› CHARLESTON, 1987.........................................
I first wrote about this dessert in William van Hettinga’s irreverent Charleston monthly, Poor William’s Omnibus. I was just beginning to make a name for myself as a culinary historian, and my sleuthing brought me both fame and disdain. Some Charlestonians, particularly the blue-haired ladies who had been serving the dish at the tea rooms that they ran during the spring and fall house tours, were furious that I would discredit its heritage. John Egerton, the illustrious journalist who wrote about the Civil Rights Movement and southern food, history, and culture, featured my finds in his nationally syndicated column. Book offers poured in for me from New York, but I was persona non grata to some in Charleston.
