SOUTHERN hospitality is a magical thing, and of course food plays an essential role in its power. Entertaining is in our DNA, but sometimes when the doorbell rings and you’re not quite ready to receive company, even a Southern social butterfly can get that sinking oh-no feeling. And when you are expecting someone to stop by to say hello, the anticipation can occasionally be an anxious rather than excited feeling. Yet with a little pimento cheese and a glass of iced tea (or something stronger, when necessary), it’s amazing how quickly any negative feelings fade into the background. There’s simply something sweet and human about fixing a drink for someone or spreading a little cheese on a cracker and passing it to another person. It creates an instant connection, a heart token, a peace offering, and a sense of welcome. It’s not a fix-all for the world’s problems, but for me it’s a starting point of love.
In my refrigerator I tend to keep a passel of homemade goodies for just such occasions, such as garlic herb cheese spread or boiled shrimp I can put out with some remoulade. One of the easiest, tastiest little bites I keep on hand are roasted fresh-crop pecans from the B & B Pecan Co., right around the corner from me in Fairhope, Alabama. Pecan orchards line the roads I drive every day between home and LuLu’s. In fact, that’s how we tell when spring has finally sprung. Once you start seeing the tiniest hint of a green leaf on the bare gray pecan branches, you know the last frost has finally come and gone.
When I host a dinner party, I’m running behind schedule more times than not—luckily, guests don’t want to sit down right away anyway. Everyone usually ends up in the kitchen while I’m still whirling around getting everything coordinated. With my attention caught between working in the kitchen and engaging with my guests, I’ll put out a little shrimp dip on the counter or something else that complements the flavors of the main dish and whets the appetite, my own version of a chef’s amuse-bouche, which literally translates to “entertains the mouth.” What better way to start a dinner party than with a happy mouth? What better way to say “I’m so glad you’re here!” than by giving your guests some good food that makes them smile? What better magic potion to transform yourself from frazzled to fabulous than having your guests gathered around you in the kitchen oohing and aahing over a fantastic appetizer you made just for them?
MAKES 4 CUPS
I KNOW PECANS because I used to run a Nut House! No joke—I was the manager of a pecan candy concession at the 1984 Louisiana World Exposition in New Orleans, and the pecans came from right down the road from my house in Alabama. It’s a fall ritual to “pick up” pecans from trees that are in my neighbor’s yard and then take an afternoon to crack them, rocking on the porch of my barn and plucking out the nutmeat in large pieces, or what they call “mammoth halves.” Roasted pecans are a seasonal tradition and an essential part of the Southern pantry. I give them for Christmas presents, especially to those friends and family who have everything. You can flavor them with any savory spice and herb or any sweet fruit essence, and they make a perfect coffee-table snack. In this recipe, I use fresh rosemary from my garden. You can also use cashews and walnuts instead of or along with the pecans.
4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter
1 teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon sugar
⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 pound fresh-crop pecan halves
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
1. Preheat the oven to 325°F.
2. In a large heavy skillet (10 to 12 inches), combine the butter, salt, sugar, and cayenne and heat over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the butter has melted.
3. Add the pecan halves and stir well until all the pecans are coated. Stir or shake the skillet a few times and cook until the pecans are heated through, 3 to 4 minutes.
4. Stir in the rosemary, making sure it is well distributed, then transfer the pecans to a baking sheet, spreading them in a single layer.
5. Bake for 10 minutes, or until the nuts are a beautiful golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool completely. Store in an airtight container.