Table Talk

In the intimate South Carolina beach community of Pawley’s Island, Chef  Louis Osteed,  opened Louis’s at Pawleys and The Fish Camp Bar,  a rustic white cottage that became a gathering place for the community where families came for fried chicken on Sunday and regulars stopped by for their Lowcountry favorites like Shrimp and Grits, and She-Crab Soup, or Caesar Salad with Spicy Fried Oytsers.   From here,   chef Louis  solidified his place in the pantheon of legendary southern chefs, helping elevate the country cooking of coastal Carolina into haute cuisine.

It was also here,  sitting at the bar on the Fish Camp’s charming back porch for a nightcap , on a crisp fall evening, that I sipped the most delicious Caramel Apple Martini I had ever tasted. The glass, dipped in an ambrosial  caramel, held a nice balance of sweet and tart…so good that I asked the bartender for the recipe, which he happily shared. The homemade caramel really makes the drink, but you could certainly substitute a good quality jarred version.

Though Louis’s at Pawleys is now gone,  the memory of that  Appletini lives on…and I have the recipe to share with you here.

—Cheers!

Louis’s Appletini

For Apple Martini:

1 part Absolute vodka

2 parts Apple Sour mix “Pucker” brand

Garnish: Thinly sliced apples

Combine ingredients in martini shaker filled with ice and shake…

Dip rim of chilled martini glass in caramel sauce and twirl to coat edge.

Pour martini into glass. Garnish with a slice of apple.

For caramel sauce:

1 cup white sugar

½ cup water

½ cup heavy cream

2 tablespoons butter, softened at room temperature

Combine sugar and water in small saucepan over high heat and cook, stirring, until the sugar is dissolved. Then reduce heat to medium high, cook without stirring, until the mixture has turned the color of caramel (about 20 minutes). *Be sure not to let the sauce get too brown, as it will continue to cook and may scorch. Take mixture off heat. Let cool slightly, then slowly add cream and butter. Stir until smooth.

May be prepared ahead and kept in the refrigerator for up to 2 months.

~~For a little something to go with these Appletinis, I really love making a batch of Sugared Pepitas and adding them to a few bowls for nibbling before dinner. These seasoned pumpkin seeds are tossed with a blend of egg white, sugar and spices,  then toasted in the oven until crisp.

They are addicting, and sure to disappear fast.

I also love the pepitas in salads, and have used them in desserts.

Sugared Pepitas

1 teaspoon canola oil

2 cups shelled unsalted pumpkin seeds

1 large egg white

1/3 cup sugar

1 tablespoon New Mexican chili powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and brush with 1 teaspoon canola oil.

In a medium bowl, whisk egg white until frothy. Add spices and whisk to combine. Add pumpkin seeds and mix well. Spread pumpkin seeds onto prepared baking sheet in a single layer. Bake until golden and dry, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. Remove from oven, and separate pumpkin seeds (pepitas) while still warm. (They will harden as they cool).

Makes 2 cups