Craig Melvin And His Mom Betty Jo Love These South Carolina Brands

Craig Melvin, a news anchor at Today and a cohost of the 3rd Hour of Today, has never been shy about his roots, and the South Carolina native has spoken with Southern Living before about his Columbia upbringing. "When I was a kid, I was lucky to have aunts, uncles, cousins, and my two grandmothers all around us in Columbia,” he told SL in a story that originally appeared in our December 2023 issue. For Melvin, close-by family was a given—and so was his mother Betty Jo's delicious home cooking (her mac-and-cheese being a particular favorite). Given the mother and son's shared love of good Southern food—and our 2024 Idea House's South Carolina location—we asked them for their favorite South Carolina brands to gift—and enjoy for themselves. Here are a handful of their picks.

Ginger + Black Garlic Premium Olive Oil

Columbia’s The Crescent Olive slings a wide variety of specialty vinegars and premium infused oils, like a 375-mL Ginger + Black Garlic Olive Oil that’ll level-up everything from salad dressing to stir fry. Ask husband-wife team Mike and Charlotte Easler for their favorite pairings.

Chicken Wing Spice Combo

Shake up your dinner or movie-night popcorn with a generous sprinkle of the Chicken Wing Spice Combo, which includes “Ho-Lotta” dry rub and Lemon Pepper seasoning mix, from Lillie’s of Charleston. The family-owned brand celebrates Gullah culture through the names of some of their products, like their “Hab Mussy” barbecue sauce.

Carolina Gold Rice Grits

Made from the “middlin” (the pieces of rice broken during processing), Hardeeville farmer Marion “Rollen” Chalmers’ Carolina Gold Rice Grits is the key to a memorable supper. Treat it like risotto, or incorporate it into your favorite shrimp-and-grits recipe.

Peach Preserves

McBee-based McLeod Farms’ peaches are available for shipping only in the summer, but you can savor their sweetness into the fall with a jar of their Peach Preserves. Use them to elevate your lunchtime PB&J or stir into your ice cream for an extra-flavorful dessert.

Hatch Green Chile Barbecue Sauce

Texas native and pitmaster John Lewis has been making brisket converts of Holy City pork fiends since he opened his Charleston barbecue joint in 2016. Snag a bottle of his old-faithful Hatch Green Chile Barbecue Sauce to spark your own smoked-meat revelation.

Sweet Potato Mix

Outsource the biscuits without sacrificing the from-scratch flavor with Adluh's Sweet Potato Mix, produced in Columbia at the state’s only operational flour mill (the plant is even listed on the National Register of Historic Places).