Invitation Oxford - November 2021

NOVEMBER 2021

OXFO R D

THE

FOOD ISSUE

T R I P L E L AY E R C H O CO L AT E C A K E STEP BY STEP

DISCOVER THE G R E AT M I S S I S S I P P I T E A C O M PA N Y

E N T E R TA I N W I T H BROOKS GROCERY S P E C I A LT I E S

V I N TAG E A P R O N S A N D M O R E AT THE APRON MUSEUM

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Letter From the Publisher

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Digital Details

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Calendar

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Shoutouts

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Restaurant News

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Restaurant Guide

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Recipes: Triple Layer Cake

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Out & About: Northeast

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Out & About: Oxford

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Good Neighbor: Lois Virginia Washington Jones

ON THE COVER

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EVENTS:

NORTHEAST

EVENTS:

OXFORD

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Pickleball Championship

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Oxford Community Market

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Downtown Ale Trail

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Crosstown Classic

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An Evening of Jazz

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The Black Keys Concert

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THS Golf Fundraiser

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FCA Ladies Luncheon

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Okeelala Festival

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Three Blind Wines

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Corinth Green Market

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Ole Miss vs. Arkansas

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This November, we are celebrating food! Our covers feature a triple layer cake created by Invitation Magazines’ food stylist Sarah McCullen (turn to page 30 to learn to make it yourself!), and a few “Made Right Here” spreads and dips from local, family-run Brooks Grocery (page 50) that make entertaining easy. Enjoy!

PHOTOGRAPHED BY JOE WORTHEM

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F E AT U R E S

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FE ATURES 36 An Homage to Aprons

Iuka’s Apron Museum is the only one of its kind in the country and gives reverence to an oft-forgotten cultural artifact.

40 Tea Time

A small and innovative team grows and processes tea in southwest Mississippi.

46 Poured Out Art

An Oxford wife and mother finds peace in creating art after a tragic accident changes her life.

50 Made Right Here

With its personal service, focus on local vendors and crave-worthy family recipes, Brooks Grocery draws shoppers to its family-owned store on Tupelo’s west side.

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L E T T E R from the E D I T O R In November, food takes center stage.

It is second only, perhaps, to community.

Maybe you’ll have family gathered around your Thanksgiving table. Maybe you have plans with friends to watch the Egg Bowl, which will be played in Starkville on Turkey Day this year. Or maybe you’ll be busy with the school activities, church gatherings and city events that pop up more and more as the holidays approach. Whatever your calendar looks like, it is a near certainty there will be plenty of opportunities to be surrounded by community this month, which will feel very welcome after last year’s need for isolation.

So, this magazine is not only about

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food but also about community. Brooks Grocery in Tupelo encompasses both. The independent, family-run business featured on page 50 opened a new location in west Tupelo earlier this year and has quickly become a local favorite, especially for their “made right here” prepared foods.

Also in this issue, we are visiting a couple of very interesting places: The quirky and impressive Apron Museum in Iuka (on page 36) is the only one of its kind in the country; and The Great Mississippi Tea Company (on page 40) is a Brookhaven farm where tea is grown, processed and sold to customers around the world.

@INVITATIONOXFORD @INVITATIONM AGA ZINE

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There is also a beautiful story on page 46 about Jessica Ellington’s artwork. Her family’s tragedy has been on the hearts of so many in this community this year, and we hope that she continues to feel love and support all around her.

On behalf of Invitation Magazines, we wish all of our readers a happy Thanksgiving surrounded by friends, family and, of course, delicious food.

EMILY WELLY, EDITORIAL DIRECTOR

@INVOXFORD @INVMAGA ZINE

PUBLISHERS Rachel West

EDITORIAL

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Emily Welly EXECUTIVE EDITOR Leslie Criss OPERATIONS DIRECTOR Mary Moreton CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Rachel Burchfield COPY EDITOR Ashley Arthur EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Abigail Nichols

OFFICE

BUSINESS MANAGER Hollie Hilliard DISTRIBUTION Brian Hilliard MAIN OFFICE 662-234-4008

ART

CREATIVE DIRECTOR Holly Vollor STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Joe Worthem CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Lisa Roberts J.R. Wilbanks

ADVERTISING

ADVERTISING CONSULTANTS Alise M. Emerson Leigh Lowery Lynn McElreath Moni Simpson Whitney Worsham ADVERTISING DESIGNERS Becca Pepper ADVERTISING INFORMATION ads@invitationoxford.com

To subscribe to one year (10 issues) or to buy an announcement, visit invitationmag.com.

To request a photographer at your event, email Mary at mary.invitation@gmail.com.

Invitation Magazines respects the many diverse individuals and organizations that make up north Mississippi and strives to be inclusive and representative of all members of our community.

PLEASE RECYCLE THIS MAGAZINE

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DIGITAL DETAIL S

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D I G I T A L details E XC LU S I V E LY O N L I N E AT I N V I TAT I O N M AG .C O M

social S N A P S We love being tagged in your photos!

Re c i p e I n s p i rat io n Looking for recipe inspiration? We’ve become big fans of @the_hungry_hooker. Almost daily, she shares eye-catching recipes with her 18,500-plus Instagram followers. Many of the meals she creates are throwbacks to her childhood favorites or copycat versions of famous restaurant dishes.

C ue t he Ba nd

Hi I’m Blondie! I’ll be your tour guide around Oxford!

L O C A T I O N : Oxford U S E R N A M E : @blondie_the_doodle

Fr id ay Fo o d Blo g

God hears prayers.

L O C A T I O N : Dodson Farms U S E R N A M E : @finchcollective White Chocolate and Rum Raisin Bread Pudding

The Mississippi All-State Lions Band is a marching band made up of the best high school band members in the state. Read our complete feature story on the impressive group and their lasting legacy online at invitationmag.com this month.

We may be focusing on food in this month’s issue, but we celebrate food every week on our Friday Food Blog.

Be sure to follow us on Facebook and Instagram for the creative ideas our food bloggers have to spice up your recipe rotation.

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!

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It is not polite to stare. Decadent dorm design.

L O C A T I O N : Athens, Georgia U S E R N A M E : @shoptheavenueathens |

@INVOXFORD @INVMAGA ZINE

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C O M M U N I T Y NOVEMBER 2021

OXFORD

Double-Decker Bus Tour NOVEMBER 5

Enjoy a 1-hour tour around Ole Miss and the Square. Tickets, $10 adults; $5 kids 12 and under. To reserve seats, call 662-2322477. 3-5 p.m., the Oxford Square. visitoxfordms.com

OLE MISS FOOTBALL

Ole Miss Women’s Basketball Opener NOV EMB ER 11

OLE MISS VS. LIBERT Y

November 6 Vaught-Hemingway Stadium OLE MISS VS . TEX AS A&M

November 13 Vaught-Hemingway Stadium O L E M I S S V S . VA N D E R B I LT

November 20 Vaught-Hemingway Stadium T H E E G G B OW L O L E M I S S AT M I S S I S S I P P I S TAT E

Ole Miss Men’s Basketball Opener

November 25 Davis Wade Stadium

The Ole Miss women’s basketball team tips off its season against the Belmont Bruins.

Time TBA, The Sandy and John Black Pavilion at Ole Miss. olemisssports.com

Veterans Day Flag Retirement Ceremony NOV EMB ER 11

Commemorate Veterans Day with the Chicksa District as they retire flags.

11 a.m.-4 p.m., American Legion Post 55, 125 Veterans Drive, Oxford.

NOVEMBER 5

Watch the Ole Miss men’s basketball team open its season against the Trevecca Trojans. Time TBA, The Sandy and John Black Pavilion at Ole Miss. olemisssports.com

“Buckin Mania” Rodeo Tour NOVEMBER 6

The 2021 Xtreme PRCA “Buckin Mania” Rodeo Tour finals hosted by Pro Rodeo Productions comes to Batesville. Purchase tickets online. Batesville Civic Center. prorodeoproductions.com

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Best Dressed Ball H O L I D AY S V E T E R A N S DAY

November 11 THANKSGIVING

November 25

NOVEMBER 18

Baptist Medical Center and Nicholas Air sponsor the first Oxford Best Dressed Ball, a black-tie charity event benefiting the American Cancer Society. For info, email Mary Susan Asters at marysusan.asters@ cancer.org. 6:30 p.m., The Inn at Ole Miss. acsevents.org

NORTHEAST

Hank Williams Jr. Concert NOVEMBER 5

Bocephus hits the stage in Tupelo with special guest Randy Houser. Purchase tickets online. 7 p.m., BancorpSouth Arena, Tupelo.

Out of the Darkness Walk NOVEMBER 13

The North Mississippi Out of the Darkness Walk supports the mission of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. To learn more, contact Marsha Jensen at 662-2662727. Register and donate online.

11 a.m.-2 p.m., Veterans Park, Tupelo. supporting.afsp.org

bcsarena.com

Magnolia Holiday Marketplace N OV E MB ER 20

Kick off the holiday season at the 5th annual Magnolia Holiday Marketplace, featuring indoor and outdoor vendors 9 a.m.-4 p.m., 101 S. 9th Street, Amory. facebook.com/MagnoliaSpringHolidayAmory

Miss Heart of Mississippi Tour the Trace N O V E M B E R 1 9 -2 2

Downtown Tupelo Holiday Open House

Bicyclists tour 444 miles in four days along the historic Natchez Trace Parkway with Racing for Vets. The event starts at 7 a.m.

Nov. 19 at the Loveless Cafe in Nashville, and ends at 6 p.m. Nov. 22 in Natchez. raceroster.com

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Miss Heart of Mississippi is a Christmasthemed, food-drive pageant to benefit the Stone Soup Ministry. This year, they’ll make 75 Christmas dinner boxes for Lee County families in need. Entry fee is $35 plus 10 food items. For info, email mississippi@ missheartoftheusa.com. Time TBD, Lawhon Elementary, 140 Lake St., Tupelo. missheartoftheusa.com

NOVEMBER 5-6

Lynyrd Skynyrd Tour

Find all of the gifts you’re searching for in historic downtown Tupelo during their annual Holiday Open House.

Friday, 5-7 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Downtown Tupelo.

Rock out with Lynyrd Skynyrd and special guest Tesla at the “Big Wheels Keep on Turnin’” tour. Purchase tickets online.

7-11 p.m., BancorpSouth Arena, Tupelo.

The Reed’s Tupelo Christmas Parade is back to celebrate its 73rd anniversary.

6-8 p.m., Downtown Tupelo.

tupelomainstreet.com

bcsarena.com

tupelomainstreet.com

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Tupelo Christmas Parade NOVEMBER 30

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S H O U T O U T S “S le i g h B e l l s R i n g” fo r t he Tup e lo Wo me n’s C lu b’s Hol id ay Tre e Fe s t iva l The Tupelo Women’s Club is hosting its 11th annual Holiday Tree Festival at 6:30 p.m. Nov. 16 at the Tupelo Country Club to kick off the holiday season with an evening benefiting the community. This year’s “Sleigh Bells Ring”themed event includes food and beverages, live music from the band STYLE, as well as a silent auction and a chance to win $1,000 in the raffle.

All of the proceeds donated will help serve five local organizations: Helping Hands; Regional Rehab; S.A.F.E.; Tree of Life Clinic; and Parkgate Pregnancy Clinic. The 2020 Holiday Tree Festival’s virtual event raised $60,000; this year’s goal is to raise $70,000 for the organizations.

To attend, register online for $25 at sleighbellsring.givesmart.com. Many donation and sponsorship opportunities are also listed.

Learn more about the annual festival and the Tupelo Women’s Club at facebook.com/TupeloWomensClub.

C o n g rat s to D e l l a D av id s o n E le me nt a r y!

When Oxford High School sophomore Eliza Webb went to her big brother Dixon’s baseball games, she didn’t know she’d get to meet a new friend.

Rylee Hale was sitting in the stands, too, watching her Rylee Hale and Eliza Webb in 2018 brother Reed play baseball.

The two boys were both players on the Tupelo Rangers team.

“When I met Rylee, she was sick,” Webb said. “She’d been diagnosed with osteosarcoma and was getting treatment at St. Jude.”

Osteosarcoma is a type of bone cancer that tends to occur in children and young adults.

When Rylee died in April 2021 at the age of 13, Webb wanted to get involved to help other St. Jude patients in Rylee’s honor. She and her mom participated in a 5K run in Rylee’s memory. And she looked into volunteering at the Memphis hospital, but because of the coronavirus pandemic, there were myriad guidelines. So, Webb found another way to help. The daughter of Whitney and Neville Webb started sending e-cards to patients at St. Jude.

“It’s a quick and easy way to do something,” she said. “You can go online at the St. Jude website, choose a card, write a message and send some words of support and encouragement to patients.”

Not only has Webb sent many cards herself; she has also encouraged friends and family members to send cards as well. To send cards to St. Jude patients, visit stjude.org/get-involved/otherways/online-card-message-patients.html.

On Sept. 21, Oxford’s Della Davidson Elementary School got the good news that it was one of 325 schools in the country designated a National Blue Ribbon School. The recognition is based on a school’s overall academic performance or progress in closing achievement gaps among student subgroups.

Della Davidson was one of four in the state to be recognized with the honor. Woolmarket Elementary School in Biloxi, Brandon Elementary School and East Hancock Elementary School in Kiln were also recognized.

“The coveted National Blue Ribbon School award affirms the hard work of students, educators, families and communities in creating safe and welcoming schools where students master challenging and engaging content,” Bradley Roberson, Oxford School District superintendent, said. “The National Blue Ribbon School banner gracing a school hallway is a widely recognized symbol of exemplary teaching and learning. I am so proud of Della Davidson.”

Marni Herrington, chief academic officer for Oxford School District, was principal of Della Davidson at the time of the Blue Ribbon nomination. Herrington was happy to hear the news about the school where she spent four years as principal.

“I was so excited,” she said. “The teachers and students at Della work so hard every single day. They truly strive for excellence. I am so proud to work alongside the teachers. They work tirelessly to grow all students and to show that all students can achieve at high levels.”

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BRUCE NEWMAN

C a rd s fo r S t . Jud e

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NEWS

OXFORD

El Charro 6 9 9 S I S K AV E . , O X F O R D N O W O P E N | An Oxford staple for 25

years, the Munoz family has brought El Charro back to Oxford, serving authentic Mexican cuisine with an artisanal twist.

Open daily for brunch, lunch and dinner.

Catering also available.

662-234-9358, elcharrooxford.com

Rosati’s 3 1 9 N . L A M A R B LV D . , O X F O R D N O W O P E N | Offering Chicago-style

pizza, calzones, wings, pasta, sandwiches and more. Eat in or order carryout online.

662-638-8999, myrosatis.com

Yugo 1 0 0 1 J A C K S O N AV E . E . , O X F O R D N O W O P E N | From the owners of The Sipp on South Lamar comes a contemporary restaurant featuring global flavors and Pan-Asian inspired cocktails, a sake menu and an extensive wine list.

662-380-5293, yugooxford.com

Walk-On’s Sports Bistreaux

RockHouse Live

Local Honey

3 0 8 S . L A M A R B LV D . , O X F O R D

2 7 12 G E O R G E G “ PAT ” PAT T E R S O N

N O W O P E N | Combining live and virtual entertainment with a bar and restaurant experience, this new music venue provides more opportunities for both local and touring bands to perform.

PA R K WAY, O X F O R D N O W O P E N | Discover a new neighborhood market offering locally sourced produce, milk, eggs, meats and bread, along with prepared meals and baked goods.

662-380-5162, rockhouselive.com

instagram.com/local_honey_oxms

Karlee’s Paleteria y Neveria

Joysticks Gamer Lounge

266 CO UNT Y ROA D 101, OXFO RD

N O W O P E N | Restaurant and arcade with a full menu, old-school video games, pool tables, virtual reality games, daily happy hour from 4-7 p.m. and more.

N O W O P E N | Find unique ice-cream

flavors, decadent milkshakes, Fresas con Crema (Mexican Strawberries and Cream) and more at this local ice-cream shop.

1 8 0 1 J A C K S O N AV E . W. , O X F O R D

facebook.com/karleesicecream

662-380-5249, facebook.com/ joysticksRestaurantArcade

OPA!

Pizzashop

17 3 5 B U N I V E R S I T Y AV E . , O X F O R D

3 0 6 S . L A M A R B LV D . , O X F O R D

8 1 E D P E R R Y B LV D . , O X F O R D

N O W O P E N | This nationally recognized

C O M I N G S O O N | Located in the old

N O W O P E N | Pizza by the slice, focaccia

sports bar brand serves up Louisiana specialties, including seafood, po’boys, burgers, Cajun cuisine and more.

Gus’s Chicken building on the Square, this new Greek restaurant has a renovated interior and outdoor patio seating.

sandwiches, late-night delivery and more.

Open 11 a.m.-1 a.m. Friday-Saturday; 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Sunday-Thursday.

225-330-4533, walk-ons.com

facebook.com/opa.oxfordms

662-510-7050, pizzashopoxford.com

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NORTHEAST

Billy’s Fish and Steak 82 5 N . G L O S T E R S T R E E T, T U P E L O C O M I N G S O O N | Billy Willis’ new

restaurant will feature fish and steak along with a Saturday morning breakfast buffet and Thursday night karaoke.

662-260-4125

Mugshots Grill & Bar 3 74 E . M A I N S T. , T U P E L O N E W O W N E R S | Mugshots Grill & Bar is

now owned by Tray Gamble and Jim Hicks, the duo that also owns the Mugshots franchises in Meridian, Starkville and Columbus. Original owner Johnny Robbins still owns the building.

662-269-2907, mugshotsgrillandbar.com

Phyfer’s Cajun Restaurant 3 1 17 M C C U L L O U G H B LV D . , B E L D E N N O W O P E N | This Cajun-themed restaurant serves a lunchtime buffet with Cajun sandwiches from 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m.

Monday-Friday; and a chef’s menu starting at 5 p.m. The Saturday lunch includes appetizers and sandwiches, and a chef’s menu is also offered starting at 5 p.m. Saturdays. The restaurant is closed Sundays. Liquor will eventually be served once the license is approved.

662-584-2179

Conservatory by Vicari 4 0 1 F I L L M O R E S T R E E T, C O R I N T H N O W O P E N | Vicari owner and chef John

Mabry’s newest venture is this open-air, rooftop dining establishment that offers lunch and a gelato bar, as well as a wine bar and small plate menu at dinnertime.

Open 11 a.m.-3 p.m. and 5-10 p.m.

Tuesday-Saturday.

662-594-8657, conservatorycorinth.com NOVEMBER 202 1 | INVITATION

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G O O D V I B E S & G R E AT G R E E K F O O D

ASIAN FUSION

BAR MUSE

7 1 0 N O R T H L A M A R B LV D.

1001 JACKSON AVE. E.

COCK TAIL & WINE BAR

(662) 236-1871

( 6 6 2 ) 3 8 0 -5 2 9 3

1006 VAN BUREN AVENUE

v o l t a t a v erna.com

yugo oxfo rd.co m

bar mus e ox fo rd . c o m

CHEESECAKES + WEDDING CAKES

PIZZA, SALAD, SANDWICHES

ARTISANAL COFFEE & PA S TRIES

(INSIDE FERGNDAN’S PIZZA CAFE)

176 HI G HWAY 30 E.

900 SISK AVE., E.

(6 6 2 ) 2 3 4 -3 9 1 2

(6 6 2 ) 2 3 4 -3 9 1 2

(562) 481-6981

b re mma s baker y.com

fe rgndan s pizza.co m

he ar tbre akcoffeero as ter s . c o m

#E ATLIKE YOUME ANIT

WINE & TAPA S

76 6 N . L A M A R B LV D.

4 0 0 S . L A M A R B LV D., S U I T E A 2

(6 6 2 ) 6 3 8 -3 3 9 3

( 6 6 2 ) 3 8 0 -5 4 0 2

ox fordcant een.com

the s ippms .co m

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triple layer C H O C O L A T E cake SATISF Y YOUR SWEET TOOTH AND IMPRESS YOUR GUESTS WITH THIS T R I P L E L AY E R C H O C O L AT E C A K E W I T H VA N I L L A- C R E A M C H E E S E F R O S T I N G A N D S A LT E D C A R A M E L .

RECIPE BY SARAH MCCULLEN

C

ake making is its own sort of art form. Invitation Magazines’ food stylist Sarah McCullen loves to experiment with layered cakes, and she often uses seasonal greenery to decorate them. Read on for step-by-step directions for her Triple Layer Chocolate Cake With Vanilla-Cream Cheese Frosting and Salted Caramel. For more creative cake-baking inspiration, follow McCullen on Instagram @sarahbakedacake.

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PHOTOGRAPHED BY JOE WORTHEM

triple layer

C H O C O L A T E cake with V A N I L L A - C R E A M C H E E S E frosting & S A LT E D C A R A M E L CAKE:

VA N I L L A - C R E A M C H E E S E F R O S T I N G :

3 cups all-purpose flour 3 cups granulated sugar 1 ½ cups unsweetened cocoa (such as Hershey’s Special Dark Cocoa), plus more for dusting the cake pans 1 tablespoon baking soda 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder 1 ½ teaspoons salt 4 large eggs 1 ½ cups buttermilk ½ cup vegetable oil 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1 ½ cups warm brewed coffee Salted butter for greasing pans

½ cup salted butter, at room temperature 8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature ¼ cup heavy whipping cream 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 7 to 8 cups powdered sugar SALTED CARAMEL:

1 cup granulated sugar 6 tablespoons salted butter, at room temperature ½ cup heavy whipping cream, at room temperature 1 teaspoon salt DECORATIONS:

Edible greenery and flowers (from a florist) Flaky sea salt

1. Prepare the Cake: Preheat oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In a separate bowl, using a handheld mixer or stand mixer on medium speed, beat together eggs, buttermilk, vegetable oil and vanilla extract. Slowly pour coffee into egg mixture, beating as you pour. Gradually add flour mixture to egg mixture, one-third at a time. Stop mixer, and using a rubber spatula, scrape down sides and bottom of bowl. Beat on medium speed for 1 minute more. (Do not overmix.)

2. Butter 3 (8-inch) round cake pans, and dust each with cocoa. Divide batter evenly among prepared pans, and bake in preheated oven until a wooden pick inserted into center of cakes comes out clean and cakes don’t jiggle, about 35 to 45 minutes. Remove cakes from oven, and cool in pans for 10 minutes. Remove from pans to parchment paper-lined countertops, and cool completely (about an hour).

Continued on page 32

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Continued from page 31 3. While cakes are cooling, prepare the Frosting: Using a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat butter and cream cheese on medium speed until creamy and smooth. Add heavy cream, and continue to beat mixture until cream is incorporated, about 1 minute. Add vanilla, and beat on low speed until combined.

Gradually add powdered sugar, beating on low speed until well blended after each addition. Stop mixer, and using a rubber spatula, scrape down sides and bottom of bowl. Beat on medium-high speed until frosting is completely whipped, about 1 minute.

4. Prepare the Salted Caramel: Cook sugar in a medium-size saucepan over medium, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, until sugar becomes fragrant and begins to melt, about 8 to 10 minutes. Reduce heat to low, and cook, stirring constantly, until sugar is completely melted, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat, and add butter, stirring vigorously until well combined. Add heavy cream, and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until cream is fully incorporated, about 1 minute. Stir in salt, increase heat to medium, and bring to a boil. Boil without stirring for 1 minute. Remove from heat. Let caramel cool slightly, about 5 to 10 minutes before transferring to a glass bowl to cool completely, about 1 ½ hours.

5. Assemble Cake: After cake layers have cooled, use a long, sharp knife to cut the rounded top off each cake layer to make flat.

6. Place 1 cake layer on a cake plate, trimmed side down. Spoon half of the frosting into a ziplock plastic freezer bag; set remaining frosting aside.

Snip 1 corner of bag to make a ¼- to ½-inch hole.

(The frosting should be able to flow in a thick line.)

Pipe 2 to 3 rings of frosting from outer edge of cake inward.

7. Fill center of ring of frosting with 2 to 3 tablespoonfuls of cooled Salted Caramel. Stack second cake layer on top, trimmed side down, and repeat frosting and caramel procedure. Top with third cake layer, trimmed side down.

8. Pipe a line of frosting along edges of cake layers, filling in any gaps showing between layers.

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9. Spoon about a cup of remaining frosting onto top of cake, and using a long, smooth knife or icing spatula, push frosting to edges. Spread frosting along sides of cake in long, smooth strokes. To minimize crumbs, do not move knife back and forth very much. Add frosting as needed to create a thin layer around entire cake, allowing cake layers to peek through for a rustic look.

10. Once cake is frosted, refrigerate about 10 minutes. Scoop about ½ cup cooled Salted Caramel on top of chilled cake, and gently spread.

Transfer remaining Salted Caramel to a ziplock plastic freezer bag, and snip off corner of bag

to make a small hole, about ¼ inch in size. Pipe Salted Caramel around the edge of cake, allowing caramel to drip over edge of cake and filling in any gaps between edge of cake and caramel on top.

Refrigerate cake, uncovered, until caramel is set, about 15 minutes.

11. Decorate Cake: Place greenery and flowers along 1 side of cake, starting with the largest greenery pieces to anchor the center of the floral decorations. Gradually add smaller greenery pieces and flowers to each side to create a crescent shape. Garnish with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt.

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An Homage to Aprons I U K A’ S A P R O N M U S E U M I S T H E O N LY O N E O F I T S K I N D I N T H E C O U N T R Y A N D GIVES REVERENCE TO AN OFT-FORGOT TEN CULTURAL ARTIFACT. WRITTEN BY RACHEL BURCHFIELD

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On a sunny tuesday morning

IN LATE SEPTEMBER,

HUS B A N D-A N D-WI F E DU O CA RO LYN AND H E NRY TE RRY ARE SIT TING O N A F RO NT P ORCH, TA L KI N G A B O U T A S U B J ECT T H E Y’ VE BECO ME E X PE RTS IN OVE R TH E PAST 1 5 YE ARS —

Aprons.

“How many people have you interviewed that have done something that nobody ever did?” Carolyn asked. And thus, the story of The Apron Museum in Iuka, Mississippi — the only museum in the United States dedicated to aprons and the stories they tell — begins.

* * *

To start, the Terrys never really set out to start the only museum dedicated to aprons. According to Carolyn, they did it accidentally.

She, a longtime paralegal, had been doing the same work for decades; her creative side was itching to come out.

“I’d had it with paperwork,” she said. “I wanted to do something besides paperwork.”

At age 55, she and husband Henry had already bought the buildings that currently house what is now The Apron Museum.

They had a whole mess of ideas about what to put in them.

“I said ‘That’s it — I’m going to quit work and just do all those things I’ve always dreamed about,’” Carolyn said. “We wanted to leave something better in the (Iuka) community. What are people actually going to remember? We were working on the buildings not knowing what was going to be inside.”

Carolyn calls herself and her husband the senior version of Erin and Ben Napier of Laurel, Mississippi, also a husband-and-wife team and stars of the television show “Home Town,” except the Terrys don’t have and don’t want a TV show. When she and Henry opened The Apron Museum in September 2006, she had a handful of aprons and opened up the museum inconspicuously, not making a fuss about it.

“We didn’t tell anybody,” she said. “Grand openings are a curse.

We just opened. It was meant to be a surprise. There’s not too many surprises in life anymore, and we wanted this to be.”

From there, The Apron Museum took on a life of its own, becoming, in her words, the worldwide mecca for anyone who wants to know about aprons. At one point, someone told Carolyn that BuzzFeed had named The Apron Museum “the weirdest thing to do in Mississippi.”

“I didn’t even know what BuzzFeed was,” she said, laughing.

Now, if they wanted to, she could employ two full-time people: one to run the museum, and one to correspond with folks from as far away as Scotland, Australia and England, all seeking to learn more

about aprons. In addition to vintage aprons, The Apron Museum tries to keep interesting, locally made aprons around. It took eight years before she and Henry even put “The Apron Museum” on the museum’s front door at 110 W. Eastport Street in Iuka — that’s how unexpected their success was.

“I knew people collected them, and I had a few,” Carolyn said.

“I wasn’t thinking anything was going to come of it. But then it took on a life of its own, which we were not expecting.”

Today, the 1,200-square-foot museum is the only one of its kind in the country.

“We need a whole lot bigger building,” Carolyn said. “It’s not big enough.”

Their notoriety has reached the point now where aprons come in all the time, many from folks of an older generation who can’t imagine just throwing their grandmother’s or their mother’s apron, which was worn every day, into the trash.

“We’re a home,” Carolyn said. “You wouldn’t believe how many people out there inherited aprons. The letters that come with them are just wonderful. We have a collection of cursive, handwritten NOVEMBER 202 1 | INVITATION

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letters from people in their 70s, 80s and 90s that know how to write.

They’re beautiful, handwritten, well-written letters that explain the history (of the aprons). They come in from everywhere. We got one yesterday from England.”

The Apron Museum houses between 4,000 and 5,000 aprons, each with a different story to tell. Some of the aprons go as far back as the Civil War and represent everything from pieces of history to artists’ aprons to a grandmother’s old apron she wore every day to cook meals for her family.

“I don’t know what you’re going to find,” Carolyn said.

“You step in the door and look at the creativity. You may have a preconceived idea of what an apron looks like, but, starting from the Civil War forward, you’ll see a whole lot of creativity.”

These aprons represent art, fashion and history, and help us realize aprons are really hidden in plain sight everywhere — from iconic paintings like “American Gothic” to the apron worn by Flo from Progressive Insurance commercials, who donated and signed two aprons to The Apron Museum. The museum also houses World War I aprons shipped from France, World War II mechanic aprons and a large chunk of cheeky aprons worn presumably by housewives in the 1950s with phrases like “To Hell with Housework” on them.

The museum, a not-for-profit, gets donations of aprons used as props on movie and television sets, as well.

“The apron is the only man-made object that has been with us as far back as someone can go,” Carolyn said. “Aprons in 1650 pretty much look like ones from yesterday. This is really and truly a history museum, and what they are is conversation starters to help somebody remember that time period.”

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For many who donate aprons to the museum, it’s a sentimental parting.

“That’s a theme for a lot of the donations,” Henry said. “They have a meaning to older generations. They hate to see them thrown away or discarded. The common theme is ‘This is a part of our everyday lives. Grandma wore this every day.’”

Carolyn recalls an older gentleman who, when visiting the museum, saw an apron and became emotional because it looked just like his mother’s.

“A lot, lot, lot of memories,” she said. “Anybody who is older flashes back in time when they see them. There’s no other place on Earth you can send your apron and know it’s cared for. People will say, ‘You care about this apron as much as I do.’”

The museum doesn’t keep regular hours, but Carolyn and Henry are on call seven days a week to greet visitors. The best course of action, though — especially if you are coming with a large party — is to make appointments.

“We stay dressed and ready,” Carolyn said. “People call, and we just run right over. We’ve seen people from 27 states so far this year.”

Eventually, Carolyn and Henry would like to donate the museum to a university to keep up with the collection long term. But, for now, the Terrys look forward to the next chapter in the surprising, evergrowing story of The Apron Museum.

“It always evolves and isn’t stagnant,” Carolyn said. “It’s meant to be a surprise. I’m a reader — I’m not going to tell you the end of the story intentionally. It’s meant to be a surprise when you walk in.”

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Tea Time I

n case you’ve ever wondered, all tea does not come from China. In fact, it was a visit to the South Carolina low country 11 years ago that gave Jason McDonald the nudge he needed to try his hand at tea farming. Now, much time, research, hard work and patience later, McDonald and his partner Timothy Gipson have succeeded in transforming 32 acres of family land in Lincoln County into The Great Mississippi Tea Company.

Not far from the city of Brookhaven, McDonald’s hometown, a drive down a few country roads leads visitors to the farm.

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A S M A L L A N D I N N OVAT I V E T E A M G R OW S A N D P R O C E S S E S T E A O N FA M I LY L A N D I N S O U T H W E S T M I S S I S S I P P I. WRITTEN BY LESLIE CRISS

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Unless you’re well-versed on the growing of tea, you’d be hard-pressed to wager a guess as to what’s being grown. But if you’ve got the time, after a visit with McDonald, Gipson and Sagan King, who works on the farm, you will have a greater knowledge — and appreciation — of tea. Gipson is a Gulfport native; King is from just up the road a bit in Summit.

All of the growing, harvesting, processing and making of tea at The Great Mississippi Tea Company is done by this trio of folks who have a passion for the product, a strong work ethic and actually seem to

have fun working together. All three know more about tea than they ever planned on.

“Tea has always been in our lives,” Gipson said. “Sweet tea, sweet iced tea. But that was about it.”

Now their tastes for tea have broadened, and they each have personal favorites.

It all started in 2007, when, after leaving Brookhaven for a while, McDonald returned home to take care of his grandmother. On a vacation in Savannah, Georgia, he heard about the Charleston Tea Garden, at the time the only tea garden in America. The 127-acre former potato farm has been a

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commercial tea operation since 1987.

“I drove to Charleston and asked questions,” he said. “I wondered if Mississippi had what it would take to grow tea. High heat, sandy and acidic soil — I checked all the boxes. We ordered six plants, planted in March, and I said if one was alive at the end of summer, we’d look into the tea business.”

At summer’s end, three tea plants were alive, and McDonald retracted words he’d once said: “I will never be a farmer.”

McDonald returned to the Charleston Tea Garden, this time with his parents and Gipson. The mission: to continue learning as much as possible about growing tea.

Once back in Mississippi, they talked to the county agent; then state Commissioner of Agriculture Cindy Hyde Smith; and Nigel Melican, an English tea professional who worked for Lipton.

“Nigel was our consultant for about four years; he’d come here four or five times a year. I spent as much on a consultant as I did on my tuition at Millsaps,” McDonald said. “Our big question, of course, was how do we take what we have and turn it into what will be profitable. We decided to just go for it. We ordered 60,000 plants and off we went.”

A Tea Primer All tea — whether green, black, oolong or yellow — comes from the Camellia sinensis plant, which is kin to the flowering camellias that appear in abundance around Brookhaven and other Southern towns.

The growing process and season for tea are vastly different from other crops planted and harvested in a relatively short period of time. Like other plants, tea may be grown from seeds or from cuttings, according to Gipson, who has become a pro at explaining all things tea to the unschooled.

“From seed: We start the seeds in February. It takes seven to nine weeks for them to germinate. Four to six weeks later, they are ready to plant in individual pots and put in the nursery, where they will stay for one year. Then they are ready to plant in the field.

Continued on page 48

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The Great Mississippi Tea Company’s Exclusive Blends Mississippi Mud: a black tea with chocolate and hazlenut extracts Grilled Southern Peach: half black/half oolong with grilled peach chunks, peach flavoring and cold smoked with pecan wood for three days Colonel Grey: the South’s rendition of Earl Grey; black tea with bergamot oil, lavender, orange peel and sage. Named so because McDonald is an honorary Kentucky Colonel, an honorary title given to men and women by the governor of Kentucky.

Mississippi Mint: a green tea with spearmint, kaffir lime and sage.

FUN FACT!

The Great Mississippi Tea Company is the only tea farm outside of China that makes yellow tea.

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GO VISIT!

Experience Mississippi Tea Tours of The Great Mississippi Tea Company vary in length and can include such things as a visit to the field, The Tea Shed and a tea tasting. There are all-day and multiday tours that allow visitors to make tea and include meals on-site. For more information on tours, visit greatmsteacompany.com.

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Continued from page 46 “From cuttings: It takes up to 11 weeks for the cuttings to root. Then, they can be potted in individual pots. They will be in the nursery for two years before they are big enough to go into the field.

“Once in the field, plants are cut back to seven inches. They will be allowed to grow four to five inches before they are pruned two inches above the last cut. We will do this until they are around 30 to 34 inches tall.

It takes five years for a tea plant to get to harvestable size. Tea plants can usually be harvested for 100-plus years.”

In addition to tea being grown and harvested at The Great Mississippi Tea Company, processing and production is also completed on-site. Gipson does the tea making, including four blends he form-ulated.

He also creates a special blend for the holidays.

Loose tea is packaged on-site and shipped to tea lovers all over the country. McDonald does the marketing and recently hired Jollean Smith to lead social media efforts.

When Gipson guides visitors through the The Tea Shed where the tea is processed, it’s like listening to a biochemist explain cell development. But he makes it interesting and understandable for those who mostly just love the finished product.

Through each room, Gipson describes the steps each type of tea grown on-site (green, black, yellow and oolong) undergoes before becoming the finished tea leaves that will be ready for drinking. He uses words like withering, pan firing, ice bath, steaming, rolling, drying. And once you’ve learned about the growing and the processing and the making, your appreciation for tea — and those who farm it —greatly increases.

McDonald and Gipson are filled with pride at how they have transformed their land into a productive, profitable business.

“We sit back under the oak trees and look over what we have accomplished over the past decade and are in amazement of ourselves,” McDonald said. “We took a tiny, overgrown cow pasture in southwest Mississippi and made it beautiful.

“From not wanting to be a farmer to actually becoming one was no short journey, but it has paid off along the way.”

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Poured Out Art AN OXFORD WIFE AND MOTHER FINDS PEACE IN CREATING ART AFTER A TRAGIC ACCIDENT CHANGES HER LIFE. WRITTEN BY LESLIE CRISS

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essica Ellington has long had a penchant for painting, thanks in part, perhaps, to her paternal grandmother who painted landscapes and portraits.

The 38-year-old Poplar Bluff, Missouri, native — who for the past five years has called Oxford home — has, through the years, turned to painting for fun and for stress relief. She’s had other creative outlets: She majored in music at Union University in Jackson, Tennessee; and, while living in California, she baked and decorated elaborate cakes for a time. But she has

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always returned to painting.

“When my kids were little and took naps, I started sneaking upstairs and painting for a little while,” Ellington said.

As her kids got older, Ellington became a “Pinterest mom,” always finding creative projects she and her children could do together. Both Evangeline and Lincoln loved being artistic alongside their mom.

Early on the morning of March 4, Ellington’s husband Matt left the family home to take his 6-year-old daughter to school. Four-year-old Lincoln rode along. A collision with a garbage truck took the lives

of all three members of the Ellington family.

In the days and weeks following the accident, Jessica Ellington did not paint.

“At first, I couldn’t focus on anything,” she said. “I traveled some, visiting family.

Then I came home to this quiet house. Just me, in my house. And at some point, I started to do art again.”

In her painting, Ellington has been adventurous, trying all different styles — watercolor, acrylics, oils. And, about three years ago, something new captured her attention, and she decided to try it. It was acrylic pour, and it’s exactly as it sounds.

Colorful acrylic paints are poured onto her canvas, and what happens next is up to the artist.

“When I pour, I often tip the canvas to guide the flow of the colors,” Ellington said.

“I’ve blown the paint with straws, used a hair dryer, added gold leaf. It’s so much fun.”

When a poured painting is finished, Ellington tops her work with an epoxy resin, which seals the painting and brings all the colors to light. Large acrylic-pour canvases hang in Ellington’s home. She’s also done acrylic pours that now serve as the colorful tops of her kitchen table and her living room coffee table.

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of the boards and just beyond. Perhaps her decorative cutting boards have been popular due to the popularity of charcuterie boards, but in June and July, Ellington sold about 60 of her colorful cutting boards.

“I am terrible at marketing,” she said.

“Fortunately, I have a few friends who know a lot about marketing who are giving me tips and support.”

Eventually, Ellington would love to find places to sell her work.

In the meantime, it’s been strictly by wordof-mouth or Instagram or Facebook. She does, however, have a name for her painting business. Since 2018, it’s been Poured Out Art. “The obvious The Ellington family meaning literally describes what I do: I pour paint out of a cup to create art,” Ellington wrote in an Instagram post this summer. “It’s messy, and it’s beautiful, and it’s a lot of fun. But there is so much more behind the literal.

“I am a Christ follower. The Bible tells us that Jesus poured out his blood to save us from our sins. (‘For this is my blood of

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the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.’ Matthew 26:28 ESV). Since the accident that changed the course of my life, I have been daily learning what it means to be poured out, emptied of myself and filled to overflowing with the overwhelming peace, joy and hope that only come from God. It defies our logic and understanding, but that’s God.” The Ellingtons were blessed to have two church families — North Oxford Baptist and Christ Presbyterian.

“Thanks to our churches, I have this huge network of friends and fellow believers who’ve supported me, prayed with me and have been available to walk or talk or sit,” Ellington said. “It’s like God knew I would need it.”

Just eight months after the loss of her husband and children, Ellington continues to pour. She’s also picked up a brush again.

Clearly, she is finding peace in her painting.

As she paints in her kitchen, she’s surrounded by photographic reminders of Matt and

Evangeline and Lincoln, and her memories grow sweeter with the passage of time.

Matt, who grew up in Ackerman, Mississippi, was a law enforcement officer with the Forestry Service. He and Jessica dated three years and had been married nearly 15 years when he died.

“Matt was a kind, loving husband and a patient father,” Ellington said. “He was a shepherd that protected and led our little family well.”

A photograph of Evangeline captures Ellington’s blue-eyed, red-haired girl in pink rain boots playing with a flock of chickens.

“I’m sure she went inside and had a tea party afterwards,” Ellington said, smiling.

“She loved art, music and being a girly girl.

But she also liked bugs, snakes and dirt. She was as comfortable in a tutu and a tiara as in her mud boots. And she loved to paint with me.”

Like his mama, Lincoln was a blueeyed, blond-haired boy who preferred inside activities to being outside.

“He was a little sweetheart,” Ellington said. “He was all emotion. And though he was not much for staying outside, he loved frogs. He would go out and catch one just about every day in the summer. He’d carry it around until I made him put it down.”

Her world as she once knew it changed completely one March morning, and Ellington is still taking time to be quiet and listen to discover what it all means, but her passion for painting will help her along the way; of this, she is certain.

“I am blessed with time now, and painting gives me something to do, something to focus on,” she said. “When I am having a bad day, I put on some music and start pouring. And I wait for what comes next. In the waiting, I paint.”

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MADE RIGHT HERE WITH ITS PERSONAL SERVICE, FOCUS ON LO C A L V E N D O R S A N D C R AV E-WO R T H Y FA M I LY R E C I P E S , B R O O K S G R O C E R Y D R AW S EXCITED SHOPPERS TO ITS INDEPENDENT, FA M I LY- OW N E D S TO R E O N T U P E LO' S W E S T S I D E .

WRITTEN BY LESLIE CRISS PHOTOGRAPHED BY JOE WORTHEM

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Brooks and Lisa Davis

hen hints of a new grocery store on the west side of Tupelo first surfaced in 2014, those living nearby were happy at the prospect of a store in their area of town.

When the project was put on hold for a bit, hope lingered. And when plans resurfaced for the construction on Coley Road of Brooks Grocery, the excitement — all across northeast Mississippi — created a buzz that was palpable and contagious.

Brooks Davis and Lisa, his wife of 40 years, felt excitement too. They were also exhausted. Building and opening a 24,000-square-foot grocery store, while owning and operating two others, is no quick or easy chore. They’d spent more time in hotels in the months prior to the opening of the Tupelo store than in their own home in Red Bay, Alabama. But they were delighted by the hubbub the coming of a Brooks Grocery was creating in the community.

“Two months out, I hope people still have some excitement,” Brooks Davis said in early September.

A visit to the spacious store any day of the week — especially around the lunch hour — offers plenty of proof of prolonged interest. Over at the deli, known as La La’s Kitchen because that’s what the Davis grandchildren (Davis, 2, and Bates, 4) call Lisa Davis, customers looking for the day’s lunch, dinner or just a quick snack are often lined up two deep, waiting for a closer view.

Here’s the thing about a Brooks Grocery deli: From week to week or day to day, there are 128 family recipes made from scratch and placed before customers for purchase.

Of course, the first Brooks deli department did not begin with a multitude of recipes.

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Store director Ben Kennedy with Brooks, Lisa and Tyler Davis

our deli.”

Today, the top-selling recipes displaying the “Made Right Here” stickers are the chicken pot pies, a trio of chicken salads and a pair of pimiento cheeses — one with jalapeno and one without. There are also fresh salads, homemade banana pudding, a plethora of dips, smoked wings and more.

And, if you happen to arrive at Brooks Grocery at just the right time, you might be able to land a bag or two of Jack’s Mix. The snack mix is a popular favorite at Brooks and is named for one of the rescue dogs that lives with the Davises in Red Bay. “Jack is the happiest dog you’ve ever met,” Brooks Davis said. “And we want people to be happy when eating Jack’s Mix. When they make it, we’ll sell 30 packs of it before we can get it on the shelf. I don’t like being out of it.”

Disappointment in finding a dearth of Jack’s Mix at Brooks Grocery will be only temporary if you have a hankering for pork rinds. Thanks to Joe Spencer, a truck driver from Iuka who fries pork skins in his spare time, there’s usually a gracious plenty of the Southern fried snack that comes in 11 different flavors. Just ask any of Brooks’ friendly staff to point you in the direction of Precious Joe’s Pork Skins.

Not all the recipes have familiar names, but a few do. Adam’s Chicken Salad is named after their son-in-law; Lucy, their other rescue pup in Red Bay, has her name on the Davises’ original chicken salad; and Ava’s Pimiento Cheese is named after their daughter’s Golden retriever, now deceased.

“We’ve got to name something after our grandchildren,” Lisa Davis said. “So we know that’s coming.”

When the deli’s being discussed, clearly credit belongs to Lisa Davis for its success, as far as her husband is concerned.

“She doesn’t need me,” he said. “She’s the brains behind this thing. She is La La.” Lisa Davis takes her husband’s praise in stride and admits she does like to cook.

“As for the recipes, we’ve developed some of them; we’ve tweaked some,” she said. “We try to make them our own. And we use good ingredients; we don’t cut corners.”

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Continued from page 52

A family affair In high school and college, Brooks Davis worked for Sunshine Mills Inc., and as part of his job, he called on grocery stores. That may have been where his interest in the grocery business was piqued.

Or he could credit his father-in-law, who had six Chevron gas and convenience stores the Davises helped oversee early in their marriage, starting in 1982.

In ’87, his father-in-law bought a grocery store in Red Bay, and at age 29, Brooks Davis was managing his first grocery store. Later, he started a wholesale distribution company, but later sold out of that.

In 2009, Davis discovered an opportunity to get back into the grocery business when he bought Nelson Supermarket in Iuka. A second Brooks Grocery was added when he purchased a store in Chapel Hill, Tennessee, and on July 13, 2021, Davis opened his

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largest Brooks Grocery in Tupelo.

Clearly, Brooks Davis has given more than just his name to his trio of grocery stores. Together, he and Lisa, along with their son Tyler and daughter Darby, have brought a family-like feeling to the newest of their independent groceries. Even a cursory glance around the store makes it clear: The Davises like to provide local products made by local people to their customers.

Fresh flowers in the store are regionally grown; one wall of shelves is dedicated to Magnolia Soap products; and Tupelo River Coffee runs the coffee counter next to the bakery and deli.

While their son and daughter live in and work from Birmingham, the Davises show their faces in each of the three Brooks Grocery stores at least one day a week. There are about 200 employees companywide.

Some are new; others have been with the stores for quite a while.

Tupelo store director Ben Kennedy is 26. He started at Brooks Grocery in Iuka as a bag boy when he was in high school.

After finishing at Ole Miss and working a few years in accounting, he returned to the grocery business.

“Brooks Grocery is not your typical work environment,” Kennedy said. “We are a family. We care about each other, we care about our customers, and we care about the quality of the products we carry. I’ve heard Brooks say, ‘I’ll take someone who cares over someone with a Ph.D. any day of the week.’”

Building and opening a grocery store during a pandemic may have been exhausting, but it was a task Brooks and Lisa Davis completed with finesse. It continues to be a labor of love, made clear as Brooks stepped in to bag a customer’s groceries one recent morning in Tupelo.

“I love bagging groceries,” he said with a big smile. “When I retire, I still want to bag groceries two or three days a week. I want to be a bag boy when I grow up. I love talking to people while bagging their groceries.

“We’re in the people business, not the grocery business. What I love about this business is the people, the customers. They are why we’re here.”

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PICKLEBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS PHOTOGRAPHED BY LISA ROBERTS

The Tupelo Pickleball Championships took place Oct. 2 and 3 at Rob Leake Tennis Center and City Park. Pickleball is a paddleball sport that combines elements of badminton, table tennis and tennis.

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1. Myra Krenis and Jessica Suiter 2. Carol Ethridge, Kathryn Barrow, Jamie Hona and Rod Nixon 3. Michelle and Shayne Summar 4. Christian Thomas, Hayden Grant and Landon Bauder 5. Lee Anne Futrell, Cathy Whaley, Paige Carruth and Shelia Hudson 6. Stephanie Stallings, Melissa Ewing and Landon Bauder

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DOWNTOWN ALE TRAIL PHOTOGRAPHED BY LISA ROBERTS

Downtown Tupelo was the setting in late September for the Ale Trail Craft Beer Tour.

The progressive beer tasting event was sponsored by Mitchell Distributing and FNB Tupelo.

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6 1. Michael and Tammy Chapman with Pam Crabtree 2. Robert Lukes and Brooklyn Sellers 3. Lynn and Robin Bryan 4. Lisa and Victor Fleitas 5. Lee and Kim Outlaw 6. Zen and Stephanie Atkinson with Ashley and Robert Quimby 7. Allen and Debbie Knight with Karen, David and Chad Bowen

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AN EVENING OF JAZZ PHOTOGRAPHED BY LISA ROBERTS

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The 2021 Tallahatchie Riverfest in late September opened with the New Albany Garden Club’s An Evening of Jazz in the Faulkner Garden at the Union County Heritage Museum and concluded with a performance by the ‘70s Southern rock band, Molly Hatchet.

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8 1. Tonya Coombs and Leslie Russell 2. Gloria Cooper, Lynn Madden, Grace Provence and Gwyn Pennebaker 3. Samantha Morris with John and Billye Jean Stroud and Ellen Staten 4. Allee and Matthew Clements 5. Iris and Chuck Moeller 6. Shelby and Thomas Toole 7. Donna and Corey Graham 8. Carol Riddell and Jamie Bramlitt 9. Cathy Garrett, Leslie Sumners and Evelyn Mason

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THS GOLF FUNDRAISER PHOTOGRAPHED BY LISA ROBERTS

The second annual Golden Wave Tip and Tuck was held at Tupelo Country Club on Sept. 26. The golf scramble is the largest fundraiser for the Tupelo High School golf teams, with local businesses sponsoring each hole on the course.

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1. Shannon Overton, Laura Henson, Shannon Barber, Lynn Dean and Jo Carol Kieffer 2. Julie Halbert, Amy Scoville, Sydney Wise, Christy Flynn and Beth Shelton 3. Batton Barber, Charlie Flynn, Vic Scoville, Walker Wise, Hayden Buckley, Zac Overton, Nick Gransinger, Bo Blossom and Wesley Moore 4. Graham Shelton, Cole Dean, Jackson Root and Andrew Bradford 5. Nick Gransinger and Morgan Winders 6. Bay McCarty and Jack Morris 7. Mary Dillard Winders and Georgia Belle Beard with Sydney and Autumn Simmons and Anne Thomas Green

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OKEEL AL A FESTIVAL PHOTOGRAPHED BY LISA ROBERTS

Baldwyn’s 41st Okeelala Festival and Car Show welcomed a crowd to Latimer Park on Oct. 2 for live music, arts and crafts, kids’ activities, food and a car show.

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1. Laasia Billups and Valerie Shelly 2. Janet and David Moore 3. Misty and Samantha Roberts 4. Kassie Dawson and Dawn Doran 5. Hunter Pettigo, Colby Baswell, John David Leech, Kaytlin Robertson and Christy Pettigo 6. Marissa Pittman and Roilyn Edwards

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CORINTH GREEN MARKET PHOTOGRAPHED BY WHITNEY WORSHAM

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Corinth’s Green Market, voted Best Small Event by the Mississippi Tourism Association, features more than 65 vendors of handcrafted items, food and entertainment, all outside the Crossroads Museum on Fillmore Street. The holiday-themed Red Green Market will be 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Nov. 20.

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1. Ben and Davis Tucker 2. Anna Sharpe, Sue Elam, Becky Roland and Mary Sharpe 3. Mike Gammell with Romeo 4. Hayes Allen, Tanner and Katie Hathcock 5. John Michael and Lindsey Tucker 6. Millie, Allison and Hallie Beth Smith 7. Lynn Barnwell and Ray Lindsey 8. Jesse, Axyl, Adler and Brittany Potts 9. Palmer and Ashley Mize

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OUT & ABOUT Te r ra nc e D ye at A l le y C at G a l le r y

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25t h A n nu a l Ta l l a h at c h ie R ive r fe s t

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1. Terrance Dye and Phyllis Robinson 2. Amanda Alexander, Evonne Dye and Melissa Graham 3. Bettie Sheppard and Brenda Horton 4. Christy and Josh Haughwout 5. Nancy McMillen, Mary Thomas, Laura Treadaway and Brooke Hamilton 6. Beth Hall and Angela Barnes 7. Stacy Dunn and Brad Slimmen

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OXFORD COMMUNITY MARKET PHOTOGRAPHED BY J.R. WILBANKS

Oxford Community Market at the Old Armory Pavilion is a family-friendly event offering outdoor shopping every Tuesday.

The market is a nonprofit organization focused on food access.

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1. Jermeria Skillom and Halima Salazar 2. Shannon Hussey, Lauren Wilson, Hattie Burden and Meaghan Pickles 3. Matthew Britt and Casey Barickman

4. David and Gladne Harris 5. Jermeria Skillom and Halima Salazar 6. Kelsey and Ryan Betz 7. Anne Quinney and Aurelia Quinney Smyth 8. Tessa and Cara Krugmann 9. Maribel Vargas and Randy Schmitz

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COMMUNIT Y MARKET

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CROSSTOWN CLASSIC PHOTOGRAPHED BY J.R. WILBANKS

The 50th Crosstown Classic, an annual football showdown between the Oxford Chargers and the Lafayette Commodores, ended with the Commodores besting the Chargers 34-23 at William L. Buford Stadium in mid-September. It was Lafayette’s first win since 2016.

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1. Izzie Langendeon and Chloe Harrington 2. Tyra Ligins and Morgan Thompson 3. Kaleb Harris and Cody Quarles 4. Heather and Charlotte Lovelace 5. Brad, Stephen and Stacy Rice 6. Mac Alger, Brodie Stewert and Paul Webb 7. Hudson Lindsey and Valerie Smith 8. Sam Bain and Matthew McWilliams 9. Jon and Nolton Rawl

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CROSSTOWN

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THE BLACK KEYS CONCERT PHOTOGRAPHED BY J.R. WILBANKS

Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney — The Black Keys — played to an appreciative, sold-out crowd of fans at The Lyric in Oxford on Sept. 23 as part of their “World Tour of America.”

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8 1. Clemens Sippel and Helen Pickett 2. Jeremy and Matt Davis 3. Wesley Koestler, Rebecca Costas and Anna Stack 4. Eleni Zaninovich and Arnie Coritana 5. Nora Back, Avery Bullard and Brennan McInnis 6. Anna Caroline Barker and Kendall Van Daele 7. Jay Shake, Lee Ingram and Jacob Bruno 8. Buddy and Kaleb Hyman 9. John Walker Webb, Morgan Barnes, Carsten Daniel and Campbell Taylor

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FCA LADIES LUNCHEON PHOTOGRAPHED BY J.R. WILBANKS

The annual Ole Miss Fellowship of Christian Athletes Ladies Luncheon took place Oct. 8 at the Oxford Conference Center. Lori Plumlee, featured speaker, was joined by honored guest Cheryl Elko.

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1. Charli Caroline Pollard and Emily Elliott 2. Shalonda Smith, Cici Young, LaCie Fulcher and Wren Dabney 3. Cynthia Brewer and Darlene Ballard 4. Susan Joiner and Janet Povall 5. Heather Hopson, Amanda Clement and Allie Slavik 6. Kitty Cox and Karen Lee 7. Elaine Flynt and Julie Little 8. Libbie Patterson and Allison Chambliss 9. Judy Fogg and Cathy Copeland

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THREE BLIND WINES PHOTOGRAPHED BY J.R. WILBANKS

The 10th annual Three Blind Wines, voted Oxford’s best wine-tasting event, was held Oct. 5 at The Powerhouse. It was hosted by the Yoknapatawpha Arts Council.

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1. Kim Patterson, Regina Black and Kate Victor 2. Melanie Rube and Delina Dalagher 3. Katie Wisdom and Ethan Sebert 4. Katrina and Caroline Hourin 5. Caitlin Hobber, Caroline Parker and Meghan Gallagher 6. Cati and Larson Frey 7. Natasha and Steven Schaaf

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OLE MISS VS. ARKANSAS PHOTOGRAPHED BY J.R. WILBANKS

The Ole Miss Rebels and the Arkansas Razorbacks squared off at VaughtHemingway Stadium Oct. 9 in an exciting, high-scoring game that resulted in Ole Miss defeating Arkansas 52-51.

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1. Emily Blackmarr and Keeley Capley 2. Kelly and Bill Vandiver 3. Jonni and Avery Myers 4. Bill and Paula Brown 5. Trey Spell and Preston Parr 6. Jackson Jones and Greg Sheffield 7. Connie and Andy Stuart 8. Kate Spiers, Elle Muirhead and Kaitlyn Traylor

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OUT & ABOUT 2nd C h a nc e M S “Pa r t y o n t he G re e n” Fa l l Fu nd ra i s e r

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1. Beth and Alex Sanders 2. Morgan Freeman and Amy Scruggs 3. Vicki Fowlkes with Daniel and Abbe Barfield 4. Denise Phillips with Klaresa and Vanndrinka Robinson 5. Christine and Louisa Dada 6. Shelia Howard and Sarah Baker 7. Demi Ajidahun and Jummy Ona

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V IRG IN I A

WA S H IN G TO N

INTERVIEWED BY LESLIE CRISS

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J O N E S

PHOTOGRAPHED BY JOE WORTHEM

Q: When and how did you learn to bake?

A: I have always loved to bake. My mom

and both grandmothers, also my mother-inlove were great bakers and cooks. I learned 90% of what I know from watching them.

They made the most amazing food you could ever imagine.

Q: Do you follow recipes to the letter, or do you experiment with new ingredients?

A: I have a few basic recipes that I always

follow to the letter. This you must have to keep a certain level of organization. But I also have a few recipes that lend themselves to creativity, additions here and subtracting there. These too are very necessary in baking.

Q: Where did you learn to decorate the amazing cakes you do?

A: As a person who loves a challenge, I saw my first fondant cake and was so amazed I decided I would learn. And through trial and many errors I have created many interesting and unique cakes. I give God all the glory for any success I have accomplished. I totally lean on the Holy Spirit for guidance in everything I do.

Q: Do you have a favorite cake to make?

A: I don’t have a favorite cake — unless you

count the ones that my clients appreciate.

Those are the ones that bring me the most joy. Birthday cakes are the most popular.

(Clients) love my 3- to 5-day coconut cake.

It’s a super moist coconut cake that has to be made 3 to 5 days ahead for ultimate flavor.

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ois Virginia Washington Jones of Vardaman is a longtime baker whose cakes are well appreciated by friends and neighbors. Her coconut and caramel cakes are among her most popular, but she can also design and decorate a fondant creation that looks too amazing to eat. Jones also teaches sewing through the “You Can Make It” program, and the 59-yearold also recently learned to drive an 18-wheeler.

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Q: Have you ever had a baking disaster?

A: A few! That’s why I no longer deliver

cakes... I have even been so excited about an order that I made it a week before it was due. That only happened once. Once was enough.