A Culinary History of Myrtle Beach & the Grand Strand, American Palate

Name: A Culinary History of Myrtle Beach & the Grand Strand, American Palate
Author: Becky Billingsley

The culinary history of Myrtle Beach reflects a unique merging of Native American, European, African and Caribbean cuisines.

Learn the techniques used by enslaved Africans created vast wealth for rice plantation owners; what George Washington likely ate when visiting South Carolina in 1791; how the turpentine industry gave rise to a sticky sweet potato cooking method; and why locals eagerly anticipate one special time of year when boiled peanuts are at their best. Author Becky Billingsley, a longtime Myrtle Beach-area restaurant journalist, digs deep into historic records and serves up both tantalizing personal interviews and dishes on the best local restaurants, where many delicious farm-to-table heritage foods can still be enjoyed.

Becky Billingsley

Becky Billingsley was a general features, food and restaurant reporter at The Sun News daily newspaper in Myrtle Beach and was the founding editor and journalist for Coastal Carolina Dining magazine. Becky lives in the Socastee area of Myrtle Beach with her husband of 32 years, Matt, and they have two adult sons. Chief Harold D. "Buster" Hatcher is chief of the Waccamaw Tribe.