THE GREAT CHEF and ray too!

In my years on this ole' earth, I have discovered that life is a lot like good cooking ... you just mix a bunch of folks together with a little bit of this and a little bit of that and you never know what you might get. Sometimes it makes you nauseated, but sometimes it's so good you just want to stand up and yell.

The Great Chef whipped up one of His best recipes yet in out family and to extend this analogy a little further, He used a real-life chef to accomplish the task.

Confused? Let me explain!

Several years ago my sister's husband ,Joe Newton, died of cancer and a few months later a lady named Sandy Williams died from a stroke! So far this story doesn't sound too good does it? Hang on! Being the son of a funeral director and being from a family that has been in the funeral business for 5 generations, I have learned one thing for certain ... LIFE IS FOR THE LIVING! After the respective grief periods, living took over. To make a long story short, a few years later the Great Chef brought my sister, Kikky, and Ken Williams (Sandy's widower) together and mixed them up in a bowl, added a few spices, a little salt of the earth and a little red pepper. He baked them at 350 degrees for about 2 years and a wonderful new dish was born. Bam! Dr. and Mrs. Ken Williams!

Our family has had a blast getting to know the Williams clan. From youngest to oldest: Blaine, Erin, Jill and Gigi; Karen, Bobby and Angela; Bill, Paula, Will and Grant; and Ray and Kendra. Ray is a chef, and a great one, and hence the reason for this story.

On our yearly foray to the Georgia-Florida football game we stopped at the Sapelo Station restaurant in Eulonia, Georgia on Thursday evening. We had warned Ray and Kendra that we were coming ... there were 10 of us and Kendra bravely joined us at our table. None of us had any idea what we were about to experience.

We didn't just have seafood, we had SERIOUS seafood! I have never had anything like the Cajun Crawfish Egg-Rolls and the dipping sauce was out of this world. ( I am salivating as I write this). The Grouper Fingers were a close second followed by the Grilled Oysters and to top off the appetizer parade was the soup of the day ... Crab Stew! My friend Tommy Lanier and I love the She-Crab soup at the Crab Trap in St. Simons, but Ray's Crab Stew put it to shame. The best crab-anything I have ever had, period! By the time the entrees arrived, we were all stuffed, but we put up a gallant effort anyway as we demolished Kool's Voodoo Skillet, Crawfish Etouffee, Blackened Grouper with Mango Salsa and the McIntosh Mahi-Mahi. On the side we had Ray's Twice Baked Potatoes and Cole Slaw (with the dressing on top???). There were several offerings of Salad Dressings (all homemade) and the Key Lime Pie would make one slap his grandma! It was an interesting evening of conversation, great drink and taste-bud pleasing recipes from Chef Ray. In addition, Kendra sat with us and explained each dish to us.


This was the first time I had spend any amount of time around Ray and Kendra, but I assure you it won't be the last. I thoroughly enjoyed my visit with them at their Sapelo Station Restaurant.

As I thought back on this wonderful evening, I came to an understanding of what had just transpired thanks to Chef Ray Jarreau. My senses and tastebuds were stimulated by his magic and I suddenly realized that in a world full of mediocre restaurants that cater to the masses, we had just experienced something quite unique and wonderful. And the Great Chef has cooked up a recipe that is even more unique and wonderful and it was all brought forth out of the stench of death. I like this new "family recipe"!

Kendra pointed out to me that because I am Kikky's brother ... that makes me her uncle. I suddenly realized that in this new "family recipe" I have suddenly become Uncle George to Ray, Kendra, Bill, Paula, Karen, Bobby, Blaine and Erin. I hope that entitles me to the "family discount"!

So the next time you're heading down I-95, get off the exit to Eulonia, Georgia. Turn left and go to the blinking light, turn left again and start looking to your right. Tell Ray and Kendra that Uncle George says hello.

www.sapelostation.com