No More Scaredy Cooks

         For Chef Lee Cranz, food is a passion, something to enjoy and something to share- but nothing to fear. As the Culinary Arts instructor for Altamaha Technical College in Brunswick, Chef Cranz (shown, above, second from left, with his students at the annual Brunswick Stewbilee) takes his classes to community events all over the Golden Isles to gain experience in a number of culinary settings. He has a message for all of us out there who are afraid to make the leap from scrambling up a meager meal to actual, I’m-proud-of-myself cooking for a table full of guests.

          “Don’t overthink it!””

         Chef Cranz knows food. After graduating from the University of Georgia in International Business, he decided to steer his career into the kitchen and returned to school at prestigious Johnson and Wales College in Charleston to become a chef. He was the chef at Greyfield Inn on Cumberland Island, then dazzled guests of The Lodge, overlooking the famed Seaside course at the Sea Island Golf Club.

         Today, he mentors and instructs 24 Culinary Arts students at Altamaha Technical College’s Brunswick campus. He teaches his students how to succeed in  today’s fast-paced food service industry, but he has some words of culinary wisdom for beginning cooks at home who are insecure about serving something they have prepared themselves.

         “If you want to impress somebody, buy a high-quality fresh product and prepare it simply. It’s hard to go wrong that way. People get into trouble trying to start out with elaborate sauces. A beautiful piece of fish, topped with a little olive oil and some sea salt and pepper, is a great meal. If you want to make it look pretty and fancy, try garnishes. A little color from fresh parsley, for example, will make the dish look more finished.”

         Chef Cranz recommends that beginners move on to experimenting with herbs, and then attempt the more complex sauces as confidence builds. “In contemporary cuisine, sauces are often served beneath the protein,” he added. “There really shouldn’t be any pressure to showcase a sauce as a topping anyway. I recommend that people begin to use color creatively, and consider lots of elements like nuts and other textures instead.”

         He further advises beginners to “make what you like!”  A self-proclaimed picky childhood eater, Chef Cranz encourages newbies to try everything, and experiment with new flavor profiles. Adult tastes are different from children’s tastes, he reminded, and something that made you shudder as a child might be appealing to an adult palate.

         What’s on the menu for his favorite dinner menu? “Braised lamb shanks, simple home-made mashed potatoes and a fresh, in-season green vegetable.”

         And what celebrity chef does he admire? “I would travel back in time and have dinner with Auguste Escoffier (1846-1935). I would love to watch him prepare a meal, then have dinner with him and discuss his views on food. What would really be fascinating is to be able to fast-forward to today and get his thoughts on how we do things now.”

         Chef Lee Cranz and his students will compete at this year’s A Taste of Glynn on March 25, 2012, from 5-8 pm. at the King and Prince Beach and Golf Resort. Tickets are available at the King and Prince, and SunTrust Bank locations on Demere Road and Sea Island Road on St. Simons. In Brunswick, purchase tickets at LaiLai’s, Hattie’s Books, color me happy and Moore Stephens Tiller LLC. Or call the Glynn Community Crisis Center at 264-1348.

        

Photo by Lindy Thompson of Golden Isles Photography

         

        

        

Great Taste From Across the Pond

When you first meet Kevin McGarvey, owner of McGarvey’s Wee Pub, it doesn’t take long before he snares you with a Gaelic joke.

         “What’s a typical 7-course Irish meal?” he asks, trying to keep a straight face. “A six-pack and a potato.”

         Now, before you organize a protest against ethnic humor, remember that Kevin can lay claim to Irish jokes, being from one of Brunswick’s most prominent families of Irish descent. The McGarvey family goes back into the 19^th century in Brunswick, when they opened one of the city’s first and finest furniture stores in 1886. His great-aunts were scions of culture in town, founding one of the first performing arts groups, writing and producing a historical pageant to celebrate the city’s centennial in 1956.

         Kevin opened McGarvey’s Wee Pub in downtown Brunswick in 2003. The pub moved to its current location in the new Glynn Isles shopping complex on Altama Avenue in 2008. The venture was started “just for fun” at first, but its popularity quickly established it as a local favorite with a dedicated following. A second location in St. Marys will open soon. As a past winner in several categories and 2012 participant in A Taste of Glynn, McGarvey team is ready to step up their game to compete again this March.

         What defines a true Irish pub? The cozy, warm, friendly feeling along with great food, Kevin noted, are key elements. In his yearly trips to Ireland, he travels the countryside sampling the food in every part of his ancestral land, collecting ideas and inspiration.

         “Pubs in Ireland are true community gathering places,” he explained. “The winters there are very cold, damp and dark. The sun comes up at 9:00 AM, and it starts to get dark around 3:00 PM, so people need someplace comfortable to socialize. I can’t count how many times I’ve looked at a typical street in any town in Ireland on a winter late afternoon to see people walking up a hill in the dark.  Then they open the door to the pub, where the light just glows out into the street.”

         “Pubs are not just places to get alcohol,” he added. “They are family establishments, where people bring their children and cheer on their favorite sports teams. They are places to get incredible food, too. You can go into the tiniest, most humble place in Ireland and get a truly fine meal for a very good price. The Irish are extremely proud of their food, with good reason. That friendly family atmosphere and great food are what I wanted to bring back home to Brunswick, and we are happy to have accomplished that.”

          Dan Black, (pictured, above with Pub staff, L-R, Tari Essig, Kathryn Jordan, and Myranda Batten) is the manager and culinary heart of the Wee Pub. He has been busy creating typical Irish dishes for the Golden Isles.

         “We have things that nobody else has,” he said. “Everything is home-made from scratch. There are specials every day, like Meat Loaf Monday. We have traditional hearty food like ‘bangers and mash,’ pot pies and shepherd’s pie. We also do a great home-made chili that is really popular, and we’ve just added some lighter fare to the menu.”

         So what secrets can chefs-at-home steal from the Wee Pub? Their winning ways with soups, in particular, are well known in the area and to the judges at A Taste of Glynn. Dan Black shared a few pointers for making soup that can win prizes with your family and guests.

         “The secret is preparing everything in one pot, using an aromatic base called ‘mirepoix.’ If you are making something other than a white soup, you start with celery, onions and carrots. If it were a white soup, you would leave off the carrots. You sear the ingredients for the base of your soup, maybe combined with a little bacon, stir up the brown bits and deglaze in one utensil.”

         “But the real difference in any dish is to use the recipe mainly as a guide,” he went on. “I would say that the recipe is 95% of the finished product. The other 5% is tasting and correcting the seasoning. Before you finish preparing a dish, close your eyes and taste. Give yourself a minute or two to decide what’s missing and add it in. Your own taste buds are more important than any recipe.”

         What about our universal questions for the 2012 A Taste of Glynn blog: favorite dinners and celebrity chefs? Kevin McGarvey admires Kevin Dundon, cookbook author and preeminent Irish chef. If he could order anything in the world for dinner, it wouldn’t be dinner- it would be a typical Irish breakfast.

         “We are talking about a huge meal here,” he pointed out. “You have three types of sausage, soda bread with plenty of pure Irish butter, sautéed mushrooms, the freshest eggs cooked to order, and what is called bacon over there–more like our ham. Plus lots of hot, hot tea. Perfect for warming you up on a cold morning.”

         Dan spends a great deal of his time in and around the kitchen, but if he had a chance to turn the tables and be the customer, he would dine on mussels diablo as an appetizer, lamb chops with potatoes au gratin and fresh asparagus. Dessert would be the Wee Pub’s bread pudding, the first-place winner in the dessert category at 2010 A Taste of Glynn. His favorite celebrity chef is hot-tempered Gordon Ramsey.

         “You’d really want to work hard to impress a guy like that,” Dan grinned. Apparently, Dan has impressed other television moguls already. He is a featured candidate for finding true love in the upcoming “Lovetown” series produced by the Oprah Winfrey Network. Will love conquer all? It’s very likely that it can all on its own, but being able to whip up a deep-dish chicken pot pie with tender veggies and a melt-in-your-mouth flakey crust couldn’t hurt, either.

         Be sure to stop by the booth for McGarvey’s Wee Pub at this year’s A Taste of Glynn on March 25, 2012, from 5-8 pm. at the King and Prince Beach and Golf Resort. Tickets are available at the King and Prince, and SunTrust Bank locations on Demere Road and Sea Island Road on St. Simons. In Brunswick, purchase tickets at LaiLai’s, Hattie’s Books, color me happy and Moore Stephens Tiller LLC. Or call the Glynn Community Crisis Center at 264-1348.

Photo by Lindy Thompson, Golden Isles Photography

          

Success is delicious

What does aviation have to do with a culinary competition? More than you might imagine.

            Stambaugh Aviation, an aerospace business in Brunswick, Georgia, deals with repair and modification of large-format commercial aircraft. The company, and its owners, brothers (shown here, left to right) Scott and JR Stambaugh, thrive on offering solutions, modifications and operational planning to move forward from current and potential problems. And, as it happens, so does the Glynn Community Crisis Center, the beneficiary of A Taste of Glynn. Both organizations solve problems and move forward to a better outcome.

            It is that synergy and common philosophy that paved the way for Stambaugh Aviation to become the 2012 Presenting Sponsor for A Taste of Glynn, scheduled to be held at the King and Prince Beach and Golf Resort on St Simons on March 25, 2012.

            Stambaugh Aviation has enjoyed steady growth over the past several years. The company now supplies jobs for 90 employees, and business is wonderful. What is not so wonderful, according to JR Stambaugh, is what has happened to many of their fellow business owners in the past several years.

            “We are very grateful for our success,” he said. “But in this economic downturn, so many people are struggling just to keep the doors open. When that happens, their contributions to charitable organizations necessarily go down. It was a good time for us to step up and do even more than we usually do.”

            The brothers found a good match in supporting the Crisis Center, which operates Amity House and Hope House for those who seek to build a new life without domestic violence. An outreach program, legal and financial counseling, educational support and child advocacy augment the shelter and extended residence services.

             “The Crisis Center gives more than just a place to stay,” Scott Stambaugh pointed out. “It offers solutions, a way to improve lives. That aspect appealed to us. This is a way we can make an impact and offer people options.”

            When they are not busy creating amazing aeronautical transformations, inspecting and repairing such high-tech marvels as mid-air refueling planes or reappointing the plush interior of aircraft belonging to the likes of fashion designer Peter Nygard, Donald Trump and John Travolta, JR and Scott Stambaugh love to eat, socialize, network and entertain. A Taste of Glynn, according to Scott, is the ideal place to do all four simultaneously.

            “I’ve been eating since I was a small child,” he deadpanned. “And I’ve gotten pretty good at it.” 

            JR claims skill in that area as well, adding, “This is just a neat way to raise money. It’s such a classy event and a great opportunity to try new restaurants and new foods.”

            The brothers have sharpened their gastronomic problem-solving skills at A Taste of Glynn for years. When they relocated from their native Pennsylvania, they were initially leery of trying some typically Southern local delicacies.

            “Grits?” JR shuddered. “I could never imagine anyone wanting to eat something called ‘grits’ until I tried shrimp and grits. Now, I’m a huge fan. Going to A Taste of Glynn is a perfect way to sample things that just might become your favorites.”

            In fact, shrimp and grits would be on the menu of JR’s ideal dinner, “spicy and with a kick.” Followed by a slice of Dutch apple pie, a classic Pennsylvania dessert. Scott would grill a filet and some asparagus if he were the chef at home. If someone else did the cooking, he would order vegetable encrusted red snapper with jalapeno cream sauce. Since this was a fantasy meal, he decided not to choose between peach cobbler and apple crisp for dessert. Just bring him an order of both!

            How about a favorite celebrity chef? Scott would pick Guy Fieri, host of Diners, Drive-ins and Dives on the Food Channel. JR chose Savannah’s Paula Deen, and jumped to her defense against recent harsh criticisms from other foodies.

            “Paula Deen’s food is for special occasions,” he pointed out. “It’s a celebration dinner, Thanksgiving or Christmas. Sure, it’s rich but you aren’t supposed to haul off a huge platter of everything. Practice portion control, and eat what you like. It ought to be fun and it ought to make you feel good.”

            He has a good point. Try new things and enjoy yourself. Help people along the way while you’re at it, share your good fortune and be happy. The Stambaugh brothers are living proof that you can make the world a better place, and you can have a good time while you do it.

            Join the owners and staff of this year’s Presenting Sponsor, Stambaugh Aviation, at A Taste of Glynn on March 25, 2012, from 5-8 pm. at the King and Prince Beach and Golf Resort. Tickets are available at the King and Prince, and SunTrust Bank locations on Demere Road and Sea Island Road on St. Simons. In Brunswick, purchase tickets at LaiLai’s, Hattie’s Books, color me happy and Moore Stephens Tiller LLC. Or call the Glynn Community Crisis Center at 264-1348.

           

Photo by Lindy Thompson of Golden Isles Photography

Stylin' Silent Auction

If you’re worried about all the delicious calories you plan to consume at this year’s A Taste of Glynn at the King and Prince Beach and Golf Resort on Marsh 25, Chris Beaufait of Monkeywrench Bicycles on St. Simons has a solution to that problem. Ride your bike! Or– even better– ride one of his bikes. Specifically- the fantastically stylish, unique, 3-speed Numbers bike by Electra. And the only place you’ll find one of those beauties around here is the Silent Auction at A Taste of Glynn.

            Chris is a bit of a hero for the Glynn Community Crisis Center. This year’s generous donation of the ultra-cool Numbers bike marks his seventh year as a major Silent Auction donor. All proceeds from A Taste of Glynn, including the popular Silent Auction, directly support the work of the Crisis Center at Amity House and Hope House for those how have experienced domestic violence.

            “This event is unique on St. Simons,” Chris pointed out. “Whenever you can have something fun to do for a good cause, you’ve hit a home run!”

            Good thinking. And consider another good pairing of ideas: food and exercise. Chris confessed that he never packs a picnic for his bike rides, preferring to ride to one of the numerous superb restaurants on St. Simons instead.

            “A good, sturdy bike ride burns off 500 calories in an hour,” he reminded us. “So hop on your bike and ride, and eat what you want!”

            Bike riding holds the secret ingredient of fitness: fun. “If it’s fun, you’ll do it. Bike riding doesn’t feel like exercise. You can ride pretty much anywhere here, and the whole family can enjoy being outdoors together. We have some excellent parks, plus Gould’s Inlet for the best views of the ocean. And don’t overlook our neighborhoods for good places to ride. We’ve got such beautiful homes and gardens and flowers. Bike rides are the best way to enjoy them.”

            After a good ride, Chris has one dinner on his mind: the brisket from Southern Soul BBQ on St. Simons, followed by a nice wedge of cheesecake. His favorite celebrity chef? Alton Brown, of the Food Network’s show, Good Eats.

            Riding the Numbers bike might not make you a TV star, but it would set you apart as a seriously styling cyclist. As part of the Fashion Cruiser line from high-end bicycle manufacturer Electra, the Silent Auction model sports a colorful top-quality paint finish embellished with numbers on the chassis and fenders, with hearts on the seat and chain guard. And the icing on the candy-pink bike with the striped spokes? Chris Beaufait grinned as he demonstrated the two-tone bell on the handlebar that sounds like a doorbell.

            “Everyone will know you’re coming!” he laughed.

            And you’ll know that when it comes to supporting a great cause in high style, you’ve arrived.

            Ride your bike, or drive and take a complimentary shuttle from Massengale Park to A Taste of Glynn on March 25, 2012, from 5-8 pm. at the King and Prince Beach and Golf Resort. Tickets are available at the King and Prince, and SunTrust Bank locations on Demere Road and Sea Island Road on St. Simons. In Brunswick, purchase tickets at LaiLai’s, Hattie’s Books, color me happy and Moore Stephens Tiller LLC. Or call the Glynn Community Crisis Center at 264-1348.

Photo by Lindy Thompson, Golden Isles Photography