Chillin' at the mill

Just got back from a two-day [semi-marathon] road trip through South Carolina, and one of the things I finally did (after putting it off for three years) was visit Anson Mills off Gervais Street in downtown Columbia.

They have a very cool set up, with several types of mills (several are from Meadows Mills in North Wilkesboro, N.C.) and a whole lotta chest freezers (in which they freeze their pre-ground corn and their finished products) throughout their warehouse.

I was able to obtain some buckwheat flour, oat flour, blue grits (made from Cherokee Blue corn), and rice grits.

Can't wait to cook with them! First, I think I'm going to make Anson Mills' recipe "Carolina Gold Rice Grits with Shallots and Celery" as a side to a "Poulet Rouge" chicken from Ashley Farms/Joyce Foods. Mmmm...

(The other foodie highlight in S.C. was Cooper's Country Store in/near Salters, where I bought two BBQ turkey sandwiches, a bag of boiled peanuts, and some salt and vinegar pork rinds for my dinner; they are "famous" for their country hams, which I assumed are produced on premise, but may not be -- they are also somewhat mysteriously "famous" for their rice cookers/steamers. Their meat counter made me seriously drool.)