Hi! I’m Elise Conley aka Cookin’ with Booze, the go-to source for where to eat and drink in Charleston, SC. I am a local food writer and content creator who has lived here since 2014. If there’s something going on in Charleston’s culinary scene, I know about it. If you want the inside scoop, you can sign up for my weekly newsletter or attend my Boozy Brunch Tour of Charleston.
If you want to know the inspiration for the name Cookin’ with Booze, it’s a strange, but endearing story. Growing up, my dad and brother called me Booze as a cute nickname inspired by a star running back for the Jets in the 60s, Emerson Boozer. I never thought my nickname was weird, but whenever my dad or brother would call me Booze in public, we definitely got some interesting looks. So even though you thought this whole blog would be about cooking with booze, you’re going to be cooking with Booze (with a capital B).
My passion for food stems from Wednesday night dinners with my Italian grandma (Gram). As soon as I was old enough to stand, I had my own stool in the kitchen so I could watch her cook. Her signature dishes included lasagna, pasta and meatballs, pork chops, Italian sausage soup, and Christmas cookies. My fondest memories of cooking with my grandma were rolling nut gem cookies in powdered sugar when they were still warm and making indents in jelly cookies with my tiny thumb. Now that she has passed, I am glad I can still connect with her through the kitchen.
