Georgia Magazine - June 2019 - 39

COURTESY NORA VON DUYKE

For fried green tomatoes: Pour 3
inches of cooking oil into a deep fryer or
pan and heat to 375 degrees. In a bowl,
mix buttermilk, Worcestershire sauce
and Tabasco. On a large plate, combine
cornmeal, flour, cornstarch, cayenne
pepper and black pepper. Dip green
tomato slices in buttermilk mixture, then

tions. It's interactive, and that makes it
special."
In the eight years that Elizabeth
Weaver of Marietta has been cooking
dinner for clients, she's learned that
they're often interested in other
meals, too.
"Typically, I do five [dinner] entrees with four servings,
but I also will do breakfast," she says. "I have some grab-and-go
items, like turnovers, scones and sausage crumbles on a stick
that you can throw in the microwave on the way out the door.
The goal is to put together exactly what people want to have at
the time they want it."
Nora Von Duyke, a chef in Savannah, also prepares specialoccasion dinners in clients' homes. Sometimes the occasion
is just a couple on vacation who want a memorable meal, and
she accommodates that request with specialties such as shrimp
starters in martini glasses and beef or salmon Wellington
topped with béarnaise sauce and roasted asparagus.
"It's very one-on-one," she says. "I talk with them, come up
with ideas, send a sample menu and then typically do a fourcourse dinner. I also bring table linens and dishes so they don't
need to worry about anything."

Chef Nora Von Duyke with Pantry Elf shares
recipes and cooking tips with visitors at the
Wilmington Island Farmers Market in
Savannah.

Courtesy of Chef Nora Von Duyke
Fried Green Tomatoes
Cooking oil
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
1/2 cup cornmeal
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2-1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
Pinch of cayenne pepper
Pinch of black pepper
2 green tomatoes, sliced 1/4-inch thick
Salad
2 large red or yellow tomatoes, sliced
1/2 (8-ounce) ball fresh mozzarella cheese,
drained, sliced
1 bunch fresh basil leaves
Balsamic reduction/glaze, store-bought
Salt and black pepper, to taste

COURTESY NORA VON DUYKE

FRIED GREEN TOMATO
CAPRESE SALAD

OM
ISTOCK.C

in cornmeal mixture. Shake off excess. Fry tomatoes in
oil about 3 minutes, or until browned, flipping halfway through. Note: You might need to do this in several
batches. Drain on paper towels. Season with salt.
For salad: Arrange fresh sliced tomatoes, fried
green tomatoes, cheese slices and basil alternately overlapping on a platter. Drizzle balsamic reduction/glaze
over tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Serves 4.

While having a personalized menu served in
your own home or vacation cottage may seem like a
luxury, the chefs say the math shows it's an affordable luxury.
"One of the largest groups I serve are baby
boomers who have raised their families, and now it's
just one or two people, and they're burned out on
cooking," Weaver says.
"For what a couple spend eating out four to
seven times a week, you can easily have a personal
chef for the same or less. And you'll get exactly what
you want to eat, when you want it."
H.M. Cauley is a freelance writer from Atlanta.
MORE

Get cookin'
* Amy Churchill, À la Chef, (678) 777-2153, alachef.com
* Scottie Johnson, Blessed and Highly Flavored Cuisine,
(808) 772-3489, facebook.com/bahfcuisine
* Nora Von Duyke, Pantry Elf, (912) 898-8458, pantryelf.com
* Elizabeth Weaver, Elizabeth's Edibles, (770) 490-5213,
myelizabethsedibles.com
www.georgiamagazine.org

http://www.alachef.com http://www.facebook.com/bahfcuisine http://www.pantryelf.com http://www.myelizabethsedibles.com http://www.georgiamagazine.org

Georgia Magazine - June 2019

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