I don’t remember the first time I had a Lowcountry boil (aka Frogmore Stew or Beaufort Stew), but I do remember the first time I was in charge of the cooking (huge mess, tasty, but a huge mess). 

Years of practice have made it a slightly less messy endeavor and actually quite simple. The basic ingredients are small red potatoes, kielbasa or similar sausage, corn on the cob, shrimp and/or crab legs and a heavy dose of Old Bay seasoning. (We have found that a boiling bag seasons everything nicely and minimizes cleanup.)

Or you could do the simplest thing of all and let Bill and Ruby Livingston cook it for you at the Elloree Heritage Museum and Cultural Center annual Low Country Boil, starting at 6 p.m. on Oct. 13. The Moonlighters will provide the soundtrack for the evening. Tickets are $25 and the event is a fundraiser for the museum, which is relatively young as museums go.

The museum was planned as part of a downtown revitalization effort, and the first exhibit opened in 2002.

The museum, which is part of the South Carolina National Heritage Corridor, has four main exhibit areas that tell the story of eastern Orangeburg County from American Indian settlements in the area to the present. The main focus is on the town of Elloree.

Visitors can take a self-guided tour during the museum’s regular hours: 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Wednesday-Saturday. Guided tours are available Monday-Saturday by appointment. Admission is $5 for adults, $4 for seniors, $3 for students ages 6-18. Younger children are admitted free.