Damon Lee Fowler

Jul 02, 2013 10:58 AM EDT

I grew up on Chicken Perloo, thanks to my grandmother,and still enjoy it making it, but I've never tried shrimp. Thanks for sharing your recipe. On a rare occasion my mother, and grandmother would add diced tomato to the chicken perloo. I once told a friend that, and she "poo poo'd" me, saying it wasn't "real" perloo. I felt a little miffed then, but seeing you add tomato to the shrimp pilau (perloo in my family) adds a sweet taste of redemption.

- Rebecca

Jul 02, 2013 11:46 AM EDT

Oh, my dear: I think every cook who makes pilau is convicted that theirs is the One True Way, and that all other versions are imposters! I had a reader take me to task for suggesting pancetta as an alternate ingredient, saying it was an Italian ingredient and bacon or SALT-CURED SIDE MEAT would've been more "Southern" . . . never mind that Pancetta is . . . salt cured pork!

- Damon Lee Fowler

Jul 02, 2013 11:48 AM EDT

I had to explain that I often suggest pancetta because it's almost universally available nowadays, whereas dry-salt-cured side meat is not.

- Damon Lee Fowler

Jul 02, 2013 12:00 PM EDT

http://www.in-every-season.blogspot.com/2012/11/fall-weather-and-chicken-perloo_10.html

Just if you're interested, this is a blog post I did back in November when I last made chicken perloo. If you scroll even back further on my blog to some time in May 2012, you'll see a post too on Mint Juleps, where I gave you props and a little blog lovin'. You don't have to publish this particular comment, Damon, I just thought you might want to see my posts. take care!

- Rebecca

Jul 02, 2013 1:00 PM EDT

Happy to post and give you a little plug from here!

- Damon Lee Fowler

Jul 04, 2013 9:01 AM EDT

In Horry County, South Carolina, it is called "Chicken Bog". My father and workers would make it in an iron pot over an open fire while buying, shelling and storing field corn from the community farms. If I gave you the secret family recipe, I would have to kill you. I will definitely try Shrimp and Rice. It sounds divine.

I am currently reading "Classical Southern Cooking" cover to cover. A great read with fabulous southern recipes, history, culture, and humor. Thank you for this wonderful work. I cannot wait to get to the kitchen and get out the lard, butter, and cream!

- Teresa

Jul 04, 2013 10:59 AM EDT

Teresa, actually Chicken Bog is not the same thing as Chicken Pilau (or perloo). They're similar, but most Bogs are a lot wetter than a pilau, which is almost rattle-the-plate dry.

Thanks for all your kind words about Classical Southern Cooking. It really was a labor of love and when it gives a reader that kind of pleasure and inspiration, I feel as if it has been worth it.

By the way, this site doesn't show a comment until it has been approved by the moderator, so that's why your comment didn't show right away.

Thanks so much for visiting, reading, and caring enough to share in the conversation!

Warmest regards,

- Damon Lee Fowler

Aug 04, 2013 2:18 AM EDT

Interesting that I have just read your Perloo blog which refers to dry salt cured side meat, aka "rank meat". I just made some totally ten sausage with 1/2 smoked hog jowls and 1/2 Lord's (Dexter,Ga) "Country Cured Jowls" , dry salt sodium nitrite cured, i.e. old fashioned. It is some really good sausage. No bacon/pancetta. With Logan Turnpike Stone Ground Speckled White Grits, (www.loganturnpikemill.com). BREAKFAST HEAVEN!

- The Judge

Nov 05, 2016 11:39 AM EDT

Just to elaborate a wee bit and clarify the origin of the Pilau. Before Africa it started out probably in India but had a huge influence made upon it by the ancient Persian's. The name itself is a combination of Sanskrit and Persian.
Your recipe is outstanding and I probably will make a big batch for Sunday afternoon Supper (I'm drooling like a Rottweiler as I type this :)))
If you ever get a chance try out some recipes for Persian Jeweled Rice called Javaher Polow which reminds us of Christmas time. Also try Kabuli Palow (Afghan) which is traditionally made with lamb or chicken. Tiger shrimps, monkfish or Rainbow trout work great in it too :)))

Thanks and I found a bunch of recipes here to try out and added a couple of your books to our "Must Have" list.

Have a wonderful day,
Brandon

- Brandon J. Li

Nov 05, 2016 12:14 PM EDT

Yes, sir, I know the ancient origins of pilaf/pilau of course: but it wasn't really pertinent to the story at hand. The Lowcountry versions of pilau owe most of their heritage to West Africa and a little to Provencal cookery. Both cuisines of course derived their versions from Persia by way of the Ottoman Empire. It was rarely talked of until recently, but the enslaved West Africans who were largely responsible for Carolina's rice culture were actually Muslim. It's an interesting spiral in history, but it was more than a short essay on the Lowcountry pilaus needed to get into.

- Damon Fowler

Jul 11, 2018 9:25 AM EDT

I would very much like to follow you through my emails. Is there a way I may do so. I'd hate to miss one of your recipes and stories!

- Cheryl Donnelly

Jul 11, 2018 10:50 AM EDT

I'm afraid I don't have a newsletter yet. I just haven't been able to work out the logistics of it. But if you are on Facebook, I post links to all my recipes and stories entries and to all my newspaper columns on my author's page under Damon Lee Fowler. Meanwhile, thank you so much for your interest in my work. If you send me a message through this site, it will come through to my personal email and I'd love to hear from you! All my best,

- Damon Lee Fowler