Celebrating Northwest corks and cuisine

Set in remote Lane County, Oregon, and surrounded by the verdant landscape of the world’s largest contiguous organic vineyard, King Estate has built its reputation on premium wines, preserving the food culture of the Northwest and dedication to sustainability.

In the pantheon of necessary evils, Valentine’s Day hoopla ranks somewhere between paying your taxes and flossing. That said, if you’re going to do it, do it right. Take that special someone out to a romantic restaurant. Better yet, reserve the most romantic table at that romantic restaurant. To make things easy, Monthly has compiled a list of the most romantic restaurant tables of Hilton Head Island and Bluffton. Reserve one of these and V-Day will be yours.

With so many great restaurants, eating out is one of the top things to do for both visitors and locals. And there’s no reason why it can’t be healthy eating.

Here are a few tips to follow for eating healthy when eating out:

ROADSIDE FOOD STANDS STEEPEDIN HILTON HEAD HISTORY

Before the developers, before the tourists, before The bridges, Hilton Head Island was a much different place. A much simpler place.

Following the Civil War, Union troops left newly freed slaves behind to fend for themselves. As property became available, many freedmen used their hard-earned money to purchase land in areas such as Baynard, Squire Pope and Chaplin.

YOUR GUIDE TO FROZEN TREATS. GET THE SCOOP ON ICE CREAM, FROZEN YOGURT, GELATO & SMOOTHIES.

Clearly summer vacation is coming to an end, but the arrival of fall traditions like school, dance classes, and football don’t necessarily usher out the still quite warm weather here in the Lowcountry. The need for cool treats will still be going strong for at least three more months. Honestly, does the cool treat season ever really end around here? Do you stop craving ice cream, frozen yogurt, gelato and smoothies when you store away your white jeans and flip flops? Nah, we don’t either.

It’s been called the “underground king of condiments” and its hip culinary cred comes, in part, from high-profile trendy chefs who are squirting it on everything from albacore tuna to zucchini.  But it’s not just the culinary elite; mainstream eateries  have boldly set the sassy bottle on tables right next to the tried-and-true duo of ketchup and mustard.

Here is what I know. It is difficult to interview a brewer, in a brewery, while standing up, trying to take notes and sip beer simultaneously. I managed awkwardly. Thus, I thought it only apropos that while I sit and type, I keep a beer nearby, just to keep the story consistent. You’ll thank me at the end.

Popeye and his spinach need to make way for the new “Queen of Greens.”

Vitamin-rich kale has long been a staple of southern cuisine but is gaining world-wide popularity for one simple reason — it’s one of the healthiest foods you can eat.  While all unprocessed vegetables are good for your health, kale offers a few added benefits, protecting against several cancers while lowering cholesterol.

“It’s basically the closest relative to wild cabbage,” said Lindsay Martin, a wellness coach and dietician at Hilton Head Health. “It’s considered one of those cruciferous vegetables, which have been shown to have numerous health benefits.”

By Sally Kerr-Dineen

I grew up in the north – Poughkeepsie, N.Y., to be exact. So summer and grilling had a very short seasonal window, unlike here in the Lowcountry.  Up in the frozen north, we couldn’t wait for that first backyard barbecue when we pulled out the dusty old grill from the garage.  Now, my grill gets fired up pretty much all year round — I even use it to roast my Thanksgiving and Christmas turkeys (hey, it frees up the oven).