Newly Released Cookbook Features Distinctly Charleston Recipes

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For decades Southern cooks – both professional and amateur – have relied on recipes from the “Charleston Receipts” cookbook. It has been a staple in many a kitchen cookbook collection. Now, The Junior League of Charleston has republished a little red cookbook called “Charleston Recipes.” First published in 1949, it pre-dates the famed “Charleston Receipts.”

Virtually lost for decades, “Charleston Recipes” was recently rediscovered in an attic by Josephine Humphreys, a former Junior League member and daughter of the original editor Martha Lynch Humphreys.

“Only one year separates the two cookbooks (Recipes and Receipts), but they can almost be seen as representing different decades,” writes Humphreys in her introduction. “The 1949 book seems spare and frugal, still in the shadow of the depression and wartime privations, while the 1950 book is exuberant, celebratory, even sometimes downright lavish. And yet there are tempting and delightful recipes to be found only in the red book.”

Below are two recipes featured in “Charleston Recipes”:

Crab Pie

  • 1 lb. crab meat (claw meat is suitable)
  • 3 or 4 mashed, hard boiled eggs
  • Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper to taste
  • Mayonnaise or salad dressing
  • ½ of small box of saltine crackers

Add cracker crumbs to crab and egg mixture, then add salt, pepper and Worcestershire sauce to taste. Add lots of salad dressing or mayonnaise to make it very moist. Bake in hot oven until brown.

~ Elizabeth Matthew

 

German Coffee Cake

  • 1 kitchen spoon of butter
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 grated rind of lemon
  • 2 eggs well beaten
  • 2 cups plain flour
  • 2 rounded teaspoons of baking flour
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup milk

Cream butter and sugar well. Add lemon rind and milk, then flour and baking powder. Spread on biscuit pan. Brush top with butter then sprinkle with cinnamon. (Chopped nuts may be added or sliced apples.) Bake in a moderate over 15 to 20 minutes.

~ Mary Huguenin Bailey

 

“Charleston Receipts,” the nation’s oldest Junior League cookbook in continuous print, has sold more than one million copies in the last 65 years. Purchase it and the newly released “Charleston Recipes” at jlcharleston.org/boutique.

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Choosing a hotel and where to stay in Charleston all depends on your budget and goals. Do you want to stay Downtown, at the beach or in the outer areas such as North Charleston where you have to drive to get everywhere? For more help on deciding: https://travelerofcharleston.com/articles/hotels/

Charleston has 3 main public beaches which are: Folly, Isle of Palms and Sullivans. Each beach has it’s own atmosphere. The most common beach that people visit is Folly Beach and then Isle of Palms followed by Sullivans Island. For more info on Charleston’s beaches visit: https://travelerofcharleston.com/guide-charlestons-beaches/

Charleston, SC is full of historical things to do. Everything from museums, to public sites and free landmark sites such as Rainbow Row and the Battery can be seen. For more info on Charleston’s top historical sites visit: https://travelerofcharleston.com/places-to-learn-about-charleston-sc-history/

There are many things that will keep the kids and family entertained and educated in Charleston. There are historic sites such as Fort Sumter, a Children’s Museum, Aquarium and the USS Yorktown…a WWII era aircraft carrier you can tour. For more info visit: https://travelerofcharleston.com/charleston-family-fun-activities/

There’s so many  things you could do in Charleston it can be overwhelming. We recommend that first time visitors, checkout the ultimate first-time visitor guide here: https://travelerofcharleston.com/charleston-first-time-visitors-guide/

Spring in Charleston, SC is an amazing time of year to visit. The flowers are blooming and the weather is mild and sunny. For more info, check-out our spring guide to Charleston here: https://travelerofcharleston.com/the-ultimate-guide-to-springtime-in-charleston/

Summer in Charleston is a great time to visit. There’s plenty of things to keep you busy and visiting the beach will probably….or should be on your short-list. Also water-based activities and tours are popular. Checkout this summer guide to Charleston for more info: 

Our 10 Favorite Summer Activities in Charleston

Fall is one of the best times to visit. The weather cools down a bit and the skies are typically blue and clear. In addition there are many great events, festivals and the large crowds of summer have gone back to school or work. For more info on visiting in the fall, checkout this article: https://travelerofcharleston.com/charleston-12-things-to-do-fall/

There are so many great things to do that it’s difficult to narrow the list down. This article does a great job with figuring out the must do things to do in Charleston

7 Can’t Miss Reasons to Visit Charleston, SC Now

The consensus is a minimum of 3-days is needed to settle in and experience Charleston. For instance, many people take 2 days exploring downtown and another day visiting sites outside of downtown such as the plantations, Angel Oak Tree or beaches. Checkout this page for a list of tours and attractions: 

Charleston’s Top Tours & Attractions | Things to do

Downtown Charleston was made for walking and for sure one of the best way to soak up and experience the history first-hand. This article goes over getting around Charleston with and without a car as well: 

Getting Around Charleston, SC

We’re of course partial to Charleston, but here’s the truth. There are many similarities however there are some differences in our opinion: 

  • Both cities are historic and beautiful. 
  • Both cities are extremely walkable. Savannah, with it’s park-like squares maybe more walkable than Charleston. 
  • Charleston has a more established and food scene with many more options. 
  • Charleston has better hotels and shopping.
  • Both cities have equally good tours.
  • Charleston has better beach options. Savannah has Tybee which is great, however it’s 1 beach vibe versus Charleston which has 3 beaches with different vibes. Checkout this Charleston beach guide article: https://travelerofcharleston.com/guide-charlestons-beaches/
  • In Savannah you can walk with alcoholic beverages on the street. This is not allowed in Charleston. This can be good or bad depending on your stance. 
  • Savannah is more affordable.
  • TourPass offers all-inclusive passes in both cities: https://tourpass.com

There are always great and world-class events happening in Charleston. For a calendar of events and things to do in Charleston, checkout our online calendar of events: https://travelerofcharleston.com/events/

Of course there are free money-saving coupons that you can use. Visit the coupons page for a bunch of ways to save: https://travelerofcharleston.com/coupon/

Charleston has some fantastic can’t miss tours such as Fort Sumter, carriage, ghost, harbor, historic and culinary tours. For a full list with more info visit: https://travelerofcharleston.com/attractions/

Checkout the Charleston Relocation Guide page which will guide you during your move: https://travelerofcharleston.com/charleston-sc-relocation-guide/

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