Guilty Pleasures: Fried Green Tomatoes with Smoked Bacon & Tabasco Mayonnaise!

The Cloister Cocktail

On a drive up to North Carolina last week, Steve and I decided to stay the night somewhere we had never been before, The Cloister Sea Island Resort located in coastal, southern Georgia. I had heard wonderful things about the resort recently and it just so happened to be the perfect halfway point between us and our destination.

After checking in and getting settled, we schlepped our road weary bodies downstairs to the beautifully quaint and cozy River Bar adjacent to the hotel's beautiful lobby. We ordered two Cloister Cocktails, a mix of Champagne, Lillet and Grand Marnier and enjoyed them while watching the gorgeous Georgia sunset. Afterwards, we assumed our seats at the bar and sampled a delicious assortment of southern-inspired dishes. One of my favorites was the Fried Green Tomatoes with Smoked Bacon and Tabasco Mayonnaise. It arrived at the table still warm from the fryer and what's not to love about smoky bacon, spicy mayo and juicy tomatoes? So simple, yet sooo very delicious! 

Steve's last bite of the Fried Green Tomatoes!

In addition to a delicious menu, The River Bar's wine list had many interesting selections to choose from: an Assyrtiko from Greece, an Arneis/Chardonnay blend from Italy and, the one we ordered, a 2007 Hans Wirshing Silvaner from Germany. This delightfully light and refreshing white wine had just a hint of sweetness and was a fabulous complement to the tomatoes. The sweetness of the wine balanced the heat from the Tabasco mayo and the crisp acidity cut the richness of the fried tomatoes making for a delicious example of food and wine synergy - YUM!

Gorgeous Georgia Sunset!

I am already looking forward to our next visit to The Cloister and exploring it's other culinary offerings (not to mention the spa). In addition to the River Bar, the resort is home to The Georgian Room, a Forbes Five Star restaurant that features "Refined Southern" cuisine and the restaurant itself is just beautiful. Chef Daniel Zeal was nice enough to chat with me following a tour of their kitchens and remarkable wine cellar - I'll be sharing those details in a later post. What's your favorite food and wine pairing you've enjoyed lately? Also, what are your feelings about a road trip - are you a fan or not?

Cheers,