The Palmetto Plant Eaters club, a PlantPure Nation pod group that meets monthly to educate and support plant-based eating, will be hosting Leslie Haas as its guest speaker at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 3 at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of the Lowcountry at 110 Malphrus Road in Bluffton. Haas will not only showcase her tips and tricks for making the most out of the Instant Pot pressure cooker's multiple functions, but also cover everything from the basics for beginners to time-saving ideas for creating healthy meals. 

So many of our favorite shows have come to an end — we're still recovering from the final episodes of “Breaking Bad,” “Mad Men” and “Downton Abbey,” and some baby boomers are even still reeling from the end of “Seinfeld,” “Friends” and “The Sopranos.” Yes, these shows were addictive and had characters galore, but movies and documentaries about food are where real character development takes root. Need a few suggestions? Try: “Jiro Dreams of Sushi,” about an 85-year old sushi master who runs a world-class restaurant in a subway station;

Port Royal’s famous sandwich shop is coming soon to Bluffton. Alvin Ord’s specializes in being fresh and delicious. Its not afraid to take the extra time necessary to make quality sandwiches. Some key differences in the new Alvin Ord’s will be the noticeable upgrade in size as well as a delivery process. However, the store will have the same artisan breads, sandwiches and cinnamon rolls that the flagship location has. Also, don’t forget to bring your dog for lunch, as the Bluffton Alvin Ord’s will have pet-friendly outdoor seating available. 

Michael Fekete, owner of Java Burrito Company, recently held a Wexford Plantation Charitable Foundation Day and donated 10 percent of his gross sales to the foundation. Pictured with Fekete are Jim Hicks and Sandy Berthelsen, trustees of the foundation.

Title: Wine director, general manager and certified sommelier for Rollers Wine & Spirits and Wine & Cheese, If You Please?

Q: Best wine (or wines) under $20:
Any wine you like for $19.99 or less!

A few of my favorites these days are:

• Chateau Famaey Malbec, Cahors, France 2011
• Jean-Paul Daumen’s Principaute Dórange Rhone, France 2013
• Château Revelette’s Aix en Provence Rose, France 2015
• Botani Sparkling Muscat by Jorge Ordonez & Co.

The best bumper sticker seen in the Lowcountry reads: “Friends Don't Let Friends Buy Imported Shrimp,” and we mean it. The sight of the double-rigged shrimp trawlers going out at dawn for the catch in our pristine waterways, with flocks of hungry sea birds hovering about to see what they can pluck from the catch is quite common. We in the Lowcountry feel the pride of watching this shrimping industry still thrive today, both here and in small South Carolina towns like McClellanville, keeping alive an integral part of the history of our coastal paradise. Many a shrimper, typically coming from a long line of shrimpers, will say it’s in his or her blood. We cannot help but make the association of the shrimp with the shrimpers, and we thank them every day for bringing us this delicacy, despite facing fierce competition from imports, rising costs and economic and safety risks.

The 2016 “Eat It & Like It” Foodie Awards took place recently at the Brice Hotel in downtown Savannah. Host Jesse Blanco presented awards to restaurants and celebrated the fifth season of the Emmy Award-winning show about contemporary and traditional food served in both out of the way joints and fine dining establishments throughout the Lowcountry. 

The popular late-night fast food chain Cook Out is coming to Hilton Head Island. Replacing the Kentucky Fried Chicken at 101 Central Ave., Cookout’s menu features many backyard cookout favorites such hamburgers and pulled pork barbecue sandwiches. Cook Out also has more than 50 flavors of milkshakes to choose from, including seasonal flavors like watermelon and eggnog. The restaurant is expected to open in August. 

The Farm restaurant hasn’t opened in Old Town Bluffton yet, but chef Brandon Carter was recently invited to participate in a unique cooking event at the James Beard House in New York City. Carter was one of five chefs selected for the annual “Lambs and Clams” event. Before collaborating on The Farm Bluffton concept, Carter was executive chef at the Inn at Palmetto Bluff.