Top 10 Restaurant Meals & Recipe Highlights As promised, my “Blast from the Recent Past” continues!   My objective in this week’s Eblast isn’t to relive the past, but be grateful for each and every experience I’ve had with my family, friends, and God’s great gift of food.  Starting with ten and ending with one – here are my top ten restaurant meals from 2012: #10 Pizza, Chinese & Foodie Friends  Marc Bello and his girlfriend Jennifer are incredible foodies from Pizza-a-Casa in NYC.  They make amazing pizza at their shop where they also offer classes on how it’s made.   Marc and Jennifer joined me for a sampling of a new Yunnan Restaurant, Lotus Blue, managed by a good childhood friend of mine, Jeffrey Lim.  Lotus Blue is not your typical “asian” restaurant. It’s a true fusion of cultures and culinary style with deep, brothy, and bold flavors – including the use of the pungent durian fruit for a tasty dessert! #9 Home Town Food Eating in the Philippines means encountering a lot of fresh seafood, pickled seaweed, whole roasted pig, fried chicken, and rice – all eaten “island style.”  One restaurant, Kai Lui Restaurant in Palawan, really impressed me. Not only did it have a great fusion of Filipino flavors but a relaxing, no-shoes policy. If you are ever in Palawan, dinner at Kai Lui is a must. #8  Auction Dinner with the Baldwin Family As part of my service I try to provide dinners as prizes for charity auction.  One of the prize winners this year was the Baldwin Family, who also happen to be parishioners at the church where I now serve in Millersville, MD.  The Baldwins own a home construction company, so they know the importance of quality in the kitchen!  At their home I prepared three types of pasta, a sampling of flavor-packed bit-sized foods, chutney, and finally three big bites of the fusion fajitas featured on the Food Network – but it was the kitchen that was a gourmet chef’s dream! Trio of pasta – pesto, norcina cream, and amatriciana – bacon and onion.   Trio of meats: garlic shrimp skewers, bacon wrapped pork tenderloin over white truffle potato puree topped with an apple onion.    #7  Asian Gyro in Oklahoma City?    Fr. Hamilton, a good priest friend of mine, was so excited about this hip new food place in Oklahoma City, and after tasting their fusion of flavors, I can understand why!  Delicious.   Foodie Express #6 Eats of Italy in New York’s Eataly I sometimes long for authentic Italian cuisine.  Many small towns have Italian immigrants with the skills and connections to source out authentic ingredients, but I’ve found that Eataly in NYC makes me feel like I’m back in Roma.  If you are able to check it out, make sure you go in the late morning or afternoon to avoid the mega crowds at lunch and dinner times. #5  Ristorante Cecilia Metella Most Italian / Roman restaurants have specialty pastas, but one in particular stands out for me. It’s the world famous Scrigno pasta from Cecelia Metella Restaurant just outside of Rome, near the sacred catacombs.  The meaning behind the pasta, its taste, and – of course – learning how to make it for my TV show Savoring our Faith made it all the more fantastic!   #4  Talk and Eat in Talkeetna, Alaska Finding food in the small villages across America’s largest state was quite an adventure. I was drawn to the hipster-earthy village of Talkeetna, a famous foodie hotspot, known for its love of food and nature. I had to agree with the masses on this one. It is another must if you have the opportunity.   Alaska Trip Part 2 What To Eat    #3  Florida Fiesta! This past year my family went on a vacation to the beaches of Florida. Besides the sun and surf, I also enjoyed the spicy, bold – yet so simple and delicious – Latin influenced foods.  One place I discovered was Fuego Latina, a nondescript Latin food lover’s hot spot in a strip mall. Check out their “sampler” platter – a meal for literally 3 people!   #2  Mission Barbecue As you know, food is only a means to an end for me.  The owners of Mission Barbecue have a similar philosophy. In addition to having friendly and super-fast service, providing some of the best local barbecue in the area – smoking beef, pork and chicken at least 2 times a day – they donate proceeds from their food sales to the Wounded Warrior Project.  For Mission Barbecue, good food is the means to a good end – to help our wounded warriors and first responders.   Culinary Confessions -Mission Barbecue #1 Dinner at Celebrity Chef John Besh’s home with his family! Through my good food-priest-friend, Msgr. Nalty of the Archdiocese of New Orleans, I had a crab salad gumbo dinner with world famous Chef John Besh and his family. It was a beautiful experience. I was able to witness the faith of their family both in their exchanges and in knowing their oldest son was coming late because he was serving as a peer minister for his high school retreat. Later, in another beautiful experience I found ironically amusing, I was able to surprise Chef Besh’s mother and father, who recognized me as the priest on TV who cooks.   To round out my Blast of the Recent Past for 2012, I also want to share my favorite recipe: Bacon Wrapped Turkey Breasts! Click on the picture to access the recipe!   2012 was truly a year of great adventures and achievements, and yet, for many of you, there may have been loss or sadness. We offer all of these to our Lord, good and bad times, and give him praise for everything we have, for we are still here today and have the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of others. May 2013 yield many more great times and accomplishments for each of us as we seek to build stronger families, have better meals, and be ever-pleasing to God.   Be sure to keep checking out the website for updates on upcoming events, recipes each week, new blog posts and articles. And now, registered members can leave comments on events and recipes, so we look forward to hearing from you. We would love for you to share your experiences with us, as you are all part of the GBM “fam”.         For all of you who have received Spicing Up Married Life and want to share it with others, please leave a review on Amazon for others to share in. Your review may help provide insight to those seeking ways to strengthen their relationships in or out of the kitchen. We would love to know what you think of it as well, so please post today! SUBSCRIBE, LIKE, COMMENT & SHARE! Ask Fr. Leo for fatherly advice. Any submissions may be used in future Grace Before Meals publications.

Posted in Dinner Discussion, Recipe, Recipe- Pork, Recipe-Meats, Recipe-Turkey, Restaurants, Video | 2 Comments »

 Crabby Cakes for Crabby People

(Click to watch my latest Culinary Confession as I seek the best crab cake in Baltimore.)

This week, I want to share an article I wrote for the Archdiocese of Baltimore Catholic Paper, The Catholic Review, with our Grace Before Meals “fam.” As you know, the Maryland scene is quite proud of its seafood specialties but, in particular, the Maryland Blue Crab.  This mean-looking crustacean packs a sweet flavor when boiled or steamed and, of course, seasoned with a Chesapeake Bay favorite – Old Bay.

(Steak and cakes – the best of both worlds.)

In this Culinary Confession, I sample some of Maryland’s best crab cakes.  You can try to determine which is the best for your taste buds.  I would think determining the best would be an impossible task, which is why I picked places that are close to locations where people can pray for divine inspiration.

(My jalapeno-wrapped crab cake, baked in a cupcake pan to keep the form.)

During the months of July and August, our team will offer our members a walk down memory lane with some of our previously published blasts.  This will give our team a chance to prepare for the launch of our new website and the highly anticipated book, Spicing Up Married Life.

(One of the featured recipes in the new book – complete with color photos of each dish.)

We will definitely offer some updated news, tips, and recipes with these Blasts from the Past, but we also want to make sure the fun stories, prayers, and recipe exchanges are not forgotten.

In the meantime, I pray that you and your family have a blessed summer, safe travels, and many opportunities to celebrate the greatest gifts of life – the food on the table and the blessed lives of the people around it!

(My entire family on a Philippine Island vacation 2011-2012.)

Let us pray: Lord, we pray that this time of vacation for family and friends will be a time of recreation – to be recreated and renewed.  Keep all travelers safe and focused on their ultimate destination in Heaven.  With the prayers of the angels and saints, we ask this through Christ our Lord.  Amen.

(Guardian Angel pointing to the Way of the Cross of Christ, Lourdes, France.)

Click here for the crab cake Culinary Confession for the Catholic Review.

SUBSCRIBE, LIKE, COMMENT & SHARE!

Posted in Culinary Confessions, Prayers, Restaurants, Restauraunt Reviews | 2 Comments »

As you may know, I’ve been doing a monthly column for the Archdiocese of Baltimore’s Catholic Newspaper, called “Culinary Confessions.”  You may remember some of these posting exclusively for Grace Before Meals subscribers.  This has been an exciting opportunity to share  food and faith correlations from my own Archdiocese with all of you.

(The Basilica Shrine of Baltimore: last year’s Easter decorations.)

At the end of this blast, you can read about my experience critiquing a hospital cafeteria.  You’ll find out why I would even choose to eat there in the first place!  You’ll also read about the spiritual lessons God provided for me after that experience.

(Mercy Hospital’s Cafe: Chicken Marsala with potatoes and beans – all for about $6.00!)

These Culinary Confessions give our movement the chance to make faith connections to culture, which show the world the relevancy of faith.  Faith, if practiced only in the confines of a church, synagogue, or mosque, demonstrates weakness, fear, or a lack of conviction.  As such, it renders faith mediocre and lukewarm.

In our modern world where people of faith are constantly being challenged to keep their mouths shut or their opinions to themselves, we need to realize that could weaken our convictions and beliefs.  Screaming, arguing, and proselytizing are not the answer, especially about controversial and challenging topics, but it is certainly important to make sure both sides are heard in a civil way.

(March for Life: Speaking Up for the Unborn Children.)

Perhaps this week’s E-mail Blast will give everyone a gentle reminder to make sure each person at the table has a chance to speak up and share what they think honestly and respectfully.

(Students at the Bishop Verot High School after a School Assembly. I also spoke at Cardinal Moody HS.  Both are GREAT places of learning and faith!)

That’s what I hope people get out of these culinary confessions.  My objective is not to complain, which is destructive, but to critique in a constructive manner and share experiences from which we can draw possible lessons to the practice of our own faith.

Life certainly gives opportunities to make our faith real.  We need to talk about it without fear.  We need to be able to use our faith to help us make decisions and judgments in our lives.  This week, make your faith real!

(After a faithful and successful parish mission at Epiphany Catholic Church in Normal, Illinois, with great people who are making their faith real!)

Let us pray: Help us Lord never to be afraid to speak out against injustice, while speaking words of compassion to those who need it.  Help us to practice our faith in such a joyful and sincere way that others will be drawn to follow our example.  We ask this through Christ our Lord.  Amen!

Is there a restaurant review you’d like to share?  Let us know, and we’ll post it on our site!  Is there a topic you’d like to discuss for future E-Mail Blasts or for possible webisodes on YouTube?  Please post your comments, questions, and concerns.  We need to hear from you to keep our movement strong!

Click here for the Culinary Confessions for Mercy Medical Center’s Eatery.

A few other reminders:

Watch our show each week on EWTN’s Savoring our Faith.  It airs every Sunday at 8:30 p.m. EST.

Also, spaces are limited for the upcoming Virtuous Vacation and Culinary Retreat to Napa Valley.  Be sure to call and reserve your space today!

This week, I am at the Religious Education Congress in Anaheuim CA Thursday and Friday, speaking on how “Food Is Love” for teens and families. Afterwards, I have a Lenten parish mission at St. Mary’s Church in Hudson, OH until next Tuesday. For more information, go to our Events page on the website. Please pray for me and all attending that our hearts, minds and sould are open to all of God’s Graces, especially in this season of sacrifice.

(Join us at the table for one of the sumptuous wine-pairing experiences!)

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Posted in Culinary Confessions, Grace Before Meals, Prayers, Restaurants, Restauraunt Reviews, Reviews, Savoring Our Faith | 2 Comments »

“FLIPPING OUT” at Filipino Restaurants

By now you know I enjoy the challenge of using “poor man’s” food – which I believe is the tastiest type of food on the planet – and elevating it to a whole new level.  As a self-professed “fusion-style” cook, I’m not afraid to experiment – within reason, of course.  Different techniques can aid the home cook in creating beautiful-looking plates out of something that tastes both familiar and comforting, while at the same time special and celebratory.

(An Italian spaghetti, flavored with a brine and a hint of tomato sauce, topped with a fried “sardine” and sprinkled with shreds of a soft cow’s milk cheese.  Uniquely delicious and stunning presentation with a slice of calimansi lime.)

During my trip to the Philippines, I found two restaurants that were unique, bold, and, in a word, “wonderful!”  It was worth getting very excited – even “Flipping Out” – for these unique culinary destinations!

(Had to show this photo of poor kids having the time of their life on this grassy hill “sliding” board.  No expensive video game equipment, just a little sprinkle of imagination and tons of fun!)

The first restaurant was on the Island of Palawan.  This Island is remarkably pristine.  The Mayor of the city outlawed litter, based on the philosophy that personal dignity requires the effort to show it.  This island is home to underground rivers that have been voted the most impressive natural wonder of the world!

(A little explanation of the “Underground River” – a natural wonder of the world AND a miraculous place, if my sister can keep quiet in the cave! Click to watch exclusive video!)

The mayor’s leadership, combined with the beautiful (and clean) surroundings, has makes Palawan a heavily visited tourist spot by naturalists, adventurists, and leisure vacationers.

(The mayor’s no littering mandate stopped the diseased bearing mosquitoes, but not the thieving monkeys! Click to view exclusive video.)

As such, this Island has many dining options for locals and tourists alike.  But I recommend Ka Lui’s. This restaurant offers smaller but satisfying plates of traditional flavors fused with European cooking techniques.

(Ka Lui’s Jalapeno-filled baked fish on a base of luscious cream sauce!)

Ka Lui is beautifully constructed in bamboo open-air island fashion.  It’s elegant, refreshing, and remarkably clean.  The unique ambiance is heightened by the fact that everyone – including the all-male wait staff – is barefoot and fancy free!

(Felt like beach dining with upscale flavors – and no sand!)

(My review and explanation of this fun restaurant with tasty food and fantastic ambiance. Click video to watch.)

Manila’s humongous urban sprawl makes it a food haven on every busy and overpopulated corner.  However, in the Fort Global City of Manila celebrity Chef Bruce Lim offers traditional flavors in bold and exciting ways at his signature restaurant, The Chef’s Table.

I think Italians would be impressed, even if slightly confused, by a spaghetti dish topped with a Filipino fried fish.  Or how about a “carbonara” that has grilled chicken and banana heart fruit cream sauce!

(Chef Lim’s Filipin-ized “carbonara” made with grilled chicken, banana heart, cream, and scallions.  Delicious!)

This restaurant offers a completely different way of eating Filipino food by serving individual plates, not “family style,” with a side of rice.  However, it’s become a popular spot for many locals seeking a European flare to break up the monotony that can happen with too much of any ethnic cuisine.

(Filipino’s don’t drink too many martinis.  But they would seriously enjoy this one (NCR – No One Can Run), especially since it has the sharp and robust taste of roasted garlic oil and chili heat!)

Both of these restaurants highlight my personal style of cooking, characterized as “fusion.”  And  in both restaurants I was most edified to see families as the primary patrons.  So these restaurants not only highlight my style of cooking, but also the message of our movement.  Go ahead and be creative with your food and your family meals!

(Young culinary students who assisted me at the BergHOFF store and studio – to raise funds for the victims of the recent typhoon.  They’re now going to intern at top restaurants around the world!)

Let us Pray:

Lord, we know that You bless the poor with good things.  Help us, by this movement, to remember that being poor in this world means that we inherit the blessings and the kingdom of Heaven.  We thank You for the “simple” but delicious meals that bring comfort to our tables – especially since these “simple meals” bring our families together in love.  Bless our families and especially those that struggle to put food on the table, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

What is your favorite fusion-style of food?  Do you have a recipe you want to share?  Do you have a restaurant you think would characterize fusion foods.  Your comments help us think of ways to share the Faith through the medium of food.  Please post your comments here, and know that each posting comes with sincere thanks and heartfelt prayers for this movement!

NOW. . . check out the newest extension of the

Grace Before Meals movement:  MINIFLIPPING!

This is for your families, especially if you have teens or young adults.  Fr. Leo and a crew of “mini-flippers” share a positive message in a dynamic way, challenging the status quo, and hopefully bringing out mini-conversions in the hearts and minds of the viewers.

To help us get this Good News out there, tell your kids to watch, to subscribe, to “like” it, and to leave comments and questions.  And then tell them to get all their friends to do the same!  It’s certainly worth “FLIPPING OUT ABOUT!”

Check out our next video THIS FRIDAY:

FR.LEO TAKES ON THE PRESIDENT’S MANDATE ON CONTRACEPTION.

NO MORE MR. NICE PRIEST.

Posted in Audio, Faithful Foodie, Grace Before Meals, Miniflipping, Prayers, Restaurants, Restauraunt Reviews, Reviews, Video | No Comments »

A Guest at Our Table

NOTE: Thanks to our readers for catching a grievous typo.  We corrected the spelling of New Jersey and apologize for the clerical error. It was not our intent to offend anyone by our misspelling.

This week we have the special opportunity to share a restaurant review from one of our faithful foodie subscribers and a Grace Before Meals follower.  As you recall, I invited our members to join the fun and submit critiques of restaurants they’ve visited during their travels.

(One of the beautifully plated appetizers served at the Culinary Cruise this past summer. It was a whole week of cooking critique!)

This one comes from Elizabeth Quirino, who lives in the Patterson Diocese of New Jersey.  Elizabeth shares some of her thoughts about a local restaurant she and her family visited while in Delaware called Northeast Seafood Kitchen.  She is also a contributor to the websites:  www.asianinamericamag.com and www.queensnotebook.com.

Restaurant reviews from our viewers give your family the chance to share great food finds, but also give you the opportunity to offer constructive critiques about something extremely important to our travels in life:  good food!  Another interesting point about offering restaurant critiques – they give families a chance to talk about positive and negative qualities and characteristics that can be emulated or avoided in their home or in their own personal lives.  In other words, critiques can be both constructive and instructive.  If they aren’t practiced or are practiced the wrong way, critiques can easily become destructive.  By articulating critiques in an appropriate and selfless way, we can actually learn about ourselves!

(My nephew, very interested in cooking – learning new techniques and improving his skills every day. He may beat me in some “flavor profiles” when it comes to food (he’s great at seasoning his meals), but I would definitely take him in when it comes to kitchen cleanliness!)

Go ahead and share some of your thoughts about different restaurants you’d recommend (or not recommend).  Like Elizabeth, your reviews and pictures can help spread the message about good family food in different parts of the country and the world!

Also, be sure to check out her blog, where she will review my cookbook, Grace Before Meals: Recipes & Inspiration for Family Meals & Family Life and one of my recipes, my Arroz Caldo soup recipe.

(Elizabeth Quirino and with her husband Elpidio, and sons Tim and Toby. No wonder she knows her food – she has a household of hungry boys!)

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NORTHEAST SEAFOOD KITCHEN : A Restaurant Review

By : Elizabeth Besa Quirino

If you’re ever in the south Delaware area, specifically near the beaches, don’t miss going to NORTHEAST SEAFOOD KITCHEN Restaurant. It was a refreshing change from all of the overpriced restaurants down the shore. From the outside, we saw a casual restaurant encased within a strip mall building. But the exterior looks were deceiving. As soon as we entered, we were warmly greeted by the friendly staff. The first sight that greeted us was the busy kitchen that is visible to the restaurant patrons.

At the helm of the busy operations was Chef Bryan Muzik, who is also the General Manager.  I had met Chef Bryan at a “Beach Eats” Cooking Demo right there on the shore, during our week at Bethany Beach, Delaware. After watching his amazing cooking demos, we were convinced to go eat at NORTHEAST SEAFOOD KITCHEN.

(One of the booth settings at Northeast Seafood Kitchen.)

As soon as we arrived at Northeast Seafood Kitchen, we were brought to our table, which was in a nice, comfortable corner spot and offered a great view of the excitement going on in the Chef’s kitchen.

Our waitress was kind and helpful with the evening’s entrees. What was hard was deciding which delicious dish to pick from. Everything on the menu looked delectable.

(Fish & Chips)

We started with 2 appetizers: Roasted Mussels in Chorizo, a superb starter which had some spicy chorizos, swishing around in a zesty, tangy tomato sauce. Another great starter was LEO’S FAMOUS HOT CLAM DIP with Kettle Chips. The kettle chips were light, crisp, had just the right amount of saltiness that complemented the creamy and cheesy hot clam dip.

The appetizers came quickly and were hot, fiery and good. It went well with the beverages we ordered all around. The restaurant has a fine, sturdy wine and beverage list that does not disappoint.

(Grilled Salmon Salad)

The entrees came soon after. My “FISH and CHIPS” was light, crisp and non-greasy. It had huge portions and the crunchy fries that came with it were amazing.

Other entrees our family ordered were : “GRILLED SALMON SALAD, which was elegantly nestled on top of a bed of fresh vegetable greens, laced with a tantalizing dressing.

(Look at the delicious lobster in the mac & cheese)

Next up was the LOBSTER MAC & CHEESE , which according to my son, was terrific with just enough of a sharp cheddar bite swirling in it. There was also some fresh celery mixed in it which totally complemented the cheesy flavors.

We also ordered the LOBSTER BLT with SPICY MAYO, and Arugula . This came with a hefty portion of crispy, homemade kettle chips.

(A Lobster BLT served with Kettle Chips)

When the meal was over, we were so stuffed that dessert was farthest from our minds. We were mulling on ordering a few scoops of ice cream which we eventually did, when out of nowhere Chef Bryan came over with a complementary generous serving of the New England Style Oatmeal Pie Cinnamon with Whipped Cream. Did I mention it was heavenly?

The personalized service, the casual laid-back family atmosphere, and the sensational seafood courses are some of the many reasons why my family and I gave NORTHEAST SEAFOOD KITCHEN a “cool” stamp of approval for this seaside resort town in Delaware.

(Bethany Beach, DE)

Summer doesn’t need to end. Even as the fall weather sets in, drive off to the coastal towns of Delaware …take in the sea sights, enjoy some long walks, great tax-free shopping and best of all, savor the seafood at Northeast Seafood Kitchen, which is open year round.

Northeast Seafood Kitchen Restaurant

29 F. Atlantic Ave.

Ocean View, DE 19970

302-537-1785

www.northeastseafoodkitchen.com

Price Range: $ 15-$20

Attire: Casual

Wine List : Good solid choices

Reservations not accepted. So come early!

Elizabeth Besa Quirino is a freelance writer  and food blogger of 2 blogs http://www.asianinamericamag.com and http://www.queensnotebook.com. Elizabeth develops recipes, reviews restaurants and cookbooks, enjoys travelling with her family and writes about these culinary adventures in her 2 blogs. Both blogs are about FILIPINO & ASIAN food, as well as GLOBAL CUISINE, cooked from the comfort of home. Most of the recipes featured on her blog, are family recipes from her late Mom, handed and passed around for generations.

Currently, Elizabeth, her husband, Elpidio, and their sons Tim and Toby are parishioners of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish, Flanders, New Jersey. She is also a Contributing Writer for http://www.HomemadeQuirk.com, a community blog of Quirk Books.

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Congratulations, Elizabeth, for a great restaurant review and great websites.  From reading this review, I’d say Grace Before Meals would give this restaurant only three out 10 Hail Mary’s, which translates to about 3.9 stars out of 5.

Dear Father, we know what is right and wrong in most things in life.  It takes great humility to hear when we are doing wrong and to accept the praise when we do something right.  Give to us that grace to be humble and to learn from critique, by learning how to critique, and to celebrate the fact that nothing is perfect, until it reaches its fulfillment in Heaven.  Thank You Lord for our Grace Before Meals movement, the friends and subscribers who help us give meaning to our meals, and in a special way Elizabeth and her contributions to our efforts.  May God bless us all, through Christ our Lord. Amen.

(Click the picture to watch Fr. Leo’s latest video, where he traveled to St. Andrew Catholic Church in Newtown, PA for a “Food Fight”)

Do you have a restaurant you’d like to promote, or even warn people about.  There’s no need to be afraid if you’re just trying to be helpful in spreading the good word about good places.  Your restaurant reviews are always welcome.  Simply send us your review.  We’ll not only provide links for your websites or events, we’ll even send you a little Grace Before Meals thank you gift for being such an important and active part of our family.  Click here if you want to share a restaurant review. Post any comments and questions below.

Posted in Contributor, Faithful Foodie, Grace Before Meals, Lobster, Prayers, Restaurants, Restauraunt Reviews, Video | 3 Comments »

Catholic Culinarian in Classic Charleston South Carolina

If you follow us along on our adventures, you can see that I frequently travel for my work with Grace Before Meals. I’m incredibly grateful to the groups of people, dioceses, and food shows that invite me to speak.  I’ve had so many amazing opportunities to give presentations at conferences, retreats, parish missions, and even secular events around the country.

(A recent event in Northern California)

Unfortunately, I don’t always have a chance to enjoy the sites or taste test the local food culture.  But this past summer, I had the opportunity to visit a great food city for some of my seminary work as the priest/faculty representative at an ordination.

This trip combined work, inspiration, history, life lessons, and great southern food!

(Museum display of where former slaves lived on plantations. In one-room homes, families celebrated their blessings, even when they were enslaved. Thank God we have a Savior that liberates us from the power that enslaves us most – sin!)

By the way, thank you, Mount St. Mary’s, for being a sponsor and supporter of our movement – this great university, so close to Baltimore, D.C., Gettysburg, Maryland, and the heart of Rome!  If you have college age students in your family, consider “The Mount” as a place to grow in intellectual development, leadership qualities, and spiritual renewal.

(Mount St. Mary’s University hosts more than 1,700 high school teens for a weekend of spiritual renewal. See Mount2000.com.)

Back to the Blast:  One of my spiritual directees, Matthew Gray, now Father Gray, was ordained in the Catholic Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist in Charleston, South Carolina, on July 2, 2011.

(St. John the Baptist Cathedral.)

These days in Charleston were warm, in fact sticky and sweaty hot!  But I did my job as a faithful foodie and sought out great restaurants that feed the body.  Of course, I visited these restaurants only after a little stop at some inspired religious sites that nourished the soul.

Right around the corner from the Cathedral is a two story restaurant with top floor porch dining that boasts the impressive title of “Top Restaurant of 2011,” according to Bon Appetite’s foodist, Andrew Knowlton.  Husk, a high-end southern comfort restaurant serves up delicious country-fried foods with gourmet flare.  The restaurant’s bustling activity is muted by the husk-colored furniture and fixtures, accentuated by beautifully elegant wall coverings and window treatments.  The feeling you get from the restaurant’s décor resembles the food:  earthy, natural, and spiked with flavor!  The wait staff kept a friendly, professional, and food-centric approach to serving.

This is a higher end restaurant, so if you’re willing to splurge, but not break the bank, I recommend going there for lunch.  Lunch menus offer smaller plates (something I prefer), providing diners with diversity and the chance to save enough room for dessert.  In this case, however, I forgot just how filling southern food can be!  Even the appetizer plates were substantial!

Characteristic of low country foods, the chef is unabashedly all about flavor and not necessarily healthy eating.  Their offerings of crispy chicken skins, pork rinds, pork rillettes, and fried bologna sandwiches prove the restaurant’s purpose:  to respect southern comfort food and celebrate it with precision.

(Fried bologna sandwiches and port rillettes.)

Even though all my dishes had high fat content (after all, fried chicken skins and pork rinds aren’t exactly health food), the chefs accompanied these dishes with pickled greens or sweet acid infused jams.  Side dishes like peach chutney, sour beans, and wet coleslaw helped cut through some of the fat.  The meals offered a proper balance that made eating fat-nestled nuggets “guilt-free.”

Ironically, while I was at the restaurant, Bon Appetite representatives were also there writing an article and taking photos of the acclaimed chef and the culinary creations, a.k.a., “food beauty shots.”  One of the Bon Appetite “people” even said the signature Husk Burger, which combined beef, pork, and homemade pickles, was one of the best he’d put in his mouth!

(Me with Nick, a Baltimore seminarian, dining on fast food burgers – definitely not the best burgers we’ve eaten, but we prayed in Thanksgiving anyway!)

I had to order it after overhearing that praise.  And while I thought it was good, I was ready to offer the Bon Appetite critic a sample of my Asian Burgers in a veritable “Throwdown!”

Overall this was a great restaurant, again, just a short walk from the Cathedral.  But between the Cathedral and Husk I counted at least 10 other restaurants that would have probably pleased the palate quite satisfactorily.  So while in the heart of this historic city definitely take your pick of gastronomic genres.  And with regards to Husk, I would rate this a top-notch restaurant too:  I give Husk a 1 Hail Mary out of 10 – which translates to – pretty darn good!  One Hail Mary is almost 5 out of 5 stars – the highest rating in my book (only because NOTHING is PERFECT on this side of Heaven).

(Southern fried “crackling,” a.k.a., pork rinds; a.k.a, ” chicharrón;” a.k.a., “guilt-ilicious.”)

Another stop took me to historic Fort Sumter, a national fortress located on Sullivan’s Island, about a 20 minute drive from the city center.  It’s a nice day trip, especially if you’re into historic maritime battles.  Since Baltimoreans have a historical fort as well, Fort McHenry – where the Star Spangled Banner was written – I was actually more interested in the little Catholic Church nearby.  I found it rather interesting that the closest church to this major monument was a Catholic Church – especially in the heart of the Bible Belt!  I made a spiritual parallel to the Catholic Church, that, like the fortress, provided South Carolinians protection, safety, and even “victory” over their personal battles.

(Stella Maris Catholic Church, Sullivan’s Island, South Carolina.)

A Grace Before Meals member and faithful foodie gave me the great recommendation for a food stop after our visit to the Fort.  It’s called Poe’s Tavern – a thriving, high-vibed, eclectic burger shack about one mile away from the Stella Maris Church.  I definitely would recommend it, even though you may have to wait a bit during the summer lunch crowd.  The Edgar Allan Poe themed menu items were as eclectic as the crowd that filled the place:  young, old, preppy, punkers, and everyone in between – including a priest on vacation!

(Poe’s Tavern’s unique burgers, fries, and delicious coleslaw.)

The prices for this place were pretty good, and the wait staff did a good job managing the crowds.  My only knocks would be that they were slow and the place could’ve used a little spic and span, even for a relaxed “shack” look.

I’d give this place about 4 Hail Mary’s out of 10 (which translates to 3 out of 5 stars), with suggestions to improve the wait time for the food and to increase the number of staff to help manage the busy crowds.  The food, while good, needed a bit of seasoning as well, even though I greatly appreciated the unique menu motif.

South Carolina’s successful tourist industry can be attributed to the great food and typical friendly hospitality.  Equally impressive is the quality of the local Christian and Catholic communities I visited.  It seems that Catholics in that part of the world take their faith as seriously as their food, which always makes for a great visit and a reason to return!

(A typically pleasant side street in downtown Charleston)

A prayerful thought:  The South Carolina flag has two Christian symbols:  The palmetto tree (a small palm tree) and a half crescent moon.  The palm tree symbolizes life, as it’s rooted firmly near a water source (God) and can withstand the pressures of gusty winds – a sign of confidence.  The crescent moon actually symbolizes the Blessed Mother, who illuminates with a sliver of light during some of our darkest nights.  This flag, in a sense represents my sure confidence in the Diocese of Charleston, especially with the new priests and seminarians that I’m privileged to teach.  May God continue to bless all of our GBM community members with a firm faith, seeking the beacon of hope that comes from our Blessed Mother’s love for God.  Amen.

(Newly ordained, former spiritual directee, Rev. Matthew Gray, being interviewed after the momentous ordination.)

Do you have any restaurant recommendations or critiques you’d like to share with the Grace Before Meals community?  Have you eaten at husk?  If you wrote for Bon Appetite, what would you say is the best burger you’ve ever had?  Your comments and questions are valuable to our movement.  Please let us know your thoughts BELOW.

Ask Fr. Leo for fatherly advice.

Posted in Faithful Foodie, Grace Before Meals, Prayers, Restaurants, Restauraunt Reviews | 1 Comment »