How She Rolls

<Carrie> Charleston has some amazing restaurants and people are always asking me well, where should we go to eat?

Oh my gosh, it's just getting better and better.

Then, I'm always excited to give that list out.

<John> This guy has no chance.

<Carrie> John loves breakfast.

and I am going into some kitchens with some of my favorites.

<Edward> Take it away, Carrie.

<Carrie> I sometimes do this when I'm on conference calls when things aren't going my way.

[laughs] [Carrie sighs] <Chef Lata> I love it.

It's a one-biter really, huh?

<Carrie> Mmm hmm.

You want it to not be, but <Chef Lata> I know <Carrie> it's a one biter.

<Carrie> I took my mom's best recipe and started selling handmade Southern biscuits.

Now I'm balancing a family, a business and biscuits every day.

Thank you so much.

I'm Carrie Morey, and this is How I Roll.

Oh Harken, Harken.

Look at this cafe.

It is a bakery and a cafe.

Sandwiches, coffees.

It's adorable, good little spot for meeting.

I should always have a sticky note in my pocket.

People are always asking me "Well, where should we go to eat?"

and I'm always excited to give that list out.

This is Home Team.

Our girls love coming to Home Team, they would eat here a couple nights a week if they could.

Charleston has some amazing restaurants, but I have rounded up some of my favorites to share, and actually, I am going to have the opportunity to go into some kitchens and cook and create with some of my favorites.

<Edward> Babas is an Old World Cafe, meaning that it's open all day long, all over the place in Europe, there's, you know, cafes and bars, and they're not full on restaurants.

They're kind of this like in between.

That is what we do here.

<Carrie> Babas is a great example of where I like to go when I'm feeling stressed.

You know, you walk in feeling "oh my gosh, how am I going to get through this day' and you walk out with solutions.

<Edward> Good to see ya.

<Carrie> How are you?

<Edward> Thanks for coming.

<Carrie> Thank you.

Oh my gosh!

Thanks for having me.

<Edward> Heck yeah.

<Carrie> I'm craving a peanut milk latte.

<Edward> Let's do it.

[steam hisses] <Carrie> Peanuts are very southern and I love that they are integrating it into something totally different like a latte.

What kind of peanuts are these?

<Edward> Roasted Virginia peanuts.

Unsalted <Carrie> And this water, This is like 1000 grams of water.

<Edward> Yeah.

Now, we do add a little bit of salt to the recipe, and then we sweeten it just slightly with sorghum syrup, and now we'll just like blast it for about a minute on high.

<Carrie> Yeah.

<Edward> And then we'll come back and strain it through the peanut milk bag.

<Carrie> Okay.

[machine whirs] <Carrie> Oh, it smells so good.

There's something satisfying about this for sure - Oop.

We just had a side leak.

<Carrie> Yeah.

<Edward> We had a side leak?

<Edward> We can taste - a lot of the flavor has been transferred to the peanut milk.

<Carrie> It's so good.

<Edward> Yeah.

<Carrie> It's killer.

<Edward> This is like the espresso machine that you will see on every bar in Italy.

It is like the workhorse of the espresso world.

Weigh everything as it goes in and then also weigh it as it comes out, and then we will take, Carrie's freshly made peanut milk.

We're kind of accomplishing two things.

We're obviously warming it up, but we're also adding texture with air.

<Carrie> Okay!

<Edward> Take it away, Carrie.

Then, we'll turn it on, and that kind of like tearing paper sound is, is what we want.

So, that is pretty perfect.

You just want to make sure the design kind of... <Carrie> Okay.

Low?

High?

<Edward> We start high, finish low.

Now you're going to kind of want to tilt it, and bring it in close, and that's going to kind of start your design.

<Carrie> What's my design?

<Edward> Let's do a, um, what's the Callie's Hot Little Biscuit logo?

[laughs] <Carrie> Are you kidding?

<Edward> So, you want to be really close like.

<Carrie> I'm butchering this.

<Edward> So you want to like bring it in real?

<Carrie> Oh!

<Edward> Yeah, yeah!

That's a little violent, but...I would say for your first ever that's very impressive.

<Carrie> You're very kind.

<Edward> Contrast and all, the, the real point is how it tastes.

<Carrie> Ahh.

Mmm.

<Edward> So good.

music ends <Carrie> Okay, so now we're downtown Charleston, in the residential area on Broad Street.

G&M, also known to the locals as Fast and French is a tiny little French Cafe.

Right here.

I can remember, as a child, and we came to G&M for a field trip.

That was really fun.

Every good memory revolves around a meal, a drink, some sort of food experience, because that's how we celebrate.

The Variety Store is kind of on the west side of town on the Ashley River.

I think what makes the Variety Store so great is obviously the food's simple, home cooked food done really well.

<Mike> It started back in 64, over here in the rice mill building with a friend of my dad's name is AB Haring.

It is a family business.

<Carrie> The view is spectacular, but for me, it's the memories that I have as a child coming here with my dad, my uncle, my cousins, and it just brings back great memories that I want to continue with my children.

<John> I'm getting berry infused waffle.

<Carrie> You are?

You're not getting the cinnamon roll?

<John> I'm getting that too.

<Carrie> Wow.

You're really going for it.

John loves breakfast.

He loves big breakfast Sunday.

It's his thing.

<John> Oh, this guy has no chance.

[silence] Oh, yeah.

<Carrie> See, I like the middle part.

<John> Well, you just take what you need.

You have one literally right there.

<Carrie> Somebody's getting territorial.

Did you know that your dad does not like to share food?

<John> I do not.

<Carrie> Well, that is one heck of a way to start a breakfast.

When I was your age that there weren't very many restaurants in Charleston and the variety store was, it's a staple.

It's the O.G.

of the culinary scene.

<Mike> There are four words I think that put us on the map and that was longevity, loyalty, local and grits.

<Mike> <Carrie> Oh, I cannot wait.

I'm so excited.

<Mike> <Carrie> Thank you, Mike.

<Waitress> I've got your toast coming.

<John> Oh yeah.

That's how you order properly.

<Carrie> Mmm.

Delicious.

I love the savory possibilities with grits.

They were so creamy and buttery.

Even better than I remember.

What else?

Is there anything I need to have a bite of?

Maybe your - let me taste your waffles.

I like a little extra butter and syrup, and the pool in the little pocket right there.

Good stuff.

I recommend the Marina Variety Store, because it's not all the pomp and circumstance.

It's simple and perfect, as is.

I thought you were taking yours home.

<John> I am.

<Carrie> So, I would say it was a success.

He's very happy.

I have to say the nostalgia of eating here has not wavered.

Did y'all enjoy it?

<Cate> Yeah.

<Carrie> Maybe we need to make this a family tradition again.

Sundays at Marina Variety Store.

[music ends] [seagull calls] We definitely have a lot of different pockets of neighborhoods that all have incredible places to dine and drink.

This area is called Elliotborough, and Chubby Fish is so delicious.

It's right up there with the top three best restaurants in Charleston, and it's all about local seafood.

We like to go early, put your name on the waitlist, then come to this little Elliotborough Mini Bar and have a drink.

I think that restaurants a lot of times define neighborhoods.

So, the cool thing about Chez Nous is that it's kind of this hidden gem, physically hidden.

It's down this little alley.

Every day the menu is different.

This is it.

It is just the most adorable.

And we like to sit up in the table right in that window and it just kind of transports you back to France.

It is very magical, and the perfect date lunch.

Here in the Mount Pleasant area, the Post House is definitely one of my faves for lunch.

It is our neighborhood pub.

It is an inn.

It's historic.

Uh, they actually serve brunch and dinner, as well, and John and I come often.

It's a dreamy spot.

So, I'm excited to get a little behind the scenes sneak peek with Chef Nathan.

Thank you for having me in your kitchen.

<Chef Nathan> Of course.

<Carrie> I brought my apron.

I can prep, wash dishes, whatever you need.

<Chef Nathan> Perfect.

<Carrie> He's got some staples on the menu, but he also is really good at being creative, and trying new things.

So, what are we making today?

<Chef Nathan> Today, we're going to make the chicken palliard that is on our lunch menu.

<Carrie> Oh my gosh, I haven't had that yet.

I'm so excited.

<Chef Nathan> So, we're actually going to start out with pulling a little bit of the acid out of our tomatoes.

So, we're actually going to marinate our tomatoes first.

So, we have a base sauce of pine nuts, a little bit of capers, olive oil, and literally, just the salt and the tomato juice.

<Carrie> That's the whole dressing?

So super clean.

Super simple.

That's it.

<Carrie> I love that.

<Chef Nathan> So now, we're going to pound out this chicken a little bit.

<Carrie> This is good for frustrations.

I sometimes do this when I'm on conference calls for work.

<Chef Nathan> There ya go.

<Carrie> You know, and things aren't going my way.

<Carrie> On the thinness?

What are you thinking?

[Chef Nathan laughs] <Chef Nathan> About a quarter inch and like the cool part about the palliard is you're getting all that surface area and it actually cooks quicker.

So, with cooking quicker, you lose less moisture, and it stays nice and tender.

<Carrie> Alright.

Just tell me when I'm... <Chef Nathan> I think that is probably perfect.

So now, I'm going to go into our standard breading.

<Carrie> Yep.

This is a good ole' southern dry, wet, dry, <Chef Nathan> Yep, dry, wet, dry, ...as my grandmother would call it.

<Chef Nathan> Exactly.

<Carrie> This is definitely a fancy version of fried chicken.

It's the French version of fried chicken, but not deep fried.

It is just enough to give it a crunch.

[grease sizzling] Oh, look at that.

That is beautiful.

[grease sizzling] And it smells delicious.

<Chef Nathan> Yup.

Uh, we're going to go ahead, and finish up our sauce.

<Carrie> Look at that.

It's like naturally emulsified in there.

[silence] >> It's perfect.

<Chef Nathan> Yeah.

Exactly.

<Carrie> Ah, that is such a cool trick.

<Chef Nathan> Yeah.

Now, we'll go ahead and plate it.

<Carrie> Want this?

<Chef Nathan> Yep.

So, our tomatoes, and then we're going to do a little arugula salad on there, and just a little bit of Parmesan.

So, we have it in the actual breading, and then we also have it on top just because, why not?

<Carrie> Mm hmm.

<Chef Nathan> And then Sava is the finisher, just like balsamic.

<Carrie> Right.

<Chef Nathan> Reduction.

We just got kind of go.

<Carrie> Oh yes.

I'm like, trying to be really patient [Chef Nathan laughs] <Carrie> and wait.

<Chef Nathan> That's it.

<Carrie> Mmm.

It's perfect.

I...

I need to just taste one more bite.

[Chef Nathan laughs] <Carrie> Oh my gosh, it's just getting better and better, and as the, as the dressing just kind of soaks in, <Chef Nathan> Yep.

<Carrie> It's still crispy and crunchy, but then it's got that flavor.

<Chef Nathan> ...that's a little shallow fry.

you know, with like that standard breading procedure.

Like, there's a reason that the South fell in love with it, and never got rid of it.

<Carrie> Mmm hmm.

Well, my oldest daughter, Caroline is playing hooky today.

So, I'm going to go grab her from school, <Chef Nathan> Awesome.

<Carrie> and we're going to come back and have lunch.

<Chef Nathan> Perfect.

music ends <Carrie> I am having lunch with Caroline.

She's in the final days of school, and I know that I have very limited time left before she goes to college.

So, every second that I can spend with her, I try to snag it.

<Waiter> Onion Dip for ya.

[Carrie sighs] <Carrie> Look at how beautiful.

Thank you.

Oh my gosh, it's gorgeous.

Love an onion dip.

Can you, you show me what your room looks like?

Your dorm room.

<Caroline> <Carrie> This is not at all what our dorm looked like.

This is insane.

<Caroline> We want to get rid of the common area furniture.

<Carrie> You can't get rid of it.

Where are you going to put it?

<Caroline> It's in the storage shed.

<Carrie> No.

You've lost your mind.

Just add pillows and throws.

<Caroline> <Carrie> Welcome to college, my dear.

I am excited about Caroline's new adventures I'm, I'm kind of sad for me.

Um, it's crazy.

I don't even know that I'm getting ready to cry and I just start crying every time I think about her leaving.

Um, but I'm very excited for her and I know she's going to have a ball and she won't be thinking about us at all.

We'll be thinking about her a lot.

[Carrie laughs] <Caroline> Pretty good.

<Carrie> Want a bite?

<Caroline> Yes.

<Carrie> We got to get the perfect bite with all the, all of the pieces.

[restauraunt sounds and conversations] <Caroline> Mmm.

<Carrie> Good?

<Caroline> Mmm hmm.

I would like you to make that at home please.

<Carrie> I got you.

I'm going to make it now that I have Chef Nathan's secrets.

Do you have enough room for dessert?

You want to just go get one scoop of ice cream at Pitt Street?

[restauraunt sounds and conversations] <Caroline> Stop crying.

<Carrie> When I was 14, my father said, you got to have a job, and so, he suggested the pharmacy and I went down and got the job and rode my bike there and worked, uh, behind the food counter I was, as, I guess you would call it a soda jerk.

[machine whirs] Made grilled cheese, scooped ice cream.

When I came here as a kid, my favorite was the chocolate ice cream.

It was a great first job.

I loved it.

<Waitress> <Caroline> Can I have a scoop of vanilla in a cup please?

<Carrie> I would love cappuccino crunch on a cone.

<Waitress> Thank you.

<Carrie> Thank you.

<Carrie> It's the perfect size.

<Waitress> Thank you.

<Caroline> Thank you.

<Waitress> You're welcome.

<Carrie> Mmm.

<Carrie> So, we're coming into Upper King.

This area has just exploded in the last seven years.

You can, on one corner eat fried chicken and oysters.

Go to Melfi's and have like the best Italian comfort food and then go to Little Jack's Tavern and have one of the best cheeseburgers and french fries in town, and as a result, there have been other great businesses that have come here like Graft, my brother and Femi's wine bar.

<Miles> Graft is a wine shop and wine bar that we opened up in 2008, here in Charleston.

Our whole intention was to create our living room that our friends wanted to hang out in and listen to music and drink wine.

<Femi> Keep the smile rockin', keep the music loud.

<Carrie> Graft makes you feel good.

You know, you come in and you feel the energy and it's positive.

It's just a great place to land when you need a pick-me-up.

I'm so glad to be here with y'all.

I need this today.

<Miles> Carrie's my big sister.

She's been a huge inspiration to me when she did her own thing.

Just, instead of feeding people biscuits, we're giving them a lot of wine.

<Allie> Tell us a little bit about this, Milesy?

<Miles> Uh, the white is cool.

Femi and I have been really digging some wines from the Canary Islands lately.

<Carrie> You gotta do this.

<Miles> Ameztoi Txakolina Rose'.

<Carrie> Yeah, put your nose in there.

<Allie> My dad does this.

<Carrie> Swirl.

<Miles> Shake it up.

<Allie> I don't know what he's doing.

<Carrie> And then if, if you don't know anything about wine - it, - you look like you do.

When I get together with my girlfriends, we have a ball.

It's a lot of reminiscing, talking about high school, and college, and, of course The Price is Right.

I mean, how many friends do you have that have won the Showcase Showdown?

That's pretty major.

So, that inevitably comes up.

<Bob Barker> Alright, Amy.

Spin that wheel.

[audience applause] <Amy> Oh my God!

<Allie> How heavy was the pull on the circle?

<Amy> Very heavy, very heavy.

<Allie> Cause, it looks like, for smaller people like, it only gets once around.

<Amy> It's very heavy <Bob Barker> You have spun for yourself, 95 cents.

<Krysten> Because you won because the guy went over?

<Amy> Yes, yes.

He passed me the crappy showcase, and I thought I was going to Baghdad, and I won to trip to Bangkok.

I didn't have a clue where Bangkok was nor Baghdad.

I just knew, they started with a B. I was like... [laughs] <Krysten> I'm going to Baghdad.

Oh my God.

[Amy screams] <Bob Barker> You're over.

Amy wins.

[winner bells ring with audience applause] <Carrie> This was much needed.

I can't even tell you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

<Krysten> Thank you.

<Carrie> Yes.

Yes.

When can we do it again?

<Allie> Tomorrow.

<Carrie> Tomorrow?

<Krysten> Tomorrow at 5 o'clock.

<Carrie> I love it.

This is a special treat for us to be able to get out.

This rarely happens.

<John> I feel like we did go out, but yeah, you're right.

<Carrie> Date Night at The Ordinary is a huge treat.

Definitely our favorite.

Any opportunity that we get to come here, we jump at the chance.

[restauraunt sounds and conversations] In the Lowcountry, we're very seafood focused.

Traditionally seafood in the South is very heavily focused on fried and Calabash and just a certain traditional way that we've always done it and I love that The Ordinary is a different take on seafood.

Today, I get to go into the kitchen with Chef Lata and learn how to make smoked oysters which is certainly my favorite and our family's favorite.

<Chef Lata> You know what makes an oyster here unique, our oysters are - tend to be more delicate.

The salinity is that of the ocean.

It's like 35 parts per 1000 or something like that.

So, you're getting a really, really salty oyster.

It's the purest water on the eastern seaboard, and you can't get anything like it.

[silence] <Chef Lata> So... <Carrie> So delicious.

<Chef Lata> To smoke the oysters, we smoke them in the smoke, we put them on wet, it's kind of damp rock salt, and we lay them so they're level and the liquid doesn't spill out.

<Carrie> Ah.

Okay, so now they're ready for the smoker.

<Chef Lata> So, we have hickory chips in there.

<Carrie> Smells good.

<Chef Lata> Okay, and then we do this.

135 for 15 minutes, not long.

So, anything smoked loves creme fraiche.

<Chef Lata> We take creme fraiche, <Carrie> Mmm.

and let me take a little bit of fennel pollen, and that kind of just gives it that little anise, little kick to it.

<Carrie> Mmm hmm.

<Chef Lata> Okay, and then we make our own hot sauce, always have, out of Fresno chilies.

The heat's just right for us.

[timer beeps] <Carrie> Like an inside oyster roast.

[latch clangs open] <Chef Lata> Okay.

So, if you look at the oysters, you can see they plumped, they're cooked, but it's very delicate and the smoke is light as well.

<Carrie> Mmm hmm.

<Chef Lata> Okay, so for us <Carrie> There's a lot of liquids still in here.

<Chef Lata> Right?

That, that liquid actually helps kind of create that with the acid and olive oil, a kind of a unique experience.

<Carrie> Okay.

<Chef Lata> After we smoke them, you take them out of the shell, you allow them to cool, and we normally put six or seven into each, each order, and then Ricino olive oil and a couple of drops of lemon juice.

We've got the radish in there, for crunch.

We've got the onions in there.

So, the treatment here is almost like you would be serving a crudo, right?

Just, it's like a little bit of acid, a little bit of fat, but the ingredients speak for itself, and then if you're lucky enough to have some of these little beautiful celery leaves.

<Carrie> I love that part.

When I am assembling my saltine, I'm always grabbing the celery leaf.

<Chef Lata> Okay, so that's basically that there, and then the crackers.

[silence] We just take a little bit of Old Bay.

<Carrie> It's Old Bay!

<Chef Lata> It's Old Bay.

<Carrie> Delicious.

<Chef Lata> And that's it.

So, we do about 400 of those a day.

<Carrie> Really?

<Chef Lata> Yeah.

<Carrie> We rarely come and just get one order.

It's usually two or three because we fight over them.

<Chef Lata> You're not alone.

You know the move.

<Carrie> Yes, I am so glad to know that you can be more liberal with the creme fraiche, I'm always like a dollop.

and I like all the jus' in here too.

<Chef Lata> There you go.

That's a good one.

It's like, it's not the easiest thing to eat.

It's a one-biter really, huh?

<Carrie> Mmm hmm.

You want it to not be, but <Chef Lata> I know <Carrie> it's a one biter.

I'm tasting the, the salt, that little bite of the onion, the crunch of the daikon.

<Chef Lata> The onion's really lovely, isn't it?

<Carrie> And the spice is on the, on the cracker is delicious.

<Chef Lata> It's fun.

<Carrie> Thank you.

<Carrie> The smoked oysters have been a favorite of ours and I'm sure everyone else's since the beginning.

<John> The number of drops is important.

<Carrie> Every sense is awakened.

[restauraunt sounds and conversations] <John> Oh yeah.

<Carrie> So good.

[restauraunt sounds and conversations] <Carrie> Ooo.

Thank you.

[restauraunt sounds and conversations] <Carrie> Situations.

<John> I love that everything he does is perfectly balanced.

<Carrie> It is everything that I want a night out to be.

We can eat carpaccio.

With salty cheese with the crisp vegetable and that nutty pine nut.

I love this dish.

The food is spectacular.

The vibe is, - it's exciting and everything about it.

The service from start to finish, it is perfection, and we need to do this more often because honestly... this is my happy place.

<John> Oh, totally.

I agree.

<Carrie> I love it so much.

<John> Next Friday.

<Carrie> At 9 o'clock.

<John> Oh right, because you land.

[laughs] <Carrie> I'll meet you here at 9 o'clock.

<John> Okay.

[laughs] <Carrie> Hey!

It's a date.

[glasses cling] The food in Charleston is phenomenal.

I think we all feel very lucky to live in a place where we can have so many choices of incredible food and incredible dining experiences that create memories for us, with our friends and family, and at the end of the day, that's kind of what it's all about.

music ends [chime] How She Rolls is available on Amazon Prime Video.