Eat Drink Mississippi February March 2017

eat. drink.

MISSISSIPPI FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017

Chocolate Share the Love

Belzoni’s

WORLD CATFISH FESTIVAL TIPS FOR AN ORGANIZED KITCHEN

+ Catfish Blues + Lillo's Family Restaurant + Taste Bistro & Desserts DELTA COUPLE RECOGNIZED + Phillips Drive-In NATIONALLY FOR CULINARY WORK + Second Street Bean eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI • 1

2017 SANTÉ SOUTH WINE FESTIVAL T I C K E T S N OW AV A I L A B L E AT S A N T E S O U T H . C O M APRIL

RENAISSANCE AT C O L O N Y P A R K

01 2017

RAIN OR SHINE

VIP TASTING

6:30pm 10:00pm

GRAND TASTING

7:30pm 10:00pm

BENEFITTING

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH

A L Z H E I M E R ’S M I S S I S S I P P I

2 • FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017

F O L L OW S A N T E S O U T H AT

A L ZMS.ORG | SA NTE SOUTH.C OM

CALL TOLL FREE 877.930.6190

FOR VEDNDORS ONLY. CLOSED TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC. mississippimarket.org | 1200 MISSISSIPPI STREET JACKSON, MS | 1.888.886.3323 eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI • 3

March 4-25, 2017 Art Rocks Tupelo Concerts, Dance, Film & More

March 17-19, 2017 Tupelo BBQ Duel Drinks, Food & Fun

May 5-7, 2017 Tupelo Blue Suede Cruise Classic Cars

May 13-14, 2017 GumTree Festival Arts, Music & Food

June 1-4, 2017 Elvis Presley® Festival It’s ALL about Elvis

4 • FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017

CONTENTS February/March 2017 • Volume 6 Number 2

19

in this issue 14 WHAT’S HOT Let’s Talk About Turmeric

18 CHEF’S CORNER Q&A with Chef Russell Smith of Smith. in Corinth

22 SPIRITS OF MISSISSIPPI Exploring Our State’s Small Batch Distilleries

26 MISSISSIPPI MADE Simmons Farm-Raised Catfish

30 MEMORY LANE Just a Soso Valentine

33 CHOCOLATE 101 It’s All About Love

38 CHOW-ING DOWN Clarksdale Couple Earns National Recognition for Culinary Work

43 COMMUNITY Dining with Dignity

35 eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI • 5

Missing an issue?

Back issues are available for order on our website!

VOLUME 5, NUMBER 3

eat. drink.

MISSISSIPPI APRIL/MAY 2016

Best Gas Station

EATS Martha Foose’s

DREAM KITCHEN eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI

Mother’s Day Brunch VOLUME 5, NUMBER 4

page 25

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MISSISSIPPI JUNE/JULY 2016

April/May 2016

+ Ciao Chow + Crawdad’s + Restaurant 1818 + Thai by Thai + The Greenhouse on Porter eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI • 1

THE ART OF FOOD

RANDOM RESTAURANT ROAD TRIPS BOUNTIFUL BERRIES

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

VOLUME 5, NUMBER 5

June/July 2016

eat. drink.Summer Salads MISSISSIPPI AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2016

page 34

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Sweet Treats page 68

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FOOD FLIGHT

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MISSISSIPPI

TUPELO CELEBRATES 100 YEARS OF COCA-COLA

LOCAL RICE GROWERS

OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2016

Soups

August/September 2016

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

for the Season page 22

eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI • 1

VOLUME 6, NUMBER 1

Red is for

eat. drink.

MISSISSIPPI FOOD REVOLUTION

LOCAL CHEF CROWNED KING OF SEAFOOD DECEMBER/JANUARY 2017

Yuletide Yummies

every season.

HOMEMADE CHICKEN PIE

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

+ Tasty Tails eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI •1

page 22

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UP IN FARMS FOOD HUB

GINGERBREAD VILLAGE

December/January 2017

+ GRIT + Crystal Grill + Moo’s Barn & Grill + Nightingale’s Pantry + Hook Gulf Coast Cuisine eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI • 1

3720 Hardy Street, Suite 3 Hattiesburg, MS

601-261-2224 www.KitchenTableNow.com 6 • FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017

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MISSISSIPPI www.eatdrinkmississippi.com

CONTENTS February/March 2017

69

61 46 FROM MISSISSIPPI TO BEYOND The Proof Is in the Pudding Rodgers’ Banana Pudding Sauce

50 DECLUTTER & DESTRESS Kitchen Organization Tips to Help Bring Order to Your Life

52 FROM THE BOOKSHELF My Two Souths - Asha Gomez with Martha Hall Foose

54 RAISE YOUR GLASS Chocolate Banana Shake

56 THE HILLS Catfish Blues in Hernando

73 ON THE COVER: White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake, page 36.

Photography by Nikki Gladd.

60 THE DELTA Lillo’s Family Restaurant in Leland

64 THE PINES Phillips Drive-In in Laurel

68 CAPITAL/RIVER Taste Bistro & Desserts in Flowood

72 COASTAL Second Street Bean in Columbia

76

FEATURED EVENT World Catfish Festival in Belzoni

in every issue 8 From the Publisher 10 From Our Readers 16 Fabulous Foodie Finds 20 Deep South Dish 78 Events 80 Recipe/Ad Index 82 Till We Eat Again

eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI • 7

{ from the publisher }

A

friend once gave me a platter that read, “I never met a chocolate I didn’t like.” She knew me all too well. Not surprisingly, there are many others who, like me, love chocolate.

My affinity for chocolate developed at an early age. My grandfather lived next door to my childhood home and I would visit him quite often. He was the custodian at a local church and was well loved by the staff there, especially the teachers at the church’s day care. When holidays came around, the day care ladies would shower him with gifts to show their appreciation for his hard work. His favorite gift to receive was a box of Millionaires candy. He made the mistake of letting us grandkids try a piece once. One bite was all it took.

In order to make his gift last as long as possible, and I’m sure to keep the grandkids from eating it all, he began stashing it under clothes in a dresser drawer. I knew exactly where it was, but I also knew that I better not touch it without permission. I’m sure he kept a count of how many pieces should be in the box and if one was missing, he knew about it. Out of sight, out of mind didn’t work for me and I didn’t hesitate to ask for a piece whenever I visited. I felt extra special when he’d escort me to the room where the dresser was, carefully dig out the box of Millionaires, then let me take my pick of the delicious candy. I remember poring over every piece, trying to see if one was bigger than the other.

I wanted to make sure I got as big a taste as possible.

Biting into a Millionaire was truly heavenly. The soft, creamy caramel, perfectly toasted pecans, and decadent milk chocolate covering melted in my mouth. My parents knew how much I loved that candy, so often I would get my own small box on Valentine’s Day. Somehow, mine never tasted as good as my grandfather’s. In fact, to this day I’ve never eaten another piece of Millionaires candy that tasted as fresh and creamy as his.

Valentine’s Day is near. It’s a day when chocolate takes center stage. It’s estimated that around 58 million pounds of chocolate are consumed on this day. Present the ones you love with a decadent gift of chocolate, or some Millionaires, and you’re sure to make their day.

q

In this issue, we explore the different kinds of chocolate and share recipes featuring this favorite ingredient. Whether your preference is milk, dark, or white, we’ve got you covered with tasty treats that are perfect for sharing.

From pond to table, catfish is king in Mississippi. If we named an official state food, there’s no doubt that catfish would take that honor. From a high quality producer to a festival that celebrates our love for it, we have several features and recipes that showcase one of our state’s top commodities.

As I embark on the sixth year of publication of Eat Drink Mississippi, I’d like to thank you for your support and loyal readership. So far, this has been an incredible experience that I have enjoyed immensely. I look forward to continuing this journey of sharing Mississippi’s delicious cuisine and recognizing the people who make it possible. If there’s a culinary game changer in your community who deserves recognition, please let me know by dropping an email to info@eatdrinkmississippi.com.

Now pass the catfish and let's eat!

"Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” 1 Corinthians 10:31

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 • FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017

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{ from our readers } Love the magazine!

Anne Kelley Hattiesburg

Thank you Eat Drink Mississippi and Julian Brunt for this wonderful article (October/November 2016).

At Magnolia Business Alliance, we strive to bring support and resources to Gulf Coast businesses. The Social Supper is one way in which we are able to raise funds to support these businesses through small business grants.

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39

CORRECTION: In the recipe for Chicken and Black Bean Chili that appeared in our December/January 2017 issue, an ingredient was listed incorrectly. Instead of 1 cup seeded, diced onions, it should have read 1 cup seeded, diced poblano chilies. We apologize for the error.

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{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 COOP COOPER is a journalist, film critic and filmmaker based in Clarksdale. He graduated from Southern Methodist University with a B.F.A. in Cinema, and received his Masters in Screenwriting from the American Film Institute in Hollywood. You can read his past film-related articles at www. smalltowncritic.com.

NIKKI GLADD was born and raised in the Mitten State. She has also tasted life in Tennessee, Chicago, and Southern California before feasting in Mississippi.

She is passionate for community with friends, family, and even strangers at the table, as she shares through her writings on SeededAtTheTable.com. On her blog, you will find easy recipes using everyday ingredients, along with family stories, house projects, favorite products, and travel adventures.

KELSEY WELLS LAMBERT is a news writer at Lawrence County Press in Monticello. She is a graduate of Southwest Mississippi Community College where she

12 • FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017

served as editor of The Pine Burr. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Communications at William Carey University and served as a staff writer and life editor of The Cobbler student newspaper until she became managing editor her senior year. She and her husband currently reside in the Divide community where she is active in her church and community.

SUSAN MARQUEZ lives and writes in Madison.

She has a degree in Radio-TV-Film 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.

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.

GENNIE TAYLOR, a native of Forest, is a technical writer for CACI, Inc. in Fayetteville, N.C. and a freelance writer, graphic designer, and photographer. She previously served as the publications coordinator

at East Central Community College in Decatur. She is the former editor of The Demopolis Times in Demopolis, Ala. and former managing editor of The Scott County Times in Forest. A graduate of the University of Southern Mississippi with a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism, she has received numerous awards from the Associated Press and the Mississippi and Alabama Press Associations. She and her husband, Steven, have one daughter, Mallory. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, reading and cooking.

JANETTE TIBBETTS is a ninth generation Mississippian.

She grew up on a Jones County dairy farm, attended Millsaps, taught school, and was a merchant. She is the founder and curator of “The Sandbank,” a Beatrix Potter Collection, at USM. She is a freelance writer and photographer.

Janette writes weekly garden and food columns for magazines and newspapers.

She was awarded a writer’s grant from the Mississippi Art’s Commission and the National Endowment of the Arts. She lives with her husband, Jon, and writes in their home near Hattiesburg. A published author of short stories, she is presently completing a novel.

KATIE HUTSON WEST is a freelance writer from Tupelo. She is a graduate of Mississippi State University where she earned a B.S. degree in Marketing, Communications, and Business Psychology. An avid traveler, when home she resides in Leland.

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.

Grady Champion

TASTES OF COLUMBUS

Join us March 30-April 8, 2017 for the 77th Annual Spring Pilgrimage

VisitColumbusMS.org for a complete list of attractions and events.

Tennessee Williams Home & Welcome Center | 300 Main St. | 800.920.3533 eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI • 13

{ what's hot }

Let’s Talk About Turmeric From the celebrity on TV to your coworker at the watercooler, everyone is talking about turmeric. That’s because scientific evidence has been building around the potential

health benefits, including anti-inflammatory properties of curcurmin, a compound in turmeric. These recipes will quickly make turmeric the new star of your spice cabinet.

Turmeric Vinaigrette 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar 1 tablespoon finely chopped shallot 2 teaspoons honey 1 teaspoon McCormick® turmeric, ground 1/2 teaspoon McCormick® ginger, ground 1/2 teaspoon McCormick® sea salt Mix all ingredients in medium bowl with wire whisk until well blended. Cover.

Refrigerate until ready to serve. Whisk dressing before drizzling over salad greens.

Honey Mustard Turmeric Chicken 1/2 cup honey 1/3 cup smooth Dijon mustard 1/4 cup plain lowfat yogurt 1/4 cup olive oil 2 teaspoons McCormick® turmeric, ground 1/2 teaspoon McCormick® thyme leaves 3 boneless skinless Sanderson Farms chicken breasts, about 8 ounces each Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Mix all ingredients, except chicken, in medium bowl with wire whisk until well blended. Reserve 3 tablespoons for brushing. Set aside.

Place chicken in large resealable plastic bag or glass dish. Add remaining marinade; turn to coat well. Refrigerate 1 hour or longer for extra flavor. Remove chicken from marinade. Discard any remaining marinade.

Place chicken in glass baking dish sprayed with no 14 • FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017

stick cooking spray. Bake 15 minutes. Brush with reserved marinade. Bake 5 to 10 minutes longer or until chicken is cooked through. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Serves: 6

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6, NUMBER 1

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Yuletide Yummies eat. drink.

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DECEMBE

R/JANUAR Y 2017

page 22

MISSISSIPPI

UP IN FARM FOOD HUB S

GINGERBR EAD VILLAGE

nuary 2017

December/Ja

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

VOLUME

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

+ GRIT + Crystal Grill + Moo’s Barn & Grill + Nightin gale’s Pantry + Hook Gulf Coast Cuisine MISSISSIPPI •1

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

Getting a taste of Mississippi has never been easier! eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI • 15

{ fabulous foodie finds }

2017 Color “Greenery is a fresh and zesty yellow-green shade that evokes the first days of spring when nature’s greens revive, restore and renew. Illustrative of flourishing foliage and the lushness of the great outdoors, the fortifying attributes of Greenery signals consumers to take a deep breath, oxygenate and reinvigorate.”

- Pantone Color Institute

Le Creuset Mug, $15 The Kitchen Table, Hattiesburg

Rectangle Open Handle Platter, $78 Etta B Pottery Carmelo Palm Green Melamine Dinnerware, $6.95 - $7.95 Pier 1 Imports 16 • FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017

of the Year

Supreme Housewares Acrylic Salt and Pepper Mill, Green Dots, Set of 2, $31.95 Amazon

Wood-Grain Chargers, Set of four - $35.00 Sur La Table

TriScale Folding Digital Scale, $30 Joseph Joseph

see page 80 for store information eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI • 17

{ chef's corner }

Q&A with Chef Russell Smith of Smith. in Corinth C hef Russell Smith is a native of Corinth and graduated from Corinth High School in 1996. He attended Northeast Mississippi Community College for two years and then attended Mississippi State University until 2001.

Smith then moved to Oxford to work for John Currence at City Grocery. In 2006, he moved back home to help his mother run Russell’s Beef House. He is currently chef at Smith. in Corinth, which opened in 2013.

Who or what influenced you to become a chef?

My grandmother Lucille was probably the best cook that I know. I really consider myself a good cook rather than a chef.

I worked with John Currence in Oxford. He influenced the way I approach cooking and ingredients these days.

What is your favorite food memory?

I worked a Southern Foodways Symposium with Ann Cashion.

She made the best She-Crab Soup that I’ve ever had. If it’s on the menu, I’m ordering it and I always compare it. I can still taste that stuff.

How did you end up in Corinth?

I was born in Corinth. I worked in the family restaurant starting in about the fourth grade and swore I’d never be in this business. Now it’s all I want to do. Bring great food to my hometown from two restaurants. My mom and I are at Russell’s and my wife and I are at Smith.

How would you describe the food at Smith.?

We call it “fine dining done casually.” Going out to eat is supposed to be fun.

What are your signature dishes?

We do a lot with beef, several cuts of steak. We aren’t a steakhouse and feature lots of Gulf seafood, mostly with a Cajun twist. We do a lot of Southern classics.

What’s your favorite ingredient?

It tends to rotate with the four seasons - shrimp, crawfish, crab, and oyster.

What’s your favorite dish to prepare?

Risotto is probably my favorite dish. It is so versatile. It’s a labor of love. I blame Currence for that.

What’s your favorite dish to eat?

Just about any dish with scallops. I can’t help myself.

18 • FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017

Chef Russell Smith What do you enjoy doing on your days off?

I love hanging out with my wife, Julia, and our three daughters, Lucy, Lilly, and Mary Russell. I pick a little guitar and listen to the Drive By Truckers.

What do you enjoy cooking at home?

I love reading cookbooks and trying recipes that are from friends that have written them.

When you’re not at work, where do you like to eat out?

I have several friends that have restaurants across the South and beyond - Johnny’s in Homewood, Ala.; Snackbar, City Grocery, BBB, Ajax (where I met my wife), all in Oxford; Hog & Hominy in Memphis, Tenn.; Kermit’s Outlaw Kitchen and Neon Pig, both in Tupelo. edm

Chipotle-Maple Glaze 1 can chipotle peppers in adobo sauce 1 shallot, minced 3 cups pure maple syrup 3 cups veal stock Salt and black pepper, to taste “Right now our menu has a Chipotle-Maple Glazed Salmon.

Here is the sauce that makes the dish. We serve it on fish, but it has the perfect sweetness and spice to go with any fish, chicken, beef, or anything else you want. I have some people that want it on salads (hey, to each their own).” - Chef Russell Smith

Purée the chipotles in adobo in food processor. In a sauce pot, combine all ingredients and bring to a boil.

Reduce to a simmer. Reduce the sauce by 1/2. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI • 19

DEEP SOUTH DISH Food. Family. Memories.

Mary Foreman, a native of Biloxi, is the author of the popular website deepsouthdish.com, where she shares her favorite, homespun, mostly from scratch and, very often, heirloom and heritage, Southern recipes. She is also author of her first cookbook, Deep South Dish: Homestyle Southern Recipes.

20 • FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017

Chilly Weather Calls for Homemade Chili

BY MARY FOREMAN

E

arly January blew a winter wave into the Deep South. Even here along the Gulf Coast we had three freezing nights in a row, and not much warmer days.

Chili is perfect for weather like that, or for game day, Mardi Gras parties, and other gatherings. It’s hearty, filling, and there are so many ways to customize it. Like cornbread, it can hold its own in controversy. Some folks get very serious about their chili, even going so far as to dry and grind their own peppers while the rest of us are perfectly happy to get ours at the grocery market.

Folks in Texas prefer using a beef roast or venison and usually say no to beans, though they may offer them as an add-in garnish at the table. They don’t use much tomato either, if any, and usually finish with corn masa or cornmeal, which adds just a hint of sweetness and thickening power to help tighten the chili. Some argue over whether onion should be cooked in the chili or only offered raw as a garnish.

Beans are a point of contention elsewhere, too. No matter which of my recipes I share on Facebook, there will be two prevailing comments. No beans! Or, where are the beans? A mostly meat-based chili can be expensive and most recipes will give you only a scant amount, so beans make a great extender to stretch a pot of chili. I have a recipe on my blog, DeepSouthDish.com, where I add in creamed Creole-style red beans or a can of kidney beans that have been mashed. It came about one day when that’s all I had in the pantry and discovered that mashed beans add a nice, creamy consistency.

Here’s a little nutritional fact, too. Besides being a nutritional powerhouse providing fiber, protein, magnesium, and potassium, did you know that while most canned beans are very high in sodium, draining and rinsing them gets rid of nearly half of the sodium level? And, just so you know, it also helps to reduce some of those gas-causing sugars, too. Just sayin’…

Then, there’s chili with pasta. Most of us are familiar with chili mac. I have an easy skillet favorite myself, but several years back a friend from Ohio introduced me to Cincinnati-style, better known as Skyline chili. It’s seasoned with things like cocoa, allspice, cloves, and grated chocolate, and is served over spaghetti noodles, of all things. I’d never heard of such a thing. Skyline chili is also offered much like Philly cheesesteaks are, with a multitude of extras, from simple two way to five way, typically as garnishes, including things like beans, raw onion, raw garlic, and shredded cheese. Even though I wasn’t quite as adventurous to make a more authentic version, I cheated a bit and made my own chili. Though my husband looked at me like I had horns growing out of my head the first time I set a plate of chili spooned over spaghetti in front of him, we both had to admit that it was mighty good served like that.

In all honesty, that’s the kind of chili gal I am anyway. I love all kinds. With beans, without beans, spicy, not so spicy, with pasta mixed in, or served over noodles. I’m not one to argue that there is only one kind of chili. I say let’s enjoy them all!

This recipe is my go-to for the Super Bowl, pre-parade, or anytime that I have a small gathering of friends. It is meat based, using a mix of ground beef and sausage, and absent filler stuff like tomato sauce, tomatoes or beans, making about a 6-cup batch of chili. If you’re looking to feed more or to make it as a main dish, just increase the recipe as desired. Stretch it further by increasing the beef broth, adding canned stewed or diced tomatoes or tomato sauce, and one or two cans of beans, drained and rinsed, if you like beans in your chili. When I make a chili with beans, I usually add canned light red kidney beans, but you can use pintos, chili beans, white beans, or whatever bean you like - even a combination of them. I like using a three-way seasoning method with my homemade chili, so there’s a dry and a wet seasoning as well as seasonings for the chili itself, but don’t get overwhelmed by the list of ingredients. It’s all vegetables, seasonings, and flavor y’all, basic pantry stuff you probably have on hand anyway. edm

Homemade Stovetop No Bean Beef Chili ©From the Kitchen of Deep South Dish

Dry Seasoning: 1 tablespoon ground cumin 1 tablespoon dried oregano 1 tablespoon chili powder 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon Cajun or Creole seasoning 1 tablespoon granulated sugar Wet Seasoning 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce 2 tablespoons Kitchen Bouquet Couple dashes hot sauce 1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste Chili: 2 tablespoons cooking oil 1 medium yellow onion, diced 1 medium green bell pepper, diced 1 medium red bell pepper, diced 1/4 cup chopped green chiles or jalapeño 1 pound ground chuck 1 pound raw sausage (Italian, bratwurst, breakfast, or Mexican chorizo), casings removed 3 garlic cloves, minced 2 cups beef stock or broth 2 medium bay leaves Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

Garnishes: Tortilla or corn chips, oyster crackers, dollop of sour cream, hot sauce, shredded cheddar cheese, sliced green onion, chopped raw sweet, yellow or red onion, and/ or fresh cilantro Combine the dry seasonings; set aside. Combine the wet seasonings; set aside.

Heat the oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, green and red bell peppers and jalapeños and saute until tender, about 5 minutes. Add ground beef and sausage, cooking for about 10 minutes or until meat is no longer pink. Add the garlic and cook another minute. Drain off any excess fat.

Add dry seasoning mixture to meat, and continue to cook about 5 minutes longer. Add wet seasoning, cooking for another 4 minutes. Add beef stock and bay leaves and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered for one hour. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.

Garnish as desired and serve with saltines or cornbread.

Also good served over hot steamed rice, spaghetti pasta or spooned over cornbread.

Crockpot: Brown meats in skillet and drain. Transfer to slow cooker. Add the dry and wet seasonings, veggies and chili ingredients, stir well, cover and cook on low 7 to 8 hours.

Yield: About 6 cups eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI • 21

f o s t i r i p S si s si ppi Mi s

Exploring Our State’s Small Batch Distilleries

By Lisa LaFontaine Bynum It’s the weekend and it’s time to unwind with a cocktail. No matter your weapon of choice, as you’re filling a glass with ice and pouring the good stuff, you probably don’t put much thought into the science that went into producing that bottle. Over the last few years, it has been exciting to watch Mississippi break into the craft spirits market. While we are still a relative newcomer, be assured that our local distilleries are blazing a trail.

Cathead Distillery

422 S Farish St., Jackson 601.667.3038 www.catheaddistillery.com

Cathead Distillery has the distinction of being Mississippi’s first legal distillery. Co-owners and Mississippi natives Austin Evans and Richard Patrick met and became friends while studying at The University of Alabama. After college, they moved to Charleston, South Carolina and pursued careers in the food and beverage industry.

When asked why they decided to come back to Mississippi and open a distillery, something that had never been done before, Patrick replied, “Because alcohol makes everyone happy.”

Avid lovers of blues music, the partners decided to name their groundbreaking business venture after a term used among the legendary blues musicians of the Mississippi Delta. The term “cathead” shows appreciation to a respected musician.

Patrick says they chose to make vodka because, “. . . the South is so hot and vodka is a neutral spirit that can be mixed with a cold drink to cool off in the summertime. Plus, we wanted to make a product that we enjoy drinking.”

Cathead Vodka launched in 2010. Everything is produced in small batches, distilled six times, charcoal filtered, then allowed to settle in 500 gallon vats. The result is a clean, smooth, solid spirit.

Four years ago, Cathead brought Philip Ladner on board as lead distiller. A Long Beach native, Ladner spent 10 years working in the wine making industry in New Zealand and Napa 22 • FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017

before switching to distilling. After talking with Ladner for a few minutes, you can tell he has a passion for what he does. With Ladner on board, Cathead has been able to launch themselves into a full-blown distillery, branching off into other products.

Currently their brands include Cathead Honeysuckle, Cathead Pecan, Bristow Gin, Bristow Reserve Gin, Hoodoo Chicory Liqueur, and Mississippi Moonshine. A bourbon is in the works, but no speculation yet on when it will be ready for market.

Cathead is currently sold in 14 states. In December 2015, the distillery expanded into a 20,000 square foot warehouse in

Downtown Jackson. The almost 100-year-old building, which once served as a supply warehouse for Mississippi school books, gives them five times the capacity.

“We’re trying to expand into other markets organically,” Evans says. “When the time comes that we need to increase production, we should have plenty of room for a long time.”

Until then, the partners use what’s not utilized for production to support their second love – music. Cathead frequently hosts events and live music thought out the year, in addition to distillery tours.

Charboneau Distillery

The name “Charboneau” is wellknown in Mississippi and certainly throughout Natchez. Chef Regina Charboneau made a name for herself across the country as a restauranteur and cookbook author.

However, these days Charboneau name is being associated with something entirely different – rum.

In 2013, Doug and Regina Charboneau purchased the King’s Tavern in Natchez with the intent of restoring and preserving the 220+ year old historic building. The main building reopened as a restaurant. Doug, who was considering semi-retirement and had fond memories of sipping rum on the beaches of the Caribbean with his wife, wanted to open a rum distillery in the adjoining buildings.

The Chaboneau’s oldest son, Jean-Luc, was working in the

617 Jefferson St., Natchez 601.861.4203 www.charboneaudistillery.com

film industry in New Orleans at the time.

“My dad called me up and said, ‘This is what I want to do.

If you’re interested, I’ll give you twenty-five percent,” said JeanLuc. He adds jokingly, “At the time, I didn’t know that meant I would be doing 100% of the work.”

The father-son team did a fair amount of training and research on the ins and outs of rum making before setting up their 150-gallon single-column still in a 100-year-old corner storefront just down the sidewalk from the King’s Tavern.

Their rum is made from a combination of sugar and molasses sourced from a mill in New Iberia, Louisiana.

Charboneau Distillery released its first batch of Charboneau White Rum in November 2014. Seven months eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI • 23

later in June 2015, the rum received a 92 rating and Gold Medal from the Beverage Tasting Institute, making it the highest rated American made White Rum BTI has ever rated. Earlier this year, the distillery released Charboneau Gold Rum – which is aged in oak barrels to give it its color. It received a 93 rating and Gold Medal from the Beverage Tasting Institute in April of this year. It’s highest rated American made Gold Rum BTI

has ever rated.

Today, Charboneau Rum produces between 1,500 and 2,000 cases a year. They have a few new products they hope to have in the pipeline soon, like aged and black rum. Charboneau Rum is available at select liquor stores throughout the state. If you are in Natchez, stop by the King’s Tavern, pick up a bottle in the gift shop, and ask Jean-Luc to give you a tour.

Rich Grain Distilling Co.

339 W Peace St., Canton 601.391.3190 www.richdistilling.com

When David Rich graduated with a degree in mechanical engineering from Ole Miss, opening a distillery in Mississippi wasn’t on his radar. After college, Rich worked for the defense industry in Hunstville for several years. When asked how he became interested in distilling, he gives a sheepish grin and admits it began as a hobby at home. After living away from home for several years, he decided to return to Mississippi and turn his hobby into a career.

As it turns out, Rich’s background in mechanical engineering came in handy. He custom built the hybrid still he uses to produce his corn whiskey, white rum, spiced rum, and bourbon. His operations are based out of an 1880’s storefront one block from Canton’s famous square. According to Rich, before Prohibition, the city of Canton was the unofficial capital of Mississippi liquor sales and distribution because of its central location along the Illinois Central Railroad. At one time, there was a different liquor dealer at all four corners of the Canton square. Those days are long gone. However for Rich, it’s still a prime location. The Madison County Co-op, where Rich purchases all his corn, is directly out his back door. His sugar is sourced from a plant in Louisiana.

Rich produced his first batch of spirits in March 2016.

He opened his door to the public three months later in June.

Corn whiskey and white rum are the only two spirits currently available for purchase. Several dozen American white oak barrels lined up in rows in the back room of the distillery hold bourbon. Rich is hopeful these will be ready for bottling sometime in late 2017.

While Rich has only been in business a short time, the name Rich Grain Distilling Company dates back much further – over 120 years to be exact.

“As I was researching names for my company, I stumbled upon this place called Rich Grain Distilling Company in Kansas City, Missouri” explains Rich.

The original Rich 24 • FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017

Grain shut its doors in 1895. Since the name hasn’t been used in over a decade, Rich got permission to adopt the name for his own distillery.

“It just worked out that the name happens to have my last name in it,” he adds.

The signage on the front of the building and the logo on each of his labels also pays homage to the original. If you look closely amidst the bottles of Rich Grain spirits lined up

Coming Summer 2017

proudly behind the copper-topped bar in the tasting room, guests will spy one empty bottle – it’s glass is cloudy white compared to the crystal clear bottles next it to. It’s an original bottle that Rich handles with care as he takes it down off the shelf to show it off.

Right now, Rich is still a one-man operation. He produces 500 - 600 bottles a week, which are sold in stores throughout Jackson, Hattiesburg, Meridian, and Starkville.

Crit tenden Distillery

Matt Crittenden is another Ole Miss grad who left behind the corporate world to pursue other interests. Crittenden received both an accounting and a law degree from Ole Miss, then went on to receive a degree in tax law from Georgetown University. When asked why he left it all behind, he says, “I was looking for something else.”

Crittenden was born in the Delta, but moved to Kiln in the third grade. Both of these areas influenced his decision to launch Crittenden Distillery.

19193 Highway 43, Kiln www.crittendendistillery.com

“Moonshine has a long and interesting history in Hancock County,” he explains. “It’s something I’ve always been interested in. We also have the rich grains and agriculture at our disposal that are good for stilling.”

Crittenden is still in the process of getting his paperwork and permits in order and putting the finishing touches on his facility and column still. Once he’s up and running, he plans to produce bourbon, rye whiskey, corn whiskey, and rum.

21.02S 00TN ATTTA ETTSEETSS ATTTA ETESEETTSR,TEJRE NO, NM, SM S 1 2 0 01N 0A. T NSE.TSS A R AETCE,KTJS,AOJCN AKC , SM KOSS M M M AM M A– TSU ARtYo 11 1 16t0o M O N DAM Y –OSN M ADO TAN UYD R–A DSY A Y 1AR 1TADU DA Y 0 APM1 1t o 1 .03P 9 68 0. 4165. 0 36 1 92 .83. 9 4themanshipjackson.com 5 .6425 6 2themanshipjackson.com 0P 1 8 themanshipjackson.com

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{ mississippi made }

Quality is the Key for Simmons Catfish

By GENNIE TAYLOR

P

lacing emphasis on quality, Simmons Farm Raised Catfish has been a successful leader in the catfish industry for almost 40 years produces millions of pounds of fish each year on the company’s farm in Yazoo City.

Simmons Catfish sets quality as their priority, said Katy Simmons Prosser, Marketing and Brand Development Director and daughter to founder Harry Simmons, Jr. “Quality is a key difference for us at Simmons,” Prosser said. “It is something we are known for in the catfish industry. About half of our products are hand cut, which also makes our product stand out for its clean presentation. We also chill our fish immediately upon arrival to the plant which keeps our fish as fresh as possible.”

“Also, with more and more people understanding and caring where their food comes from, we hope people will start to choose U.S. grown catfish when given the choice,” Prosser said.

Farm-raised catfish is the largest aquaculture industry in the United States and Simmons is one of the largest catfish farms in the state of Mississippi.

In 2005, the U.S. catfish industry produced 600 million pounds of catfish from 165,000 pond water acres. Mississippi produced 350 million pounds, or 55 percent, of all U. S. catfish production in 2005, and Mississippians produced this amount in only 100,000 pond water acres.

Today, Simmons Catfish produces between 18-20 million pounds of catfish per year on more than 2,000 acres.

The Simmons family has perfected the art of producing some of the highest quality catfish in the country on the Simmons Catfish farm. Simmons Catfish’s production plant 26 • FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017

employs around 250 people. Many of these employees include friends and family members such as Prosser.

A trained chef, Prosser, was brought into the family business to help create and promote more flavorful ways to enjoy Simmons Catfish.

“Simmons Catfish is a family-owned operation that was started by my father, Harry Simmons, in 1982 and we have bright plans for the future with many new faces coming aboard in recent years including myself and my husband, Andy Prosser,” Katy Simmons Prosser said. “Plus, our cousin, Dan Bradshaw, is our farm manager, so there are lots of family members involved with Simmons Catfish.”

In the 1970s, Harry Simmons returned to the Mississippi Delta, after spending time in the Army and at college, with plans to farm. He began farming cotton and soybeans, but by the late 70s, he began to think about a different crop – catfish.

Simmons describes this crop as “a clean, sustainable food that can provide delicious year-round nutrition for American families even as it protects and nurtures the environment.”

Using his resources, including the rich alluvial soil of the Mississippi Delta, Simmons began to replace his fields with ponds supplied by 100-feet below ground aquifers.

Simmons began stocking ponds and growing acreage. By 1982, Harry Simmons opened his catfish processing plant, giving him the opportunity to market his catfish and develop a brand that would come to be known for its quality.

In addition, Simmons Catfish oversees all environmental control and production aspects of the farming internally,

safeguarding the utmost highest quality products to include Harry Simmons has set a standard in the catfish industry whole catfish, fillet cuts, nuggets, catfish steaks, breaded for high-quality catfish. That quality assurance is expected to be products, marinated fillets, hushpuppies, breading, and gift maintained by all employees of Simmons Catfish where they packs. have the company motto of “Quality is everyone’s business.”

“Fillets are our best-selling item,” Prosser said. “We have edm many sizes ranging from small 2-4 ounce fillets to large 9-12 ounce fillets. Of all the sizes, 3-5 fillets are probably the most Simmons Farm Raised Catfish, Inc. popular since this is what most people like to fry.”

2628 Erickson Rd., Yazoo City In addition to the traditional favorites, Simmons Catfish 662.746.5687 continues to bring new products to their customers. www.simmonscatfish.com “Our Delacata is one of our newest products,” Prosser said. “It is a center cut of a fillet that is hand trimmed removing any fat or skin layer making it the finest cut of catfish available.”

Prosser said the company sells directly to restaurants, grocers, and distributors.

“Some of our biggest customers are Cock of the Walk, Cracker Barrel, and Jerry’s Catfish House,” she said. “Local grocers like McDade’s, Piggly Wiggly, and Save-a-lot are good spots to find our fish too.

“Our trucks travel all over the Southeast, but one of our biggest customers is a fish market in Los Angeles.”

In addition, Simmons Catfish has an online store that ships all over the US. And many patrons shop for Simmons Catfish the “old-fashioned” way. They From left, Harry Simmons, Jr., President of Simmons Catfish; “come out to our farm to buy directly Katy Simmons Prosser, Marketing and Brand Development Director; from us,” Prosser said. and Dan Bradshaw, Farm Manager. eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI • 27

Pan-Fried Delacata with Lemon, Butter and Caper Sauce 1 stick butter 1 (5 to 6-ounce) Delacata fillet Salt Freshly ground black pepper 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour 1 tablespoon capers 2 large lemons, juiced Melt butter in large skillet over medium high heat. Season fillet with salt and pepper; then lightly dust with flour. When butter is hot, add fillet presentation-side down. Cook 3 to 4 minutes or until golden brown.

Carefully turn fillet; cook 3 to 4 more minutes or until done. Remove from skillet and set aside.

Add capers to skillet. Cook 30 seconds. Remove skillet from heat and carefully add lemon juice. Stir to combine; season with salt and pepper.

Plate Delacata fillet and drizzle with caper sauce.

Mr. Bill’s Pan Sautéed Catfish 2 tablespoons butter, melted 1 teaspoon Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning 4 teaspoons Cavender’s Greek Seasoning 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided Bill’s Pan 6 Simmons Delacata Style Catfish or Mr. 5-7 ounce fillets

Sautéed Catfish

Katy’s Catfish Cakes

3-4 (3-5 ounce) Simmons Catfish Fillets Katy’s Catfish Cak Olive oil Tony Cachere’s Creole Seasoning Pepper 1/3 cup mayonnaise SSIIMMON MMONSS 1/4 cup minced redFAonion FAR RM MR RA AIISSE ED D 1/4 cup minced red bell pepper CAT FFIISSH CAT H 2 tablespoons minced celery 1-1/2 tablespoons lemon juice 1 egg white, lightly beaten INGREDIENTS 3-4 (3-5 oz.) cooked Simmons Catfish Fillets, 1-1/4 cups panko breadcrumbs, divided crumbled (seasoned with olive oil, Tony’s, and pepper then baked for 20 minutes at 375 degrees) Salt and pepper ¹/3 cup mayonnaise 2 tablespoons unsalted butter ¼ cup minced red onion

Combine butter, Tony’s, Cavender’s, and 4 tablespoons olive oil in bowl.

Wipe the catfish dry and SSIIMMON MMONSS marinate in butter FA mixture 30 R IISSE FA RM MR RA Afor ED D CAT CATFFIISSH H minutes or up to 2 hours.

Heat a sauté or grill pan to ¼ cup minced red bell pepper medium heat with 2 tablespoons 2 tablespoons minced celery ½ tablespoons lemon juice of olive oil. Put catfish in pan, Season catfish fillets with olive oil,11 Tony’s seasoning, and egg white, lightly beaten INGREDIENTS 1 ¼ 375 cups panko breadcrumbs,Let divided presentation side down. Cook for 6 Simmons Delacata Style Catfish or 5-7 oz.pepper.

Bake in oven for 20 minutes at degrees.

Fillets 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 2 tablespoons butter, melted salt and pepper 15 minutes then turn and cook for 5 1minutes more. catfish cool and then crumble . teaspoon Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning Cavender’ssandwich.

Greek Seasoning Serve with sauce of your choice or4 teaspoons as a catfish Combine mayonnaise and next 5 ingredients with 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided Servings: 6 catfish and 3/4 cupPrep panko breadcrumbs in a large bowl.

Ready in: 1 hr 35 m Serv 10 m Time: 1 hr 25 m Cook Time: Season to taste with salt and pepper. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

Bill Meeks has been an important part of the Simmons Form into patties, then dredge patties remaining panko.

1. Combine mayonnaise, and next 6in ingredients 3. Serve with Comeback sauce or red pep with catfish and ¾ cup panko breadcrumbs in a team for almost 30 years. You can often find him in the Place in freezer for 15 large minutes bowl. Season to before taste with saltcooking. and pepper.

Serves 6 CAKES OR 12 MINI CAKES Servings: 6 Ready in: 55 m Cook Time: 20 m Prep Time: 35 m Refrigerate for 1 hour. Form into patties; then kitchen preparing catfish in many different ways. This has Heat 2 tablespoons butter in a nonstick skilletThese over dredge patties in remaining panko. Place in freezer catfish cakes are a variation of a crab 15 minutes beforeto cooking. recipe but with become his favorite preparation especially for the Delacata medium high heat.forAdd cakes pan; cook 10 minutes orthe clean fresh flavor of Simm Catfish. These are always a hit at parties esp 4. Serve with sauce of your choice or as a 1. Combine butter, Tony’s, Cavender’s, and 4 2.

Heat 2 tablespoons butter in a nonstick skillet mini size served Style Catfish. until lightly browned and cooked through; turning once.with Comeback sauce. tablespoons olive oil in bowl. catfish sandwich. over medium high heat. Add cakes to pan; cook 10 minutes or until lightly and cooked aioli.

Serve with Comeback sauce orbrowned red pepper 2. Wipe the catfish dry and marinate in butter Mr. Bill Meeks, creator of the Catfish Chip, has through; turning once. mixture for 30 minutes or up to 2 hours. been an important part of the Simmons team 6 forcakes or 12 mini cakes Serves 3. Heat a sauté or grill pan to medium heat with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Put catfish in pan presentation side down. Cook for 15 minutes then turn and cook for 5 minutes more.

28 • FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017

almost 30 years. You can often find him in the kitchen preparing catfish in many different ways.

This has become his favorite preparation especially for the Delacata Style Catfish.

Simmons Farm Raised Catfish, Inc. • 2628 Erickson Road • Yazoo City, MS 39 www.simmonscatfish.com

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Double Diabolo Cake 30 • FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017

{ memory lane }

Just a Soso Valentine by janette tibbetts

O

ur class graduated from Soso High School in 1959.

A week before Christmas, ten classmates who keep in touch were invited to a brunch at Lucy’s, but only eight were present. Marian and Martha Doris were sick.

Marian is improving. Sadly we lost Martha Doris. Her life of service was celebrated a couple of days after Christmas.

Because we are in the middle of our eighth decade, we no longer feel comfortable referring to ourselves as girls. However, in spite of our painful losses, we are still able to have too much fun to think of ourselves as old women.

We smile when Deloris, who is still beautiful, asks, “Do y’all have to tell everyone we are 75-years old?”

While none have divorced, over half of us have survived our husbands.

I’m the only widow to remarry.

After being blissfully married to a remarkable Southerner gentleman for nearly 45 years, I was swepy off my feet, fell deeply in love, and married Jon, a Californian. Later this year, we will celebrate our tenth wedding anniversary. However, I admit that a few times I have recalled Oyxdol’s Own Ma Perkins, a 1940’s radio soap-opera. With a couple of changes to the geography in the soap’s introduction, it’s easy for me

to wonder, “Will a ninth-generation South Mississippian find lasting love and happiness with her Northern California husband?”

These thoughts may come to mind while we are watching Mississippi State and Ole Miss play football and I step to the kitchen to replenish our snacks and return to find Jon has flipped the channel to Oregon and U.C. Berkeley or when after attending a late Christmas Eve Communion service, dressing again early on Christmas morning (which was on Sunday last year) for church and Jon saying, “What, church again? We just got back!”

I admit that in addition to enjoying church, I’m a hopeless romantic. Mrs. Kervin, our high school English teacher, introduced us to Scottish poet Robert Burns and I still read and recite his verses. “My love is like a red red rose,” and the following lines are my favorite.

Among the Scriptures I often quote is, “Now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”

Yes, Deloris, if we survive until our birthdays, I will be 76 this year and Jon will be 78.

But more importantly than the numbers--we still believe in love! edm

According to my husband, once a year I remove from our oven on the eve of Valentine’s Day the most wonderful chocolate cake in the world. I have been baking the Double Diabolo for almost three decades. I originally found the recipe in Martha Stewart’s Entertaining.

Through the years, I have revised Stewarts’ version which she adapted from Decadent Desserts, published in France.

Before the popularity of gluten-free diets, almond flour was so difficult to find I had to vacuum and clean my coffee grinder by running a handful of bleached almonds through it before grinding almonds into usable cake flour. Neither was Godiva chocolate available in our area, but could be ordered.

High quality chocolate enhances this cake and it’s now stocked in most grocery stores. Thirty-years ago I also had to search for imported French macarons, which can presently be found on the shelf at Sam’s Club.

After finding a source for the ingredients and mastering the technique for this deliciously-moist cake, I would bake it more often for my husband and guests if it were not so extremely rich and high in calories.

Janette and Jon Tibbetts

eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI • 31

Double Diabolo Cake For the cake: 1/2 cup or less raisins 1/2 cup Scotch whisky 1/2 pound unsalted butter, plus enough for pans 14 ounces (high quality) semisweet chocolate (I prefer Godiva) 1/4 cup water 6 large eggs 1-1/3 cups sugar 9 tablespoons cake flour, plus extra for pans 1-1/3 cups almond flour Pinch of salt Soak raisins overnight in Scotch.

Heat oven 350 degrees F. Butter 13-1/2 x 9 rectangular and 7-1/2 x 8-1/4 heart pan. Line pans with parchment paper. Butter evenly, dust parchment papers with flour and tap out access. Set aside.

Melt chocolate in 1/4 cup water in bowl over double boiler of boiling water.

Cut butter in small slices and add. Stir until melted.

Remove bowl from heat and set aside.

Beat egg yolks and sugar until thick and creamy. Add yolks and sugar to melted chocolate and blend.

Add cake flour, almond flour, raisins and the Scotch in which they were soaked. Stir until combined.

In electric mixer-bowl, beat egg whites and salt until stiff. Gently fold egg whites, one third at a time, into the mixture.

Measure out 1-1/2 cups of mixture. Set aside.

Pour remaining mixture into 13-1/2 x 9 pan and spread evenly with spatula.

Bake in oven approximately 20-23 minutes or until cake shrinks from sides of pan. Do not over bake. The cake should remain moist in the center.

Remove cake from oven and allow to cool in pan on wire rack for 10-15 minutes.

Pour the remaining 1-1/2 cups mixture into heart32 • FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017

shaped pan. Place in oven. Bake 12-17 minutes or until cake shrinks from sides of pan.

Cool on wire rack for 8-10 minutes.

Turn cake out on wire rack to cool.

When cakes are completely cool (1 to 2 hours or longer -- the key to successfully handling this cake is to give it plenty of time to cool), place large cake on platter and stack smaller.

GANACHE

8 ounces of Godiva semisweet chocolate 1 cup heavy cream Break or chop chocolate into small pieces. Place in heatproof bowl. Prepare ice bath for bowl.

In a small sauce pan over medium heat, bring cream to simmer. Remove from heat and pour over chopped chocolate. Immediately set bowl in ice bath.

Overheating the chocolate will make it dull.

Gently stir with rubber spatula until chocolate melts.

Do not stir bubbles into the mixture. Stir gently until mixture reaches the consistency of mayonnaise.

Pour over cool stacked cakes and spread with off-set spatula.

Let cake stand until ganache on cake is cool and set.

I garnish with raspberries and French imported raspberry macarons.

I have not found serving pieces on which this cake appears more beautiful than the colorful platter, desserts, cups and saucers by Vietri from The Kitchen Table in Hattiesburg.

We start Valentine’s morning with a slice of cake on the heart-shaped dessert dishes with coffee in matching cups and we end the evening with our third slice of cake and champagne toasts.

To us the Double Diabolo iced with shiny ganache is more than a delicious chocolate cake, it is our Valentine.

Chocolate 101:

It’s All About Love T

by sarah russell

o the Aztecs, it was an aphrodisiac. One way or the other, chocolate has become synonymous with love. To live without it is unthinkable. It’s a complicated affair though. Even going slow and easy, you can still get burned.

And your type? Well, your type is whatever you like.

What are all those types and what do you use them for?

Let’s head back to the beginning. The gift of love came from a cacao tree, more specifically its seeds which ended up a fine ground powder. That powder – either as “cocoa” or “Dutch” – is what bakers reach for because it has chemical properties which help things rise. The Dutch just removed some alkaline.

When fat, milk and/or sugar moved in, “chocolate” was no longer just a powder. It changed form. Now there’s multiple forms or types depending on what is or is not added.

Confused? Try thinking of dark chocolate as sisters, all of whom prefer little to no milk. Sister bittersweet is not as sugary as sweet and semi-sweet – they’re the two closest. All these sisters are good for desserts, candies, and dipping. The unsweet/bitter sister is liked by bakers who don’t want more sugar in their recipes. Besides, she’s the girl with a lot of flavor.

Milk chocolate defines itself. Careful – she’s a cool one… not inclined to melt down so easy. But she isn’t going to work for just any recipe. Still, she’s great for those chocolate chip cookies, and candies, too. Mr. Hershey created that for us.

The real heat is on white chocolate and its additives – is it or is it not “real” chocolate? Whatever it is to you, know that those additives tend to make recipe swap-outs very tricky. Its meltdowns are quicker, too, so careful with the burn.

About those meltdowns – traditionalists like the double

boiler, but hey, good ole microwave works. “When melting chocolate, people always talk about a double boiler. I don’t go to all that trouble. We just use the microwave. I know it sounds sacrilegious for a chef to use a microwave, but we use it to melt butter and melt chocolate,” says Mitchell Moore, the Chef/ Owner of Campbell Bakery in Jackson and Madison. As he says, chocolate doesn’t know the difference. Double boilers can also be trickier with the water thing.

See, chocolate is like a cat – it does not appreciate water. It literally seizes up…even a couple of drops in say, five pounds will make an instant colossal lump. Make sure pans are totally dry and watch out for steam. With the microwave, start with 20-30 second intervals. No need to take it to total meltdown.

Chocolate’s fat retains heat, so just stir. It’ll finish melting itself.

Slow and easy is best to avoid chocolate burns –yours and its.

So which chocolate does the award winning chef – yep, his bakery won 2016 State Best – like to work with? “My whole kind of culinary ideal is balance. I don’t want anything too sweet, but I also don’t want anything too bitter. I typically do different blends using cocoa powder, semi-sweet chocolate, milk chocolate as well as bittersweet depending on what we’re trying to accomplish,” Moore says.

He’s also hesitant to tell people what kind of chocolate to use, “Just use what you like.” For himself, it’s all about the extra dark chocolate, while his wife prefers milk chocolate. As he says, “It’s not wrong. That’s what she likes.”

That kind of understanding is what a wife could love.

That’s what chocolate and love are all about. Whatever your type is, just let yourself enjoy. edm

eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI • 33

Dark Chocolate Pirouline Crescent Rolls

chocolate Recipes, food styling, and photography by nikki gladd 34 • FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017

Dark Chocolate Pirouline Crescent Rolls

by Nikki Gladd

1 (8 count) package refrigerated crescent roll dough 16 Pirouline dark chocolate rolled wafer cookies Chocolate chips or melting wafers Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Place each crescent dough triangle on a flat clean working surface. Take one Pirouline cookie and place it at the large end of the crescent triangle and roll once, then place one more Pirouline next to it (there should be one layer of dough in between the two cookies) then roll the rest of the way towards the small end of the triangle. Place on a baking sheet with the seam side down. Repeat with the remaining dough triangles and cookies, using two cookies per triangle.

Bake in the preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes, until the dough is cooked through and golden. Remove from the oven; set aside.

In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the chocolate chips or chocolate wafers in the microwave at 50% power, stirring every 30 seconds until melted. Use a fork to drizzle the chocolate over top the baked crescent rolls. Serve immediately whole, or slice into party sized appetizers.

Chocolate Covered Crispy Poppers

eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI • 35

White Chocolate Raspberry Heart Cheesecake

36 • FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017

White Chocolate Raspberry Heart Cheesecake

by Nikki Gladd

For the Raspberry Sauce: 1 (12 ounce) bag frozen raspberries, thawed 1/3 cup sugar 2 teaspoons cornstarch, mixed with 1 Tablespoon water For the Crust: 1-1/2 cup chocolate graham cracker crumbs 1/4 cup sugar, or less to taste 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted For the Filling: 3 (8 ounce) packages 1/3-less-fat cream cheese (Neufchâtel), at room temperature 1/4 cup sugar 1 tablespoon cornstarch 3 large eggs, at room temperature 2/3 cup sour cream (reduced-fat is fine) 1-1/2 teaspoon vanilla 8 ounces white baking chocolate, melted according to package directions Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray an 8×3-inch springform pan with cooking spray.

For the Sauce: Set a fine strainer over a small saucepan. Press the raspberries through with a rubber spatula. Discard the pulp and seeds, then stir in the sugar. Heat over medium heat until sugar is dissolved, then stir in the cornstarch mixture. Bring to a boil, stirring until thickened. Set aside and let cool for later use.

For the Crust: In a small bowl, mix together the graham crackers and sugar. Pour in the butter and stir until equally moistened.

Pat into the bottom of the prepared pan and press up sides

about 2 inches (does not need to be even). Set aside.

For the Filling: Using the whisk attachment of your mixer, cream together the cream cheese, sugar and cornstarch in a large bowl on medium speed. Scrape down the sides and mix until smooth. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, just until blended. Mix in the sour cream and vanilla until incorporated, then add in the white chocolate. Mix until blended. Pour the filling into the prepared crust.

Decorate with the raspberry sauce: Starting 1 inch from the edge of the pan, drop 12 evenly spaced 1/2-inch round puddles of sauce in a circle on the cheesecake filling.

Run a toothpick through the circles to create marbled hearts. Make a second and third circle of hearts, going the opposite direction, if desired. Store the sauce in the fridge in an airtight container to serve later with the baked cheesecake.

Bake the cake for 15 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 250 degrees. Bake for another 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until the center of the cheesecake barely jiggles when shaken. Turn off the oven (leave oven door closed) and cool cake inside the oven for 1 hour. Remove pan to a wire rack to cool completely.

Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 4 hours.

Remove both cake and sauce from fridge one hour before serving, if you prefer the cheesecake at room temperature.

Otherwise, remove the cheesecake just before serving.

Run a knife around the edges, if necessary, and remove the sides of the pan. Serve each piece drizzled with the raspberry sauce.

This can be made up to 4 days ahead.

Note: If using the 4-inch springform pans, bake only 20-30 minutes at 350 degrees F and 45 minutes to 1 hour at 250 degrees F.

Chocolate Covered Crispy Poppers

by Nikki Gladd

2 tablespoons unsalted butter 2 cups miniature marshmallows 3 cups crispies cereal, such as Rice Krispies 8 ounces semisweet chocolate bar, chopped 1-1/2 cups bittersweet chocolate chips Line a baking sheet with parchment or wax paper. Set aside.

In a large sauce pan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Add the marshmallows and frequently stir over the heat while they melt. Once melted, remove from the heat and stir in the cereal until coated.

Working quickly, shape the sticky crispy mixture into small bite sized pieces and layer on the lined baking sheet.

(Spray your hands with cooking spray to keep the crispies from sticking while shaping.) Set aside and prepare the chocolate.

Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water over low heat. Remove from the heat when completely melted.

Using a toothpick, dip the crispy bites, one at a time, into the chocolate and turn to coat. Scrape against the side of the bowl to remove excess chocolate, then return the chocolate covered crispies to the lined pan.

Once all crispy poppers are dipped in the chocolate, let set a few hours until chocolate hardens. If the chocolate does not harden, place the poppers in the fridge. It's so humid here in Mississippi, so I store them in the fridge. eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI • 37

Sally and Gilroy Chow 38 • FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017

Chow-ing Down Clarksdale Couple Earns National Recognition for Culinary Work story and photography by coop cooper a.k.a. the small town critic

C

larksdale residents Gilroy and Sally Chow do not own a gala fundraiser in December at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel a restaurant, nor do they cater meals commercially. with the honored chefs in attendance. Also present were Tim Yet this past November they were among thirty-three and Nina Zagat (founders of the Zagat Survey) and Hollywood notable culinary artists of Chinese descent honored at the actor B.D. Wong who presented the chefs with a gift of crystal Museum of Chinese in America (MOCA) in New York. Their bowls from Tiffany & Co. The price for tables at the fundraiser culinary work is featured at the museum exhibit titled “Sour, reached into the tens of thousands of dollars and the event Sweet, Bitter, Spicy: Stories itself raised over $160,000. of Chinese Food and Identity Of course all Clarksdale in America” and they shared residents are quite aware of recognition with famous chefs the cooking prowess of the and TV personalities such as Chows. Sally and her sister-inMing Tsai, Anita Lo, Martin law, Alice, are well known in Yan, and Ken Hom. the Delta and beyond for their “It’s all about celebrating, sublime wedding and birthday being Chinese and food and cakes. However, several articles how it all connects us,” says about Gilroy and Sally have Gilroy. “It’s a multimedia appeared in Southern Living, presentation with videos. If The New York Times, and many you want to see the entire other prestigious publications exhibition, it takes an hour and over the years, profiling their a half.” unique blend of traditional The exhibition is described Chinese cooking fused with as thus by the museum: “Sour, Southern American cuisine. The Sweet, Bitter, Spicy is an Chows have cooked for events imaginary banquet in which sponsored by the Smithsonian, featured guests represent appeared on Bizarre Foods with diverse histories, cuisines and Andrew Zimmern and were geographic regions... What does featured in the Cooking Across Chinese food in America, in its America cookbook, all of which dizzying variety, say about who helped to put them on the radar we are – or are not – today?” for the MOCA exhibit.

The MOCA hosted For this article, Gilroy and an opening event with the Sally prepared one of their honorees, presenting them signature dishes, Southern Fried with ceramic works of art Rice. Using a custom outdoor inspired by Chinese cooking.

Gilroy Chow prepares his Southern Fried Rice at burner and a wok, using a few The museum followed up with ingredients not normally used his home in Clarksdale. eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI • 39

in Chinese cooking.

“Bacon fat, bacon and ham.

That’s what makes it ‘Southern’ fried rice,” says Gilroy. “You don’t find ham in fried rice at a Chinese restaurant. Unlike today when you can go up to Memphis and get the traditional ingredients you need, in the past you would get it out of your garden. An example of that is collard greens, which is very similar to a vegetable called ‘kailan.’ We stir-fry the collard greens with garlic. It’s a Southern dish cooked Chinese-style. We use okra, too. We make do with what’s available.”

The Chows have a deep connection to cooking due to their families who settled in the Delta in the early 20th Century.

Gilroy’s parents were farmers who moved from Cleveland to New York City when he was only six years old. His father started a tea, cotton, and oil import/export business and had an office in the Empire State Building.

“He had the shortest name in the tallest building in the world,” laughs Gilroy. “The Chinese character for ‘Joe’ is the same for ‘Chow.’ ‘Joe T. Im’ is how they labeled his name on the directory.”

Once the ‘bamboo curtain’ went up and an embargo seriously restricted U.S. trade with China, Gilroy’s family opened a Chinese restaurant and Gilroy grew up working for the family business and delivering food by bicycle on the streets of Manhattan.

After graduating from Forest Hills High School – which he attended with musicians Simon and Garfunkel – Gilroy returned to Mississippi to attend Mississippi State University where he earned an engineering degree. This led him to a job with Grumman Aerospace Corporation, which segued into a fascinating career working for NASA in their Apollo space program at Cape Canaveral, Florida. Around this time, Gilroy’s family collaborated with Sally’s family to put them in touch with each other in the hopes of striking up a spark between the two.

Soon after, they started a long-distance relationship.

Sally was born and raised in Dublin, a community in Coahoma County. He grandfather arrived in Marks as an immigrant laborer who amassed a number of impressive skills over the years: Tombstone engraving, masonry, childbirth delivery, and, yes, even cooking and baking. When Sally’s grandmother died in the 1930s, Sally’s mother took charge of 40 • FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017

Ingredients for the Chows’ Southern Fried Rice

team that developed the Space Shuttle or relocated to Iran to work on the F-14 fighter jet program. However, when Sally’s mother fell ill, the Chows moved to Clarksdale.

They relocated again to Camden, Arkansas in 1985 when Gilroy went to work for General Dynamics, and after spending five years there, he once again found many new engineering opportunities open.

“I could have gone to Corpus Christi and worked on some space launch vehicles. The F-16 (fighter jet) program in Fort Worth was very interesting to me because I would have managed the F-16 build for Japan. We talked about it, thought about it and it wasn’t home. Bradley and Lisa wanted to be closer to family, so we moved back to Clarksdale,” says Gilroy.

The Chows have lived in Clarksdale ever since. There, Gilroy worked thirty six years as an engineer with Metso/ Stephens-Adamson. Meanwhile, Sally taught home economics and special education at local schools while baking wedding and specialty cakes with her sister-in-law Sally Chow recently met celebrity chef Ming Tsai, on the side. host of Simply Ming.

Gilroy recently appeared in documentaries about the history of Chinese families in the Delta, a subject he has Photo by Gilroy Chow much interest and expertise in. One of which is titled Honor and Duty: The Mississippi Delta Chinese, created by Mississippi Public Broadcasting about local Chinese men who served in World War II. Another is an award-winning short documentary named Finding Cleveland by Los Angeles native and musician, Baldwin Chiu, who chronicled on film the surprising discovery of his Mississippi Delta roots. Chiu’s search eventually led him to Gilroy who provided a great deal of information for him about his family and the history of Chinese culture in the Delta. The short film won “Best Short Documentary” at the 2016 Oxford Film Festival. Gilroy continues to help preserve this history by serving as president of the Mississippi Delta Chinese Heritage Museum located at Delta State University in Cleveland.

Sally also plays piano/organ for their local church with which they are deeply involved. In fact, much of the fried rice they cooked during this interview is going out to fellow church members in need.

“We are used to cooking for our big families. There’s always enough to share,” says Gilroy.

As for the art of cooking, Gilroy has a philosophy.

“Cooking isn’t just about taste. It involves the other Sally and Gilroy Chow show off the Tiffany & Co. senses,” says Gilroy. “It looks good, it smells good, it’s crystal bowl they received from the founders of Zagat well presented, and that will help it taste good. The texture at a recent gala fundraiser in New York City. is important. Sometimes it needs to be diced, cubed, julienned. There are a lot of subtleties to cooking and you have to experiment and have the occasional catastrophe the other nine siblings. They received an education at the public or disaster, but you learn from it. Sally and I have been cooking school in Marks, a privilege many Chinese in the Delta were not together for forty-six years, as long as we have been married. afforded. Sally’s mom graduated as salutatorian and may have We’ve been blessed through it all.” been one of the first Chinese women in the Delta, possibly in The “Sour, Sweet, Bitter, Spicy” exhibit at the MOCA in the United States, to attend a university. Sally continued her New York was originally scheduled to run until March 26, 2017, family’s legacy by attending Ole Miss. She married Gilroy in but its great success has inspired the museum to extend it until 1970 and they had two children, Lisa and Bradley.

September. edm After the Apollo program ended, Gilroy had many career opportunities to choose from. He could have worked on the eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI • 41

Photo by Gilroy Chow

Chow Family Fot Choy Stir-Fry 1/2 cup dried Fot Choy 1 cup rice vermicelli 3 eggs Salt 3/4 cup chicken broth 1/2 cup dried black Chinese mushrooms, sliced Large piece of chicken fat Water, enough to cover mushrooms in small saucepan 3 fresh ginger, sliced 1/4 teaspoon sugar 1 package soft tofu 2 cups roast pork 3 cloves garlic 1 (8 ounce) package sugar snap or snow peas 4 tablespoons canola oil 4 cups celery cabbage, in 1.5” strips 2 tablespoons water 2 tablespoons cornstarch 2 cups chicken broth 1 tablespoons oyster sauce 1 teaspoon sesame oil Salt and pepper Soak Fot Choy for 2 hours; rinse and squeeze out water.

Soak the rice vermicelli 30 minutes, then drain. Beat the eggs, add salt, and mix with 3/4 cup chicken broth. Mix liquids and rice vermicelli with the Fot Choy; pour into a greased glass pie plate. Using a fork, separate vermicelli 42 • FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017

and Fot Choy. Steam for 30 minutes or until set. When cool, scoop out the Fot Choy “cake” with a spatula. Cut round Fot Choy cake into quarters, cut each quarter in 3 strips, and then slice each strip into 1/8” pieces for dish.

Soak dried mushrooms 30 minutes, then cut off stems and rinse. Place mushrooms in a small saucepan with chicken fat, water, 4 thick slices of ginger, and 1/4 teaspoon sugar. Simmer for 2 hours. Cool mushrooms, then slice thinly.

Pan sear tofu square with a little bit of oil in a nonstick pan. Slice roast pork, sear in wok with 1 clove minced garlic.

Remove from wok and set aside. If roast pork is fresh out of the cooker, there is no need to sear meat in the wok.

Pinch off tips of sugar peas, pull string down, and break off bottom tip. Blanch, cool in cold water.

In a very hot wok, add 2 tablespoons canola oil, half of remaining ginger, and then half of remaining garlic.

Toss in celery cabbage, and sugar peas. Stir-fry for about 4 minutes. Put ingredients in a bowl. Heat wok again, add 2 tablespoons canola oil, add remaining ginger and then remaining garlic. Toss in roast pork and stir-fry to heat through. Put in another bowl. Combine water and cornstarch and stir until smooth. Add 2 cups chicken broth into wok, bring to boil, and stir in cornstarch. Broth should become fairly thick. If not, make more cornstarch to thicken again. Stir in mushrooms, celery, cabbage, sugar peas, and roast pork. Gently add tofu and Fot Choy slices. Add oyster sauce and sesame oil. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Dining with Dignity

{community}

Jackson Foodies Offer Fine Dining Experience to Underserved in Community

by Susan Marquez

E

veryone deserves to dine with dignity, particularly during the holidays. That’s what Carlyn M. Hicks believes.

What started as a social media-based community for folks interested in quality food and service in the Jackson area has turned into a group of folks who also desire to give back to the community. “I founded Jackson Foodies as a way to bring people together through food,” explains Hicks, a Jackson-based attorney. “We were coming up on our one year anniversary of our grassroots effort, and I wanted to do something to celebrate it in a grand way. Some of the members talked about having a party, or perhaps offering restaurant discounts, but

asking the restaurants for discounts just didn’t feel right. I wanted to do something more service-connected.”

Hicks did some online research and learned about a popup restaurant that served a tent city area in Atlanta. “I called the coordinator and after talking with her, I didn’t think that’s what I wanted to do in Mississippi. I did want to serve an underserved population, and I realized we had access to some great resources. I went to Chef Nick Wallace and told him what I wanted to do, and he said that it was right up his alley.”

Wallace talked to some folks, including Jeff Good, who loved the idea.

Planning for the Dining with Dignity event began the eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI • 43

end of March. “We pulled together the various pieces, did some crowdfunding and secured twelve sponsors, including Community Coffee and Eventful, who provided linen and china. It was important to me that the people we served would have a fine dining experience, including drinking out of real goblets.”

Hicks did some additional research and found a man in 44 • FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017

Philadelphia who did a similar event. “It was a very extravagant event, costing $20,000. He got some pushback from the community from people who felt that the money would have better served families long-term rather than just one meal. I realized that what we were doing was just for one day. Yet, it was what we did afterwards that is important. I wanted the people we served to feel like they had a choice and that we

helped in restoring their dignity.”

Area churches were tapped to provide gift cards to area restaurants. “Because so many of the people we served are transportationally challenged, we chose to buy McDonald’s gift cards, because there are so many of them in the city.” The cards were put into a hospitality bag that each person was given after the dinner. The bags also had snacks, sanitary products, personal care kits, fruit donated by Kroger, hand sanitizer, and the children’s bags also included comfort items such as teddy bears and educational items including Lego blocks and pencils.

The Dining with Dignity dinner was held Sunday, November 20 at Stewpot Community Services in Jackson.

Cooking began early that day, with a smoker delivered at 6am, and the kitchen pro-team arriving by 6:30. The dining room began a physical transformation at 8am as area volunteers began setting the tables. The dining area pro-team, made up of servers and hosts/hostesses from area restaurants who volunteered for the dinner, arrived at 10am. The first wave of service for shelter clients, families and children arrived at 11am. Two more lunch services were held, at noon, and again at 12:30.

Jeff Good and his wife, Debbie, were the captains of the hostesses and servers. Chefs Nick Wallace, Dan Blumenthal and Grady Griffin were in charge of the kitchen. Pat Bowlen of CS’s Restaurant taught volunteers how to fold napkins and serve. There was a strict dress code, as is found in fine restaurants, for all the “staff.” Professional servers wore white shirts, black pants, dark shoes and each was given a bright tie to wear.

As the “guests” arrived, they were greeted at the host station and taken to their seat. A server took their drink order, which ranged from water to lemonade to ice tea. The first course was a sweet potato chowder, which featured sweet potatoes, roasted corn, red bell peppers, leeks and carrots, accented by garlic, thyme and a hint of spicy sriracha. The second course was a Caesar salad, topped with freshly grated Parmesan Reggiano and croutons.

Diners were given a choice of two entrees: braised short

ribs or savory smoked Cornish hen, each served with a side of sautéed seasonal vegetables, and whipped Red Rooster potatoes. Dessert, created by Mitchell Moore of Campbell’s Bakery, was “Pumpkin Campfire” – a choux pastry topped with pumpkin mousse, candied cabbage, pecans and maple crème anglaise, drizzled with a balsamic reduction.

“It was so heartwarming to see them enjoy their dinner,” says Hicks. “We watched as people sat straighter and held their heads higher as they saw the beautiful environment and amazing food that was offered to them. We all witnessed a restoration of dignity through this event.”

No stone was left unturned. There were parking attendants from Anderson Methodist Church, and a kid’s corner complete with an educational consultant as a volunteer was designed to keep kids entertained so that parents could enjoy their meal.

There was even a special section in the chapel for those who may have been in sensory overload from the event, headed by a volunteer who is also a licensed counselor.

“It was our goal to impart compassion, love and respect that I believe will be long-lasting,” says Hicks. After the event, all the volunteers ate Sal & Mookies’ pizza and Caesar Salad and talked about doing it again next year. edm

eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI • 45

{ from mississippi to beyohnd }

The Proof Is in the Pudding story By Kathy K. Martin | photography by gigi rodgers

T

he dessert that sweetens the life and career of Holly Springs native and retired Navy Senior Chief Reggie Rodgers is, and has always been, homemade banana pudding.

As a child, Sunday dinner featured a classic Southern dessert, but banana pudding was the only sweet treat that kept beckoning him to the kitchen. “I helped Mom stir and waited for her to finish making the filling so I could lick the spoon and pot. This was our special time together and all so worth it.”

Little would he know a few decades later he would be selling his own line of banana pudding, as well as blueberry, coconut and guava flavored puddings.

Rodgers was the youngest of eight children in a

sharecropper family. He recalls spending much of his time outside running around, climbing trees and riding farm animals that were large enough to carry him such as pigs, mules and horses. As he grew older and finished high school and junior college, he was ready to see the world, so he joined the Navy. While stationed on the West Coast, he missed the downhome cooking of his mother, Polly, but especially her banana pudding. “I tried to make it on my own a couple of times, but with very little success.” He finally called her to get the recipe and began making the pudding and taking it to various functions at his duty stations. He suddenly became known as the Banana Pudding Man. “Thinking about it now, it’s funny how life can take

Pancake/Waffle Topping: Spread Rodgers’ Banana Pudding Filling on top of pancakes/ waffles. Top off with your favorite fruit.

46 • FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017

Reggie Rodgers eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI • 47

you on a joy ride and repeat the patterns of the past,” says Rodgers. He believes that some of those cycles need to be broken and not passed on from one generation to the next, but banana pudding is not one of them. Just like his mom, Rodgers has always been the cook in the family. “I carried on the same tradition with my two daughters as my mom did with me. They too would help stir the filling and wait to lick the spoon and pot. And just as I did with my mom, my daughters would often say that I didn’t leave enough for them on the spoon and in the pot.”

In 2008 after five years of retirement from the Navy, his youngest daughter, Gin-Gin, presented a business proposal for selling the pudding filling in jars. She said that the filling would already be cooked and ready to eat and customers would just have to add vanilla wafers and sliced bananas. The idea was birthed and Rodgers’ Pudding began from his current home in Chesapeake, Virginia.

One of the biggest selling points of the puddings, says Rodgers, is the multiple ways it can be used. “You can blend it into oatmeal as a sweetener, mix it into pancake or waffle batter, use it instead of maple syrup or blend it with fruit to make smoothies.” The product line is made with grass-fed milk and is non-GMO Project Verified and Kosher Certified. In addition, once opened the product is good for about eight days in the refrigerator. “Our products taste like home and it’s all about my mom’s legacy, a legacy of family, food and love. It’s a testament to her life.”

While his mother has passed away, his memories of her warm smile, downhome cooking and special bonding time in the kitchen continue. He honors her memory by featuring a photograph of her alongside him in his Navy uniform on each jar of his products. edm

Banana Pudding Without Meringue

Banana Pudding With Meringue

www.rodgerspuddings.com

Vanilla wafers Bananas Rodgers' Banana Pudding Filling

Banana pudding 2 eggs 1/2 cup sugar

Layer dish with vanilla wafers. Slice bananas and add on top of vanilla wafers. Pour and spread Rodgers’ Banana Pudding Filling on top of layer. Repeat the layering process as needed.

Crack eggs and separate the whites from the yolks.

Pour sugar into the bowl with the egg whites. Beat with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form.

Pour and spread the meringue over your layers of vanilla wafers and bananas as described in the recipe: Banana Pudding without Meringue.

Place into the oven on broil for 3-5 minutes or until golden brown on top. Take from oven and add more wafers to the outskirts of your baking pan.

48 • FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017

Soda Bread for St. Patrick’s Day St. Patrick’s Day provides the perfect opportunity to celebrate Irish culture. Such celebrations are not truly complete without some traditional Irish food, such as the following recipe for “Irish Soda Bread” courtesy of Linda Collister’s Quick Breads (Ryland, Peters & Small).

Irish Soda Bread 3-1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour 1-1/4 teaspoons baking soda 1 teaspoon sea salt 1-2/3 cups buttermilk (roughly) Nonstick baking sheet, lightly dusted with flour Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Sift the flour, baking soda, and salt into a large bowl and make a well in the center. Pour the buttermilk into the well and mix it into the dry ingredients with a round-bladed knife or your hands to make a soft, slightly sticky, rough-looking dough.

Turn out the dough on a lightly floured work surface and shape it into a ball. Set the dough onto the baking sheet and gently flatten it so it is about 1-1/2 inches high. With a table knife, score the dough with a cross. Dust with a little flour then bake for about 35 minutes until a good golden brown. To test if the loaf is cooked, tap underneath with your knuckles. If it sounds hollow, it is ready. If it gives a dull thud, bake it for a few minutes longer and test it again.

Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Wrap well to store or freeze for up to 1 month.

Makes 1 medium loaf eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI • 49

De-Clutter De-Stress

&

Kitchen Organization Tips to Help Bring Order to Your Life

story by kelsey wells lambert | photos courtesy of declutter by diane

E

ach January, many people make New Year’s resolutions.

They strive to lose weight, save money, or be more involved with their families or communities, among other lifestyle-altering promises. The ultimate goal of resolutions is to make the individual a better person by the end of the year. However successful they might be, the hope and promise of New Year’s resolutions add to the celebration.

One resolution made by many is to organize their homes so that their households run as smoothly and efficiently as possible. This task is perhaps nowhere more daunting than in the kitchen, which is the epicenter of many Southern homes.

Diane Ryan, owner of DeClutter by Diane, is a Mississippibased professional organizer who has seen quite a few pantries in need of her services. She offers many helpful hints for those who want to achieve organization in the kitchen and reduce the stress caused by unneeded clutter.

“First and foremost,” she said, “you must decide that you need and want to get rid of clutter. Ask yourself what is really important versus what you could let go of.”

To begin your route to organization, purge your pantry of anything that is expired. The “I’ll just pick this up to try” foods that you did not like must go as well. If you have foods that are not expired that you know you will not use, consider donating them to a food pantry, where they are sure to be consumed.

Now that you have “cleaned out” your pantry, the time has come to consider the best organizational plan. Finding an accessible place for all the items you regularly use can be an overwhelming task, but you can achieve your goal “Don’t be afraid to ask for help,” said Ryan. “Once you start a project, your enthusiasm becomes contagious. Knowing that there is a solution is half the battle.”

Ryan offers the following tips for organizing a kitchen: • Stack shelves to make use of headroom. Vertical storage will help you not to waste space.

50 • FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017

•

Hang tools on the back of cabinet doors with hooks.

Adding cork board to doors gives a place to pin recipes.

• Store items in labeled containers. Without logos, you can easily locate what you are looking for and food items stay fresher, too.

• File away baking sheets and cutting boards. You can repurpose a wire filing rack or purchase custom cabinet inserts.

• Add a pretty liner to your cabinets. It not only looks lovely, but the contrasting paper or fabric makes lighter hued items stand out.

• Corral smaller items in bins. This way, you can pull out the whole bin to get what you need, instead of having to rifle through the entire cabinet.

• Turn a small cabinet into a pull out pantry. Pull out cabinets make it easy to access dry goods.

• Use Lazy Susans everywhere- for spices, in cabinets, even in the refrigerator. This will help you to not lose items.

• Install slide-out shelving. A shelf system that slides out lets you easily pick up and store awkward items like heavy pots and pans.

• Give oddly-sized cabinets a purpose. Use the space to display pretty items, or set up a station for coffee or tea.

Above all, remember that organization is different for every person and every space. The goal is to make the space functional and less stressful for you, not to make it perfect.

By following the plan above, you can achieve your New Year’s Resolution of organizing your pantry and kitchen.

“Remember,” said Ryan, “no matter how large or small a project may seem, it can be done.” edm

eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI • 51

{ from the bookshelf }

My Two Souths Blending the Flavors of India Into a Southern Kitchen

By Asha Gomez with Martha Hall Foose Published by Running Press

by kelsey wells lambert

W

hat do the state of Kerala in Southern India and America’s Deep South have in common? More than you might think, actually. For one thing, they share the title of “home” for Chef Asha Gomez. Gomez, who was born in India and moved to the States as a teenager, found her “chosen home” in Atlanta when she married.

She has now owned three culinary ventures and has been awarded for her efforts by Bon Appetit, Southern Living and the James Beard foundation.

Asha affectionately calls her culinary style “two Souths cooking” as she blends the tastes of her homeland of India and her food expeditions here in the Southern United States.

Now, Gomez seeks to present other chefs with the results of her years of blending these two distinct yet similar tastes. In her new cookbook, My Two Souths: Blending the Flavors of India into a Southern Kitchen, she and co-author Martha Hall Foose of the Mississippi Delta take readers on a culinary adventure full of spice, hospitality and unique flavors.

The volume begins with Gomez explaining some of the lesser-known ingredients and techniques she uses in her creations. For instance, most of the spices she uses are ground with a mortar and pestle rather than poured from a store-bought bottle. Like any good Southern lady, she knows that breakfast is as good of a time as any to try out a new recipe. Puffy Ginger Hoecakes, Quick Tellicherry Buttermilk Biscuits and Tomato Clove Preserves are just three of the breakfast options sure to help your day begin with a full stomach and an adventurous outlook.

The “Plate Lunches and Simple Pleasures” chapter

52 • FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017

that follows offers a plethora of tasty options including Kerala Fried Chicken and Low Country Rice Waffles with Spicy Syrup and Mess O’ Greens with Ham Hocks and Jalapenos. The more daring may want to try Pickled Catfish or Masala Lamb Burgers with Mint Chutney.

Tea time and party time are special in both Southern India and the Southern U.S., and Banana Beignets, Fried Green Tomato Delights or Golden Potato Croquettes are sure to be company-pleasing offerings in any setting. If you are hosting a full dinner, consider serving Coconut Oil Poached Snapper, Roasted Garlicky Potato Salad or Shishito Pepper Crawfish with Polenta from the “Dinner and Accompaniments” chapter.

Desserts and other sweets are a delicacy to be enjoyed in any culture, and Gomez and Foose offer many options to finish off a meal with Southern style.

Proper Pepper Pralines, Macaroon Drops and Smoky Hazlenut Chocolate Cookies are just a few of the many treats featured in the final chapter of the volume. Also included are a metric conversion chart and indexes of the recipes by category and in alphabetical order.

While the recipes are delightful and inspiring, what delights the eyes and the taste buds even more are the stunning photographs of completed recipes and the personal stories behind the dishes that Gomez includes.

Southern India and the Southern U.S. collide in this intriguing and unique new cookbook. Any chef looking to expand his culinary skills outside of the traditional, while holding on to some ingredients and techniques, should take time to explore My Two Souths. edm

Puffy Ginger Hoecakes 1 cup self-rising flour 1 cup yellow self-rising cornmeal 2 large eggs 1-1/4 cups buttermilk 2 teaspoons white granulated sugar 1 teaspoon kosher salt 2 teaspoons peeled, finely chopped fresh ginger 2 green onions, white and green parts, thinly sliced 2 cups canola oil In a large bowl, combine all ingredients except for the oil, stirring thoroughly and making sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to mix uniformly.

Heat the canola oil in a medium-sized skillet over medium heat. Drop the batter, about 2 tablespoons at a time, into the hot oil. Fry each hoecake until golden brown,

about 2 to 3 minutes per side, flipping once with a spatula.

Using a slotted spoon, remove each hoecake and drain in a single layer on a paper towel -lined plate. Serve warm.

Makes six 2-inch cakes NOTES: Self-rising flour and cornmeal already includes salt and baking powder. To make 1 cup of your own self-rising cornmeal, mix 3/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons of cornmeal with 1 tablespoon baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon salt. To make 1 cup of self-rising flour, mix 3/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons allpurpose flour with 1-1/2 teaspoons of baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon of salt.

To keep the cakes warm and crisp, keep them under an upside-down colander until ready to serve. The hoecakes will stay warm and crispy because the steam escapes through the holes! eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI • 53

{ raise your glass }

Take Breakfast To Go Take breakfast to go with a scrumptious shake made with a turmeric cocoa spice blend, roasted pistachios, frozen bananas, and sweet dates.

Chocolate Banana Shake with Turmeric and Cinnamon 2 cups milk 12 pitted dates 2 bananas, peeled, sliced and frozen 3/4 cup shelled roasted pistachios 2 tablespoons Turmeric, Cocoa, Cinnamon and Nutmeg Blend Place all ingredients in blender container; cover. Blend on high speed until smooth.

Pour into glasses. Garnish with chopped pistachios and chocolate curls, if desired.

Serves: 4 54 • FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017

Turmeric, Cocoa, Cinnamon and Nutmeg Blend 2 teaspoons McCormick Gourmet™ Turmeric, Ground 2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder 2 teaspoons McCormick Gourmet™ Organic Cinnamon, Ground Saigon 1/2 teaspoon McCormick Gourmet™ Organic Nutmeg, Ground Mix all ingredients until well blended.

Store in tightly covered jar in cool, dry place.

Serves: Makes 2 tablespoons or 24 (1/4-teaspoon) servings.

-

Lillo’s Family Restaurant Leland

-

CatHernando f ish Blues The Hills

The Delta -

Phil ipLaurel s Drive-In The Pines

- Taste BiFlowood stro & Desserts -

-

Capital/River

Our wonderful state is divided into five travel regions - The Hills, The Delta, The Pines, Capital/River, and Coastal. It is our goal to give equal coverage to all regions of the state in every issue. The following sections are color coded by region for your convenience. We hope you will take the time and travel to all regions to take advantage of the diverse culinary styles present throughout our state.

We do suggest that you call to verify operating hours before visiting any of these wonderful establishments.

SecondColumbia Street Bean -

Coastal

eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI • 55

The Hills

Catfish Blues 210 E Commerce St., Hernando • 662.298.3814 • www.catfishblues.com

Fried Catfish, Prime Rib, and Meatloaf

56 • FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017

The Hills

story and photography by megan wolfe

I

n 1941, Robert Petway’s “Catfish Blues” was one of the first blues songs to be cut to vinyl. In 1950, it was reimagined by Muddy Waters as the song “Rollin’ Stone” (the song that inspired the name of The Rolling Stones), and, in 1967, Jimi Hendrix evolved “Rollin’ Stone” into “Voodoo Chile,” and then “Voodoo Child.”

Today, Catfish Blues has another derivative; a catfish joint in Hernando, appropriately named “Catfish Blues.”

There, live blues music plays three days-a-week, and a life sized copy of Petway’s only known photograph watches over diners. How Petway came to influence the restaurant, however, began as smart business, and quickly grew into a passion for blues history.

Josh Tucker, the owner of Catfish Blues, wasn’t originally an avid blues follower. He was, however, a music fan and a former band groupie, and he had a long history of managing, and opening, successful restaurants. When he started thinking about opening a restaurant of his own, he knew enough to trust his gut, and let the process develop organically.

“I actually drove by this spot one night, and the guy leasing it was here,” said Tucker. “He said, “well, what would you do?”

And honestly, ‘catfish’ just came out. I can’t tell you I planned it, or that it was this genius scheme, it just came out. Once that came out, my wheels started spinning.”

“We were sitting around one day trying to come up with a name,” he continues. “The original name was going to be ‘Cat Daddy’s’. But I started thinking that, you know, we’re in eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI • 57

The Hills

Chef Benny Estavez

Crab Cakes 58 • FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017

Lemon Berry Blitz

The Hills

Hernando, and I don’t want to overshoot the general public. I started doing some research and found out that Catfish Blues is one of the first blues songs ever put on vinyl in the history of the world.”

From his research, Tucker became captivated by the raw nature of Petway’s music, and the rich, Mississippi history that seemed so undervalued by the outside world. Piece-by-piece, from live music, to blues-themed artwork, and the Hill Country Blues Hall of Fame at the restaurant’s entrance, Tucker infused his restaurant with pieces of Mississippi history. He instantly lights up when he talks about it.

If music is one of Mississippi’s greatest resources, Tucker says farm raised catfish “done right” is the other one. Catfish Blues receives fresh catfish six days a week, from 26 miles away, within 72 hours out of the water.

On the menu, patrons will find fresh, fried ‘Catfish’ with hand-cut fries and hush puppies, Blackened Catfish stuffed with crab, Smothered Catfish topped with creole shrimp, and a wide variety of alternatives, including a heaping portion of Jambalaya Pasta with chicken and shrimp.

Fried Green Tomatoes topped with crab and shrimp remoulade is the undeniable go-to appetizer, and the new BBQ Shrimp with beer-battered bread is an up-and-coming favorite.

For drinks, the Muddy Waters, Lemon Berry Blitz, and local beers-on-tap are highly recommended.

Tucker credits Chef Benny Estavez and his crew for the quality of their food and commitment to teamwork. “You can’t teach heart and care, and not only do they have that, they have the skills, and the chef ’s palette, and creativity,” he said. “I couldn’t be happier. And they’ve taught me more than I could

Fried Crab-stuffed Avocado and Garlic Butter Shrimp

ever teach them.”

When asked if the restaurant has influenced his music tastes, Tucker responds, “It’s absolutely broadened my horizons. We do an open blues jam every Tuesday night, and we have anywhere from 10-25 other artists that will show up for it. The people that I’ve met, and the circles, and the stories that they tell... it’s incredible!”

As the lights dim for the dinner rush, Petway’s portrait beams. At the restaurant named for his famous song, he has another fan. edm eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI • 59

The Delta

Lillo’s Family Restaurant 1001 Highway 82 E, Leland • 662.686.4401

story and photography by katie hutson west

J

ust off the banks of Deer Creek, that legendary stream where Jim Henson bore Kermit the Frog, a couple named Lillo opened their Italian family restaurant - not knowing it would still be serving great food almost 70 years later.

In Leland and the surrounding Delta, there are generations of folks who can say they’ve been going to Lillo’s their entire lives… and their parents have, too. Lillo’s is a Mississippi Delta tradition. When Jimmy and Conchetta Lillo opened their restaurant in 1948, the couple that once made a living farming soon became the first pizza joint owners in the Delta.

“The Delta was not familiar with pizza back then,” Lillo’s owner Wesley Keen says. He and wife Debbie (nee Lillo, granddaughter of Jimmy and Conchetta) are proud of their family legacy and the history of their restaurant. “Conchetta would walk around asking, ‘Would you like to try a pizza pie?’”

Keen says of the lovely Italian lady who wanted to share her fares with everyone. Although locals weren’t accustomed to the pie, in those times the war brought Air Force personnel from all over to the base in Greenville. These army men would frequent Lillo’s, dancing and enjoying the kind of pizza pie they’d had in hometowns up north. To many, it was a much 60 • FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017

needed comfort and reminder of home. And Lillo’s still makes that same comfort food the same way today.

Sitting right off Hwy 61, Lillo’s is housed in the original building – a house that once held the old American Legion Nightclub all those years ago. And 70 years later, they still like to do things the way they did back then. “We use most of Conchetta’s recipes to this day,” says Keen of the recipes handed down through the generations.

Just about everything you’ll get at Lillo’s is homemade. All the dishes with breading are hand breaded and the sausage and all the doughs are made fresh in Lillo’s kitchen. “The Italian sausage is still handmade with the same ingredients Conchetta used,” Keen says.

Lillo’s menu is packed with Italian and seafood favorites, but there’s no hesitation when asked what the most popular item is – pizza. And it’s been that way since day 1. With a hard to beat thin crust, these pies aren’t like delivery. Lillo’s has kept that special crust the same, not changing Conchetta’s special recipe. That delicious crust is the perfect carrier for a heaping of cheese and marinara. It’s never greedy with the meat and veggies as beef, pepperoni, Italian sausage, eggplant,

The Delta

Taste of Italy with Manicotti, Meatball, Lasagna, and Angel Hair Marinara

eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI • 61

The Delta

Italian Sausage Stuffed Manicotti mushrooms, anchovies, sun dried tomatoes, and more come piled high. Their pizzas are the perfect balance of crust, sauce, cheese, and toppings to give the best bite each time.

With so much more to offer than pizza, the appetizer list is a good place to start. Shrimp and Crab Parmesan Dip, fried ravioli, antipasto, or a bowl of savory homemade seafood gumbo is sure to quiet the belly growls until the main course is served. A favorite app of Lillo’s regulars is the Italian nachos. It starts with one of Lillo’s famous pizza crusts which gets covered in cheese and jalapeño peppers before getting baked.

At Lillo’s, the whole family will be pleased with so many choices. There’s Italian specialties, pastas, sandwiches, and seafood. Dishes like fettuccine Alfredo, spinach lasagna, and stuffed manicotti tempt; as do chicken Cacciatore, Italian breaded Veal and one of Keen’s favorites – shrimp parmesan.

The pastas, served with a salad and bread, come Rigatoni or Angel Hair style and can be topped with the likes of marinara, meatballs, crawfish tails, and shrimp. With so many mouthwatering options, it’s a good thing they offer “A Taste of Italy.”

This dish comes loaded down with a choice of three – Italian sausage, beef or spinach lasagna, eggplant parmesan, manicotti, meatballs, and cannelloni.

62 • FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017

Lillo’s also boasts a large fish and seafood selection.

Catfish, shrimp, flounder, and more come baked, blackened, or fried and can be served up supreme style (covered in lemon butter sauce). “We’ve had people tell us that the stuffed flounder is the best they’ve ever had,” Keen says of one of Lillo’s seafood dishes.

Sides for these great plates include baked potato, French fries, spaghetti (popular side for fried catfish in the Delta) and green beans.

After dinner, take a little of Lillo’s home with you. They proudly sell their bottled sauces: Italian salad dressing, marinara, and steak marinade.

Lillo’s is open nightly Wednesday through Sunday. There’s light jazz and dinner music the 2nd and 4th Sunday of each month and on Thursday nights the Lillo’s Legendary Band plays. This is a tradition that’s been going on for 25 years.

At this family restaurant, Wesley and Debbie Keen can be found working nightly, along with Debbie’s mother, Josephine.

“This is a family place,” says Keen, adding, “And we try to keep it all affordable so you can bring the whole family.”

The legacy Jimmy and Conchetta Lillo started all those years ago when they introduced the region to pizza pie is a Delta tradition you will want to be a part of. It’ll make you wish to be a Delta Eye-talian, too. edm

The Delta

Owners Debbie, center, and Wesley Keen with Debbie’s mother, Josephine

Thin Crust Veggie Pizza eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI • 63

The Pines

Phillips Drive-In 330 S Magnolia St., Laurel • 601.426.2265 • www.facebook.com/P.D.I.PhillipsDriveIn

64 • FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017

The Pines

story and photography by julian brunt

A

sk anyone in Laurel where PDI is and the chances are you will get precise directions. Phillips Drive-in is a local institution, having been around, in one form or another, since 1948. Ask the person standing in line next to you how long they have been coming here and most will say all their lives. It is so popular they have an annual reunion and well over a thousand people will attend.

PDI is a classic drive-in restaurant. There are two walkup windows, one to take orders and one to pass them out for people on foot, and a drive-up window for cars. Is it old school? You can bet your bottom dollar it is, and no one who knows and loves this place like the locals do would want to change anything about it.

The menu is exactly what you would expect. No pizza, no tacos, no Pacific rim fusion, or anything else. This place is all about good old American burgers, sandwiches, and sides.

Seating is all outside, with plenty of picnic-style benches under a covered area for inclement weather or a blazing hot

Messy Cheeseburger with Chili

eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI • 65

The Pines

Mississippi sun.

The menu is pretty straightforward, with just about twenty main selections. The sides are all classics as well, and you will be happy to see fries (with or without cheese and chili) and chips, but there are also onion rings, fried okra, and tater tots, so if you are craving something deep fried, these will hit the spot.

Looking over the menu you will also note that the prices are crazy good. Basic burger is $3.09 and a loaded jumbo burger with a side is just $7.99, the most expensive thing on the menu.

The sandwiches looked good and I was tempted by the Philly cheese and the shrimp po-boy, but to get the full experience of PDI you have got to get a burger. There are seven to try and we choose the one with chili, mustard, ketchup, onion, pickle, and cheese (number 6 by the way), and the Hellfighter, which is a loaded cheese burger that includes jalapeños (#7). We also got sides of onion rings and fried 66 • FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017

okra and could not have asked for a better combination. The burgers were delicious and fell apart in our hands, the way a good one is supposed to. Nothing could have made these burgers any better, except a chocolate milkshake. I didn’t think of it until after we ordered, but don’t you make the same mistake.

The Hellfighter burger is named after the business just behind PDI, Hellfighters Motorcycle Shop, and I am not sure any other shop of any other kind could add more to the uniqueness of this place than Hellfighters.

It’s hard not to be enthusiastic about PDI. In days gone by places like this were common, but with the growth of chains and franchises they have faded away. The next time you are driving on Interstate 59, take the Ellisville Boulevard exit and you are just a few blocks away. You owe it to yourself and family to visit this place. I promise it will be long remembered. edm

The Pines

Loaded Burger with Jalapeños Fried Okra Onion Rings

eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI • 67

Capital/River

Taste Bistro & Desserts 5419 Highway 25, Ste. L, Flowood • 769.235.6232 • www.tastebistroanddesserts.com

story by susan marquez | photography by christina foto

E

very now and then you find a sandwich that makes all other sandwiches look inferior. Such is the experience at Taste Bistro, where customers can’t get enough of the open faced meatloaf sandwich served on a ciabbata roll, topped with melted cheese, fresh basil and crispy fried onions. “It’s definitely a fork-and-knife sandwich,” states Polly Peterson, who runs the front of the house at the restaurant located on Lakeland Drive in Flowood. “That and the Bel-Air Club contend for the spot as best seller.”

The brainchild of Candice Gammill, Taste Bistro and Desserts features homemade comfort food accented with eclectic culinary specials. As the owner and chef, she collaborates with Chef Derek Middlebrook, who came from Saltine Oyster Bar in Jackson to help Gammill open the restaurant the second week of October last fall. “We did a soft opening,” explained Peterson. “We moved into the space while still updating the kitchen and enclosing the side sidewalk to increase the space inside.”

The restaurant is bright and sunny, with large plate glass 68 • FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017

windows on two walls. Customers order at the cash register after choosing from the many offerings on the menu. “The menu changes frequently, depending on what’s fresh and what Candice and Derek decide to make,” said Peterson. “There are several menu staples, then there are featured selections that may be Asian influenced or something else. People really seem to like it, and we’ve developed a loyal following, with many customers coming in two to three times each week for lunch.”

Gammill grew up in the area and is excited about opening a restaurant in Flowood. The daughters of a “fearless cook,” Gammill and her sister, Kim Niskala began cooking and baking at an early age. Gammill owned and operated Lit’l Gourmet in downtown Jackson for several years, where she gained a loyal following of clients who hired her to cater business lunches to large corporate events. She later opened Candy’s Confections, a full service bakery and candy shop.

All of the dishes at Taste Bistro are made from scratch with fresh ingredients. Using seasonal and local ingredients is important to Candice, who has worked to develop flavor

Capital/River

Caramelized Bacon Meatloaf, Mashed Potatoes, and Green Beans

Chocolate Cheesecake eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI • 69

Capital/River

House-made Pimento and Cheese with Bacon and Pasta Salad

Spaghetti and Meat Sauce

Lemon Ice Box Pie with Crystallized Ginger

profiles that elevate the food beyond basic fare.

The restaurant opens at 10, with lunch service from 11am to 2:30pm. “People come in and pick up lunch for their offices in the morning, then we begin serving lunch,” said Peterson.

Throughout the day, a steady stream of customers come in to purchase the ready-made chicken spaghetti, meatballs, chicken salad, and the blue cheese and spinach and artichoke dips. “There are many more options as well,” said Peterson, who said that from 2:30 to 6 p.m., the traffic in and out of the restaurant is comprised of people picking up food for dinner.

“So many people today have such busy schedules, so this provides a way for people to serve a hot meal to their family without cooking. It’s exactly what Candice had in mind when she opened this place.”

Peterson said that some people come in weekly to stock up for the week. “We tried doing a holiday catering menu, and it was a great success at Thanksgiving. So many of the people who ordered at Thanksgiving came back to order again for Christmas.”

The restaurant staff is small, with Peterson running the front, Gammill and Middlebrook in the kitchen along with sous chef Chris Crump. “We all work very well together,” said Peterson. “We keep it running!” The baked goods, served up fresh daily, come from Niskala, owner of Buttercream Bakery.

In addition to the desserts baked in house, Taste Bistro will be the exclusive carrier of Niskala’s treats. “Most are recipes from their mother and grandmother, and they’ve been making them for years,” said Peterson. “All are tried and true favorites.” edm

70 • FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017

Capital/River

eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI • 71

Coastal

Second Street Bean 321 2nd St., Columbia • 601.444.9299 story and photography by julian brunt

W

e’re a bit late coming to the fad, but coffee shops are all the rage in Mississippi. They range from the commercial variety you can find in almost any town of any size, to those wonderful, funky out of the way places that exude the character of the owner and staff.

You can find them by the score these days, but few are as delightful as the Second Street Bean in Columbia. It’s an old building that has been completely restored, uncovering the original tin ceiling and laying down large tile floor that adds to the warmth and coziness of the place. The walls are hung with local art, good art I might add, and you won’t find a magnolia tree or shrimp boat anywhere. There are also book shelves you can peruse, and if you find something interesting you are welcomed to take it to your table and read as long as you want. If you bring two books in, you can take one home. How cool is that?

There is a lot of atmosphere here, a lot of thought went in to making this place just right, finding the vibe that welcomes and intrigues at the same time, but there is one charming factor that trumps them all, and that is owner Paris Schepmaker. I can think of no better way of describing her but as a delightful lady in a delightful coffee shop.

If you come in just for a coffee, you will be well pleased with the selection. The coffee is 72 • FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017

Coastal

Latte with heart swirls

locally roasted by Grin Coffee Company in Hattiesburg. There are way more than two dozen coffees to choose from, from a simple drip coffee, to a hand full of lattes, a good cappuccino and even a nice hot chocolate.

But I am guessing that if you find your way into the Bean you will be eating as well, the choices are just too tantalizing. On the day of my visit black bean soup was one of the daily specials and I paired it with a delicious Cuban panini. It made for a fabulous lunch and I’ll long remember it.

Paris described the menu by saying “I think it’s pretty simple, just sandwiches and salads,” and

Turkey Wrap

eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI • 73

Coastal

Owner Paris Schepmaker 74 • FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017

Coastal

Black Bean Soup there is a definite healthy twist to the food offerings, but it is healthy with heavy emphasis on delicious. Best sellers include the chicken salad (Remember we are in Mississippi, Pairs reminded me!), the Harvest Salad, Cuban panini, gyro, but I also saw lots of Spicy Turkey Wraps coming out of the kitchen (made spicy with the addition of jalapenos!), Turkey Feta sandwiches, loaded with thin sliced turkey, feta cheese, slices of apple, honey mustard, and served on toasted wheat berry bread.

Breakfast is also served if you are an early riser.

It’s hard to do justice to a place like the Bean in just a few words, its charm is multi layered, but it all comes together in a seriously special way, and visitors from all over the country finding their way here, as well as some pretty interesting locals. My suggestion to you is that you do the same thing, and put the Bean on your must visit list. edm Delightful wait staff, Carlie Dillon

eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI • 75

For the Love of Catfish, Belzoni Celebrates

76 • FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017

{ featured festival }

F

by kelsey wells lambert

ew can deny the impact that the catfish industry has had on the State of Mississippi. In addition to its economic impact, especially in the Delta region, a good “Friday Night Fish Fry” is a tradition and a celebration in many homes across the state. While the largemouth bass may hold the title of the State Fish of Mississippi, catfish and catfish farming are valuable assets to Mississippi and other Southern states that should not be overlooked.

The town of Belzoni, located in Humphreys County on the banks of the Yazoo River in the Delta, has found a way to pay homage to this fish that has become a symbol of the South.

Now celebrating over forty years of fun, the World Catfish Festival is held in Belzoni in early spring each year. Begun in 1976, the first festival saw about 3,000 visitors. Now, the small town of just over 2,000 people swells by 10,000 visitors for a few hours on this special day of celebration. Visitors come to Belzoni from across the United States and even foreign cultures to get a taste of this Southern tradition. Known as a family-oriented event, the festival has received many awards such as a Top 100 Event in North America and a Top 20 Event in the Southeast. All of downtown Belzoni becomes part of the Catfish Festival as four streets welcome over 150 arts and crafts vendors.

Of course, without its namesake, the World Catfish Festival would just be another spring festival in the South. Come hungry and enjoy the Catfish Fry and even a Catfish Eating Contest. Each year, one young lady is crowned Little Miss Catfish and one as Miss Catfish in the annual pageants. A free Kid’s Zone includes many activities such as a bungee jump, mechanical bull, and rock wall to keep young ones entertained.

Live entertainment featuring blues, country, gospel, and other music genres are sure to please the ears of the young and old.

This year’s festival will be held on Saturday, April 1, from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. Admission to the festival is $5 per person, with children ages ten and under admitted free. edm World Catfish Festival Belzoni-Humphreys Development Foundation 662.247.4838 www.facebook.com/ worldcatfishfestival

Captain Catfish makes an appearance every year at the World Catfish Festival in Belzoni. eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI • 77

Food Festivals & Events February 5

February 23

SOUPer Bowl

St. Jude Taste of Oxford

The Salvation Army Women’s Auxiliary is hosting the 20th Annual SOUPer Bowl on February 5th at 570 E Beasley Rd., Jackson. This family friendly event will include a silent and live auction, soups and desserts from local Jackson restaurants, local Jackson celebrities, and much more. Proceeds will go to assist at-risk women and children in the Greater Jackson Community. To purchase tickets, visit www.salvationarmyalm. org/jackson.

The 10th anniversary of St. Jude Taste of Oxford is set for February 23 at The Jefferson, 365 Highway 6 E, Oxford.

This event will feature gourmet fare with bourbon and wine tastings, plus a live and silent auction. Enjoy dancing and live entertainment by Drew Holcomb and the Neighbors. Be inspired by a “Give to Live” auction presentation and celebrate with friends as you support the life-saving mission of St. Jude. To purchase tickets or to sponsor the event, please call Lee Bobo at 901-373-5051, email lee.bobo@stjude.org, or visit www.stjude. org/get-involved/find-an-event/dinners-and-galas/st-jude-tasteof-oxford.html.

•••

•••

- Jackson -

February 9

Taste of Jackson County Gala - Moss Point -

The Jackson County Chamber of Commerce is hosting its 9th Annual Taste of Jackson County on Thursday, February 9th, at Pelican Landing Conference Center in Moss Point. The event will be held from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. with a Sponsorship Reception from 6:00 to 6:30 p.m. Tickets must be purchased in advance and are available to the general public (21 and older) for $45. Restaurants will be featured with a variety of food and beverages. A live band will play at the event. For more information, call 228-762-3391 or visit www.jcchamber.com

- Oxford -

March 4

BBQ Throwdown & Festival - D’Iberville -

In D’Iberville’s annual BBQ Throwdown and Festival on March 4th, teams will compete for over $6,000 in cash and prizes. Held at the D’Iberville Civic Center, the event features professional and backyard division teams, a youth competition, and a pulled pork cook-off.

Live entertainment is provided all day along with arts and crafts, face painting, children’s activities and games, clowns, and, of course, barbecue. This event is sanctioned by the Barbecue Competitors Alliance. For more information, call 228-392-9734, 228-3653195, or 228-257-9734.

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.

78 • FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017

March 11

Grillin’ on the Green - Biloxi -

Go green and celebrate at Grillin’ on the Green at Biloxi Town Green, 710 Beach Blvd, on March 11th.

This family fun event features a BBQ competition, arts & crafts vendors, live entertainment all day, children’s play area, and more fun activities. There will be a variety of barbecue for event patrons to choose from. With everything from ribs and brisket to grilled oysters, there will be something for every palate. For more information, call 228-435-6339 or visit www.mainstreetbiloxi.com/grillin-on-thegreen.

•••

March 17-19

Tupelo BBQ Duel - Tupelo -

The Tupelo BBQ Duel benefitting the Link Centre will be held on March 17-19 at Fairpark in Downtown Tupelo. This is a Double Kansas City Barbecue Society Sanctioned Competition with over $25,000 in cash and prizes. Enjoy great food, great music, kid parade, and more activities. For more information, visit www.tupelobbqduel.com.

•••

March 23

Moonlight Market - Jackson -

Enjoy a night of food and fun at Moonlight Market on March 23rd. Enjoy gourmet food by local chefs at this ticketed event held at the Mississippi Farmers Market on High Street in Jackson.

Moonlight Market benefits the Mississippi Food Network.

For more information, call 601-353-7286 or visit www. msfoodnet.org.

April 1

Sante South Wine Festival - Ridgeland -

Santé South Wine Festival, on April 1st, joins the Ridgeland Fine Arts Festival, April 1-2, as two of the area’s signature events at Renaissance at Colony Park in Ridgeland.

Benefiting the Alzheimer’s Association Mississippi Chapter, Santé South is a destination event and international showcase of the world’s premier wines and some of Mississippi’s most succulent culinary delights. Santé South offers enthusiasts the opportunity of speaking with winemakers while sampling exceptional wines and food pairings from top regional restaurants. In addition to the Grand Tasting where guests enjoy sampling exquisite wines and delectable foods, this event offers a VIP Tasting. This tasting is limited to 200 guests who want an exclusive chance to sample the wines at the top of their lists before the larger crowd arrives. For more information and to purchase tickets visit www.santesouth.com.

•••

April 1

Catfish in the Alley - Columbus -

The air in Columbus will be filled with the smell of fried catfish on April 1st at the annual Catfish in the Alley festival. This family-oriented event will feature a catfish cook-off, arts and crafts, and the sounds of some of the South’s top blues musicians. For more information, visit www. visitcolumbusms.org or call 662-329-1191.

eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI • 79

Recipe Index

Advertisers Index

Banana Pudding, 48

Christina Foto, 81

Chipotle-Maple Glaze, 19

County Seat, 29

Chocolate Banana Shake with Turmeric and Cinnamon, 54

Etta B Pottery, 6 Flowood Chamber, 15

Chocolate Covered Crispy Poppers

McEwen’s, 29

Chow Family Fot Choy Stir-Fry, 42

Mississippi Children’s Museum, 11

Dark Chocolate Pirouline Crescent Rolls, 35

Mississippi Food Network, 83

Double Diabolo Cake, 32 Homemade Stovetop No Bean Beef Chili, 21 Honey Mustard Turmeric Chicken, 14

Mississippi Market, 3 Restaurant Tyler, 29 Ridgeland Tourism, 15

Irish Soda Bread, 49

Sanderson Farms, Back Cover

Katy’s Catfish Cakes, 28

Sante South Wine Festival, 2

Mr. Bill’s Pan Sautéed Catfish, 28

Simmons Catfish, 9

Pan-fried Delacata with Lemon, Butter and Caper Sauce, 28

Taste Bistro & Desserts, 29 The Kitchen Table, 6

Puffy Ginger Hoecakes, 53

The Manship, 9 & 25

Turmeric Vinaigrette, 14 White Chocolate Raspberry Heart Cheesecake, 37

Tupelo, 4 Visit Columbus, 13

STORE INFORMATION from pages 16-17

Amazon www.amazon.com

Sur la Table 800.243.0852 www.surlatable.com

Etta B Pottery www.ettabpottery.com Joseph Joseph 41 Madison Ave., Ste. 1508 New York, NY 10010 917.338.0900 www.josephjoseph.com

The Kitchen Table 3720 Hardy St. Ste. 3 Hattiesburg, MS 39402 601.261.2224 www.kitchentablenow.com

Pier 1 Imports Mississippi locations - Flowood, Gulfport, Hattiesburg, Ridgeland, Southaven, Tupelo 1.800.245.4595 www.pier1.com

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

80 • FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017

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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.

82 82• •FEBRUARY/MARCH FEBRUARY/MARCH2017 2017

Caramel Is a Taste of Heaven on Earth

C

BY JAY REED

aramel cake has been a part of my life for a long, long time. Just the word “caramel” has strong memories. My Granny was an English teacher and she had strong opinions about how things were to be pronounced.

KARR-uh-muhl. KARR-uh-mel. KAR-muhl. I don’t remember which one she settled on, but it was pointless to argue with her. She had the biggest dictionary I’ve ever seen, before or since: The Oxford English Dictionary. Two giant volumes with words so tiny they gave you a magnifying glass to read it with. However they pronounced caramel, that was the end of the story. But they didn’t tell you how it was supposed to taste, especially in the form of caramel cake.

It was at Granny’s house that I learned to love all things caramel, long before salted caramel everything became fashionable. The first lesson was cake: the fine-crumbed yellow layers, the caramel icing with a snap to it not unlike biting into a good quality sausage. Okay, maybe not a sausage per se, but a fork or knife shouldn’t move through it like buttercream frosting - it takes a bit more effort.

And if a piece should take a fall, the icing won’t leave a smear; at best it will come off in one solid piece. The carefully burnt sugar content should set your teeth a little bit on edge, enticing you to eat one more piece but also sending a warning of impending sugar coma and racing heartbeat, a warning I generally ignore.

Around these parts, Mrs. Carolyn Bryan of Oktoc is famous for her caramel cake. The Wife once went to a class Mrs. Bryan taught on the subject and learned all the steps to make it properly. I’ve got to be honest, I had my doubts that she could pull it off. Not because she’s a bad cook - oh, no. She just doesn’t love to cook, and caramel cake - the icing, for sure - is a labor of love at best, and a sweaty, sticky fight at worst. Or so I’m told. But she got together with a caramelcake-classmate not long after the class, and they turned out a fantabulous piece of edible art. She hasn’t made one since, mind you, but she proved she could do it.

Since layer cakes like that don’t often land on my sideboard, I have to pick them up wherever I can. Sometimes it’s Smokies in Okolona, on my way to Tupelo. Often it’s Buck’s One Stop in Calhoun City, when on my way to Oxford.

A piece of caramel cake is a good “on my way” snack, it seems; the firmness of the icing also helps prevent messes in the car.

The next most requested dessert when we went to visit Belmont was caramel pie. But Granny didn’t make this one. Her BFF, Elwa, was the pie maker. Simple crust, simple meringue, incredible caramel custard filling. We all thought she must have had some secret, passed-down recipe for this because nobody could match it. Turns out she got it out of the newspaper: a “Basic Custard Recipe” of which caramel was one of several options. Of course, that didn’t make it any less awesome.

When we lived in the Kingdom of Far, Far Away, I was celebrating a birthday of significant proportions - must have been thirty-nine - and The Wife asked what kind of cake I wanted. In my old age I decided to live on the wild side and requested a chocolate pie instead. She did a great job, and in a conversation afterwards I said something like, “I would have asked for a caramel pie, but I didn’t think it was possible.” A few days later, I was presented with a caramel pie that knocked my socks off. Shocked and amazed. The Wife took my words as a challenge, found a recipe in a cookbook we already owned, used ingredients we could actually find, and made a crazy good pie. Who knew that you could boil sweetened condensed milk in the can and come out with something like that?

Granny and Elwa are kicking it up in heaven now - or playing bridge, most likely - which is sad for a lot of reasons less selfish than the fact that I won’t ever be able to sit at a table with Granny’s caramel cake and Elwa’s caramel pie - at the same time - made special for me. But when we did - that was a little taste of heaven on earth. edm

2017

T hird Annual

Moonlight Market Benefiting Mississippi Food Network

March 23, 2017 For more information, visit www.msfoodnet.org. eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI • 83

WE DON’T BUY INTO MARKETING GIMMICKS. WE DON’T SELL THEM EITHER.

We’d like to talk to you about chicken. Don’t be fooled by other chicken companies who use labels like “raised without antibiotics.” That’s just a marketing gimmick to get you to pay more money. Fact is, by federal law, all chickens must be clear of antibiotics before they leave the farm. At Sanderson Farms, we don’t go for gimmicks like that. We just raise fresh, delicious chicken.

SandersonFarms.com

No artificial ingredients and minimally processed.

84 • FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017