It’s well known that Jackson is quickly growing, offering hot new spots for a sweet treat, locally made baked goods or great Southern cooking. No matter what you’re looking for, the City
Soulé Coffee + Bubble Tea - 2943 Old Canton Road, Suite E
Calling all coffee and bubble tea lovers: Soulé Coffee + Bubble Tea in Fondren is the newest place to get your fix. With endless combinations, you can find your perfect recipe for your ideal aesthetic sip.
Hot or iced, the Soulé Coffee menu consists of coffee drinks, bubble teas (iced tea or milk tea with chewy, sweet tapioca pearls), regular tea, lemonade, sodas, smoothies and even Re:Freshers, which is water with your choice of fruit puree. Whether you’re looking for a refreshing sip or need a boost of caffeine, Soulé has you covered.
To learn more and see a full menu, visit soulecoffee.com.
Mayday Icecream - 807 Manship Street
Originating in St. Augustine, Florida, this Belhaven Town Center gem is named after the World War II soldiers who got resourceful and made their own ice cream while flying over Europe. They strapped buckets of cream and sugar into the gunner pod above the loading bays and upon landing, would have a bucket full of ice cream and a reminder of home. How’s that for a sweet history lesson?
Mayday’s artisan ice cream ranges from Triple Vanilla (made with vanilla bean paste, fresh vanilla beans and vanilla extract) to Gillespie’s Bourbon Pecan (Buffalo Trace Bourbon soaked into ice cream with pieces of chopped, roasted pecans), and every flavor in between. You’re bound to find your new favorite flavor to enjoy in-store or enjoy a pint at home. Find out more at maydayicecream.com.
If you’re in need of a new brunch spot, you’ll love The Weekend.
With New Orleans-style dishes, this restaurant is a sure winner.
The menu offers seafood, chicken and even burgers. One already popular item is the Cajun Popcorn: Louisiana crawfish tails lightly seasoned, breaded and hand-tossed in a house voodoo served on a bed of mixed greens. Other great options are the Chicken and Waffles, Blackened Redfish and Grits or the Breakfast Casserole, made with seasoned roasted potatoes and smoked sausage mixed with red, green pepper, onion and topped with melted mixed cheese, a medium fried egg and toast.
See a full menu and book reservations at theweekendjxn.com.
with Soul has it. Below are just a handful of mouthwatering new places to try.
This outdoor bar is a relative of Elvie’s and is located in the new Belhaven Town Center Terrace. It offers “thoughtfully curated cocktails” on tap and regularly collaborates with Mayday Ice Cream to offer cold, boozy treats. On-tap libations served at Good Bar range from seasonal all-natural wines (such as orange wine), craft beers from local breweries and, of course, cocktails. Drinks like The Bee’s Knees (Queen’s Reward Honey Habanero Mead, Roku Gin, Firewater Tincture, fresh lemon juice) and The Mule (Cathead Honeysuckle Vodka, Koval Ginger Liqueur, fresh lime juice) are just a couple examples of ice-cold drinks to enjoy in great company. This bar also serves food like cheese plates, salads, muffuletta sandwiches and more.
Find out more about events, menu changes and more at facebook.com/ GoodBarJXN.
Bettina’s Soulfood Kitchen - 503 South Gallatin Street
“Cooking straight from the soul” is the motto at Bettina’s Soulfood Kitchen, and so right it is. With a rotating daily menu, it’s no wonder why folks already love this restaurant.
Daily entrees range from wings, red bean and rice with sausage, smoked ribs, fried catfish, pork chops (fried or smothered) and so much more. Each entrée comes with two sides and bread, with sides spanning from classic mac and cheese, collards, candied yams and more.
Find out what’s made fresh for your visit at facebook.com/ BettinaSoulfoodKitchen.
This co-op bakery offers delicious bread made with locally-sourced ingredients. Located in Belhaven Heights , Sunflower Oven is the place to get fresh-baked baked goods.
Loaves for sale include classic sourdough, bagels, muffins, chocolate rye cookies, teacakes, babka, Rugbrød and even a pint of fermented ground mustard. If you know exactly what you want, you can order online for pickup at their Belhaven location or the Mississippi Farmers Market.
Learn more about Sunflower Oven at sunfloweroven.com.
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It’s finally here, and it’s so hard to stay calm: fall! I am not unique in loving fall the best out of the four seasons, which makes it all the more fun once autumn arrives.
Like many, September 1 hit and seemed to graciously approve the consumption of pumpkin and appleflavored products. Coffee, bread, ice cream... you name it, fall flavors have been on the menu for the last month. And no, there aren’t any signs of stopping. Why would we?
Fall is also when the true fun starts. Festivals, flavors and favorite blankets emerge from their retirement and grace us once again. It’s the time of year when spending time outside is fun again—a little less sweat and a whole lot of excitement for the holiday season ahead. Whether you’re exploring local parks or looking for a fall festival to attend (there are so many all over the state, be sure to check your area for any events!), now is the time to enjoy fall. Shortly, the limelight will be on Christmas and New Year’s...
So, how do you plan to celebrate fall? A great way to enjoy the season at home is by exploring through different flavor pairings in the kitchen. In all honesty, it took me a while to get comfortable cooking savory meats with warm, fall spices like cinnamon and nutmeg. However, this pork loin rubbed with a blend of autumnal spices is a great gateway dish to experimenting with these flavors. Paired with a glaze made from fresh apples? This is definitely a musttry for your next Sunday dinner. Adjust the spice measurements as needed; you can always add more post-baking!
Ingredients for Pork Loin:
• 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (½ teaspoon if you’re not a super fan of pumpkin spice)
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon paprika
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• Olive oil
• 1 1-pound pork
tenderloin
1. Line a baking sheet with foil and set aside.
In a small bowl, combine the dry ingredients in a bowl and whisk until well combined. Brush pork with olive oil. Press brown sugar mixture on all sides. Place on prepared baking sheet.
2. Roast, uncovered, at 425°F for 30 to 35 minutes or until done (145°F). Brush with apple glaze and let stand 10 minutes before slicing.
Ingredients for Apple Glaze:
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 cup apple juice
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon apple cider
1. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Whisk in cornstarch until all specks of white are absorbed. Pour in apple juice and whisk in Dijon mustard, brown sugar and apple cider vinegar. Continue to whisk until sauce is thickened, which should only take a couple of minutes.
2. Brush over cooked meat and reserve any you may want for dipping. edm
EAT DRINK MISSISSIPPI (USPS 17200) is published bi-monthly by Connected Community Media Group, 10971 Four Seasons Pl. Ste. 211, Crown Point, IN 46307. Periodicals postage paid at Madison, MS, and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Please mail changes of address to 10971 Four Seasons Place Suite 211 Crown Point IN 46307.
Let It Fly Sports Bar is the latest restaurant that will soon make Silo Square in Southaven its home. Former Grizzlies standout and twotime NBA champion Mike Miller is behind the concept. Let It Fly will provide a unique dining experience with TVs galore for the sports fanatics. It will also include top-of-the-line golf simulators. Menu items include items like grilled mac and cheese, BBQ and rib platters, chicken and waffles, burgers and chicken sandwiches, chicken wings, pizzas, salads and wraps. They will also serve brunch.
Let It Fly will break ground at Silo Square this fall and is scheduled to open in Summer 2023. There are currently two locations open in Germantown, Tennessee, and Sioux Falls, South Dakota. e d m
Restauranteur Robert St. John is behind a new Italian restaurant coming to Renaissance early in October, Enzo Osteria. The restaurant will be in the Biaggi’s building as St. John and his staff have taken over the building and everything in it – tables, chairs, equipment and even the employees. St. John visited Tuscany, Italy, in 2011 and has dreamed of opening an Italian restaurant in Jackson since then, and that dream is finally coming to fruition. Enzo will feature the American-Italian food we are used to, as well as authentic Italian dishes St. John has learned to prepare over the last several years in his travels to Tuscany.
St. John is part of the New South Restaurant Group that includes Crescent City Grill, Tabella, The Midtowner, Ed’s Burger Joint, The Mahogany Bar, and El Ray Tex Mex in Hattiesburg. Other projects in the Jackson area include Highball Lanes, The Pearl Tiki Bar and Capri Theatre in Fondren. edm
lovers unite and head to the coast for the inaugural Gulf Coast Brunch Festival. Several local restaurants and vendors will provide delicious food and drinks, live entertainment, and a beautiful view of Back Bay. For more details and to purchase tickets, visit gulfcoastbrunchfestival.com. edm
Tupelo native Lena Conwill left her desk job back in December with a dream to open a food truck. This summer, her dream came to fruition with her coffee food truck. Ambition Coffee opened earlier this summer and is named after a line from the movie “9 to 5,” where Dolly Parton sings “… pour myself a cup of ambition” in the title song. Ambition Coffee serves hot coffee drinks like Americano, cappuccino, latte, mocha and drip coffee, as well as frozen coffee drinks. Though it’s not a full-service food truck, Ambition Coffee does offer a few breakfast items prepared by Kitchen 107, a catering company in Nettleton.
Ambition Coffee is open from 7 to 10 am and can be found throughout the Tupelo community at places like Dairy Kream, Fox Den or Cornerstone Church. Conwill posts her location on social media daily so customers can easily find her. To find out where Ambition Coffee is, follow along on Facebook at @AmbitionCoffeeMS. edm
eat. drink.
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Contributing Writer & Advertising Associate Paige.McKay@eatdrinkmississippi.com
Julian Brunt
Lisa LaFontaine Bynum
Divian Conner Melissa Cookston Kathy Martin
Susan Marquez Brandi Perry Jay Reed Contributors b www.eatdrinkmississippi.com b
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2. In a cold bowl, mix whipping cream until stiff. In a separate bowl, mix sweetened condensed milk and vanilla. Fold whipping cream into milk-vanilla mixture.
3. In another bowl, mix about 2/3 of cranberry sauce with an equal part (or slightly less) of the vanilla mixture until smooth. Place both bowls (vanilla mixture and cranberry-milk blend) into freezer for about an hour. Remove from freezer and add vanilla mixture to a loaf pan or similar size freezersafe container.
4. Pour cranberry-milk blend over the top, add chocolate chunks, and gently swirl into vanilla mixture. Pour remaining cranberry jelly in a straight line down the length of the container, and use a knife or spatula to make “stripes” down the length of the jelly.
5. Place container in freezer until frozen.
• 1/2 refrigerated pie crust
• 1 T brown sugar
• 1 T butter (melted)
• 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1. Brush one side of pie crust with butter, then turn over. Butter other side, then sprinkle brown sugar and pumpkin pie spice evenly over crust. Bake per package directions until just brown, remove from oven and let cool.
2. Break half of crust into pieces. Save the remainder to serve with ice cream. (Inspired by Spicy Southern Kitchen)
3. Mix pumpkin puree, sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, cream, pumpkin pie spice and vanilla until well blended. Add to a 4-quart ice cream freezer. Add dasher to freezer container, then add Oreo pieces, Biscoff pieces and pie crust pieces. Add whole milk until fill line is reached. Spin dasher to mix. Freeze per ice cream freezer directions. Serve plain or with more broken pie crust pieces from saved half of crust.
Recipes courtesy of Jay Reed - find the corresponding article on page 47.When it comes to fall, it’s easy to focus on décor and not so much useful kitchen items to help make cooking for the holiday season ahead so much easier. Whether you’re hosting or plan to do a ton of creating in the kitchen, here are just a few items that might make your life easier.
Autumn is typically associated with deep, warm spices like cinnamon, allspice, cloves, ginger, nutmeg and many others. And while most of these are used in baking and even seasoning meats, pulling out so many spices can clutter up your counter space quickly. And while a spice organizer isn’t exactly a genius idea, now may be a great excuse to finally get one.
Cut the clutter with this spice organizer that sits right on your countertop. See exactly what spices you need to restock and replace the bottles with ease as you go about following your recipe.
Find this and more like it at Amazon.com.
If you’re like most home bakers, October and November are likely filled with apple recipes—crisp, pie, cobbler, tarts, you name it. And if you don’t have an apple slicer, the cutting can be extremely tedious. Not to mention hard to make each slice uniform!
This 12-blade apple slicer is perfect for quickly cutting and coring apples for snacks and baking, eliminating the amount of time designated for slicing each apple for your recipe. Stainless steel and dishwasher safe means this slicer can be used for many more seasons to come.
Find this apple slicer and more at Walmart.com.
For those cooks already planning their Thanksgiving and Christmas menus, fear not when it comes to the meat. A leavein thermometer stamps out the stress of repeatedly opening the oven to check the temperature, meaning you can focus on the side dishes and your kitchen won’t feel like a Mississippi summer while hosting holiday company.
This leave-in thermometer is digital, making it easy to read at a quick glance. Be the host with the most as you let this accessory do the worrying for you with its ultra-accurate readings.
Find this thermometer and more for your kitchen at OXO.com.
Tired of purchasing dinner rolls from the store to serve with your delicious homemade holiday meal? A no-knead, automatic dough and bread maker is just what you need (no pun intended) to make the easier loaf of bread you’ve ever served.
Never knead another loaf with this automatic machine. Simply add the ingredients to the bowl and select what kind of loaf you want to make. This appliance stirs, kneads, proofs and bakes all in one, cutting down on the mess and the time-consuming efforts that go into a delicious loaf of homemade bread.
This Cuisinart dough and bread maker is available at Walmart.com.
Go hands-free this holiday season while cooking with a motion-sensor trash can. Avoid spilling, smearing and dropping disposables while in the kitchen while also keeping trash hidden in a sleek outfit like this reciprocal.
With a simple flick or wave of your hand, foot, elbow or whatever you have available, this trash can will open its top and allow you to drop anything you have in your hand. No more worrying about lifting up the lid or stepping on a lever to open the top. Keep pets and kids out of the trash with the automatic closing lid, too!
Find this trash can and similar ones at Amazon.com.
With fall comes lots of compostable waste, such as apple peels and cores, pumpkin guts and other food scraps that the dog just can’t have. If you’re looking to turn that spoil into soil, a dual chamber composter can do just that with ease.
This compost tumbler is designed to generate the most amount of compost over time. Constructed from a zinc-coated metal frame to prevent rust and a body constructed from high-impact UV-protected plastic. The optional compost cart that fits right underneath the composter makes moving your newly made compost simple, clean, and easy. The composter itself can be set up to compost the full 65 gallons at a time or to be split into two composters allowing for compost to be made while the other side is being loaded with fresh compost material, keeping a constant flow of compost from being made.
Find this composter at HomeDepot.com.
Anyone who has made a homemade pie knows the importance of a perfectly latticed top crust. Whether it be hand-cutting strips and weaving them together or eyeballing the length and pattern of slits to pull apart for that bakery-like lattice, it’s tough.
However, this lattice rolling pin makes it a breeze to cut a perfectly even lattice pattern in your crust. Wow your guests when you tell them the pie is homemade and not from a local bakery once they lay eyes on the intricate pattern laid over the filling.
Find this rolling pin at Walmart.com.
I absolutely love Thanksgiving. It is the time of year when I get an entire pan of my mom’s cornbread dressing to myself. It is so good, and I adore it so much; she makes a second pan just for me. The taste of it is heavenly, and I only use one word to describe it: golden. I know golden is not a word associated with taste, but if golden rays of sunshine had a taste, I am most certain it would taste like my mom’s dressing.
Here in the South, it is common to grab a plate and pile it high with dressing, greens and candied sweet potatoes. The mac and cheese is always a hit with the creaminess that relatives look forward to. A bowl of potato salad is pulled from the fridge and topped with sliced boiled eggs, and dessert tables are adorned with pound cakes, pecan and sweet potato pies. Sweet tea is the preferred drink, and everyone gives thanks and eats until they are full and sleepy. Thanksgiving is all about the people, the food and the reflection of the year that is slowly creeping to an end.
DIVIAN CONNER is a Mississippi mama of four ‘not so little’ little ones. Coming up with recipes, trying new ones, and feeding her crew of tweens and teens is her passion. Southern recipes, easy recipes, sorta hard recipes, but always delicious recipes is what you will find on her food blog, www.divianlconner.com. Now venturing into outdoor cooking over an open fire, Divian is fascinated with camp cooking and entertaining.
Families gather–some bringing their famous dishes to share, some bringing Tupperware dishes to pack away a plate for the next day. It doesn’t matter if you cook or not; you are family, we are friends, we love each other and we gather around the table to ohhh and ahhh over the wonderful meal that is before us. Thanksgiving in the South is truly something special, and is usually a two or three-day affair. People fly in or drive in from faraway places to convene and commune with their loved ones over a piping hot brown sugar-rubbed ham, a deep-fried turkey or a professionally carved prime rib. It is the time of year when we all get together and appreciate the time we have with one another, no matter how short the time may be.
In recent years, we have started trying different culinary ventures during the holidays (Mom’s dressing still makes an appearance no matter what). Last year I channeled my inner Louisiana chef and made all creole dishes–stuffed turkey wings, etouffee, dirty rice and gravy and gumbo. Although I am still finalizing this year’s menu, I have been having a field day trying out and testing new recipes. I have no idea what part of the country or world our taste buds will travel to, but my family has been enjoying all the test kitchen ideas that I have been coming up with.
Last year, we made a trek to Arizona. Visiting the largest Native American reservation in the country–Navajo Nation, we had to try Native American Fry Bread. We had it taco-style and a version doused in cinnamon sugar and drizzled with honey. Where had this bread been all my life? I am known to keep 250 pounds of flour in my pantry at all times because, hey, I love good bread, so when I got home, I knew that fry bread would become a staple in my meal planning. While I have no idea what my Thanksgiving dinner will actually be, one thing is for certain: these bite-sized appetizers will be served. A small delicious bite of traditional southern cooking paired with a Native American delicacy.
You get one bite of the South coupled with a bit of history. These bites are the perfect preamble to Thanksgiving as well as any party or dinner you have planned for the upcoming holidays. I mean, you can’t really go wrong with the ingredients in these babies. They really are a taste of the US. edm
Native American Fry Bread:
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup hot water
• vegetable oil for frying
Toppings:
• Seasoned pulled pork
• Collard greens
• Candied yam wedges
1. Mix all ingredients together and form a dough. Cover and let rest for 30-40 minutes. The dough will not rise; it just needs to rest.
2. Form into one-inch balls and then flatten out the balls into circular disks. Fry in a pan with vegetable oil on medium to high heat until golden brown. Place the fried dough on a paper towel to drain the grease.
3. Top each fry bread with pulled pork, chopped collard greens and
yam slice. Drizzle with juice from the candied yams and serve hot/ warm.
4. Warm up the naan by placing it on a grill over the fire (or in the oven) until they are soft.
5. Serve the chicken over the naan with fresh lemon slices and plain Greek yogurt to cut the spiciness.
eat. drink.
A trip to Mitchell Farms in Collins, Mississippi will take you to a time when things were simpler and the focus was on the family. Mitchell Farms was started in 1960 by Dennis and Nelda Mitchell with row crops being their way of life. The 1970s brought about peanuts, and the 1980s introduced vegetables to the farm. In 2006, the farm changed dramatically when the
Mitchells decided to try their hand at agritourism. What visitors find at the farm today is a direct result of those efforts. Today, the biggest draw to Mitchell Farms is the incredible fall events they have scheduled. From September 24 through November 6, schools and private groups can come to visit the farm. Admission is $15 per person, but the day is packed with
wagon rides, a six-acre corn maze, farm animals, play areas, a hay mountain and plenty of photo opportunities to remember your trip to the farm. The farm is open to the public Fridays in October and Saturdays and Sundays through November 6. On Fridays, the hours are from noon to 4 pm, Saturdays are from 9 am to 6 pm, and Sundays are from 1 pm to 5 pm. The admission on weekdays is $12, and on weekends it’s $15.
Character Weekend is scheduled for October 29 and 30. In addition to all the fun expected on a trip to the farm, this special weekend will also include the opportunity for children and adults to meet and greet all their favorite Disney characters
and have plenty of photographic proof.
There are very few places in Mississippi where you can experience a Cinderella pumpkin, tractor slide racer, a stunning sunflower field, the ability to play in a corn pool, a goat castle and a culvert slide. Mitchell Farms is the best place to let the little ones burn off some energy while the parents enjoy a nice fall day outside. If you visit on the weekends, you can expect to find several food vendors for all those much-needed concessions, but visitors are also welcome to bring their own picnic lunch.
The 13th Annual Mississippi Peanut Festival is scheduled
for this year on October 1 and 2 but is held annually at this time of year. More than 75 vendors from throughout the south are on hand with arts and crafts and some of the most delicious foods you will find in the Pine Belt. The events last from 9 am to 6 pm on October 1 and from 1 pm to 5 pm on October 2. On the day of the festival, visitors can expect arts and crafts exhibitors, antiques, collectibles, jewelry and yard art.
Additionally, the festival has hosted a Peanut Run for the Cure for the past four years, and all proceeds from the race benefit the St. Jude Research Hospital in Memphis. Race time is scheduled for 7:30 am on Saturday, October 1, and there are a variety of ways you can contribute that day. Research out the Mitchell Farms for more information on this special event.
So many times, people visit Mitchell Farms, and they assume they only have the fall events, and the farm is closed to guests the remainder of the year, but this could not be any further from the truth. Whether you need to plan a birthday party, family reunion, scout group event, church group event or retreat, there is no better location than Mitchell Farms. You can enjoy two or more hours of fresh country air while hosting the perfect party, and you will not even have to pack chairs or tables. If you need this event to be inside, that is not a concern either as visitors can rent the Banquet Barn as well. You can call Mitchell Farms for more information on availability and pricing.
If you have ever spent any time on a farm in Mississippi, you know how pure and beautiful it is. That is a huge reason why Mitchell Farms also offers weddings, too. If you are looking for a barn, farm landscape, or outdoor wedding location, there is a not more rustic spot than this farm. The Banquet Barn is perfect for a wedding with all its modern
amenities, natural lighting for those stunning photographs and plenty of room for your closest family and friends. The barn was designed by Dennis Mitchell and constructed entirely of the timber cut on their property, with the lumber being cut from their own sawmill by Don Mitchell. You can almost feel the love as soon as you walk into the barn, making it one of the most special buildings on the farm. The covered porch is always a favorite of the brides, and it will not take you long to see why so many Mississippi brides choose Mitchell Farms. If you think this is the perfect location for you to tie the knot, reach out to 601-606-0762, and they can assist you with dates and a personal tour!
Additionally, if you are a schoolteacher or a tour leader, the farm does offer special farm tours. For the adults, they will experience three authentic log cabins, antiques, original wood carvings, painting and much more. The students will learn all about life on the farm and the educational aspects of fruits, vegetables, and historic cabins. Farm tours are one of the most special ways to experience this working farm.
A trip to Mitchell Farms is like no other. Visitors truly feel as though they are stepping back in time and enjoying life when it was a little simpler and when the kids could still be kids. There are so many opportunities to experience Mitchell Farms from both public to private events! If you have any questions about hosting your special event or about any of the events they have going on, please reach out to them today at 601-765-8609. You can also find them on Facebook and Twitter, but the most extensive information will be found on their website, mitchellfarms.com.
Mitchell Farms is located at 650 Leaf River Church Road, Collins, MS 39428. edm
It is no secret that Mississippi has some of the most talented chefs in the country! Robert St. John, Kat Cora and Whitney Miller, to name a few, have all had tremendous luck crafting specialized dishes for people all over the world and making the Magnolia State proud. Additionally, home cooking is served in most homes at least once a week, usually on Sunday, showcasing the culinary skills of mothers and grandmothers all over the state.
But many are unaware that Wesson and Copiah-Lincoln Community College are doing their part to ensure Mississippi not only continues to produce world-class chefs and culinary professionals, but they are putting these skills on display.
The Culinary Arts Technology program students are instructed by Abby Rials, who does an incredible job providing a solid foundation in both the methods and science of cooking. The exposure to classical, American and international
cuisine also includes the art of baking and pastries. These classes are offered on the Wesson and Natchez campuses and emphasize the culinary tools, equipment, techniques and special ingredients the students may encounter during their careers in the food service industry. Students that successfully complete the course are awarded either a one-year career certificate, a two-year technical certificate or an Associate of Applied Science degree in Culinary Arts. All students who complete the program successfully are eligible to earn the nationally accredited food safety certification from the National Restaurant Association.
If students want to go even further with their culinary education, Copiah-Lincoln Community College and the Mississippi University for Women have a partnership that allows culinary students to receive a bachelor’s degree in the field. The university is the only one in the state that offers a
four-year baccalaureate program in culinary arts and one of the few in the country that accepts career-technical credits. Many students leave Copiah-Lincoln Community College with internships in some of the most prolific industries in the world, including Walt Disney World.
The learning is not kept only in the classroom. CopiahLincoln Community College is also home to the Aladdin Campus Dining. Aladdin is a management service that provides the highest quality management of dining services at the college. It uses concepts like classic kitchen, global fare, the local deli, sauce and stone, and street food and seasons harvest to provide one of the most thrilling campus dining experiences in the state.
At the center of the success of Aladdin Campus Dining is Food Service Director Diana Mezzanares and Executive Chef Chris McSweyn. McSweyn is no stranger to success in the food industry as he and his family owned and operated the Porches Restaurant in Wesson for more than 26 years. Porches was a famous eatery for many years, drawing people from all over the state to enjoy what is best described as southern cooking with pizazz. While attending school at Copiah-Lincoln, Chris wanted more hours than he was getting at his job, and, as fate would have it, around the same time his parents visited Wesson and laid eyes on the 1878 home. Just like that, Porches of Wesson was born and survived for 26 years, but after the pandemic started, they decided to close it. McSweyn was then contacted in June of 2020 by Donna Stigall about operating her restaurant, LeSoul in Hazlehurst. This is where he was working when Mezzanares offered him the Executive Chef position at the junior college, an opportunity he simply could not pass up. There, he is responsible for special events and catering at the Thames Conference Center, as well as the menu design, recipe development and production for these events.
Additionally, McSweyn cooks and serves on the Farm to Table line in the main campus dining hall.
There is a misunderstanding that colleges only feed the students, and that is where their impact on the food services ends at the school. But this could not be any further from the truth, especially at Copiah-Lincoln Community College. Aladdin also implemented the BeWell Program at Copiah-Lincoln Community College, which was created to make it easier for students to choose well. The initiative combines the latest nutrition science and current culinary trends to create menu choices that appeal to college students’ tastes and styles. This program is so much more than producing delicious food because it also promotes positive behavior changes, wellness education and partnerships that are critical to not only educating students about their positive food choices but also encouraging them to learn about the food they are eating.
SoGood is another program offered by Aladdin that starts with a foundation of seasonal foods that are not only good for the planet but the consumer. These fresh options are featured every month and new additions to the concept for this school year are Seoul Town and Vegabond. Additionally, Aladdin is in the process of renovating the Wolf Den Grill, which will house a fresh smoothie bar, loaded teas, no-bake energy bites and acai bowls, as well as many other grill favorites.
Luckily, students are not the only people who get to experience what Chris and his team produce. The Thames Conference Center on the campus of CopiahLincoln Community College hosts rehearsal dinners, wedding receptions, business luncheons, dinners and retreats as well as private parties for businesses, families and organizations. With around 350 seats, they can host and cater nearly any event you have. However, if you are not near Wesson and want to utilize their services, this is also a possibility.
It is not hard to see why Copiah-Lincoln Community College is not only one of the best food service departments in the state but also has some of the best students in its culinary arts program. Culinary students’ talents are utilized throughout the special events at the conference center and to prepare and serve meals on the campus.
Sunday Brunch is offered once a month to the public at Thames Conference Center, the first one held on September 11 from 10:30 am to 1:30 pm. Additionally, the main dining center is also open to the public Monday through Thursday from 7 am to 8:30 am for breakfast, 10:30 am to 1:30 pm for lunch, and 4:30 pm to 6:30 pm for dinner. If you have any questions about their dining services, call today at 601-849-5149. edm
eat. drink.
BY LISA LAFONTAINE BYNUM
Sure,turkey is considered the star of the show during Thanksgiving dinner. But let’s be honest… the side dishes are where it’s really at, right? If you need a few new ideas to serve alongside your tried-and-true family favorites this Thanksgiving, give these recipes a try. edm
Ingredients:
• 12 ounces country ham, diced
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 pounds fresh green beans washed, ends trimmed and cut into 1 ½ - 2-inch pieces
• 2 pounds small red or gold potatoes washed, then quartered or cut into eighths
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• Salt and additional black pepper to taste
1. Heat a large stock pot over medium high heat. Dice the country ham into bite-sized pieces. Once the pot is hot, add the country ham and sauté for 2-3 minutes until the ham is light pink and starting to brown on the edges.
2. Add the onion. Sauté until the onion is translucent, about 8-10 minutes.
3. Add the minced garlic and sauté for an additional 30 seconds.
4. Add the green beans and potatoes to the pot.
5. Pour the chicken broth over the top of the vegetables.
6.
7. Add the Cajun seasoning, ground black pepper and red pepper flakes. Add salt to taste.
8. Bring the pot to a boil, then cover it with a lid, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 30 minutes. The green beans and potatoes should be fork tender when they’re done.
9. Remove the pot from the heat and allow the beans and potatoes to sit for at least 15 minutes. The vegetables will continue to absorb the flavors of the ham and the broth as they sit.
10. Season with additional salt and pepper if necessary.
Ingredients:
• 1 loaf (24-inches long) French bread
• 1 ½ sticks (12 tablespoons) butter, divided
• 1 cup chopped onions
• ½ cup chopped celery
• ½ cup green bell pepper
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 1-pint fresh oysters, juice reserved, chopped if needed
• 1 cup chopped smoked or andouille sausage
• ½ cup chopped fresh parsley
• ½ cup chicken broth
• ½ sleeve (about 15 saltine crackers), crushed
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cut the bread into cubes. Spread them on an even layer on
a baking sheet. Bake for about 10 minutes until the bread is toasted but not yet brown. Remove the bread from the oven and allow it to cool. Do not turn the oven off.
3. Melt 1 stick (8 tablespoons) of the butter in a stock pot over medium high heat.
4. Add the onion, celery and green bell pepper. Lightly season with a little salt and pepper. Sauté until the vegetables are tender, about 7 minutes.
5. Add the minced garlic and sauté for an additional 30 seconds.
6. Add the oysters and cook until they are opaque and the edges begin to curl.
7. Add the sausage and parsley and cook until heated through, about 2-3 minutes more. Remove the pot from the heat.
8. Add the cubed bread to the pot. Stir to coat the bread with any juices in the pot. The bread should be moist but still keep its shape, not soggy. Use the reserved juice from the oysters if necessary. Add a little bit of the chicken broth if you don’t have enough oyster juice.
9. Spread the dressing into a greased 8 x 8 casserole dish or an 11-inch cast iron skillet.
10. Spread the crushed saltines over the top of the dressing.
11. Melt the remaining four tablespoons of butter. Drizzle the butter over the top of the crackers.
12. Bake for 30 minutes until the top of the dressing is toasted and the crackers start to turn golden brown.
13. Allow the dressing to cool for 15 minutes before serving.
Ingredients:
• 2 bunches fresh asparagus trimmed
• 10 ounce can cream of mushroom soup
• 1 ½ cups crushed saltine crackers (about 24 whole crackers)
• 1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
• Salt and pepper to taste
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Grease a 9 x 13 x 2-inch casserole dish. Arrange the asparagus in a single layer on the bottom of the dish.
3. Pour the cream of mushroom soup into a small saucepan. Fill the empty can with water or broth. Pour the water into the saucepan and heat the soup until it is bubbly.
4. Sprinkle the crushed saltines over the asparagus spears.
5. Pour the hot soup over the crackers. Carefully stir the crackers and soup until the crackers are coated.
6. Sprinkle the sharp cheddar cheese over the top of the soup.
7. Bake for 30 minutes until the casserole is bubbly and the asparagus is tender.
8. Allow the casserole to rest for 10-15 minutes before serving.
Fall is my absolute favorite time of year. I love everything about it – the crisp, clear weather suitable for my vast collection of woolly sweaters; enjoying hot apple cider while watching college football with friends; crimson, gold and vivid orange leaves making a crunchy blanket in the yard; pot roast with potatoes, carrots and onions in the crockpot; and pulling out a jar of Great-Grandma Mabel’s pickled beets from the pantry to round out the meal.
Canning and preserving fresh produce are something of a tradition in my family. My great-grandmother Mabel passed her recipes down to my grandmother Margaret, who shared them with me. To this day, I can still smell the sharp scent of vinegar and the spicy tang of cinnamon and cloves that permeated the kitchen when my grandmother would announce it was beet canning day. I was so proud the day I was finally old enough to help without burning myself on the hot jars! I was allowed to pull out the old handwritten recipes and choose which one to use on the fresh beets, corn and peas.
My grandmother Margaret kept up a steady stream of advice while we were preparing the raw veggies. “Now see these green beans, here? Make sure you snap this end off and pull the string. Nobody wants to get a string caught in their teeth.” “Hold the corn vertically on its fat end and slice off the kernels from the top.” “Careful of that canning lid now, don’t touch the underside, or we’ll have to boil it again.”
Then there was the fun advice: “Taste it as we go, so you’ll know it’s ready.” This was especially important to Gramma because she was the kind of cook who didn’t really measure anything. Somehow, she kept all the information in her head, and although the recipe was sitting right there, she rarely referred to it, preferring to add a little dab of this and a dash of that; Gramma’s motto was to keep adding salt or spices until it tasted “right.” It was never the same twice, but everything was always scrumptious.
Now as an adult, I find myself preserving fall and winter vegetables in much the same way. I use the tried-and-tested recipes but always seem to end up adding an extra pinch of spice or switching out one ingredient for another (usually similar) one. I figure, “Why not?” because the purpose of
canning, after all, is to enjoy the bounty of summer and early fall during the cold winter months when nothing fresh is available. Honoring my ancestors’ ethos of eating locally and with the seasons (and canning the rest), I try to keep up the spirit of canning and preserving in this modern age when we expect perfect red tomatoes in February and think nothing strange about eating tasteless peaches and melons that have been shipped from other continents.
Your own fall garden, a local farmers market or any good grocery store produce department is the first stop when you decide to start canning. Choose only the crispest, freshest
young fruits and vegetables for canning, with no soft spots or mold. (Overripe fruit won’t make great jam, it will just postpone the day you end up throwing it away.)
Although canning foods should be fresh, they don’t have to be perfect looking – I once got an entire box of apple “seconds” from an orchard for an unbelievable price. They weren’t symmetrical, some had naturally occurring brown spots on their skins and most had nibbled leaves, so they weren’t good enough to sell individually. (They made exceptional apple butter.)
In Mississippi, we are blessed by a long growing season, and in October and November, you can pick most of your favorites. Any fall produce is perfect for canning – and, therefore, for winter eating! – but this list should get you started: apples, beans (lima, pole, field peas), broccoli, cabbage (green and red), carrots, cauliflower, collards and other greens, eggplant, figs, herbs, kale, muscadines, okra, onions, peanuts, pears, pecans, persimmons, pumpkins, raspberries, spinach, squash (all kinds), sweet and white potatoes, Swiss chard, tomatoes, turnips and watermelon.
Canning, preserving, or making jams and jellies is pretty cost-effective but does require an initial investment in a few items of specialty equipment. These include glass canning jars, lids and rings in various sizes; an extra-large canning pot with a lid and special rack that raises and lowers jars into the boiling water (21.5 qt is a typical size, available at Walmart or on Amazon); a canning funnel with a wide mouth for filling jars; and a jar lifter which allows you to remove full canning jars from boiling water. Also helpful, but not essential are tongs or magnetic lid lifter to remove lids and rings from boiling water and a jar wrench to tighten the lids on hot jars. (My grandmother just used a towel.)
There are as many preferences for the ideal canning jar as there are people who preserve food, but Gramma always insisted on Mason jars, as she claimed they were slightly thicker glass and, therefore, less prone to breaking. I can’t see any noticeable difference, and I find that Ball jars are more easily available. Any brand has small mouth and wide/large mouth jars in quart, pint and half-pint (and specialty) sizes, so as long as you have plenty of lids and rings (also called bands) in those two sizes, you’re covered.
There are basically three ways to preserve food: add a lot of salt (preserved meats or sauerkraut), pile on the sugar (such as jams, jellies and preserves), or soak it in
• 3 lbs. fresh red raspberries
• 2-3 lbs. white sugar (depending on the sweetness you want)
Combine the berries and sugar in a large pan and cook over medium-low heat, stirring and mashing constantly, until the juice starts to run from the berries and the sugar dissolves.
Turn the heat up to high and boil for 10-12 minutes, stirring frequently.
If using a candy thermometer, boil until the temperature reaches 220°. If you haven’t got a candy thermometer, place a teaspoon or so of jam on a cold plate. Wait 30 seconds and then tilt the plate slightly.
Set jam will hold its shape; runny jam needs a bit more cooking (5-minute increments). Skim any foam of the top of the jam, remove seeds if desired by passing through a cloth or fine mesh strainer and transfer to prepared jars.
Process for 10 minutes in a boiling water bath to seal. Makes about 3-4 pints of jam.
This is my great-grandmother Mabel Strang’s recipe (circa 1901). Her original handwritten version has a note in the margin: “this spiced sweet-and-sour brine can also be used on other vegetables such as carrots (discs or sticks), parsnips (discs or sticks), cauliflower florets, whole green or yellow wax beans, pearl onions, etc.”
• About 10 fresh, whole beets (small work best)
• 2 C white sugar
• 2 C vinegar (white or apple cider)
• 2 C water (reserved from cooking)
• 1 tsp ground cloves
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp allspice
1. Wash, trim, and cut the leaves off whole small beets. In a large saucepan, add enough water to cover the beets; bring to a boil and cook for about 15 minutes. Drain the beets, reserving 2 cups of the liquid. Skins should slip off easily. If not, use a paring knife to remove the rest of the skins. Slice into ½” medallions or cut into bite-size pieces (about 1” square).
2. Return the beet pieces to the pan, and add the sugar, vinegar, reserved cooking water and spices. Boil for 15 minutes to allow beets to soften completely. Quickly transfer to prepared canning jars, leaving ½” of headspace. Wipe each jar’s rim with a damp paper towel before placing the sterilized lid, and finger-tighten the ring to close. Process in boiling water bath 10-15 minutes. Store for up to a year in a cool, dark place. Makes about 10 pints of beets.
acid (like cucumber pickles). There are advantages to each of the methods, and, of course, it depends on what you’re trying to preserve.
The easiest way to preserve food is probably the oldest, as salt has been used to cure and preserve food for at least 5,000 years. There are hundreds of recipes that literally call for two ingredients, the first of which is salt. Sauerkraut, for example, is simply finely shredded cabbage with salt rubbed in packed into a jar, covered and allowed to ferment. (See a recipe for Brussels Sprout “Pickles” in the sidebar.)
The most important thing to know about preserving food with salt is the difference between pickling salt, kosher salt and table salt. They are not interchangeable!
James Beard Award-winning chef Alice Waters says: “When it comes to pickling recipes, fine-grain pickling salt is the best choice for a pure, uncloudy brine, while kosher salt is ideal for drawing the moisture out of meat and flavoring pasta water. Never substitute table salt for either one.”
Pickling salt (also known as canning salt) is a fine-grain form of pure salt (sodium chloride) that home cooks typically use to make pickles or preserve canned ingredients. This edible salt has no added iodine, anticaking agents, or potentially discoloring trace minerals as you would normally find in iodized salt (regular table salt). Experienced picklers choose pickling salt when making pickle recipes because it yields a clear brine that won’t discolor the ingredients. It also dissolves quickly in the pickling liquid, so it’s perfect for infusing vinegar.
Kosher salt is a coarse-grain form of sodium chloride whose flakes are larger and rougher than other salt crystals. Its larger grains make it a popular and versatile choice for grilling meats, lining margarita glasses and seasoning French fries.
Pickling salt and kosher salt are both pure forms of sodium chloride that you can use to season food. In that respect, they are interchangeable. Kosher salt is a good substitute for pickling salt if you don’t have any; if it is pure, kosher salt will not impede the pickling process. (Read the label to confirm that the kosher salt doesn’t contain anti-caking
agents that can make the brine cloudy.)
But remember, the larger crystals of kosher salt mean measurements will need to be adjusted. You’ll need about twice as much coarse ground kosher salt by volume to get the same level of “saltiness” as the denser pickling salt.
(Ex: 1 tsp pickling salt = 2 tsp Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt = 2.5 tsp Morton’s Kosher Salt)
Making jam is also easy for the novice canner – all you need is fruit and sugar. Using a candy thermometer, boil sugar and fruit until it reaches 220°. (If you don’t have a candy thermometer, don’t worry, there are other ways to test for doneness. See recipe for Red Raspberry Jam in the sidebar.) Strain it through mesh to remove the seeds if desired or just pour it straight into canning jars and process in the boiling water bath. Voilá! (See recipe in the sidebar.)
Acid is another easy and tasty way to preserve food and is great for most vegetables. In the USA, the most commonly seen “pickle” is probably the humble cucumber, but many winter foods are delicious preserved in pickling brine with various spices or flavorings. (See my grandmother Mabel’s recipe for Pickled Beets in the sidebar.)
“The key to making good pickles is to use good vinegar,” says author Kevin West in “Saving the Season.” Since vinegar will be the strongest taste in the jar, quality matters. Always use commercial (never homemade) vinegar to ensure reliable acidity and make pickles with the kinds of vinegars you would use for vinaigrette dressing. “If you wouldn’t want to taste the vinegar straight, you wouldn’t want to pickle with it.”
Since canning recipes often call for vinegar, it can be a fun exercise to use an assortment of vinegars to experiment with flavor. (Some are better for canning and pickling than others.) Here are just a few of the many vinegars available:
• White-wine vinegar is a standard, go-to vinegar for canning; it can be used in nearly every recipe.
• Apple cider vinegar has a hint of
apple sweetness, so it’s best in traditional recipes like pickled beets, pickled cabbage or pickled fennel.
• Red-wine vinegar has a bright, agreeable taste, but the dark color may be unsuitable for light-colored pickles such as cucumbers or beans.
• Champagne vinegar has an elegant, almost “chalky” taste and is a bit expensive. I reserve this kind of vinegar for when I make herb vinegars to bottle and give as gifts.
• Sherry and malt vinegars are both dark – if you’ve ever been to London (or Long John Silver’s), you’ll know that malt vinegar is great on fried fish and French fries! Because these vinegars have such distinct flavors, I only use them for pickles when I am specifically looking for that dark, malty taste.
• Balsamic vinegars are aged in wooden casks and have a wide range of flavors and ages (the older they are, the thicker and sweeter they are). They have limited uses in pickling, but the 12 and 25-year balsamics are delicious drizzled over strawberries, pears and even ice cream.
West considers plain distilled white vinegar only a cleaning product, and his book “Saving the Season” says you should add a splash of white vinegar in the boiling water bath to reduce the spots on the jars and lids. However, in the early 1900s, my grandmother Mabel Strang only had plain white vinegar, so all her recipes call for it. Since I am used to her recipes, I don’t mind the taste. It’s all a matter of personal preference.
The easiest way to get started canning is to jump in and begin. If you don’t like how it tastes, begin again (or share with a sibling). There are lots of great books about canning, fermenting in salt, pickling in a vinegar brine, or preserving as jam. The tools and equipment are cheap and readily available in most department stores or online.
Canning is also great in that the whole family can spend all weekend preserving bushels and bushels of fruits and vegetables as dozens and dozens of jars or, in an hour, cook up a single jar of jam. More and more companies are offering specialty jars and bottles now, and it’s easier than ever to find recipes for herbed vinegars, spicy pickles or fermented delicacies. Preserves and canned things make great additions to everyday winter suppers (and holiday gift baskets) and brighten up the pantry with their rainbow array of jewel colors.
The only caveat I can offer you is that canning can become addictive. Once you realize just how easy and delicious it is to have home canned food all winter long, you might need to convert the garage into a second pantry to store the bounty.
Happy eating!
Find lots more information about canning and preserving at foodinjars.com, farmersalmanac.com, ballmasonjars.com, and pickyourown.org. edm
• 1 lb. Brussels sprouts
• 1 tsp. whole peppercorns
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed (about 1 tsp minced garlic)
• 1 tsp. kosher salt, dissolved in 2 C water
1. Clean the Brussels sprouts by soaking them, trimming the ends, and peeling off the outer layers of leaves. Cut smaller ones in half or larger ones into quarters. Pack the Brussels sprouts, peppercorns, and garlic in a clean quart jar, leaving 1 ½” of headspace. Pour the brine over the sprouts, submerging them completely. Cover the jar with a cheesecloth or other breathable cover and secure with a canning ring or a rubber band. Wrap a dish towel around the jar to keep out the light and store at room temperature (ideally between 60-75°).
2. This is a 4-week ferment; check daily to ensure brine covers the sprouts and that no mold or yeast forms. If the brine gets low, press sprouts down or add more brine. Taste test after two weeks; the longer they ferment, the stronger the flavor. Once the desired level of fermentation has been achieved, replace cloth with a lid and store tightly closed in the refrigerator.
eat. drink.
BY JULIAN BRUNT
Cucina povera is Italian for “poor cooking” or “poor kitchen.” It is a style of cooking perfected by the poor or those that have little, and takes advantage of those foods that are plentiful and inexpensive. For the Italians, polenta is perhaps the most well-known. Few things are as inexpensive as ground dried corn, but it is not an exclusive Italian practice. The famous French seafood stew, bouillabaisse, was prepared on the beach after the fisherman had sold the fish they could and made their stew with the leftovers. Cassoulet, another French specialty, made with beans, meat and vegetables falls into the same category, as do German potato pancakes and sausages from all countries, made with leftover meat scraps.
Some of the most famous foods from the American South also come from the cucina povera. Vegetables that could be grown in a home garden, like greens, cuts of meat the affluent would not eat, such as ham hocks, and game that was abundant in the woods and fields. It is hard to think of a popular Southern food that did not originate in the kitchen of a poor farmer, field hand or slave.
Fried chicken was, in fact, a delicacy. More often than not, it was reserved for Sunday supper. Poor people kept chickens for their eggs and had to be careful not to deplete the flock. An older hen that was no longer producing would go to the stew pot, and a young cock that was not needed would become Sunday supper.
It’s a similar story for cows. The main purpose of the family cow was milk, not steaks. If a cow became too old to milk, she might be slaughtered and turned into stews; she was too tough for anything else. When my father returned from the army and made grilled steaks (which he had discovered in the mess hall) for his parents, they were appalled. Eating half-cooked beef was just out of the question.
Pigs and hogs were common, too. They were fattened (lard was important in Southern cooking) and the hams and bacon were cured and smoked. The late fall and early winter, when it was cool enough for the meat not to quickly spoil, was the time for the pigs to be butchered, an event that in some places, like Louisiana, became a festival called a boucherie. A basic principle
of cucina povera is to waste nothing, so the ham and bacon went to the more affluent, and the hocks, feet, ears, ribs and chitlins were the leftovers for the poor.
A vegetable garden was very important to the cucina povera. Plants were grown that could be harvested over long periods of time, like collard greens. The whole plant was not dug up, but a few leaves from each could be harvested, leaving the plant to continue to grow well into late fall.
Corn was important because it could be dried and ground into corn meal or grits, both of which were shelf stable. Corn meal, milk and eggs are the basic ingredients of Southerners’ loved cornbread, which was served at almost every meal. My grandfather’s dinner was cornbread crumbled up in a glass of buttermilk. It really is quite good. Did you know that dinner was a smaller meal than supper? Supper was more often what we call lunch, a larger meal needed before you returned to the fields to plow or hoe.
Peas and beans were also important because just like corn, they could be dried and would keep all winter long until the spring garden began to produce. Tomatoes, which were ripe in the late summer, were most loved when eaten on a sandwich of white bread and mayo and especially delicious when the tomato was still warm from the sun. Tomatoes could also be canned for later use or turned into chow-chow, the condiment Southerners love served over greens, peas and beans.
Sorghum was also important, especially to those that lived in the northern part of Mississippi (north of Highway 82), where sugar cane would not grow. Sorghum molasses served over cornbread was a mainstay to the really poor, like my father’s family. It is delicious, but dad said it became tiresome when eaten everyday.
I could go on and on there are so many examples of food that come from the cucina povera. Interestingly, many of the foods the poor ate became wildly popular with people of all classes and from all over the country. Where would we be without BBQ ribs? Dishes like grits and greens have been fancied up and plated as if they were fine dining. And who doesn’t like black-eyed peas cooked in a smoky ham stock?
We owe a lot to the poor kitchens of the South! edm
Our vision is to inspire Mississippi’s children from all backgrounds to discover and achieve their potential. At the Mississippi Children’s Museum we offer exciting educational experiences, which prepare children for school, build 21st century skills, and encourage a lifelong joy of learning. Exhibits and programs at both museums are designed around 5 educational initiatives: STEAM, literacy, health and nutrition, cultural arts, and Mississippi heritage.
Dig for fossils, captain a shrimp boat and cast a line for catfish in the Mississippi River. Design a CRAFT in WonderBox, enjoy a game of larger-than-life Scrabble, then crawl through the digestive system and get flushed! The adventure has just begun at Jackson’s ultimate imagination destination.
Take center stage in Our Lady’s Playhouse, climb into a giant brain, navigate an airplane’s cockpit, get lost in a magical story in The Fantastic Flying Books Library, practice healthy bedtime habits in the nation’s only Goodnight Moon exhibit, and much more. Discover the endless possibilities of imaginative play and hands-on learning at MCM-Meridian!
Sept. 17 - Mississippi Science Festival
Sept. 17 - Science Saturday
Oct. 22 - Boo!seum
Oct. 28 - Park After Dark
Nov. 19 - A Very Merry Night
Nov. 20 - Journey to the North Pole Opens
Dec. 2 - Jammies at Journey
Dec. 2 - Peppermints and PJ’s
Dec. 3 - Winter WONDER-land Begins
Dec. 31 - Noon Year’s Eve
Dec. 31 - Midnight at the Museum
Mississippi Children’s Museum 2145 Museum Boulevard, Jackson, MS 39202
Phone: 601.981.5469
Mississippi Children’s Museum - Meridian 403 22nd Avenue South, Meridian, MS 39301
Phone: 601.512.0270 mcmmeridian.org
eat. drink.
Yield: 4 servings
This warm herby farro salad is a delicious way to incorporate multiple savory fall flavors into one dish. Farro is a great grain to use in a cold or warm salad, soups, and more! It has a nutty flavor and chewy texture that compliments the savory herbs and tart cranberries!
• 1/2 cup farro
• 1 cup bone broth
• 2-4 tbsp olive oil
• 2 cups butternut squash, small dice
• 2 cups brussels sprouts, sliced
• 1 package of baby Bella mushrooms, sliced
• 1/4 cup leeks, sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp fresh thyme, minced
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley, minced
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries
• salt and pepper to taste
1. Preheat the oven to 425ºF
2. In a pot combine the farro, bone broth, and a couple of sprigs of fresh thyme (optional). Cover and bring to a boil then turn heat to low, cover, and simmer until farro is tender (about 20-30 minutes).
3. Meanwhile, prepare the vegetables: place the squash and brussels sprouts on a baking pan, drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Bake for about 20 minutes until the vegetables are tender and lightly browned.
4. Heat a skillet with 1 tbsp of olive oil over mediumhigh. Sauté the leeks and mushrooms until soft. Then add the garlic and sauté until fragrant and season with salt and pepper. Add in the herbs.
5. Once everything is cooked, stir together the farro, roasted vegetables, mushrooms, and cranberries in a large bowl.
6. Serve over a bed of mixed greens and garnish with fresh herbs!
Yield: 16 servings
Who doesn’t love a comforting slice of pumpkin spice bread? This pumpkin bread is not only comforting and satisfying, but it is made with nourishing ingredients to make you and your taste buds feel good!
Pumpkin Bread:
• 1 1/2 cups flour (all-purpose, gluten-free, or whole wheat flour)
• 1/2 cup coconut sugar (or brown sugar)
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 1/3 cup almond milk
• 1/2 cup oil (I use avocado oil) Spiced Streusel Topping:
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/4 cup coconut sugar (or brown sugar)
• 1/4 cup rolled oats
• 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• pinch of salt
• 4 tbsp butter at room temperature
• Pumpkin seeds or pecans for topping (optional)
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a standard-size loaf pan with parchment paper or spray with cooking spray and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, mix together flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and spices until combined.
3. Make a well in the center of your dry ingredients. Pour in eggs, maple syrup, oil, milk, vanilla, and pumpkin puree. Whisk together the wet ingredients for about 30 seconds, then fold them into the dry ingredients until combined, being careful not to overmix.
4. To make the streusel, Whisk together the flour, sugar, oats, and salt. Work in the butter, mixing until coarse crumbs form.
5. Pour the batter into the prepared pan then sprinkle the streusel over the top along with pumpkin seeds. Bake for 30 minutes. After about 30 minutes, cover the pan
loosely with tin foil to prevent excess browning on the top. Bake for an additional 20-30 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. edm
BY SUSAN MARQUEZ
Like many people, Kirk Hutchinson struggles with diabetes. He has other dietary restrictions as well. “I was having a hard time finding foods that I was able to eat,” he says. Anytime he found low-sugar or gluten-free baked goods, it tasted like cardboard. “And most contained maltodextrin, which is high on the glycemic index.”
During the COVID pandemic, Kirk lost his job as a career bartender. That may have been a catastrophic blow to some, but for Kirk, it was the catalyst he needed to start a new business. “I was playing around with recipes that were keto-friendly, and kind of dreamed of starting a keto bakery,” he says.
Kirk spent hours reading food blogs, watching YouTube videos and experimenting in his own kitchen. “I started out having no idea how to bake,” he laughs. “The first time I made something that was sugar-free but had no artificial aftertaste, I got excited. It was my first recipe, Keto Pound Cakes, and today it’s our best seller. It is free from gluten, yet surprisingly moist, and best of all, I can eat it, and my blood sugar remains level.”
Over time, he developed more solid recipes that were sugar
and gluten-free, using sugar-free chocolates and an array of naturally flavored extracts to create exciting flavors of cakes and cookies. “I knew it was something special.” At about that time, the cottage food laws changed in Mississippi, allowing advertising online. He really thought that he would do some baking at home as a side hustle to get through the pandemic.
Kirk experimented with alternative flours and sweeteners. “I was searching for ingredients that don’t raise glycemic levels,” he says. “That’s especially important for diabetics.” Almond flour is high in dietary fiber, and the monk fruit sugar he uses has low glycemic levels. “Almond flour is ideal, so I decided to name my company ‘Power of the Almond.’”
His bread and baked goods became so popular that he leased two commercial bakery spaces in Starkville and got his food manufacturing license. He soon opened a storefront in Starkville and now has his products in 15 stores across the state.
But folks don’t have to live in Mississippi to enjoy Power of the Almond products. The products are now shipped out nationwide. “It’s amazing to me how this has caught on,” says Kirk. “People really enjoy the products, and we have a lot of repeat customers.”
Products in the Power of the Almond line include vanilla pound cake, lemon blueberry loaf, chocolate zucchini bread, caramel macchiato pound cake and banana nut loaf. Power of the Almond also has cookies, including snickerdoodles, pecan pumpkin, gingerbread, raspberry white chocolate chip, brown sugar and walnut, white chocolate macadamia, peanut butter, appledoodles and red velvet.
“I never dreamed it would be this big,” says Kirk, who now runs Power of the Almond full-time. “I am happy that I have filled a niche for so many people. We are one of the few bakeries in the nation that make only sugar-free, gluten-free, low-carb baked goods. There was obviously a need for this, and because of our success locally, I have plans of expanding into more markets.” edm
BY KATHY K. MARTIN
Whether you want a breakfast treat, sweet snack or cool dessert, High Rise Donuts and Oxford Creamery both satisfy your culinary cravings. Instead of more familiar and traditional recipes and flavors, both shops emphasize craft creations with unique flavor combinations.
High Rise’s signature croissant doughnut, which is a first for the state, takes the typical glazed doughnut to new heights. Oxford Creamery’s ice cream flavors aren’t plain or simple either. Instead of plain vanilla, try banana puddin’, which is banana custard ice cream mixed with Nutter Butter chunks. Both venues serve stylish and creative flavors fresh from the farm and their own active imagination.
Owner Hudson Magee, along with his wife, Lo, says that their mission is to provide hand-crafted creations that bring a smile to any sweet tooth. “We want to celebrate Mississippi’s food culture from farm to cone and doughnut,” explained Magee. Both shops are located on the town square of Oxford, so both places are prime spots for grabbing a snack while shopping amongst the bustle of this college town.
After living in Tennessee and Montana for several years, the couple moved back home to Oxford in 2019 to live closer to family and raise their baby son, Wilder, who is now four years old. They knew that with Oxford’s vibrant atmosphere, the town was ready for something different. They began to source fruit, other produce and dairy products to formulate their locally crafted menu. They modeled their shop after a similar shop in Bozeman, Montana. “Bozeman was also a small college town and their shop was all about made-from-scratch and all-natural ingredients.”
The original Oxford Creamery began in the 1930s. Magee says his grandparents were friends with the original owners, who churned their Ole Miss butter and made their ice cream with fresh ingredients, just like the shop does today. “We thought that using the name and retelling their story with old photos displayed in the shop would help continue the rich tradition of ice cream in Oxford.”
While his wife continues to work full-time at Ole Miss as manager of marketing and admissions for the Haley Barbour Center of Manufacturing Excellence, she also helps with the interior design of the shops and photography.
Their dairy products come directly from the local Brown Family Dairy, which provides a higher fat content in the milk for much creamier ice cream. Other ingredients include fresh fruit, made-from-scratch cake and many unusual flavor combinations such as sweet corn blueberry crisp. It was even one of the shop’s opening flavors and still, by far, is a crowd favorite.
Other favorite flavor creations for both the ice cream and the doughnuts are maple bacon brie, key lime pie, strawberry shortcake, lemon meringue and sweet potato cheesecake. Magee says that their ice cream maker, Denver Bridwell, wakes up dreaming about ice cream and creating unique flavors to wow customers. “We don’t cut corners, and with our weird and crazy flavors, it’s how we’ve won people over,” he says.
After the success of Oxford Creamery, they decided to open High Rise in the late summer of 2020. Obviously, the timing coincided with the COVID pandemic, so he says that their strategy had to become more creative as business slowed.
However, now the shop is flourishing with its flavor combinations and the signature croissant doughnut. This special croissant dough elevates the flavor and height of the doughnut with layers of flavor and cream fillings. The croissant dough takes three days to make. The first day of the process involves making the dough, the second day is for folding in the butter
and the final day involves punching the dough and shaping it into doughnuts.
Featured flavors include almond pastry cream, blackberry bacon brie, and King Kong (banana pastry cream topped with peanut butter and chocolate ganache and Nutter Butter dust).
Whatever flavor hits your sweet spot, you can find it at Oxford Creamery and High Rise Donuts. edm
You’ll need:
• 7½ tablespoons (3 ¾ ounces)
butter
• 6 ounces dark chocolate, 60-70%
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons malted milk powder
• Olive oil
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease an 8-inch square cake pan with butter.
2. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in chocolate until combined and smooth. Remove from heat and allow to cool for 5 minutes.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together flour and baking powder, and malted milk powder.
4. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, sugar, vanilla, and salt until fluffy and light yellow. Add chocolate mixture and mix until combined. Add flour mixture and mix until combined.
5. Pour into a greased pan and bake for 20-25 minutes on the center rack, or until the edges pull away from the pan and the top has an even, shiny crust. Let cool for 20 minutes.
6. Cut into 12 even pieces. Serve warm (can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for one week or in the refrigerator for up to a month).
If you have a sweet tooth, your go-to gal is Anna McQuillen. She bakes beautiful cookies, cupcakes, pies and cakes, which she sells at her new small-batch bakery, Sugar Daze Dessert Shop. Located in Gluckstadt, the bakery opened in June and has been very well received.
Owning a bakery hasn’t always been on Anna’s radar. If her first attempt at baking was any indication, no one else would have thought that would be her career path. “I began baking in my twenties,” Anna says. “A friend was having a baby shower, and I thought it would be nice to make cookies for the shower.” The cookies were shaped like baby onesies. “They looked terrible, but they tasted great.”
Anna enjoyed baking the cookies, and she began working on her technique. “I made some snowflake cookies at Christmas and took them to share with my co-workers. Someone there wanted to know if I would make them to sell. I was shocked that anyone would want to pay me for cookies I made.”
A nail tech by day, Anna began baking at night. “I was taking so many orders that I decided to quit my job and go to work at a bakery.” She spent two years working in a local bakery, learning how the business works. “I also learned how to decorate cakes.” She then began baking full-time at home, making custom cakes and cookies for another two years.
In June, she took the plunge and opened her own bakery in Gluckstadt. “It’s become a very busy area, and I felt good about opening my new business here.” While still known for her custom cakes and cookies, Anna says that folks who come into the bakery can find things like mini pies and cheesecake. “The cheesecake is really popular, and the mini pies always sell out. I like to change those up with the seasons.” Other items that may be in the bakery case include decorated sugar cookies, Funfetti cake cups, iced lemon cookies, chocolate chip cookies, brownies, cake pops or pecan pie bars.
In addition to baked goods, Sugar Daze offers hand-crafted lemonades. “That’s something special we do,” says Anna. “We have fresh fruit purees as flavor add-ons, and that has been very popular.” There are tables and chairs inside the bright and airy bakery, perfect for sharing a sweet treat with a friend.
Anna says that while she makes cakes and cookies for all occasions, she loves making wedding cakes. “It’s fun for me to deliver the cakes and see how it looks in the venue. It can be a little nerve-wracking transporting a wedding cake, but in the end, it is so worth it to see how it adds to the special day.”
The bakery is open Tuesday through Friday from 9 am to 6 pm; and Saturdays from 9 am to 4 pm. There are three people working in the bakery along with Anna, including her mom, Christina, who handles the front counter. edm
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It is no secret that Mississippi often marches to the beat of its own drum, and sometimes that beat is a little slower than that of the rest of the country. As a state, we always get there, but many times, it’s years or decades later. The same can be said for the craft brewery industry and the Magnolia State. Craft breweries have been around since 1829 when Pennsylvania opened D.G. Yuengling and Sons. It was soon followed by Minnesota’s August Schell Brewing Company in 1860. The Brewers Association of America was founded in 1942 to secure an allocation of tin from the War Production Board. Even though states throughout the country embraced the idea of craft breweries, it took until 2003 for Mississippi to open its first craft brewery, Lazy Magnolia.
Even though Jackson seems to have its finger on the pulse of trends that trickle down across the country, it has not had a craft brewery since 2019, when Lucky Town closed its doors. But the city did not have to look far to find its next one. Connor Reeves and Matthew Mclaughlin know a thing or two about the legal side of craft beer. They have worked with more than 200 craft breweries across the country, and McLaughlin served as the executive director of the Mississippi Brewers Guild, helping get the on-premises provision signed and into law. Without this provision, most people would not be able to afford the beer produced, and there certainly would not be the aspect of taprooms that so many Mississippians have grown to love about their local brewery.
Located in Belhaven Town Center, Fertile Ground Beer Company serves as the anchor tenant of a larger revitalization project that has been in the work for a few years. Located across the street from the Baptist Hospital in the building that the hospital system used as a laundry facility, Fertile Ground has already been joined by neighbors District Donuts and Elvie’s. However, once the revitalization is complete, visitors can expect to see an indoor and outdoor communal space, a restaurant, office and retail space. The historic Belhaven neighborhood has long been in need of such a revitalization, but visitors can now see the dream coming to fruition.
The name of the brewery is unique, but not when you consider where it came from. In 2014, a TEDx event took place at the historic Capri Theater and the title of Fertile Ground. This theme
discussed the abundance of opportunities in Mississippi and how cultivating a community centered on innovative thinking could lead to a creative economy. Little did anyone know at that time, the TEDx call to action would also inspire the title for this new and upcoming brewery.
There seems to be a misconception that taprooms had to be dark, with darker woods and nickel that set off a more stoic approach to brewing. But this was not the trend Fertile Ground followed when the owners were designing the taproom.
“We wanted the taproom to be welcoming, a place where the community could come together for business or pleasure,” explained Reeves. “So, we opted for a bright, colorful option instead.”
With that, a brewery 2.0 type was created, establishing a
brewery that has an open-door policy for everyone. Sure, you must be 21 to drink beer, but the brewery is family-friendly and allows visitors to bring in food from anywhere and have their meal there. The brightly colored and well-lit brewery is open seven days a week and offers community tables, booths and a variety of outdoor seating, including benches that came from a German Biergarten. Families can have dinner, a few beers, play giant Connect Four or corn hole and spend quality time away from the hustle and bustle of their normal lives. A meeting room that seats 45 is also available for rent for any special events or parties.
The beer at Fertile Ground is just as special as the other aspects of the brewery, and for good reason. The owners pride themselves on producing good, clean beer, and they have done that and so much more. With more than 12 beers on tap, the brewery introduces new flavors each week. Their core four beer that they were founded on are the German-style Pilsner, light lager, a pale ale and an IPA. These big batches are the beers that are more popular and approachable and are the best sellers. However, Fertile Ground does not shy away from trying new tastes, which they call Small Batch Sunday. Just a few of the small batch Sunday editions include Coffee Brown Ale, the Contours of Light Blueberry Sour, a New England IPA and Belgian Tripe. Regardless of how comfortable you are with beer, there is truly a flavor for everyone to love at Fertile Ground Beer Company.
With community being the center of what makes this brewery so good, there is no wonder they have so many fantastic events. On any given week, the brewery will host food trucks, a beer release event, Lagers and Joggers, and Pints and Poses. Lagers and Joggers is exactly what it sounds like as runners in the area go out together for a 5k run and come back and enjoy a few beers while Pints and Poses is the best yoga and beer mix you will find anywhere in Mississippi. The brewery has an incredible social media presence, and every week releases a Facebook post that tells all about the incredible things happening for that week. There are also plans in the works for an Oktoberfest event to happen this fall, so make sure to follow their Facebook and Twitter to stay up to date on all things Fertile Ground.
Fertile Ground Beer Company is located at 800 Manship Street in Jackson. They are open from 3 to 9 pm Monday through Thursday, 1 to 10 pm on Friday, 11 am to 10 pm on Saturday and 1 to 6 pm on Sunday. edm
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Of all the fall flavors, cranberry seems to be the unsung hero. It’s typically overshadowed by pumpkin, pumpkin spice, cinnamon and even apple-centric or flavored recipes. And although we don’t have anything against pumpkin (of course, just look at the rest of the recipes in this issue!), cranberry definitely deserves some attention—lest we forget about the often forgotten dish of cranberry sauce that sits on the Thanksgiving table.
Cranberry juice is a great addition to light liquor-based cocktails. It brings a bright, tart and sweet flavor that can be so refreshing on a fall evening spent in good company. Not to mention that this botanical berry (yes, that’s technically what it’s classified as) is a flavor that graces the Christmas and New Year’s season, as well, so cranberry cocktails are perfectly in season through at least January 1.
Materials needed:
• Cocktail shaker with strainer
• Muddling tool
• Glasses for serving
Ingredients:
• 1 oz. gin (try the Bristow Gin from Cathead or Gin No. 61 from Wonderbird Spirits)
• ½ ounce triple sec
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme or rosemary
• 2 oz. cranberry juice
• 1 tablespoon orange juice
• Club soda
• Crushed ice
1. Add gin, triple sec and fresh herb sprigs to a cocktail shaker. Muddle the herbs to release the essential oils. If you don’t have a muddler, opt for the end of a wooden spoon!
2. Add cranberry juice, orange juice and a handful of ice to the cocktail shaker. Shake for 30 seconds.
3. Pour over crushed ice and top with soda. Garnish with fruit and herbs, if deserved.
This cranberry and orange cocktail showcases the botanicals of gin and even includes fresh herbs to really bring the flavors together. It’s ultra-refreshing and perfect for cocktail hour before holiday dinners. Better yet, if you don’t have cranberry juice but have too much (or leftover) cranberry sauce, you can add a tablespoon or so to the cocktail instead! Just be sure to double strain the cocktail as you pour it into a serving glass. Modify this drink however you like to make it your signature cocktail. You can add more orange juice and less cranberry, substitute a lemon-lime soda for club soda if you want it a little sweeter, or leave out the thyme or rosemary if you’re satisfied with the botanical features found in gin. No matter how you decide to make it, it’s sure to be a crowd pleaser! edm
Fall-Spiced
Cranberry
Loin
Loaded Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream,
Mississippi-Style Fry Bread Bites,
Southern Green Beans with
New Orleans-Style Oyster Dressing,
Asparagus Casserole,
Red Raspberry
Pickled Beets,
Brussel
Warm Farro
Pumpkin Bread with Spiced Streusel
Oxford Creamery’s Gooey
Cran-Orange Gin
Peanut
Full
Article by Julian Brunt
Vishwesh Bhatt has been the executive chef at City Grocery Restaurant Group in Oxford since 2009. He is the only chef in Mississippi to win the Best Chef South by the James Beard Foundation. Chef Vish, as he is fondly called, celebrates the foods that India, his place of birth, and Mississippi share in common. If that seems like a stretch to you, take a look at the table of contents, organized by ingredients: rice, peas and beans, okra, greens, shrimp and sweet potatoes, to name just a few.
“I Am From Here,” the title of Chef Vish’s new cookbook, has 300 pages and offers 130 recipes. There is an interesting forward by Chef John Currence and an enlightening introduction by Chef Vish, who describes himself as, “I want people to see me as I see myself: an immigrant, a son of an immigrant, who chose to make the South his home, and in doing so became a Southern chef. I claim the American South, and this is my story.”
The body of the book opens with the chapter “Before We Get Started,” which discusses pantry, equipment and
techniques. The first topic, spices, lists 21, some of which you may be familiar with, and others may be new to you. Creole seasoning, mustard seed and curry powder are all pretty common but fenugreek seeds (which are bitter and citrusy) and asafoetida (made from the dried resin of the giant fennel plant) may be complete strangers. Each spice is described by flavor profile and some uses.
Next comes dry ingredients and pantry staples, produce and fresh herbs, basic equipment and a shopping list of 22 essentials to keep stocked in your home at all times. If you get no further than this, you will have a basic understanding of Chef Vish’s approach to his Indian and Southern-inspired menu.
The book is organized by ingredients, starting with rice, followed by peas and beans, okra, and ending 10 ingredients later with pork and lamb. Each ingredient is described in some detail. Rice starts with, “The story of rice is the story of human civilizations,” followed by a page-long description of its origins. Chef Vish encourages the reader to add their own
ingredients to make the dish their own. The next chapter, peas and beans, begins with Chef Vish saying, “When I was growing up, legumes were on my family’s table in some shape or form at every meal.” He reminisces about his family traditions and techniques and highlights the culinary similarities that both India and the South share.
The cookbook is loaded with colorful and tempting photos of Chef Vish’s food, and the text is well written enough to be read as a novel, not just a reference book. Read
this cookbook, and you will be sure to plan a road trip to Oxford and the Grocery. Make sure to try the peanut masala, stuffed baby eggplant with fried okra tossed in chaat masala, or collard-wrapped catfish with peanut pesto, just a few of the most popular dishes at the Grocery.
Learn more about Chef Vish at www.kissmybhatt.com. edm
Serves 2
• 2 teaspoons canola oil
• 1 cup lightly salted roasted peanuts
• 1 (4-inch) curry sprig
• 2 teaspoons chaat masala, divided
• 1 cup chopped seedless watermelon (about 5 1/2 ounces)
• ½ cup thinly sliced cucumber (from 1 small cucumber)
• ¼ cup finely chopped red onion (from 1 small onion)
• ¼ cup thinly sliced radishes (from 3 medium radishes)
• 1 medium-size serrano chili, seeded and finely chopped (about 1 1/2 tablespoons)
• teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (from 1 medium lime)
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 tablespoons cane syrup or sorghum
1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high until shimmering. Add peanuts, curry sprig and one teaspoon chaat masala. Cook, tossing constantly, until well coated and fragrant, about 30 seconds. Set aside to let cool until ready to use.
2. Combine watermelon, cucumber, onion, radishes, serrano, salt and cayenne in a large bowl, and toss well. Add peanut mixture, lime juice, mint, basil, cilantro, cane syrup and the remaining teaspoon of chaat masala. Remove and discard curry sprig. Toss gently and serve. hot bacon press or castiron skillet. Allow the sandwiches to cook for 5 to 7 minutes.
3. Flip the sandwich and return the weight to the other side. Cook for an additional 3 minutes or until the cheese is melted and all the ingredients are hot throughout.
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Full Moon BBQ is an award-winning establishment that has a long, delicious history of excellent Southern-style ‘que including mouth-watering trimmings, and foodies’ demand for Full Moon BBQ’s secret slaw recipe is higher now than ever before. Full Moon BBQ has been in operation since 1986 with the Maluff brothers, David and Joe, at the helm since 1997. Under their vision, leadership and quality, the Maluffs have grown the business to 17 locations across Alabama and Mississippi, while continuing a family-owned tradition that caters to folks who know great ‘que from the rest.
Ingredients:
• 5 lbs shredded cabbage
• 5 cups sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2.5 cups apple vinegar
• 2 cups salad oil
• 1/4 cups pimentos
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 cup chopped green bell pepper
• 1 cup chopped celery
1. Combine cabbage, green pepper, onion and celery and mix well. Then, in a saucepan, combine oil, vinegar, salt and sugar. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Pour over shredded cabbage. Add pimento (for color). Mix well. Allow to cool. Cover, refrigerate, ENJOY!
Do you have a familyfavorite dinner recipe? Or a favorite dish that never lasts long at get-togethers? Eat Drink Mississippi wants to feature your recipes in future issues. Please send recipes to info@ eatdrinkmississippi.com, or mail them to PO Box 1663 Madison 39130.
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, co-hosts two podcasts and blogs at www.eatsoneate.com.
How do you know when it’s fall in Mississippi?
One: Like the rest of the country, the pumpkin spice department has taken over an entire wing of the grocery store. There may already be PS items in the clearance aisle since they’ve been on the shelves since late July.
Two: Reese’s pumpkins have sprouted in all their glory and iterations, and like the pumpkin spice deodorant, they’re already “buy two get one free.”
Three: It’s still hot.
Sure, there may be a cool breeze once in a while. You may even wear a sweatshirt a time or two under the Friday night lights. But you still run the AC most days, and you still sweat when you mow the grass…because you’re still mowing the grass. We’ve all seen the meme circulating the interwebs that names fall in the South “Summer 2.0.” And it’s true. Even Christmas Day can bring shorts weather on alternate years, and some of my worst sunburns have resulted from afternoon college football games. And what’s the best dessert to cool you down on a hot fall day? Ice cream, of course.
Heck, even if it’s cold outside, ice cream is still a good choice. It’s always delicious, and if you’re making it homemade, like my family does on Christmas Day, maybe it’ll even freeze faster.
I recently had an epiphany about ice cream, and ironically, it came through a cookie. Proof Bakery in Starkville came up with a Neapolitan sandwich cookie, and it brought back all the chocolate-vanilla-strawberry feels of my childhood. In that moment, I realized that Neapolitan ice cream, in the rectangular half-gallon block, was my gateway ice cream. Confession: I am addicted to chunks and swirls. Granted, there are neither in Neapolitan. But the concept of having three flavors in the bowl at once—you had to work that scoop to make sure all were represented—set me on a path. Along that path were Chocolate Ripple (so fancy), Cookies and Cream and eventually Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough. Today it’s full-on Tonight Dough, with its two flavors of ice cream, cookie swirl and dual cookie dough chunks. Even Chubby Hubby can’t compete.
Keep in mind that Ben and Jerry didn’t start making ice cream for the public till I was 11 years old. We had a Baskin Robbins, but that was a special treat. I’m talking about ice cream for the home, and Neapolitan started it all. Don’t get me wrong, I can appreciate the purity of a single scoop of Sweet Magnolia’s Fior di Latte. But in my heart of hearts, I want a Blizzard. A Concrete. A Blast. (Even a McFlurry, if the ice cream machine is Mcworking.) At some point, my go-to combination at the home place was vanilla ice cream with chocolate syrup and/or Magic Shell with salty roasted peanuts. When I went to college, I learned to make homemade Butterfinger ice cream, which is decadent enough, but now I crumble peanut butter-filled pretzel bites on top of that. Chunks. And swirls.
Let’s go back to fall, though. Love it or hate it, pumpkin spice is here to stay. So, let’s make the best of it. Inspired by news in late August of the arrival of the pumpkin pie Blizzard at Dairy Queen with chunks of pumpkin pie, I began to dream of what the ultimate pumpkin pie ice cream might include. It would start with a good vanilla base with pumpkin puree mixed in. Next would be chunks of pie crust, buttered and baked with brown sugar and pumpkin pie spice. Then I found pumpkin spice Golden Oreos at my local dollar store—some of those need to be crumbled and included for sure. And as I perused recipes for ratios, someone suggested crumbled Biscoff cookies (which have a touch of spice as well), and I already had a pack of those in the pantry. Which one did I choose, you ask? Well, all of them, Silly!
As a result of some pandemic-inspired bulk buying last Thanksgiving, I also had a couple of cans of jellied cranberry sauce next to the pumpkin in the pantry. Wouldn’t that make a delicious fall ice cream as well? Yes; yes, it did. Another vanilla base swirled with cranberry ice cream (base blended with sauce), a cranberry jelly ribbon, and some dark chocolate chunks for good measure. I’ll never look at sauce the same again.
But if that’s too much for you—you don’t dig pumpkin pie, and jellied cranberry ice cream isn’t your jam—make some chocolate and stir in some chopped pumpkins. Reese’s pumpkins. I won’t tell.
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worrying and more living