Eat Drink Mississippi August/September 2018

Natchez Food Tour | Clean Kitchen | Chefs of the Coast

eat. drink.

MISSISSIPPI Back-to-School

weeknight dinners

15

appetizers we love! and where to find them

Shrimp and Grits Baked Brie en Croute Smoked Sausage Hash eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI • 1

SAVE

THE

DATE

NOVEMBER 7 – 10, 2018

MISTLETOE MARKETPLACE MISSISSIPPI TRADE MART | JACKSON, MS

TICKETS GO ON SALE

SEPTEMBER 1, 2018 For more information, please visit MistletoeMarketplace.com or call 601.948.2357.

2 • AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018

Don’t Miss This Great Event FOOD

MUSIC

DRINKS

TUESDAY OCTOBER 2, 2018 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm Town of Livingston at the corner of Highway 463 and Highway 22 Tickets: $50.00 per person and may be purchased online at www.madcaap.org Musical Entertainment by Rhythm Masters Food and wine by 39 fine restaurants and Our “Not To Be Missed” Silent Auction held in Livingston Chapel.

Grand Sponsors Diamond Sponsors Dianne Anderson

Gary Anderson

Mike and Janie Jarvis

Jim and Amy Streetman

Restaurants

DAVE’S

TRIPLE B

Adults Only

21 Years and Over

No Pets, Please

Casual Attire

drink. MISSISSIPPI • 3 To learn more about how MadCAAP’s programs assist the poor visiteat. www.madcaap.org

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Finding the Perfect Steak in Jackson Steak is the perfect dinnertime meal for date night, a celebration, a birthday, or even just because, and several places in the capital city are serving up delicious, juicy steaks. Check out some of our favorite places to get a steak in Jackson!

Finish off your steak with a piece of Char’s amazing Pecan Caramel Butter Crunch Cake. For your next special occasion or date night, make your reservation at Char for a delicious steak and sweet desserts. Check out their menu jackson. charrestaurant.com/dinner/.

Crechale’s Cafe Located off Highway 80 in Jackson, Crechale’s is known for their seafood and steak menu. Crechale’s is proud to be one of a select few restaurants in America to serve USDA certified prime meat; less than 5% of all beef is graded prime.

Supermarkets sell it and restaurants typically don’t serve it, so you are sure to get a high-quality, hand-cut steak at Crechale’s.

Choose from a Broiled Prime Filet Mignon, Prime Ribeye, Prime Ribeye King’s Cut, or a Prime New York Strip Sirloin.

Each steak, and all entrees at Crechale’s, comes with a garden salad, baked potato, and assortment of homemade rolls with butter. There’s a reason people have been coming back to Crechale’s since 1956. The Jackson steakhouse prides itself on serving the freshest steak and seafood in the metro. Check them out for yourself, and take a look at Crechale’s menu at www.crechales.com/menu.html.

Caet Wine Bar CAET Wine Bar The name has “wine bar” in it, but CAET offers so much more than just a glass or two of wine. The menu at CAET boasts flavorful small plates and sweet desserts, but for those that are looking for a little more, CAET’s dinner menu is bursting with flavor. Along with Redfish, Stuffed Quail, and Shrimp & Grits, the steaks at CAET are just as delicious.

Choose from Flank Steak and Truffle Frites or an 8-ounce.

Hereford Filet, both with sides ranging from Sauteed Spinach and Roasted Fingerling Hash. CAET also runs several specials throughout the year that include steak dishes that may not be on the year-round menu. Next time you find yourself in Fondren, head to CAET for a nice glass of wine and a steak.

Check out their menu at www.caetwinebar.com/menus.html.

Char Restaurant For several years now, Char has been known to serve some of the best steaks in Jackson. Their selection ranges from a Filet, New York Strip, Ribeye, 12-ounce Bone-in Filet, and their Original Cowboy Ribeye, a 20-ounce bone-in, chilirubbed steak. All steak dishes at Char come with one delicious side, such as Creamed Spinach Gratin, Seasoned Onion Rings, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Sweet Potato Fries, or the classic House-cut Fries. If you’re looking to add a little green to your diet, Char even offers a Steak and Bleu salad, which includes char-grilled flank steak over a bed of greens and salad toppings.

4 • AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018

Iron Horse Grill Though their menu is full of much more than just steaks, the 14-ounce Ribeye and 7-ounce Filet at Iron Horse are specialties on their menu for a reason. Each one is cooked perfectly to your liking and comes with a delicious Baked Potato and Asparagus, making for the perfect, classic steak dinner. Iron Horse also offers a Surf and Turf if you’re looking for seafood to go along with your steak. The Surf and Turf includes two 4-ounce. Hand-cut Sirloin Medallions topped with Grilled Shrimp, made complete with a Loaded Baked Potato and Daily Vegetables. Finish your meal with a piece of Mississippi Praline Cheesecake, and you’re sure to visit Iron Horse again and again. Check out their menu at www. theironhorsegrill.com/menus.

Char Restaurant

Eat, drink and be soulful in Jackson. The City With Soul.

visitjackson.com

eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI • 5

CONTENTS August/September 2018 Volume 7 Number 5

19 59 in this issue 16 CHEF’S CORNER Q&A with Chef Stewart Robinson of Esperanza Outdoors and Delta Supper Club

54 in every issue 8 From the Publisher 10 From Our Readers 14 Fabulous Foodie Finds 18 A Taste of Magnolia 70 Events 72 Recipe/Ad Index 74 Till We Eat Again

26 MISSISSIPPI MADE j.r. webb Pottery

30 COMMUNITY Starfish Cafe Serves Hope with a Side of Love

34 THE DELTA Chicago Restaurant Inspired by The Delta’s History and Cuisine

38 IN THE BLOGLIGHT Roaming Parkers

40 GENUINE MS State Department of Agriculture Launches New Branding Program

42 FRESH FROM THE FARM ON THE COVER: One Skillet Shrimp Scampi by Lisa LaFontaine Bynum, page 22

6 • AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018

From Tomatoes to Beef, It’s All Fresh from Reyer Farms

46 EATING EXPEDITION Get a Taste of Natchez on the Good Mood Food Tour

50 FROM MISSISSIPPI TO BEYOND Chef Jennifer Booker Dishes Up Modern Southern Cooking with a French Accent

54 LET’S GET STARTED 15 Appetizers We Love

60 FROM THE BOOKSHELF Clean Kitchen: The Cookbook Jamie Page and Kellar McAlister

62 RAISE YOUR GLASS Cherry Lavender Spritzer

64 WHERE TO EAT Marshall Steakhouse in Holly Springs

68 FEATURED EVENT Chefs of the Coast

TWO BIG EVENTS. ONE AWESOME DAY! SATURDAY 9.22.18

lo n g

live

wo n d e r

M i ssi ssi ppi Ag r icu l ture & Fores tr y Museum M i ssi ssi ppi Ch i ld ren’s Museum M DWFP‘s Museum o f Na tura l Science

SYN ERG IZED BY TH E

M i ssi ssi ppi Spor t s Ha l l o f Fa me & Museum

LEFLEUR MUSEUM DISTRICT presen ted by

add i tiona l sponso r s

9:00 am - 4:00 pm m s s c i e n c e f e s t. o r g

O rga n i zed by the M i ss i ss i ppi Ch i ld ren’s Museum, a 5 01(c)(3) non-pro f i t o rga n i za tion.

JOIN US FOR A NIGHT FILLED WITH ADVENTURE! FULL DINNER BUFFET • LIVE MUSIC RAFFLE • ACTIVITIES & MORE!

$10 children / $25 adults

6:00 pm - 9:00 pm mschildrensmuseum.org

MCM Partners’ Signature Family Fundraiser

eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI • 7

{ from the publisher }

T

his time of year is a season many parents dread and look forward to at the same time...back to school.

While it’s hard to give up the lazy, flexible days, it’s nice to re-institute a routine and get back on some semblance of a schedule.

I remember when my kids where in elementary and middle school, I’d be running around stocking up on school supplies, uniforms, a new backpack, and, of course, a new “matching” lunchbox. My kids weren’t keen on cafeteria food, so we had to have something cute to pack their lunches in.

While going through some old things of mine that my mom gave me recently, I found a fill-in-the-blank book entitled Me

by Me that I completed when I was 11 years old. It asked for information on what i look like, my family, things I enjoyed doing, friends, and more. As I read my replies, I got a chuckle out of my answers in the food section. While some of my preferences still hold true today, I’ve moved on from others.

I do still love the sight of fish on my plate and the sound of bacon cooking. I said then that I’d never like raw tomatoes no matter how old I am, but I’ve changed my mind on that.

(I mean, who can resist a Mississippi-grown tomato in the summertime?)

The evidence is clear in this book that I wasn’t a big fan of cafeteria food myself. I wrote about the awfulness of it three times — twice when the sentence wasn’t even about food. I remember reading the school menu, seeing “hamburger on bun,” and thinking...how else does one eat it? I also could never wrap my brain around the pairing of pizza and whole kernel corn. Thanks to Sal and Mookie’s in Jackson, I now eat the corn on top of my pizza. (Their Four Train Pizza with pork, and corn, is delicious!) When the last week of school rolled around and “manager’s choice” appeared on the menu, you better believe I was packing my lunch every day that week. That meant they were cleaning out the freezer and there would be no cohesiveness between components on the plate.

As bad as the cafeteria food was, there were actually a few occasions that I looked forward to in the lunch line — fried chicken days and the Thanksgiving meal. The fried chicken was always crispy and I always welcomed an additional chance to eat turkey and dressing. They always aced those two meals.

When school goes back into session, things can get a little crazy around home. In this issue, Lisa Bynum shares some easy recipes that will make preparing dinner on busy weeknights a breeze. Don’t miss them beginning on page 22.

This year brings quite a bit of change for my husband and me.

We’ve become empty nesters. In other words...we survived!

Our daughter graduated from Ole Miss in May and moved off Maine, where she gets to indulge in delicious lobster on a

regular basis. Our son graduated from Madison-Ridgeland Academy and is attending Ole Miss as well. Cafeteria food at college has improved tremendously. He will have an unlimited meal plan, so I don’t have to worry about him being well-fed.

As for John and me, we’ll be trying to adapt to cooking for two and having a schedule of our own making. I’m pretty sure we’ll manage just fine.

glory of God.” q “Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the1 Corinthians 10:3 r EAT DRINK MISSISSIPPI (USPS 17200) is published bi-monthly by Carney Publications LLC, 296 F.E. Sellers Hwy., Monticello, MS 39654-9555. Periodicals postage paid at Monticello, MS, and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to EAT DRINK MISSISSIPPI, P.O. Box 1663, Madison, MS 39130.

8 • AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018

Coconut Pie

By Pat Baugh

1 cup plus 5 tablespoons sugar 2 heaping tablespoons flour 4 large eggs, separated Splash of water 2 cups milk 4 tablespoons butter 2 teaspoons vanilla, divided 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 cup flaked coconut, divided 1 pie crust, baked

ZWILLINGfest is coming to The Kitchen Table.

In a medium-sized saucepan, stir together 1 cup sugar, flour, egg yolks, and water. Stir until smooth. Place milk and butter in microwave-safe bowl and microwave on high for six minutes.

Meanwhile, place egg whites into bowl of stand mixer. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla, 5 tablespoons sugar, and baking powder. Place bowl on mixer and beat on high while you cook filling.

Add warm milk mixture and 1 teaspoon vanilla to dry ingredients in saucepan and mix well. Place pan over medium-high heat on stovetop. Cook, stirring constantly, for 6-8 minutes until mixture becomes the consistency of pudding. Remove from heat and stir in 3/4 cup coconut. Pour into baked pie shell.

Spread meringue on top of hot filling. Spread with spatula, making sure to seal edges.

Sprinkle remaining coconut on top. Place in 375-degree F oven and bake for 8 minutes, until top is slightly browned. Remove from oven and place on rack to cool.

Celebrate our 15th Birthday Zwilling-style on October 4th & 5th Knife Skills & Zwilling Cooking Classes Raffle Prizes Best Sale of the Season - All month long!

Contact Store for details (601) 261-2224

CLASSIC AMERICAN QUALITY.

• Correction In the June/July issue, an ingredient measurement was incorrect in Pat Baugh’s Coconut Pie recipe. The correct recipe is above. We apologize for the error.

Fried Simmons Catfish Fillets, Okra-Ham Purloo, Marinated Cucumbers, & Fish Sauce Aioli.

-SNACKBAR, Oxford, MS

Fresh From The Pond To Your Plate.

SINCE 1982

SIMMON SC ATF ISH.C OM eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI • 9

{ from our readers } Wow! This magazine not only lists great places to eat, it also has wonderful recipes to try. Love it!

Margaret Bouchillon Frisbee Facebook Fan

I can not get enough of this magazine! My passion is food and this sets my passion ablaze. Thank you!

Tracy Lewis Hoover Facebook Fan

VENDORS WANTED We are currently seeking magazine vendors in all areas of the state.

If you would like to sell this magazine at your business, call 601-427-5694 or email info@eatdrinkmississippi.com for more information.

eat. drink.

MISSISSIPPI J.J. Carney Publisher/Editor John Carney Executive Editor Paige McKay Associate Editor Joe Luca Newsstand Sales Consultant

b www.eatdrinkmississippi.com

FOLLOW US!

b eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI is published six times a year by Carney Publications LLC

b P.O. Box 1663 Madison, MS 39130

www.facebook.com/eatdrinkmississippi www.pinterest.com/eatdrinkms www.twitter.com/eatdrinkms www.linkedin.com/company/eat-drink-mississippi www.instagram.com/eatdrinkmississippi

b 601.427.5694

b info@eatdrinkmississippi.com

DROP US A LINE! Thank you for your interest in this magazine. We would love to hear from you. Please understand that letters submitted become the property of eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI and may be edited for length and clarity. E-mail us at info@eatdrinkmississippi.com, leave a comment on our Facebook page, or write to P.O. Box 1663, Madison, MS 39130.

NEW ADDRESS? If you’re a subscriber and your address has changed, please let us know. The post office doesn’t provide forwarding service for the magazine and we don’t want you to miss an issue. Send your change of address to us at P.O. Box 1663, Madison, MS 39130 or e-mail us at info@eatdrinkmississippi.com.

10 • AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018

b © eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI All rights reserved. No portion of this publication may be reproduced or reprinted without written consent from the Publisher.

Advertising rates and more information are available upon request.

Subscriptions are $24 for one year and $36 for two years.

Subscribe online or make checks payable to: eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI P.O. Box 1663 Madison, MS 39130

{ what’s new }

Chef Louis LaRose of Lou’s Full Serv Advances to Great American Seafood Cook-off

T

he Mississippi Seafood Cook-off was recently held in Jackson, and 12 chefs from across the state went head-tohead to find out who is the king of seafood. Chef Louis LaRose of Lou’s Full Serv in Jackson took home first place and will now head to New Orleans for the Great American Seafood Cook-off to face off against nine other chefs from across the country for the title of Best Seafood Chef in America. Chef LaRose’s winning dish at the Mississippi Seafood Cook-off consisted of potato-wrapped Spanish

Robert St. John Opens New Restaurant and Donut Shop in Hattiesburg

R

obert St. John recently opened two new restaurants in Hattiesburg, Midtown Donut and The Midtowner.

Midtown Donut is Hattiesburg’s first craft donut shop and one of the newest additions to St. John’s conglomeration of themed restaurants. Midtown Donut features regular donuts as well as outrageous donut creations. The Midtowner serves old-style diner breakfast and lunches. Midtown Donut and The Midtowner are both located at The District at Midtown.

mackerel alongside a seafood sauce and country ham and chanterelle salad. The Great American Seafood Cook-off will take place on August 4th as part of the Louisiana Restaurant Expo.

Tickets can be purchased at LRA.org.

Crave Dessert Cafe Opens Oxford Location

T

he award-winning Tupelo dessert shop, Crave Dessert Cafe, recently opened a location in Oxford and is serving up decadent, made-from-scratch desserts and their popular Skillet Cookies. Crave has won awards for Best Dessert in Tupelo as well as Best Dessert in Mississippi by various publications. The Oxford location is on College Hill Road next to Lost Pizza.

eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI • 11

{contributors}

JULIAN BRUNT is a food and culture writer from the Gulf Coast whose roots run more than three hundred years deep in Southern soil. He is deeply concerned with culinary and cultural traditions and thinks no man worth his salt that cannot hold forth in tall tale and willingly endure the heat of the kitchen.

LISA LAFONTAINE BYNUM is a freelance writer from Grenada. Her work has appeared in several publications in Mississippi.

She is a graduate of Delta State University where she received a BA in Marketing and her MBA. In her free time, she enjoys food writing and photography.

She currently resides in Brandon.

Photo by Alisa Chapman Photography

12 • AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018

SUSAN MARQUEZ lives and writes in Madison. She has a degree in Radio-TVFilm from the University of Southern Mississippi and had a long career in advertising and marketing before stumbling into a freelance writing career in 2001. Hundreds of published articles later, Marquez still loves to tell the stories of the interesting people, places, and events throughout the South.

KATHY K. MARTIN is an Ole Miss journalism graduate who currently lives in Collierville, Tennessee with her husband and two children. She works as a freelance writer and chairs her church’s Christian writers group.

PAIGE MCKAY is Associate Editor of Eat Drink Mississippi. She earned a Bachelor’s degree in communication from Mississippi State University and currently lives in Madison. She spent five months in Washington, D.C., as a Legislative and Press Intern for Representative Steven Palazzo. She returned to Mississippi to work for the magazine. In her free time, she enjoys visiting Starkville and trying out new restaurants with friends.

SARAH RUSSELL is a G.R.I.T.S (Girls Raised in the South) freelance writer. With a Master’s in Mass Communications, she has been a feature editor, corporate trainer and university instructor. A fourth generation teacher, third generation writer, Sarah inherited those genes from her Alabama grandmothers, one of whom was among the first women in the newspaper field. Sarah’s qualifications for writing for a Southern food magazine include an iced tea addiction, resulting in her Lipton blood type, as well as her unfaltering ability to joyfully consume whatever food she encounters.

MEGAN WOLFE is a freelance writer and photojournalist from San Francisco. Her work can regularly be found in the Collierville Herald, The South Reporter, and other mid-South publications. She is currently based in Holly Springs, where she spends her free time creating multimedia projects to promote community events and the local arts.

Give a gift that lasts all year, a gift subscription to...

eat. drink.

MISSISSIPPI .

SUBSCRIBE k n i r eat. d SIPPI ez

Natch

itchen lean K our | C Food T

| Chefs

Coast of the

VOLUME 7, NUMBER 5

TODAY!

MISSIS

chool ack-to-S

B

ers

dinn t h g i n eek

w

Only 24

eat. drin

$

k. MISSISS IPPI

ers appetiz e! v o l e w them to find

15

ere

and wh

Shrimp and Grits rie Baked B te en Crou

for six issues!

Smoked e Sausag Hash

ber 2018

Septem August/

IPPI • 1

. MISSISS

eat. drink

www.eatdrinkmississippi.com eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI • 13

{ fabulous foodie finds }

Are You Ready for I

t’s time for Friday Night Lights and Saturdays in the South. Whether cheering for your local high school or rooting on your favorite college team, these delightful pieces are sure to score compliments at your tailgate. edm

Kitchen Innovations Football Mini Tongs, $3.99 Bed Bath and Beyond

Burton + Burton Football Stadium Chip and Dip, $25.97 Amazon

Touchdown Paper Table Runner, 25’ roll, $24.95 Swoozie’s

see page 72 for store information 14 • AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018

Some FOOTBALL?

Football Charcoal Grill, $41.99 Wayfair Farberware Touchdown Cutting Board, $8.99 Amazon

Football Shaped Basket, 12x8, $14.99 Campus Book Mart Hattiesburg, Oxford, and Starkville

eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI • 15

{ chef’s corner }

Q&A with Chef Stewart Robinson of Esperanza Outdoors and Delta Supper Club

S

tewart Robinson is a Mississippi native and life-long outdoorsman. A passion for the outdoors led to freezers full of wild game and a desire to find new ways to prepare it.

This path led Robinson into the kitchen and on a quest to learn more about the food that ends up on our table. In 2013, he became a partner in Esperanza Outdoors at Linden Plantation with his best friend, Cameron Dinkins, where he functions as a hunting and fishing guide and chef. At Linden Plantation, Robinson brings game from the fields and foraged edibles from the woods to their clients to present them with a unique Delta experience. In 2015, Robinson founded the Delta Supper Club with Chef David Crews and Kimme Hargrove. The DSC is a member-based organization that hosts culinary events at historically significant sights throughout the Delta with prominent chefs from around the country. Esperanza Outdoors and Delta Supper Club have been featured in numerous nationwide magazines. These endeavors have allowed Robinson the chance to cook with the likes of Edward Lee, Michelle Bernstein, Vishwesh Bhatt, Chris Hastings, and Tomas Curi. His current focus is on growing the philanthropic arm of the Delta Supper Club while pursuing his passions for the outdoors through foraging from the woods and waters of the Mississippi Delta.

Who or what influenced you to become a chef?

Both of my grandmothers’ kitchens were the hubs of their homes. Everything and everyone revolved around the kitchen.

They appreciated food in very different ways, but both had a huge impact on my love for food.

What is your favorite food memory?

When I was a kid, I would spend part of my summer with my mom’s parents’ outside of Memphis. The backyard had a large garden full of corn, carrots, cucumbers, squash, and beans. My favorite food memories revolve around summer nights with family, fresh garden produce, my grandmother’s fried chicken, or my grandfather’s steak on their Corelle corning ware plates in the spring blossom pattern.

What’s your favorite ingredient to cook with?

I love to bring proteins and vegetables to the table that I have foraged or hunted from our local fields. I like to tell the story of the local landscape with my food and love any opportunity to wander the woods and waters looking for those stories.

16 • AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018

What do you enjoy doing on your days off?

I cherish any opportunity to be outside and typically fill my free time with outdoor activities or travel with my family.

What is your favorite “comfort food” meal to enjoy?

Pho… Hands down my favorite food. During the winter months when I am guiding duck hunting clients, I fill my thermos with hot pho broth and keep myself warm from the inside.

It’s your last weekend on Earth. What city are you eating in and what are you eating? Hanoi, Vietnam… EVERYTHING! What is a restaurant on your bucket list? Alinea Chicago If you weren’t cooking or in the food business, what would you do for a living? Play outside. I love to be in the woods or on the water.

What’s your favorite kitchen tool? Microplane. I typically have one with me when I travel and have ended up using it in some pretty obscure ways What’s your favorite thing about being involved with a restaurant?

Watching people’s faces light up when they discover new foods or flavors. We are the only creatures on this planet that get to eat for pleasure and I think that is pretty awesome. edm

DLT (Dove, Lettuce, and Tomato) Sliders with Cilantro Aioli 12 individual, boneless dove breasts 1 avocado, sliced thinly 2 cups all-purpose flour Salt and pepper, to taste Eggs and milk for egg wash 2 cups panko bread crumbs Lettuce slices Tomato slices Slider buns Cilantro Aioli (recipe follows) Wash dove breasts and lay them to dry on paper towels.

Pit and slice avocado into thin strips, about the same size or smaller than the dove breasts.

Set up a breading station by arranging three bowls. In the first bowl, season the 2 cups of all-purpose flour with a pinch of salt and pepper. In the second bowl, mix together just enough milk and eggs for an egg wash. In the third bowl, add the 2 cups of bread crumbs.

Lightly dredge each dove breast into the seasoned flour and place an avocado slice on top and repeat until each breast is topped.

Using a standard breading technique, dredge each breast into the flour, then egg wash, then panko. Once the dove breasts are completely covered, set them on a parchment paper-lined sheet tray and pop them in the freezer for 20 to 30 minutes to allow the breading enough time to stick and ensure that the dove does not over cook in the fryer.

While the dove breasts are in the freezer, heat oil in a fryer or large Dutch oven to 350 degrees F. This is also a good time to slice your tomatoes, wash and pull your lettuce, and toast the slider buns.

Once the oil is up to temperature, use a large, slotted spoon or handled strainer and carefully place the dove breasts into the heated oil. Once they have a nice, golden brown color, pull them from the oil and set aside to drain and cool.

Smear cilantro aioli on top and bottom of the buns and top it with fried dove breast, lettuce, and tomato.

Cilantro Aioli 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped 1 cup mayonnaise (I prefer Duke’s) 3/4 teaspoon cumin Dash of hot sauce 1 tablespoon lime juice Lime zest, to taste Combine all ingredients into a food processor or blender, and blend until combined and smooth.

Refrigerate until use. This recipe can be made several days beforehand and is good for 7 days. eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI • 17

Southern Staples:

Taste of Magnolia Shrimp, Grits, and Beer a

BY alexei mastin harrison

M

ALEXEI MASTIN HARRISON is a Starkville native and 2003 graduate of the Mississippi University for Women Culinary Arts Institute. Chef Harrison served as roving manager for University Management and the Little Dooey before going back to graduate school to complete a Master’s degree in Hospitality Management from the University of Alabama. She launched the culinary arts program at East Central Community College as program coordinator and instructor. While at ECCC, she also provided food and beverage training for the casinos at Pearl River Resort, Tulane University, and the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians. Chef Harrison is an active judge and facilitator for various high school and community college culinary competitions such as SkillsUSA, DECA, and ProStart.

She returned to teach at her alma mater in 2012 and currently serves as Assistant Professor and Director for the MUW Culinary Arts Institute in Columbus.

18 • AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018

ississippi has a bountiful summer harvest of not only produce, but fresh Gulf Coast seafood as well. When you think of the many ingredients we have locally in our state, it’s only a matter of time before the combination of certain items produces a winner on the dinner table.

Mississippians have begun to recognize and appreciate just how lucky we are to live in the Magnolia state.

While most of us would say, “Been there, done that, and got the T-shirt,” in reference to shrimp and grits, it is still one of my all-time favorite flavor combinations. Eating establishments of every class, whether white table cloth, soul food kitchen, or food truck, have their own version of this long-time favorite. The winning duo originated in the coastal Carolinas when fishermen would come in from a long morning of work and needed a quick, satisfying meal. As a direct result of ingredients on hand or on boat, as the case may be, shrimp and grits were born. Grits were traditionally served at breakfast, but eventually the buttery goodness led to expansions of flavors to include bacon, peppers, cured meats, and cheeses. Shrimp was just the natural protein to pair with the corn grit both having a sweet and buttery essence. This dish is the true definition of Southern comfort.

Shrimp and grits were good enough (or so we thought), until the Mississippi craft beer industry exploded and brought a menagerie of earthy, bitter, fruity, smoky, and spicy flavor options to the table. Beer adds that additional level of flavor or “umami” to any dish that it touches, whether it be sweet or savory. I use Mississippi craft beers in everything from breads to biscuits, soups, stews, and even desserts. You can find a complementary flavor profile for any dish. I will be sharing my shrimp and grits recipe along with my favorite craft beer, but feel free to experiment in your kitchen and find the perfect pairing for you and your family. Remember, the alcohol cooks out leaving only the hint of flavor that puts an extra special touch on your favorite dish! Everyone will ask what you did differently, but most will never guess! edm

Mississippi Shrimp and Grits The Grits: 8 ounces smoked sausage, small to medium dice (Country Pleasin’ Green Onion is wonderful in this recipe) 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 green bell pepper, small dice 1 medium white onion, small dice 1/2 cup celery, small dice 3 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped 4 cups shrimp stock 4 cups whole milk 1 cup heavy cream 1 tablespoon kosher salt 2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning

2 cups white corn grits (I like Delta Grind, Grit Girl, or you can substitute Delta Blues rice grits if you like) 8 ounces shredded Pepperjack cheese 1 bunch green onion, chopped 1/2 cup unsalted whole butter The Shrimp: 2 pounds large Mississippi Gulf Shrimp (16/20 or 21/25 count) (Peeled and deveined, tail on, save shells for stock) 2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning 2 tablespoons olive oil

The Sauce: 2 tablespoons fresh garlic, chopped 1/4 cup white onion, diced 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 cup reduced shrimp stock (If you made your own, just reduce by half to intensify the flavor) 12 ounces Lazy Magnolia Southern Pecan Beer 1 tablespoon Tabasco sauce 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce 1 tablespoon cracked black pepper Juice of 1 lemon 1 sprig oregano 1/2 cup veal demi glace 1/2 cup whole butter Sauté smoked sausage with olive oil for 5 minutes. Add bell pepper, white onion, and celery, and cook over

medium heat for 5 additional minutes.

Remove from heat, and when cool, add chopped parsley.

In medium pot, add shrimp stock, milk, heavy cream, salt, and Cajun seasoning and bring to a boil. Slowly add the grits stirring constantly.

Reduce heat to low and cook for 2030 minutes stirring occasionally until grits are cooked and liquid is absorbed.

Add the cheese, green onion, butter, and sausage mixture to the grits and gently fold ingredients together.

Adjust seasoning with Cajun seasoning, salt and pepper if necessary.

Cover and keep warm.

Season shrimp with Cajun Seasoning. In large sauté pan, add the olive oil and seasoned shrimp and cook for 3-4 minutes until cooked. Remove

from pan and sauté garlic and onion in olive oil. Add the shrimp stock, beer, Tabasco, Worcestershire sauce, cracked pepper, lemon juice, oregano, and demi glace. Reduce sauce over high heat for about 10 minutes or until slightly thickened. Strain sauce and add butter, whisking continuously.

Spoon grits into bowl and place shrimp around grits. Pour sauce around the bowl and shrimp. Garnish with green onions.

Please enjoy with some crusty French bread and your favorite craft beer! If beer is not your beverage of choice, this dish pairs wonderfully with a Sauvignon Blanc or unoaked Chardonnay. Cheers!

eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI • 19

Three Meals That Are Too Cool for School

By Lisa LaFontaine Bynum

L

ike it or not, school is back in session. Back to schedules, extracurricular activities, homework … and trying to squeeze meal prep and dinner somewhere in between. Don’t stress.

All three of these recipes require little prep, meaning getting dinner on the table is a breeze.

One Skillet Shrimp Scampi Serves 4 3/4 pound raw shrimp, peeled and deveined 1 stick unsalted butter 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 3/4 pound fettuccine Chopped fresh parsley, optional Grated Parmesan cheese, optional Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

In a large, ovenproof skillet, combine shrimp, butter, garlic, red pepper flakes, and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Once the water starts boiling, add the pasta and cook according to package directions.

20 • AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018

Place the skillet in the oven and bake until the butter is melted and the shrimp is opaque, about 9-11 minutes.

Remove skillet from the oven.

Reserve one cup of pasta water and set aside. Drain the pasta.

Add the pasta to the skillet and toss until the noodles and completely coated with the butter. Add the pasta water a little at a time to thin out Time Saving Tip the sauce if needed.

Garnish with Purchase shrimp that chopped fresh is already peeled parsley and shredded and deveined.

Parmesan cheese, if desired.

One Skillet Shrimp Scampi

eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI • 21

Philly Cheesesteak Meatball Subs 22 • AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018

Slow Cooker (or Instant Pot) Philly Cheesesteak Meatball Subs 2 green bell peppers, chopped 1 whole onion, halved then cut into slices 1 (8 ounce) package sliced white button mushrooms 16 uncooked premade meatballs 1 cup chicken broth 4 hoagie buns 4 slices Provolone cheese SLOW COOKER METHOD: Meatballs can be browned in a skillet for 2 minutes on each side for added color and flavor. However, if you are short on time, you can skip to step two.

Place the bell peppers, onions, and mushrooms in the crock of a slow cooker. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Arrange the meatballs over the top. Pour in the chicken broth.

Cook on low for 4 hours.

Preheat the broiler.

Before serving, butter and toast the hoagie buns.

Arrange about 3 meatballs into the center of each bun. Spoon the peppers, onions, and mushrooms over the top.

Place one slice of Provolone cheese over the top of each sandwich.

Place the sandwiches under the broiler and heat just until the cheese is melted, about 3-5 minutes.

INSTANT POT METHOD: Meatballs can be browned beforehand for added color and flavor. If you are short on time, skip to step two. Spray the insert of your Instant Pot with cooking spray. Select the SAUTE program. Press ADJUST to MORE. Once the Instant Pot is HOT, add the meatballs in batches. Brown on each side, about two minutes.

Add meatballs to the insert. Add the bell peppers, onions, and mushrooms. Season vegetables with salt and pepper to taste.

Pour in 1 cup of water.

Secure the lid. Make the sure the vent is set to SEAL. Select the MEAT/ STEW setting. Press ADJUST to MORE. Set time for 7 minutes.

Let the steam release naturally.

Preheat the broiler.

Before serving, butter and toast the hoagie buns.

Arrange about 3 meatballs into the center of each bun. Spoon the peppers, onions, and mushrooms over the top.

Place one slice of Provolone cheese over the top of each sandwich.

Place the sandwiches under the broiler and heat just until the cheese is melted, about 3-5 minutes.

Time Saving Tip Purchase premade meatballs.

eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI • 23

Smoked Sausage Hash 24 • AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018

Smoked Sausage Hash Sheet Pan Dinner 2 pounds smoked sausage, sliced 1 red bell pepper, chopped 1 yellow bell pepper, chopped 1-1/2 cups frozen hash brown potatoes 1 tablespoon olive oil 1-2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese 6 large eggs Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with foil. Arrange the bell peppers and potatoes on the pan. Drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with Cajun seasoning and salt and pepper to taste. Stir to combine.

Arrange the smoked sausage over the peppers and potatoes. Bake for 20 mintues.

Sprinkle the cheddar cheese over the top. Make a few nests in the hash and crack the eggs into the nests. Sprinkle the eggs with salt.

Bake for another 8-10 minutes until eggs are set.

Time Saving Tip Chop all sausage and veggies the night before and store in the fridge until ready to use.

eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI • 25

{ mississippi made }

j.r. webb pottery Creates Beautiful Yet Functional Pieces for the Table

W

by susan marquez

ith cheese, olives, nuts, and other nibbles deliberately placed, this antipasto platter looks both beautiful and inviting. A cheese board has become the must-have item for home entertaining. It can be made of wood, metal, or ceramic.

Jonni (pronounced Johnny) Webb, the head potter at j.r. webb pottery in Madison County, has created a uniquely designed cheese board that gives a strong nod to her Mississippi Delta roots.

“I’m from Itta Bena, so I’m from the Delta, which is a good thing!

We’ve started going to Clarksdale each year for the Juke Joint Festival, and even though I’m not from there, it feels like home.” Last year, on a side trip to the Shack Up Inn, Webb noticed a fig tree with tremendous leaves. “I picked some of the leaves and knew I had to do something with them. I thought about how popular cheese boards have become and had the idea of doing a leaf imprint.

Figs and cheese and wine all seem to go together.”

Webb rolls out the clay and creates the shape for the platter.

Next, she presses a fig leaf into the clay. “I put iron oxide on the leaf part, which stays in the veins and makes them pop. I also use a transparent celadon green glaze. I typically use an opaque glaze 26 • AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018

on my pottery, but I like how the transparent glaze allows the texture underneath to show through better.” To finish off the platter, Webb adds a circular swirl of clay to form a handle at one end. The platter’s flat surface makes it ideal to put

Jonni Webb

cheese, olives, nuts, dates, or even figs, for a beautiful antipasto platter that’s just right for a pre-dinner appetizer or as an accompaniment for an afternoon glass of wine.

Mississippi seems to breed creative artists, and Jonni Webb is no exception. She has always been drawn to pottery, purchasing pieces for wedding gifts through the years. She has also been purchasing pottery on her travels. “I think pottery is ideal for serving. It has an earthy, comfortable feel to it. And it’s beautiful. I’ve found it to be a conversation starter. People see the pottery and ask who made it or where I got it.”

Deciding she might like learning how to make pottery of her own, she took a class from Robert Pickenpaugh in Madison. “He’s a wonderful potter and an excellent teacher,”

Webb says. “I sat in his first class and got really quiet and introspective. I thought that night that I wanted to do this for the rest of my life.” She continued taking classes and developing her pottery, making it at night and selling it on weekends at festivals and craft shows. “I worked full time as the advertising director of the Northside Sun. I built up my pottery enough that I was able to quit my job. Until I really got to where I needed to be, I bought the first Coffee News franchise in Mississippi. That’s something I could do from home and still make pottery.” When Webb got too busy with pottery, she sold Coffee News. She’s been a full-time potter for 25 years now and she’s never looked back.

Webb learned from Robert Pickenpaugh that there was eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI • 27

a market for smaller items, such as spoon rests, soap dishes, ornaments, and magnets. “I could sell them to stores at a good price, then they could mark them up and sell them at a good price.” She began selling wholesale to many stores around the state, and doing production orders. Many of her orders are through the State of Mississippi. “I make ornaments and other small items for different state departments for different events they may be having.” Just last year, she was selected by First Lady Deborah Bryant to create 600 crosses to give to guests at the Governor’s Mansion during the holidays. “That was a big honor for me,” says Webb. “I worked closely with Mrs. Bryant to come up with the right design. I do three different glaze combinations, so we decided to go with 200 of each. I also put a cutout of the state of Mississippi on each cross.”

Webb also provides guitar pendants to Sawyer Fredericks, a singer who won season eight of The Voice in 2015. She makes a Mississippi-shaped platter that was ordered by a string of stores in North Mississippi. “I made and delivered 600 platters!”

But Webb wanted to find a niche. “I love doing production work – it’s my bread and butter, but it can get boring sometimes. I have to mix it up some by doing one-of-a-kind pieces.” That’s where her platters come in.

“I think of it as functional art. “I like functional pottery that people can use. I think it sets a tone when used as a serving piece. The earthiness of it combined with the design makes people feel at home. Plus I think all food looks better on pottery!” Webb also makes brie bakers, berry bowls, cereal bowls, mugs, and now she’s working

28 • AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018

on a new collection of organic-looking dinner plates with uneven edges. “I love that look. It’s not perfect.”

Always scouting thrift stores for interesting pewter or metal serving pieces with interesting shapes, Webb snaps them up to use as molds for her pottery platters. “One of my favorites is a large leaf platter. I happened upon it in a resale store and it works great because of the raised veining in the leaf.”

Webb’s j.r. webb line of pottery can be found in Madison Marketplace, where she has a booth. “I love having a retail outlet to sell my pottery, but I don’t have to be there.” The pottery is also sold at Inside Out in the Renaissance shopping center in Ridgeland and many other stores around the state. It can also be purchased on her website at www.jrwebbart.com. “I’ve changed my business name from j.r.webb pottery to j.r.webb art because I’ve expanded my product line to other things beyond the pottery realm.” Other products she creates are etched glassware, Mississippi photography coasters, and cotton seed bombs. “People love growing cotton in their suburban yards!” She also has an Etsy shop listed under jrwebbpottery, which has items including some of her smaller pottery pieces, boho beaded bracelets, and more. edm

Tom’s Baked Brie en Croute from JRWebb Pottery

1 sheet puff pastry dough, thawed 1 round of Brie cheese 1 egg white 1 (10-ounce) jar fruit preserves (apricot or fig is good!)

Chopped and roasted walnuts or pecans Crostini, crispy bread, or crackers Place Brie flat on cutting board. Slice through width, making two rounds. Unfold cold pastry dough onto floured surface. Place one round of Brie in center. Cover with about half of preserves. Place other round on top. Cover with rest of preserves and nuts (reserve a small amount for topping).

Brush egg white onto edges of pastry. Fold opposite corner up together and seal. Repeat with other corners. Spray JRWebb Pottery Brie Baker with pan coating. Push sides in and up for package to fit in the baker. Carefully place pastry into baker. Bake according to package directions for puff pastry dough. A little more preserves and nuts on top after coming out of oven finishes it off. Serve with crostini or any crispy bread or cracker.

eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI • 29

Motivational sign inside Starfish Cafe

30 • AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018

Starfish Cafe owner, Diana Fillhart, and her son, chef, Zachary Fillhart

{ community }

Starfish Cafe Serves Hope with a Side of Love W

story and photography by julian brunt

alk into the Starfish Cafe and you are going to be met with sparkling blue eyes and a brilliant smile.

It’s the kind of place that exudes goodwill and hope, and the owner, Diana Fillhart, is the driving force behind it all.

Yes, it is a cafe and has great food, but what this place is all about is giving people of all ages a second chance by training them in the restaurant industry. Kids just out of high

school, at-risk youngsters, middle-aged folks who need a new beginning, or even seniors who are ready to start over are all welcomed here.

If you think the curriculum here is about knife skills, sauté secrets, and how to make French sauces, you’d be dead wrong.

Think life skills, and you would be right on track. The subjects these students have to master include anger management, financial literacy, how to build a resumé, go through a eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI • 31

successful job interview, resiliency training, life coaching, and more.

There certainly is a restaurant side to the experience, where the students prepare dressings, sauces, soups, and learn how to make bread from scratch. They also have to complete the ServSafe class as required by the Health Department. However, this place is more about developing attitudes.

It may seem like a daunting task to cover so much ground in a class that can last from eight weeks to 20, but the successful student leaves with an understanding of what the food industry is like, and it includes skills that are transferable to many other occupations. Some students have gone on to careers in the military or other businesses. What is most important is that Starfish Cafe gives people hope in a bright future.

If you come as a guest, expect healthy food and a menu that will change with the seasons. In the past, the daily menu has included Roasted Veggie Flagel (like a bagel), Italian Sausage Salad, and Orange Mango Cheesecake. The regular menu covers a lot of ground with tempting dishes like Jazzed Up Shrimp Cakes, Spring Rolls, Curry Chicken Salad, and Blackened Catfish or Tuna Tacos.

Starfish Cafe is a very cool place indeed. It provides a valuable service to people who are in need and a great place to visit when you are in Bay St. Louis, but there is one more important point that needs to be made clear. When you have 32 • AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018

ABOVE: Blackened Catfish Tacos TOP RIGHT: An occasional special at Starfish Cafe is The Nest − black rice with a nest of garden spaghetti squash, topped with seared ahi tuna and crawfish fresh corn sauce.

BOTTOM RIGHT: Vanilla Bean Almond Cheesecake photos opposite page courtesy of starfish cafe

finished your meal and call for the check, you just might be surprised to know the price you pay is whatever you like it to be. “Pay what you want,” is what they call it.

It’s another part of Diana Fillhart’s belief that love always changes people, and that you can make a difference with people one at a time. She had a tough time growing up and knows what it’s like. What better way to alter someone’s course than by inviting them into your kitchen, feeding them well, and teaching them how to take care of themselves? edm Starfish Cafe 211 Main St., Bay St. Louis 228.229.3503 www.starfishcafebsl.com

eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI • 33

34 • AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018

Chicago Restaurant Inspired by the Delta’s History and Cuisine by susan marquez

F

olks who walk in the door of The Delta restaurant on North Street in the Wicker Park area of Chicago may be in for a surprise, or at least food they may not have seen elsewhere. The brainchild of Eldridge Williams, a veteran Chicago restaurateur with Memphis roots, The Delta takes diners on a culinary trip to the melting pot that is the Mississippi Delta.

“I grew up not far from the Delta,” Williams explains.

“They say the Delta begins in the lobby of the Peabody Hotel and ends on Cotton Row in Vicksburg.” Williams began his restaurant career at the age of 14 by bussing tables and washing dishes at Gridley’s Barbeque in Memphis. He worked at other restaurants in high school then moved to Nashville, again finding jobs in restaurants. “I liked the work, but at the time it was just a job. I had no aspirations of doing anything other than what I was doing at the time.” But in 2003, things changed when he moved to Chicago.

“I got my first job at a pizza place in Lansing, Illinois, but the whole time I was trying to figure out an exit strategy so that I could get into the city. In 2005, I got my first real restaurant job in Chicago working as a server in a Cheesecake Factory. That was the beginning of a long and enduring relationship with the hospitality industry!”

Along the way, Williams met a lot of people in the hospitality industry in Chicago, including working for independentlyowned restaurant groups. “I began to develop an appreciation for what I do, and I began to feel that what I did was not just

a job, but that it was important. It shaped the way I viewed the hospitality industry.”

In 2012, Williams began to work on a concept for a restaurant he’d like to see. “My ideas were pretty raw. The restaurant scene in Chicago is so competitive. A restaurant

Eldridge Williams that isn’t original enough won’t fly here. I didn’t just want a Southern restaurant. I wanted to find a niche. Something new and innovative.”

Williams began thinking back to his own upbringing in Memphis. “My dad worked at the El Terrifico tamale factory. eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI • 35

36 • AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018

I grew up eating tamales.” Williams wondered how tamales became such a staple in the Mississippi Delta, where they are sold in restaurants as well as street corners. According to Amy Evans, an oral historian for Southern Foodways Alliance, “some hypothesize that tamales made their way to the Mississippi Delta in the early twentieth century when migrant laborers from Mexico arrived to work the cotton harvest.

African Americans who labored alongside Mexican migrants recognized the basic tamale ingredients: corn meal and pork.

Others maintain that the Delta history with tamales goes back to the U.S.-Mexican War one hundred years earlier, when U.S. soldiers traveled to Mexico and brought tamale recipes home with them. Others still argue that tamales date to the Mississippian culture of mound-building Native Americans.”

Doing research of his own, Williams discovered that many nationalities and ethnic groups migrated to the Delta to work on the farms and plantations. “I wanted to tell that story and history with my restaurant concept.” So he loaded up his car with his partner and executive chef Adam Wendt and his partner/beverage manager Adam Kamin and took a culinary research road trip that took them to Clarksdale, Hobson Plantation, Shack Up Inn, and to various juke joints and kitchens across the Delta. “We talked to people who lived there. We asked questions. We learned.

That’s why we serve fried rice. When people ask why, we explain that the Chinese had a strong presence in the Mississippi Delta. Everything we serve comes with its own story.”

That carries over to the bar, where Kamin has developed some uncommon cocktails. “We do heavy pours,” laughs Williams.

“They know how to drink in the Delta!” When coming up with the cocktail program for the restaurant, they started thinking outside of the box. “We went

shopping in thrift stores for old glassware and plates to use in the restaurant and bar. We love vintage barware and when looking for a way to serve our large format cocktails, we saw a shelf lined with flower vases. These cocktails are meant to be shared, so we gave it a shot and created cocktails served in flower vases. Each is garnished with a colorful flower and several colorful twisty straws. Called ‘vases’ on the menu, they’ve been very popular!”

The décor of the restaurant is at once time reminiscent of an old plantation house as well as a cluttered country home. “It has white molding on the walls and ceilings,” explains Williams, “but an exposed brick wall is full of knickknacks that remind folks of their grandparents’ home. We use mismatched chairs from thrift stores. We wanted this place to feel familiar, like it’s always been here.”

And while the food may have a familiar aspect to it, Wendt gives it a twist. Tamales factor heavily on the menu, particularly for appetizers. Pork ribs, Mississippi farm-raised catfish, fried chicken, and burgers are offered, along with other “not tamales” menu items. Brunch is served Saturday and Sunday.

Williams says patrons may hear vintage gospel playing on the sound system with songs by the Mississippi Mass Choir and Shirley Caesar, along with soul, hip hop, and “a lot of Blues.”

It is a concept that was three years in the making, but one that first-time restaurateur Eldridge Williams is betting will be around for a long time to come. edm The Delta 1745 W. North Ave., Chicago, IL 773.360.1793 www.thedeltachicago.com eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI • 37

{ in the bloglight }

story by paige mckay | photos submitted

T

o some people, traveling isn’t just something to be done uncommon. Often, the Parkers will have “Foodie Friday,” where occasionally, but a way of life, and that can surely be said they feature a local restaurant from their community or a favorite for the Roaming Parkers. Both natives of Pike County, recipe that they’ve tried at home, complete with photos and tips.

Patrick and Elise Parker, along with their five kids, have always Under the Food section of the blog, the Parkers are adamant loved traveling, experiencing new places and cultures, and eating about fueling their bodies with healthy and nutritious food so that new cuisine. They travel so frequently that finally, in 2017, they they’re ready for their adventures. There are several gardening decided to begin documenting their adventures on a travel blog, tips and tidbits, as well as how to prepare all kinds of foods and a The Roaming Parkers. The blog is their foundation for a life of how-to section for cooking while camping. All bases are covered, travel and adventure so that when their kids are out of the house whether it’s growing the food or preparing it. in a few years, they’ll be For their upcoming able to travel, eat, and one-year anniversary of the explore full-time. blog, the Parkers are kicking Patrick and Elise have it up a notch and appealing both always had an itch to a wider audience with for travel and exploration, a public Facebook page so they’ve made a lifestyle and have upgraded their out of their travels. Their photography equipment adventures have included to help with better audio trips to places like Mt. and drone footage of their Kilimanjaro, Stonehenge, travels. After launching Prague, Hoover Dam, and the blog and website, the Namibia. Along the way, Roaming Parkers Facebook the Parkers are conscious page group swelled up to about conservation and more than 1,300 members. healthy eating. Their love The Roaming Parkers for outdoor travel and blog has been viewed in nature is near and dear to 63 countries, and content them, and they’re certain to from the blog has been keep that in mind during featured in local papers and their travels. magazines, as well as U.S. On the blog, visitors News & World Report and can find pages among Tanzania Today. The Parkers pages of travel tips and enjoy spreading their anecdotes, conservation love for travel to so many tips, food reviews and people, and they hope to Elise and Patrick Parker tips, and other topics that encourage others to get out are centered around food. there and explore as well.

Conservation and keeping the earth clean are prominent topics on As for the future of the Roaming Parkers, several trips are in the blog, which is something that the Parkers really like to hone in the works to add to their collection. A trip to Washington to hike on during their travels. You can find out how they keep the planet Mount St. Helens is on the agenda, as well as trips to the beach clean and how you can do your part, too. and to Mexico at the end of the year to explore the Mayan ruins, A large and important aspect of traveling to new places is, of Tulum, and Coba. course, the food. Elise said that the coolest thing about featuring To keep up with the Parkers’ adventures and for helpful travel food on their blog is that they have a purpose in exploring places tips, check out roamingparkers.com and Roaming Parkers on that they’ve never been to and trying new cuisine that’s unique or Facebook. edm 38 • AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018

CLOCKWISE, FROM ABOVE: Homemade Spring Rolls.

Always with Elise (who is an adamant recycler, refusing even to buy plastic or Styrofoam cups ever) is her sun hat, coffee mug, Nalgene water bottle, goggles for swimming, hiking boots, and her personal totem, the red fox.

After arriving in Tanzania 18 hours late with no luggage, Pat and Elise drank up some Kili brew before re-packing for the trek.

Pat and Elise spent a weekend enjoying the Natchez Music Festival. They toured Longwood and snapped this iconic photo of the front view.

eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI • 39

State Department of Agriculture Launches New Branding Program

C

by paige mckay

ommissioner of Agriculture Andy Gipson recently announced the launch of Genuine MS, the Mississippi Development of Agriculture and Commerce’s new state branding program. Genuine MS was created to promote and bring attention to the incredible range of agricultural products that are grown, raised, crafted, and made in our state by farmers and entrepreneurs. Genuine MS works with producers to enhance their marketing efforts while helping consumers find Mississippi-made products with ease.

The newly launched website serves as a centralized location for people to visit when they’re on the hunt for Mississippimade products, and products are broken down by four different categories: grown, raised, crafted, and made. Members of Genuine MS have a profile on the website that contains information about their products, the stories behind them,

40 • AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018

photos, contact information, direct links to their websites and social media accounts, and a listing of places to purchase. That way, consumers are able to find exactly what they’re looking for and make purchases with ease.

Several familiar brands and products can be found throughout the pages of the Genuine MS website. Companies like Simmons Farm Raised Catfish, Two Brooks Farms, Flathau’s Fine Foods, and Short Line Manufacturing are all members of Genuine MS so far, with more expected to become members in the near future. If you’re looking for different produce items or grains, check out the Grown page of Genuine MS. For meats, seafood, dairy, livestock, and poultry, visit the Raised page, and for specialty foods and artisan products, visit the Crafted page. Under the Made page of Genuine MS, consumers can find different manufactured

products that are proudly made right here in Mississippi.

Genuine MS products are worth searching for, and consumers know whatever product they might buy is especially fresh and made by a Mississippian. Consumers are sure that the products made in Mississippi play an important role in helping our state’s economy grow and prosper, and that’s that goal of Genuine MS. Genuine MS will continue to grow as more companies become members. Farmers, ranchers, entrepreneurs, artisans,

and crafters that have products that are grown, raised, crafted, or made in Mississippi are eligible to become members, and all it takes is an online application. In addition to the four categories, Genuine MS also has an associate member status for those who support agriculture. An Associate Member can be retailers who sell Genuine MS products, restaurants who serve Mississippi agriculture products, farmers markets, agritourism operations, and associations that support Mississippi agriculture. edm

Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce Andy Gipson announced the Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce’s new state branding program, Genuine MS, to the public recently with a launch program at the Mississippi Agriculture and Forestry Museum. Genuine MS was developed by the Mississippi Department

of Agriculture and Commerce to identify and promote products proudly created or produced

by Mississippi farmers, artisans, entrepreneurs, and manufacturers.

CAPTION AND PHOTO BY JASON PRICE

To learn more about Genuine MS, or to learn more about how to become a member, visit www.genuinems.com, and be sure to follow Genuine MS on Facebook at www.facebook.com/genuinemississippi, and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/genmississippi.

eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI • 41

42 • AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018

{ fresh from the farm }

From Tomatoes to Beef, It’s All Fresh From Reyer Farms story and photography by paige mckay

F

or the last seven years, Jody Reyer and his family have Spanish stock that was brought to Mississippi and the Gulf been producing delicious, high-quality beef from their Coast region by Spanish explores in the 16th century. These farm in Lena, and it all started somewhat by accident. cows offer a more tender, beefy quality that isn’t usually found Several years ago, Jody’s wife, Brittany, wanted to start growing in other grass-fed beef, and it’s even a little bit healthier. strawberries. Growing strawberries turned into growing and From these cows, several different beef products are made. selling tomatoes, and it eventually turned into what Reyer Each week, Jody picks out which cows he wants to send off, Farms is today: a cattle farm for producing beef. and they are then sent to Attala Frozen Foods in Kosciusko.

“It started out with growing strawberries and tomatoes and Roughly two weeks after the cattle is taken to Kosciusko, the selling those tomatoes to some of the chefs in Jackson,” Jody finished products make it back to the farm in Lena to be sold. said. “And then the cattle Products range anywhere came about because we from ground beef to had land that we just cowboy ribeyes, New couldn’t grow produce York Strips, flat iron on, and now, seven years steak, roasts, and sirloins. later, the demand for the Most of the beef from beef is what’s taken off.”

Reyer Farms is sold The focus at Reyer through their website, Farms has always been but it can also be found growing something good several restaurants in the to eat, whether that was metro area. Café 042 in strawberries, tomatoes, Brandon has a cooler in or beef, and that’s their store full of Reyer exactly what the Reyer Farms beef, and it’s also family has done. Once featured on the menus Jody decided to get at Local 463, CAET into the beef business, Wine Bar, Parlor Market, he knew he wanted to and Walker’s Drive-In. photo submitted produce the highest You can also find Reyer Jody and Brittany Reyer quality product possible Farms beef and produce for his customer, and at the Mississippi that’s exactly what he Farmer’s Market in does. The breed of Jackson every Saturday cows that are housed morning. Customers can at Reyer Farms are a purchase beef products little different than what and produce like most people might be tomatoes, squash, and used to when it comes zucchini. to beef, but it makes A unique aspect all the difference in the about Reyer Farms’ taste and quality of the online sales is that beef. Reyer Farms beef several package deals are comes from Pineywoods available for purchase. cows, a rare breed that Customers can enroll in is from the original the Beef of the Month eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI • 43

Fresh cuts of Reyer Farms Pineywoods beef

subscription program that includes 10-12 pounds of beef each month or choose from other individual packages like the Happy Trails package that includes five pounds of beef, or the Caveman Package that includes two pounds of New York strip steaks, five pounds of ground beef, and two cowboy ribeyes. All package deals are available online, and customers can have them shipped to their houses directly, or they can take a trip out to Reyer Farms in Lena to pick it up.

All of this would not be possible without the help of Jody’s family. He is proud of the fact that Reyer Farms’ business is truly a family affair, and he credits his family as to why customers keep coming back time and time again.

“I think our biggest draw is that we feed this to our families, it’s not just something I sell,” Jody said. “The kids are why we do what we do and what seem to bring people back.”

The beef from Reyer Farms is nothing that Jody wouldn’t put on the table for his own family, and he takes pride in the fact that he and his family produce a good, honest product for others to enjoy. He assures that they always

44 • AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018

consider quality over quantity, which is another reason why customers keep coming back for more.

Jody and his family had no idea that this would be their

future seven years ago, but they have loved every minute of it and have enjoyed watching their customer base and business expand. In the future, Jody hopes to see his beef being sold nationwide. He also wishes to continue to promote the attributes of Pineywoods beef and for people to get more involved with where their food comes from. It’s a passion of his, and he believes everyone should know exactly what’s going onto their dinner plates.

“We’re losing perspective of where our food comes from,” he said. “We ought to be more involved, that’s what we need more of.”

Next time ground beef or steak lands on your grocery list, plan to get your servings from Reyer Farms. edm Reyer Farms 1098 County Line Rd., Lena 601.906.1185 www.reyerfarms.com

ABOVE: Fresh eggs from chickens at Reyer Farms LEFT: Home-grown tomatoes eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI • 45

46 • AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018

Burnley Cook, Nancy Hungerford, and Lynn Beach-Smith enjoy the Good Mood Food Tour.

Eating Expedition Get a Taste of Natchez on the Good Mood Food Tour story by sarah russell

T

he Good Mood Food Tour is a foodie’s nirvana. Six The sauce over at Pig Out Inn is their family original, too.

Natchez eateries delight guests with their individual Its Texas twang gently zaps the sweetness found in many takes on traditional recipes reflective of the region’s southern sauces. It goes on meat fresh from their other Texas multicultural roots. import, a custom designed 100% wood smoker that goes “Southern food has a fusion of its own,” says Karla Brown. 24/7 using only green oak. Once you taste their sauce on the Her “Downtown Karla Brown” company offers its own generous sampler of meats served, you’ll know for sure just fusion. Her tours came from her own interests. Food, yes – how memorable it can be. but also history, cycling, literary, ghosts. Her multi-faceted “We just shipped another case off to California, “says enthusiasm makes this a fun, informative tour which provides a Archie Willett, cofounder and pit master, “They were in here lot more than just calories.

18 years ago.”

It kick-starts with hot, fresh beignets and coffee at The Next stop finds Southern humor served up with awardNatchez Coffee Company. The old malt shop atmosphere winning food. As General Manager Sara Beth Sherman tells it, provides a nice mid-morning chill. You might find out that after a lot of tastings, the owners’ son teased his mom, “We’re beignet is French for “fritter”, that Brown has walked the going to have to call you Fat Mama.” With a wink, the place United States twice, or that Natchez is the self-proclaimed was named.

“Biscuit Capital of the World.” So just how good are the biscuits here?

Good enough to be listed as an appetizer at “Biscuit and Blues”. You’ll be glad this is your second stop, especially when you taste the signature apricot butter the biscuits are paired with. The hospitality extends to your choice of gumbo, which some say started in Louisiana as an African stew, or crawfish corn chowder, which has New England roots. Savor either knowing surprises are coming.

The old cotton warehouse Bowie’s Tavern awaits your third arrival with a river view, a legendary mahogany bar signed by frontiersman Kit Carson, and fried pickles. With a pickle plant across from his Arkansas diner, Fatman Austin had plenty Tour guide Karla Brown (far left) and tour participants Nancy to experiment with. Originally a garnish Hungerford, Yolonda Morgan, Burnley Cook, and Lynn Beachfor burgers, his fried pickles became a Smith enjoy tamales and a Knock-You-Naked margarita at Fat food icon, though his recipe is still a family Mama’s Tamales. secret. eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI • 47

Roving tamale sellers once followed the region’s early bluesmen. Lucky you will always know where to get these incredible tamales. Expect, though, to be offered only a portion of their infamous “Knock You Naked” margaritas.

Brown jokingly explains, “We don’t want folks naked. Don’t mind them half-naked though.”

No matter how you are (un)dressed, it’s hard to upstage the next sight. Designed in the 1940s by a female architect, the lunch spot Mammy’s Cupboard is housed in the hoop skirt of a 28-foot-tall woman, complete with horseshoe earrings and an ample chest. Out on Highway 61, she has long gotten the full attention of motorists. No secret now either especially because of the legendary desserts. Locals, tourists, and even celebrities jostle to get bites of their banana cream caramel pie, gravitydefying meringues, and the heart rate-fluttering Hummingbird Cake, known by Jamaicans as Doctor Bird Cake. That’s what they call their national bird. We call their willingness to share the recipe a great international gesture. Such a sweet way to end an awesome tour.

The Good Mood Tour is a fusion of food, fun, and friends. New friend Brown can always be found at www. downtownkarlabrown. edm Downtown Karla Brown 406 Franklin Street, Natchez 601.653.9823 www.downtownkarlabrown.com Mammy’s Cupboard, above, is a favorite stop on the Good Mood Food Tour. Tour-goers enjoy indulging in their Banana Caramel and Lemon Meringue pies.

48 • AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018

DID YOU

KNOW?

• Almost 1 in 4 Mississippians — about 690,000 people — don’t have enough to eat.

• More than 1 in 4 children (28.7%) go to bed hungry most every night.

Stomachs are growling all over the state. Hunger is a problem all across America, but in Mississippi, it’s practically an epidemic.

DONATE NOW! Every $1.00 donated provides seven meals to hungry Mississippians.

www.msfoodnet.org

DON'T MISS A SINGLE BITE

SUBSCRIBE NOW! of the Coast Kitchen | Chefs Tour | Clean Natchez Food

VOLUME 7, NUMBER

k. t.SSdISSriIPn e.aMI PI eat. d nk r t. drIiPPI

Deep

eens

ip Gr

| Turn

lphia

ilade

s | Ph

rtilla

& To

Ham 5

ning

h Di Sout

Jam

Gour

met

ME 7, VOLU ER 3

NUMB

ea MISSISS

ing |

My De

liciou

s Mi

ssissi

ppi Lif

e|W

ink.

Back-to-School

ater

melon

Carn

ival

ners MISSIS SIP weeknight din

eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI

ith ing w Burst lueberries B

far FRE m SH

appetizers we love!

15

eat. drink.

SIPPI

MISSIS

r 2018

August/Septembe

dar ChedOnion n Gree uits Bisc i issipp Miss ead Cath rimp a Sh Vodk erry StrawbTea Iced

Grill

May

April/

Diner od Trusty + The rt Grocery and Seafo po Steak + Air nte’s + Mo ght Grill in yli on Ma + Sk rgan’s Mo +

and where to

find them

11

Shrimp and Grits Baked Brie

Plac en Croute to d chill es Smoke swee wit ha e t trSausag Hash ea t

2018

Only $

I •1

eat. drink. MISSISSIPP

PI •

SISSIP

k. MIS

eat. drin

PI

1

24

GR REST EENVIL LE AU CELE RANT GE BR TS MAK ITY CHEF EOVE R FOUR TH OF FAM ILY PI JULY CNIC eat. drin

k. MIS

SISSIP

PI •

1

for six issues!

Cookies from The Cakery in Oxford

www.eatdrinkmississippi.com eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI • 49

50 • AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018

{ from mississippi to beyond }

Chef Jennifer Booker Dishes Up Modern Southern Cuisine with a French Accent

W

By Kathy K. Martin

atching Julia Child cooking shows and taking French in middle school became the perfect culinary storm for Jennifer Booker. The Charleston, Mississippi, native knew almost immediately that she wanted to be a chef, but her parents weren’t as enthusiastic. “With my parents being the first from each of their families to earn a college degree, they didn’t see a career as a chef as an option for their firstborn.”

Booker persisted, and finally, she and her father came to an understanding. If she still wanted to be a chef after earning her bachelor’s degree, she could then attend culinary school. And that’s exactly what happened.

After graduating from the University of Tulsa, she went on to culinary school at Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology. She graduated with an associate’s degree in occupational science and has been cooking her food, which she calls modern and healthy Southern cuisine with a French accent, ever since. Her fondness for French foods such as cassoulet, quiche with sharp cheeses and smoked bacon, and all of the many breads and pastries, grew even more after a high school graduation trip to France.

“I was able to see, smell, and taste many of the wonderful foods France has to offer,” says Booker. “The brief time I was there wasn’t nearly long enough to try everything. But as God would have it, I went back years later and was able to live in Paris and attend Le Cordon Bleu Culinary School. It was a dream come true.”

Today, Booker lives in Lilburn, Georgia, a suburb of Atlanta, and runs her own catering business, Your Resident Gourmet. She also conducts cooking demonstrations and has written two cookbooks, Field Peas to Foie Gras: Southern Recipes with a French Accent, which came out in 2014 and debunks the notion that Southern food is all grease and gravy, and Dinner Déjà Vu: Southern Tonight, French Tomorrow, released in 2017, which gives readers a peek into her home kitchen. For instance, she makes a roasted chicken with rosemary and lemon for dinner and then uses the leftover chicken to create a Southern chicken pot pie for the next night’s meal.

Her Southern and French style of cooking won over football fans everywhere when she beat a Boston chef during The Today Show’s 2017 Super Bowl Cook-Off. She also made it to the final round on the Food Network TV show Cutthroat Kitchen.

Booker, who also serves as a Georgia Grown executive chef to promote the state’s farmers and their products, has found that Atlanta is a true melting pot of international cuisine and a perfect fit for her cooking profile. “Atlanta is still the South, so people here understand the importance of eating

seasonally, and they also support their local family farmers and appreciate fresh produce.”

Her small-town upbringing truly inspires her cuisine today, which features sweet potato crepes, green onion hoe cakes, and collard greens salad with apple vinaigrette. She has memories of most of her family members creating delicious food, especially her Grandmother Bessie. “She had a true talent for cooking and I would watch her cook all the time. Although I didn’t get to help often, I would ask her lots of questions and was on hand for taste testing.”

She recalls growing up around prolific farmers in her family and learning to respect the time and energy required for growing produce and raising livestock. From the venison, quail, and duck from her father and great uncles’ hunting trips

Chef Jennifer Booker was the winner of The Today Show’s 2017 Super Bowl Cook-off. eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI • 51

to the seasonal fruit and vegetables from their gardens and the chicken and hogs raised on their farm. “I just grew to love all facets of food from the aroma and colors to the textures and tastes.”

Booker says that Georgia and Mississippi both have a rich and diverse food culture that they fiercely protect and promote. “There are certain dishes that people agree are better in Mississippi like the Delta tamale. Personally, I think their sweet potatoes are the best in color and sweetness for making the best pies and soufflés, but I have to concede that Georgia’s Vidalia onions are better than any onions I’ve eaten anywhere

else.”

She’s just thankful to have found her calling early in life and is able to make a living doing it. “There is no greater satisfaction than knowing you are taking good care of the people you love.” And Booker does that through her Southern food with a French twist. edm ChefJenniferHillBooker.com Instagram: Chef Jennifer Booker Twitter: @Chefjennbooker Facebook: Chef Jennifer Booker

Tomato & Okra Gravy I use to watch, mortified, as my grandfather would use fresh biscuits to sop up his tomato and okra gravy wondering how something so slimey could give him such obvious pleasure. It wasn’t until decades later that I grew to appreciate this summertime dish.

Yields 4 servings 3 tablespoons bacon drippings 1 small onion, chopped 1 tablespoon flour 1/2 cup chicken stock or water 5 medium garden fresh tomatoes, cored and sliced 1 pound tender young okra, cut into 1/2-inch pieces Sea salt, to taste Fresh cracked black pepper 1 pinch cayenne pepper In a medium-sized skillet, heat bacon drippings over low heat.

Add onion and cook until soft, but not browned.

Add flour and stir until well incorporated, about 5 minutes.

Pour stock into skillet and whisk until smooth, simmering until thick and smooth.

Add tomatoes and okra to onion mixture, increase heat to medium, and bring to a simmer, stirring frequently.

Cook until okra softens and tomatoes begin to break down, making a thick gravy.

Add salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper, and continue to simmer until okra has cooked through.

Adjust seasoning to taste.

Serve over white rice or with buttermilk biscuits.

From Field Peas to Foie Gras: Southern Recipes with a French Accent by Jennifer Hill Booker, © 2014 Jennifer Hill Booker, used by permission of the publisher, Pelican Publishing Company, Inc. 52 • AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018

Pickled Shrimp & Onions Yields about 8 servings 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil 2/3 cups apple cider vinegar 1/3 cup water 1 large lemon, thinly sliced 1/2 cup flat leaf parsley leaves, firmly packed 2 tablespoons kosher salt 1 teaspoons red pepper flakes 4 large garlic cloves, sliced 1/2 cup pickling spice 2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined 6 dried cayenne peppers 12 dried bay leaves 1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced lengthwise

Combine the oil, vinegar, water, sliced lemon, parsley leaves, salt, red pepper, and garlic together, set aside.

Add the pickling spice with 2 quarts of water in a large stock pot; bring to a rolling boil. Add the shrimp and cook until shrimp are bright pink, about 3 minutes. Drain and set aside.

Layer the hot shrimp, dried cayenne peppers, bay leaves and sliced onions in a 2-quart glass jar. Pour in the oil and vinegar mixture; making sure all of the shrimp and onions are covered.

Cover with jar lid or plastic wrap and refrigerate least 24 hours before serving. The Pickled Shrimp & Onions taste better the longer they sit and are good for up to one week.

From Dinner Déjà vu: Southern Tonight, French Tomorrow, by Jennifer Hill Booker, © 2016 Jennifer Hill Booker, used by permission of the publisher, Pelican Publishing Company, Inc.

eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI • 53

15

Appetizers we love!

Let’s get started!

G

oing out to eat is a treat all on its own, so why not make it even better by ordering a delicious appetizer or two to share with the table? These are some of our favorite unique appetizers that are much more fun than the typical cheese sticks or chips and salsa. Next time you find yourself at any of these great restaurants in our state, try something new and kick off your meal with one of these tasty bites.

54 • AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018

Fried Black Eyed Peas blue canoe, tupelo

Gently fried black eyed peas, lightly seasoned with Old Bay, served with a homemade chow chow sauce that sits on your taste buds in harmonious glory.

Lobster Shooters vicari italian grill, corinth

Flash fried lobster with red chili sake sauce.

Hotty Toddy Balls Volta Taverna, Oxford

Delicately fried balls of garlic mashed potatoes, mozzarella cheese, and bacon dipped in ranch-seasoned flour, served with ranch dressing.

eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI • 55

Shrimp Avocado Cheese Fries bin 612, starkville

Bin cheese fries topped with avocado, shrimp, and Sriracha sauce.

Crawfish Nachos huck’s place, columbus House-made potato chips topped with fried crawfish tails and a four cheese remoulade sauce, garnished with diced tomatoes, green onions, and sour cream.

Brisket Spring Rolls harvest grill, meridian

14-hour brisket with pickled jalapeño and shallots with house and white BBQ sauce.

56 • AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018

Pimento Cheese Queso fan and johnny’s, greenwood

House-made pimento cheese, broiled, and served with homemade tortilla chips.

Charcuterie Plate delta meat market, cleveland

A collection of house-cured meats and artisanal cheeses that also includes a variety seasonal jams, fruits, mustards, breads, crackers, and nuts.

Hot Tamale Boudin Bites downtown grille, greenville

Traditional Cajun fare with a Delta twist.

Boudin sausage and hot tamale beef batter, fried, and served with spicy ranch.

eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI • 57

Cheese & Cracklins 303 jefferson, clinton

Freshly fried pork skins surrounded by 303 Jefferson’s homemade pimento cheese, sprinkled with blackening seasoning and served still “cracklin.”

Tuna Poke Nachos barrelhouse, jackson

Homemade wonton chips topped with ahi tuna, avocado, seaweed salad, and sesame seeds, served with Hawaiian sauce and spicy aioli.

Shrimp and Alligator Cheesecake roux 61, natchez

A panko and Parmesan cheese-crusted savory cheesecake that’s jam packed with fresh gulf shrimp and alligator sausage, along with smoked Gouda cheese and Cajun spices, topped with a creole mustard lobster cream sauce and garnished with green onion.

58 • AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018

Deep South Egg Rolls cotton blues, hattiesburg

Egg rolls filled with gulf shrimp, rabbit tenderloin from Rabbitman Farms in Sandy Hook, and fresh cabbage, served with a mustard dipping sauce.

Mardi Gras Poppers bacchus biloxi beach bacchus on the beach, pass christian

Fresh jalapeĂąo peppers filled with Italian sausage and cheddar cheese, wrapped in applewood-smoked bacon, and fried until crispy.

Duck Pizza 200 North Beach, Bay St. Louis

A hand-tossed pizza topped with cream of brie and duck confit, caramelized onions, spring mix chiffonade, drizzled with truffle oil, and dusted with Parmesan cheese.

eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI • 59

{ from the bookshelf }

Clean Kitchen The Cookbook

By Jamie Page & Kellar McAlister Published by Versus Press by paige mckay

T

he habit of “clean eating” is sweeping the nation, and some might think that eating “clean” means sacrificing flavor or favorite dishes, but that certainly is not the case. If you’re looking to eat cleaner but aren’t sure where to start or what to cook, look no further. Jamie Page and Kellar McAlister, Hattiesburg residents and nutrition coaches at Versus Strength and Training, have developed the Clean Kitchen cookbook with eight chapters full of healthy, delicious recipes that will soon become a staple cookbook in your home for clean and healthy meals.

When it comes to eating clean and healthy, it doesn’t have to be difficult or include off-the-wall ingredients that no one has ever heard of. Clean Kitchen recipes are practical and include ingredients that you can easily find on the shelves of your favorite supermarket. The cookbook begins with the most important meal of the day: breakfast. The Breakfast chapter includes several protein-packed recipes to get your day started with meals like Banana Pancakes, Protein Oatmeal, Quinoa Oats and Berry Bake, and Sweet Potato Breakfast Casserole.

Several of these dishes are great for meal prepping and can be easily stored in the fridge so that you can enjoy them over several days. Not everyone can get up and make breakfast every morning, so these recipes are perfect for preparing and grabbing on your way out the door.

Next up is the Lunch and Salads chapter. For light, healthy lunches that can be enjoyed in your own home or at your desk at work, Clean Kitchen lunch recipes are perfect for either setting and are full of flavor. Salads often get a bad rap for being plain and boring, but that’s not the case for the Clean Kitchen salads.

Choose from Buffalo Chicken Burger Salad, Chipotle-Mango Chicken Salad, Gyro Turkey Salad, or Warm Spinach Salad.

Much like the breakfast options, several of these salads are easy to make ahead and store in the fridge for when you’re on the go or at work.

Everyone loves a good side dish, but they’re not always the healthiest dishes on the table. The Sides chapter of this cookbook changes that. Next time you need a small dish to take to a get-together or just another side for dinner or a snack, 60 • AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018

check out some of the delicious dishes in Clean Kitchen, such as Garlicky Green Beans, Protein Jalapeño Cornbread, Roasted Balsamic Carrots, or Sweet and Spicy Collard Greens. Most of the options include Southern favorites and staples, they’re just prepared a little bit differently to ensure that they’re healthy.

There’s nothing better than delicious and healthy side dishes to snack on.

When it comes to main courses, Clean Kitchen has divided them up into three sections based on how they’re prepared: Oven Bake, Stove Top, and Crock Pot. With three chapters of main courses to sift through, you’re sure to find your family’s next favorite dinner. Try your hand at meals like Buffalo Chicken Casserole and Enchilada Bell Peppers (Oven Bake), Kung Pao Chicken and Pepper Steak (Stove Top), or Lentil Stew and Gyro Steak (Crock Pot). The options here and endless, and there is bound to be something for everyone within these three chapters.

No meal is complete without dessert, so of course there is a Dessert chapter that provides all the flavor without all the guilt.

Replace your regular chocolate chip cookies with Clean Kitchen’s Chocolate Chip Protein Cookies or Chocolate Chip Chickpea Cookies and enjoy all the deliciousness of a gooey brownie with Avocado Brownies. Other desserts include Almond and Orange Mini Muffins, “Apple Pie” Bake, and Protein Cake Bread.

Not only does Clean Kitchen include every course of a meal, it also includes a Dressing & Sauces chapter. Sometimes, meals are easily turned unhealthy by adding a fatty dressing or sauce, and that’s where Clean Kitchen is here to help. Spice up your salads or burger patties with Avocado Citrus Dressing or Lemon Vinaigrette, or snack on veggie sticks and Avocado Ranch Dip or Cucumber Dill Sauce.

Not only are all the meals in Clean Kitchen packed with flavor, each recipe was developed by expert coaches to promote whole-body wellness that begins in the kitchen. This cookbook is the perfect resource to revolutionize your eating habits without sacrificing flavor, time, or money. Try any of the recipes in Clean Kitchen and you won’t ever go back. edm

Enchilada Bell Peppers Serves 4 1 pound lean ground turkey 4 large bell peppers 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed 1 can diced tomatoes, drained 1/4 – 1/2 cup chicken stock 4 tablespoons low-fat mozzarella cheese, optional 1 container fresh salsa 1 teaspoon arrowroot flour or cornstarch 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil or other fat 2 teaspoons chili powder 2 teaspoons cumin 1 teaspoon onion powder 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1/2 – 1 teaspoon salt Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Core and hollow out the bell peppers and dispose of cores and seeds. Once peppers are prepared, place in an

8x8-inch baking dish, along with a little water, and bake for 15 to 20 minutes until slightly soft.

While peppers are baking, add oil into a large pan and brown the turkey on medium heat.

Add in beans, tomatoes, seasoning, and chicken stock.

Simmer for about 3 minutes, then add cornstarch or arrowroot flour to prevent mixture from becoming too soupy.

After the bell peppers are finished with their first bake, remove from the oven and stuff with meat mixture in even portions.

Pour about a half-inch to an inch of salsa on top of and around the bell peppers in the bottom of the dish.

Top each pepper with 1 tablespoon of low-fat mozzarella cheese.

Cover with tin foil and bake again for 30-40 more minutes.

Finally, remove tin foil and broil on high until the cheese begins to brown at the edges, then remove altogether.

To finish, top with avocado and fresh cilantro. eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI • 61

{ raise your glass }

Cherry Lavender Spritzer Cherry Lavender Spritzer Servings: 6 4 cups pitted and halved Northwest sweet cherries 2 cups water 3 tablespoons lavender 2 tablespoons sugar 6 Northwest sweet cherries with stems 6 sprigs lavender blossoms In small saucepan, combine cherries, water, lavender, and sugar. Heat mixture until it begins to boil. Remove from heat and allow mixture to cool completely. Strain and reserve liquid.

For each drink, combine 4 ounces cherry-lavender mixture and 4 ounces crushed ice in tall, 12-ounce cocktail glass; top each with club soda. Garnish each drink with one cherry with stem and one sprig lavender blossoms.

Variation: To make alcoholic version, shake or stir strained cherrylavender mixture and ice with 9 ounces vodka. Strain into 8-ounce martini glasses, top each with club soda, and garnish each with one cherry with stem and one sprig lavender blossoms.

The Lowdown on Lavender

Lavender flavored items sometimes get a bad rap, but when used correctly, it adds the perfect touch to certain items. With a floral taste and hints of mint and rosemary, it makes the perfect flavoring for spring and summer months. There are a few things to keep in mind when using lavender:

62 • AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018

• •

•

Dried lavender is extremely potent, so start with a small pinch and work in more as needed.

Lavender goes well with dairy, so it’s perfect for adding into ice cream, custard, hot chocolate, cookies, or butter-rich frostings.

If you’re steeping it, it’s best to let it steep for 30 to 45 minutes.

•

If you’re unsure about using dried lavender, test it out first with a lavender flavored honey.

You can find dried lavender flowers at gourmet stores, spice shops, or online.

•

612 UNIVERSITY DR. • STARKVILLE 662.324.6126 WWW.EATLOCALSTARKVILLE.COM MONDAY-THURSDAY 11AM-12AM FRIDAY-SATURDAY 11AM-1AM SUNDAY 11AM-10PM

Southern-Inspired. Seasonally-Crafted. Devilishly Good.

Serving Jackson for Over 10 Years

• •

Lunch served Monday to Saturday from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Dinner served Thursday to Saturday from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m.

1491 Canton Mart Rd. Ste. 12, Jackson 601.957.1441

618 22nd Ave., Meridian | www.harvestgrillms.com | 601-282-5069

DINING GUIDE - DINING GUIDE - DINING GUIDE • DINING GUIDE - DINING GUIDE

Bin 612 boasts a cafe-like atmosphere popular with college students and locals alike. The Bin’s menu offers an eclectic blend of pizzas, panini, burgers and more made with fresh local ingredients.

eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI • 63

{ where to eat }

Marshall Steakhouse 2379 Highway 178 W., Holly Springs • 662.252.2424 • www.marshallsteakhouse.com

story and photography by megan wolfe

R

andall Swaney is a first-time restaurant owner determined to make his first impression a great one.

And by ‘great’, I mean ‘big’. Eyes wide and slack-jawed, the ‘wow’ factor is what he looks for on people’s faces as they enter Marshall Steakhouse.

Everything here is designed to make a big impact. Big food, big selection, big tables, and plenty of big talk from the crew.

Even the building is big. A metal barn with a wooden fence, a porch, and a row of rocking chairs, the restaurant feels like a ranch. It especially looks that way on Thursday nights when cowboys are hanging out at sunset while a live band plays country music in the outside pavilion.

From the main highway, the barn looks simple, but it’s not.

The interior design is a reclaimed wood paradise with table slabs cut from 300 year-old virgin timber and a 6,000 pound wooden bear carved by a chainsaw. The walls are lined with cedar, and the mezzanine is supported with cedar posts. A private dining room, designed to look like a cabin, connects to the mezzanine for private parties.

“I knew there was a need for a steakhouse in North Mississippi,” said Swaney. “And this location is such a prime location because it’s right on the interstate, so everybody that drives by sees it. You’ve got 50,000 people a day passing by the steakhouse, which is a lot.”

Unlike other restaurants that focus so heavily on decor and lose focus on food, Chef Gabriel Garcia and Manager Kevin Martin teamed up to create a menu that draws 600-800 people daily. Appetizers like the Crabmeat & Crawfish Bisque or the crunchy Bruschetta are not what you would normally expect at a steakhouse, but they pair deliciously with the juiciness of a Marshall Steak.

Maybe it’s the contrast of creamy and rich, but it’s difficult to pair anything the wrong way with their menu.

The steaks are tender and lightly seasoned with only salt and pepper. The quality and natural flavor of the prime meat stays front-and-center with every steak, no matter how you like your steak. Still, if you wanted to get fancy,

64 • AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018

you could. Sauteed Mushrooms or the Crab Meat Oscar are toppings that pop.

Skip the toppings, and your steak will be delivered with something extra regardless. Swaney prides his restaurant on being “maybe the most patriotic,” and plays up Marshall Steakhouse’s “Making Steak Great Again” slogan. Every

Filet with Crabmeat Oscar eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI • 65

untopped steak that rolls out of the kitchen is planted with a mini American flag. I didn’t believe this until I watched closely as food was being delivered. Sure enough, it’s a Marshall Steakhouse rule: steaks must have flags.

For guests who don’t eat beef, the Roasted Chicken Breast with cognac honey herb glaze, Rack of Lamb with mint jelly, or the Scallops and Sundried Tomato Risotto stand out. Pair one with a hand-crafted Jack Smash or a White Whiskey Collins cocktail, and you’re fine-dining in a restaurant that doesn’t require you to dress-up. And that’s the real impression Swaney wants to make.

“I live in Memphis, and Folks Folly is the epitome of what I call fine dining,” said Swaney. “When I opened my own restaurant, I said I’d like to have the same quality as Folks, but I want it in a rustic setting, which is the opposite. Down here, we can come in shorts, flip flops, t-shirts, baseball hats. But the food quality is the same.”

By winter, you’ll be able to eat, drink, and stay overnight at Marshall Steakhouse. Swaney has big plans that include building cabins on the property. Soon, Marshall Steakhouse won’t be just a ranch-inspired restaurant, it will be a destination resort for people traveling through North Mississippi. edm

RIGHT: Bruschetta, BELOW: Chef Gabriel Garcia and Manager Kevin Martin, OPPOSITE PAGE: Strawberry Cake and Scallops

66 • AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018

eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI • 67

68 • AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018

{ featured event}

Dine Like a Hollywood Star at Annual Chefs of the Coast story by Paige McKay photos courtesy of mississippi coast restaurant & beverage association

E

ach year, the Gulf Coast Chapter of the Mississippi Hospitality and Restaurant Association hosts Chefs of the Coast, a premier food and wine exposition that features the coast’s elite chefs and restaurant owners as they showcase the fabulous and diverse cuisine of the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Now going on its 36th year, Chefs of the Coast is one of the hottest events on the Coast and is sure to provide food and fun for all guests.

This year, Chefs of the Coast is going to Hollywood and invites guests to “dine like a star.” The gala will be held on Sunday, September 16th, at the Warehouse in Gulfport. The Warehouse houses hundreds of movie props and movie sets from blockbuster films and popular television series, so it makes for the perfect setting to make attendees feel like they’ve stepped into Hollywood for the evening while enjoying delicious food and wine.

This year’s Chefs of the Coast will offer gourmet food sampling, wine tasting, live music by vocalist Anderson Domingues, and the Gulf Coast Chili Cook-Off, which is a Golden Ticket event and a qualifier for the World Food Championship. Attendees will be able to sample food from more than 30 Mississippi Gulf Coast restaurants, taste a variety of wines, and view the masterful creations of the competitors in the Food Meets Art competition, where food is crafted into different works of art.

A unique aspect to this year’s Chefs of the Coast event is the dress code because it’s a little different than what attendees are used to from previous years.

“Since we are hosting this year’s event in such a unique venue surrounded by props and sets from movies and TV shows, we encourage everyone to come dressed as their favorite Hollywood actor or movie character,” said Susan Perkins, Executive Direction, Coast Restaurant Association.

However, if attendees do not wish to dress up as a character, “coast casual” is the suggested dress code.

Mark your calendars for this premier event and enjoy a Sunday night filled with food, wine, live music, and fellowship.

Chefs of the Coast will be held from 6 to 9 p.m., with a VIP hour that will take place from 5 to 6 p.m. Tickets are $55 per person, or $65 for VIP, and can be purchased through Eventbrite at www.chefsofthecoast.org. Parking for this event is free. edm Chefs of the Coast 228.324.0032 www.chefsofthecoast.org eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI • 69

Food Festivals & Events

September 8th & 9th

August 25th

Starkville – Forks and Corks A dozen of the Golden Triangle’s top chefs compete for prizes and bragging rights during this year’s Forks and Corks Chef ’s Competition. Each chef prepares their best dish for competition, while attendees have the opportunity to try each one and vote for their favorite. The winning chef will take home the Best of Forks & Corks award as well as bragging rights for the next year. A panel of judges will be judging the dishes on taste, originality, and presentation. Each ticket includes wine and tastings from Mississippi’s craft breweries.

The event will be held at the The Mill Conference Center on Saturday, August 25th. For more information, visit www. starkvillearts.net/forks--corks.html.

Biloxi Seafood Festival The Biloxi Seafood Festival will take place at the Biloxi Town Green on September 8th and 9th. This event offers seafood and food vendors, arts and craft vendors, live entertainment, children’s activities, gumbo contest, and much more. Crowds at the Biloxi Seafood Festival feast on a vast spectrum of seafood ranging from the common to the exotic, along with many other types of food. Visit www.biloxi.org or call 228-604-0014 for more information.

September 10th

September 8th

Pelahatchie – Muscadine Jubilee Pay homage to the muscadine grape by joining the city of Pelahatchie for the 38th annual Muscadine Jubilee.

Activities include food, fun, arts and crafts, live music, and a grape stomp. Gates will open at 10 a.m. For more information, call 601-854-5224 or visit www.facebook.com/ pelahatchiemuscadinejubilee/.

70 • AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018

Ridgeland Sweetest Chefs of the South The most indulgent party of the year, Sweetest Chefs of the South will feature dessert tastings from 12 of the South’s A-list pastry chefs, along with live music, coffee cupping, a savory food bar, cocktails, wine and spirits, a cigar bar, and a live demo stage by Food Network’s season one winner of Best Baker in America, Dwayne Ingraham. Sweetest Chefs will be held at The Lake House in Ridgeland from 7 to 8:30 p.m., with VIP entry starting at 6:30. Tickets are $49 for general admission and $100 for VIP. For tickets, visit www.sweetestchefs.com

September 14th

Cleveland 28th Annual Rice Tasting Luncheon The Mississippi Delta Rice Industry celebrates National Rice Month with its 28th Annual Rice Tasting Luncheon on September 14th from 11:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. at Delta State University’s Walter Sillers Coliseum in Cleveland. The event features over 300 rice dishes prepared by local rice growing families and Delta restaurants. Delta Rice Promotions, Inc. is the host. For additional information, call 662-843-8362.

September 22nd

Jackson – Gumbo Festival Benefitting the Harold T. and Hal White Memorial Scholarship, this year’s Gumbo Fest will include live music and a gumbo cook-off to name the International Gumbo Festival Champion.

The Gumbo Festival will be held on Saturday, September 22nd, at Smith Park in downtown Jackson. Gates open at 11 a.m. with music starting at 11:30. For tickets and more information, visit www.jacksongumbo.com.

September 16th

Biloxi – Chefs of the Coast Celebrate culinary excellence on the Mississippi Gulf Coast at the annual Chefs of the Coast event. The Coast’s best restaurants serve food amid wine and beer, live music, fabulous entertainment, and a silent auction. This year’s event will be held on September 16th at the Warehouse in Gulfport. Visit www.chefsofthecoast.org or call 228-324-0032 for more information.

October 2nd

Madison – Food for Thought Join MadCAAP at the Town of Livingston for a night of food, drinks, and live music. Food and wine will be provided by several fine restaurants from the metro area and will also feature our “Not To Be Missed” silent auction held in Livingston Chapel. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.madcaap.org

To have your food festival or culinary event included in future issues, please contact us at info@eatdrinkmississippi.com. All submissions are subject to editor’s approval. eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI • 71

Recipe Index Baked Brie en Croute, 29 Cherry Lavender Spritzer, 62

Advertisers Index Bin 612, 63 Crazy Cat Eat Up, 63 Harvest Grill, 63

DLT Sliders with Cilantro Aioli, 17

MacCAAP’s Food for Thought, 3

Enchilada Bell Peppers, 61

McEwen’s, 63

Mississippi Shrimp and Grits, 18

Mississippi Children’s Museum, 7 Mississippi Food Network, 49

Shrimp Scampi, 20

Mistletoe Marketplace, 2

Philly Cheesesteak Meatball Subs, 23

Sanderson Farms, Back Cover

Pickled Shrimp & Onions, 53

Simmons Catfish, 9 The Kitchen Table, 9

Smoked Sausage Hash, 25 Tomato & Okra Gravy, 52

STORE INFORMATION from pages 14-15 Amazon www.amazon.com

Thurman’s Landscaping, 73 Visit Jackson, 4 & 5

Follow us on Instagram to see some of the tasty, local bites we’ve discovered!

Bed Bath and Beyond www.bedbathbeyond.com Campus Book Mart www.campusbookmart.com 2906 Hardy St. Hattiesburg, MS 39401 601.261.9690 2128 Jackson Ave. W Oxford, MS 38655 662.234.5993 318 E Lee Blvd.

Starkville, MS 39759 662.323.7660 Swoozie’s www.swoozies.com Wayfair www.wayfair.com

72 • AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018

eat. drink.

MISSISSIPPI www.instagram.com/eatdrinkmississippi

Digital Subscriptions Available!

Back-to-School

weeknight dinners

15

appetizers we love!

Shrimp and Grits

and where to find them

Baked Brie en Croute August/September 2018

On desktop computer, visit www.magzter.com and search for Eat Drink Mississippi or visit www.eatdrinkmississippi.com for a direct link.

eat. drink.

MISSISSIPPI

eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI

Download the free Eat Drink Mississippi app to purchase and view in app.

Natchez Food Tour | Clean Kitchen | Chefs of the Coast

VOLUME 7, NUMBER 5

Access issues on all your devices - iOS, Android, and desktop computer.

Smoked Sausage Hash eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI • 1

Getting a taste of Mississippi has never been easier!

Landscaping • Irrigation Waterfalls • Lighting Outdoor Kitchens & Patios Iron & Brick Work

www.facebook.com/thurmanslandscaping

Thurman’s Landscaping

Hattiesburg, Miss.

601.270.8512 eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI • 73

Till We Eat Again

BILL DABNEY PHOTOGRAPHY

Jay Reed, a graduate of Ole Miss, lives in Starkville where he is a pharmacist by day and a freelance food writer by day off. He is a member of the Southern Foodways Alliance and writes "Eats One Ate," a weekly column in the Starkville Daily News.

AUGUST/SEPTEMBER2018 2018 74 • AUGUST/SEPTEMBER

Church Feeds Soul and Stomach

T

BY JAY REED

o say that I’ve only been a food enthusiast for the last decade or so requires a bit of perspective. On one hand, before I moved back to Mississippi nine years ago, I had never attended a food symposium, at best read only a few foodcentric books, and written just a handful of essays on the subject. But that doesn’t mean I didn’t enjoy eating in those first 42 years. As a matter of fact, in the decade prior to my return, I lived on an entirely different continent and visited several more.

In that season, I ate camel in Yemen, zebra in Kenya, and Tex-Mex in London (when in England, eat like a Texan). At the very least, my palate had an adventurous streak.

In those pre-food-obsessive days, there is no question that I ate well. Photographs ranging from babyhood well past my years at the Ole Alma Mater show that I was consistently the chubby kid. At Sears, we always landed in the husky jeans department.

(I am forever scarred.) Aside from family meals and a handful of restaurant memories, the food genre that has been a common thread in my edible history, even through today, is one common to many of us here in the South: church food.

It all starts with Vacation Bible School. I don’t know what they feed the kids these days – probably something with neither gluten nor peanuts, washed down with some sugar-free calming elixir. I long for the sweet and slightly tart taste of that red-orange punch we had every single year. I’d give almost anything to taste that punch again; I’m reasonably sure it was a VBS-only recipe. Cookies were flower-shaped with a fingersized hole in the middle, and I’m sure my chubby fingers found their way into those holes.

Back in the day, particularly in the summer, we could count on two Sunday night after-church fellowships: watermelon and homemade ice cream. I was never a big watermelon eater. I liked it, but didn’t go crazy over it, much like today. The watermelon fellowship always seemed to invoke a seed-spitting contest, and it wasn’t often you could spit anything at church without parental repercussions. That homemade ice cream, though. With apologies to my pastor, this was my favorite Sunday night of the year. There was always plenty to go around, and usually word would circulate about Mrs. So-and-So’s pineapple ice cream, or Mr. So-and-So’s extra good chocolate. Those would disappear first, much to the chagrin of the folks who stayed in the sanctuary and talked too long. I recently came across a church bulletin from 1982 advertising the fellowship and promising 37 flavors! Baskin-Robbins had nothing on us.

I’ve done a little research on food brought to the bereaved, the sick, and the recently pregnant and determined that it’s more or less the same food, just in a different setting. Casseroles, sandwich meat trays, cakes and pies – these offerings are not limited to church folk, but we’re for sure seasoned veterans. My church has an entire committee that exists solely to feed the families after funerals. Because that’s what Baptists do: eat well and appoint committees.

And, of course, there are the dinners on the ground, which rarely, if ever, are actually on the ground anymore. We usually have three or four lines of tables set up in the air-conditioned comfort of our family life center, and that’s the way we like it. The biggest challenge is choosing which line to go down. Maybe that’s where we get the word potluck, since it is usually luck that determines which pot you’ll be eating from.

Last but not least are the breakfasts brought to Sunday School. It was there I learned to make the one breakfast casserole that my daughter will eat – crescent roll layers stuffed with sausage and cream cheese. I’m pretty sure, too, that by now I have eaten my weight (or at least contributed significantly to it) in Sister Schubert’s sausage wrap rolls, aka pigs-in-a-blanket. I’m not sure that the fruit-flavored Tootsie rolls that Miss Pernie brought to kindergarten Sunday School in Belmont counted as breakfast, but I sure did look forward to them.

If it sounds like the main reason I go to church is to eat, you can rest assured I know that man does not live by bread alone. (There’s also that fatted calf.) But isn’t there something about getting fed? edm

Gourmet Grilling | My Delicious Mississippi Life | Watermelon Carnival

VOLUME 6, NUMBER 4 eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI June/July 2017 VOLUME 5, NUMBER 3

Martha Foose’s

DREAM KITCHEN eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI

eat. drink.

MISSISSIPPI

eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI • 1

VOLUME 4, NUMBER 2

JUNE/JULY 2015

APRIL/MAY 2015

Kitchen Tools

MEET THE MACARON MAVEN

FESTIVALS

Mississippi

PICNICS

eat. drink.

MISSISSIPPI FEBRUARY/MARCH 2015

Crawfish

BLOGGER TESTED

+ Ravine + 1933 + Henri's + Coffee Pot Cafe + The Sicilian II

PERFECTLY

+ Ciao Chow + Crawdad’s + Restaurant 1818 + Thai by Thai + The Greenhouse on Porter

April/May 2016

page 34

eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI • 1

VOLUME 4, NUMBER 3

NYC • DC • ATL

page 34

+ Bishop’s BBQ + Yazoo Pass + J. Broussard's + Miss D’s Diner + Deli Diner

eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI

Peachy

eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI

Day in the

Summer Salads

June/July 2016

+ AC’s Steakhouse • Pub + Five O’clock on Deer Creek + Lou’s Full Serv + The Twisted Burger Company + The Blind Tiger

+ Oxford Canteen + Levon’s Bar and Grill + Culinary Cowboy + Longhorn’s Steakhouse + Ed’s Burger Joint

eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI • 1

eat. drink.

MISSISSIPPI

Mother’s Day Brunch

FRENCH BISTRO IN OXFORD HOME

COUNTRY

EATING

TURKEY

Transformation + Orleans Bistro + Rust + The Palette Café + DeRego’s Bread + Corks & Cleaver Wine Bistro

eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI

page 30

VOLUME 5, NUMBER 4

AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2015

eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI

eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI

eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI

eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI

Eudora Welty's White Fruitcake

August/September 2017

DELTA

Supper Club

eat. drink.

MISSISSIPPI

FLAVORS of Fall

Sensible Switches FOR HEALTHY

APRIL/MAY 2016

Best Gas Station

EATS

page 25

LOCAL RICE GROWERS

+ Blue Canoe + Cicero’s + Brummi’s Yummies + Chunky Shoals Fish Camp + 200 North Beach

+ Tasty Tails eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI •1

OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2015

+ The Auction Block Steakhouse + The Blue Biscuit + 10 South Rooftop Grill & Bar + Taste & See + Keg & Barrel

eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI

HONEY

& FRIENDS

eat. drink.

MISSISSIPPI

+ Southern Eatery + CRAVE Bistro + Livingston + Skidmore’s Grill

LOCAL CHEF CROWNED KING OF SEAFOOD

August/September 2016

DECEMBER/JANUARY 2016

eat. drink.

MISSISSIPPI

RANDOM RESTAURANT ROAD TRIPS

eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI

+ GRIT + Crystal Grill + Moo’s Barn & Grill + Nightingale’s Pantry + Hook Gulf Coast Cuisine

VOLUME 4, NUMBER 5

eat. drink.

MISSISSIPPI

VOLUME 4, NUMBER 6

VOLUME 5, NUMBER 1

VOLUME 5, NUMBER 2

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2016

TAYLOR HICKS GETS A TASTE OF THE MAGNOLIA STATE

eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI • 1

JUNE/JULY 2016

HOMEMADE CHICKEN PIE

eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI • 1

Cooking With

eat. drink.

MISSISSIPPI

+ Steak by Melissa + Bellazar’s + Drago’s + Bin 612 + Jack’s by the Tracks

Gourmet Ice Pop Shops

THE ART OF FOOD

TUPELO CELEBRATES 100 YEARS OF COCA-COLA

FOOD FLIGHT

FOOD REVOLUTION

eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI • 1

eat. drink.

MISSISSIPPI

Quickie Pie

BOUNTIFUL BERRIES

December/January 2017

+ Catfish Blues + Lillo's Family Restaurant + Taste Bistro & Desserts + Phillips Drive-In + Second Street Bean

DELTA COUPLE RECOGNIZED NATIONALLY FOR CULINARY WORK

Classic Southern Tomato Pie eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI • 1

page 68

eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI

February/March 2017

April/May 2017

+ McEwen’s + Ground Zero Blues Club + Betty’s Eat Shop + Phillip M’s TheMISSISSIPPI Wayward Kraken eat.+drink.

•1

EXPLORING STARKVILLE’S CULINARY SCENE

page 22

Fresh-From-the-Garden Recipes

in Mississippi

Sweet Treats

for the Season

GINGERBREAD VILLAGE

TIPS FOR AN ORGANIZED KITCHEN

eat. drink.

MISSISSIPPI

BOUNTY

Crunchy Grilled Snapper Burritos

+ Forklift + Downtown Grille + 303 Jefferson + 1884 Cafe + Sully’s

AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2016

UP IN FARMS FOOD HUB

WORLD CATFISH FESTIVAL

DAIRY FESTIVAL

OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2016

page 22

Belzoni’s

Walthall County

VOLUME 5, NUMBER 5

Share the Love

JUNE/JULY 2017

Summer’s BEST BURGER

eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI • 1

Soups

Yuletide Yummies

eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI

eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI

fiesta

October/November 2017

It’s Time for a

eat. drink.

MISSISSIPPI

eat. drink.

MISSISSIPPI DECEMBER/JANUARY 2017

Chocolate

- The Debutante Farmer -

ELIZABETH HEISKELL

eat. drink.

MISSISSIPPI FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017

APRIL/MAY 2017

eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI • 1

eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI • 1

eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI • 1

VOLUME 6, NUMBER 1

VOLUME 6, NUMBER 2

VOLUME 6, NUMBER 3

eat. drink.

MISSISSIPPI

eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI

+ The Trusty Diner + Airport Grocery + Monte’s Steak and Seafood + Skylight Grill + Morgan’s on Main

eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI • 1

+ On a Roll Gourmet Egg Rolls + Dino’s Grocery + Saltine Restaurant + Commodore Bob’s Yacht Club + Charred

eat. drink.

MISSISSIPPI

Elvis-Inspired Recipes

Pasta Jambalaya

+ The Rainey + Mai Little Chinese + The Anthony + Sonny’s Smokehouse + Dempsey’s Seafood & Steak

+ V. Taco + Bentonia Bugs Crawfish + Crazy Cat Eat Up + Gitano Grill + White Pillars

Feast Like The King in Tupelo

Baked Ricotta

at Home

April/May 2018

FOURTH OF JULY FAMILY PICNIC

Old Biloxi French Gumbo

Romantic Dinner

Strawberry Iced Tea

GREENVILLE RESTAURANT GETS CELEBRITY CHEF MAKEOVER

Christmas Breakfast Casserole

Brunswick Stew

VOLUME 6, NUMBER 5

Sweet Tea Brined Pork Chops

Cheddar Green Onion Biscuits Mississippi Cathead Vodka Shrimp

Places to chill with a sweet treat

HOLIDAYAPPETIZERS

Orange Slice Candy Cake

Mississippi Seafood Trail | Berry Picking | The Great Ruleville Roast

eat. drink.

MISSISSIPPI

Pumpkin Palooza

Make-Ahead

Short Rib Crostini

Strawberries and Champagne Cheesecake

Palate to Palette | Gucci to Goats | The Great Mississippi River Balloon Race

eat. drink.

MISSISSIPPI

VOLUME 6, NUMBER 6

11

eat. drink.

MISSISSIPPI

eat. drink.

MISSISSIPPI

Bursting with Blueberries

eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI

farm FRESH

Mississippi’s Bicentennial | Backroads and Burgers | A Taste of Home Town

Mediterranean Diet | Mississippi Vegan | SFA’s Guide to Cocktails

Deep South Dining | Turnip Greens & Tortillas | Philadelphia Ham Jam

eat. drink.

MISSISSIPPI

VOLUME 7, NUMBER 3

eat. drink.

MISSISSIPPI

Heritage Breed

COMMUNITY COOKBOOK PROJECT

PROGRESSIVE

eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI • 1

eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI • 1

Shrimping Trip

Summer Treats

Fire & Feast

BBQ COMPETITION

eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI • 1

Culinary

BUCKET LIST

Watermelon

FESTIVAL

page 41

eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI • 1

- The Not So Odd Couple -

CHICKEN & WAFFLES page 44

eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI • 1

page 22

February/March 2015

FARM TABLES

page 31

CHIA-licious!

BILOXI

SODA-LIGHTFUL

April/May 2015

Mississippi

August/September 2015

page 68

Farm-to-Table

DINNER TAILGATING

Recipes

Roasted Brussels Sprouts

October/November 2015

Dinner

December/January 2016

February/March 2016

Bringing Mississippi Roots to the Table

+ Vicari Italian Grill + Rose’s Downtown Bakery & Tearoom + Sway’s Bistro + Stromboli’s Italian Eatery + Cast Iron Cafe

Mississippi

PORK

eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI • 1

3 GREAT RECIPES FOR ADDING CHIA SEEDS TO YOUR DIET

eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI • 1

Missing an issue?

Back issues are available on our website at

www.eatdrinkmississippi.com S'more(s) Give Me

OVER 25 DELICIOUS RECIPES

page 36

page 74

page 26

Lovefor theof Chocolate page 34

PIG PICKIN' CAKE FOODIE FORAY ON 49

S hrimp & Grits

VOLUME 2, NUMBER 4

eat. drink.

MISSISSIPPI

AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2013

Dairy Farms

Award-Winning Barbecue

Collins Tuohy

eat. drink.

MISSISSIPPI

JUNE/JULY 2013

Picnic

eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI

page 18

Prime Time for a

Comeback Sauce

The Crawfish Boil

James Beard Dinner

eat. drink.

MISSISSIPPI

75 Years of Edam Cheese

Caf CLIMB

Cooking with Venison

Canada's Mississippi Queen

Katelyn's Lemonade

Fit to Eat

eat. drink.

MISSISSIPPI

Extra Table

Patrick House

Bread Pudding Throwdown

eat. drink.

MISSISSIPPI

•

DECEMBER/JANUARY 2013 www.eatdrinkmississippi.com

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2013

Swapping Memories & Cookies page 28

eat. drink.

MISSISSIPPI Bursting with Blueberries

Cheddar Green Onion Biscuits

APRIL/MAY 2012

eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI • 1

April/May 2018

PAGE 20

JUNE/JULY 2012

eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI • 1

Mediterranean Diet | Mississippi Vegan | SFA’s Guide to Cocktails

eat. drink.

MISSISSIPPI Strawberries and Champagne Cheesecake Sweet Tea Brined Pork Chops Brunswick Stew

at Home

Eat fresh at your local farmers market

PAGE 18

AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2012

www.eatdrinkmississippi.com

Romantic Dinner

Strawberry Iced Tea

•

Linkie Marais

Mississippi Mud  page 26

OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2012

$4.95

Deep South Dining | Turnip Greens & Tortillas | Philadelphia Ham Jam

eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI

•

Fall Fare

eat. drink.

MISSISSIPPI

page 22

Mississippi Cathead Vodka Shrimp

Tailgating tidbits

SUPER GAME DAY GRUB

Olympian Chefs

Mrs. Annie's Famous Strawberry Cake

Minny's Chocolate Pie from the movie The Help PAGE 12

Hunter's Harvest

page 62

APRIL/MAY 2013

eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI • 1

Josh Marks

Giardina's Keeping Tradition Fresh & Elegant

VOLUME 7, NUMBER 3

Slugburger 101

June/July 2013

GRANDMA’S POUND CAKE eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI • 1

PASS CHRISTIAN OYSTER FESTIVAL MORE THAN 30 GREAT RECIPES FOR THE HOLIDAYS

eat. drink.

MISSISSIPPI

eat. drink.

MISSISSIPPI

page 28

CLINTON LUNCHROOM LADIES GO HEAD TO HEAD IN RACHAEL RAY'S CAFETERIA COOK-OFF

DELICIOUSLY SEXY EGGPLANTS CHICKEN AND ANDOUILLE SAUSAGE GUMBO PIZZA FARM OFFERS UNIQUE LEARNING EXPERIENCE

WORLD’S ONLY APRON MUSEUM IN IUKA August/September 2013

eat. drink.

MISSISSIPPI

CHOCOLATE CHIP BREAD PUDDING

eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI • 1

A Southern Favorite

eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI

Lauren Farms

SWEET & SAVORY JAMS

SOUTHERN-STYLE CRAWFISH BOIL

eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI • 1

BAKED AND FRIED PUMPKIN CAKE

DELTA HOT TAMALES

DECEMBER/JANUARY 2014

Easy Holiday Appetizers

DUTCH OVEN COOKING

page 44

August/September 2014

GREENVILLE'S DELTA HOT TAMALE FESTIVAL HUNGER GAINS: THE REVOLUTIONARY ACT OF EATING LOCAL

page 46

ROBERT ST. JOHN AND WYATT WATERS TEAM TO CREATE AN ITALIAN PALATE

eat. drink.

MISSISSIPPI

page 32

Small Touches, Big Flavor

Southern Foodways Alliance

Gulf Coast

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2014

APRIL/MAY 2014

Spring Luncheon

West Coast Meets

eat. drink.

MISSISSIPPI

the delicious legacy of

VOLUME 2, NUMBER 5

eat. drink.

MISSISSIPPI

Peanuts

JUNE/JULY 2014

eat. drink.

MISSISSIPPI

Heirloom Tomatoes FARM TO SCHOOL MONTH

eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI • 1

OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2013

www.eatdrinkmississippi.com

DRINKING YOUR FRUITS AND VEGETABLES

eat. drink.

MISSISSIPPI

REAL COOKING WITH CHEF DAVID CREWS October/November 2014

December/January 2015

Ben Burkett Receives James Beard Foundation Award for Contributions to Agriculture

page 20

eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI

UNIQUE HOLIDAY COCKTAILS

at the

ANGEL FOOD CAKE WAFFLES WING DANG DOODLE FESTIVAL

eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI

eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI

5

Gathering

FIGHTING FOR THE FAMILY FARM

AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2014

OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2014

DECEMBER/JANUARY 2015

G overnor's Mansion

eat. drink.

MISSISSIPPI

VOLUME 3, NUMBER 5

eat. drink.

MISSISSIPPI

VOLUME 3, NUMBER 6

VOLUME 4, NUMBER 1

eat. drink.

MISSISSIPPI

+ The Trusty Diner + Airport Grocery + Monte’s Steak and Seafood + Skylight Grill + Morgan’s on Main

+ V. Taco + Bentonia Bugs Crawfish + Crazy Cat Eat Up + Gitano Grill + White Pillars eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI • 1

eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI • 1

eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI • 75

THE TASTE OF VICTORY TASTES A LOT LIKE CHICKEN. It’s tailgate season. And while flubbed punts and incomplete passes may deny your team the sweet taste of victory, nothing’s keeping you from the sweet taste of chicken tenders. Go ahead and chalk that up as a win.

SandersonFarms.com/recipes

B UT TE RM IL K

C H IC KE N TE N DERS

- 14 Sanderson cut in half diagoFarms ® Chicken Tenders, nal y - 1 cup butterm i lk - 1 teaspoon seas oning salt - 3 cups flour - 2 tablespoons seasoning salt - 1 teaspoon bla ck pepper - 4 cups vegeta ble oil

76 • AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018