There are few experiences that nourish the soul more than shared time at the table. Food is the great connector; we can be transformed by a memorable meal and by the sheer pleasure of flavor. If food is our fuel, taste is our inspiration. It’s our pleasure-filled memory bank. The specialness of the season is made richer by the ritual dishes and desserts that we make, with family and friends, over and again.
Thankfully many of us will gather together in person this year. The table is a central theme of this issue—a cooking club is born out of the desire to meet new people; an earthy and elegant tablescape beckons guests to linger; ethnic cuisine finds its place among traditional Southern fare.
As we move back into life’s familiar rhythm, we’re seeing the effects of these times on our food culture. The pandemic promoted new business ideas, including the pop-up restaurant. Established kitchens are now opening their doors to budding chefs, who offer more than just delicious food—their presence becomes an event, an unexpected pleasure that surfaces serendipitously or via social media.
We highlight three pop-ups in Greenville with a flair for Asian, and Asian-influenced, cuisine: Sum Bar features dim sum and other Cantonese delicacies; Takam cooks up Filipino foods; and The Pineapple Express delivers authentic Hawaiian food—Spam musubi, anyone?—to Greenville.
Similar concepts are taking root in the city, some of which, like Rise Bakery, are planning imminent openings in brick-and-mortar locations. Rise, the brainchild of baker Julian Loué, will debut next month in the Village of West Greenville, supplying the west side with artisan bread and viennoiserie (croissants, Danishes, and other buttery, flaky goodness).
The holidays equal sugar and spice, and we’ve no shortage of both. Table 301’s Chef Lindsay Beck offers recipes for pecan shortbread (dipped in chocolate) and gluten-free peppermint sandwich cookies, and we have cherry-stuffed granola for gifting—plus a rum cocktail for home and another to have at Greenville’s EXILE bar after a long day of shopping.
Food is the heart of life. It is sustenance, but it is also memory. It translates to feeling and, ultimately, to love. May you revel in the goodness of the season.
