Of course, this is all dependent upon the size of the oysters. I favor the smaller ones and if they are really salty, you might not want to add the salt until the end when you adjust the seasonings. I don’t use milk as my liquid as many oyster stew recipes do because it can curdle and when that happens, it ruins the dish.

ResoLuLus

I’m not really a resolutions person. Goals and dreams, YES! But “resolution” can sound a little serious. Also, I feel like we use that word to cleanse ourselves of some present sin we’re feeling guilty about—while we’re eating that second helping of rum cake, we tell ourselves we’ll give up desserts and lose that ten pounds in the new year. Maybe…

I’m all for self-improvement, don’t get me wrong, but in my gentler, kinder years I’ve also learned to recognize a good thing and be thankful for it. And despite hurricanes, flooding, and myriad other challenges that 2018 brought, when you look back on what’s important despite all the noise and the struggle, all in all it was a damn good year.

Our new restaurant in North Myrtle Beach not only dealt with Hurricane Florence, it also won Best Restaurateur honors after only a few months in business. That takes A LOT of hard work and supreme customer service and positive vibes. Our LuLu’s Destin crew took time away from their own families to serve Thanksgiving meals to those affected by Hurricane Michael in Callaway, Florida, and they did it with love and smiles on their faces. Our LuLu’s Gulf Shores team continues to hold down the fort as our flagship Gumbo Love ambassadors to the world, day after day treating each guest like a member of the family and making sure everybody leaves happier than when they got there.

So I “resolve” for 2019 to keep doing what the LuLu’s family inspires me to do every day: keep working hard, being kind, and taking care of our neighbors. Add some love and time spent with friends and family and a little bit of good food thrown in to flavor it all, and what else could we possibly ask for?

I wish you the very best in the new year!

All my Gumbo Love,

LuLu

2018 – What A Year!

And just like that another year is coming to a close. Only a couple more weeks in 2018. Wow! It seems like it’s been a flash. But, then I look back on all of the major events that have happened in the last 12 months. Some have been amazing, a few very challenging.

The third location of LuLu’s opened in North Myrtle Beach in June. It was a massive production executed beautifully and gracefully by my team up there. In the six months since the doors opened, we’ve made great new friends, have done incredible business, and were surprised with Restaurateur of the Year Award in N. Myrtle Beach – a true accomplishment for any and especially an infant business. Gulf Shores and Destin continued to rock the restaurant world with record-breaking sales and a slew of super fun events throughout our high season and beyond.

2018 served up an equal share of challenges mainly in the category of “trying to reason with hurricane season”. All three restaurants experienced closures because of Tropical Storm Gordon and Hurricanes Florence and Michael. Thankfully none of the restaurants were directly hit, but many of our surrounding communities and neighbors were majorly impacted. The other side of a catastrophic event (which we are quite familiar with at this point) always brings a community closer together. It has been no different in the Greater LuLu’s Communities of Gulf Shores, Destin, the Panhandle, and the coast of the Carolinas. Of course I wish we lived in a world where hurricanes and natural disasters didn’t exist. But alas we do. What I do know first-hand is that we are stronger and more connected because of the care, concern, and participation in our neighbors’ well-being and recovery – and that is a positive force of nature as strong as any hurricane!

If we thought this year was action packed – I am incredibly excited about what 2019 has in store. In the spirit of celebrating a birthday in true Buffett-style… LuLu’s turns 20 and we are celebrating all year!!

We will be posting details about the year-long festivities in these next couple of weeks as we approach Christmas and New (Noon) Year’s Eve. 🙂

In the world of LuLu’s it is all Merry and Bright. Thank you for making this the ride of a lifetime- I wouldn’t be here without you!

Wishing you the Happiest Holidays of them all!

Love, LuLu