Zero George is changing up their infamous “Royale with Cheese” recipe for the summer to participate in the Blended Burger Project presented by the James Beard Foundation and the Mushroom Council. The Blended Burger Project is a nationwide competition that encourages chefs to create a healthier, more sustainable, and tastier burger by swapping out at least 25 percent of the ground meat for finely chopped mushrooms.

For those who really want to stir up something special in Charleston, the Zero George Cooking School offers a unique way to expand your culinary repertoire. Hosted in our 1804 kitchen carriage house and taught around our beloved Heston range, our cooking classes led by our own Chef Petrillo are an epicurean experience you’ll not soon forget.

This week we simply go next door from last week's post and visit 28 South Battery, built in 1860. While we don't have a sprawling Italian villa like 26 Battery, we do have the second floor arcades that mimic the house next door.

This approximately 5,000 square foot house was built by George S. Cook, the famous Civil War photographer. Cook, an orphan, later attempted several unsuccessful careers, but found his calling when the daguerreotype was born. He would set up a studio in a town, teach photography, then sell his business to his students and move to another town. He finally came to Charleston in 1849, built 28 South Battery the same year South Carolina seceded from the Union, and proceeded to document the Civil War here in photographs. Cook is also known for his photographs of the 1886 earthquake in Charleston.

With its fine dining, historic mansions and pristine beaches, Charleston often gives visitors the impression of being an opulent city. While it’s true that many locals and visitors take advantage of Charleston’s more luxurious offerings, there are also plenty of ways to enjoy the Holy City on a budget.

In fact, one of the best things about Charleston is that many of its attractions are free. Rather than burn a hole in your wallet, consider this list of free things to do in the Holy City.

This week we visit 32 South Battery, just a few doors down from last week’s post. Built around 1782, 32 South Battery originally enjoyed a front row view of the Ashley River and Charleston Harbor across what is now White Point Gardens, the first public park in Charleston. The view is still good, and the mansion commanded a huge price when it was sold in 2015: $7.72 million.

32 South Battery was built for Colonel John Ashe, a wealthy gentleman who made his fortune in shipping; appropriately, the framing of the house used wooden pegs similar to those in shipbuilding. The construction is attributed to Mr. Miller of the Miller and Fullerton partnership. Miller’s partner was Scottish master builder John Fullerton whose name is associated with several grand houses in Charleston during this era.

This week we simply go around the block to 20 South Battery, an 1843 mansion.  When built, this grand house had a front row view of the Ashley River and Charleston Harbor across what is now White Point Gardens.

This week we're strolling back down Meeting Street to Number 15, a pre-Revolutionary house constructed around 1770. Imagine that there is no semicircular piazza on the side (which there wasn't in 1770), and you're looking at a double house in the Georgian style, which is all about harmony and balance, right down to the double staircase leading to the front entry.

Some may wonder what stone was used to build 15 Meeting because that is certainly what the façade appears to be...

Returning to downtown, we visit the Gibbes Museum of Art at 135 Meeting Street. Most locals refer to 135 Meeting as “the Gibbes” (and probably have no idea what the street number is). The Gibbes is the historic hub of the visual arts in Charleston.

Before the Gibbes was built, there was the Carolina Art Association of Charleston, chartered by the state legislature in 1858 to promote the arts, including art classes and exhibitions. There were several interruptions to the local arts, such as the Civil War, and in 1892, lack of funds caused the closure of the Carolina Art Association’s art school.

Exploring further afield again, we travel to Middleton Place, not far from Drayton Hall, which we visited several weeks ago. Along Highway 61, you will see the signs and markers for Middleton Place. As with Drayton Hall, this visit will take you back into the early history of our region and our nation.

The Middletons, like the Draytons, came to Carolina from Barbados. In 1678, Edward Middleton arrived in Carolina and established his plantation, The Oaks, near Goose Creek. The plantation was eventually inherited by Edward's grandson Henry Middleton around 1737...

We return to town this week and visit 456 King Street, known as the William Aiken House. Its namesake, William Aiken, was an Irish immigrant born in 1788 who came to America at the age of 10. Aiken became prosperous in the cotton and rice business of South Carolina. His name lives on in the South Carolina town and county of Aiken. He was also the father of Governor William Aiken who lived several blocks away on Elizabeth Street in the museum house known as “The Aiken-Rhett House."