South Carolina Living February 2017

CHANGE OUT

SHELL GAME FEBRUARY 2017

It takes a tough man to raise a sustainable oyster

SC TR AV E L S

Take a spin through Greenville SC R E C I PE

Warm up with fiery foods

THE 2017 SOUTH CAROLINA

presents

4-H ENGINEERING

CHALLENGE An opportunity for students 9 - 19 years old to learn, have fun, demonstrate their science, technology and math skills, and compete for individual and team honors.

Registration deadline: March 1, 2017.

Participants can only register for one competition.

T-shirts and lunch provided.

Saturday, March 25 Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College

GPS

ROCKETRY

BRIDGE

ROBOTICS

ENERGY

PHOTOGRAPHY SOLAR OVEN

MYSTERY

Learn More and Sign Up at

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THE MAGAZINE FOR COOPERATIVE MEMBERS Vol. 71 • No. 2 (ISSN 0047-486X, USPS 316-240) Read in more than 573,000 homes and businesses and published monthly except in December by The Electric Cooperatives of South Carolina, Inc. 808 Knox Abbott Drive Cayce, SC 29033

FEBRUARY 2017 • VOLUME 71, NUMBER 2

Tel: (803) 926-3 1 75 Fax: (803) 796-6064 Email: letters@scliving.coop EDITOR

Keith Phillips ASSISTANT EDITOR

Diane Veto Parham FIELD EDITOR

Walter Allread PUBLICATION COORDINATOR

Travis Ward

ART DIRECTOR

Sharri Harris Wolfgang DESIGNER

Susan Collins PRODUCTION

Andrew Chapman

FEATURE

WEB EDITOR

12 Shell game

Van O’Cain COPY EDITOR

Susan Scott Soyars

LEFT AND ABOVE: ALEXANDER FOX

It takes a tough man to raise sustainable Lowcountry oysters. Good thing retired Marine Frank Roberts is on the case.

CONTRIBUTORS

Mike Couick, Amy L. Dabbs, Jan A. Igoe, Thomas Kirk, Renata Parker, Sydney Patterson, Marc Rapport, Belinda Smith-Sullivan, Paul Wesslund PUBLISHER

Lou Green ADVERTISING

Mary Watts Tel: (803) 739-5074 Email: ads@scliving.coop NATIONAL REPRESENTATION

ADDRESS CHANGES: Please send

to your local co-op. Postmaster: Send Form 3579 to Address Change, c/o the address above.

Periodicals postage paid at Columbia, S.C., and additional mailing offices. © COPYRIGHT 201 7. The Electric Cooperatives of South Carolina, Inc. No portion of South Carolina Living may be reproduced without permission of the Editor. is brought to you by your member-owned, taxpaying, not-for-profit electric cooperative to inform you about your cooperative, wise energy use and the faces and places that identify the Palmetto State. Electric cooperatives are South Carolina’s — and America’s — largest utility network.

SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING

SC LIFE

Cooperative news

STORIES

17 Racing to a beautiful life

6 ON THE AGENDA

Learn how America’s not-for-profit electric cooperatives are fighting back against hackers. Plus: DockDogs splash back into competition at the 35th annual Southeastern Wildlife Exposition in Charleston.

Escaping an abusive marriage was the first step in marathon runner Elizabeth Gray’s race to help other women overcome domestic violence.

TRAVELS

18 Take a spin through Greenville

DIALOGUE

The Last Days of Night, a pageturning novel about the battle between Thomas Edison and George Westinghouse over the future of America’s electric grid, teaches important truths about science, business and public policy.

GARDENER

20 Growing microgreens at home Save money and impress your dinner guests with homegrown microgreens, the trendiest vegetables to emerge from the farm-to-table movement.

RECIPE

22 Some like it hot

Chef Belinda brings the heat with four recipes that will set your taste buds on fire.

SHELL GAME FEBRUARY 2017

It takes a tough man to raise a sustainable oyster

Member of the NCM network of publications, reaching more than 7 million homes and businesses

SC TR AV E LS

Take a spin through Greenville SC R E C I PE

Warm up with fiery foods

24

See a whole other side of downtown Greenville from atop a Segway self-balancing scooter.

POWER USER 10 Required reading

W H AW O R T H

Paid advertisements are not endorsements by any electric cooperative or this publication.

If you encounter a difficulty with an advertisement, inform the Editor.

4 CO-OP CONNECTION

AN D R E

National Country Market Tel: (800) NCM-1181

Frank Roberts, owner of Lady’s Island Oyster Farm, doesn’t mind the wet-andmuddy work it takes to raise premium single oysters. Photo by Alexander Fox.

CHEF’S CHOICE

24 Chicken wings with

a side of fun

At 2 Fat 2 Fly, owners Ramone Dickerson and Corey Simmons serve up fun with every plate of their popular stuffed chicken wings.

HUMOR ME

30 Gone glamping

Millions of people enjoy camping in the great outdoors.

Humor columnist Jan A. Igoe isn’t one of them. Unless there’s room service.

26 MARKETPLACE 28 SC EVENTS

On the Agenda For a listing complete s, see of Event 8 page 2

Highlights TOP PICK FOR KIDS

THROUGH SEPTEMBER 4

Savage Ancient Seas

Swimming with sharks might seem tame once you see what roamed our oceans 70 million years ago. Skeletal displays of enormous sea creatures—like the toothy, 45-foot Bunker Tylosaurus and colossal, carnivorous sea turtles—reveal secrets of the deep in this new exhibit at the State Museum in Columbia. Head for the planetarium to watch the giant-screen film Sea Monsters: A Prehistoric Adventure bring these ancient beasts to life across the 55-foot dome.

FEBRUARY 17–19

For details, visit scmuseum.org or call (803) 898-4921.

Southeastern Wildlife Exposition

Those athletic DockDogs splash back into competition at the 35th annual SEWE in Charleston. Animal lovers can also look forward to displays of prowess by retrievers and birds of prey, hands-on interaction with alligators, bobcats, foxes, and snakes, plus nature art, sporting and cooking demos centered on the outdoors life.

For details, visit sewe.com or call (843) 723-1748.

FEBRUARY THROUGH NOVEMBER

Spend your leisure time exploring how Americans have worked over the past 150 years in this Smithsonian Institution traveling exhibit, which illustrates how jobs have shaped our culture. The first of six S.C. stops is the newly opened Dorchester County History Center in St. George, where the exhibit remains through March 12. It travels to sites in Blythewood, Pickens, Chester, McClellanville and Hartsville through November.

For details, visit dca-hc.com or schumanities.org or call (843) 563-0053.

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SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING | FEBRUARY 2017 | SCLIVING.COOP

DANIEL JACKSON

NATIONAL ARCHIVES, RECORDS OF THE WOMEN’S BUREAU

The Way We Worked

FEBRUARY, MARCH, APRIL

Southern Sound Series

Tune in to some of the best in contemporary Southern music in these performances at McCelvey Center in York. Next up are The Suffers (above) on Feb. 18, with a Gulf Coast soul sound tinged with rock, country, Latin and Southern hip-hop. Following on March 10 is Grammy-winning N.C. bluegrass band Steep Canyon Rangers, back by popular demand for the third consecutive year. Closing out the series April 22 is The SteelDrivers, a Nashville-based band that won a 2016 Grammy for Best Bluegrass Album.

For details, visit chmuseums.org/southernsoundseries or call (803) 909-7313.

EMAIL COMMENTS, QUESTIONS AND STORY SUGGESTIONS TO LETTERS@SCLIVING.COOP

O N LY O N

SCLiving.coop

BONUS VIDEO

Electric co-ops are prepared for cyberattacks THE SPECTER OF CYBERATTACKS ON OUR NATION’S ­C RITICAL

infrastructure brings to mind Hollywood depictions like War Games or Mr. Robot. But how dangerous are cyberattacks to the distribution network that supplies our electricity?

Cyberattacks are just one of the risks electric utilities manage in day-to-day operations, but Chris Inglis, former deputy director of the National Security Agency, says the bigger threat to American utilities is cybercrime. The risk of hackers stealing sensitive data and financial information is larger than the threat to the physical grid itself.

“I don’t think paralysis [of the electrical grid] is more likely by cyberattack than by natural disaster,” he says.

Every year, cybercrime costs the U.S. billions of dollars. For electric cooperatives, the average cyber insurance claim costs $733,000, according to Bill West, vice president of underwriting at Federated Rural Electric Insurance Exchange. To protect against malicious hackers, cooperatives are implementing defensive strategies, including penetration testing, staff training, application white­ listing, and investing in innovative research and development.

Penetration testing involves paying a third party to hack your network, then provide a report on how to fix vulnerabilities before malicious hackers discover them. Electric co-ops also are investing in staff training to teach employees how to recognize threats. Hackers will often target people rather than systems through phishing—emails designed to make the reader click a malicious link or share confidential information. Typical cybersecurity training includes ways to identify common scams and how to stay safe online.

Another emerging strategy is application whitelisting. This is best understood as the reverse of blacklisting, which is how many spam filters and anti-virus programs work. Blacklisting maintains a list of all known malicious programs and blocks them when they appear. In whitelisting, only a small number of approved programs are allowed to run on a utility network.

Electric co-ops also are investing in innovative research. The Department of Energy is providing support in a $15 million, three-year partnership with the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) and the American Public Power ­Association. NRECA will use its $7.5 million share to make cutting-edge cybersecurity expertise and technology accessible to the co-op ­community. —THOMAS KIRK

Spice things up in the kitchen. Keep a batch of spicy homemade piri piri oil on hand for sauteeing shrimp, tossing salads or dipping bread.

Chef Belinda has the step-by-step instructions at SCLiving.coop/food/ chefbelinda.

BONUS ARTICLES

Make your office work for you. When there’s too much to do and not enough time to do it, try these gadgets to make a day at the office more efficient, comfortable and fun. Look for the latest Smart Choice column at SCLiving.coop/home--garden.

Clearing the air. You’ll know when it’s time to replace a noisy, inefficient bathroom vent fan. What you may not know is how simple and easy the process can be. Read all about it at SCLiving.coop/energy.

I NTERACTIVE FEATURES Reader Reply Travel Sweepstakes. Register today at SCLiving.coop/reader-reply for our Reader Reply Travel Sweepstakes and your chance to win a $100 gift card.

One lucky reader’s name will be drawn at random from all eligible entries received by Feb. 28.

Like us on Facebook. Join us as we ­celebrate all that’s great about life in South Carolina. Add your voice to the conversation and share your photos at facebook.com/SouthCarolinaLiving.

SCLIVING.COOP | FEBRUARY 2017 | SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING

7

On the Agenda GONE FISHIN’ The Vektor Fish & Game Forecast provides feeding and migration times.

Major periods can bracket the peak by an hour. Minor peaks, ½ hour before and after.

Minor

PM Major

17 3:16 9:46 — 18 1:16 10:16 — 19 — 11:16 — 20 8:31 4:31 12:46 21 9:31 4:46 2:01 22 10:16 5:16 3:01 23 10:46 5:31 3:46 24 11:16 6:01 4:31 25 11:46 6:16 — 26 6:46 12:01 12:31 27 7:01 12:31 1:01 28 7:31 1:16 7:31

5:31 7:01 8:16 9:01 9:46 10:16 11:01 11:31 5:16 6:01 6:46 1:31

Minor

AM Major

FEBRUARY

MARCH

1 8:01 2 2:16 3 3:01 4 3:46 5 1:46 6 8:16 7 9:31 8 10:16 9 10:46 10 11:16 11 11:46 12 6:31 13 6:46 14 7:01 15 1:31 16 1:46

1:46 8:31 9:01 9:31 10:31 3:31 4:16 4:46 5:16 5:46 6:01 12:01 12:31 1:01 7:31 7:46

8:31 2:16 9:46 3:16 11:16 4:16 — 5:31 — 7:01 12:31 8:16 2:01 9:31 3:16 10:16 4:16 11:01 5:01 11:31 — 5:31 12:16 6:16 6:46 12:46 7:31 1:16 8:16 1:46 9:01 2:31

ENERGY 101

The promise and problems of hydroelectricity Attention to energy and the environment has focused new light on one of the oldest sources of renewable power: hydroelectric dams.

In a new report, Hydropower Vision—A New Chapter for America’s 1st Renewable Electricity Source, the Department of Energy projects that over the next 35 years, the U.S. could increase hydroelectric production from 101 gigawatts today to 150 gigawatts by 2050. While that sounds like a lot, the $71 billion investment called for in the report would increase hydropower’s share of national energy production by just 3 percent.

Tom Lovas, a consultant with the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA), says adding more hydroelectric power is “a laudable goal” but notes the report’s forecast is a best-case scenario A 2016 report from the Department of that requires rewriting a complex web of Energy says that electricity generated by hydropower could increase by regulations that affect construction on rivers 50 percent in the next 35 years. and streams.

“There’s been relatively little new hydroelectric development in the country in a number of years, in part because of the consideration of environmental aspects associated with the reservoir development,” he says. “It takes quite a bit of time and effort to get through the licensing phase of extensive feasibility studies and environmental reports, plus there’s the relatively high up-front construction cost.” —PAUL WESSLUND

THE MAGIC ISN’T ALWAYS on THE FIELD.

QUALIFIES FOR THE 25% STATE TAX CREDIT

While you treasure your favorite team for the magic they create on the field, sometimes the real magic is hidden just out of sight. A WaterFurnace geothermal comfort system taps into the stored solar energy just below the earth’s surface to provide savings of up to 70% on heating, cooling, and hot water. Contact your local WaterFurnace dealer today to learn how geothermal can be a game changer for your home.

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8

SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING | FEBRUARY 2017 | SCLIVING.COOP

waterfurnace.com/football WaterFurnace is a registered trademark of WaterFurnace International, Inc. ©2017 WaterFurnace International, Inc.

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Dialogue

Required reading ‘ Only together could they have birthed the system that was now the bone and sinew of these United States.’

WHEN IT COMES TO MATTERS OF SCIENCE,

business and politics, can a work of fiction reveal more truth than a pile of stodgy textbooks and wonky policy journals? If the work is Graham Moore’s latest novel, The Last Days of Night, I believe it can.

This semester, I have the privilege of leading the teaching team behind IGERT 720: Public Energy Policy, a graduate course offered through the University of South Carolina’s College of Engineering and Computing.

Our students are 12 of the brightest scientific minds in the fields of chemistry and chemical engineering, and the course is designed to show them how their research will be cussed, discussed, analyzed, debated—sometimes mocked and often misinterpreted—but ultimately forged into the laws, regulations and business models that govern utilities and the energy sector.

The goal is to show these scientists how their precise reasoning can survive in the rough-and-tumble world outside the laboratory. The emphasis is on the creation of sound energy policy through collaboration and consensus-building, even when (make that especially when) the facts and scientific conclusions are matters of fierce debate.

I imagine the students were surprised to find The Last Days of Night listed as the primary text for the class.

Although it’s a dramatized work classified as fiction, the novel is based on the very real facts of the high-stakes ­battle between Thomas Edison and George Westinghouse over how electricity would be distributed in the United States.

In the late 1800s, Edison was the driving force behind power-distribution networks using direct current (DC), while Westinghouse and eccentric inventor Nikola Tesla were developing and promoting the use of ­alternating current (AC) as a potentially more efficient way of transmitting ­electricity over long distances.

AC or DC? The decision would reshape the world, and the battle that ensued was vicious. Moore’s skillful storytelling transports readers to the laboratories, courtrooms, boardrooms and public squares where the fight raged until AC ultimately won out.

As with any good novel, there’s more than just the 10

SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING | FEBRUARY 2017 | SCLIVING.COOP

— GRAHAM MOORE, THE LAST DAYS OF NIGHT

basic plot. Graham also explores the nature of invention and the creative process with a cast of famous supporting characters, including Wall Street baron J.P. Morgan and Alexander Graham Bell. More to the point of our class, the narrator of the events is another real person, attorney Paul Cravath, who represented Westinghouse in a slew of lawsuits filed by Edison.

Ultimately, it was Cravath who served as an honest broker—the one man who realized the unique vested interests that drove Westinghouse, Tesla and Edison—and found a way to forge a consensus that left each man a winner where it mattered most. This consensus ultimately led to widespread adoption of the AC power systems and appliances we still use today.

Proving that invention and creation require a cast of talents, Moore offers this tribute to each of the men: “Only together could they have birthed the system that was now the bone and sinew of these United States. No one man could have done it. In order to produce such a wonder … the world required … visionaries like Tesla. Craftsmen like Westinghouse. Salesmen like Edison.”

Based on their insightful responses to the book and our own consensus-building exercises in class, I am assured that the scientists in IGERT 720 are internalizing the message contained in The Last Days of Night, and I am confident that, when faced with their own battles over science and policy, they will be the leaders we need to forge a brighter energy future.

President and CEO, The Electric Cooperatives of South Carolina MIKE COUICK

EMPOWERING VISION By combining our low-cost, reliable energy and diverse property portfolio with South Carolina’s low cost of doing business, creative incentive packages and unparalleled quality of life, Santee Cooper, working with the South Carolina Power Team and the state’s electric cooperatives, continues to help new businesses picture a better future – and continues to power South Carolina toward Brighter Tomorrows, Today.

www.scpowerteam.com • www.santeecooper.com

SHELL game It takes a tough man to raise sustainable oysters. Good thing retired Marine Frank Roberts is on the case.

BY KEITH PHILLIPS PHOTOS BY ALEXANDER FOX

12

SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING | FEBRUARY 2017 | SCLIVING.COOP

“WE’VE GOT PLENTY MORE OYSTERS, SO ENJOY,” Frank Roberts tells a group of travel writers who are digging into a picnic lunch at Lady’s Island Oyster Farm near Beaufort.

There is the clink of silverware and empty shells on plates, along with murmurs of approval as the diners follow his advice. It’s a beautiful spring day, and from the wooden picnic tables beneath a canopy of live oaks, the guests have a postcard-perfect view of the salt­ water marsh. The locally sourced meal, hosted by the Beaufort Regional Chamber of Commerce, is intended to give the visiting journalists a literal taste of the Lowcountry, and the plump, raw oysters Roberts calls Coosaw Cups are stealing the show.

While servers keep the iced trays coming, Roberts strolls among the tables sharing the story behind his ­signature oysters—and how the sustainable mariculture techniques that created them are revolutionizing the state’s shellfish industry.

Made to order

Coosaw Cups are everything raw oysters should be—3 inches long, with consistently deep cups, wide fans, upward shell hinges for easy shucking and generous morsels of meat inside. They have the clean, salty taste of St. Helena Sound, but they weren’t harvested from the local wild oyster beds.

No, that wouldn’t do for Frank Roberts. From the moment these shellfish were conceived 12 months ago, to the time they were harvested, he and his colleagues have carefully managed every stage of their development, essentially hand-crafting their own version of the perfect Lowcountry oyster.

“I’ve grown oysters up and down the coast, and I’ve had them from all across the country,” Roberts says.

“This is truly a unique oyster.”

And he isn’t kidding when he says “plenty more.”

Roberts operates the only oyster hatchery in South Carolina. Inside his spawning lab, a newly conceived generation of Coosaw Cups larvae are taking shape— about 30 million of them.

Another 3 million microscopic oyster seeds—fully formed juveniles no bigger than grains of sand—are growing up fast in a dockside tank complex called the upweller. And out in the tidal depths of the Coosaw River, there are acres of submerged cages, each filled

with 300 to 400 pounds of premium, single oysters nearing harvest-ready perfection.

There are, of course, easier ways to put shellfish on the table. Healthy wild rakes of American Eastern oysters grow abundantly throughout the sound and all along the S.C. coast. During the September-to-April season known as the “R” months, Roberts still occasionally harvests clusters of wild oysters from the intertidal zone between the pluff mud and brilliant green Spartina grass of the surrounding marshes. He happily supplies, and even hosts, his share of the traditional fall oyster roasts that are so deeply engrained in South Carolina culture.

But Roberts is also one of a growing number of oystermen using mariculture techniques to create a new segment of the shellfish industry— sustainable, farm-raised single oysters with unique characteristics, brand names and menu-friendly backstories. These are the oysters in demand by chefs, foodies and top raw bars, says Julie Davis, a marine resources extension specialist with the S.C. Sea Grant Consortium.

“We’re immersed in this renaissance of raw bars and the farm-to-table movement,” she says. “People want to know where their food comes from and be able to taste where their food comes from.”

Oyster tasting—sampling mixed platters of shellfish from different farms, waterways and states—is a popular culinary trend, and only through mariculture can S.C. harvesters hope to keep up with demand for premium single oysters sold under brand names like Charleston Salts and May River Cups.

“If you go to an oyster bar, you see a whole listing of these different oysters by name,” she says. “This is not a commodity product. Every oyster tastes different, because it takes on the taste of the body of water that it’s grown in.”

“The demand is huge,” she continues. “I think we’re only scraping the surface with what our industry is producing right now. At this point in time, you really can sell all that you grow.”

Semper Fi

The mariculture techniques Roberts and other South Carolina oyster farmers use aren’t new; they’re just new to South Carolina. Refining them to suit local waters takes a scientific mind, a talent for logistics, a lifetime of oystering know-how and the never-quit mindset of a U.S. Marine— Frank Roberts, in other words.

SCLIVING.COOP | FEBRUARY 2017 | SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING

13

FRANK ROBERTS

“My family has been on the Chesapeake since 1697,” he says. “That’s where I first learned about oysters, at my grandfather’s farm. I’ve been interested in it ever since.”

Roberts joined the Marine Corps at age 18. When he ­arrived at Parris Island for boot camp, he saw the enormous potential for oystering in the salt marshes of the Lowcountry.

“The few times I was able to look around, I saw the estuaries here and thought, ‘This place is amazing,’ ” he says. “It was always on my mind to get back here.”

After the Marines, Roberts made a career in law enforcement with the New Haven Police Department in Connecticut and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. He worked nights, mostly, leaving his days free to harvest oysters and study mariculture. When he retired to Beaufort 18 years ago to make oystering a full-time occupation, he began experimenting with hatchery techniques in his garage to perfect his spawn-to-harvest process.

“Every area is unique,” Roberts says. “What works in a Virginia hatchery or a Louisiana hatchery may not work here. You have to figure out what works for your area.”

In the mood

STARTING SMALL Visible through a microscope, an oyster larva has settled onto a piece of crushed shell and begun growing its own enclosure. When oyster seeds are the size of sand grains, they are moved to the upweller tanks and nurtured with a steady flow of salt water from McCalleys Creek. At this point, the seeds are fully formed, functioning oysters. When they reach an appropriate size, young oysters are scooped into mesh bags and submerged in the saltwater marshes, where they grow to adulthood. At harvest time, Roberts retrieves the mesh bags to bring perfectly formed Coosaw Cups to market.

14

SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING | FEBRUARY 2017 | SCLIVING.COOP

What works at Lady’s Island Oyster Farm starts with Roberts playing matchmaker to the best local oysters he’s collected and nurtured over the years, including some massive specimens that measure 7 inches in length.

“It’s just like breeding any animal,” he says. “We look for certain characteristics.”

To breed a new generation of oysters, Roberts places the best male and female specimens in a tank that is the bivalve equivalent of a honeymoon suite. When the water conditions are just right, the oyster hormones kick in and a spawning frenzy begins.

Observing water samples under the microscope, “you can actually see the sperm penetrating the eggs,” he says.

“About an hour after that, you start seeing cell division. It’s amazing to watch.”

The newly formed larvae are transferred to growing tanks, each holding about 250 gallons of carefully filtered salt water. For the next 20 days, Roberts watches, waits and frets over his microscopic charges, meticulously monitoring and adjusting the water quality and providing measured amounts of microalgae as food. “We want that seawater to be as clean as it can be—no predators, no competitors,” he says.

Throughout the process, Roberts watches for the development of black dots on the larvae.

“Once they get what we call an eye—it looks like someone took an ink pen and dotted it—that means they’re getting ready to set,” he says. “In the wild, that’s when they swim down from the water column and look for an oyster shell rake to attach to.”

In place of shell rakes, Roberts provides silos, white plastic buckets with mesh bottoms and a layer of oyster shell crushed to a precise size. Only about 15 percent of the

QUALITY CONTROL Frank Roberts examines a table full of broodstock oysters retrieved from one of the floating pens he keeps in the salt marshes of St. Helena Sound.

The taste of an oyster is determined by its environment, and St. Helena Sound flavors these oysters with a steady influx of seawater from the Atlantic Ocean. original larvae will become oyster seed, but that still leaves millions for Roberts to sell to other oyster farmers, with plenty left over for his own farming operation.

One plate of oysters coming right up

The seeds Roberts keeps for himself spend the next month in the upweller tanks getting a jump start on their development with a steady flow of salt water pumped in from McCalleys Creek. To show his visitors the results of the breeding work, he lifts one of the silos containing 25,000 or so newly settled oysters. Allowing the water to drain through the bottom, he presses his index finger against the mesh and holds out his hand.

Look closely. The half-dozen grains stuck to his fingertip are, in fact, a half-dozen fully formed juvenile oysters.

“At this point, we should have no more than 10 percent mortality,” Roberts says, meaning the seeds on the tip of his finger today likely will be on somebody’s plate in 11 months’ time.

About every other week, Roberts and his crew divide the rapidly developing oysters and place them in new silos. “It’s like popcorn,” he says. “As they’re growing, we have to continue to spread them around to reduce density.”

When the oysters are big enough, Roberts and his crew scoop them into mesh bags, then place the bags in submerged metal pens in the salt creek. As they grow, the oysters will be moved twice more, first to 12 acres of nursery pens in Half Moon Creek and finally to 16 acres of finishing pens in the Coosaw River on the edge of St. Helena Sound.

The taste of an oyster is determined by its environment, and with no freshwater rivers carrying upstream runoff, St. Helena Sound flavors his oysters with a steady influx of seawater from the Atlantic Ocean. That gives his shellfish “a super briny start, a sweet middle and a clean finish,” Roberts says.

Market conditions

Unique tastes, local sourcing and consistent quality are three of the reasons chefs and oyster aficionados can’t get enough maricultured shellfish, says Brad Young, managing partner of Bluffton’s May River Oyster Company.

“The chefs love it. They call it ‘river to restaurant,’ ” he says of his farm-raised May River Cups. “Oysters are coming in right from the May River. They’ll have guests out on dock, and they know our guys are bringing in the fresh oysters. My gosh, they go crazy.”

One of Roberts’ best clients is chef Mike Lata, owner of The Ordinary, Charleston’s premier raw bar. Lata buys an exclusive line of premium singles called Phat Lady’s, which are usually listed at the top of the oyster menu along with Caper’s Blades, wild oysters harvested near McClellanville, chiseled into singles and finished using mariculture ­techniques. l l SCLIVING.COOP | FEBRUARY 2017 | SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING

15

‘ When you talk about sea to table, the thing that is most important is the relationship with the producer.’

“Those two oysters are a great sideby-side ­comparison to show how different oysters can be in our area,” Lata says. “It couldn’t get any better. When you talk about sea to table, the thing that is most important is the relationship with the producer.”

The one glitch in that relationship is a matter of unfortunate timing, Young says. State regulations, written with wild oyster stocks in mind, prohibit harvest from May through August. Local oystermen are locked out of supplying the state’s restaurants during the summer tourist season when demand soars. Chefs have no choice but to import shellfish from Louisiana and Virginia.

“Our chefs come to us and say, ‘When are you going to cut us off this year?’” Young says. “They’re disappointed, because they are wanting local, local, local.”

Davis says state law limits wild oyster harvesting to the traditional “R” months for two good reasons. During the summer, wild bivalves spend more energy reproducing than growing, so meat quality diminishes. But the bigger problem is naturally occurring Vibrio bacteria. Eating raw oysters with a high bacteria load can cause severe illness and even death in those with compromised immune systems.

Most wild oyster grounds in South Carolina are intertidal, exposing the shellfish at low tide. Fueled by the heat of a sweltering summer day, Vibrio bacteria trapped in the closed shells can bloom out of control. Mariculture oysters,

— MIKE LATA, CHEF AND OWNER OF THE ORDINARY

ON THE MENU At The Ordinary, Charleston’s premier raw bar, chef Mike Lata likes to keep local oysters in stock as often as possible. His favorites: Phat Lady’s from Lady’s Island and Caper’s Blades from McClellanville.

on the other hand, stay submerged 24 hours a day.

“As long as the oyster is open and pumping, it’s flushing out that bacteria,” Davis says. “With mariculture, we’re able to keep the animal continuously submerged, so that helps to reduce the risk of illness.”

Game changer

KEITH PHILLIPS

SHUCKING ON SATURDAYS Charleston and Beaufort restaurants buy up most of the Coosaw Cups Roberts can produce, but he keeps a supply on hand to serve up at the Port Royal Farmer’s Market most Saturdays.

16

SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING | FEBRUARY 2017 | SCLIVING.COOP

In January, the Department of Health and Environmental Control approved changes to state regulations that would allow summer harvest of mariculture oysters, so long as producers follow strict controls on delivery time and temperatures. Under the proposed revisions, summer harvest of wild oysters would remain prohibited. As this issue went to press, the new regulations were under review by the Department of Natural Resources and awaiting final adoption by the legislature.

Roberts anticipates a rapid expansion of the mariculture shellfish industry in South Carolina if the regulations pass.

“We’ll more than double our business,” he predicts.

“Charleston sells more oysters during the summer than they do during the winter, because of all the tourists coming from up North. We’re making efforts to double the output of the hatchery, we’re bringing on more personnel and we’re going to roll with it.”

Stories

SC Life Racing to a beautiful life

Elizabeth Gray AGE:

44

West Columbia Founder of Marathons Against Domestic Violence campaign, running marathons to raise awareness about domestic abuse; 2016 Runner’s World magazine cover search finalist; 2014 Woman of the Year for Sistercare, a Midlands agency for battered women ADVOCACY: Served on Gov. Haley’s Domestic Violence Task Force; lobbied S.C. legislature and U.S. congressmen for changes to strengthen domestic-violence laws LIVES IN:

ANDREW HAWORTH

CLAIM TO FAME:

How well Elizabeth Gray remembers the pain, the shame, the fear, the bruises, the hair pulled right out of her scalp. Not so long ago, she was living under the daily threat of abuse at the hands of the man she married.

Her journey out of that nightmare has now logged more than 1,000 marathon miles, as Gray discovered that running was a way to both heal herself and help other victims of domestic abuse.

“Running helped me cope” after escaping the marriage in 2010, says Gray, whose ex often scoffed at her dream of running marathons. Plopped down on a curb after her first marathon—in North Carolina, 2012— Gray gushed tears, her path from victim to survivor complete.

“I realized,” she says, “if I could do this, who else can I help, to not only motivate them to run their first race, but to know that there’s light and happiness and peace after a violent relationship.”

Gray launched Marathons Against Domestic Violence with a goal of running a marathon in every state, drawing attention to intimatepartner violence nationwide. One in three women and one in four men will be victims of domestic violence, she says.

To date, Gray has completed marathons in 26 states, plus 36 half marathons, dedicating each race to a victim, a survivor or an advocate. Her story impressed judges in last year’s Runner’s World cover search contest and earned a spot in the magazine’s December issue.

After her 50th state marathon—planned for Colorado, 2018—Gray intends to keep running and speaking out to encourage victims to get help and “to want a better life for themselves.”

“I would not be here today and have this beautiful life I have,” she says, “if it wasn’t for the courage to take those first steps.”

—DIANE VETO PARHAM

GET MORE Learn more about

Elizabeth Gray’s quest at her Marathons Against Domestic Violence page, facebook.com/RunningForAwareness.

FEBRUARY 2017 | SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING

17

SCTravels

BY RENATA PARKER

Take a spin through Greenville RANKED BY FORBES AS ONE OF

GetThere Greenville Glides is located at 233 North Main St., in the heart of downtown.

HOURS: The popular 90-minute tours of West End and Falls Park depart at 9 a.m., 11 a.m., 1 p.m., 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. daily. Tours can be booked in advance at greenvillesegwaytours.com, and guests are required to check in 30 minutes prior to their scheduled time.

PRICE: $60 per person for West End and Falls Park Segway tours.

DETAILS: Call (864) 214-0119 or visit greenvillesegwaytours.com.

18

SERGIO LOAIZA

“America’s Ten Best,” Green­ville’s spectacular downtown is full of history, public art, restaurants and shops. While it’s a walkable city, exploring it by Segway is one of the best ways to see the sights.

Greenville Glides offers guided tours using the self-­balancing, two-wheeled scooters as a novel means of transportation. Learning how to ride a Segway— no previous experience required—is part of the fun and surprisingly easy.

“It’s the same idea as skiing,” says John Vaughn, a native of Greenville and my guide. “You want to remain loose from the waist down.”

To stay in balance mode, you have to lean forward slightly, which takes a little courage. Shifting between your heels and toes is the secret to controlling speed. With knees bent, pulling back slows the Segway to a stop, and leaning left and right controls turning.

To gauge each rider’s skill and confidence, Vaughn requires a few test laps before the tour. After watching a required safety video, strapping on a

LET’S RIDE Travon Banks, a guide with Greenville Glides, leads the way on a Segway tour of downtown, Falls Park and Greenville’s West End.

helmet and getting a final bit of coaching on sidewalk etiquette, we’re off.

Vaughn and other guides infuse each 90-minute tour of West End and Falls River with local history and stops at various monuments and art installations. Gliding down the tree-lined sidewalks, we receive smiles and friendly waves along the way. The Segway has a small footprint, about shoulder width, which makes it easy to navigate around pedestrians, through doorways and down paths, and on one of our first stops, we ride right up to Il Porcellino, a replica of the famous 17th-century fountain in Florence, Italy.

After stops that include the historic 1925 Poinsett Hotel—named for Joel Poinsett, a U.S. ambassador to Mexico who was first to bring the poinsettia to the United States—we cross the Reedy River Bridge to explore old textile mills transformed into retail shops, restaurants and artists’ galleries.

Spinning toward the West End, we glide around Fluor Field, home to the Greenville Drive, a Class A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox. A must-see attraction on this portion of the tour is the bronze statue of local hero and

SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING | FEBRUARY 2017 | SCLIVING.COOP

baseball legend Shoeless Joe Jackson.

Then we pick up speed—Segways top out at 12 miles per hour—as we begin the return leg, rolling behind West End Market for a peek at a 12-foot, red, translucent sculpture created by world-renowned glass artist Dale Chihuly, before vectoring back toward Main Street.

By now, I’m feeling confident enough in my Segway-handling skills to carefully navigate around groups of young children searching for the nine bronze mice hiding throughout downtown. A public art installation, Mice on Main was created to encourage exploration of downtown, and Vaughn often challenges his guests to see how many they can spot. The mobility of the Segway makes mouse hunting a cinch, and it helps that my guide knows every location by heart.

“That one is the most difficult one to find,” he says, pointing to a bronze mouse tucked in its hiding place.

While you won’t burn many calories exploring Greenville by Segway, you will burn through close to 250 years of fascinating history and get a great orientation to the city.

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19

SCGardener

BY AMY L. DABBS

Growing microgreens at home the trendiest vegetables to emerge from the farm-to-table movement. Called “vegetable confetti,” microgreens often garnish plates at upscale restaurants that feature local ingredients. Since microgreens are easy to grow, home gourmands can save money and impress dinner guests by growing their own.

The word “microgreen” is a market­ ing term for small, leafy vegetables harvested just as true leaves begin to form. Typically, this is while they are 1 to 3 inches tall, often within 14 days of germination. Virtually any edible crop can be grown as a microgreen, including cabbage, kale, Swiss chard, arugula, carrots, basil, chives, peas, popcorn, broccoli, onions, buckwheat, lemongrass, watercress and nasturtiums.

With higher levels of vitamins C and E and carotenoids than their full-grown counterparts, tender microgreens boost nutrition and flavor in everyday meals. They add color, texture and flavor to salads. Spicy arugula or nasturtium greens liven up sandwiches and wraps. Sweet pea tendrils and shoots, like their pods, are delicious fresh, steamed or stir-fried.

Kale and spinach sprouts swirled into smoothies provide an extra serving of vegetables.

You can buy prepackaged microgreen seed mixes with combinations that have similar germination rates, so your greens can be harvested at the same time. Often, they’re grouped by flavor profile, such as spicy, mild or colorful.

MICROGREENS ARE AMONG

20

PHOTOS BY AMY DABBS

You don’t have to wait until the harvested kernels pop to enjoy popcorn. Young popcorn shoots taste surprisingly sweet.

Any container 1 H to 2 inches deep with drainage holes is ideal to grow microgreens like peas (above) or a mix of greens that grow at a similar rate.

I tried a mix of beets, red cabbage, Asian cabbage, kohlrabi and Swiss chard. Lettuces are not typically included, since they tend to wilt quickly.

To start growing your own microgreens, fill shallow seed-starting trays with moistened, soilless seed-starting mix or commercially available potting soil. Any container with drainage holes that is at least 1½ to 2 inches deep will work for growing microgreens. For the safest edible greens, avoid garden soil, manure or compost, which may harbor bacteria.

When sowing crops with small seeds, such as cabbage, kale and carrots, spread them densely over the surface of the soil. Lightly press seeds into the soil, but do not cover them.

Large seeds with hard seed coats, such as peas, popcorn and nasturtiums, germinate best when soaked for about eight hours in warm water. Spread thickly over the soil, and add just enough soil to cover the large pea and nasturtium seeds.

After sowing seeds, cover trays with clear, plastic mini-greenhouse covers or plastic wrap to create a warm, moist environment. A spray bottle or mister comes in handy to keep sprouting greens well watered. Place the trays under a grow light or adjustable light source. A simple fluorescent light will suffice, but keep the light around

SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING | FEBRUARY 2017 | SCLIVING.COOP

four inches above the new sprouts to guard against leggy seedlings.

To harvest, snip plants just above the soil line with scissors when greens reach the desired size. Store in a clean, plastic bag in the refrigerator, but don’t wash them until you are ready to use them.

The most interesting microgreens I’ve grown are popcorn shoots. They’re popular in upscale restaurants, prized for their sweet flavor. Popcorn shoots are produced using a horticultural technique called blanching—the same technique used to produce endive and white asparagus. Basically, it means growing vegetables without light, causing them to cease chlorophyll production and turn white or very pale green.

I tried popcorn cultivars (Zea mays) Dakota Black and Robust Pop 400MR. After sowing them, I covered the entire tray with another inverted black plastic tray to blanch them. Nearly a week later, thin, pale shoots emerged.

Describing them as sweet is almost an understatement! Try these sprouts to accent flavor in foods like corn chowder and corn soup. is an area horticulture agent for Clemson Extension based in Charleston County. Contact her at adabbs@clemson.edu.

AMY L. DABBS

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SCLIVING.COOP | FEBRUARY 2017 | SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING

21

Recipe

BY BELINDA SMITH-SULLIVAN

Some like it

Nothing turns up he the at in a dish like chili peppers. much Depending on how burn, e th el fe you want to like s, er pp pe er try mild ur way up poblanos, or inch yo s and Thai no to jalapenos, serra the kick, t fse of peppers. To hes. And dis e sid r te serve swee rning, if your mouth is bu milk of ss reach for a gla rt— gu yo in or some pla ll wi r te wa ing drink only intensify the spiciness.

PIRI PIRI CHICKEN

MAKES 24

SERVES 4–6

1 pound bulk chorizo sausage (or your preferred sausage) 1 teaspoon minced garlic 1 H cups shredded four-cheese blend H teaspoon ground cumin H teaspoon ground oregano Pinch crushed red pepper 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro or parsley H teaspoon lime zest Kosher salt (optional) 12 large jalapeno peppers, halved, seeds removed Sour cream or yogurt (optional)

1 chicken, halved or butterflied (backbone removed and pressed flat) Kosher salt Freshly ground black pepper

Preheat broiler. Position rack in middle of oven. Line a rimmed baking pan with foil.

In a medium skillet over medium heat, cook sausage until brown, breaking into small pieces. Add garlic, and cook an additional minute. Drain on a paper-towel-lined platter, and cool. In a medium bowl, mix together cooled sausage, cheese, cumin, oregano, crushed red pepper, cilantro and lime zest.

Add salt, if desired, to taste.

Fill each jalapeno half with about 2 teaspoons of the sausage filling. Place stuffed jalapenos on prepared baking sheet, and place under the broiler for 8 minutes, or until peppers are browned and cheese is melted. Watch closely to prevent burning. Allow to cool slightly. Serve with sour cream or yogurt.

22

GINA MOORE

KAREN HERMANN

SAUSAGE-STUFFED JALAPENO POPPERS

H cup piri piri sauce, store-bought or homemade 1 teaspoon grated ginger 3 scallions, sliced Juice of H lemon

Season chicken with salt and pepper. Brush with half of the piri piri sauce. Sprinkle with ginger, scallions and lemon juice. Place in a sealed plastic bag, and let marinate in the refrigerator overnight or at least 4 hours.

On an outdoor grill or in a roasting pan under your oven’s broiler, cook chicken until temperature reads 180 degrees in the thigh and 165 degrees in the breast (about 40–45 minutes). As chicken cooks, turn occasionally, and baste with remaining sauce.

Remove chicken from grill or roasting pan, and tent with foil. Allow to rest for 15 minutes before serving.

PIRI PIRI SAUCE

2 tablespoons dried Thai chili peppers G cup cider vinegar 5 cloves garlic 1 teaspoon smoked paprika (or ½ teaspoon cayenne for extra heat)

H teaspoon kosher salt 1 tablespoon chopped parsley (optional) G cup olive oil

Mix all ingredients except oil in a food processor until smooth. (Parsley is optional; using it will result in a greenish-colored sauce.) Once sauce begins to get smooth, drizzle in oil slowly while machine is running. Once all is incorporated, put sauce in a glass jar, and let stand at room temperature for up to a day. For longer storage, seal in a jar, and keep in the refrigerator up to a month.

SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING | FEBRUARY 2017 | SCLIVING.COOP

FIERY CAJUN SHRIMP SERVES 4

In a 13-inch-by-9-inch baking dish, combine oil, garlic, seasoning, lemon juice, honey, soy sauce and crushed red pepper. Add shrimp, and toss to coat. Refrigerate at least 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 400 F. Bake until shrimp are cooked to opaque, about 8–10 minutes. * You may substitute olive oil; the flavor of the dish will be slightly different.

GINA MOORE

H cup walnut oil or grapeseed oil* 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 tablespoons Cajun, creole or blackened seasoning 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 1 tablespoon honey 1 tablespoon soy sauce H teaspoon crushed red pepper or chipotle pepper 1 pound shrimp, shelled and deveined, tails on Lemon wedges, for garnish

SPICED-UP CHUNKY CHILI SERVES 6–8

1 red bell pepper 3 poblano chilies 1 H tablespoons canola oil (more, if needed) 1 3- to 4-pound sirloin or chuck roast, trimmed and cut into 1-inch cubes 1 serrano pepper, minced (for milder, use jalapeno) 1 large yellow onion, diced 3 cloves garlic, minced 1 pound bulk hot Italian sausage WILLIAM P. EDWARDS

Keep a batch of spicy homemade piri piri oil on hand for sauteeing shrimp, tossing salads or dipping bread. Chef Belinda has the step-by-step instructions at

SCLiving.coop/food/chefbelinda

2 tablespoons all-purpose seasoning 1 H tablespoons chili powder 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1 10-ounce can diced tomatoes with green chilies 1 6-ounce can tomato paste 12 ounces beer (or beef stock) H cup beef stock 2 15.5-ounce cans chili beans, assorted (pinto, kidney or black) 1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced 1 cup shredded cheese

Set oven to broil. Place bell pepper and poblano chilies on a shallow, foil-lined pan under broiler, and turn them periodically until charred or black on all sides. Transfer to a bowl, and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Allow to cool completely. Remove skin by rubbing your fingers over skin, and remove seeds. Dice pepper and chilies.

In large stockpot over medium-high heat, heat canola oil. Brown beef chunks on all sides, working in batches, being careful not to overcrowd the pot. With a slotted spoon, remove beef chunks to another bowl, and keep warm.

In the same pot, add bell pepper, chilies, serrano pepper and onion, and cook until tender, about 7 minutes. Add garlic, and saute 1 minute longer. Make a hole in the center of the vegetables; add sausage, and brown. Add beef chunks back into the pot along with all-purpose seasoning, chili powder and cumin; stir and cook 1 minute. Add diced tomatoes and tomato paste; stir and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in beer and beef stock.

Lower heat, and simmer, partially covered, for 2 to 2½ hours, until meat is tender. Add beans, with their juices, 30 minutes before end of cooking time. Garnish with sliced green onions and cheese.

SCLIVING.COOP | FEBRUARY 2017 | SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING

23

BY DIANE VETO PARHAM

e d i s a h t Chicken wings wi of fun BEFORE WE GET TO THE REVOLU-

24

SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING | FEBRUARY 2017 | SCLIVING.COOP

ANDREW HAWORTH

tionary, secret-recipe, stuffed 2 Fat 2 Fly’s Wing City chicken wings, let’s talk about 905-A Bluff Road, Columbia Ramone and Corey, two life(803) 638-4411 long friends from Irmo whose 2f2fwingcity@gmail.com food-with-fun philosophy HOURS: Tuesday through elevates their 2 Fat 2 Fly resThursday, 5–9 p.m.; Friday and taurant beyond tasty wings.

Saturday, 5–10 p.m.

In equal parts, Ramone Dickerson, 36, and Corey Simmons, 32, are free-wheeling business partners and spontaneous comedy duo. Their joyful chemistry, 2 Fat 2 Fly owners Corey Simmons (left) and Ramone Dickerson serve up chicken wings with the right stuff. paired with those ingenious wings, Simmons reminisces, comparing 2 Fat’s cheese and jalapenos, then I’m in, is a magic formula that’s generated early days to their current status as a nationwide fan following for their every day of the week.” minor media celebrities. Their guest Columbia restaurant and food truck.

Next came the Mac & Cheese—their “It’s trippy, because there was a time spot on Cooking Channel’s Eat St. led top seller—followed by the Jambalaya to a one-season docuseries on Oprah when we couldn’t give these away,” (rice and smoked sausage), Chicken & Winfrey Network, where fans tuned in Waffle, and a rotating menu of 55 flato watch the trials and tribulations of vors. Their epic fail, Dickerson says, PIMIENTO CHEESE CREAMED COLLARDS the young food entrepreneurs. They’ve was the Thin Mint: “You should never SERVES 6–8 shared their wings on TV with Steve stuff a thin mint, as a life rule.”

6 cups collards, washed, rinsed and chopped Harvey and Whoopi Goldberg and, last In 2010, they took the wings on the 2 tablespoons butter December, were featured on the online road in a food truck they bought used ½ cup chopped onion tailgating show The Grill Iron. and “Frankensteined” into functioning ½ cup chicken stock Ten years ago, Dickerson and order, Simmons says.

Their tiny-but Fire-roasted red pepper pimiento cheese (recipe below) Simmons were buddies mapping out busy brick-and-mortar location opened Salt and pepper to taste career plans while working a variety near USC’s Williams-Brice Stadium Saute collards with butter and onion over medium-high of odd jobs. Then, they stumbled in 2015. heat until collards are bright green, about 3–4 minutes. upon a unique food concept.

Hoping for a return to TV and an Add chicken stock. Fold in prepared pimiento cheese.

What if, they reasoned, they could eventual move to a bigger restaurant Season to taste. take all the flavorings that make space, Dickerson and Simmons revel FIRE-ROASTED RED PEPPER PIMIENTO CHEESE chicken wings so messy but deliin creating fun food experiences for 1 red bell pepper customers and entertaining audiences cious and stuff them on the inside?

2 cups shredded, extra-sharp cheddar cheese in the cooking classes they teach to Dickerson, a self-taught chef who’s 8 ounces cream cheese, softened kids and low-income adults. been tinkering in the kitchen since age ½ cup mayonnaise “We see ourselves as just creative 9, figured it out (the “how” is a closely ¼ teaspoon garlic powder bodies, so we have fun with everyguarded secret) with a combo of jala 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce penos, bacon and cheddar. They called thing we do,” says Dickerson, who 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced it the Sucka Punch, and it was a hit served as one of the state’s 2016 Chef Salt and pepper to taste with the patrons they were cooking Ambassadors.

Roast red pepper over an open flame or under oven for at a Columbia watering hole.

“We put it on the menu that love broiler until blackened. Place in sealed plastic bag 5–7 minutes. Remove, and wipe off charred skin “We knew we had to rival someand hugs are definitely free,” Simmons with paper towel. Seed and dice the pepper. Mix all thing like the buffalo wing,” Dickerson says. “All you have to do is put it out remaining ingredients, then fold in chopped red pepper. there that you want one of those hugs, says. “If I want a spicy wing, and you and we’re coming around.” tell me it’s stuffed with bacon and

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SCLIVING.COOP | FEBRUARY 2017 | SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING

27

Calendar of Events

UPSTATE

FEBRUARY

14–17 • Bible Conference: The God of Hope, Bob Jones University, Greenville.

(800) 252-6363.

15–18 • “Kappa Kappa Scream,” Furman University, Greenville. (864) 294-2000.

15–19 • “Things Come Apart,” Upcountry History Museum, Greenville. (864) 467-3100.

16 • ArtWalk, Chapman Cultural Center, Spartanburg. (864) 542-2787.

16 • Project Host Community Dinner, Project Host, Greenville. (864) 282-1994.

16 • Winter Jam 2017, Bon Secours Wellness Arena, Greenville. (864) 241-3800.

17–26 • “Sister Act,” Greenwood Community Theatre, Greenwood. (864) 229-5704.

18 • Deep Winter Blues, Hagood Mill Historic Site and Folklife Center, Pickens. (864) 898-2936.

18 • Mission Backpack 5K, Swamp Rabbit Trail, Greenville. (864) 979-8476.

19 • ZZ Top, Peace Center, Greenville. (864) 467-3000.

21–23 • “Beautiful: The Carole King Musical,” Peace Center, Greenville. (864) 467-3000.

23 • An Evening with Robert Blocker, Peace Center, Greenville. (864) 467-3000.

23 • Visualizing Quantum Environments: Gallery Talk and Reception, Milliken Art Gallery, Spartanburg. (864) 596-9181.

24 • James Gregory: The Funniest Man in America!

Centre Stage Theatre, Greenville. (864) 233-6733.

24–28 • “Peter and the Starcatcher,” Greenville Little Theater, Greenville. (864) 233-6238.

25 • Cardboard Regatta, Westside Aquatic Complex, Greenville. (864) 679-7946.

25 • GHS Half Marathon and 5K, TD Stage at Peace Center, Greenville. (864) 420-5169.

25 • Good News Spectacular, TD Convention Center, Greenville. (864) 292-5842.

25 • Orishirishi: “A Little of This, A Little of That,” Woodruff City Hall, Woodruff. karyn@stonesoupsc.com.

26 • Winter Concert, Charles E. Daniel Chapel, Furman University, Greenville. (864) 467-3000.

28

27 • Lang Lang, Peace Center, Greenville. (864) 467-3000.

28 • “Abe Lincoln: The Power of Words” talk, Hughes Main Library, Greenville. (864) 244-1499.

MARCH

2 • Jubilate! Founder’s Memorial Amphitorium, Bob Jones University, Greenville. (800) 252-6363.

3 • Amos Lee, Peace Center, Greenville. (864) 467-3000.

3 • First Fridays, Metropolitan Arts Council, Greenville.

(864) 467-3132.

3–5 • Southern Home and Garden Show, TD Convention Center, Greenville. (864) 254-0135.

4 • Cape-Ability Walk & Roll, Furman University, Greenville. (864) 679-0220.

4–5 • Musical Desserts and Magic, Peace Center, Greenville. (864) 467-3000.

9 • Movers and Shakers Networking Event, The Bleckley Inn, Anderson. (864) 226-3454.

9 • Rickie Lee Jones and Madeleine Peyroux, Peace Center, Greenville. (864) 467-3000.

11 • Cars and Coffee of Easley, Robinson Funeral Home parking lot, Easley. (864) 859-2693.

11 • Milos: Bach to Beatles, Peace Center, Greenville. (864) 467-3000.

11 • Heartstrings at Hagood Mill, Hagood Mill Historic Site and Folklife Center, Pickens. (864) 898-2936.

12 • St. Patrick’s Day Parade, Main Street, Greenville. (864) 884-3816.

12 • “Taj Express: The Bollywood Musical Revue,” Peace Center, Greenville. (864) 467-3000.

13 • Makers Monday Community Dinner, Swamp Rabbit Cafe and Grocery, Greenville. (864) 255-3385.

ONGOING

Daily through Sept. 10 • “Wyeth Dynasty,” Greenville County Museum of Art, Greenville. (864) 271-7570.

Sundays • Say What Open Mic, Coffee Underground, Greenville. (864) 298-0494.

Tuesdays • Greenville Downtown Line Dance, Sears Rec Center, Greenville. (864) 467-6667.

Tuesdays • Tell Me About It Tuesdays, Greenville Zoo, Greenville. (864) 467-4300.

Wednesdays • Wild for Reading Wednesdays, Greenville Zoo, Greenville. (864) 467-4300.

Go to SCLiving.coop for more information and for guidelines on submitting your event. Please confirm information before attending events.

Thursdays • Learning Safari Thursdays, Greenville Zoo, Greenville. (864) 467-4300.

Saturdays and Sundays • Historic Building Tours, Oconee Station State Historic Site, Walhalla. (864) 638-0079.

MIDLANDS FEBRUARY

15 • Civil War Battle Anniversary Guided Walking Tour, Cayce Tennis Center, Cayce. (803) 765-2200.

16 • Women of Influence Dinner, Capital City Club, Columbia. (803) 331-9960.

18 • Dutch Fork Choral Society Fundraiser, Our Lady of the Lakes Catholic Church, Chapin. (803) 318-0488.

18 • Southern Sound Series: The Suffers, McCelvey Center, York. (803) 909-7244.

18 • World Beer Festival, South Carolina State Fairgrounds, Columbia. info@allaboutbeer.com.

19 • Dailey & Vincent, Newberry Opera House, Newberry. (803) 276-6264.

21–22 • Tommy Emmanuel, Newberry Opera House, Newberry. (803) 276-6264.

23 • Puccini’s “Turandot,” Newberry Opera House, Newberry. (803) 276-6264.

25–26 • Battle of Aiken, 1210 Powell Pond Road, Aiken. boachairman@battleofaiken.org.

25 • Joy of Gardening Symposium, Baxter M. Hood Center at York Technical College, Rock Hill. (803) 367-6427.

25 • Junior Chamber Oyster Roast, Cypress Center, Manning. (803) 435-4405.

25 • Lexington’s Race Against Hunger, Saxe Gotha Presbyterian Church, Lexington. (803) 261-8240.

25 • One-Stop Shop Hop for Quilters, USC–Lancaster Bradley Arts and Sciences Building, Lancaster. (704) 575-0640.

MARCH

2 • First Thursday on Main, City Center, Columbia. info@ firstthursdayonmain.com.

SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING | FEBRUARY 2017 | SCLIVING.COOP

3 • Craftsmen’s Spring Classic Art and Craft Festival, Cantey and Goodman Buildings, S.C. State Fairgrounds, Columbia. (336) 282-5550.

3–5 • “Seussical Jr.,” McCelvey Center, York. (704) 488-6703.

4–5, 7, 9–10 • Joye in Aiken, various venues, Aiken. (803) 226-0016.

5 • Run Hard Marathon/ Half-Marathon/5K, South Carolina State House, Columbia. (803) 414-9508.

7–8 • “Cinderella,” Koger Center for the Arts, Columbia. (803) 251-2222.

10 • Newsboys, Township Auditorium, Columbia.

(803) 576-2350.

10 • Southern Sound Series: Steep Canyon Rangers, McCelvey Center, York. (803) 909-7244.

10 • The Gothard Sisters, Sumter Opera House, Sumter. (803) 436-2616.

10 • Troker, Harbison Theatre, Irmo. (803) 407-5011.

11 • Amos Lee, Township Auditorium, Columbia.

(803) 576-2356.

11 • Harry Potter Science Saturday, Museum of York County, York. (803) 909-7244.

11 • S.C. Philharmonic’s “Beethoven and Blue Jeans,” Koger Center for the Arts, Columbia. (803) 254-7445.

12 • Lake Murray Symphony Orchestra’s “Beethoven and Broadway,” Harbison Theatre, Irmo. (803) 407-5011.

14 • Joel Sartore: Building the Photo Ark, Harbison Theatre, Irmo. (803) 407-5011.

ONGOING

Daily through Feb. 26 • “Wild Fabrications” and “Nature’s Tapestries” quilt shows, Museum of York County, Rock Hill. (803) 329-2121.

Daily through March 3 • “Women ... The Real Heroes” pop art exhibit, Fine Arts Center of Kershaw County, Camden.

(803) 425-7676, ext. 300.

Daily through March 26 • “Our Feathered Friends,” Museum of York County, Rock Hill. (803) 329-2121.

Daily through April 9 • “South Carolina and the Great War,” South Carolina State Museum, Columbia. (803) 898-4921.

Daily through April 9 • “Birds in Art,” Museum of York County, Rock Hill. (803) 329-2121.

Daily through Sept. 4 • “Savage Ancient Seas,” South Carolina State Museum, Columbia. (803) 898-4921.

Saturdays in February •

By Way of the Back Door, Historic Brattonsville, McConnells. (803) 909-7244.

Saturdays • Soda City Market, 1500 block of Main Street, Columbia. (803) 269-3241.

LOWCOUNTRY FEBRUARY

15–19 • Beaufort International Film Festival, USC–Beaufort Center for the Arts, Beaufort. (843) 522-3196.

17–19 • Southeastern Wildlife Exposition, various venues, Charleston. (843) 723-1748.

18 • Oyster Roast, Diocese of Charleston Pastoral Center, Charleston. (843) 531-5540.

19 • Chef’s Feast, Lowcountry Food Bank, Charleston.

(843) 747-8146, ext. 162.

20–24 • Hilton Head Island Seafood Festival, Hudson’s Seafood House on the Docks, Hilton Head Island. (843) 304-2878.

20 • Photography on the Wild Side, Center for Birds of Prey, Awendaw. (843) 971-7474.

20 • Regina Carter, violinist, Turtle Point Clubhouse, Kiawah Island. (843) 766-8814.

21–22 • “Once, the Musical,” North Charleston Performing Arts Center, North Charleston. (843) 529-5007.

24 • Joe Bonamassa, Charleston Gaillard Center, Charleston. (843) 242-3099.

24–25 • Quilt Gala, Ocean Lakes Family Campground Recreation Center, Myrtle Beach. (843) 915-5320.

25 • Georgetown Five Rivers Chapter National Wild Turkey Federation Banquet, Marshall’s Marine, Georgetown. (843) 485-6417.

25 • Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Charleston Music Hall, Charleston. (843) 853-2252.

25 • The Chocolate Affair, Memminger Auditorium, Charleston. (843) 740-6793.

MARCH

1–5 • Charleston Wine + Food Festival, Marion Square, Charleston. (843) 727-9998.

2–4 • Myrtle Beach Marathon, Myrtle Beach Sports Center, Myrtle Beach. info@mbmarathon.com.

3 • “Art of Design” featuring Vern Yip, Gibbes Museum of Art and Redux Contemporary Art Center, Charleston. (843) 722-2706.

4 • Front Beach Fest, Front Beach, Isle of Palms. (843) 886-8294.

4 • Where the Wild Things Run 5K, Caw Caw Interpretive Center, Ravenel. (843) 795-4386.

9–11 • National Shag Dance Championships, OD Beach and Golf Resort, North Myrtle Beach. (800) 438-9590.

10 • Norah Jones, North Charleston Performing Arts Center, North Charleston. (843) 529-5000.

11 • Hilton Head Island Wine and Food Festival, Harbor Town Yacht Basin, Hilton Head Island. (843) 686-4944.

11–12 • Skirmish of Gamble’s Hotel Civil War Reenactment, The Columns, Florence. (843) 667-1705.

11 • St. Paddy’s Pawlooza, North Charleston Wannamaker County Park, North Charleston. (843) 795-4386.

11 • St. Patrick’s Day Block Party, Old Village, North Charleston. (843) 740-5854.

11 • St. Patrick’s Day Parade & Festival, Main Street, North Myrtle Beach. (843) 280-5570.

12 • Amos Lee, North Charleston Performing Arts Center, North Charleston. (843) 529-5000.

ONGOING

Daily during February • Hilton Head Island Gullah Celebration, various venues, Hilton Head Island. (843) 255-7304.

Daily • “History, Labor, Life: The Prints of Jacob Lawrence,” Gibbes Museum of Art, Charleston. (843) 722-2706.

Mondays–Thursdays, through March 12 • “The Way We Worked,” Dorchester County Archives and History Center, St. George. (843) 563-0053.

Tuesdays–Saturdays, through Feb. 24 • “Addicted to Love,” 34 West Theatre, Charleston. (843) 901-9343.

SCHumorMe

BY JAN A. IGOE

Gone glamping WHEN MY KIDS WERE YOUNG, some idiot introduced them to camping.

They were still at that adorable stage where they loved hiding caterpillars in the toaster oven to see how loud I could scream. Not surprisingly, sleeping on dirt and peeing behind a bush were right up their alley. That’s never been my thing, but, as a mom, I was legally bound to participate peacefully in family camping expeditions.

We’d spend five hours stuffing our SUV full of equipment (aka junk) that was perfectly happy hibernating in the garage—just to drag it to some uncivilized outpost completely unknown to our GPS. That’s where we’d pitch our magic tent, which had the power to attract thunderstorms.

There should have been a better way to meet nature halfway, and now there is. The rich and famous don’t camp. They glamp! Glamping has Oprah’s blessing, so it’s got to be good.

She even invited Michelle Obama to tag along.

“Glamorous camping” is what you’d get if Conrad Hilton took over KOA Campgrounds. It’s for those who believe being outdoors is no reason to sacrifice room service. Think gourmet cuisine, hot tubs and queen-size Posturepedics in some of the world’s most gorgeous settings. If you see a bug, you can call someone to swat it.

The accommodations are unlimited, whether you want to experience the wild from a 1,000-square-foot tree house or a Zen tepee. You’re welcome to glamp on Ted Turner’s private island off the Carolina coast for $1,000 a night (or $1,750 with a private chef).

Tip: Oprah’s idea of disposable income may differ slightly from yours.

Personally, I want to glamp in a yurt, because the word cracks me up.

A yurt, for anyone who’s behind on

30

Mongolian culture, is a huge, circular, tent-like structure, popular with nomads a few centuries ago. They’ve jazzed them up, of course, but a yurt is still a goofy-looking tent.

Yurt, tepee or igloo, I want to go wherever Oprah and Michelle are going. I’m pretty sure they have people to deal with anything that slithers, stings or bites. We wouldn’t have to worry about falling off a cliff or being mugged by a hungry bear. Not with their security detail. That grizzly would be on his way to Guantanamo so fast … We’re talking glamping at its finest.

I’m not sure how many Secret Service people it takes to protect Michelle, but it took quite a few to guard a drum set. When John Kennedy Jr. was a teen, my dad was his drum teacher. Really, no kidding.

The FBI investigated our whole

SOUTH CAROLINA LIVING | FEBRUARY 2017 | SCLIVING.COOP

family to be sure none of us were grudge-holding Republicans. Every week, before my dad’s lesson, black limos with opaque windows would block access to the city street, snarling traffic. Then, a small army of Dick Tracy look-alikes in high-collared trench coats and Ray-Bans swarmed Dad’s building to check for dangerous stuff, like bears. When John arrived, they’d retreat to the shadows.

So, wherever Oprah and Michelle glamp, that’s where I want to be. We’ll have nature without the nuisance.

Mosquitoes will be shot on sight.

Snakes will be halted mid-slither. And, if we get bored, let’s hope one of the agents can play drums. may become a frequent glamper. If it’s good for Oprah, it’s good for humanity. Write her at HumorMe@SCLiving.coop.

JAN IGOE

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