Los Hermanos

from Lowcountry Weekly January 4 – January 31

Valentines Ball 2023

As you know by now, the folks at Seldon Ink HQ take their food pretty seriously. And, yes, we realize that there are only two of us at our Beaufort headquarters. But we like to think globally. So, this month, we got out of our box and headed to Mexico, Honduras, and El Salvador for lunch. OK . . . not literally (we wish!). But we did head to Tienda Hispana Los Hermanos (known to loyal fans as just Los Hermanos) for a delicious trip to Latin America. And we even brought home some souvenirs from their attached tienda (store) next door.

When you first approach the building, don’t plan to be overwhelmed with traditional Latin American architecture or décor. It’s a bare bones metal-siding building that looks pretty much like a convenience store. But, depending on when you come, the parking lot will be overflowing with cars and construction and landscaping trucks. This is always a good sign for a restaurant, in our opinion. It seems that Los Hermanos has been discovered by the Latin community, many of whom spend their days as construction workers, painters, landscapers, and other laborers that help to keep

Now full disclosure. This is not your typical fine dining or classic Lowcountry Dish. But if you have an adventurous appetite and live for your next delicious meal (as we do), then you absolutely need to check out Los Hermanos. Located off Robert Smalls Parkway and Castle Rock Road across from the entrance to Shadow Moss and near the Walmart, Los Hermanos is a hidden gem that is serving some of the most legit Latin food we’ve had in the area and beyond. Beaufort running smoothly and looking good. And, for that, we are thankful and grateful.

The first time we went, the modest and unadorned dining area was full of mostly male workers who were devouring hot and fresh Latin American specialties before getting back to work. We felt slightly conspicuous as the only gringos in the place while we waited for our friends, Rob and Jim—who were the ones to turn us on to the amazing tacos, tortas, sopes, burritos, pupusas, and more. However, we quickly got over it when we reviewed the great menu and started salivating. Truly, the extensive menu belies the space, so be prepared for tough ordering decisions. Or just return often, like we do now.

THE LOWCOUNTRY DISH

Cele & Lynn Seldon

Pupusa

Once the dining area had cleared a bit (we recommend going on the later side in order to snag a table—though they also do a large take-away business), we were seated at a four-top and started negotiating the menu. Thankfully, it was in Spanish, but with English translation.

Not surprisingly, tacos rule. However, they feature two very different styles: Tacos Hondureños, which are four rolled and crispy-fried tacos (similar to Mexican taquitos and super messy, but oh-sodelicious), served with a heaping mound of a cabbage, red onion, tomato, queso fresco, and Honduran crema salad and Tacos Mexicanos, which are more of what we think of for traditional tacos, topped with cilantro and onions. Both are served on corn tortillas (we’re betting they don’t even carry the Americanized flour versions), with the Hondu-

Caldo de Res

ran version stuffed with chicken and the Mexican version featuring a choice of meats, typically including marinated pork (pastor), beef (asada), beef tongue (lengua), Mexican sausage (chorizo), beef tripe (tripa), and chicken (pollo). Both types were the orders of the day for part of our party, with raves all around about both styles, including the house made salsa verde and authentic hot sauce.

Los Hermanos also serves quesadillas and burritos containing many of the same meat choices, with the burritos being served with beans and rice. They also have an impressive torta menu, which is basically a sandwich, but served on a huge portion of bread that looks more like a cake. It’s generally available with the same meats, along with addition of ham or breaded beef or chicken, and served with papas fritas (french fries).

Unique to Los Hermanos is the Pupusa Mixta, which is an El Salvadoran griddle cake or flatbread made with cornmeal or rice flour –similar to arepas from Colombia or Venezuela – and stuffed with cheese and chicharrón (fried pork belly, bless their hearts) and served with a side salad of cabbage, carrots and jalapeños with a tangy vinegar-based dressing. The sopa del dia (soup of the day) was too enticing to ignore on our first visit. Called Caldo de Res, this traditional Mexican beef soup was made with beef bones, potatoes, chayote, and corn and was the perfect dish for a cold, rainy day. The broth was insanely flavorful, the vegetables were perfectly cooked and the beef—although a bit challenging to eat—was delicious. It was served with rice, lime wedges, cilantro, and plenty of warm corn tortillas. Other items on the menu that will have us going back for more include: enchiladas Hondureños; fajitas; baleada, which is a Honduran specialty composed of a flour tortilla filled with a smear of mashed refried beans, crema and crumbled queso duro; and platters like beef or chicken Milanesa (breaded and fried), mojarra frita (fried tilapia), carne asada (grilled and sliced beef) and daily specials like beef or chicken guisado (a slow-cooked and stew-y one-pot dish), all served with traditional accompaniments like rice, beans and salad.

As with most Latin American restaurants, beverages are a thing. From traditional aguas frescas in rotating flavors, like Horchata, Jamaica (hibiscus) and Maracuya (passion fruit) to bottled Jarritos® flavored sodas including tamarind, lime, mango, and strawberry, Michelada (a Mexican drink made with beer, lime juice, assorted chili-based sauces, and spices), and an impressive Latin American beer selection, you won’t go thirsty at Los Hermanos.

Once your belly is full and you’ve paid your surprisingly modest bill (they take cash and credit), head to the tienda next door. Coming in at about six times the size of the restaurant, the market is filled to the gills with all kinds of Latin American products, along with many traditional supermarket grabs, including: lots of masa; hominy; tamale skins; varied Latin sauces, salsas, and hot sauces; Latin American cookies, crackers and confections; fruit juices, bottled Jarritos® flavored sodas, and Mexican beers; and produce, including hard-to-find tomatillos, chayote, hot peppers, plantains and cassava.

And don’t even get us started on the dried chile peppers. They have several varieties packaged in pristine one gallon Ziploc bags, with more chiles per bag than we could eat in a year. They also have an impressive spice wall, with seemingly every kind of American and Latin American spice known to man or woman.

The cheese selection is vast, with queso frescos and cremas from Honduras, Mexico, and El Salvador. And the meat counter is loaded with unusual cuts of meat and sausages. Sadly, they were not labeled, and we haven’t been confident enough in our limited Spanish to pull the trigger quite yet.

On our first visit, as we headed to the register with our arms full of Latin American specialties, we noticed an entire wall of Takis® chips, which are a Mexican brand of rolled corn tortilla chip snack. Fashioned after the taquito, they come in a wide variety of flavors (think Doritos), including Fuego, Crunchy Fajita, Blue Heat, and Nitro (which appears to be a continuum of heat, from hot to hotter to are-you-kidding-me hottest, with a cooling Guacamole option for us wussy gringos).

So, the next time you are craving something a bit out of this world—or at least a bit out of Beaufort, look no further than Los Hermanos. Muy delicioso!

Chilies

Beaufort-based travel journalists Lynn and Cele Seldon (www. seldonink.com) often cover culinary travel around the world, and Lowcountry Weekly recently lured them to write a monthly feature covering the local food scene. This will include articles about restaurants, chefs, food-focused stores, farms, farmers, farmers markets, and more. They welcome suggestions for topics.

Tienda Hispana Los Hermanos

Why Can’t Every Day Be Like Christmas?

After 31 years of marriage, Vince and I spent our very first Christmas alone. Together. Just the two of us – and our 16-year-old-Christmas-loving cat, Belle. It was glorious! Unseasonably cold weather was a great excuse to stay home, sleep late, watch Christmas movies and eat. So, we did just that. I spent several afternoons testing new recipes for catering, my YouTube cooking channel and of course, my Lowcountry Weekly column. Christmas came and went too quickly. Today, Belle and I made the executive decision to start undecorating. It’s time to move forward. 2023 is just a few days away. I’m very excited by the notion of a fresh start, a chance to begin again and the possibilities ahead. Happy New Year, dear readers. Cheers to your good health, safety, happiness and prosperity!

LASAGNE SOUP CON TRE FORMAGGI

The Italian language is so deliciously descriptive. “Con tre formaggi” translates to “with three cheeses.” The cheese medley that tops this soup is incredible. Keep in mind that Lasagne Soup will only be soup for an hour or two. After that, the pasta soaks up enough of the broth for the consistency to become more like a casserole. If you need to make the soup in advance, cook the pasta separately and add it just before serving. p.s. “Lasagne” is the plural of “lasagna” and there is definitely more than one piece of pasta in this recipe. 1 pound ground beef, cooked 3 (14.5-ounce) cans beef broth 1 large onion, chopped OR 3 tablespoons dried onion 3 cloves garlic, minced 2 (14.5-ounce) cans diced fire-roasted tomatoes 1¼ -1½ cups prepared marinara sauce 2 teaspoons dried oregano ½ teaspoon dried basil ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes Freshly ground black pepper, to taste ¼ cup cabernet sauvignon, optional 8 ounces campanelle (trumpets), mafalda or fusilli pasta

For the three cheese topping:

1 cup cottage cheese OR ricotta cheese ½ cup grated parmesan cheese 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese Fresh black pepper, to taste Chopped fresh Italian parsley OR fresh basil to garnish Brown ground beef in a large stock pot until cooked through; drain well on paper towels. Discard grease. In the same pot, pour in 3 cans of beef broth and bring to a simmer. Add onion and cook in broth until tender. Add garlic, fire-roasted tomatoes and prepared marinara sauce. Season with oregano, basil, red pepper flakes and black pepper and simmer until heated through. Add wine; if using. Bring mixture to a low boil. Stir in beef and pasta and cook until pasta is al dente; stirring often. While the soup in cooking, make the cheese topping. Place cottage cheese, parmesan cheese and shredded mozzarella cheese in a bowl; mix well to combine. Season with black pepper. Cheese mixture will be stiff. To serve, add soup to individual bowls and top with a dollop of the cheese topping. Garnish with chopped fresh Italian parsley. Serves 6 to 8.

By Debbi Covington

1 cup milk, at room temperature (whole, low-fat or skim) 1 cup all-purpose flour 3 large eggs, at room temperature ¼ teaspoon salt 2 tablespoons cold butter Place milk, flour, eggs and salt in a blender. It's important that the eggs and milk are not cold. If needed, warm the milk for about 30 seconds in the microwave. Blend all ingredients until the batter is very smooth. Let the batter rest for 15 to 20 minutes. Place oven rack in the center of oven. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Spray popover pan with cooking spray. Place popover pan on a baking sheet. Place 1 teaspoon of cold butter in each cup of the popover pan. Place pan on baking sheet in hot oven for 1 to 2 minutes, just long enough to melt the butter. Do not stir the batter. Evenly divide the batter into the prepared pan. Each cup should be filled approximately halfway. Bake for 20 minutes until puffed and golden brown. Reduce heat to 350 degrees and continue baking for 10 more minutes until crispy. Do not open the oven door during baking. Serve warm. Serves 6. days and it’s just plain delish. Double or triple the ingredients to feed a crowd. 5 cups iceberg lettuce; cut into small pieces 1 cup frozen baby peas, thawed Chopped red onion, to taste 1 (12-ounce) package bacon, cooked and crumbled 6 hard-boiled eggs, sliced 2 cups salad dressing (Miracle Whip) 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese Place salad ingredients, in layers, starting with the lettuce and ending with the boiled eggs, in a large glass bowl or dish. Top with salad dressing and garnish with cheddar cheese. Cover and chill until ready to serve. Serves 8.

The writer owns Catering by Debbi Covington and is the author of three cookbooks, Celebrate Beaufort, Celebrate Everything! and Dining Under the Carolina Moon. For more great recipes and to view her cooking demonstrations, visit and subscribe to Debbi’s YouTube channel. Debbi’s website address is www.cateringbydebbicovington.com. She may be reached at 843-525-0350 or by email at dbc@ cateringbydebbicovington.com.

Award-Winning Novelists at Conroy Center

Four award-winning novelists will read from and discuss their work at the nonprofit Pat Conroy Literary Center (601 Bladen St., Beaufort) on Saturday, January 21, at 5:00 p.m. The Conroy Center is honored to host Mindy Friddle, author of Secret Keepers and The Garden Angel; Rebecca T. Godwin, author of Keeper of the House and Private Parts; J.C. Sasser, author of Gradle Bird; and Michel Stone, author of The Iguana Tree and Border Child. This author event is free and open to the public. Books will be available for sale and signing. Seating is limited; please call 843-379-7025 to reserve in advance.

Prior to the public reading, the quartet of novelists will also lead a ticketed writers workshop, Creating Your Writing Practice, from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. To learn more and register for the writing workshop, visit https://patconroyliterarycenter. eventbrite.com.

Mindy Friddle is the author of Secret Keepers (winner of the Willie Morris Award for Southern Fiction) and The Garden Angel (a Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers selection). She is a two-time winner of the South Carolina Fiction Prize and the recipient of writing fellowships from the South Carolina Arts Commission and Sewanee Writers Conference. Her third novel, Her Best Self, is forthcoming in 2024. She lives and writes on Edisto Island.

Rebecca T. Godwin has just been awarded the South Carolina Arts Commission's Prose Fellowship for 2023. She is the author of two novels, Keeper of the House and Private Parts. Her work has appeared in Paris Review, Oxford American, The Sun, Epoch, South Carolina Review, The Rumpus, and elsewhere. She received MacDowell and National Endowment for the Arts fellowships in the early 2000s. She has recently completed a collection of linked stories. She lives and writes on Pawley's Island.

Born and raised in Metter, Georgia, J.C. Sasser has worked as an envelope licker, tortoise tagger, lifeguard, Senate page, model, editor, water-polo coach, marine biologist, plant grower, software consultant, and 6-Sigma Black Belt. She is the award-winning author of the novel Gradle Bird, and her short stories have been published in multiple anthologies. She currently lives in the South Georgia woods in a WWII barracks with her family.

Writer, educator, and community volunteer, Michel Stone is the author of the novels Border Child and The Iguana Tree, both optioned for film. She is the winner of the Mary Frances Hobson Prize for Distinguished Achievement in Arts and Letters, the Patricia Winn Award for Southern Literature, and the South Carolina Fiction Award. Michel is a past board chair of the Hub City Writers Project in Spartanburg, SC.

Learn more about the Conroy Center at www. patconroyliterarycenter.org.