I’m a writer from New York, where I lived and worked in tv before pulling up roots and heading for the South Carolina Lowcountry, smitten with its landscape, lifestyle—its other worldly vibe.

Over the past couple of decades, I’ve written restaurant, lifestyle and travel articles for the BB&T Charleston Wine + Food Festival, Family Fun Magazine, Charleston Style & Design Magazine, Charleston Living Magazine, Edible Charleston, Charleston Magazine, WHERE Charleston, Charlotte Observer and others. I covered the Palmetto State for a travel guide published by Disney titled Family Fun Florida and the Southeast. My perspective's been informed by living abroad and traveling all over the world with my folks as a teen.

In 2020, I retooled sweetgrass + grits when I joined a CSA to limit my exposure to Covid-19, and to support a local farm. Interrupted supply chains and distribution issues hurt small farmers across our region—buying fruit, vegetables and meats through Community Supported Agriculture programs and dining at local restaurants that source product from local farms can help keep everyone in business.

So that’s my direction—and who wouldn’t opt in for the tastier food these dedicated producers bring to the plate? I love knowing where my vegetables come from, and the challenge of cooking some I’ve never worked with. Researching and trying recipes from authors I trust became a process I decided to share with other CSA members.

And with the ongoing challenges brought by the pandemic, it's more important than ever to support our locally owned businesses. Lowcountry Local First is a standout organization with great information about what you can do.

Restaurant write-ups tagged with the blue South Carolina icon are certified by the state’s Department of Agriculture as a Fresh on the Menu kitchen using at least 25% locally sourced ingredients.