CHSWFF: Northern Thai Curry and English Pea Tofu

It was just past noon on Wednesday when Pok Pok Chef/Owner Andy Ricker tweeted, “LaGuardia closed, all flights cancelled, no flights available tomorrow as of now. Not looking good for @ChsWineandFood.” That tweet was followed by a glimpse of hope, but weather kept him from making it to Charleston in time for the signature dinner at Edmund’s Oast. Even with Ricker not being present though, it didn’t seem to matter, as Pok Pok’s sous chef Brendan Newell brought his best to Charleston.

Newell and Edmund’s Oast Executive Chef Andy Henderson alternated courses throughout the night for what turned out to be an unforgettable meal. There were smoked root vegetables with sprouts, kefir lime, and pork cracklings, Thai sausages, and grilled pork neck with mustard greens.

Henderson shocked guests with English pea tofu with grilled ham, roasted spring onion, sambal, and mint — a dish that was beautiful, light, and brilliant.

Alongside each dish were cocktails carefully crafted by Miles MacQuarrie of The Kimball House in Atlanta, and beers brewed by Jeppe Jarnit-Bjergsø of Evil Twin Brewing and Cameron Reed of Edmund’s Oast. Among the drinks were a refreshing gin sour with lemon, celery, herbs, and chartreuse and slushy version of an Evil Twin and Edmund’s Oast collaboration sour apricot beer called “Jelly Beer.”

The dish of the night was the Kaeng Hung Leh, a Northern Thai sweet pork belly and pork shoulder curry. Even though it was the last dish before dessert, and guests were feeling full, the bowls of sweet and savory goodness were cleaned out in no time.

The night ended with a picturesque plate of treats from Edmund’s Oast pastry chef Julia Ingram, alongside a PB&J float.

Ricker or not, it was a night to remember.