IslandVibesIOP.com 19 FOOD & BEVERAGE Spill the Tea Bartenders hear all, see all, tell all By Sarah Rose Editor’s Note: Spill the Tea is a new series adapted from Behind the Bar. It’s meant to be a parody of all the crazy things bartenders hear and see at the bar. So sit back and laugh! Last year, Zach Hymer started working in the food and beverage industry in his hometown of Cincinnati, Ohio, as he said, “to learn bar flare and tricks while experimenting with recipes.” After several months in the business, Hymer’s friend Hunter Henry, who had recently graduated from college, approached him about making a move south to warmer climes. Hymer agreed to look into the idea. After a three-day visit to Charleston, they fell in love with the area and secured a place to live on Daniel Island. One month later, they made their move. “If you get a chance to do something that will change your life, take it,” said Hymer of their decision. Shortly after they arrived last autumn, Hymer was offered a bartending position at Coconut Joe’s, where he said he enjoys the process of hand-crafting good drinks and sharing them with people. His other favorite thing about working at the beachside bar and grill is that, “Every day I get to meet and talk to interesting people and listen to their stories. I’ve gotten feedback that I’m a great bartender because I have good social skills and life experience, which makes me easily relatable.” Hymer revealed that because he is so approachable, sometimes the conversations at the bar can turn from light banter into a therapy session. “One time this guy and I started chatting about random stuff, but then it got a little deeper. He told me that he had traveled three hours to get here to break up with his girlfriend and pick up his things from her house because he had just learned that she’d been cheating with her ex for three months,” Hymer divulged. “When he left the bar, he said he’d come back later – but he never did, so I didn’t get to hear what happened in the end.” On another occasion, Hymer said a patron who was visiting from Key West, Florida, for his daughter’s wedding, should actually book a consultation with a counselor. “He stayed at the bar for four hours, making inappropriate comments about women who would walk in or out – including some of my co-workers,” Hymer grimaced. “It was so awkward.” However, most everyone who comes to the bar is fun to be around, according to Hymer, who said he loves talking to regulars about one of his passions, learning the history of the Lowcountry. For example, “This guy, who had just graduated from college, came in and we started spitballing about stuff and then started talking about the history of the rice culture in Charleston and Georgetown, which is fascinating.” When he’s not behind the bar, Hymer is lifting in the gym, checking out new places, chilling on his patio with a homemade old fashioned or watching lots of anime. He also has two other jobs: bartending for Snyder Events and running his own junk removal business. To hang out with Hymer and try one of his signature pina coladas or a customized hand-crafted cocktail, visit the downstairs bar at Coconut Joe’s, located at 1120 Ocean Blvd. on Isle of Palms. Flavor of the Month Gumbo that will make your grandma grin By Sarah Rose With Mardi Gras season upon us, chef de cuisine of Huey’s at Wild Dunes Resort, Byrone P. Porcher II, shared his grandmother’s recipe for gumbo and the story behind it. “As long as I can remember, my grandmother received fresh okra every fourth Sunday of the month from a local farmer in the Awendaw area outside of Charleston,” Porcher said. Porcher continued, “I can’t recall his name, but I’ll never forget the smile he put on my grandma’s face anytime he showed up for her delivery. Watching her greet that delivery was like watching a child on Christmas morning, eyes bright as the heavy basket was set on our doorstep. She carried the basket inside, and with it came the scent of fresh grass, the unmistakable aroma of just-picked okra. That’s how we knew it was a great haul. She washed the okra carefully and reminded me, as she always did, that it was one of the most important ingredients in the gumbo she was making for Sunday dinner. I knew the flavor by heart, but not the process. This time, I stayed and watched. This is how she made it – rich, slow and soulful.” Chef Bee’s Gumbo INGREDIENTS: Yellow onion: medium dice: 8 ounces Celery: medium dice: 4 ounces Sweet bell pepper (preferably green): medium dice: 8 ounces Fresh okra: medium dice: 8 ounces Roasted corn: 8 ounces Butter: 12 ounces All-purpose flour: 12 ounces Jalapeno: brunoised or minced: 2 each Garlic: minced: 4 ounces Tomato paste: 3 ounces Chicken base: 3 ounces Roasted tomato: 16-ounce can Smoked sausage: 10 ounces Boneless skinless chicken thigh: 10 ounces White shrimp: cleaned and de-shelled: 10 ounces Kosher salt: 1 ounce Black pepper: 1 ounce Cayenne pepper: 1 ounce Garlic powder: 1 ounce Onion powder: 1 ounce Gumbo file: 1 ounce INSTRUCTIONS: 1. Build the roux Melt the butter over medium heat, then slowly whisk in the flour. Stir constantly until the roux turns a deep peanut butter to chocolate brown. This is your flavor base, and it cannot be rushed. 2. Add the aromatics Add onion, celery, bell pepper and okra. Cook until softened and fragrant. This process is quick as hot roux acts as melted lava. It will cook your aromatics quickly, so don’t stop stirring. Add garlic and jalapeno last so it doesn’t burn. 3. Layer the flavor Stir in tomato paste, roasted tomatoes, chicken base, roasted corn and spices. Let everything simmer together for 20 minutes to allow the seasonings to bloom. 4. Add proteins Before adding them to the pot, sear the chicken and sausage in a pan until lightly browned. This deepens the flavor and improves the stewing process of your gumbo. Add chicken and sausage and simmer for another 20 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Pre-searing it also helps with the stewing process in the pot. 5. Finish In the final 5 minutes, add the shrimp and simmer. This is timed to cook them perfectly, avoiding that rubber-like texture when overcooked. Turn off the heat, adjust the seasoning and rest before serving.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjcyNTM1