Desoto Magazine January 2015

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januar y CONTENTS 2015 • VOLUME 12 • NO. 1

features 46 McIlhenny Tabasco Bottling a food tradition

58 Southern Foodways Alliance Cultivating chefs, cultivating culture

52 Designing the Kitchen As many ideas as there are homeowners

64 Cheesemakers of the South Artisan cheese gaining ground

departments 12 Living Well Learn about slimy foods

39 A Day Away New Albany, Mississippi

14 Notables A page from the life of author Mark Greaney

43 Greater Goods

18 Exploring Art The visual feast of Denny Culbert

72 Southern Harmony Heavenly sounds of The Devious Angels

22 Exploring Books When writers and chefs mix company

74 Table Talk Indulge at The Blow Fly Inn

26 Into the Wild The exquisite world of Dismals Canyon

76 In Good Spirits Irish coffee warms in winter

30 Exploring Cuisine From butcher to table

78 Exploring Events

34 Exploring Destinations One big ole’ omelette in Louisiana

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70 Homegrown Handmade wooden spoons tell stories

80 Reflections Learning to Fry

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editor’s note }

january

More food, anyone?

As we were in the midst of laying out this issue, I ran into a friend who asked me about the next issue. When I mentioned in passing that January is our annual food issue, her response seemed rather logical. “Why in January… when we’ve all stuffed ourselves just after the holidays?”

I really had no good answer as it’s hard to argue against logic.

Even though we may all be over the holiday cookies, fruit cakes and egg nog, we still have to eat. How about eating 5,000 eggs? Leave it to a bunch of Louisiana folks to come up with a food festival that involves a giant omelette! Down in Abbeville, Louisiana a time-honored tradition still happens annually, involving the whole town and makes me laugh every time I think about it.

Maybe I can change the food conversation with one more question: What about some slimy food?

Thanks to the University of Tennessee Health Science Center, especially Dr. Asao, I can speak somewhat intelligently about natto. Read more on page 12 to learn how the Japanese culture doesn’t so quickly dismiss slimy foods as we Americans.

The South itself boasts one of the richest food cultures on the planet, uniting us when all other topics fail to do so. From the burgeoning cheese making movement to the Southern Foodways Alliances that continues to document those culinary traditions. For a truly stunning look at what’s sitting on your plate, get to know Denny Culbert (page 18) whose photography will take your breath away-as well as your appetite.

January 2015 • Vol. 12 No.1

PUBLISHER & CREATIVE DIRECTOR Adam Mitchell

ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER & ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Paula Mitchell

EDITOR Karen Ott Mayer

CONTRIBUTORS

Is 2015 the year for your kitchen makeover? Maybe you need a bigger pantry or like Pam on page 52, you just need to update a space that’s only about 60 years old.

Finally, we are excited about our new 2015 departments. It was my privilege to catch up with Mark Greaney, a long-time friend and work colleague, whose literary success has been a joy to witness. Here at the start of a New Year, it seems apropos as we talk about auld acquaintances who shouldn’t be forgot.

Find one of yours and catch up… over dinner. Or maybe a big omelette?

Cheers to 2015,

Karen

on the cover Happy New Year! Our January cover features the photography of Denny Culbert. This photo was taken at Saint Street Inn in Lafayette, La. where chef Kelsey Leger cooks a seasonally changing menu of modern Southern fare. See more of his fantastic photography on page 18.

Adam Mitchell Karen Ott Mayer Denny Culbert Cheré Coen Devon Gilliland James Richardson Bobby L. Hickman Jill Gleeson Lazelle Jones Corey Latta Andrea Brown Ross Devin Greaney Barbara Weddle Dr. Keiko Asao

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living well }

slimy foods

Slimy Foods

By Keiko Asao, MD, MPH, PhD. Photography courtesy of Peggy Reisser

Do you like slimy foods? Many Americans probably respond no. In American culture, most foods are not slimy. And when we do encounter food that is slimy, it is usually because the food has gone bad. So, it is quite normal that Americans distrust -- and are even disgusted by -- food that is slimy. It is a normal defense mechanism.

Outside of the United States, however, sliminess can be associated with foods that are perfectly healthy to consume.

In Japan, where I am from, people tend to believe that sliminess in food actually promotes health. Although this statement requires rigorous scientific research to prove or disprove, here are some specific examples of slimy foods that you might find interesting.

Natto (fermented soybeans) It is believed that natto was accidentally invented in ancient times when people wrapped cooked soybeans in straw (because the ancient Japanese people did not have Tupperware). Bacteria that lives in straw called bacillus subtilis ferments the soybeans. Â After the 14 DeSoto

bacteria ferments the soybeans, the beans are covered with a thin, white slime and have a very distinctive smell. The strong smell divides even native Japanese people into natto lovers and haters. But for those who like (or can tolerate) it, natto is a nutritional treasure chest.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Nutrient Database, it is rich in dietary fiber (one portion supplies 11 percent of the daily value), iron (24 percent), vitamin C (11 percent). It is also rich in vitamin K2. If you are taking a blood thinner, such as Coumadin (Warfarin), you should avoid natto, since the vitamin K in natto weakens the effect of the medication.

Mushrooms, such as the Nameko variety This is a kind of mushroom that is coated by jelly-like, slimy material. People often use it in miso soup. In addition to the interesting texture, they give “umami” (savory) to the broth, and some westerners add them to standard beef stew.

Vegetables, such as okra, mulukhiya (Egyptian spinach or jute), and jyunsai (water

shield) In Southern cuisine, we eat a lot of okra, which may be the champion of slimy foods in America. Mulukhiya was introduced to Japan from the Middle East in the 1980s and is now widely consumed. It is rich in calcium (one portion of cooked jute supplies 18 percent of the daily value), vitamin C (48 percent), vitamin B6 (25 percent), folate (23 percent), vitamin A (90 percent), and vitamin K1 (118 percent). Mulukhiya is often used for soup, but in Japan, it is also cut in small pieces after cooking and served with soy sauce for flavor. Jyunsai is probably classified as a gourmet Japanese food. It is the young sprouts of a water plant, covered by jelly-like material.

Nagaimo (Chinese yam) Nagaimo belongs to the yam family. It is not related to sweet potatoes. It can grow to be a couple of feet long (“naga” means being long in Japanese), and has a white flesh with a rather bland flavor. Japanese people eat it most often without cooking. Grated raw nagaimo is served on the top of Japanese noodles (such as soba noodles) or served with tuna sashimi. Some people feel skin irritation while handling nagaimo.

Seaweed, such as wakame, mozuku and konbu. Various kinds of seaweed are

coated with slimy materials or simply have a slick, rubbery texture. People often eat salads made of uncooked wakame and mozuku as appetizers, typically with dressing made of soy sauce and vinegar. Konbu is often used to make Japanese traditional broth, but people also eat fish and vegetables wrapped up inside konbu and cooked all together. A small piece of dried konbu treated with vinegar (su konbu) is sometimes chewed like chewing gum as a snack.

The list can keep going. So, what makes foods slimy? In many cases, chemicals called mucin and fucoidan contribute to the sliminess of those foods.

Mucin is produced by the human body, particularly in the mucosal surfaces, such as the lining of the gastrointestinal tract, and functions for lubrication and protection of the surfaces.

Eating slimy foods can be interesting and a taste bud cultivating experience.

Go out with your friends to international supermarkets, discover some new foods, and find out how to eat them. There are quite a few supermarkets in the Memphis area that carry various ethnic foods. Someday, you may be craving slimy foods like I do.

Dr. Keiko Asao is an assistant professor in the Department of Preventive Medicine at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Memphis. A native of Japan, she earned her MD degree from Tohoku University, Sendai in Japan, and her PhD in epidemiology from Johns Hopkins University. She is board certified in internal medicine and endocrinology. Her research interests include taste perceptions and preferences as a determinant of dietary habits in the context of obesity and diabetes.

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notables }

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mark greaney

Crafting a True Course

By Karen Ott Mayer. Photography courtesy of Mark Greaney

In 1987, native Memphian and teenager Mark Greaney read a book that would set a life course, that today 30 years later, is now being fully realized.

I was about 19 when I bought Tom Clancy’s “Patriot Games” at the Kroger on Mendenhall. I was hooked,” said Greaney.

He subsequently bought and read every Clancy book among other favorites like Robert Ludlum and Ian Fleming.

Although Greaney’s love of reading was only matched by his desire to write similar stories, he, nor anyone else, could predict that Greaney himself would co-write, then write future Clancy novels. With the December 2014 release of “Full Force and Effect”, however, the overall irony isn’t lost on Greaney who still maintains a humorous, deprecating view of his work despite his sustained success and being named to the New York Times Bestseller list.

“Full Force and Effect” debuted at #1 on the New York Times E-book list and #5 on the hardcover list.

“Your loved ones don’t necessarily look at you as having a real job,” he said with a laugh.

For a teen who preferred non-fiction World War II and Civil War history, his entrée into the world of thriller fiction

seems like a natural transition. With a degree in International Relations and an intense love of foreign languages as well, his personal interests inspired his own thriller series introduced in 2009 through his character Court Gentry in “The Gray Man”.

Nominated for a Barry Award, his breakout thriller became a national bestseller.

A feature film adaptation of “The Gray Man” is in development by Columbia Pictures, with Joe and Anthony Russo to direct. Met with strong success, Greaney produced three more novels, “On Target” in 2010 and “Ballistic” in 2011. Greaney’s latest novel, “Dead Eye” released in 2013. He is currently working on Back Blast, the fifth novel in his Court Gentry series.

“I think there is a big appetite for action and thrillers because they are somewhat timeless, like James Bond.”

While he has been writing casually for years, Greaney began in earnest to think about his career, designating his disposable income in 2006 to figure out how to get published.

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multiple manuscripts, all rejected, before reaching his editor, Tom Colgan--who also edited Clancy’s works.

Even though Greaney targeted this genre from day one, Greaney still believes it comes down to the story itself.

“People think about the story but that’s really not sufficient. It’s all about building a narrative, one sentence at a time and at the paragraph level. I think if you make a story good with relatable heroes, it will work.”

Weaving extensive research, factual places and fictional characters takes a balance.

“Sometimes, you have to leave the research and you have to use the creativity. I remember someone once saying that writing doesn’t have to be factual, just has to be credible.”

Greaney has now written five Clancy novels, three of which were co-authored. Greaney has also ghostwritten two novels, taking non-fiction material and working with another author to produce fiction stories. Greaney originally met with Clancy in 2010 at his home.

“We really hit it off and I think we talked about everything but writing,” laughed Greaney. Greaney was one of several writers Clancy was considering, and in the end, his work landed him the task of continuing the Jack Ryan stories.

For someone who has traveled the globe both for pleasure and work, Greaney still calls Memphis, Tennessee his true home. Having recently purchased a home and announced his engagement to fiancé Devon Gilliland, Greaney’s pragmatic, sensible style still prevails. “I bought a home in the same area of town where I grew up and just blocks from Devon’s grandma.” His father, Ed Greaney, spent his career in television, serving as the assistant general manager at WMCTV from 1947 to 2001. His father died prior to Greaney’s first publication.

“My dad was a huge reader. I think if he were alive, 18 DeSoto

he’d really get a kick out of hearing about all the people I’ve met and the places I’ve gone. He read extensively,” said Greaney.

Of all the destinations pegged during his research, Moscow struck Greaney perhaps more than other locations. “Just being in Moscow. You still feel like you’re behind the Iron Curtain.”

His recent travels took him to Algeria and to Africa’s largest book fair. Mixing with locals as well as U.S. foreign service personnel, Greaney found the experience eye-opening, even after all his travels.

For someone who considered his first novel to be “a big albatross” until finished, Greaney has moved with lightning speed, producing two full novels each year. He’s slated to write another Clancy novel, not taking his role lightly. “Since I didn’t create Jack Ryan, I didn’t expect for people to be effusive about my Jack Ryan books.” Regardless of his own perceptions, reviews have been overwhelming positive as Greaney has captured the loyalty of Clancy readers enough for the novels to remain on the New York Times bestseller list.

Thirty years ago, a path began. And the story continues.

Novels by Mark Greaney The Gray Man On Target Ballistic Mark Greaney/Tom Clancy Works Locked On Support and Defend Command Authority Threat Vector Full Force and Effect

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exploring art } denny culbert

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Looks Good Enough to Eat Food Photography Illuminates and Documents

By Cheré Coen. Photography courtesy of Denny Culbert

Sometimes finding your art requires a lifetime of searching.

Sometimes, it happens where you land.

For photographer Denny Culbert it began with an internship at The Advocate newspaper in Baton Rouge. The Ohio University graduate had planned to spend his career working for newspapers and the south Louisiana daily was the first step.

It was also Culbert’s introduction to a culture alien to his own.

“Baton Rouge was a good gateway to Louisiana,” he said. “If I had landed in New Orleans I wouldn’t have survived.”

When his internship ended, Culbert moved to The Daily Advertiser in Lafayette, an hour west and the heart of Cajun Country where food is elevated to a religion. It was here that Culbert created a food column called “Dishing it Out,” DeSoto 21

spotlighting local restaurants and chefs.

“It was a light-hearted way to get a feel for the community,” he explained. “There’s no better way of getting to know a place than working for a newspaper.”

When Culbert left the newsroom and turned to freelancing, however, he lacked focus. Ryan Fertel of the Southern Foodways Alliance in Oxford contacted him about documenting plate lunch oral histories, so the two visited North and South Carolina in search of great barbecue. Then Culbert and his wife founded Runaway Dish, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting and documenting Louisiana foodways through special events and a biannual magazine of the same name. In November, the two sponsored Runaway Boucherie, where local and visiting chefs come together to learn the time-honored tradition of hog butchering and cooking, known in Louisiana as a “boucherie.”

You could say he found his calling.

Culbert believes he is now the only full-time food photographer in the state, in addition to being a documentarian of indigenous foodways of South Louisiana.

Shooting food has its challenges, Culbert said, mainly due to its short lifespan. When a chef creates a dish to be photographed, the image changes as the food cools. For some restaurants, preparing additional dishes can be expensive so it’s imperative that a photographer shoot a great image in a short amount of time.

“You work fast and hope for the best,” he said.

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“Sometimes sauces get skins on top.”

Food stylists are sometimes employed to help prepare dishes to be photographed and occasionally a few items are substituted for optimal photographing. Culbert once photographed margaritas made from apple sauce, for instance, because a real frozen margarita would quickly become runny as the ice melted.

“There are a few tricks but nothing crazy,” Culbert said.

Culbert prefers natural lighting but it all depends upon the environment in which they shoot. Some items must be shot in the studio. “I see the way that light works with food,” he said, and he goes from there.

His favorite aspect of shooting food is meeting the farmers, chefs and other creative people of the South doing innovative things with food, then helping them find each other.

One of the aspects of Runaway Dish is bringing chefs together for a special meal, professionals who might not do so otherwise due to the demands of their jobs.

Culbert is also always on the lookout for something new, he said. For instance, he just shot Charles Poirier, government worker by day and sugarcane farmer on the side who has developed a small batch, ultra pure sugarcane syrup.

“It’s super labor intensive,” Culbert said of Poirier’s work.

Once Poirier met Jim Gossen of Louisiana Foods, his syrup was seen by area chefs, a benefit of food industry

professionals meeting each other.

“He (Poirier) sold every last bit of syrup he could possibly make this year,” Culbert said.

Culbert may be the only full-time food photographer in Louisiana, but his new mission in life extends way beyond the camera.

To view Culbert’s portfolio or to purchase a copy of Runaway Dish, visit www.dennyculbert.com.

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exploring books} memphis sweet spicy & a little greasy

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ARTFUL AFFAIRS

By Devin Greaney. Photography courtesy of wildabundancepublishing.com and bestroadtripever.com

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pening Arts Memphis’ newest book, “Memphis: Sweet, Spicy and a Little Greasy” feels a bit like eavesdropping on a neighbor’s dinner party. Just as a season’s worth of parties unfold, these pages reveal one food celebration after another set in everything from a rural farm to downtown Memphis. Is this a cook book or coffee table book? In short, both.

In one scene, a visit to the Mediterranean style home in River Oaks of Dr Michael Dragutsky and his wife, Beni reveals one view of Memphis’ culinary scene. There, they sit by the pool and patio with a Napa Valley theme while the Tennessee Shakespeare Company performs for the guests. Or switch tracks and see Blind Mississippi Morris playing Delta blues in the 100-year-old former Memphis bar/brothel Earnestine and

Hazel’s, where wine and oysters are served in a place better known for beer and burgers. Memphis’ latest fixture, food trucks, gather together taking over Midtown’s Edgewood Park Cove while Kait Lawson and Al Gamble perform on the guitar and keyboard.

Arts Memphis Director Susan Schadt along with fellow Arts Memphis writer Annie Barnes captured the spirit of those evenings in “Memphis: Sweet, Spicy and a Little Greasy” while also affording readers real recipes from top chefs. In 262 photography-rich pages, 34 chefs orchestrate 10 events designed to showcase the true food spirit of Memphis.

“I’m from southwest Louisiana which is a big food place and I enjoy cooking, but I’m not a professional chef,” said Barnes who started as an intern from Rhodes College back in DeSoto 25

2011 and is now there full time. “The best part was meeting the chefs, the guests and the artists involved.”

In 2013, Memphis chef Kelly English, best known for restaurants Iris and Second Line suggested chefs be in charge of, not just what to prepare, but also where to hold the event, the designers who make the venue pretty, and the entertainment.

“This is what I call a perfect example of a community coming together with a lot of talent coming together with a lot of passion and volunteerism,” Schadt said. The chefs found many willing to support the big arts colony called Greater Memphis.

The book not only documents the fun via Schadt and Barnes’ words, but photo journalist and Commercial Appeal alum Lisa Buser was there to capture the laughter and spontaneity of the moments--society page photos of party guests gathering around posing in a semi- circle while smiling for the photographer? Forget it.

“She has deep talent for the emotional aspect of photography showing the pride, entertainment and lots of good laughter,” said Schadt. The book’s cover has a sunset on the river- a Memphis photographer cliché’- but that is only a starting point for Buser who layered local musician Marcella Simien’s coquettish expression and the table ready for guests at the Metal Museum’s grounds.

Following each visual, a recipe gives relativity to the whole affair. Mae Edwards shares Catfish Benedict with Hollandaise Sauce while Karen Carrier offers a lovely version of Watermelon Salad. In all, the book contains 70 recipes including some from Justin Fox Burke and Erling Jensen.

And those little touches Buser captured would not have been there for her to capture without the efforts of some extremely dedicated designers.

Take Earnestine and Hazel’s.

From about 1930 to 1992 it was officially a cheap hotel for train travelers and the upstairs rooms had beds to sleep after finally making it to Memphis. Unofficially those rooms were not just used for travelers and those beds were used not just for sleeping.

Designer Grant Ray used bedsprings and lights for decoration. Lamps at a Mardi Gras-themed event copied street lamps from St Charles Street in New Orleans while Mardi Gras beads hung like Spanish Moss.

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The book captures an event at the Metal Museum with “an 80-people communal table, family style, so you had to talk to the people next to you. Everything was cooked outside,” Schadt said. The tabletop was turned over, lending a comfortable feel like a family reunion would create. And there was the food. Not just the Memphis usuals - barbecue, catfish and fried chicken- but a bit of everything in keeping with each theme from South Florida to South Korea.

“Memphis: Sweet, Spicy and Little Greasy” will delight any foodie, especially those who understand and appreciate Memphis’ rich culinary culture.

As for the next book? It will focus on some of the chef ’s favorite fishing spots.

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into the wild } dismals canyon

The Dance Hall

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Enchanted

DISMALS Story and Photography by James Richardson

Perhaps it’s true; the best things in life are worth the search.

In north Alabama, just a short drive from Mississippi awaits Dismals Canyon, an 85-acre privately owned and operated pristine sanctuary, complete with waterfalls, and oddly, no mosquitoes or poison oak.

No one really knows how the canyon got its name, but it is believed that it was from the area’s early Scotch-Irish settlers who were familiar with a spot in Scotland called “Dismals”.

Another theory is that the settlers felt uneasy about the rugged bluffs and dark caves of the canyon and thought it looked “dismal”. At any rate, the canyon is unusual and interesting in more than just a few ways.

Although privately owned, the National Park Service named the area as a National Natural Landmark. It is a rocky canyon with steep, moss-covered walls and large rock formations. It is about 30 feet deep and a couple miles long.

Two waterfalls enchant visitors.

Rainbow Falls is located at the entrance of the canyon near the country store where the tour begins and drops 15 feet into a pool. Remnants of a water mill were found near this waterfall. The second waterfall is the smaller Secret Falls.

The area around this one is a natural arboretum. There are 27 species of native trees growing within 100 feet of the waterfall.

One of the canyon’s arboreal residents is the “Champion Tree,” which is a Canadian hemlock that is 138 feet tall with a circumference of 8 feet 9 inches, and is estimated to be 360 years old.

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Rainbow Falls

According to Kevin Cheek, long time resident of Franklin County, storyteller, history buff, tour guide, and Director at Dismals, rich tales come from the land.

“Several of the canyon’s formations have been used by former residents, whether they were Indians, early settlers, or outlaws. There are tales passed down through generations of secret Indian rituals and of the canyon being a hideout for outlaws.”

One of the most unusual things that sets the Canyon apart is the presence of “dismalites” Cheek explained.

“The Dismalites are actually larvae of fungal gnats. The scientific name is Orphelia fultoni. There’s not much information about them because the salt on your fingertips kills them, so there’s not much studying we can do, and they are very, very small. They are in length maybe about a quarter of an inch. And their body is a little bit larger than the size of a string. Like I said, they are very, very small. And this is the only known location in the United States to see these night creatures.

Other known locations are China and New Zealand.”

The canyon has a well-marked mile and a half trail through the rocky crevices and along the stream. Visitors enter the canyon by going down a series of stairs descending about 30 DeSoto

30 feet, passing through and beside several formations that have names like Pulpit Rock, Dance Hall, Indian Head Rock, Fat Man’s Misery, Stove Pipe, and Witches Cavern. All have significance. All were used by former residents for a variety of purposes. The path leads along the stream to the end of the canyon, where a short wooden bridge crosses the stream. The path continues back to the point of origin near Rainbow Falls.

Kevin Cheek takes visitors on the night tours to see the glow-in-the-dark worms, which are seen on moss-covered boulders in the canyon. Reservations should be made for these tours. Self-guided tours are the most common way of exploring the canyon during the daylight hours. Prospective visitors should check the website for open hours and times for night tours.

“In winter we close December, January, and February.

But we are only open to cabin guests. We still have cabin guests every weekend throughout the year. We close to let the canyon rest. Nature needs its rest. Because on a good weekend, we get about a 150 people in the canyon,” said Cheek.

Dismals Canyon has two cabins that takes reservations all year. Several primitive campsites are here but close when the park is closed. A bunkhouse that sleeps eight people is also

available. The park’s country store has drinks, candy, and souvenirs, and has recently added a soda fountain and grill where visitors can order burgers, sandwiches, ice cream, and old fashioned milk shakes.

Dismals Canyon

901 Highway 8 Phil Campbell, Alabama 35581 (205) 993-4559 www.dismalscanyon.com

Where in the world is Dismals?

It is located near the town of Phil Campbell and south of Russellville, which is just south of US 72 and Muscle Shoals. The Canyon is located west off US Highway 43 on Franklin County Road 8. A turnoff four miles south of the intersection of State Highway 13 and US 43 onto CR 8 takes visitors to the entrance of Dismals Canyon.

The Champion Tree

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exploring cuisine } knowing the cuts

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t a e m t Mea e l b a t e th

By Karen Ott Mayer. Photography courtesy of bearingsguide.com

Far beyond knowing the cuts of meat, most carnivore-loving Americans fall short in their understanding of just how meat reaches the table today, and in reality, bring many misconceptions to the table. Local producers whose goals differ completely from the mass producers understand what’s being served up. Perception is everything in today’s local eating movement.

So the question is... how clearly do you understand what you’re buying?

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Let’s chop up this information and see.

• The old adage ‘be careful what you read’ is still true. Just because the package says natural, cured, uncured, organic, grass fed etc. doesn’t necessarily jive with what you think it means. The USDA defines words (not always logically) in context of things we’d never consider in our logic. For example, “uncured” generally implies that the meat is green.

In USDA lingo, this simply means it hasn’t been cured in specific chemicals. Those local producers who sell meat marked “uncured” spend needless amounts of time explaining to consumers that their meat is in fact cured—because they cure it using only natural curing methods. Take a moment and chat with the local producer to fully understand a label.

• For the last time… it is impossible to raise grass fed hogs. Hogs are not ruminants like cattle (who do eat lots of grass), they are omnivores. An omni…what? Omnivores scavenge and eat things like acorns, roots, and yes, dirt. Did you know that a hog’s diet consist of six percent dirt?

• Do you understand the difference between a whole carcass and primal cuts? When an animal is slaughtered, the butcher then has a whole carcass which is then cut in half to hang for further aging (as in beef) or processing. When a carcass is cut into larger sections, that is called a primal piece of meat.

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Why do we care about this part of the process? Because it has changed in one key way over the years: Butchers, meat sellers, stores etc. used to receive a whole carcass; today, they receive primal cuts. With a whole carcass, the butcher sold everything from that animal…ears, feet, tails, and hides. Consumers had more purchasing options. Today, almost all retailers (including that corner butcher), receive primal cuts. Here’s what is important: Primal meat is shipped to everyone selling meat these days. Unless your butcher is hanging carcasses or raising his own animals, the meat is the same—whether you buy it from Walmart or a local butcher.

• Just because a seller uses those seductive words like local or fresh, again beware. Unfortunately, local food movements aren’t immune to shady characters purporting to grow their own tomatoes or butcher their own meat. Ask questions. True local producers love to talk about their farms, products and philosophies. The others? I’m sorry, but they just want your money.

Our industrial meat system is eradicating the need for true charcuterie or butchering. The beef cuts looks amazingly the same across the country: Ribeye, sirloin, tenderloin, and t-bone. But what about those cuts like skirt steaks, flank steak, tri-tips, brisket or osso bucco? Just like our artisan butchers, they are becoming a thing of the past.

Raised his whole life around animals and farms, Marshall Bartlett of Home Place Pastures has spent the last few years as a producer and butcher working with chefs from Memphis to New Orleans. Today, he runs his pastured-pork operation from his family’s farm, selling local products at the Memphis Farmer’s Market—and soon online. www.homeplacepastures.com

“The food situation in the South right now is ironic. In the old days, the poor were incredibly resourceful, using scraps of tough meat from the undesirable cuts they were given. They learned to slow cook it, marinade it and the result was barbecue. As we say, they used everything but the squeal from a hog.

Today, things like pig’s feet and tails which were used to make traditional dishes aren’t around. And the irony is the chefs in high-end restaurants, where dishes are priced over $80, are buying these up. I’d like to see more animals raised, whole carcasses being processed locally and see us selling traditional fare like pickled pigs feet again.”

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exploring destinations } abbeville, louisiana

Chefs whipping eggs for the giant omelette

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Story and Photography by Cheré Coen

It all starts with 5,000 eggs, 52 pounds of butter, four gallons of chopped green onions, 75 chopped bell peppers, 40 pounds of crawfish tails and spices, including large dashes of Tabasco, and a 12-foot skillet that’s so enormous it takes a forklift to place over a fire.

This year, because it’s the 31st anniversary of the Giant Omelette Celebration in Abbeville, Louisiana, the count will be 5,031 eggs. The giant omelette tradition dates back to Napoleon, when he and his army were traveling near the French town of Bessières and enjoyed an omelette by a local innkeeper. Napoleon ordered the townspeople to prepare one large enough for his army, never realizing this one-time feat would end up being annual festivals later celebrated worldwide, including an event in south Louisiana.

The Napoleonic tradition started when Abbeville residents learned of the legend while traveling through Bessières in 1984 and decided to create a giant omelette festival of their own. These pioneers now known as the Confrerie D’Abbeville were knighted the first of Abbeville’s Chevaliers by their French counterparts and joined the list of seven cities who create giant omelettes in countries such as France, Belgium, Canada and Argentina.

In addition to whipping up a giant omelette where DeSoto 37

Procession of Chefs

festival participants all get a taste, the Abbeville festival includes an antique car show, arts and crafts, a Saturday egg-cracking contest and a charity walk through historic downtown Abbeville, among many other events. And of course being Cajun Country, there’s plenty of live music and dancing.

The “Procession of Chefs” begins the impressive cooking feat following the Omelette Mass at Abbeville’s St. Mary Magdalen Catholic Church. The culinary team is chosen from both local members and other Confreries around the world, a stipulation of being part of the omelette sisterhood, said publicist Arlene Collee. Being asked to participate in one of the seven cities’ festivals is an honor.

Visiting chefs to Abbeville stay in Confreries members’ homes and receive tours of Acadiana, in addition to Cajun fellowship.

“People don’t realize it’s a cultural exchange,” Collee explained.

Collee herself has participated in omelette celebrations in Europe.

No wrists are injured in the making of this massive omelette, however. The eggs are whipped by small boat mo38 DeSoto

tors in massive cooking pots, then mixed with crawfish, green onions, peppers and spices. The chefs circle the enormous skillet to first lay down pounds of butter, then cook the omelette over a wood-burning fire.

There’s even a “Petite Omelette Cooking” event for children chefs held at the same time the large omelette cooks, but theirs is a measly four-foot skillet.

The two-day event always occurs the first weekend in November with the giant omelette created on Sunday afternoon. The historic town fills up with weekend visitors but there are several motels, hotels and bed and breakfasts available in town. In addition, the larger city of Lafayette with numerous accommodations is only 20 minutes away.

For those who want to enjoy south Louisiana’s balmy autumns in the great outdoors, Palmetto Island State Park is located a few miles south of Abbeville along the Vermilion River. The most recent addition to Louisiana’s state park system, Palmetto Island offers spacious cabins, campsites, miles of canoe trails, hiking trails through cypress and tupelo swamps and an informative nature center. Day-use costs are minimal and the park offers special events every week.

Omelettes aside, Abbeville is known for great eating,

Palmetto

particularly seafood. Shuck’s and Dupuy’s Oyster Shop are famous for their oysters fresh from the Gulf but also fish, jumbo shrimp and dark Cajun gumbo. The Riverfront Restaurant serves up seafood as well, overlooking the Vermilion River.

Black’s Oyster Bar and Seafood Restaurant has long been a landmark eatery in downtown Abbeville, directly across from the historic St. Mary Magdalen Catholic Church. The long-standing Black’s went dark for a bit, no pun intended, but has reopened and is serving up Gulf seafood once again.

Abbeville is also home to Cajun culinary delights such as Steen’s Syrup derived from sugar cane and Cajun Power products that range from gumbo starters to seasonings and sauces. In nearby Maurice, Hebert’s Specialty Meats creates the famous turducken, a deboned chicken stuffed into a deboned duck that’s stuffed into a deboned turkey with specialty stuffings in between.

For more information on the Giant Omelette Celebration, visit www.giantomelette.org. For information on Abbeville and Vermilion Parish tourism, visit www.mostcajun.com.

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a day away } new albany, ms

New Albany, MS 9:00 - Grab a cup of cof fee and a pastry fro new plaza which ser ves as the start ing pointm AC’s cof fee shop, opened on the for the Tanglef oot Trail.

10:00 Strol l Bankhead Street - (t his could is home to some legacy businesses such as est easil y be 3 hours!) New Al bany fine clothier T. Sappington & C o. Tucked in betate jewelers Van At kins and the everyt hing from clothing and accessor ies to antween, however, are shop s offeri ng iques.

12:00 - There are so many great opt ions to cho mo od for somet hing wit h a cajun twist Tallaha ose for lunch. If you are in the Or tr y Latham’s Hamburger Inn, featured on thtchie Gourmet is the best. e Food Net work, for a doughburger and loaded fries.

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2:00 Grab a sweet treat at Sugaree’s . Walki Decadent pies, cakes, cookies and more. The carng int o this baker y is heaven ly. amel cake is outstanding.

3:00 Tour the Union C ounty Heritage Museu secured from the Ingomar Mounds, the oldestm. Visitors can see the rel ics ago, or strol l through the Faulkner Literary Gamanmade site dating 2,200 years rden.

4:00 Bike or walk the Tanglef oot Trail. Bikes just at the start of the Tanglef oot Trail, Misscan be rented at Trails & Treads conversion, running appr oximate ly 44 mi les. issippi’s longest rai ls to trails

6:00 Dinner at George’s Chicken on Highway 15. Amazing fried chicken and straw ber ry biscuits!

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New Albany, birthplace of William Faulkner, is nestled in the rolling hills of North Mississippi and just an hour south of Memphis. New Albany is a charming little city known for its antique stores, vibrant downtown and friendly people.

People have been coming here for years to shop at the galleries, independent clothiers, boutiques, jewelers and speciality shops.

The city’s convenient location and picturesque placement on the Tallahatchie River make it an ideal destination for a day trip, a weekend trip or as a possible home. visitnewalbany.com van-atkins-jewelry.myshopify.com sugarees.com acscoffeena.com tallahatchiegourmet.com tanglefoottrail.com ucheritagemuseum.com

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greater goods } kitchen gadgets

kitchen gadgets Schmidt Brothers 7-Piece Carbon6 Knife Block Set $259.95 crateandbarrel.com

Four-in-One Avocado Tool Peeling, pitting and mashing an avocado is child’s play with this multitasking tool. $15.95 williams-sonoma.com

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Cuisinart 8-Cup Food Processor Designed to perform just about any food prep task. $99.99 bedbathandbeyond.com

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greater goods } soups, snacks and mixes

soups, snacks and mixes The Resident Chef Soup & Dip mixes $8.50 - $9.50 Blue Olive Shop 210 East Commerce Hernando, MS 662-449-1520

Fat Mama’s Fire & Ice Pickles $9.00 Bon Von Gift Shop 214 W Center St. Hernando, MS 662-429-5266 Davis & Davis Wine Dip $7.50 Cynthia’s Boutique 2529 Caffey St Hernando, MS 662-469-9026

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Mimi’s on Main 432 West Main Street. Senatobia, MS 662-562-8261 DeSoto 47

48 DeSoto

By Andrea Brown Ross. Photography courtesy of McIlhenny Company

A bottle of the McIlhenny Company’s world famous Tabasco sauce doesn’t just contain a flavorful pepper sauce, but a history that dates back to the American Civil War. Founded in 1868 on Avery Island, Louisiana, the McIlhenny Company was located in a spot that was highly desirable during the Civil War. Vice President of U.S. Sales, Stephen Romero, explained the significance of Avery Island.

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Avery Island, Louisiana

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“Salt domes dot the Gulf Coast and during the Civil War, salt was critical for food preservation. Morale could be greatly influenced by the supply of food, or lack thereof. So, whoever controlled the food supply could definitely have an advantage.

Union forces unsuccessfully attempted to capture Avery Island by coming in their gunboats during low tides. At some point, they succeeded.”

The company is still owned and operated by the McIlhenny family today and the how Edmund McIlhenny created the pepper sauce remains an interesting story. Following the Civil War, the limited diet available to Southerners was considered bland. Utilizing his skills as a gardener and cultivating the seeds of capsicum peppers, he created a method of producing pepper sauce very similar to today’s Tabasco sauce found in restaurants and the retail market.

“Although we implement modernday technology in the production of the sauce, the Tabasco product is unique because we basically use the same formula from over 140 years ago. We have a clean, simple ingredient deck: Avery Island salt, vinegar, and peppers. Utilizing a tried-andtrue harvesting method, we preserve the seeds from the peppers for the next year’s crop. Peppers then spend three years in a White Oak barrel before we open them to begin the production process. If one considers the steps, aging, and length of time for fermentation, it can be considered a very involved process from our farm field to your table,” remarked Romero.

Encouraged by the positive feedback and high demand for his new pepper sauce, particularly in the oyster houses along the Gulf Coast, Edmund obtained a patent. Initially, Edmund wanted to name the sauce, “Petite Anse Sauce”. At that time, Isle Petite Anse was the name of Avery Island. Discouraged by his family to call his sauce by that name, he opted for Tabasco sauce. According to the McIlhenny Company, the word tabasco is believed to of Mexican Indian origin and means “place where the soil is humid” or “place of the oyster shell”. By the late 1870s, Tabasco sauce was being distributed across the United States and in England.

Romero explained how diversified Tabasco sauce is with various dishes.

“It’s not just hot. It can enhance the flavor of food as opposed to masking or overriding what you are eating. It can add DeSoto 51

Barrels of aging Tabasco

texture and depth. Professional chefs use it to create balance in a dish. We’ve branched beyond fried eggs and even the popular Bloody Mary. We’re linked to stews, soups, gravies, and restaurants that serve a particular type of food, like Chipotle Mexican Grill.”

Now available in over 180 countries, some of Tabasco’s exposure can be attributed to the military, particularly Asia.

“During the Korean War, soldiers had Tabasco sauce contained in their rations. This brought new exposure. Former military have told us that not only did the sauce remind them of home, but it helped make their rations at least taste tolerable.

Each country and culture has created a unique application of Tabasco. Such is the case in Belgium and France with Tabasco being an ingredient in steak tartare. In Japan, it is considered a popular condiment, especially on pizza and pasta.”

“Although we now contract growers in other locations around the world, we always use seeds that come from Avery Island,” said Romero.

As the company has seen tremendous growth over the years and the capability to produce 700,000 bottles daily, they are cognizant of the community around them. Many of the residents of Avery Island are employed with the McIlhenny Company, as were their parents and grandparents. The company is involved with causes, both environmental and human. Consumers can read about their sustainability efforts online. In the recent past, they worked to raise awareness regarding wetland conservation efforts.

“Consumers were able to gain awareness about our 52 DeSoto

conservation efforts through information on bottle cartons. The company remains very active in restoration and preservation projects,” said Romero.

In addition, they partnered with the Southern Foodways Alliance in 2006 to sponsor the New Orleans Eats, An Oral History Project. Romero elaborates on the community involvement from the company.

“Tabasco is a good fit for several festivals around southern Louisiana. As funds allow and the opportunity aligns with our company and brand, we try to support and participate.

A few festivals come to mind, The World Championship Gumbo Cook-Off in New Iberia and the Oak Street Po’ Boy Festival in New Orleans. Festivals really begin to pick up in April and last through the fall.”

While attending festivals in Louisiana, Romero suggests making Avery Island one of the stopping points.

“Our visitor’s center accommodates approximately 200,000 visitors annually. A visit to Avery Island is more than a just a factory tour where visitors get to see the bottling and packaging operations. There is a lovely botanical garden as well as non-native flowers and plants that have been cultivated over the years. We have a variety of points of interest ranging from the snowy egrets nesting in our Bird City, to a centuries old Buddha statue.“

To learn more about the McIlhenny Company, their line of Tabasco products, festivals, and tours visit www.tabasco.com

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What’s

Cookin’ ?

A peek into designing today’s kitchen

By Karen Ott Mayer. Photography courtesy of Pro Stone

Everyone always ends up in the kitchen.

Whether the space is small, large, old or new, the kitchen still reigns as the heartbeat of the home. Where else does so much happen? Kitchens serve as multi-purpose spaces far beyond their original function, moving from strictly utilitarian to leisure. With adjoining keeping rooms, offices, dens and patios, kitchens can be designed to serve most any lifestyle or need.

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Professionals designers who work with all kinds of clients hold a unique perspective on trends. Kelly Clayton of Pro Stone located in Olive Branch, Mississippi works both design and sales, as they are nearly inseparable in her work.

“We help individuals, contractors and designers with remodeling or new construction,” said Clayton. Clayton observes that most people invest in their kitchens because they only want to tackle a renovation one time. Pro Stone offers their products and services throughout the Tri-state area, traveling as far south as Starkville, Mississippi or to the Delta.

With Houzz and Pinterest fueling every homeowner imagination, Clayton believes clients have better visions for their own spaces. “They are more involved which allows us to be more creative and pinpoint their interests,” she said.

With the recession came a decline in new building and homeowners moved back into remodeling mode. No matter what the economy or politics of the day, however, trends still occur and dictate design decisions. Clayton said kitchens with inset cabinets continue to be popular.

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“Inset cabinets are the big thing. They are built in like furniture and look more like furniture.” Clayton cautions buyers, encouraging them to think about the practical side, too. “People like the way they look but they are a ton of extra maintenance because they are so tightly installed, there’s not much wiggle room. With our humidity, cabinets might not function as well.” Many homeowners still prefer the trash pullouts which allow for a convenient, hidden space to keep garbage.

Another big trend involves white Carrera marble. “I believe this is so popular because it is timeless. It has a very classic feel and used quite a lot in Europe. Brick floors also continue to be a big trend,” says Clayton.

Carrera marble, unlike many others on the market, offers a reasonable entry-level price. Once again, however, homeowners who dream of having one of those perfect, magazine-style kitchens should be aware. “Marble is a soft substance. It dents, scratches and over time may change colors. Some people don’t care, others don’t like the idea of it

wearing so much.” Price becomes a major factor when shopping marbles as certain types like Calcutta gold can be extremely expensive. Other materials like quartzite are quarried but not as economical either.

Materials are generally sold by the bundles per square foot and used extensively in kitchens, laundry areas, bathrooms, offices and pantries. “Granite is still huge because it is super durable and comes in so many neutral colors. Even if someone wants to change their kitchen later, they can usually incorporate the existing granite,” explained Clayton. Whereas granite used to run as much as $75 per square foot, today the price is nearly half at $35 to $40 per square foot.

As far as trends, Clayton notices another interesting movement. “People DeSoto 57

are moving away from the over embellishments to cleaner lines. Almost every woman makes the big decisions regarding the home and they want simple and clean,” said Clayton.

Color, or in this case, lack of color also plays a role. “We see a ton of white and off-white with gray having a bigger impact,” she added. She jokes that the “50 Shades of Gray Cabinets” has taken hold on the kitchen scene.

Clayton helped her own parents Weldon and Donna Clayton with their Southaven kitchen where she created a different style. “We created these two-tone cabinets in blue which is very different and rarely seen.” During their renovation, the Claytons focused on not only more storage, but access. “We have more doors for pans and trays that we can pull out instead of bending over on the floor hunting around for something,” said Weldon Clayton. Pull-outs include drawers for trash, spices, and even trash bags.

Size does matter greatly in remodeling jobs. “We see a ton of walls taken out in order to make communal rooms,” said Clayton. Large islands that can accommodate lots of activity and peninsulas still dominate many designs. “We’re moving away from having desks in the kitchen,” she said.

While some homeowners are still chasing big home dreams, others have opted for the smaller, more efficient spaces with less upkeep and expense. Pam Ferguson, a native Mississippian who has lived on the East Coast for 30 years, recently purchased an 800-square foot home in Hernando, 58 DeSoto

Mississippi. A career dietician with extensive experience designing workspaces, Ferguson is no stranger to the kitchen.

“My former home had a 2,800 square foot, state-of-the-art kitchen.”

Built in 1954, the Hernando home had a tiny kitchen resembling more of a mud room at the back of the house. In a short few weeks, her contractor gutted the entire area, taking out three walls. Keeping the original footprint, she updated the kitchen space to include new granite, new cabinets, appliances and tile. With a space less than 100 square feet for cooking, Ferguson chose to locate her pantry outside off the patio in a laundry room. Since the living room and kitchen are now one big space, Ferguson designed the counters with a six-inch lip to hide the usual kitchen dishes and debris from her guests while she cooks. The higher counter area allows for bar stools as well.

Ferguson knew she wanted to capture as much counter space possible because she “cooks for the world”.

She encourages others to think about one important question before they start a renovation. “The thing is...how much do you cook? That determines the functionality of the space.”

In the end, designing a kitchen becomes a very personal venture. When it’s easy to go with the popular trends, individuality tends to be left behind, according to Clayton.

“I try to encourage people to take the time to be unique and really find something that reflects their style. Do the extra research so you really love the space.”

“People are moving away from the over embellishments to cleaner lines.

Almost every woman makes the big decisions regarding the home and they want simple and clean.�

Kelly Clayton

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Chef Tim Hontzas

Serving Cultures

By Jill Gleeson. Photography courtest of Southern Foodways Alliance

It’s not only about the food.

That’s the first surprising thing you learn about the Southern Foodways Alliance (SFA) once you roll up your sleeves and start to dig into it, much like – oh, let’s just go ahead and get the food metaphor over with – your Aunt Bett’s caramel cake, the one she makes for the Easter reunion, dense like a collapsed star, sweet as the woman herself. The next surprising thing you learn about the SFA is the myriad means it utilizes to, as its mission statement reads, “document, study and celebrate the diverse food cultures of the changing American South.” Documentaries, oral histories, books, a quarterly magazine, a blog and now podcasts are in the mix, as are a host of special events and twice-yearly symposia.

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Thanks to its affiliation with the University of Mississippi, the organization also offers classes, internships, assistantships and two annual fellowships. The SFA has become bigger than even its founders might have dreamed back in 1999, when the late author John Egerton convened 50 Southern food-focused movers and shakers in Birmingham, Alabama.

Together they hammered out a mission for the new non-profit and elected a board of directors. Journalist John T. Edge was named director; he would remain the SFA’s only employee until Mary Beth Lasseter became associate director five years later.

“The SFA thinks food is a good lens to study culture,” explained Lasseter of the organization. “It is something that black and white, rich and poor, male and female all have in common. That’s one of the great things about studying food.

Everyone can relate, but there’s real serious academic work to be done. So it makes a very rich subject matter for study and discussion.”

Just about as rich as Aunt Bett’s caramel cake, in fact.

“Every year,” Lasseter continued, “the SFA studies a different topic. Last year we studied ‘Who is Welcome at the Welcome Table?’ We talked about inclusion and exclusion, everything from Florida farm workers to the Civil Rights lunch counter protests. This year we’re studying food and pop culture. We’ll host a number of events, and a number of events will be hosted for us.” Among them are this month’s Taste of the South, a fundraising weekend at Tennessee’s Blackberry Farm, and February’s Food Media South, a conference in Birmingham that the SFA is offering for the first time for media who cover food.

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The organization’s two biggest shindigs are its summer and fall symposia, open only to SFA members. The June event travels each year to a new location, heading to New Orleans in 2015. October’s symposium is held on the SFA’s home turf in Oxford, Mississippi. While there is more to focus on than food, the meals served and the people who create them are the stars.

Invitation, however, is not based on fame or current popularity, said Lasseter. “They are chefs with compelling stories or compelling foods that go along with our theme. We try to highlight different people every year, people with capability, substance and a back story. There’s so much talent out there.”

Among the rising chefs who have benefitted from cooking for the SFA is Nick Wallace, who crafted a superb breakfast at last year’s summer symposium held in Jackson, Mississippi. Dishes included dehydrated cornbread guests rehydrated by dipping into hot pot likker that had been pre-set on the table.

“It definitely gave my brand a boost,” mused Wallace of the experience. “Sometimes black chefs can get a little stereotyped. It gave me a chance to show people that what I do is very sophisticated and every time you see me it’s not stewed greens and fried chicken.”

Raised in Edwards, Mississippi, where he learned to bake as a child in his grandmothers’ farmhouse kitchens, Wallace specializes using French techniques to cook locally-sourced fare inspired by his roots. He’s continued refining the style, which he’s dubbed “Modern Mississippi,” since taking over as Executive Head Chef at Jackson’s Mississippi Museum of Art more than a year ago. It’ll be front and center come fall, when Wallace opens his own eatery, Lunette, in the old courthouse

building in downtown Jackson. “We’re going to be making a lot of pâtés, a really good pheasant terrine, fish dumplings,” Wallace described. “It’s very exciting.”

Like Wallace, Tim Hontzas cooked for the summer symposium last year.

Although he now resides in the Birmingham area, Hontzas was selected in part because he not only grew up in Jackson, his Greek grandfather owned a restaurant there - the night’s theme was immigrant restaurateurs.

Hontzas, who came of age cooking for Oxford legend John Currence, served delicacies like hortopita with turnip greens and lemon zest and rolo kima, which is Greek meatloaf made with ground lamb, mint and pistachios. “I tried to put a southern twist on classic Greek food,” Hontzas says, “which is what I do a little bit in Johnny’s.”

Named for his grandfather’s old place, Hontzas’ friendly joint in Homewood, Alabama, now two-and-a-half years old, is about paying homage to his family and their culture. “We have a meat-and-three menu,” Hontzas explained. “But I try to educate them on Greek food. We’ve done a Greek yogurt cheesecake with pomegranate molasses syrup on it, so it’s Greek but it’s also kind of Southern. I try to make a correlation DeSoto 63

between what goes on in the village in Greece and what goes on in rural Alabama.

There’s such a similarity between them when it comes to food – it’s what brings people together in those cultures.”

One of the SFA’s best buddies is Memphis’ Kelly English, who owns that city’s Iris and The Second Line restaurants as well as Magnolia House, which is located inside the new Harrah’s Gulf Coast in Biloxi. Among other SFA events, English cooked for a board of directors meeting in 2012 at Iris, where he served his unique take on French-Creole cuisine. “When I say we cook Creole it’s not really about specific recipes, it’s about resourcefulness,” noted Kelly, who grew up in on Louisiana’s coast. “The people who settled down there came to a new land where they didn’t recognize the ingredients, but they made it work for them. So we try to do that in Tennessee with what grows and flies and runs around here.”

Next on the menu for English is opening up a Second Line in Oxford in May. A graduate of Ole Miss, he plans to tip his hat to the restaurants he loved in school by replicating some of their dishes, such as the country-fried steak once found at Smitty’s. But no matter how busy he gets, Kelly will no doubt continue to make time for the SFA. “The SFA is important not just because of their events,” Kelly detailed, 64 DeSoto

“but because they realize our history is not only contained in books. A lot of stories in the South have been passed down orally, just like in any culture. They’re doing really important work to uncover those stories and the true history of our region.”

To join the SFA or access their many free resources, visit www.southernfoodways.org To learn more about Chef Wallace, visit www.chefnickwallace.com Chef Hontzas, www.johnnyshomewood.com Chef English, www.chefkellyenglish.com DeSoto 65

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Say, Cheeses!

Story by Bobby L. Hickman. Photography courtesy of Bonnie Blue Farm and thebloomyrind.blogspot.com

If you think pimento cheese is the only truly Southern cheese, think again. The quality, quantity and varieties of farmstead cheeses being produced across the South has exploded in the last few years. Now you can find Southern cheeses that garner national awards at farmers markets, restaurants and cheese shops throughout the region.

Commercial farmstead cheese production in the South began less than 20 years ago. For generations, Southerners primarily made small quantities of cheese for friends and family from milk produced by livestock on their own farms. “The South has a long history of farmstead dairying and cheese making,” according to the Southern Cheesemakers’ Guild, an association of regional producers. “But over the past decade, the craft has truly blossomed and matured in this region.”

Commercial cheese making began at a few sites in the late 1990s, and now includes more than 150 operations. The

industry is expanding more quickly in the South than in any other part of the country, as witnessed at the Southern Artesian Cheese Festival held each October in Nashville. Southern cheesemakers are adding more production each year and winning a sizeable share of awards at American Cheese Society competitions. In fact, the society recognized the high quality and quantity of the region’s cheeses by holding its 2014 annual convention in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Most Southern cheese is artesian farmstead cheese made by farmers who control the entire process. Producers may DeSoto 67

spend years breeding the right animals to produce the best milk for their needs. They use traditional handcrafted techniques to blend their cheeses in small batches, let it age in cool caves or special containers, and bring it to market. While “farmstead cheese” refers to products created by the cheesemaker’s own animals, other operations also buy milk from one or more farmers to make cheese on a larger scale.

Since commercial cheese production is fairly new in the area, there is not yet a dominant type of cheese that distinguishes the South from specialties in established states, such as Vermont, Wisconsin or California. The varieties of Southern cheese include white and yellow cheddar, blue cheese, jack, paneer, Colby, buttermilk, and – of course – pimento. The 15 members of the Southern Cheesemakers Guild include five that only make cheese from cow’s milk; four that exclusively use goat milk; five that do both; and one that makes cheese from sheep’s milk (Dayspring Dairy in Alabama). Artesian cheesemakers may sell their cheese on their farms; at local farmers markets; through cheese shops; to restaurants; or via mail order and the Internet.

Like any other Southern cuisine, cheese comes in a wide variety of styles and flavors to tempt any palate. Here is a look at some significant players in the rapidly expanding universe of Southern cheeses.

Bonnie Blue Farm

Although based in Middle Tennessee, Bonnie Blue Farm is well known to cheese lovers in northern Mississippi and the 68 DeSoto

Memphis metropolitan area. “We sell our goat and cow cheeses (plus eggs and dressed rabbits) at the Memphis Farmers Market every Saturday from April through mid-December,” said coowner Gale Tanner. Tanner and her husband, Jim, run Bonnie Blue Farms in Wayne County, located south of Waynesboro near Collinwood.

Bonnie Blue Farms (www.bonniebluefarm.com) produces some 10,000 pounds of handmade cheeses annually, much of it sold at farmers markets in Memphis, Nashville, and Chattanooga. Tanner notes that Miss Cordelia’s on Mud Island carries Bonnie Blue Cheese, as do such restaurants as Buon Cibo in Hernando, Miss. and Chez Philippe at the Peabody in Memphis.

The Tanners moved from California to Tennessee in 1999, bringing a dozen goats with them from their farm in Sacramento. They soon expanded the herd and built a goat barn and a cheese processing operation on their 300-plus acre farm. In 2006, they established the first commercial Grade A goat dairy in Tennessee. They later added a cheese studio and constructed a three-room cheese aging cave where the cheese matures using traditional methods.

Today, Tanner said, their herd totals 80 Saanen and Nubian goats, including bucks and kids --youngsters too young to milk yet. The number of does (which are milked twice a day) “varies between 35 and 50, depending on the time of the year.” Tanner noted. She said the farm also has one Jersey cow named Eileen “who supplies very rich milk for our raw milk cow cheese.”

The cheeses of Bonnie Blue Farms have already won numerous awards, including two “Best of Show” honors at the American Daily Goat Association Cheese Competition.

Tanner spends much of her time in the cheese studio, making several varieties of cheddar, gouda, tome, feta and herbflavored chevré cheeses that carry the Bonnie Blue Farms label.

The cheesemaking process at Bonnie Blue is typical of most Southern farms. Milk from the does is strained into 100-gallon tanks and chilled. The cold milk then goes to the cheese studio, where it is pasteurized in a 52-gallon container. The milk cools again, and the Tanners add cultures and enzymes.

The mixture ferments for about 12 hours until curds form, which are then cut and scooped. Some of the curds go into mesh bags, while others are placed in cheese molds. The curds are then stored in the aging cave while they mature to perfection, a process that can take up to 12 months depending on the type of cheese involved.

Tending the herd, making cheese, and conducting farm tours -- where visitors can watch the cheese being made and sample the results for $10 each –often means the “retired” couple works 14 to 16 hours a day. But overall, the Tanners say, Bonnie Blue Farms is all about the goats – a focus that is evident in their wide variety of popular cheeses.

More Cheeses from the Deep South

Another well-known Tennessee cheesemaker is Sweetwater Valley Farms, located further east between Blount and Philadelphia. Sweetwater Valley (www.sweetwaveryvalley.com) specializes in high-quality cheddar cheeses and gourmet specialties. Their products made from milk without any artificial ingredients, following the traditional arts and crafts of farmstead cheeses. Sweetwater Valley also sells fresh bags of cheese curds to tour-goers during the main cheese making season, which runs January through June.

Georgia is also home to a number of award-winning dairies that make cheese from goat, cow and sheep milk. Nationally-known Sweet DeSoto 69

Grass Daily (www.sweetgrassdairy. com) of Thomasville, established by the Wehner family in 2000, is another industry pioneer that began selling its cheeses in 2002. Sweet Grass markets its products in 38 states, operating a local cheese shop and a mail order business. The dairy focuses on five core cow-milk cheeses plus specialty products that vary by season.

Another award winner is Flat Creek Lodge. The resort near Swainsboro has its own cow and sheep herds to produce milk for cheeses – including some made by blending both types of milk. Other top Georgia producers include Nature’s Harmony Farm in Elberton; Udderly Cool Creamery in Roopville; Many Fold Farms in Chattahoochee Hill Country; and Calyroad Creamery in the Atlanta suburb of Sandy Springs. Many Fold relies on sheep, while CalyRoad buys outside milk to create an array types of cheeses sold in their own shops.

These are just a small sampling of the many established and newly-opened cheese making operations that are helping the South build a hard-earned reputation as the newest frontier in the artesian farmstead cheese movement.

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The Southern Cheesemakers’ Guild The guild (www.southerncheese.org) includes this small group of cheese makers who share a love of good cheese and a commitment to producing excellent natural products:

Alabama

Sweet Home Farm Dayspring Dairy

Georgia

CalyRoad Creamery Flat Creek Lodge Sweet Grass Dairy

Indiana

Capriole, Inc.

North Carolina

Chapel Hill Creamery Goat Lady Dairy Hillsborough Cheese Company Looking Glass Creamery Oakmoon Farm Yellow Branch Farm

South Carolina

Fishing Creek Creamery

Tennessee

Bonnie Blue Farm

Virginia

Bonnyclabber Cheese Creamery Mountain View Farm DeSoto 71

homegrown } sis and d’s handmade spoons

From Tree toTable

By Andrea Brown Ross. Photography courtesy of Sis and D’s Handmade Spoons

Black and white photographs, a handmade quilt, a piece of jewelry, a gun, perhaps a pocketwatch… all visual reminders lovingly linked to fond memories of family.

But what if someone wanted a piece of the family tree, literally?

It can be done.

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Sis and D’s Handmade Spoons, based in Clarksdale, Mississippi, create unique, functional wooden cooking utensils.

Whether it is a special request from a family who has cherished memories linked to a fallen tree, or simply one of Sis and D’s own designs, they create one-of-a-kind pieces that be can treasured for years to come.

Indeed, it is the people linked to his products that Doug Lamb appreciates the most. Lamb shared the experience of selling his wares at craft fairs and getting to know his customers.

“Funny stories, sad stories, heartwarming stories are shared at the spoon booth. Once, a small boy walked up to the booth with some crumpled money in his hand. He was intently studying the spoons and not looking up. I asked if I could be of assistance. He said he was buying a spoon for his mother.

I asked if it was her birthday. Not looking up from the table he said, ‘No, just buying it for her because I love her’. At that moment, no matter what spoon he handed me, he was going to have plenty of money.”

That type of kind loyalty translates across the board.

“Our best salespeople are our repeat customers. They help the new spoon buyers and instruct them on the best choices,” said Lamb.

Lamb remembered the reason he started making spoons.

“It was June 1985 and while dipping homemade ice cream, I snapped the handle on a store-bought wooden spoon.

I thought to myself, I can make one that will do a better job and will hold up much better. Four hours later, after hand drawing, hand gouging, and hand sanding, I was holding spoon number one.”

Coming from a long line of self-reliant family members, Lamb credits his family for his desire to try his hand at his craft.

“I grew up in Eggville, Mississippi, a small farming community. When you needed something you generally tried to make it before buying it. From my Dad being a master brick mason, my grandfather’s dairy and bee business, my grandmother, a quilt maker, soapmaker, gardener and cook, probably influenced my desire to make that better mousetrap.”

Neighbors soon took notice of Lamb’s unique product. He described how his business soon spread by word of mouth.

“My neighbor wanted a spoon for some of her cooking adventures. I made her one and then another for a different neighbor. Each one looked and worked better than the last. I had been working in the forestry and wood industry since graduating in forestry from Mississippi State in 1975. I had access to wood, as I was selling sawmill parts in several states in the Southeast during that time.”

Lamb described how “Sis” became involved with the business.

“I met Sis in 1992 after a hunting trip to the Mississippi Delta with a friend. She had items in her store that I was interested in. She was wanting to close the store and was looking for a new career. So, I asked if she was a trader and she said she yes. I broke out the spoons and the rest is history.”

Doug described how they selected the name of their company.

“Celeste was called Sis by her dad, brother, and friends. I fell right in with the name. She started calling me D, short for Doug, and that is where the name for the business came from.”

“Having a background in the forestry industry proved invaluable to acquiring beautiful woods from all over the Southeast. We have made spoons from wood all over the world, but we prefer hardwoods. When the wood makes it to the shop, I study each piece of wood to determine which cut will give the most strength and beauty to the spoon. I use no patterns and make the spoon fit the wood piece.”

Each spoon has eight steps from start to finish no matter what size it is and only Sis or D craft the spoons. Due to the limited amount of product and demand, the spoons are only offered through direct sale, not wholesale or consignment.

“A little bit of Sis and D go into each piece, something that you just can’t get in a store- bought spoon that is spit out of a machine by the thousands. After all these years, we still stop each other and say on certain pieces ‘look at the beauty in this one’. When that passion for the product stops is when I will close the shop,” said Lamb.

To learn more about them, visit their website, www.handmadespoons.com, or their Facebook page, Sis and D’s Handmade Spoons.

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southern harmony } the devious angels

The Devious Angels performing at the Flora-Bama during the Frank Brown Songwriter’s Festival in Orage Beach, AL.

By Corey Latta. Photography by Adam Mitchell

heir deviously distinct sound has been described as a combination of T home-grown sentiment and dive-bar attitude delivered through country lyrics.

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he Devious Angels, the complementary combination of vocalist “Steevie” Steeves and songwriter Jon D ec ious, have been creating their unique sound since meeting at the Skip Ewing’s Horse and Writer Seminar in Wyoming. The two up-and-coming musicians met, and after realizing they were actually unbeknownst neighbors in Nashville, Tennessee, Steevie and Jon partnered up and starting performing around the Nashville music scene.

The name, “Devious Angels,” is an anagrammed arrangement of Steeves’s and Decious’s names.

“At the time duos were big in Nashville, popping up everywhere, and most groups were using their own names.

People were calling themselves ‘Steve and Mary’ and we weren’t just going to call ourselves ‘Steevie and Jon’,” Decious said.

With a little thought and creativity, “The Devious Angels” was born. Steeves and Decious hit the ground running, writing songs, finding a rhythm in their creative process, and developing their own sound. “Our music took on a life of its own,” Decious recalled.

That life began a long time ago for both of them.

Steeves hails from a large family, so she learned early that to be noticed, she had to do something to stand out.

“To be heard amongst the crowd you had to be loud and funny,” Steeves said. In front of family Steeves grew early into her role as a performer. For Decious, music was always a childhood constant. “My love for music goes back to when I was a kid,” said Decious. “I moved around a lot, and that made it hard to make friends. But music was always there.”

Now, miles away and years removed from their childhood affections for music, Steeves and Decious’s are beginning to flourish in Nashville as songwriters and performers.

The duo spends their time recording demos, playing shows, writing lyrics, and continuing to perfect their unique sound.

“We are always trying to rope our sound in, always working to make it our own,” Decious said. The real point of the musical life for both Steeves and Decious is living in the music itself. “Nothing makes me feel better than a great

song. There is no greater feeling than writing a song that does it for you, and you hope it does something for someone else too,” Decious said. He continued, “When I finally hear a song, and play it back, if it turns me on, then that’s the best feeling I can experience. I’m hooked on that experience.”

Living the music, staying to true to the experience of a good song, is exactly what Steeves and Devious are doing, even while managing everyday life. “I’m a waitress and a Jon is currently farmhand, but we are working to give all of our time to music,” Steeves said. “We are playing and writing and seeing what direction it takes us,” Steeves shared. She goes on to say, “the fun thing about us is that we are a band. We are writers aside from that. We write our own music, and we write for others, and we love to perform.”

That’s the power of the partnership between Steeves and Decious, their complimentary relationship. The Devious Angels are passionate about both written word and live sound, and their individually gifted for each.

“The cool thing about Jon is that he is a phenomenal story teller. A really great writer,” Steeves said. “My strength is bringing the music to life. I’m in love with the performance.

Jon creates the story, and I’m the theatrical portal of the song.

Bringing a song to life is what I’m here to do,” Steeves said.

“She sorts my ramblings out,” Decious added.

“What we both care about is owning the music. We want to make it relatable,” Decious said. That’s what The Devious Angels are doing, bringing homegrown, authentic country style music to fans. You can find The Devious Angels on the road and in the recording studio living the music, letting its life flourish in writing and recording, and making music that will create an experience.

For more on The Devious Angels, check out www.thedeviousangels.com, Twitter handle @dvsangels and youtube.com/dvsangels DeSoto 75

table talk} blow fly inn

What is the Mississippi Gulf Seafood Trail?

It’s over 60 miles and a seafood lover’s dream. Created in 2014 by the Mississippi Hospitality and Restaurant Association to promote wild-caught Gulf seafood, the trail now consists of over 40 restaurants---all with every type of seafood available! An interactive site at mississippiseafoodtrail.com allows any curious seafood seekers to find that exact favorite dish.

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A Fly on the Bayou

I

By Lazelle Jones. Photgraphy courtesy of Blow Fly Inn

It doesn’t get any more Southern than talk of bayous, She-crab bisque, and ladies named Ms.Mable. Down at The Blow Fly located on Bernard Bayou in Gulfport, Mississippi, it’s easy to pass a lazy afternoon doing a whole lot of nothing but eating and reminiscing.

Located on the Mississippi Gulf Seafood Trail, the Blow Fly Inn, because of its location adjacent to the brackish waters of Bayou Bernard near Gulfport, yields a bounty of fusion-style menus made possible by the local fresh bayou-totable ingredients used to create the entrees that have pleased the Blow Fly Inn patrons for more than half a century.

As many good things, the food comes from a long tradition dating back to 1961 when Albert and Mary Malone opened the doors and barbecue was the only item on the menu.

Today, visitors can enjoy everything from burgers to a Philly Cheesesteak. And strangely, Blow Fly Inn manages to make one dish just as good as another. Featured on “Diners, Drive-ins & Dives” on the Food Network, Blow Fly Inn has also been recognized as a favorite seafood dive as well as top burger joint.

The new building offers spectacular vistas that can’t be avoided as you pan the waterways from the comfort of their dining room and casual veranda. Hurricane Katrina demolished the original building. The new structure was rebuilt atop 18 foot pilings that today showcases the reds, pinks and blue pastels of the southern and western evening skies. A dining destination that can be reached by rowing your pirogue down the bayou, it’s even more accessible and more easily reached simply by driving there in your vehicle.

Owner and chef Scott Weinberg exersices his creative

genius to the limit, offering guests an extensive, yet approachable menu. Not limited just to seafood and burgers, Weinberg features the finest cuts of beef on his menu. Among Scott Weinberg’s many popular entrees is his Roasted Red Pepper Pimento Burger that incorporates a half pound of ground chuck with his in-house made roasted red pepper pimento cheese. During the process of open-fire grilling, the ingredients meld into a mouthwatering creation that’s matched only by its presentation.

“One of our more popular seafood entrees is the stuffed flounder which includes a crab cake stuffing,” said Weinberg.

Side orders include delicious hand battered onion rings, while their daily specials can include items such as Red Beans & Rice topped with Fried Catfish, adding yet two more dimensions to an already provocative number of options.

The crescendo to any dining experience at the Blow Fly Inn includes ordering one of their numerous desserts which may include Lemon Berry Mascarpone Cake. Paired with a rich, perfectly roasted and freshly brewed cup of Joe, or followed by a favorite after-dinner aperitif the word “ambrosia” instantly comes to mind. Weinberg also offers banquet, reception and catering services.

Blow Fly Inn 1201 Washington A ­ venue Gulfport, Mississippi 228-896-9812 www.blowflyinn.com

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in good spirits} irish coffee

“God invented whiskey so the Irish wouldn’t rule the world”

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Columnist, Jim Bishop - 1962

By Corey Latta. Photography courtesy of wikipedia.org

As the story goes, a group of American travelers huddled in the Shannon International Airport restaurant, before it was actually called the Shannon International Airport, on one especially cold, windy, wet winter Irish night. Joseph Sheridan, a chef in County Limerick where the pre-airport port was located, operated that restaurant.

In attempts to lift the travelers’ spirits, Sheridan served them coffee mixed with whiskey and topped with whipped cream. Trying to identify the unique flavor, the Americans asked Sheridan if the drink was Brazilian coffee. Sheridan replied, “It’s Irish Coffee.” The year was 1942.

By the early 1950s, Irish Coffee had found its way to the States through a travel writer named Stanton Delaplane who introduced the drink in a café in San Francisco, Ca. after sampling it at the Shannon Airport some months prior.

Delaplane wrote about the drink in a travel column, and Irish Coffee’s popularity began to spread across the U.S.

Irish Coffee is a strong wake-me-up and simple to make. After pouring a cup of black coffee, you add whiskey (just how strong you like your wake-me-up is up to you, but the serving usually calls for 4 to 6 teaspoons) and a teaspoon of sugar. Give the wee little drink a stir then add fresh whipped cream. Once a nice, smooth layer of cream covers the top of the drink, be sure not to stir! The idea is to drink the whiskey-ed coffee through the cream. An Irish Coffee should be pleasant in sight and potent in taste.

As Sheridan supposedly put it, Irish Coffee is, “Cream as rich as an Irish brogue; coffee as strong as a friendly hand; sugar sweet as the tongue of a rogue; and whiskey smooth as the wit of the land.”

True to its origins, Irish Coffee makes for the perfect drink on a cold, wintry evening. If there is any “luck of the Irish” to be found in this drink, it is in its ability to give warm comfort to those who pull up a pub chair.

As the Irish blessing goes: May the road rise to meet you, May the wind be always at your back, May the sun shine warm upon your face, The rains fall soft upon your fields and, Until we meet again, May God hold you in the palm of His hand. (and may all of this happen with a strong cup of Irish Coffee in hand)

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exploring events } january Better Than Ezra January 1 Bluesville, Horseshoe Casino Tunica Resorts, MS Start 2015 out with a “rocking” show at Bluesville inside Horseshoe Casino and Hotel featuring Better Than Ezra For more information call 800303-7463 or visit www.ticketmaster.com ‘This Delta” Traveling Exhibit January 2- February 28 DeSoto County Museum Hernando, MS Tuesday-Saturday 10:00am-5:00pm “This Delta” featuring the vivid and striking photographs created by photographer Debra L Ferguson. Through the lens of her camera, Debra Ferguson has captured a sense of the Mississippi Delta with sincerity and stark reality. Visitors are encouraged to engage with the exhibit on a deeper level and consider their own story and piece of history connected to this place, known as The Delta. For more information, visit www. desotomuseum.org or call 662-429-8852.

The Elvis Presley Birthday Celebration January 7-10 Graceland Memphis, TN Join us in Memphis for four days of music, events and great memories. For a complete schedule, updates and to purchase tickets, please visit Gracleland.com or call 800-238-2000.

Bridal Rhapsody Extravaganza January 10-11 10:00Am - 5:00PM Agricenter International Memphis, TN Largest and most preferred bridal show in the Mid-South. Fashion shows, cake walks, displays of catering, venues, flowers, gowns, accessories, photography, entertainment, DJs, limos, wedding cakes, cupcakes, jewelry and more. Shop around and have lunch at the show. Tickets: adults $10 online, $12 at the door.

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Opera Memphis Presents Hansel & Gretel January 15-17 Clark Opera Memphis Center Memphis, TN Everyone knows the story of Hansel & Gretel.

Opera Memphis brings to life these magical characters with thrilling music and scenery. A treat for the whole family. For tickets call 901-2573100 or visit operamemphis.org.

15th Annual Crystal Ball January 17 6:00PM The Arena at Southaven Southaven, MS The Crystal Ball, featured as the largest social event in Northwest Mississippi, benefits the Community Foundation of Northwest Mississippi attracting attendees throughout Mississippi and surrounding states. The “Winter Wonderland” theme will take you on a trip to follow the white rabbit into the realm of topsy-turvy surrealism.

The black-tie optional event will provide an excellent dinner, enjoyable music, dancing and auctions. The night’s Star of Hope honoree is Marty Stuart. Tickets are $150 per person. For more information, visit www.crystalballgala.org, cfnm.org or call 662-449-5002 to pay by phone.

Cooper Young Farmer’s Market Memphis TN. Starts January 17, 2015, 8am – 1pm Parking Lot of First Congo Church (corner of Cooper and Walker) DescriptionYear-round Saturday, Locally grown fruits and vegetables (often freshpicked the morning of the market), eggs, bread, honey, coffee and more -- including the work of local artisans, music from local bands, kids activities and cooking demos.

Brad Paisley Country Nation World Tour January 22 7:00PM Landers Center Southaven, MS Brad’s special guests are Parmalee and the Swon Brothers. Tickets are $57.50, $42.50, $32.50, & $22.50. For tickets visit ticketmaster.com or call 800-745-3000.

Clarksdale Film Festival January 29-31 Clarksdale, MS Clarksdale’s third annual Clarksdale Film Festival features Mississippi, Southern and blues music films with special guests and live music. For more information email roger@cathead.biz.

Jerry Lee Lewis January 31 Sam’s Town Casino Tunica Resorts, MS Jerry Lee Lewis returns to town and he’s celebrating 80 years of shake rattle and rock-nroll. Don’t miss out on seeing this legend at Sam’s Town Tunica on January 31, 2015. Tickets start at just $35. For tickets visit www.ticketmaster.com.

Tracy Lawrence and John Anderson January 31 8:00PM Gold Strike Casino Tunica Resorts, MS Tickets start at just $35. For tickets visit www. ticketmaster.com or call 888-245-7529.

Memphis Grizzlies So many home Memphis Grizzlies games going on in January!

See their schedule at nba.com/grizzlies/schedule and see them play at the FedEx Forum.

GO GRIZZ! The Lion King February 3-March 1 The Orpheum Memphis, TN The city known for rock will transform itself to Pride Rock as The Lion King takes the stage at The Orpheum. This Tony Award-winning Broadway sensation will bring the unforgettable score which includes Elton John and Tim Rice’s Oscar-winning song “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” and “The Circle of Life.” For tickets call 901-525-3000 or visit www.orpheum-memphis. com/events.

Brad Paisley Country Nation World Tour January 22 7:00PM Landers Center

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reflections} learning to fry

Learning to Fry

By Barbara Weddle. Photo courtesy of foodologie.com

My mother always claimed that my Uncle Joe, motivated by an enraged bull, once hurdled a twelve-foot fence.

“It just goes to show what a person can do if he’s desperate enough,” she was to say often in the years hence.

But this story isn’t about Uncle Joe. Neither is it about my mother. It’s about my own mind-boggling fait accompli-frying up edible chicken.

Here’s what happened. Recuperating from a nasty bout with the flu several years ago in which I hovered for days in a semi-conscious state of burning fevers and goose-bumping chills, I woke one day craving fried chicken. Not just any old fried chicken, but good old finger-licking, Southern-fried, friedat-home chicken like my Aunt Sarah used to make. In my postflu state, I smelled the chicken. I tasted it. I saw it crispy and golden to perfection on a large platter on the kitchen table, drippings oozing down the side.

There was just one problem. Chicken fried at home by whom?

I was still wobbly from the flu. Too, as a fryer of chickens I was highly unqualified. Past attempts had produced chicken that, at best, closely resembled larded chunks of coal, and had even resulted in a couple of small grease fires.

Then my mother called. (Well, maybe this story IS about my mother just a little.) I can’t recall why she called that day or what we talked about, but, as she often did, near the end of our conversation she brought up Uncle Joe’s Herculean feat hurdling the fence and her oft quoted “It just goes to show what a person can do if he’s desperate enough.”

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It was obvious she was prepared to go on for hours about Uncle Joe and the bull, but her mention of them had stirred something inside me. I excused myself just as Uncle Joe was hurdling the fence for the umpteenth time and padded out to the kitchen where I dug out Aunt Sarah’s recipe for fried chicken. (The recipe card was still flat and stiff from lack of use). I quickly surveyed my inventory of staples. Everything I needed was there--paprika, curry powder, flour, eggs, vegetable oil, and Italian dressing for marinating--so I bought a fryer and got down to business. For the next hour or so, shrouded in flour and driven by my ravenous appetite and visions of Aunt Sarah’s chicken I used to devour scrunched behind her oil clothed kitchen table, I commenced a fervor of measuring, mixing, shaking, dredging, dipping, and turning (skipping the marinate-for-eight-hours part because I couldn’t wait that long) until, at last, I finally had eight pieces of chicken hissing and sputtering under the lid of my electric skillet.

At last, it was done. A most heavenly aroma emanated from the skillet as I removed the lid and lifted each piece to a platter. But, I wasn’t finished. Adding flour, salt, pepper, and water to the drippings I made a thick bubbly gravy for the mashed potatoes I’d also prepared. I don’t know what happened that day to inspire me to give chicken frying another try other than likening my post-flu state to Uncle Joe’s moment of desperation with the bull. But, among the Uncle Joe’s of the world I was now a contender.

It just goes to show what a person can do if he’s desperate enough.

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