A Culinary History of Myrtle Beach & the Grand Strand: Fish & Grits, Oyster Roasts and Boiled Peanuts

by Becky Billingsley, Harold D. Hatcher (Foreword)

The culinary history of Myrtle Beach reflects a unique merging of Native American, European, African and Caribbean cuisines.

Learn the techniques used by enslaved Africans created vast wealth for rice plantation owners; what George Washington likely ate when visiting South Carolina in 1791; how the turpentine industry gave rise to a sticky sweet potato cooking method; and why locals eagerly anticipate one special time of year when boiled peanuts are at their best. Author Becky Billingsley, a longtime Myrtle Beach-area restaurant journalist, digs deep into historic records and serves up both tantalizing personal interviews and dishes on the best local restaurants, where many delicious farm-to-table heritage foods can still be enjoyed.

Genres: Cookbooks, Nonfiction

193 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 23, 2013

Reviews

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I saw this book being publicized in the local book stores. To find out the local author, Becky Bilingsley wrote a book about the culinary history of Myrtle Beach, and the Grand Strand intrigued me. I don't know much about the history in our area. I was not too interested. But, I am a history buff. So, of course this perked my interest and taste buds.

The author, is a food critic, and has her own website called, Myrtebeachrestaurants.com. She picked a interesting topic, for those of us from the Beach, and also tourists that come and go every year.


I am a Northerner, and I have not thought about the culinary history of where I am from. Up north, food is different than the south. Most foods we think of are from the grocery store. We don't think of how, and where meat is butchered.

I will tell you some of these foods that Becky talks about. I say, to myself I don't think I would ever eat it. But, I don't think I will ever be a southern gal, even though I have lived here almost 13 years.

The start of corn, sweet potato, boiled peanuts are just a sampling of foods that she talks about. From the beginning of the Native Indians, planting and cooking with sweet potato. Then she talks about the planting season. What foods are good during this time, meats, in the smoke house, killing of hogs.

The best is the description of foods that, we know a days would not eat, or think about eating. But, back in a century or two ago. You did not have a choice. Food was sparse, and you were poor. You did what you could eat to survive.

I did not know too much about the history of the Wacammaw Indians, how this influenced the foods. But, what was interested, not thinking about it. Food that was prepared by the slaves at the plantation owners homes were inspired for later generations. How the Chicken Bog became a local favorite here. To prove it we have a local festival in October, named after it.

The book goes by the historical events that happened before Europeans came to this country. The Native Indians influences to the European flavors, and the Afro American slaves. Then we come to the present day of Myrtle Beach and the Grand Strand.

The restaurants had come and gone despite their popularity. Then the Forest Hotel, came and gone. It was a grand hotel. People came from all over to be treated in luxury. The hotel is no longer here. But, I understand, you dressed in gowns and tuxes.

Interesting aspects of the local small town. How the popularity of the area became a tourist town. The local restaurants, when Myrtle Beach was a dead town after the summers. The locals had to learn to survive. The changing of hands of the small restaurants. Where some of the families, were successful. The restaurants, Mom-Pop restaurants that began in the 40's are still here. The locals still come for breakfast. Then you have the locals that families have passed on and new generations have taken over.

Then a change took place in the area of chain restaurants and hotels, of the Grand Strand. The changes that have taken place where The entire Grand Strand has grown and changed with the times.

I enjoyed reading the book, with the history of the town, and the people and culture. But, it seemed at the last part of the book, it was rushed. Something went missing. One minute we are still in 1800's the next we are fast forwarded to eating at a local restaurant in Murrells Inlet in 1940. Other than that I enjoyed reading The Culianry History of Myrtle Beach, and the Grand Strand. I would recommend it to anyone that loves to learn about food, and history, and the area of the south, and the Grand Strand area.

Thank You, Becky for the review copy. I am looking forward to your visit on Feb.3 at my book club.

[Vickie T · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book. Traces history of food from pre-colonization to the present.