Georgia, oh Georgia

I just home from two weeks in south Georgia for work. Being from the northwest, I figured it would be warm down there so I didn't bring a coat. People thought I was crazy. We had a snow day, and it didn't snow (except near Atlanta) or have torrential freezing rain. It was just kind of chilly, maybe 34 degrees.

I stayed in a hotel with not good food, and didn't have access to real food. I ate at Olive Garden (meh, as always except the always reliable salad and breadsticks) and Buffalo Wild Wings (I love the variety of wings, and they have a salad that makes my mouth soooo happy) but they don't exactly scream Georgia. I did eat a delightful carrot souffle and some amazing squash casserole that I am going to try to replicate in the almost cafeteria style hotel restaurant. I got some good barbecue on St. Simons Island (not my favorite style, but they came close), at Southern Soul and tried Brunswick stew for the first time. I asked what was in Brunswick stew, and was told, pulled pork, Lima beans, corn, and Brunswick (whatever the heck that is). I will have to try to make some of that also.
But otherwise, my time went by without much food excitement. And then, the night before I left, I found paradise. I luckily got to spend some time with my dear friend while I was down there, and we always have to seek out the best food we can. We asked some strangers where to go in downtown Brunswick, and they said if you just want good food, head to Indigo Coastal Shanty where we proceeded to try everything we could. Perfectly crisp Plantain chips that were better than tortilla strips with the amazing guacamole that accompanied the chips. The best fried green tomatoes, over some amazingly creamy grits. A white bean and fennel soup that hit the spot, and then we tried some killer pasta, with an amazing tequila sauce, some Charleston stew dish with more grits, and a bowl of southern style cioppino that knocked my socks off. With lots of food and leftovers, we of course still had to get cake. Rum spice cake with sauce reminiscent of caramelized hot buttered rum batter with pecans. Seriously amazing food.