Cabin Cooking with Shannon for May

Cabin Cooking with Shannon for May takes us to Chippokes Plantation State Park

I first visited Chippokes Plantation State Park in the middle of summer when the flowers and trees were in bloom, and remember being in awe when I walked the grounds of the historic Jones-Stewart Mansion. Crepe myrtle and azaleas created a picturesque backdrop of pinks and greens so perfect that I felt like I was looking at a painting created by a popular artist.

Chippokes Plantation State Park on the historic James River in Virginia

Tour the park with a Park Ranger and you will learn about the vast history that dates back to the early 1600’s, and the park’s connection to historic Jamestown located across the James River. And if you plan ahead of time are able to stay at one of the four very popular cabins, your love for this park will be sealed and you will vow to return over and over again.

I made this month’s recipe in the Price House, cabin #4, which was built around 1920. It is a country-style cabin with a large eat-in kitchen, two bedrooms and a living room. As soon as I walked in I felt welcome and warm. And was so excited to cook one of my favorite meals in a kitchen that felt like home – Shrimp n’ Grits with Smoked Surry Sausage!

Lucky me, Edwards VA Ham Shoppe, a local (and national) favorite for the best Virginia ham, bacon and sausage, where we purchased the sausage needed for the dish and received a tour of the shoppe. I now see why Surry County, where the shoppe is located, is known for their pork – the experience and attention to detail coupled with the southern charm of those we met, made me want to stay for hours to learn more (and taste more).

So when you visit Chippokes Plantation State Park, you too can grab some meats made locally so that you can enjoy them during your trip and after you return home (they travel well and are good for months if refrigerated). And if you end up making this dish during your next stay, make sure to let me know how it turns out!

Enjoy! Until next time…

This dish will take 20 minutes to cook. The most time consuming part is the chopping of the vegetables, which took me about 30 minutes. Either way, it’s a quick and hearty dish that aims to please, and can be served for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

Here are the ingredients you’ll need for the grits:

3 cups chicken stock

1 cup quick grits

½ lb shredded parmesan cheese

½ cup light cream

2 tbsp unsalted butter

And here’s what you’ll need for the shrimp and smoked sausage:

3 tbsp unsalted butter

3 garlic cloves, minced

3 bay leaves

½ green pepper, chopped

1 celery stalk, chopped

½ red onion, chopped

1 ½ cups Roma tomatoes, diced

½ cup dry white wine

1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 lb Edwards Smoked Surry Sausage, sliced ½ inch thick*

A dash oregano

A dash of thyme

Salt and pepper to taste

Chopped fresh parsley for garnish

*Shannon’s Note: Edwards Smoked Sausage is already cooked so if you use another sausage that is raw, make sure to cook it thoroughly before adding it to this dish. You can also substitute the pork sausage with a tofu, turkey or chicken sausage but make sure it is a high quality sausage that is full of flavor. I tried this recipe using regular ole’ turkey sausage and it simply did not compare to the flavor of the Edwards sausage that I used in the video.

« Previous Post

Further Insights