Blog a la Carte

The Kiwanis Club of Hilton Head's Chili Cookoff runs from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday at Honey Horn (Tickets are $12). Earlier this week, we ran a story taking a little tour through the modern history of chili.

The Girl Scouts held their annual Death By Chocolate fundraiser last night, inviting more than a dozen local restaurants to show off their best chocolate treat. I was lucky enough to be invited back again as a judge. The best part (aside from eating chocolate for an entire evening) is discovering how some of the chefs played with the idea of a chocolate dessert. This was more than just chocolate chip cookies.

As it so happens, my three favorite entries ended up winning awards. Montana's, whose tiramisu is pictured above, also won the People's Choice award for their smoked beef brisket in a chocolate jalapeno cherry barbecue sauce. Yes, it was very good.

Read on for more.

The Italian Heritage Festival is a celebration of all things Italy - music, sports, cars and, of course, food. The festival promises an even larger and more diverse menu this year. About 16 restaurants are participating this year with dozens of samples.

The festival runs from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday (Sept. 24) at Shelter Cove Community Park. Admission is $5. Food samples range from $3-5. For more details, click here. For a full menu, read on.

The Hilton Head Island Seafood, Jazz and Brew Fest got canceled this year. But don't sit around crying in your beer. Head down to Savannah for its annual Craft Brew Fest this Labor Day weekend.

More than 100 craft beers will be showcased over the three-day festival on Hutchinson Island. The weekend is jammed full with beer dinners, beer tastings, beer seminars, basically, anything and everything beer related.

Click here for the full schedule. Read on to get some of the highlights.

In case you missed it, we ran an article last week about Beaufort culinary maven Pat Branning's new cookbook "Shrimp, Collards & Grits: Recipes, Stories and Art from the Creeks and Gardens of the Lowcountry." The cookbook is the story of the Lowcountry told through the eyes of a chef, as Pat mixes in a bit of Southern history with the recipes for Hoppin' John, oyster bisque and the like.

Sad news, beer lovers. The Seafood, Jazz and Brew Fest is tapped out for this year. In case you missed it, check out our story here. The week-long fall festival culminated with a sampling of dozens of beers at Shelter Cove Marina.

Thanks to Carrie Carper for the update on Plums restaurant's recent fundraiser for The Independence Fund.

From a release:

"Plums restaurant in Beaufort hosted a special dinner Aug. 16 to benefit The Independence Fund, a nonprofit with a mission to provide support to our country’s wounded war veterans. Complete with beer pairings by Terrapin Beer Co. and a four-course meal by Plums’ Chef Josh Castillo, the dinner raised more than $1,000 for the organization.

With Food Network Star wrapped up, I stopped by One Hot Mama's on Hilton Head Island earlier today to talk to owner Orchid Paulmeier, who was a contestant on the reality series.

Orchid needs your help to make it as a Food Network Star.

Chef Russell Keane has made a name for himself over the past few years with innovative dishes at WiseGuys restaurant on Hilton Head Island. He's moved on now and is trying out some funky ideas at his new gig at a south-end spot called Daniel's Restaurant and Lounge.