Get Sauced

steve | 5:51 am | September 9, 2007 | Birthday Gifts, Gifts for Mom, Gift Baskets

My brother seems to have a knack for finding really, really great restaurants. A couple years ago, we all took a road trip to Florida, and along the way, he insisted on diverting us to Savannah, Georgia to a restaurant called “The Lady and Sons”.

I remember the night clearly. It was a beautiful night, and the city of Savannah was lit up beautifully. You could hear the clop-clop of horse-drawn carriages on the streets, and the streets looked like a scene from “Gone with the Wind”. The inside of the restaurant was the epitome of “southern charm”. The person serving us had a great big smile and a southern accent that just made you feel at home.

It was one of those restaurants where you spend three hours just trying to figure out how much on the menu you could possibly cram into a stomach with finite dimensions. If I recall, I ordered the famous crab cakes, but as much as I enjoyed my entree, I remember looking longingly at others’ plates. An amazing chicken pot pie with huge chunks of chicken. Fried lobster tail. Huge crab-stuffed shrimp wrapped in bacon. And of course, the pecan pie.

I stuffed as much as I could, and then on the way out, made it a point to buy one of her cookbooks. To this day, it’s the cookbook I use the most when I’m in the mood for some “comfort” food. For all the kicking and screaming out there about “0% trans fat” and “low in saturated fat” cooking, there are just some times when you NEED to throw a couple sticks of butter into your cooking and just enjoy your life!

Of course, in the years since, The Lady and Sons has become a national treasure, as has its owner, Paula Deen. When I heard that 1-800-FLOWERS.COM had signed Paula Deen to be one of their “Celebrity Chefs” a few months ago, and would be selling her gift baskets online, I didn’t wait long before I ordered a Paula Deen Cooking Basket for myself. It’s a great gift baskets with some of Paula Deen’s signature sauces, all in a great set that’s great to give.

This is one of those gifts that’s so popular that it seems to go in and out of stock almost continually. So pounce on it while you can!