Yes, after all those times I forgot my copy of the Southern Living magazine with the Carolina Cider Co. information, SL publishes Off the Eaten Path with an entire two page feature on the store. I deliberately kept my copy of the book in the car to have on hand for our next trip. We finally had a chance to head down to Hilton Head Island for Memorial Day weekend. With the book (and address) within grasp, I talked the guys into a little side road adventure and we were off! We took an exit off I-95 and, within half an hour, ended up at the tiny little roadside stop far away from the holiday traffic. Yeah! I’d finally made it here! A back table featured jams, preserves and local honey. I was busy looking over the store and snapping pictures, but the guys all seemed to gravitate to the sample table. In fact, they stayed there for most of our time inside the store! Hubby and Dunc both loved the cherry butter. But the billboards up and down I-95 talk about the cider. They beckon to you while whizzing by at 70 mph. Stop and try the cider. Peach Cider. Cherry Cider. Plus, it’s called the Carolina Cider Co.; so, we should probably try them, right? They had all of them ready to sample in a chilled dispenser. I really preferred the Bing Cherry flavor. They even had a bookshelf near the register with cookbooks! Junior League of Charleston, of course. There’s a Gullah cookbook I would like to get, but I was spending my cash on food this time around. Maybe next time? Definitely! So, I ended up spending a good bit of my recent “Above & Beyond” Award winnings on pecan pie, two cartons of boiled peanuts, two small refrigerated ciders for the boys and a larger strawberry cider. This quaint little roadside spot was a one-stop shop for all things Southern: pecan pie, BBQ sauce, boiled peanuts, grits and cider! Now that I know the way, Carolina Cider Co. may become a part of every trip down to Hilton Head! Carolina Cider Co. 81 Charleston Highway Yemassee, SC 29945 843-846-1899
Just seeing the trademark, hand-painted sign made me so happy!
There were several other cars already in the parking lot so I snapped some outside pictures and hurried to follow the guys already inside.
Oh the wonders! There’s a table filled with their famous ciders: peach, bing cherry, scuppernong and strawberry. Several choices ran from a chilled small bottle to a giant half-gallon jug. The walls were stacked with sacks of ready-to-cook flavored grits from local Lowcountry companies to barbecue sauces. I didn’t notice my Uncle Marvin’s sauce there—perhaps they need a phone call?
The next display over showcased the famous pies featured in Southern Living magazine. Today’s pies were peach, apple and pecan. Oh, you know I had to try out the pecan pie!
Behind the pies and up against the wall were two pots of boiled peanuts—regular and cajun. Seriously?! I love boiled peanuts. Had to have some!