Party Like the Lee Bros.

Article by Donna Florio

Who better to share a charming Charleston menu than Southern food experts Matt Lee and Ted Lee. Do try this casual fare from their new cookbook on your own porch, deck, or patio.

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How to Party on the Porch

Photo: Squire Fox
All recipes adapted from THE LEE BROS. CHARLESTON KITCHEN © 2013 by Matt Lee and Ted Lee. Published by Clarkson Potter, a division of Random House, Inc.
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The Hugo

Photo: Squire Fox

Make this rum-and-ginger drink ahead, if you like. Follow directions through Step 1; cover and chill up to 24 hours. Proceed with Step 2 when you're ready to serve.

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Savory Benne Wafers

Photo: Jennifer Davick

The Lees turned the sweet benne wafer, a Lowcountry staple, into a crisp, one-bite cocktail snack. Benne, aka sesame seeds, can be found in bulk at health food stores.

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Romaine with Toasted Pecans and Pickled Strawberries

Photo: Jennifer Davick

Use this recipe as a template for every season, substituting seasonal fruit such as plums, figs, or grapes for the berries. If your strawberries are large, cut them into eighths.

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Rice and Ham Croquettes with Tomato Sauce

Photo: Squire Fox

These ham-studded rice fritters are the Lowcountry version of Italian arancini.

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Smoked Egg Salad Toasts

Photo: Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Smoked Egg Salad Toasts

Liven up egg salad with the distinctive Lowcountry flavor of smoke. (Think hardwood-roasted oysters and pulled pork barbecue.) Serve these also as an open-face afternoon sandwich.

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Pickled Shrimp with Fennel

Photo: Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Pickled Shrimp with Fennel

Marinated, plump shrimp and crunchy sliced fennel make great passed hors d'oeuvres with toothpicks and an even better no-fuss cold salad.

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Sorghum Marshmallows

Photo: Squire Fox

Homemade marshmallows, especially these with a unique Southern flavor, are like nothing you've ever tried before. Brush or rub a 1-inch border of 1 tsp. vegetable oil around the top of saucepan to prevent sugar from boiling to the top.

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Grapefruit Chess Tart

Photo: Jennifer Davick

We adapted this recipe to work in a 12- × 8-inch rectangular or 9-inch round tart pan with a removable bottom as well as a 9-inch pie plate. Serve with whipped cream for an extra touch of sweetness.

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Buy the Cookbook

Photo: Ralph Lee Anderson
There's an ease to assembling parties in Charleston that comes from the city's compact, walkable design and its social traditions," say authors and food personalities Matt Lee and Ted Lee. As the brothers spent formative years here, that social spirit rubbed off, shaping their culinary careers.

In their third cookbook, The Lee Bros. Charleston Kitchen, they bring this great city, its people, and its recipes to life. Get your copy now.

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