It would be so easy to sit back and say we are taking a break during Summer 2018. As is typically the case around here, by time we hit our annual Foodie Awards in May and the end of our television season a few weeks later, we are pretty fried. Pun intended. The same way you should enjoy your doses of fried food in moderation, we believe-like most other rational folks-that it is wise to unplug. So we did.
Kinda sorta.
Anyone who owns their own business will tell you there are no ‘days off.’ Even if you are fortunate enough to enjoy some quality family time, you are always thinking about ‘what if’s and how can I’s.’ It is the nature of the beast.
We’ve been working this summer. Scouting locations for our 8th season of Eat It and Like It, looking for office space and putting some final touches on some major projects that we can discuss another time. Between a family vacation and some time on the road around the South, it has been a blur. A good blur, but a blur nonetheless.
Back here in Savannah, our Summer break from TV production gave me a chance to make good on dinner I promised a Tybee Island couple in exchange for a generous donation to charity. Victor Pellegrino and his wife Wendy purchased the dinner at auction at the Tybee Wine Festival back in April. They made the donation to the Tybee Post Theater’s ongoing renovations and upkeep and I took them to dinner. Pretty simple stuff.
Our hosts for the evening, The Fitzroy on Drayton Street. Relatively new to Savannah’s food scene (they opened in March) I thought it would be a good opportunity to get a feel for what they are doing there.
A wonderful meal indeed. There was a lot of Eating and Liking.
The leek and jack cheese croquettes are exceptional, as was the charcuterie plate. We tried the clams with bay foam cream and lemon, the chicken schnitzel and the grilled pork chop. As you might well imagine, there was ton of food. All of it which we liked. So much so, we skipped dessert.
Mr. and Mrs. Pellegrino are new to town. They’ve been on Tybee about a year after moving down from the Atlanta area. They own their own business, Victory Grips, a company dedicated to gymnastics equipment. From the small world department, we found that we both attended Florida International University in Miami. He also attended Florida State, where he was a cheerleader.
#Gocanes #beatFSU
Of course, it was the food (and their generosity) that brought us together on a muggy and very busy July night downtown. The bubbling food scene and the lack of significant options outside of Savannah’s Historic District were also topics of conversation. I’m always intrigued to get a peek at different points of view regarding what we need and would like to see come to town.
Of course, now it’s hardcore back to work. Production of season 8 of Eat It and Like It with Jesse Blanco is coming September 23rd. I believe it to be our most ambitious season yet. We are very much looking forward to sharing it with you. More news on the horizon, but you’ll have to stay tuned for that.
Enjoy the rest of your summer!
See you on TV,
Jesse
