Although the rocky shoreline of Lake Erie is home for most of the year, our hearts live on the Atlantic coastline of Kiawah Island. For one, glorious month a year, we dig our toes into sand and breathe in the salty air. We’re locals! So, when the catchphrase “Coastal Grandmother” recently blew up TikTok, Tess and I could more than relate.
Our memories of Kiawah Island are tied to the Somethings Gotta Give soundtrack played on repeat, trips to the local farm market, beach picnics, and bucket hats. We love that everything from the coastal menu to wardrobe is refreshingly effortless. If the Coastal Grandmother vibe resonates with you, follow along for the Moments take on the trend!
Must Do…
When we’re at the beach house, time slows down. A typical day by the coast for Tess and I may include an early morning excursion to the farm market, packing a simple beach picnic, a few hours at the beach, and a late afternoon dip in the pool with a glass of rosé in hand. Then, after a restorative shower, we assemble a simple salad and toss something delicious on the grill – Moments Jalapeño Cheddar Burgers, anyone? Another option is watching the sunrise, a bike ride to our favorite fishing spot, and later heading to town for a visit to the bookstore, and then some wine and cheese before a grocery run (that last part is KEY).
The beauty of living at the beach is no one is tied down to a schedule, so everyone can relax in their own way – which we feel is the real spirit of “Coastal Grandmother”!
So, after twenty-four years of living Coastal Grandmother-style (if you can’t tell, we walk the walk and talk the talk in this department), here are some of our must-do’s, must-haves, must-listens, and must-makes!
Must Have…
I’ve found that there are non-negotiables in the packing department. Yes, the goal is to be unencumbered. That said, it’s important to set ourselves up for success. These essentials include a capsule summer wardrobe, picnic and grill accessories, favorite off-duty recipes (below), kitchen necessities (ie. good knives), candles, beach chairs and family games.
Must Listen…
After a day in the sun – throw on your linen pajamas, pour a cool glass of Rose’, put on summertime playlist, and feed your soul with bounty of the season.
Our favorite listens (outside of our Coastal Grandmother playlist, linked below *wink wink*)? Something’s Gotta Give, Jimmy Buffett, and Under the Tuscan Sun!
Must Make…
A collection of some of our favorite summertime, Costal Grandmother-esque recipes! As you can tell, there’s definitely an outdoor theme happening here 😉 In minutes, both of these recipes can be pulled together and enjoyed over a glass of wine in the sun! Cheers!
Grilled Shishito Peppers
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp SunCoco oil blend (vegetable oil works too)
- 4 tsp soy sauce (San-J Tamari soy sauce is our favorite – its GF)
- 2 tsp sesame oil
- 1 lb shishito peppers
- Maldon sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat grill to medium high heat. In a large bowl, add the oil, soy sauce, and sesame oil. Add peppers into the bowl, and toss to combine. Transfer peppers to a grill pan directly over the hot part of the grill.
- Grill 6-8 minutes, tossing occasionally with a pair of tongs. Once the peppers are blistered and charred, carefully remove the grill basket, and transfer the peppers to a serving bowl.
- Generously sprinkle with sea salt and enjoy!
Butter Bean Salad
Ingredients
- 6 cups butter beans
- 1/4 cup kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons chili flakes
- 1/2 bunch thyme
- 1/3 cup lemon juice
- 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic
- Kosher salt
- Fresh black pepper
Instructions
- Place butter beans, salt, chili flakes, and thyme in a large pot, and cover with cold water. Make sure water covers the beans by at least 1 inch, and then bring to a boil over high heat. Continue cooking for 5-10 minutes, or until beans are tender. Then strain them through a colander and run cold water over them to stop the cooking process. Discard thyme and cool the beans in the refrigerator.
- Warm olive in a small pan, and add garlic cloves. Simmer gently until garlic is fragrant. Remove garlic cloves from oil.
- Pour lemon juice into a bowl, and slowly add the olive oil, whisking constantly to create an emulsion. Season with salt and pepper.
- Toss the butter beans with the celery, lemon vinaigrette, and more salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy!
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