My Dad had just cooked another incredible meal. As we started to eat, he said, “You know, this is what civilization is.”
I was 13 years old at the time. And to this day, it is one of his lasting lessons I cherish and live everyday.
Cooking and sharing a meal is one of the great gestures of friendship and love that’s as much sustenance to my soul as it is to my body.
Now add to that the old saying: You learn more about a guy playing 18 holes of golf with him than you do sitting across the desk from him for 18 years.
That’s why when someone mentions a golf vacation get-away, I begin searching for restaurants or grocery stores to enjoy and share great meals before and after golf.
So, when you watch this latest episode of the Traveling Golfer At The Turn, you will understand why I cannot get enough of this show.
Maryland Crab Cakes
Host Tony Leodora, and Executive Producer Dustin Gilder invite you into a buffet of some of golf’s culinary joys.
They start in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, home to the Valley Forge Resort Casino.
The area is loaded with great steakhouses and Italian and seafood restaurants.
But they also take us inside the kitchen at the casino’s Revolution Chophouse where Chef Bill shares the secrets to his famous Maryland Crab Cakes.
This goes back to my Dad’s lesson about civilization because Chef Bill’s recipe is a tribute to the region’s rich culinary culture.
Two things will happen when you see his recipe revealed.
First, you will want to make this yourself. It’s like someone showing you the ideal putting technique that works. You will head to the putting green to perfect it as often as possible.
Second, you’ll become very picky about the next Maryland crabcake you get. Too often, Maryland Crab Cakes have more bread than crab. Like the new putting technique, you will judge every putt you make on whether you stayed true to the grip and sweep.
Chef Bill shows you there’s an art and a science that involves using both small and large chunks of crab meat, along with his secret ingredient, Panko, and a day of maceration in the fridge.
From Valley Forge, we head south to Murrells Inlet, South Carolina to enjoy the views and tastes at Caledonia Fish and Golf Club.
If you are anywhere near the Carolinas, and you pass up a chance to either play or eat at Caledonia, you are gypping yourself.
We’ve done golf and gourmet getaway weekends at Caledonia and its sister course True Blue. Like Montgomery County, Murrells Inlet and nearby Pawleys Island have a large roster of restaurants that offer incredible cuisine at reasonable prices for golfers and beach visitors.
If you decide to rent a condo with a kitchen, there are plenty of grocery stores with meat and seafood delicacies. We’ve actually combined a day of golf with a lobster feast at night.
Shark Bite On Cajun
Still, a definite is a meal at Caledonia whether you’re playing golf or not.
Dustin has lunch with Bob Seganti, the General Manger of Caledonia, and our Production Assistant Badyn Harrah.
Of course, it wouldn’t be a Traveling Golfer At The Turn if Dustin didn’t have a large stacked club sandwich. In this episode, he chooses the Cajun Chicken Club. You’ll have to watch to see if he’s shark-bite approach is able to capture the height of the Cajun Chicken Club.
Bob enjoys the Caledonia salad with grilled chicken wild Baden goes local cuisine with the fried Oyster plate.
In the lunch conversation, Bob explains the beginnings of Caledonia as a fishing and hunting spot for the owners, who eventually turned it into this incredible golf course.
Those early beginnings gave Caledonia and its restaurant a laid-back, resort-style-casual feeling rather than the buttoned-up country club feel. As Bob says, “All you need is a pair of shoes and a shirt.“
Notice also the view from that restaurant. You are overlooking the 18th hole with its difficult approach shot over a picturesque pond in front of the green.
The view and the golf drama usually draws a gathering of diners and drinkers on the deck to watch, cheer, and heckle incoming golfers, who have a chance to enjoy or dread the experience of spectator golf from the golfers side.
Because of all this, we make the case that Caledonia is actually an unknown bucket list you need to mark off.
Tony Gets Toasted … On Avocado
And finally, we head to the kitchen with Tony.
As you know, from previous episodes, his prowess on the golf course is only clipped by his culinary touch.
In this episode, he shows us how to make avocado toast.
Now, we know that some of you think avocado toast has a snooty and uppity reputation.
It’s actually very healthy. And many younger folks enjoy avocado toast as a breakfast staple.
Tony shows us. In fact, just like Chef Bill with the Maryland crabcakes, Tony will drive you to the kitchen to try this.
I urge you to grab a drink, prepare an appetizer, (you’ll cook something bigger from the show), and sit back and enjoy.
I’m guessing you will be musing over this question:
Why isn’t Traveling Golfer At The Turn on the Food Network too?
Enjoy.
John Daly is a contributor to the Traveling Golfer, along with being a TV host, TV Producer, and author. He is the co-host and co-creator, along with Susan Anzalone, of Undercover Jetsetter, a TV show also seen on Wingding TV, about travel, food, wine, mixology, and golf all shot off the iPhone. His show Carolina Buzz brings viewers to the booming Carolinas.
