Feature: Mother’s Day brunch

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“We’ve got four generations of women here today,” says Chris, whose daughter, Jennifer, is busy whisking hollandaise sauce by her side. Her mother, Lucy, hangs back politely, despite her own culinary expertise, while granddaughter Antoinette twirls about the house in her favorite chiffon skirt. From stepmother to half-sister and daughter-in-law, more of Chris’ family spills out onto the front porch, where they’re preparing the table for brunch.

This is a family who celebrates together often, as they’ve called the Lowcountry home since Chris’ grandparents immigrated to Charleston in the 1920s. They brought with them the distinctive flavors of both her grandmother’s Italian cuisine and her grandfather’s Greek heritage. While it may not have been obvious then, they also brought the makings for a generations-long passion for entrepreneurship, and more importantly, for cooking.

“None of us has had any formal training besides a course here and there,” says Lucy. “We’ve just always cooked.” In fact, she was first to turn restaurateur when she opened Stella’s Spaghetti on Meeting Street in the 1940s. Later, Chris and her brother Michael teamed up with their father on another venture: Momma’s Money, a disco and restaurant on upper King, while Lucy moved on to downtown eatery Evangeline.

Soon, Chris was ready for a place of her own, and she opened a funky, diner-style restaurant called King Street Eden. After graduating from high school, Jennifer joined her in the kitchen. “We’ve worked side by side since she was 18,” says Chris. “Our flavors are right in tune, and we’re constantly bouncing ideas off one another.”

The pair introduced their now-signature vegetarian fare as owners of the Sun Spot on Folly Beach, then settled down in 1986 with AngelFish, a cozy James Island eatery known for its meatless cuisine and delicious desserts. After 17 hectic years, mother and daughter decided to “simplify” their lives by paring the business down into AngelFish Cake. While catering jobs take up much of their time, they also offer sandwiches and sweet treats from a small storefront in Folly Road Center. “We’ve catered for many of the same clients for 20 years,” says Chris. “We keep it very simple and personal, just like our lives—that’s how we like it.”

And on Mother’s Day, what mama likes, mama gets. The menu may be long—“Mom can’t help herself. She’ll just cook everything she can dream up,” says Jennifer—but the decorations are no more formal than everyday silver servingware, mismatched vases filled with pink and white stock, and various artwork propped atop the brick pillars. Though dressed for a party today, it’s obvious that the porch plays a central role in everyday life here—hydrangea flank worn rocking chairs, a wrought-iron table invites impromptu dining, and potted plants find a home on the wide front steps.

“We love it out here,” says Chris. “We can sit and chat all afternoon with no one to see or hear us.” Though it fronts Folly Road, the house is barely visible to beach traffic, thanks to the near-jungle of live oaks, magnolia trees, and camellias. “I’ve been watching this place all my life,” says Chris of the 90-year-old residence. Once part of a 40-acre dairy farm, it’s since served as a boarding house as well as a hotel and antiques shop. When she and husband Horace (better known as Bubba) bought it in 1994, the place was in a state of disrepair, but neither that nor rumors of a ghostly resident dissuaded Chris from making it home.

Today it’s hard to imagine a more cheerful spot than the sun-dappled porch, where the last dish of food has been laid down the center of the table. The family’s Greek and Italian heritage, mingled with plenty of Southern flavor, is evident in today’s colorful spread: Grilled grouper with wilted spinach, watermelon and feta salad, lima beans with fresh Parmesan, potatoes vinaigrette, sun-dried tomato biscuits, and a dill cucumber salad. On the dessert table, two white-frosted confections—one a lemon cake, the other a sherry pound cake—set a monochromatic stage for the colorful array of fresh fruit tarts ringing around a simple white serving dish piled high with cherries.

After helping themselves to a glass of wild huckleberry tea or a Charleston Cocktail—“We made them with local Firefly Vodka,” explains Chris—the ladies take their seats. “I want to thank everyone for their help today,” she says. “And here’s to Mother’s Day!” Glasses clink together in cheers as the greeting goes round the table, from Lucy, now a great-grandmother, to Jennifer, who has two-year-old Antoinette perched on her lap. Chris’ daughter-in-law, Crystal, begins to pass the bowls of food, and talk turns to family, work, and the summer ahead. Long after brunch plates have been exchanged for dessert, after sleepy Antoinette has been tucked in for a nap, and after the sun begins to drop behind the trees, the family of women linger at the table. “Time slips by so fast. You have to grab it with celebrations like these,” says Chris. “And I like to do what I can to make them special.”

Roasted Grouper with Wilted Spinach

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Serves

12

Ingredients 

• Olive oil for the pan plus 1 tsp.
• 12 (6 1/2-oz.) grouper fillets
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground pepper
• 1 (10-oz. bag) fresh spinach
• Preheat an oven to 400ºF.

Hollandaise Sauce with Saffron

6 egg yolks

1 cup melted butter

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

Pinch cayenne pepper

Generous pinch saffron

Directions 

With olive oil, thinly coat a sauté pan large enough to hold five to six fillets at a time. Sear the grouper fillets over medium-high heat for three to four minutes on each side. Place them on a greased baking sheet with sides and sprinkle them with salt and pepper. When all are seared, place a sheet of foil on top of the fillets, but don’t seal. Roast the fillets in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes.
While the fillets are roasting, put the teaspoon of olive oil and a pinch of kosher salt into a sauté pan and heat. Add the spinach and toss over medium-high heat until just wilted. Place the spinach on a platter. Place the grouper fillets on the spinach and nap them with the hollandaise sauce.

Hollandaise Sauce with Saffron
Set up a double boiler using a medium saucepan filled with hot, but not boiling, water and a stainless steel bowl with a shallow rise and wide opening. Place the yolks in the bowl, keeping the whisk moving. Beat the yolks until they begin to thicken and turn pale in color. Pour in the butter in a slow stream and continue to beat until the mixture thickens further. Take the bowl off of the heat and whisk in the lemon juice, cayenne pepper, and saffron.

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Watermelon Salad with Feta & Fresh Mint

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Serves

12

Ingredients 

• 1/2 medium seedless watermelon, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh mint
• 1 cup broken feta cheese (generous chunks broken from a block, not crumbles)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions 

In a large bowl, combine the watermelon, lime juice, and half of the mint. Transfer to a serving bowl and top with feta cheese, salt and pepper to taste, and the remaining mint. Chill before serving.

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Lemony Lima Beans with Parmesan

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Serves

12

Ingredients 

• 3 qts. salted water
• 2 (1-lb.) bags frozen baby lima beans, unthawed
• 4 Tbs. olive oil
• 1 Tbs. lemon zest
• 3 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/3 cup shaved Parmesan cheese

Directions 

Bring the salted water to a boil. Add the lima beans and cook for five minutes, or until tender but firm. Drain and rinse in cold water, then drain again. Pat dry with paper towels.

Transfer the lima beans to a medium mixing bowl. Stir in the oil, lemon zest, and the lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Place in a serving bowl and top with the Parmesan cheese.

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Potatoes Vinaigrette

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Serves

12

Ingredients 

• 3 lbs. new potatoes, scrubbed
• 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
• 2 Tbs. Dijon mustard
• 2 Tbs. whole-grain mustard
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 ribs celery, thinly sliced
• 3/4 cup chopped tender celery leaves

Directions 

Place the potatoes in a pot and cover them with cold salted water. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook for 12 to 14 minutes, or until just tender. Drain and set aside to cool.

Combine the vinegar, Dijon mustard, and whole-grain mustard. Season with salt and pepper to taste. When the potatoes are cool, quarter them, and toss them in the mustard-vinegar mixture. Refrigerate until completely cold.
Add the oil, celery, and celery leaves and toss. Serve immediately.

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Dill Cucumber Salad

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Serves

12

Ingredients 

• 2 English cucumbers
• 2 tsp. salt
• 3/4 cup plain low-fat yogurt
• 1/4 cup fresh dill, plus sprigs for garnish
• 2 tsp. red wine vinegar
• 1/4 tsp. pepper

Directions 

Cut the cucumbers in half lengthwise. With a spoon, scoop out the seeds and discard them. Slice the cucumber halves crosswise in 1/8-inch pieces. Place in a colander set over a bowl. Toss with salt. Let stand 15 minutes.

In a medium bowl, combine the yogurt, dill, vinegar, and pepper. Remove the cucumbers from the colander and pat with paper towels. Add to bowl with the yogurt dressing and toss to combine. Garnish with the dill sprigs.

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