Gumbo Love by Lucy Buffett Archives

Lucy Buffett and Her Famous Fried Green Tomatoes

07/08/2019 By: CCPearson1 Comment

A few months ago, I was invited by USA Today’s 10Best.com to contribute a story about fried green tomatoes, specifically as they apply to Alabama. And it was strongly recommended that I try to interview Lucy Buffett since her green tomatoes, after all, were voted by readers to be the best in the state. (Scroll to the bottom to find a link to the story).

Naturally, I was thrilled to have the opportunity, but I was a little nervous about trying to talk to Lucy Buffett. Her flagship restaurant in Gulf Shores — Lucy Buffett’s LuLu’s — is phenomenally popular, even in the off season. Thousands of people wait in line for a table during peak summer months to get the freshest possible seafood, hear some great music, and, of course, sample her top-rated appetizer with WOW Sauce on the side. The parking lot is huge, and while visitors wait, they can browse the gift shop, stroll among gorgeous yachts and boats or let the kids play in the arcade and try their hand on the ropes course. It has become more than a restaurant. It’s a destination in itself. (If you’re going to be in Gulf Shores this summer and want to visit, I suggest you click here when you arrive in town and get your name on the list for the day you want to eat at LuLu’s).

Lucy Buffett’s Fried Green Tomatoes, voted best in Alabama. Photo used with permission from LuLu’s.

In recent years, Ms. Buffett has added two more restaurants — Destin, FL and North Myrtle Beach, SC.

How was I going to be able to actually TALK to someone so successful? Hallelujah for the help I was given by the great tourism folks at GulfShores.com, especially Mary Sargeant and Kay Maghan. They graciously agreed to get in touch with Ms. Buffett’s personal assistant, and an interview time was established. I started reading everything I could find about her and realized she has led an extremely interesting life. She’s worked very hard for her well-deserved success.

From the first “hello,” I felt as though I were talking to a long-time friend. Lucy was friendly, funny, forthcoming, helpful and oh-so-genuine. What I expected to last 10 minutes, went on for 30. It was delightful to learn that we have several things in common.

She, too, is a grandmother. Her twin granddaughters are deeply loved and immensely enjoyed.
We both play a musical instrument. In her case, it’s the ukelele! 🙂 She’s teaching herself to play and is insisting that her granddaughters learn an instrument of their choosing.

Lucy and her husband, as of about 10 years ago, no longer drink alcohol — not a drop. She does, however, enjoy an occasional, non-alcoholic, ginger beer. And, the pimento cheese she serves uses a little bit of honey ale brewed by Back 40 Brewing in Gadsden, but she’s never tasted the ale “straight.”

The recipe that sets her fried green tomatoes apart is found in her cookbook Gumbo Love and is NOT for someone who wants to whip them up right quick. The flour mixture alone has 10 ingredients, and the WOW Sauce she serves to accompany them adds another 5. But, believe me, her extra touches are what set them apart.

So, here’s my story. I’d love to read your thoughts.

https://www.10best.com/interests/food-culture/everything-you-want-to-know-about-fried-green-tomatoes/

Time to Share: A Market, A Kitchen Gadget and 4 Cookbooks

01/26/2018 By: CCPearsoncomment

The Bible uses the word “share” and the concept of being generous throughout the entire Book.

Hebrews 13:16 – “And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.”

Proverbs 22:9 – ” The generous will themselves be blessed, for they share their food with the poor.”

Romans 12:3 – “Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.”

Proverbs 11:25 – “A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.”

Today I thought it might be time for me to do some sharing of my own. You might not want to check out all of my suggestions, but maybe at least one will strike your fancy.

A MARKET — A & V Seafood Market, to be exact.

I first heard about this “great place to get fresh seafood” during a cooking class held by Chef James Boyce at Cotton Row in Huntsville. Recently, I had a chance to check it out. The name is derived from the couple who own the business, Allen and Vickie Nguyen. The small shop at 2000 Cecil Ashburn Dr. SE is on the right as soon as you turn left from Carl T. Jones Highway onto Cecil Ashburn. Yes, it smells fishy, but all of the products are carefully iced, and the store is immaculate.

Vickie Nguyen, A & V Seafood Market owner

I had a great conversation with Vickie who obviously enjoys her business and her customers. She was quick to make accommodations for customer preferences, and Steve and I appreciated the large selection. We walked out with a dozen oysters, large filets of grouper and salmon, some tuna dip and 4 large scallops. We prepared the salmon and oysters for dinner that very night, after enjoying an appetizer of tuna dip and crackers. I have a recipe all picked out for the grouper and hope to imitate a YouTube video I saw of Chef Boyce preparing scallops. Can’t wait! If you are a seafood lover, I think you’d enjoy visiting this market. It is open 7 days a week from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

A KITCHEN GADGET — MiTBA Salad Cutter Bowl.

Do you sometimes avoid making a fresh salad for your lunch or dinner because you dread all of the vegetable chopping involved? If so, this is a gadget you might want to check out. I ordered mine from Amazon after seeing it on Facebook.

Basically, it is a colander with cutting grooves and a base. You put your salad fixings in the colander, wash and drain them. Attach the base, then, using a long sharp knife, cut through the grooves in one direction. Twist the base slightly, then cut through the grooves again. Voila! Your salad is chopped and ready.

The size is perfect for two people. To make salad for more people, you might need to go through the process a couple of times. A sharp knife is essential.

It’s not expensive, and I recommend it. I expect we’ll eat more salads as a result.

4 COOKBOOKS.

Yes, I am one of those people who LOVES cookbooks. That doesn’t stop me from Googling or using Pinterest to find something specific, but I still enjoy reading cookbooks. I especially like the ones written by people I know or cookbooks featuring regional specialties in places I have visited. In the last few months, mostly through my travel/food writing adventures, I have acquired 4 new cookbooks that are beautiful and are filled with amazing recipes I’m eager to try.

Pizzazzerie Entertain in Style – I first learned of this one because my good friend Kay Dekalb Smith shared on Facebook that her daughter Evin Krehbiel was the photographer. Her photos are stunning. The book is filled with gorgeous table settings. I have my eyes on two recipes in particular that I want an excuse to make soon: Bacon and Pecan S’Mores and Hot Chicken Salad. Those of you who know me well, know that I’m a HUGE chicken salad fan, so it’s natural that I spotted the one in this book.
What Can I Bring? by Elizabeth Heiskell. I had the opportunity to meet Elizabeth at an event in Birmingham and watched her make her signature Tomato Pie. She has a very engaging personality, and her Tomato Pie was awesome. Elizabeth appears often on The TODAY Show. You might want to check out some of the episodes and watch her at work.

I baked two Chocolate Chip Bundt Cakes from this book during the holidays, and everyone appeared to enjoy them. This book includes plenty of Elizabeth’s anecdotes and is a lot of fun.

3. Morning in the Mountains. This book has been compiled by members of the Asheville Bed and Breakfast Association. Steve and I will be staying in a couple of these B & B’s in a few months. The photos and the recipes have us salivating already. Almond Streusel French Toast is on my must-make list for an occasion soon. It sounds so good. You can order your copy through this link.

4. Gumbo Love by Lucy Buffett. I got this beautiful book when I was covering the World Food Championships in Orange Beach back in November. It seems that every visitor to the Alabama Gulf Coast makes their way to LuLu’s Restaurant at least once while they are in the area. This is her latest cookbook, and it tells lots of great stories, and she offers good advice for making gumbo, of course, as well as all kinds of seafood and Gulf specialties. I plan to use her recipe for Grouper with Balsamic Butter Glaze on the big filet I brought back from the A & V Seafood Market. It looks like a winner.

So, here are my recent findings that I wanted to share with all of you today. The kids gave me an Instant Pot for Christmas, and when I shared that info on Facebook, many friends were quick to share recipes and advice for using it with me. Their efforts made me feel good. Hopefully, learning about this seafood market, the salad cutter bowl or these cookbooks will make you feel good, too.

A VIP Experience at Lulu’s in Gulf Shores, AL

12/11/2017 By: CCPearson4 Comments

Many of us who live in Alabama have spent a vacation or two on the Alabama Gulf Coast in either Orange Beach, Gulf Shores, Dauphin Island or Fort Morgan. And, during those days, we make it a point to eat at Lulu’s at least once while we are in the area. After all, Lulu’s is practically a destination in itself with frequent live musicians scheduled, a large gift shop, snow cones, a beach, a Mountain of Youth ropes course, frequent dolphin sightings and a dock full of gorgeous boats to admire. Steve and I have eaten there as a couple and with friends on several occasions, but when we were in Orange Beach while I was covering the World Food Championships, we were invited to visit with other members of the media group. What a treat!!

A lovely representative of the Gulf Shores Tourism staff greeted us and showed us to a table — with NO WAITING! There was a full, lively crowd because of the presence of a popular music group playing that night as a part of the Frank Brown International Songwriters’ Festival. The atmosphere was fun and celebratory — in NOVEMBER!!! You expect it from Spring Break through Labor Day and during Shrimp Fest, but we were way past that, and Lulu’s was still attracting great crowds. Lulu and her team are obviously doing things right. So right, in fact, that 700,000 people a year eat at Lulu’s.

Normally, when Steve and I go out for dinner, we each get an entree and we occasionally share an appetizer or a dessert — but not both. This is both a budget and a weight/health habit of ours. But, when you are a part of a group of food/travel writers, the restaurant wants you to sample lots of its specialties. We were HAPPY to oblige. 🙂

First came three different appetizers: Smoked Tuna Dip, L.A. (Lower Alabama) Caviar and Lulu’s “Holy Guacamole!” My goodness. We could have stopped after this course. So much flavor! The tuna dip is NOT made from canned tuna. Oh no, this tuna comes right out of the water. The guacamole was very fresh and delicious. And we loved the caviar made of black-eyed peas in a balsamic vinaigrette dressing. Of course, there are plenty of others to choose from, such as quesadillas, fried green tomatoes, crab claws, onion rings, boiled shrimp and gumbo, but we were trying to pace ourselves.

Smoked Tuna Dip

“Holy Guacamole!”

L.A. (Lower Alabama) Caviar — a.k.a.blackeyed pea dip.

For entrees, our group chose an oyster basket, a salad topped with popcorn shrimp, a salad topped with grilled fish, and grilled red snapper. It is important to note that Lulu’s is a prime supporter of the Fish Trax Marketplace. Read about it here. But, basically it means that you can track the QR code that comes with your plate of fish on your phone to find out when it was caught, where it was caught, and who caught it.

Red Snapper via the Fish Trax Marketplace.

Oyster basket.

Even though we were all thoroughly full and satisfied, there was the tiny matter of dessert. “Just a bite,” we all said. Well, we didn’t get just one bite, but three!! One was Key Lime Pie, one was Brownie in Paradise, and the last was Krispy Kreme Bread Pudding. Can you imagine the decadence?

Everything was wonderful. Our server was so helpful and lively, and the evening was a complete delight. I hope you’ll be able to try it for yourself soon.

Lulu’s also has locations in Destin, FL and in Myrtle Beach, SC.

One more thing. If you can’t visit soon, you might just want to order Lucy Buffett’s latest cookbook, Gumbo Love. Order it here from Amazon.

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