The draw of South Carolina has lured many visitors to trade their one week of the year for a lifelong vacation and has kept families rooted in its rich soil for generations.
The Lowcountry is identified as much by its character as an exact spot on the map. You'll know it when you see it: Saltwater and marshlands thick with cordgrass; live oaks draped in Spanish moss; sweetgrass baskets and rich Gullah culture; she-crab soup and shrimp and grits and all kinds of seafood deliciousness; raised houses with deep porches and tall shuttered windows; pluff mud and palmettos.
The Lowcountry has a calming effect. It soothes your spirit and calms your mind. The environment, like our spoken cadence, moves a little bit slower and makes things a little less stressful. Worries are washed away with saltwater and sand.
Beyond its precise location, Lowcountry harkens to a way of life. The hot and humid summers dictate that nothing happens in a hurry. The proximity to the sea means that seafood is a staple. The mix of cultures melded into a distinctive Lowcountry culture that is informally hospitable and gracefully refined.
Here, life truly imitates art. Sunsets against salt marshes, and canopies of trees brimming with wildlife; it’s a little more lyrical, a little less defined, and for those that live in this undeniably special place, it’s also home.
She-Crab Soup
INGREDIENTS
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 yellow or white onion, chopped
- 2 celery stalks, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup sherry
- 3 cups seafood stock or clam juice
- 1 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika, plus more for serving
- 1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
- 2 small bay leaves
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce, such as Tabasco, plus more for serving
- 1 pound lump crabmeat, picked over, divided
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 cup finely chopped chives
INSTRUCTIONS
- Place heavy cream and hot sauce in a large measuring cup or medium bowl and let sit at room temperature while you prepare the remaining ingredients.
- In a large pot over medium heat, melt butter. Add onion, celery, garlic, and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 4 to 5 minutes.
- Stir in flour to coat vegetables, then whisk in sherry until a thick paste forms. Whisk in stock, paprika, Old Bay seasoning, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until slightly thickened about 10 minutes.
- Add cream and half of the crabmeat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes longer. Stir in lemon juice. Taste and season with salt.
- Remove bay leaves. Divide soup among bowls. Top with remaining crabmeat; sprinkle with chives and additional hot sauce.
