Invitation Magazine - November 2022

FEATURES

FEATURES

34 In Good Spirits

A new wine club draws great interest and many members among Oxford wine enthusiasts.

38 Wall of Remembering

A hand-built, unmortared structure commemorates a Native American woman’s quest to hear the river sing.

44 Flavors of Success

Meet a few north Mississippi chefs and bartenders who have gone above and beyond to hone their talents and share them with the community.

52 Hello Pie Season

Use these original recipes to master the art pie making this holiday season.

LETTER from the EDITOR

A little more than two decades ago, my sister and I decided to take a professional hiatus and open a restaurant in Corinth. Beth’s father-in-law, recently retired from his own restaurant, built us a building, filled it with equipment and helped us get going. Friends scratched their heads in consternation. Did we know anything about restaurants? That was the question that seemed to be on their minds. Truth is, we used to play restaurant as little girls and we both enjoyed dining out. That was the extent of our knowledge.

Still and yet, we hung our colorful signage displaying the name of our eatery, Snickerdoodles, and we moved ahead as if we knew what we were doing. Our education happened as we went. For two years, we worked harder than we’d ever worked, and we learned much. But I missed writing and my sister gave birth to my niece, Bailey. Snickerdoodles is now a long-ago memory that gave us a greater appreciation for those who continue in the restaurant industry.

When chatting with chefs, bartenders and restaurateurs for our food issue, I was reminded how important food is in our lives. I doubt I could find many for whom the smell or taste or even mention of a specific food does not conjure memories of a special family member in a kitchen rolling out homemade biscuit dough or stirring a pot of homemade chili.

As soon as the temperature graciously moved us into fall, I made a big pot of my mama’s homemade chili in her mama’s ancient Dutch oven. From the prep work, to the afternoon-long simmering, to the very first taste, memories were plentiful, warm and welcomed.

We hope as you flip through our November issue dedicated to food you will be warmed by good memories of a favorite recipe or meal made by loving hands or a special restaurant your family frequented that has either continued to thrive or that no longer exists.

which we laud a handful of chefs and bartenders who’ve done (or are doing) some monumental things. Our German-born Good Neighbor now calls Tupelo home and makes folks happy with her sweet treats. Read about how she prepares to fill huge orders for the holiday season on page 80.

Campus Wines & Spirits in Oxford does more than sell alcoholic beverages: They’ve started a wine club that is quickly growing. See the story on page 34.

And the story of Tom’s Wall on page 38, is not about food, but it will feed your spirit and soul for sure.

Pour yourselves a cup of hot cider, hot chocolate or a glass of your favorite wine, sit back and enjoy our newest issue.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Check out our story on page 44, in LESLIE CRISS, EDITOR

Leslie Criss, right, with sister Beth

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All About the Egg Bowl

No matter the stats going into the Egg Bowl, this is always a football game worth watching. This year’s showdown takes place on Thanksgiving Day in Oxford. Visit invitationmag.com for some fun facts on the annual meeting of these two teams. Show us who you’re cheering for and how you are watching the big game by tagging us in your social media pictures @invitationoxford and @invitationmag.

Wedding Bells are Ringing

Take Brooks to the Grove with you this weekend for the BIG game!

LOCATION: The Grove USERNAME: @brooksgrocery_tupelo

With a growing Instagram following, Rebel Closet is making waves as a high-fashion resale store. The shop is located at 419 Jackson Ave. E. and is open for shopping Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Simply drop off clothes Monday and Thursday to consign. Find all the details on Instagram @rebelcloset_ox.

Did you get married or engaged this year? Order a wedding announcement to run in our annual bridal issue, coming in February 2023! Place your order today at inviationmag.com/bridal-announcements.

Best coffee in the Sip!! LOCATION: Lost Dog Coffee USERNAME: @lostdogcoffee

CALENDAR AND EVENTS

Have an exciting event coming up? Visit our website and share the details on our online community calendar. There’s a chance photos from your event will be featured in an upcoming magazine!

@INVITATIONOXFORD

Hotty Toddy … Go Rebels!

LOCATION: Oxford USERNAME: @minturnmercantile

Rebel Closet

OLE MISS ATHLETICS

Billy Brewer after an Egg Bowl win

COMING UP IN OUR COMMUNITY

NOVEMBER 2022

OXFORD

“Anastasia”

NOVEMBER 14

The Broadway musical comes to Oxford. The show about a brave young woman discovering her mysterious past embraces themes of home, love and family. Tickets start at $50. 7 p.m., The Ford Center. fordcenter.org

Out of the Darkness Walk

NOVEMBER 5

This community event brings awareness to suicide and mental health. 11 a.m., Ole Miss campus. afsp.org

Walk for Diabetes

NOVEMBER 6

The Diabetes Foundation of Mississippi hosts a 5K walk along with a 1-mile family fun walk. 1 p.m., Ole Miss campus. msdiabetes.org

Ole Miss Basketball

NOVEMBER 7

Ole Miss basketball’s regular season officially begins with the men playing Alcorn State and the women taking on Kennesaw State. Both teams play at home. olemisssports.com

“Gathering” Artist Reception

NOVEMBER 8

An opening reception and artist talk feature Earl Dismuke and his “Gathering” exhibit, on display through April. 5-8 p.m., University of Mississippi Museum. museum.olemiss.edu

VETERANS

November

HOLIDAYS OLE MISS FOOTBALL

ALABAMA AT OLE MISS

MISS AT ARKANSAS

STATE AT OLE

Kudzu Kings Concert

NOVEMBER 11 & 12

The beloved jam band returns to its hometown. Doors open at 8:30 p.m.; showtime 9:30 p.m. Tickets from $20. Proud Larry’s. kudzukings.com

Mindi Abair

NOVEMBER 17

Grammy-nominated jazz and blues saxophonist and vocalist performs in Oxford. Tickets start at $20. 7:30 p.m., The Ford Center. fordcenter.org

Holly Jolly Holidays

NOVEMBER 21-JANUARY 2

Oxford’s annual Holly Jolly Holidays includes skating at the Old Armory Pavilion on University Avenue. (The rink will be closed Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day). Visit the website for details on more Holly Jolly events. visitoxfordms.com/hollyjolly

NORTHEAST

Corinth Grand Illumination

NOVEMBER 5

Downtown Corinth is aglow with more than 12,000 luminarias, living history, downtown open houses and holiday lights. This year’s event commemorates the 160th anniversary of the Battle of Corinth. 6 p.m. corinth.net

Downtown TupeloHoliday Open House

NOVEMBER 5

Downtown businesses offer specials and samples to holiday shoppers, and Santa makes a special appearance. 10 a.m.-4 p.m., downtown Tupelo. tupelomainstreet.com

Jingle and Minglein Fulton

NOVEMBER 5-6

In addition to Main Street businesses, this holiday shopping event features door prizes, Santa in the park, bouncy houses, food and craft vendors. Saturday 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sunday 1-5 p.m., downtown Fulton. msmainstreet.com

Sesame Street Live

NOVEMBER 6

Join your favorite Sesame Street friends. Tickets start at $33. 2 p.m., Cadence Bank Arena (formerly BancorpSouth Arena). cb-arena.com

Veterans Day Ceremony

NOVEMBER 11

Tupelo’s annual Veterans Day Ceremony takes place in Veterans Memorial Park. 9 a.m. tupelo.net

“The Can’t Miss Tour”

NOVEMBER 11

Country legends Travis Tritt and Chris Jansen take the stage in Tupelo as part of “The Can’t Miss Tour.” Tickets start at $50. 7 p.m., Cadence Bank Arena (formerly BancorpSouth Arena). cb-arena.com

New Albany HolidayOpen House

NOVEMBER 13

New Albany Main Street Association hosts a holiday open house to kick off the Christmas shopping season. 1-5 p.m., downtown New Albany. newalbanymainstreet.com

Christmas on Bankhead

NOVEMBER 17

Carriage rides, hot cocoa, a tree lighting and Santa are some of the activities that make this a special holiday event. 5:30 p.m., Bankhead Street, New Albany. newalbanymainstreet.com

Black Tuesdayin Baldwyn

NOVEMBER 22

Get a head start on holiday shopping with local Baldwyn merchants. facebook.com/baldwyn.chamber

Tanglefoot Trot

NOVEMBER 26

This 5K, 10K and 1-mile fun-run/walk on the Tanglefoot Trail supports CATCH Kids Inc. Races start at 9 a.m. at the First Choice Bank Gateway, South College Street, Pontotoc.

raceroster.com

Christmas Parades

NOVEMBER 28

Annual Christmas parades kick off in north Mississippi, starting with the towns of New Albany and Nettleton. msmainstreet.com

Lighting of Ballard Park

NOVEMBER 29

This Tupelo holiday event includes local school choirs, a Tupelo Parks and Recreation open house and Oren Dunn’s annual toy exhibit. The lighting takes place at 6 p.m., Ballard Park. tupeloparksandrec.org

SHOUTOUTS

Find Coffee, Crafts, Chaos in Downtown Pontotoc

the question among ourselves: ‘Why don’t we open a store?’ Harris said. “A building I have always loved came available, we signed a lease, and everything just fell into place from there.”

Bookends hosts Game Night.

A group of four Pontotoc women have turned a conversation about the importance of buying local into a new business.

Alissa Harris and Arlissa Whisnant spoke one day about how people have to go out of town to find eclectic, artistic items. Their thoughts were shared with Harris’ mother Dana Biffle and Whisnant’s cousin Jenna Nolley.

“We talked about it and then posed

The store at 7 South Main St., in downtown Pontotoc, is called Bookends: Coffee, Crafts & Chaos. It’s been open since July 7. The four, who are friends in addition to their family ties, have added a loft where new and used books are housed, and there’s a section dedicated to Mississippi authors.

Downstairs are all manner of items made by local artisans. There’s jewelry, woodwork, T-shirts, paintings and more.

“We also have journals, activity books and coloring books for children,” Harris said.

The space is also open for special events from time to time. One night a month,

“Tupelo Game Days comes in with 200 board games, and for $5 a person, you can play all the games you want,” Harris said. “You can play solo or in a big group, and if you don’t know how to play a certain game, there are people there to show you. It’s a good way to meet friends.”

There are also events on the calendar like book signings, fun Saturday activities, even a pumpkin carving held in October.

“We wanted to have a place where people could find locally made and produced products,” Harris said. “Opening a business is scary, but it has also been very fun. We just had the idea and dove in.”

Bookends is open 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, and stays open later for special events. It is closed Sunday and Monday.

Oxford Author Publishes Thriller “You Will Know Vengeance”

Will Pepper is a product of the Mississippi Delta, hailing from Cleveland, but he’s called Oxford home, off and on, since entering the University of Mississippi as a freshman in 1997. Off and on because he spent time in the nation’s capital, in Los Angeles and in Houston, Texas, caring for his terminally ill mother.

Pepper, 44, received his Ph.D. from Ole Miss in Management Information Systems. However, these days, it’s more appropriate to call him a novelist. Pepper’s new novel, a techno thriller titled “You Will Know Vengeance,” was released Sept. 27. The book was published locally by Hustle Valley Press, LLC. Kirkus Reviews called Pepper’s book “an absorbing, tech-smart tale that unfolds in a tense prison setting.”

Writing is not a new passion for Pepper. Last summer, he wrote an essay that was part of business anthology “Habits of Success,”

that appeared in such publications as USA Today, The Wall Street Journal and others.

Previously, he and his wife, Taddy, started a continuing education and motivational speaking business, but the pandemic put an end to it. That’s when the Peppers started Hustle Valley Press and created a series of four children’s e-books, “A Series of Fun Mistakes.” The couple donated the first six months of profit to four charities:

COVID-19 relief, racial equality, veteran affairs and St. Jude Children’s Hospital.

The idea for “You Will Know Vengeance” came from a news article Pepper read. He started the novel, written under the name W.A. Pepper, in 2017. While in Houston caring for his mother, he found some solace in working on his book.

“Writing at that time was an outlet for me,” he said. “I put all the feelings I was having in the pages.”

He’s now working on the second book of the planned trilogy, which is scheduled to be out next September. There is also a prequel to the trilogy, “DoGoodR,” which is in print and can be read at no cost online.

Pepper will sign books at Cotton Row, in his hometown of Cleveland, and he hopes to do more book signings.

Visit wapepperwrites.com for more information.

RESTAURANT NEWS

Pokemoto

101 MERCHANTS DR., OXFORD

OPEN NOW | Create your own Hawaiian poke bowl or try a handcrafted, freshly brewed boba tea at this fast-casual restaurant. Open daily 11 a.m.-9 p.m. 662-638-3126, pokemoto.com

Amore Ristorante and Bar

705 SISK AVE., OXFORD

NOW OPEN | Family-owned Italian bar and restaurant serves up authentic Italian. Open Tuesday-Sunday, 11 a.m.-10 p.m. 662-380-5710

Sleepy Cactus

766 N. LAMAR BLVD., OXFORD

NOW OPEN | Alexandra Santiago heads up this unique spot that serves up TexMex-Ississippi breakfast tacos and more. Open Thursday-Sunday, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. 662-638-3000, texmexississippi.com

Just Love Coffee Cafe

1600 N. GLOSTER ST., TUPELO

NOW OPEN | Open seven days a week, this franchise serves breakfast, lunch, dinner and, of course, coffee. 662-260-5094, justlovecoffeecafe.com

Charm Thai

1203 N. GLOSTER ST., TUPELO

NOW OPEN | Authentic Thai food including noodles, fried rice, curry and stirfry, plus weekday lunch box specials and sushi. Open Tuesday-Sunday. 662-205-4637, charmthaitupelo.com

MOD Burger Co.

495 S. GLOSTER ST., TUPELO

NOW OPEN | Creative burgers dominate the menu at this hot spot. Open daily at 11 a.m. or order online for pickup. 662-205-4612, modburgerco.com

Sleepy Cactus

Amore Ristorante & Bar

Pokemoto

Perfect PIE CRUST

RECIPE FOR THE

FOR ALL YOUR HOLIDAY PIES.

BY SARAH M c CULLEN | PHOTOGRAPHED BY JOE WORTHEM

There’s something special about a buttery, flaky homemade pie crust. Turn to page 52 for pie recipes that promise to elevate this traditional crust.

Perfect PIE CRUST

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup cold butter

½ cup ice water

In a large bowl, stir together flour, sugar and salt. Using a cheese grater, grate cold butter into flour mixture, then toss until butter is coated. Add ice water to the mixture, 1 tablespoon at a time, and using your hands, form into a ball. The butter should still be visible, and the mixture should be mealy. Chill dough for 30 minutes. Place dough between 2 pieces of plastic wrap, and roll to about 1/8-inch thickness. Chill the disk until ready to use. Let sit out for 5 minutes before using.

PIE-BAKING tips

For fruit pies, cook the filling before adding it to the pie to eliminate excess liquid. Also, always use a thickener like flour or cornstarch.

Bake pies at low temperatures (325°F 350°F) to ensure the bottom crust is completely cooked.

For bottom pie crusts, the butter should still be visible in the dough, but for lattices and decorative pieces, the butter should be better incorporated to create a sturdier crust. Simply combine the butter more thoroughly into the dough.

To create a lattice, cut strips from a rolledout, unbaked pie crust. Lay the strips about an inch apart across the pie vertically. Next, lay pieces horizontally, weaving above and below the vertical pieces in an alternating pattern.

In Good Spirits

WRITTEN BY LESLIE CRISS PHOTOGRAPHED BY JOE WORTHEM

When Luke McKey returned to Oxford after living for a time in Seattle, he felt the wine culture in the area was missing something. So, in October 2021 — despite the ongoing pandemic, product shortages and at least 20 package stores already in business in Oxford — McKey took a leap of faith and opened Campus Wines & Spirits.

Wishing to cultivate the wine culture in Oxford, McKey

partnered with wine enthusiast Joe Bittick and Campus Wines & Spirits’ marketing director, Andie Sanford. The trio set about to capitalize on one of their favorite shared ideas: to create a wine club.

“We started talking about it one night in the middle of June,” Sanford said. “And by the launch date of Aug. 1, 2022, we already had 30 members.”

Here’s how it works: Members pay a monthly fee of $30 (plus tax) and receive two bottles of wine each month, selected by Campus Wines & Spirits. The wines are usually chosen by Bittick. The wine may be picked up at the store on the first of each month. But that’s not all. With the wine comes tasting notes and suggestions for food and hors d’oeuvre pairings.

Wanting the wine club to be classy, Sanford designed unique pickup bags for the wines. Members don’t walk out with their monthly selections in plain brown paper bags.

Memberships are set up as month-by-month subscriptions and may be canceled at any time, though Sanford would appreciate a 30day notice since the wines are ordered in advance.

Wine club members may also participate, for no additional

A NEW WINE CLUB DRAWS GREAT INTEREST AND MANY MEMBERS AMONG OXFORD WINE ENTHUSIASTS.

charge, in Wine-Tasting Wednesdays at the store from 5 until 7 p.m.

“Wine-Tasting Wednesdays are casual and fun,” Sanford said. “And everyone is welcome. It’s also an opportunity to tell more people about wine club.”

A wine club website is in the works, but for now Sanford depends on word-of-mouth to let people know about the club.

“I tell people at the hair salon and at my dentist,” she said, laughing. “That’s how it has grown.”

Sanford, who moved to Oxford from Tuscaloosa with her husband Daniel, the chief of police at the University of Mississippi, and their 8-year-old son Emerson, is amazed at the early and ongoing interest in the wine club. She also has high hopes for its continued growth.

As interest in the wine club grows, Sanford foresees a few changes in the future. For example, she said tiers might be coming in the months ahead. Sanford also plans to create wine club events specific to charities.

“I’d like to do member-exclusive events in which we give back to the community,” she said. “I am so excited to think of how much bigger the wine club is going to get.”

Winter Wine Wisdom

For late fall and early winter wine drinking, Joe Bittick from Campus Wines & Spirits turns to these varietals, which he recommends for everyday drinking as well as special holiday occasions including Thanksgiving and Christmas:

Pinot Noir

Pinot Noir is an easy transition wine from the summer heat of drinking Rose, Chardonnay and Pinot Grigio. The versatility and dynamic nature of the style itself, along with the different terroir varieties lends itself to a plethora of different experiences. The lightest red on this list, it still holds its place at the table.

BITTICK RECOMMENDS:

TRY PINOTS FROM ANY REGION (FRANCE, CALIFORNIA, OREGON, WASHINGTON) AND SEE WHAT YOU LIKE BEST.

Garnacha

The Spanish name for Grenache, Garnacha is a medium-bodied red wine exploding with fruit and herbal notes. With such a depth of flavor that it doesn’t dominate your palate for the rest of the evening, it’s an amazing wine with or without food for when the weather starts to get colder.

BITTICK RECOMMENDS: LOS DOS GARNACHA OR CAMPO VIEJO GARNACHA

Zinfandel

This is a bold red wine that packs a punch. Usually higher in alcohol, this full-bodied red is great for pairing with roasted meats and enjoying on cold-snap nights. This wine is jammy and fruity on the nose with aromas of blackberry, cherry and plums. On the palate you get black pepper, cinnamon and oak. This wine is the perfect marriage of fruity and spicy with a smoky kick. Recommended with food or enjoy a glass after dinner by a fire.

BITTICK RECOMMENDS: ROBERT BIALE VINEYARDS BLACK CHICKEN ZINFANDEL OR SALDO ZINFANDEL BY THE PRISONER WINE COMPANY

What about whites?

For white wine drinkers that just can’t seem to get behind a red no matter how cold it is outside, try a Sauvignon Blanc or a Vermentino. These bold white wines stand up to most dishes served during the holidays. Or, if you prefer a sweeter white wine, pour a glass of Riesling or Gewürztraminer, pronounced “Geh-vertz-truh-meen-er.”

Wall of Remembering

The Natchez Trace will get you to the wall. The wall should make you want to find what is now known as the Tennessee River. The river runs through the magical land of The Shoals, which has lured thousands of visitors in search of its music and culture.

But long before we named any of these now well-known locales, there was a woman named Te-lah-nay.

Right off the Natchez Trace in northwest Alabama sits the Wachapi Commemorative Stone Wall, the largest unmortared wall in this country, built by hand to celebrate the life of Te-lah-nay, a Native American woman who loved the waters of what we call the

Tennessee River. Wachapi is a native word that means “like the stars,” a description given to the structure for good reason.

“There are no words to describe the place,” said Trace Hendrix, son of Tom Hendrix, the man who built the wall, about the area that medicine men have blessed.

“People don’t understand the euphoria they feel. I’ve had people tell me that they feel like they’ve been reborn after visiting.”

Te-lah-nay’s Yuchi tribe believed a woman lived in “The Singing River” who guided and protected travelers with her melodies. Even today, people say her singing can be heard.

“Yes, I’ve heard her,” Trace said. “It’s

hard to describe. You feel it first, then you hear it. Her voice is not as loud since they built the dams.”

When the federal government forced Te-lah-nay, her sister, other Yuchi and other natives to relocate to the area now known as Oklahoma, far away from their homes, Te-lah-nay refused to stay. The Oklahoma rivers would not sing to her.

Native tradition insists that baby Te-lahnay’s grandmother had tossed her umbilical cord into the river and thus made it her sister. And so, Te-lah-nay spent five years journeying back to her homeland in order to reunite with her sister, the river. When she completed the journey and returned,

A HAND-BUILT, UNMORTARED STRUCTURE IN ALABAMA COMMEMORATES A NATIVE AMERICAN WOMAN’S QUEST TO HEAR THE RIVER SING.

BY EUGENE STOCKSTILL

PHOTOS

BY NATCHEZTRACETRAVEL.COM

according to native tradition, she once again embodied the literal meaning of her name, “The Lady with the Dancing Eyes.”

Years later, in 1983, after her greatgreat grandson Tom retired from the Ford Motor Company in Sheffield, Alabama, he began to build a wall in honor of his greatgreat grandmother. A chance encounter with another member of the Yuchi tribe had convinced him to construct it. Assisted at times by son Trace, as well as material donations from others, Tom spent more than 30 years stacking 8 million pounds of limestone and sandstone.

“I love it when the master stonemasons come and ask me how many helpers I had,”

Tom was famously quoted in a 2014 story in The New York Times. “I wore out three trucks, 22 wheelbarrows, 3,700 pairs of gloves, three dogs and one old man.”

Recorded in the Library of Congress but not an official stop on the Natchez Trace, Te-lah-nay’s Wall draws visitors from all over the world, some of whom have left their own stones to honor her memory. PreCOVID, 100 to 300 visitors came every day. Before he died, Tom would greet visitors and share his wit and knowledge of native history with them. He also refused to publicize the wall, holding to the native conviction that those meant to find it would find it.

And the meandering, uneven two sides of the wall, which stretches just beyond one mile in length? Those represent Te-lahnay’s jagged trip from home, as well as her adventures to get back there.

“When they come, some will ask, ‘Why does it bend, and why is it higher and wider in some places than in others?’” one native healer told Tom. “Tell them that it is like your great-great-grandmother’s journey, and their journey through life — it is never straight.”

More About the NativeAmerican Yuchi Tribe

The word yuchi means “over yonder” or “over there sit/live.” Yuchi is sometimes spelled Euchee and Uchee.

Descendants of the Yuchi live in present-day Oklahoma. Before the federal government’s forced relocation, Yuchi also lived in Tennessee, Georgia, South Carolina and Florida.

The Yuchi language is an isolate language, unrelated to any other languages. Very few people speak the Yuchi language today.

The word wachapi (as in the Wachapi Commemorative Stone Wall) means “like the stars” and denotes a transcendent quality in something or someone.

The Yuchi referred to the body of water now known as the Tennessee River as nunnuhsae, or “the Singing River.”

The 2013 documentary “Muscle Shoals” also offers a quick, lovely glimpse into this world that Tom Hendrix described as “ishatay … a special place, a holy place … a place of music and people.”

The Wachapi Commemorative Stone Wall is located at 13890 Lauderdale County 8, Florence, Alabama 35633 (about 90 miles from Tupelo). It is open daily from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m.

Flavors of Success

WRITTEN BY LESLIE CRISS | PHOTOGRAPHED BY JOE WORTHEM

Working in the food-service industry is not for the faint of heart. Catering, cooking and bartending can be a difficult, demanding and definitely backbreaking and footaching business. But most who have chosen this professional path speak of it with a particular passion.

And even with the long hours spent in restaurant kitchens or behind the bars, there are chefs, bartenders and bar/restaurant owners who make time to pursue other activities related to their love of food, beverages and good service.

In this annual food issue, Invitation Magazines is happy to showcase a few of these passionate people in the food-service industry who have gone way beyond their daily jobs.

MEET A FEW NORTH MISSISSIPPI CHEFS AND BARTENDERS WHO HAVE GONE ABOVE AND BEYOND TO HONE THEIR TALENTS AND SHARE THEM WITH THE COMMUNITY.

VISHWESH BHATT SNACKBAR

Vishwesh Bhatt, 56, was born in India but has, for the past 30 years, called Oxford home. His father came to Oxford as a professor of physics at the University of Mississippi. Bhatt shares life with his wife Teresa and a friendly dog named Bob. Bhatt, known as Vish to those who know him best, has been the executive chef at Snackbar since 2009.

He started cooking for a living in his late 20s, but his most important connection with food began much earlier — he has always liked to eat.

“I began cooking out of necessity,” he said. “I needed a job, and kitchens were usually a good place to get a job. That’s how it started. And my mother was a really, really good cook, and I grew up watching her.”

Bhatt attended culinary school at Johnson & Wales in Miami.

The James Beard 2019 Best Chef: South winner now has something new to add to his list of accomplishments. On Aug. 16, Bhatt’s very first cookbook was published. The beautiful cookbook, “I Am From Here: Stories and Recipes from a Southern Chef,”

was three years in the making.

“I always wanted to figure out a way to tell stories,” he said. “I reached a point where I had enough of a cache built up and thought it was the right time.”

After selecting the recipes that would be featured in the cookbook, the food was photographed by Angie Mosier. Agent and friend David Black helped secure publisher W.W. Norton. The foreword is written by restaurateur John Currence.

When the book was released, Bhatt took some time away from the kitchen and hit the road on his first book tour.

“It was a little tiring with the traveling,” Bhatt said. “But I saw friends I haven’t seen since COVID. And it was overwhelming to see support and love from people I’ve never met.”

When he received his initial copy of “I Am From Here,” Bhatt was overjoyed.

“I was shocked at how good it came out,” he said. “I had such great help with photography and editing. I am grateful for all the support. It makes me want to do another book.”

Judd Grisanti GRISANTI'S

Judd Grisanti, 50, has spent his most of his five decades near or right in the middle of the restaurant business. From his grandfather Elfo, his father Rinaldo and his uncle “Big John” (Grisantis all), Judd Grisanti learned the family secrets of Italian cuisine. The original Grisanti’s restaurant opened in Memphis in 1909.

“I’ve always loved cooking,” Grisanti said. “When I was 8 or 9 years old, I’d stand on wooden Coke crates to help, until I was tall enough to get rid of the crates.”

These days, Grisanti spends most of his time in Oxford, Tupelo and New Albany. He packages his Italian favorites to sell in local grocery stores. He credits Clay Knight at Todd’s in Tupelo with teaching him about the grocery industry and helping him expand into 60 stores.

“I wasn’t sure if it would work, but I hung out and watched because I wanted to see who was buying the prepackaged food,” he said. “There were ladies dressed to the nines and booted working men, all buying the food. I was overwhelmed.”

Grisanti, who attended the Culinary Institute of America in New York City in 1989-90 and later the CIA in California, now has a space in Tupelo: Uptown Grocery at 316 N. Spring St., where he brings the tastes of the original Grisanti’s by way of pop-up dinners. He’s held one, and once he secures his ABC license, he hopes to do the popups on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, every other week. He’s also considering a monthly wine dinner, live music on occasion and pickup lunches. And he will, of course, continue his catering.

Ross Hester and Joseph Stinchcomb met in 2016 while working at St. Leo in Oxford for the restaurant’s opening night. The two Ole Miss grads, who both found an affinity for restaurants and the hospitality industry, ended up spending about five years at St. Leo.

Hester was recently asked by the owners of The Lyric Oxford to check out a space in a front corner of The Lyric. Hester summoned Stinchcomb to look, and the two became partners, owning and operating what would become Bar Muse where they have been serving cocktails and small bites for the past year.

The duo recently put their creative

thoughts together and planned a pop-up in the alley outside another space that had been unused for a number of years. The idea morphed into the two owning Good Day Cafe, where they serve what they call “elevated sandwiches.” There are seats in the alley for those who wish to eat there.

“We wanted to inject a little liveliness into the food scene,” Stinchcomb said. “We have a lot of friends who cook but have no where to cook. So, we offer them a kitchen and an opportunity to bring new foods to the culinary scene in Oxford.”

Head chef Patrick Hudgins comes up with the menus for the pop-ups, which are breathing new life and energy into the space.

“Pop-ups attract new clientele, give people who enjoy cooking a chance to be creative, help in terms of profitability,” Stinchcomb said.

Hester and Stinchcomb are making plans for upcoming events. They’re reaching out to chefs for future pop-ups. They’ve had a Sunday Supper Club inside Bottletree Bakery, which was a five- to six-course seated dinner, and they hope to plan more.

“Our strengths complement each other,” Hester said. “I am more practical

and business-minded, and Joe is so creative and personable. He has some of the most creative cocktail ideas. We get along well; we even hang out outside of work, and these days we sometimes seem like an old married couple that finish each other’s sentences.”

Good Day Cafe is open 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday; Bar Muse is open 4 p.m. to close Wednesday through Saturday, and 3 to 8 p.m. on Sunday. Follow them on Instagram @barmuse_oxford and @good_day_oxford.

Continued on page 48

Ross Hester & Joseph Stinchcomb BAR MUSE

Ali Watts and Paige Garrett can be found multiple evenings each week behind the bar at Harvey’s in Tupelo.

Garrett, 29, is a graduate of Saltillo High School and has worked in food/ beverage service all of her adult life. She’s been at Harvey’s for nine years and loves it.

“I can’t see myself doing anything else,” she said.

Watts, 24, is a graduate of Tupelo High School, with bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Mississippi in English and education. After helping with some catering, Watts said she found herself really enjoying it. She has been at Harvey’s nearly two years.

“Paige is actually my mentor,” Watts said. “She has taught me everything I know.”

Encouraged by their former bar manager, the duo signed up to compete in the 2022 Iron Bartender Competition at The Powerhouse in Oxford on Aug. 12.

“I was definitely not confident,” Garrett said. But Watts was right there with her bartending partner.

“I was nervous as could be,” she said. “We were definitely the underdogs in the competition and were told by some we

didn’t have a chance because we weren’t from Oxford.”

Still, they persisted, moving forward in preparation to compete.

They’d bounce ideas off each other while trying to come up with the cocktail they would make for the competition. They practiced mixing ingredients though they were not assigned the liquor for the competition until the week of the event.

Watts and Garrett experimented with lavender (grown by Watts), simple syrup, ginger beer, lemon juice, Butterfly pea flower tea (also known as blue tea) and edible glitter. Their assigned liquor? Gin. And the name of their creation? Supernova.

The night of the competition, the two ran out of their popular concoction with

a long line of hopeful tasters still waiting. Thankfully, supportive family members went in search of a few needed ingredients for making more Supernova.

When the winners were announced, Ivy Watts, sister to Ali, screamed at the top of her lungs. The Tupelo twosome were named the 2022 Iron Bartenders.

“We were shocked,” Garrett said. “We just looked at each other in disbelief.”

Watts nodded in agreement.

“We had an amazing support system, too,” she said.

The two hope to enter again next year. But in the meantime, they were invited to bartend a Halloween Gala at the Powerhouse in Oxford and created a Halloween-themed cocktail for the event.

Ali Watts & Paige Garrett

COOPER MILLER FORKLIFT

Cooper Miller has been executive chef/ owner at Forklift in Tupelo for four years. The Amory native worked in a plethora of kitchens before heading to culinary school at Le Cordon Bleu in Atlanta. He was not always an adventurous foodie.

“I was an extremely picky eater when I was a kid,” he said. “I’d eat hamburgers and pizza. Then on a visit to Breckenridge, Colorado, at the Briar Rose Chophouse & Saloon, someone ordered escargot and dared me to eat one.

“I ate one, then two, then more and ordered a second and third. From then on, I tried everything, and it changed my world.”

In May, Miller won the Mississippi Seafood Cook-Off in Gulfport. His wife, Lauren, signed him up for the competition without his knowledge.

“She was playing around on Instagram one day and read about the competition on the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources site,” Miller said. “She didn’t tell me what she’d done but told me to be looking for an email. She’s one who believes in asking forgiveness, not permission.”

Coming up with a dish for the competition was no easy task, Miller said.

“One morning at 2 a.m., I woke up with an idea,” he said. “I love Latin American cuisine and decided on fish tacos. Of course, that’s super pedestrian, but I would figure out how to make it fancy.”

And he did. At the competition, the other competitors had brought along sous chefs and lots of equipment. Miller did not. But his fish tacos, made with dried chorizo and potato-crusted snapper, homemade salsa verde and pico de gallo, garnished with finger limes, led him to a unanimous win.

He was awarded a plaque, a crown and an invitation to the National Cook-off in New Orleans in August.

In New Orleans, Miller did not win, but his seafood dish — Douban Yu, steamed snapper with a fermented black bean salsa — pleased the judges.

“One of the judges, John Folse, found me after and told me my dish was his favorite,” Miller said. “Having heard that, I said I could go home now. What an amazing thing to hear.

“The outpouring of support was soul-warming. I was asked to do so many interviews. It was really a life-changing experience, even without the win.”

Hello Season Pie

BY SARAH M c CULLEN

BY JOE WORTHEM

op off your holiday gathering with an assortment of homemade pies that are sure to impress every guest at your table. Turn to page 30 for the Perfect Pie Crust recipe to use with any of these pies.

CHERRY-APPLE PIE

3 tablespoons butter

5-6 large apples, peeled and thinly sliced

1 ½ cups frozen tart cherries

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 cup sugar

½ cup light brown sugar

2 tablespoons cornstarch

½ teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

2 disks pie crust dough (recipe on page 30)

1 large egg

3 tablespoons water

Sparkling sugar

Preheat oven to 325°F. In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium; add apples, and cook, stirring, until apples are soft, about 5 minutes. Add lemon juice. In a small bowl, stir together sugar, brown sugar and cornstarch, and add to apples. Cook, stirring, until thickened, 3 to 4 minutes. Add cherries, stir, and cook 1 minute. Remove from heat, and stir in salt and cinnamon. Let cool 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. While pie filling cools, roll out each dough disk into a 12-inch circle, about 1/8-inch thick. Lay 1 dough circle in the bottom of a 9-inch pie plate. Cut remaining circle into strips to create the lattice (to braid it, as pictured, cut some strips into 3 thinner strips). Pour cooled filling into pie crust. Use dough strips to create a lattice over top of pie. Whisk together egg and water in a small bowl, and brush lattice with egg mixture; sprinkle with sparkling sugar. Bake in preheated oven until pie is bubbly and fragrant, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Let cool to room temperature before serving.

Continued on page 54

1 disk pie crust dough (recipe on page 30)

½ cup milk chocolate chips

1 tablespoon plus ¼ cup butter, divided

1/3 cup plus ½ cup granulated sugar, divided

Preheat oven to 350°F. Roll out dough into a into a 12-inch circle, about 1/8-inch thick. Place dough circle in pie plate, and trim to fit. Crimp crust as desired. Pierce the dough all over with a fork, fill with pie weights, and bake in preheated oven until golden and fragrant, 15 to 20 minutes.

In a double boiler, melt chocolate chips and 1 tablespoon butter over medium until smooth, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat. In a small

GERMAN CHOCOLATE PIE

3 tablespoons cornstarch

1 ½ cups milk

2 large egg yolks

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

bowl, stir together 1/3 cup sugar and cornstarch. In a medium saucepan, cook milk and egg yolks over medium, whisking constantly, until hot, about 4-5 minutes. Whisk in sugar mixture, and boil until thickened, stirring constantly, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in vanilla.

Fold in chocolate mixture until well combined. Pour mixture into baked pie crust.

In a small saucepan, bring evaporated milk, 1/2 cup

2/3 cup evaporated milk

1 large egg, beaten

1 1/3 cups shredded coconut, toasted

½ cup chopped pecans

sugar, and 1/4 cup butter to a boil over medium heat, stirring, about 4-5 minutes. In a large bowl, whisk egg, and slowly drizzle about ¾ cup of the hot mixture into the egg, whisking constantly so the egg doesn’t cook. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan, and fold in coconut and pecans. Let cool for about 5 minutes, then pour over the top of the chocolate pie.

Cover and refrigerate 1 hour before serving.

HONEY CUSTARD PIE

1 disk pie crust dough (recipe on page 30)

4 large egg yolks

2 ½ cups heavy whipping cream

1 cup light brown sugar

1/3 cup cornstarch

½ teaspoon salt

½ cup honey

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 large egg

3 tablespoons water

Sweetened whipped cream (for topping)

Roll out dough into a 12-inch circle, about 1/8-inch thick. Place dough circle in pie plate, and trim to fit. Crimp crust as desired.

Whisk egg yolks in a large bowl, about 1 minute. In a medium saucepan, bring heavy whipping cream, brown sugar, cornstarch and salt to a boil over medium, whisking constantly. Boil, until thickened, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in honey and vanilla. Slowly pour 1 cup of hot mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly. Then whisk the egg yolk mixture into the rest of hot mixture in saucepan.

Whisk together egg and water, and brush edges of pie crust with the egg mixture. Pour the custard mixture into crust, and bake in preheated oven until pie is no longer jiggly, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving topped with sweetened whipped cream.

SENIORKARE TOURNAMENT

PHOTOGRAPHED BY JOE WORTHEM

SeniorKare of North Mississippi hosted Sink One for Alzheimer’s at the Oxford Country Club on Sept. 26. The 2022 golf tournament raised funds for Alzheimer’s disease.

1. Mike Jones and Barry Thomas 2. Philip Schimdt and Blake Parham

3. Bill Davis, Rusty Stegall and Chad Elsderry 4. Adina Welker and Sabrina Beard 5. Tim McAvoy and Grant Goforth

1 2 3 54

CLASS OF 1972 REUNION

BY JOE WORTHEM

High School

of

Annelia Faye Miller and Faristene Webb

PHOTOGRAPHED BY WINNIE WILSON

The Oxford Chargers hosted the Lafayette Commodores for the annual Crosstown Classic on Sept. 16. The 51st meeting of the rivals saw Oxford best Lafayette with a final score of 43-19.

CROSSTOWN CLASSIC 1 2

1. Jane Erwin with Reagan and Addison Arnoldi 2. Anna Dennis, Macon Humphries and Charlie Winnick 3. Knox Dixon, William Atchley, Matt Bishop and Whitt Fountain 4. Ava and Chris Patton 5. Makayla Clayton, Ja’Leah Hair and Madison Davis 6. Annie Scott and Winnie Wilson

3 4 65

PHOTOGRAPHED BY HANNAH TURNER

The 2022 F.A.L.L. (Furthering Adult Learners Legacy) fundraiser for 2nd Chance MS was held Sept. 29 at The Green at Harrison’s 1810. The mission of 2nd Chance MS is to promote adult education and work skills training in Mississippi.

1. Cyndi and Tom Pittman 2. Grey and Macey Edmondson

3. John Ramsey Miller and Kerry Hamilton with Meredith and Margaret Allen 4. Myrna Colley-Lee and Meggy Adams with Tom and Dororthy Howorth 5. Randy, Carly, Payton and Janet Clatt 6. Caroline Mayo and Nora Capwell 7. Sharon and Jeff Hawkins

1 2 3 4 5 76

2ND CHANCE FUNDRAISER

OUT & ABOUT

1 2 3

Ole Miss Junior Cheer Clinic

Southside Gallery Artist Reception 4 65 7

1. Tommy Cribbs, Claude Rives and Craig Miller 2. Pepper Crutcher, Megan Walton and Michael Belenchia 3. Tripp Bolin, Kyle Reeder, Mike Mitchell and Michael Marino 4. Mary Adams Kinney and Emily McElreath

5. Olivia Lee, Liza Tidwell, Becca Stewart and Amy Campbell 6. Blair Hobbs and Anne Scott Barrett 7. Chinny Carothers and Jack Garner

Mike Overstreet Memorial Clay Shooting Tournament

PHOTOGRAPHED BY LISA ROBERTS

Tupelo’s Ballard Park was the site of the 2022 Walk to End Alzheimer’s. The walk, which took place in Tupelo Sept. 17, is held in more than 600 communities nationwide, making it the largest event to fight Alzheimer’s disease.

WALK TO END ALZHEIMER’S 1 2

1. Malaya and McGail Pannell 2. Shayla Victoria, Kristen White and Ethan Benefield 3. Shelia and Jessica Davis with Dell Hatch 4. Katie Goff and Kim Wilson 5. Trey Trapp and Carla Munn 6. Teri Roddy and Julie Bingham

3 4 65

ENCHANTED BALL

BODOCK FESTIVAL

PHOTOGRAPHED BY LISA ROBERTS

The 28th annual Bodock Festival took place Sept. 10 in Pontotoc with arts and crafts vendors, a car and tractor show, live music and much more family fun.

1. Lisa, Wilder and Karen Ward 2. Anna Lake and Mary Kyle Howe with Jules, Hillie and McAuley Hamilton 3. Dawn and Maci Moss

4. Will and Grace Stepp with Amanda Russell 5. Madison and Lynzee McGillivray with Gabriella and Cymbree Shettles

6. Marjorie Rendle with Sadie and Alison Tackett

1 2 3 4 65

TOUCH-A-TRUCK

PHOTOGRAPHED BY LISA ROBERTS

Tupelo Parks and Recreation hosted the 2022 Touch-a-Truck event Sept. 17 in Veterans Park. The free event allows children to touch, climb and explore trucks and heavy machinery used in their community.

1. Briggs and Waverly Roberts 2. Maddox and Mallie McIntosh 3. Oliver Grisham and Adrian Sanchez 4. Delilah Wilbanks and Isbella Ganus 5. Anna and Rainer Kline 6. Lincoln and Graham Logan 7. Ellie Ann and Salem Smith

1 2 3 4 5 76

TUPELO ALE TRAIL

LISA ROBERTS

OUT & ABOUT

1 2 3

Black Sheep Boutique Grand Opening

Tupelo Farmers Depot 54 6

1. Sue Smith, Carolyn Madison and Kathy Hogan 2. Mitzi Potts, Becky Weatherford, Angela Chesnut and Patricia Smith 3. Derium White Jr., Amanda Hatchett and Onesha Skyes 4. Friends and Family of Black Sheep Boutique 5. Thomas Hogan and Cameron Tate 6. James and Susan Keller

7. Mat Robinson, Morgan Bailey and Ben Policicchio 8. Mason Gaston, Aubrey Doss and Tylan Jerrigan 9. Trinity and Paige Chism

Robins Street Art Stroll

GOOD NEIGHBOR

MARGARETE GARNER

BY LESLIE CRISS | PHOTOGRAPHED BY JOE WORTHEM

Margarete Garner has always been a fan of food. A native of Bavaria, Germany, she’s lived in Tupelo for nearly three decades. And she’s worked in the food service industry in various capacities at the now-gone Gloster 205 and at Park Heights. A goal she set for herself was to open a bakery before she turned 50. On Nov. 29, she will celebrate the 10th anniversary of the opening of Simply Sweet by Margarete, where she serves lunch Monday through Friday, and sells chocolates, homemade breads and delicious baked goods aplenty. Her 22-year-old twins, Ana Rose and Jon Luke, have both worked at times in the bakery. Ana Rose still does; Jon Luke is serving in the Marines.

Q: What is the holiday season like at Simply Sweet by Margarete?

A: People start placing orders for Thanksgiving at the end of September and into October. And then Christmas orders begin. From October through February, it’s nonstop. Christmas and Valentine’s Day are our biggest and busiest times. But it’s great. Sure, sometimes it feels a little overwhelming, but I just take a deep breath and focus. It is so satisfying and amazing how Tupelo reacts to us.

Q: Is it true that you have surprised people stopped by a train in front of the bakery?

A: As you know, here in Tupelo, the train goes through quite frequently and people have to stop in front of the bakery at the Green Street crossing. So, we’d go out with little treats. Most people were pleasantly surprised to be approached by someone in a white apron carrying a tray of treats.

Q: What made you love cooking?

A: I’ve always liked food and people. When I was a young girl, my parents had a

restaurant at home in Germany, out in the country in a little guesthouse. Of course, there was no question: I helped. When I was 9 or 10, I served and washed dishes. I taught myself to cook — if you can read, you can cook. And when I went out on my own, I had to cook if I wanted to eat. When I came to the U.S., I just thought it would be nice to bring a bit of European touches here.

Q: You are around amazing sweets daily. Is it true you are not much of a sweet lover?

A: It is true — I am not much on sweets. I let the girls who work with me do the sweets. I

bake bread every day, and I have to like what I’m doing. That’s the secret to anything.

Q: What is the best part of owning your own bakery?

A: That’s easy. Just to see how the community has supported us has been amazing. Early on, I was looking for a downtown location for the bakery. I had driven by this place before, but it was never available. Then one morning, I rode by and it was for rent. I just felt like it was meant to be, and everything just sort of fell into place. Here we are, 10 years later.