Local Sauces And Seasonings
Since opening in April in downtown Nashville’s The Pinnacle at Symphony Place, The Southern Steak & Oyster has enjoyed a meteoric rise in prominence within Music City’s culinary scene.
“It’s been critically acclaimed all the way around. For someone who has been doing it for 26 years, that’s what you want,” said owner Tom Morales.
Morales is capitalizing on the buzz surrounding his latest venture with the announcement that The Southern’s sauces and seasonings are now being sold to the public through the restaurant’s website.
Like the restaurant itself, the sauces and seasonings reflect Morales’ own background as a Southerner influenced by the flavors and cooking styles he encountered around the world while leading TomKats, a movie-set catering business.
“The restaurant is new,” Morales said, “but the sauces are well-tested.” They include Peace & Plenty, a sauce that combines pineapple, mango and chili peppers and was inspired by the Peace & Plenty Bonefish Lodge in Exuma, Bahamas, and Texas Ketchup, which is made with chipotle peppers and tomatoes and ages darker and richer in the bottle. James Bros. BBQ Sauce for grilled and smoked meats is inspired by famed outlaws Jesse and Frank’s time living in Nashville.
The Southern is also offering up its all-purpose seasoned salt, dry seasonings for poultry, steak, seafood and ribs; and three different types of hot sauces. Southern Belle combines peaches and habaneros to create a slightly sweet hot sauce that the restaurant recommends using on sweet potato fries, biscuits or as a pork-chop glaze. Southern Gentleman is a more traditional smokey habanero hot sauce.Southerner’s Revenge is made with super-hot jolokia peppers and should be used sparingly.
“Everything is eclectic to a degree,” Morales said. “I think if you look at the designs and the general aesthetic, we’ve been really, really careful not to make it look commercial and to make sure it has its own signature. They represent the unique hospitality experience customers have at the restaurant.”
Practically speaking, Morales said, the move satisfies a demand he often encounters at the restaurant – customers who want to know what sauce or seasoning is on their dish, and if they can buy it. The care put into the packaging make the products suitable gifts as well.
The Southern’s line of sauces and seasonings are available here.
