Low Country Menus
The Beaufort Low Country French Menu
A coastal Carolina tasting menu honoring Beaufort’s French beginnings, the tidal creeks, old rice culture, local shellfish, summer tomatoes, peaches, Sea Island field peas, benne, country ham, and a quiet thread of New Orleans.
This menu is refined but rooted, elegant enough for wine pairings, but still carrying the smoke, butter, brine and field-to-table character of the Low Country.
Suggested format: plated tasting menu or four course dinner.
Estimated food range: approximately $150pp, depending on seafood, meat selection, staffing model and sourcing.
Canapés
“Huîtres de Marée”
Chilled Low Country oysters with Champagne mignonette, green tomato brunoise, pickled shallot and cracked black pepper.
“Crevette Rémoulade”
Wild Carolina shrimp with celery leaf, lemon garni and light sauce rémoulade on crisp Carolina rice croustade.
“Pâte à Choux au Crabe”
Five pepper choux filled with warm blue crab, Brie, chives and a touch of Carolina honey.
“Tartelette de Tomate du Sud”
A small warm Southern tomato pie tartlet with summer tomato, aged cheddar, fines herbes, buttermilk custard and benne crumb.
“Amuse de Poitrine de Porc”
A small taste of hickory smoked pork belly over stone ground red corn grits with Creole mustard butter, charred scallion and hot pepper vinegar.
First Course
“Tomates du Pays avec Pêche”
Low Country tomato and peach salad with whipped buttermilk, pickled shallots, basil, benne seed, watermelon rind pickle and Bodega sherry vinaigrette.
Optional Raw Course
Ideal for warmer weather.
“Aguachile de Thon Bleu”
Fresh bluefin tuna with Florida avocado, cucumber, serrano, cilantro, lime, sea salt and a bright green aguachile.
Second Course
“Bisque de Crabe de Beaufort”
A refined she-crab style bisque with lump blue crab, dry sherry, Carolina Gold rice middlins crackle and chervil oil.
Third Course
“Truite de Mer au Beurre Noisette”
Pan roasted speckled seatrout with brown butter, lemon, capers, sweet corn purée, fresh butter beans, fried okra and herb salad.
Fourth Course
“Caille ou Canard à la Créole”
Crispy fried quail or farm duck breast on red Charleston rice with Sea Island red peas, smoked tasso gravy, pearl onion and wilted mustard greens.
Fifth Course
“Filet de Boeuf ou Sanglier”
Beef tenderloin with red wine demi-glace, Vidalia onion soubise, red potato pavé, pickled green tomato and collard green jus.
Upon occasion, personally harvested wild boar or venison may be substituted here.
Dessert
“Panna Cotta au Sucre Brûlé”
Burnt sugar buttermilk panna cotta with bourbon peaches, cane syrup caramel and a thin candied benne wafer.
– OR –
“Tarte au Babeurre et Agrumes”
A small buttermilk chess tart with citrus curd, toasted meringue, pecan croquant and light rum caramel.
– OR –
“Crème aux Agrumes et Ananas”
Citrus and pineapple curds with toasted meringue, buttermilk cream, pecan croquant and a light rum caramel.
Carolina Tidal-Creol Supper
Suggested format: plated, family-style, or hybrid.
Estimated food range: approximately $115 to $140 per guest, depending on seafood, meat selection, service format and course count.
Passed Appetizers
Fried green tomato croustades with crab boil aioli, blistered local piperade and celery leaf.
Lemony Spanish mackerel rillettes with chives and horseradish cream on toasted brioche.
Warm cornmeal and spiny lobster madeleines with whipped sorghum butter and red sea salt.
Small buttermilk biscuits with shaved country ham, fig or muscadine preserve and peppery greens.
Warm tomato pie tartlets with summer tomato, cheddar, herbs, buttermilk custard and benne crumb.
First Course
“Poisson Plat de Caroline”
Lightly cured local flounder with cucumber-radish insalata, sliced chile, pickled green tomato and buttered fine herbs fumet.
Optional Chilled Course
Ideal for warmer weather.
“Coupe de Tomates avec Ceviche de Wahoo”
A chilled Low Country tomato coupe filled with wahoo ceviche, Florida avocado, Key lime cucumber, Bermuda onion, cilantro aioli and a touch of Carolina Reaper.
Second Course
“Gumbo Français”
A dark roux seafood gumbo with Carolina shrimp, blue crab, okra, smoked sausage, Carolina Gold rice dumpling and scalliofn.
Third Course
“Coryphène Grillée, Sauce Meunière au Citron”
Grilled dorado with sauce meunière, fresh Low Country tomatoes, sweet corn, basil, butter beans and crispy shallots.
Fourth Course
“Crevettes et Riz d’Or
Wild shrimp over creamy Carolina Gold rice middlins with white wine, garlic, tomato concassé, butter, fresh cayenne and herbs.
Fifth Course
“Côte de Porc à la Pêche”
Thick cut Southern pork rib roast with peach mostarda, braised collards, sweet potato gratin and smoked ham jus.
Alternative Mains…
“Poisson Rouge ou Truite de Mer”
Local saltwater catch, such as redfish or speckled seatrout, with crawfish butter, leeks, wild mushrooms and herb roasted marble red potatoes.
“Poulet Frit à l’Andouille”
Boneless fried chicken and seared andouille over yellow corn grits with tarragon Béarnaise, braised Savoy, and pickled pepper relish.
“Canard, Riz Rouge et Pois de Mer”
Seared farm duck breast with red Charleston rice, Sea Island red peas, charred onion, greens and a cane syrup vinegar glaze.
Desserts
“Gâteau de Maïs aux Fraises Macérées”
Warm cornmeal cake with macerated strawberries, buttermilk cream, pecan praline and bourbon caramel.
-OR-
“Crème Brûlée au Babeurre”
Buttermilk crème brûlée beneath a deep burnt sugar shell with roasted Carolina peaches and a small pecan crisp.
-OR-
“Pudding à la Banane Façon Charleston, Touche Anglaise”
Uptown banana pudding with vanilla bean custard, soft sponge, caramelized banana, wafer crumble and bourbon sticky toffee.
-OR-
“Tarte aux Échecs du Sud”
Southern chess pie with citrus, buttermilk cream and a cane syrup drizzle.
Tidewater Carolina Table
A generous Low Country catering menu built for family-style service or a small buffet, though it can serve as a shorter plated 3 course Dinner.
This is the relaxed coastal Carolina expression: fried estuarine fish, shrimp boil, rice middlins, purloo, Hopping John, chicken bog, Carolina pork, tomato pie, fried okra, hushpuppies, butter beans, pickles, chow-chow.
It is designed for 20 to 40 guests, with enough polish for a private dinner and enough variety for a true Southern gathering.
Suggested format: family-style, small buffet, or even a three course sit down with a combination of passed appetizers, mains and sides following on.
Estimated food range: approximately $85 to $110 per guest, depending on seafood selection, meat selection, service format and number of dishes.
Passed Appetizers and Small Bites
Shrimp Boil
Carolina shrimp, new potatoes, corn, smoked sausage, lemon, crab boil butter and parsley, served warm in small bowls or stationary.
Fried Green Tomato Croustades…
Fried green tomatoes with crab boil aioli, pepper relish, herbs and a touch of hot sauce.
Mini Hushpuppies…
Crisp cornmeal hushpuppies with whipped sorghum butter and sea salt.
Deviled Eggs…
Country-style deviled eggs topped with/without chilled pickled shrimp, celery leaf and paprika.
Smoked Saltwater Fish Dip…
Smoked local saltwater fish with lemon, herbs, cream cheese, hot sauce and house benne crackers.
Tomato Pie…
Warm tomato pie tartlets with summer tomato, cheddar, buttermilk custard, herbs and a crisp benne-cornmeal crumb.
Relish and Pickle Board
Optional, but strongly recommended for buffet or family-style service…
Southern Relish Board
Chow-chow, pickled okra, pickled green tomatoes, watermelon rind pickles, pepper vinegar onions, benne crackers and soft butter.
Salads
Low Country Salad…
Summer tomatoes, cucumber, sweet onion, basil, cracked pepper and sherry vinaigrette.
Pea Salad…
Black eyed peas, Sea Island red peas, celery, herbs, pickled onion, benne seed and pepper vinegar vinaigrette.
Carolina Slaw…
Cabbage, carrot, scallion, mustard seed and choice of buttermilk dressing or vinegar dressing.
Succotash Salad…
Fresh butter beans, sweet corn, peppers, tomato, herbs and lemon butter vinaigrette.
Side Dishes
Carolina Purloo…
Rice middlins cooked with onion, celery, pepper, smoked sausage,ham hock broth, herbs and pan drippings.
Hopping John…
Sea Island red& black eyed peas, Carolina rice, smoked pork, scallion and pepper vinegar.
Fried Okra…
Cornmeal-crusted okra with remoulade or hot pepper vinegar.
Collard Greens with Smoked Ham Jus
Slow-braised greens with garlic, vinegar and smoked pork.
Fresh Butter Beans with Country Ham…
simmered with Vidalia onion, herbs and a light smoked broth.
Sweet Potato Gratin
Thin-sliced, baked with cream, herbs and a light brown sugar crust.
Cast Iron Cornbread or Hushpuppies…
Served with sorghum butter, honey butter or pepper jelly.
Mains
Fried Estuarine Fish Platter…
Saltwater or tidal creek fish, whiting, flounder, redfish or speckled seatrout, cornmeal beer batter, lemon, tartar sauce, rémoulade and hot sauces served on the side.
Carolina Chicken Bog…
Chicken, Sticky Gold rice, smoked sausage, onion, celery, black pepper and herbs.
Country Captain…
(Cut up Chicken)
Braised with tomato, curry spice, peppers, golden raisins, almonds over Carolina rice.
Carolina Style Pork Shoulder
Slow-smoked or oven braised with vinegar-pepper sauce, mustard sauce…optional soft rolls and pickles.
Shrimp and Rice Middlins Purloo…
Local shrimp, rice, tomato, garlic, peppers, herbs and seafood stock.
Low Country Bouillabaisse…
Shrimp, crab, local saltwater fish, tomato, okra, corn and shellfish broth, served with rice on the side.
Carved Mains…
*Pork Rib Roast
*Smoked Turkey Breast
*Tennessee Lamb Leg…
Peach mostarda, cane syrup vinegar glaze.
Desserts
These are intentionally party-friendly.
Pecan Pie
– OR –
Pecan Tartlets
Classic Southern pecan pie with bourbon whipped cream if desired.
Banana Pudding
Vanilla custard, banana, whipped cream and wafer crumble.
Peach Cobbler
Carolina peaches, biscuit crust or crumble topping, served warm with cream.
Buttermilk Chess Pie
Southern chess pie with buttermilk, citrus and a lightly caramelized top.
Key Lime
– OR –
Lemon Icebox Pie
Bright citrus custard, graham crust and whipped cream.
Coconut Cake
– OR –
Pound Cake
Served with berries, peaches or citrus cream.