There is not a single time that I drive by the old Edisto Motel down in the ACE Basin that I don’t think about the fried shrimp and what it must have been like.

When you talk to anyone that has been in Charleston since before Hurricance Hugo, they have a story to tell about the seafood at the Edisto Motel.  People would drive for miles to get in the long line and wait for a plate, holding a warming can of beer in their hand as they contemplated the deliciousness that was about to come forth.  It’s always a treat to hear people reminisce about it because they get that far off look in their eyes and its seems like they can almost taste it.  I’ve heard that sometimes there would be 50 people in line waiting to get it!

We don’t have as many places like the Edisto Motel anymore.  Restaurants in the Charleston Lowcountry have PR teams, well-developed websites and decorated interiors.  And don’t get me wrong, I love the eating at those restaurants….but there is something about a hole-in-the-wall that makes me feel like I’ve discovered a hidden gem.

I feel that way whenever I eat at Sewee Restaurant in my hometown of Awendaw.  I can wear my working-in-the-yard clothes and no one seems to mind.  They know my daughter by name and dote on her like their own.  The food is simple and straightforward, but always fresh and good.

I can only imagine that getting a plate of shrimp from the Edisto Motel restaurant in Jacksonboro was like that.  Standing in line, running into friends you haven’t seen in ages and getting the chance to talk like we don’t seem to get to anymore.  Maybe it’s better that this mythical place closed before the takeover of mobile devices.  It wouldn’t be the same if everyone in line was focused on their phones instead.

As for me, every time we drive to the ACE Basin to do a kayak tour on Cuckold’s Creek or a boat tour on the Edisto River, I’ll think about what it must have been like.

Here’s the recipe that the Charleston Post & Courier published a few years ago.  It claims to be the famed recipe for fried shrimp.  I’ve made it and it is perfection.

From John Martin Taylor’s ‘Fearless Frying’ cookbook:

FRIED SHRIMP

Serves 2-6

Ingredients

• Peanut oil for deep frying
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 pounds small fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined but tails intact
• 1 cup cracker meal

Directions

Pour oil to a depth of 3 inches in a stockpot or Dutch oven, place it over medium-high heat, and heat it to 365 degrees.

While the oil is heating, beat the eggs, milk and salt together. Place the shrimp in a bowl, and pour the egg mixture over the shrimp, making sure they are well-coated. Then drain the shrimp in a colander, shaking it well to remove all excess egg. Place the cracker meal on a plate.

When the oil reaches 365 degrees, roll the shrimp in the cracker meal, then place them in a dry sieve. Shake off the excess meal over the plate. Fry the shrimp, in batches, in the hot oil until golden brown, 1-2 minutes. Remove the shrimp from the oil with a wire mesh strainer, and shake off all excess oil. Serve immediately.

Frying Tips

• Always use clean oil.
• Choose a pot larger than the heat source.
• Never fill a pot more than half full of oil.
• Constantly monitor the temperature (use a high-quality candy or deep-frying thermometer).
• Do not crowd the pot.
• Use the proper tools for adding and removing foods. He doesn’t recommend baskets because adding all the food at once to the oil causes the temperature to drop too much. He uses spring-loaded tongs and a wire mesh skimmer.

Does the scent of honeysuckle take you back?

Plan an adventure on blackwater with Coastal Expeditions-
and pack the boiled peanuts.