Invitation Oxford - November 2023

NOVEMBER 2023

OXFO R D

THE

food ISSUE

CHEFS REFLECT ON HOW FOOD BUILDS COMMUNIT Y

VISIT PONTOTOC’ S S O U T H E R N C U LT U R E D CREAMERY

CHARM AND WHIMSY JOHN T EDGE M E E T AT ON FOOD AS A T HE Z B&B SHARED EXPERIENCE

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DEPA RTMENT S 10

Letter From the Publisher

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Calendar

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Shoutouts

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Restaurant News

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Recipes: Peanut Chicken

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Out & About: Oxford

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Out & About: Northeast

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Monthly Musings: John T. Edge

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FE ATURES

E V E N T S : OXFORD

26 Southern Cultured

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Thacker Mountain Radio

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Ole Miss Football

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Butterfly Release

A Pontotoc County dairy farm churns out tasty products including unique cheeses and flavored milk.

32 Guesthouse

With thoughtful renovations and eclectic decorative touches, The Z Bed & Breakfast offers guests a modern respite inside an Oxford historic district home.

38 Power of Food

These north Mississippi food lovers look at cuisine from different perspectives, but they all believe food builds community.

ON THE COVER

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E V EN T S : NORTHEAST This issue celebrates food and the goodness it brings. A pizza from Moises Lemus’ latest restaurant venture, Nico’s, is on the Northeast cover. Read more on page 38. And an original Invitation Magazines recipe is pictured on the Oxford cover. Find it on page 22.

PHOTOGRAPHED BY JOE WORTHEM

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Chili Fest

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WTVA Senior Health Fair

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Communities Forward Festival

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Corinth Homecoming

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L E T T E R from the P U B L I S H E R

38 Recently, my family and I traveled to England for 10 days. Along with beautiful architecture, sacred spaces and green countryside, one of the most exciting discoveries we made was traditional English food. Breakfast was by far the most enriching and constant experience. It was definitely different: baked beans on toast, accompanied by a soft-boiled egg and a croissant. But it gave us a special kind of

nourishment: it opened our minds each morning to the culture and customs we were setting out to explore.

Food provides so much more than daily sustenance. It gives us a way to gather for shared conversation; it allows us to experience new cultures and traditions; it can even bring emotional healing.

On page 38, we have highlighted three different people from north Mississippi who make their livings providing food to others.

Each reflects on the goodness it can bring to people and to communities. Food is a common thread in each of their stories. Yet, their stories have very little to do with eating.

This issue also offers peeks inside Pontotoc’s Southern Cultured Creamery (page 26) and The Z Bed & Breakfast in Oxford (page 32). And we are honored to

offer some words of wisdom from Southern food expert John T. Edge on the last page.

Next month, we’ll publish our final magazine of 2023, and we will embark on our 18th year of business. We are so thankful we have you, our faithful readers and advertisers, who spend time with us each month.

Happy Thanksgiving,

RACHEL M. WEST, PUBLISHER

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

T he 2023 E g g B owl

We d d i n g B e l l s A re R i n g i n g

Ole Miss and Mississippi State will battle it out on the gridiron at 6:30 p.m. Thanksgiving Day. This year’s game will be played in Starkville and broadcast on ESPN. Read more about the storied history of this highdrama rivalry football game at invitationmag.com/digital-details.

OLE MISS ATHLETICS

1936 Egg Bowl

Did you get married or engaged this year? We want to share the news! Order a custom wedding announcement to run in our annual bridal issue, coming in February 2024. To place your order, visit invitationmag.com/bridal-announcements.

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!

FOLLOW US

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@INVITATIONOXFORD @INVITATIONM AGA ZINE

PUBLISHER Rachel West

EDITORIAL

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Emily Welly EXECUTIVE EDITOR Leslie Criss OPERATIONS DIRECTOR Mary Moreton CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Sarah Godwin Eugene Stockstill COPY EDITOR Ashley Arthur SOCIAL MEDIA COORDINATOR Mary Kelley Zeleskey

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 Carleigh Harbin

ADVERTISING

ADVERTISING CONSULTANTS Alise M. Emerson Amber Lancaster Leigh Lowery Lynn McElreath Moni Simpson Whitney Worsham ADVERTISING DESIGNERS Paul Gandy Markka Prichard

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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CALENDAR

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C O M M U N I T Y NOVEMBER 2023

OXFORD

M-Club Hall of Fame NOVEMBER 2 AND 4

This year’s M-Club Hall of Fame class will be honored in an induction ceremony at The Inn at Ole Miss on Nov. 2. On Nov. 4, the inductees will be recognized at VaughtHemingway Stadium during the game against Texas A&M. olemissalumni.com

PUSH Physical Theatre NOVEMBER 14

Award-winning performers combine dance and acrobatics for physical storytelling that captivates audiences. Tickets $20-$30.

7:30 p.m., the Ford Center. fordcenter.org

Holly Jolly Holidays

“Peppermint Bear and the Toy Elves” NOVEMBER 30-DECEMBER 2

Theatre Oxford presents a holiday musical in conjunction with the Holiday Art Market. Tickets $20. Showtimes 6 p.m.

Thursday and Friday; 2 p.m. and 5 p.m.

Saturday, the Powerhouse. oxfordarts.com/theatreoxford

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Oxford’s weeks-long holiday celebration is back with ice-skating on a real outdoor rink, a new peppermint trail with holiday treats and promotions and visits with Santa at the Old Armory Pavilion on select Saturdays. Lighting the Square on Nov. 19 from 6 to 8 p.m. Find a full schedule of events online.

NORTHEAST

visitoxfordms.com/hollyjolly

Holiday House

Gumtree Reception

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Mississippi Homemaker Volunteers of Lafayette County present a craft fair featuring arts, crafts, handmade items and cottage goods. Friday 8 a.m.-6 p.m.; Saturday 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Lafayette County Arena.

NOVEMBER 3

An evening reception celebrates the work and exhibits of Bonnie Brumbly (pottery) and Cathy Fussell (quilter). 5-7 p.m. The artists’ work will be exhibited throughout December and November. Gumtree Museum of Art, Tupelo.

oxfordarts.com

Ole Miss Basketball

Holiday Art Market

gumtreemuseum.com

The Oak Ridge Boys

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NOVEMBER 30-DECEMBER 2

The University of Mississippi men’s basketball team kicks off the season at home against Alabama State, and the women’s basketball team hosts Queens NC for their home opener.

A pop-up holiday shop features handmade items from local artists. Market hours are Thursday 11 a.m.-7 p.m. with an opening reception at 5 p.m.; and Friday and Saturday 9 a.m.-7 p.m., the Powerhouse.

The Oak Ridge Boys bring “American Made – The Farewell Tour” to north Mississippi. Tickets start at $39. 7 p.m., Crossroads Arena.

olemisssports.com

oxfordarts.com

crossroadsarena.com

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NOVEMBER 4

Downtown Tupelo Holiday Open House NOVEMBER 5

Get in the holiday spirit and get a head start on holiday shopping and support local retailers showcasing new merchandise, holiday items, new menu items and more.

1-5 p.m., downtown Tupelo. tupelomainstreet.com

The Blues Is Alright Tour NOVEMBER 10

Experience world-class blues artists including TUCKA, King George, Pokey Bear and more. Tickets start at $63.

8 p.m., Cadence Bank Arena. cb-arena.com

Bret Michaels Concert NOV EMB ER 11

Bret Michaels’ “The Parti-Gras Tour” hits the stage. Tickets start at $39.

7 p.m., Crossroads Arena. crossroadsarena.com

Red & Green Market NOVEMBER 18

Corinth’s monthly market, featuring handmade and homegrown goods, takes on a holiday theme. Free admission.

9 a.m.-3 p.m., Crossroads Museum. corinthgreenmarket.net

Disney on Ice NOVEMBER 30-DECEMBER 3

“Mickey’s Search Party” takes the ice.

Tickets start at $20. 7 p.m. Thursday; 10:30 a.m. and 7 p.m. Friday; 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Saturday; 2 p.m. Sunday. cb-arena.com NOVEMBER 2023 | INVITATION

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S H O U T O U T S C h ic o r y M a rke t To E x pa nd Anyone with ties to Oxford has, more than likely, experienced Chicory Market.

The grocery store and eatery has a history of progressive thinking and continued growth.

More than three decades ago, it started as a produce stand offering vegetables grown in and around Oxford. Later it became the Farmers Market, where all were welcome and quality local produce was plentiful. In 2017, Kate Bishop and John Martin began to develop their own vision for the Oxford space, and it became Chicory Market.

The new vision included a kitchen where healthy meals are prepared using local ingredients. Through the years, Chicory Market has continued to grow. And now, thanks to a $200,000 grant, expansion is once again on the horizon.

The grant, from the Healthy Food Financing Initiative, will help fund construction costs for Chicory Market’s new location in the former Sears appliance store in Midtown Shopping Center, an expansion of inventory and community outreach.

“What we love about this grant is it helps to build community in several ways,” said Bishop, co-founder of Chicory Market.

“Not only does it boost our mission to improve local food access for people of all income levels, but it circulates federal funds back into the community to stay by paying for local construction labor and fees to local service providers.”

The new space is expected to become a collaborative food space, showcasing other small local food businesses, marketing opportunities and other resources.

“We’re excited to join forces with

friends in the local food movement,” said co-founder Martin. “For years, we’ve all been operating in separate locations across town and competing for attention. The local food movement thrives on collaboration.

Our philosophy has always been that the best way to support local food is by offering our guests the convenience of a one-stop shop, and we believe the community we’ve built over the past six years will help our partner businesses grow.”

MISSISSIPPI MUSEUM OF ART

M i s s i s s i p p i Mu s e u m of A r t e x h i b it to showc a s e P ic a s s o

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The Mississippi Museum of Art will pay homage to the legacy of artist Pablo Picasso in an exhibit of his work.

The exhibit opens at the Jackson museum Nov. 11 (2023 marks the 50th anniversary of the Spanish painter’s death) and will remain open through March 2024.

The exhibit, “Picasso Landscapes: Out of Bounds,” features the artist’s collection of landscapes. It is presented by the American Federation of Arts. Of Picasso’s more than 16,000 paintings and drawings, about 200 of them are landscapes. Thirty paintings and sculptures completed during the artist’s

lifetime will be included.

The exhibit is an exclusive view into Picasso’s creative process, and it explores his lifelong fascination with landscapes by highlighting his innovative re-imaginations of the traditional genre of landscape painting.

In addition to painting, Picasso was a sculptor, printmaker, ceramicist and designer of theaters. He is also known for having started the Cubist movement.

The MMA is located at the corner of Lamar and Court streets in downtown Jackson.

SHOUTOUTS

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AMERICAN ADDICTION CENTERS

O x fo rd Tre at me nt C e nt e r O f fe r s P ro g ra m fo r Ve t e ra n s

Veterans and first responders in need of treatment for addiction can find help at Oxford Treatment Center. Affiliated with American Addiction Centers, the center’s specialized treatment track is specifically for veterans and first responders. Treatment centers report seeing an uptick of veterans seeking treatment in the month of November.

The Salute to Recovery program includes treatment for anger management; grief and loss; pain management; depression; post-traumatic stress disorder; relapse prevention; and veteran-specific trauma groups. Patients are treated in a single closed unit, similar to the kind of camaraderie veterans and first responders experience.

Oxford Treatment Center also created Freedom House, a dorm for veterans seeking treatment. And after veterans and first responders finish the program, the treatment center continues to offer help by partnering with businesses in the Oxford community to help veterans find employment opportunities that can assist them with long-term recovery.

Located outside of Oxford in Etta, Oxford Treatment Center boasts 110 acres that provide a space conducive to healing.

The center is an approved community care provider with the VA, meaning eligible veterans can receive treatment for the same cost they would pay through the VA. NOVEMBER 2023 | INVITATION

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RESTAUR ANT

NEWS

Circle and Square 1 0 0 D E P O T S T. , O X F O R D N O W O P E N | Oxford’s first microbrewery,

situated exactly half a mile from the Circle on the Ole Miss campus and the historic Oxford Square. Serves draft beer, a taproom menu with shareables, salads, sandwiches, and a limited game day menu on fall Saturdays. circleandsquare.beer

Connie’s Chicken J A C K S O N AV E , O X F O R D C O M I N G S O O N | Tupelo’s iconic

Connie’s Chicken is expanding. The Oxford location is being built from the ground up, and another location is opening soon in West Point in the home of the old KFC. connieschicken.com

Panino Veloce 1 61 1 J A C K S O N AV E . W E S T, O X F O R D N O W O P E N | Tarasque Cucina has opened a casual lunch counter inside the restaurant. Sandwiches, salads and a variety of coffee drinks are on the menu. Open 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Wednesday-Sunday. instagram.com/panino_veloce

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Nico’s

Chicory Market

Nico’s

707 N . L A M A R B LV D . , O X F O R D

1 0 0 W. B A N K H E A D S T. , N E W A L B A N Y

N E W L O C AT I O N | Chicory Market has

N O W O P E N | Moises Lemus, owner of El Agave, has opened a new restaurant in downtown New Albany to serve up pizzas from a wood-fired oven and pasta, along with steak, burgers, wings and more. Nico’s is open from 4 until 10 p.m. Monday to Saturday and is closed Sundays. facebook.com/nicosnewalbany

moved to Midtown Shopping Center (into the old Sears appliance store space). Look for a collaborative food space where local food businesses (including Heartbreak Coffee and Johnston Hill Creamery) are spotlighted as vendor partners. instagram.com/chicorymarket

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P E A N U T Chicken TRY THIS THAI-INSPIRED SUPPER TO SPICE UP YOUR WEEKNIGHT RECIPE ROUTINE. RECIPES BY SARAH GODWIN

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alty peanut butter and soy sauce meet creamy coconut milk and honey in a sauce that takes this Peanut Chicken dish over the top.

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PHOTOGRAPHED BY JOE WORTHEM

PEANUT

chicken

3-4 chicken breasts 2 tablespoons cornstarch ½ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon pepper 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1 tablespoon butter 1 red bell pepper, sliced 1 yellow bell pepper, sliced ½ onion, sliced 2 cloves garlic, minced ½ cup peanut butter ¼ cup soy sauce 1 (13.5-ounce) can coconut milk 2 tablespoons honey ¼ cup water 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice 2 tablespoons rice vinegar For serving: cooked rice or cauliflower rice; crushed peanuts; chopped cilantro; sliced scallions; lime wedges Dice chicken breasts into 1-inch cubes. In a large bowl, stir together cornstarch, salt, pepper and garlic powder. Add chicken to bowl, and toss to coat. In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat. In a single layer, brown the chicken, about 3-4 minutes on each side. Remove chicken from skillet, and set aside. Add peppers, onion and garlic to hot skillet. Saute over medium until soft, about 5 minutes. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together peanut butter, soy sauce, coconut milk, honey, water, lime juice and rice vinegar. Return chicken to skillet with veggies and place over medium heat. Add peanut butter mixture, and reduce heat to low. Simmer, covered, until heated through, about 10 minutes.

Spoon chicken mixture over hot rice; top with peanuts, cilantro and scallions; serve with lime.

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Southern Cultured

Creamery

A PONTOTOC COUNT Y DAIRY FARM CHURNS OUT TAST Y PRODUCTS I N C LU D I N G U N I Q U E C H E E S E S A N D F L AVO R E D M I L K .

WRIT TEN BY EUGENE STOCKSTILL

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outhern Cultured Creamery is still so new that the owners don’t even have a sign out front, and visitors easily pass right by the business on Highway 15 in Pontotoc County. But don’t be fooled.

The mega-popular creamery near Algoma is plenty busy, cranking out 600 gallons of milk every week. (For comparison purposes, the typical milk truck holds about 6,000 gallons.) And as of this writing, you can find Southern Cultured Creamery’s milks and/or cheeses at the Pontotoc Farmer’s Market, Pontotoc-area gas stations and breakfast nooks, Native Son Farm and CharCutie in Tupelo, Chicory Market, Saint Leo and Local Honey in Oxford, and Reed’s Market and Scarlet’s Donuts in New Albany.

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PHOTOGRAPHED BY JOE WORTHEM

Not bad for a mom-and-pop sort of business that started because a bright daughter had a big idea.

“She tricked us, then she trapped us,” said Scott Hardin about his daughter, Kaitlyn Anderson, whose brainstorm got Southern Cultured Creamery up and running.

Anderson grew up around all things dairy. Her father has a degree in dairy science from Mississippi State University, worked for years with the old Naugher Dairy Farm, used to run MSU’s dairy research unit and also traveled as a dairy specialist for Purina.

“During the summers, I would ride along with him to all his dairies and see how different farms operated,” Anderson said.

“Growing up around a dairy, showing cows

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and traveling with Dad to all his farms is definitely why I fell in love with the dairy industry and cows.”

Anderson, who has biology and animal science degrees from MSU, considered veterinary medicine for a career, then opted for a graduate degree in lactation physiology from Virginia Tech, continuing the family’s distinguished history with cattle.

“My wife says dairy work is an incurable disease,” Hardin said.

A visit to the legendary Sweet Grass Dairy in Georgia changed the whole trajectory of Anderson’s thinking.

“It was the first creamery I had visited.

That kind of got my wheels turning,” she said. “I was like, ‘Man, I don’t want to sit in an office.’”

Then six to seven years ago, she decided the thing to do was to open a creamery in her home county. She had her husband and father convinced, and then COVID interfered with the whole shebang.

They were ready to pour concrete when the pandemic quarantine kicked in, and it took them months to get back on track.

But if the family ever struggled with doubts about the practicality of opening a local creamery, the on-site “red, white and blue” sales event they held last Fourth of July must have banished all misgivings.

“The line was around the driveway,” Anderson said. “We sold a weeks’ worth of milk in 30 minutes.”

The big hit of that party? Strawberry and blueberry milk, which Anderson’s husband, Jake, dreamed up.

“We were going to make yogurt smoothies, but once we moved into our processing room, we realized the yogurt was too thick for the agitator in our cooling tank to move. So, we had to pivot away from that idea until we update our equipment,” she said. “We had the yogurt flavorings and decided to try it out on milk. We honestly didn’t even know if it would sell.”

The process of milking cows and making cheese has become much more efficient since the days when someone would wake up at 3:30 in the morning, sit on a stool and squeeze in the bitter-cold morning hours.

Continued on page 30

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Continued from page 28 Here is the process, in a nutshell: - Cows approach a mechanized parlor and wait to be milked.

- In the parlor, workers clean cows in order to avoid animal infection and product contamination, and they feed them during automated milking, which takes about seven minutes.

- Milk travels through pipes into a cooling tank, which chills milk at 38°F. - Milk then flows into a pasteurizing vat for preparation for bottling or cheesemaking. The business uses a dual-vat pasteurizer for both milk and cheese.

- Fresh milk then gets pumped into bottles and jugs for sale.

You might expect life at the small Pontotoc farm and creamery to be on the low-key side, and you would be correct.

If you happen to go, one of the family’s dogs, Julep, will probably greet you when you park at the end of the gravel driveway and make you feel most welcomed with an abundance of licking. Everything on the premises has that lived-in yet scrubbed look that gives you the idea you’ve stumbled onto something quite special in a local business.

And as in times past, the cows are considered so much a part of the family that they have names, like Beauty, Rose and Bubbles. Julep the dog liked one cow so much that they named that cow Mint Julep.

The oddest thing all these dairy vets have seen in recent years? Cows on the farm routinely give birth after artificial insemination. But one bull seemed to have his eye on a particular cow, and not long after insemination, the two of them were caught in rather intimate circumstances.

The result? One Holstein calf, one JerseyHolstein calf.

You could call Southern Cultured Creamery a labor of love, too.

“I love cows, because I know what cows are going to do,” Hardin said. “I don’t know what people are going to do.”

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IF YOU GO The farm store at 8930 Highway 15 has regular hours: 4-6 p.m. Tuesdays and 9 a.m.-1 p.m.

Saturdays.

Get updates on happenings at the farm, new product offerings and more at facebook.com/ southernculturedcreamery.

Our recommendation: Excuse the brief editorial license, but dang, please try the strawberry milk and the pepper-stuffed $2 Pistol cheese! “It’s a little throwback to George Jones’ ‘hotter than a $2 pistol,’” Anderson says, “but we didn’t think that one through, because some people are upset when it’s not $2, lol.”

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Guesthouse W I T H T H O U G H T F U L R E N O VAT I O N S A N D E C L E C T I C D E C O R AT I V E TO U C H E S , THE Z BED & BREAKFAST OFFERS GUESTS A MODERN RESPITE INSIDE AN OXFORD HISTORIC DISTRICT HOME. WRIT TEN BY EUGENE STOCKSTILL

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PHOTOGRAPHED BY JOE WORTHEM

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xford exudes a charm that seems to intensify the farther away you live. Faulkner’s homeplace, the old university and the quaintness of the city draw visitors like water does a thirsty man.

Take the little place on Pierce Avenue in the historic district that goes by the name The Z Bed & Breakfast. The mint-green cottage sits on the edge of a huge, sloping hill in a quiet neighborhood that still puts you near the Grove, the Square and Rowan Oak. That may be why the folks who run it have little difficulty finding customers.

“We have people who come from out of the country, Australia, New Zealand,” Kelley Zeleskey said. “There’s a lot that people do when they’re here.”

Two of the Zeleskeys’ daughters came up with the idea in 2009 after the family bought the house at 1405 Pierce Avenue. Both of them graduated from Ole Miss the same year, and they pitched the transformation at just the right time.

The Z B&B opened the next year. It may go without saying that the place’s moniker comes from the family’s last name.

“We used to be the only one within walking distance to the Square,” Zeleskey said.

Before opening to guests, The Z underwent renovations that took about a year to finish. They were overseen by Zeleskey, an independent interior designer.

The green exterior of the cottage built in the late 1950s is the original color, but the porch was expanded to include wooden swings and chairs. One step through the front door, and years ago you found yourself in a tiny hallway adjoined to the living room.

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give the traditional home a jazzy, updated feel. Canvas-mounted photos that Zeleskey took of their daughters at Versailles and of a bridge in London, for example, grace the living room’s walls.

Other pretty surprises in the house? The lovely brick fireplaces in the front and back rooms were painted and sanded to give them a more weathered look. A table-and-chair set that belonged to Zeleskey’s in-laws now sits in the dining room. One small coffee table in the house has a fascinating topper, a gift to the family that looks like deer antlers, but “no animal life was lost with that,” Zeleskey said.

Sunlight streams through the family room out back, which serves as a cozy, fun gathering area for those who stay at The Z. “I wanted to stay as true to the property as I could, with it feeling like a cottage, warm and homey, when you walked in,” Zeleskey said. “But I didn’t want it to feel like grandma’s house.”

Zeleskey tends to shop at out-of-theway places, opts for antique pieces, and she delights in mixing old and new styles.

“I like to use the word eclectic,” she said. “I love to make rooms feel fresh and vibrant, but I try to keep them grounded and timeless.”

One of the coolest of all The Z’s garnishes: Mounted wire chicken coops used for kitchen storage.

Zeleskey said that they stay booked during football weekends and other highattendance events at the university and in Oxford, while wintertime tends to be a bit slower. The Z, which has three bedrooms and three bathrooms, requires a minimum two-day rental.

Wondering if anyone famous ever stayed there? Lois Chiles, who played the character Holly Goodhead in the James Bond movie “Moonraker,” did one time.

The Z is much more than a business, Zeleskey said.

“We pride ourselves on customer service,” she said. “We are attentive. We check in all guests. We prepare homemade breakfast in the morning, not just a PopTart. We also offer cookies and tea in the afternoon.”

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A signature pizza from Moises Lemus’ Nico’s.

The Power of Food EACH OF THESE NORTH MISSISSIPPI FOOD LOVERS LOOKS AT CUISINE FROM A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE, BUT THEY ALL BELIEVE FOOD BUILDS COMMUNIT Y. WRITTEN BY LESLIE CRISS

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PHOTOGRAPHED BY JOE WORTHEM

Nico’s

“Food is not just fuel. Food is about family, food is about community, food is about identity. And we nourish all those things when we eat well.”

— writer Michael Pollan Food is a necessary ingredient for sustaining life, but it’s so much more. Not only does it fill our bellies, giving us energy for daily tasks, but food, whether shared with a single friend or a large group of family members, also brings us joy as it nourishes our spirits through these human connections. Those who boldly try cuisine from a diversity of cultures broaden their

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culinary horizons. Food — and the sharing of it — has the power to build community.

And that is one important fact of food that has drawn Kalil Newton-Delacoudray, Joel Miller and Moises Lemus into different aspects of the business of food. A love of food and the desire to share food with communities, both large and small, are what these three have in common.

Kalil Newton-Delacoudray

Originally from the island of St. Kitts in the Caribbean, Kalil Newton-Delacoudray, 50, has lived in Tupelo with husband Theodore and son Joshua, a high school senior, the past decade. Her husband, from St. Croix, came to Tupelo to work with Toyota.

“It was a little isolating at first,” NewtonDelacoudray said. “But we survived. We’ve met some really good friends here.”

Some of those friend connections have been formed over food as NewtonDelacoudray has cooked and shared recipes from her Caribbean culture with others.

She’s done some catering and several Cooking as a First Language classes. For the past year or so, she has prepared in her home kitchen a biweekly lunch of traditional Caribbean food, boxed it up and delivered it to about 20 who have preordered. A few of the traditional foods one might find in their lunch include oxtail and pigeon peas.

“I grew up picking, shelling and eating pigeon peas until I just couldn’t stand them,” Newton-Delacoudray said. “But when I moved away, that’s a big part of the culture that I have longed for.”

The name she’s attached to her sharing of food is Kalypso’s, a play on her name — Kalil — and a genre of music from the West Indies. Her dream is to one day own and operate a restaurant of the same name where traditional Caribbean food is on tap.

The good news is Newton-Delacoudray’s dream is getting closer to a reality with a piece of property purchased for the project.

Growing up, Newton-Delacoudray did not have to cook. Her grandmother, who Continued on page 40 NOVEMBER 2023 | INVITATION

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Continued from page 39 lived with the family, cooked daily.

“I never wanted for food and I never had to cook,” she said. “But now I taste my grandmother’s food in my mind and try to remember some of the things she put in her food. It’s through her food my grandmother showed her love. I wish I had paid more attention to her cooking.

“History gets lost that way — when we don’t write recipes down for the future.”

Newton-Delacoudray is a firm believer in the community-building power of food and the sharing of it.

“I believe if we can get everyone in a backyard over a meal, we can solve so many more problems,” she said. “I see food as a bridge that can help us see we are more alike than different.

“As a kid, I am remembering having to clean a bucket of fresh fish, but never stopped when eating it to be grateful. We need to stop to be grateful for meals, to realize the love and work that went into it.

Coming to the table at the end of a day — that’s what it’s all about.”

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Moises Lemus

Mexico-born Moises Lemus moved to the United States with his parents when he was 7. After a year in Nashville, the family settled in New Albany. Lemus is not a professional chef; he views food from the perspective of a businessman. The 34-year-old worked in Mexican restaurants all through high school and college — he found he liked having financial freedom.

He learned much about the food service business by working in various positions, from busing tables to helping in the kitchen.

Today, Lemus owns his own Mexican restaurants in four locations. He opened the first El Agave in 2012 in New Albany. In 2016, he opened the El Agave in Oxford; in 2020, Southaven and in 2021, Tupelo.

“These days I am fortunate to have the flexibility to hop around between the four restaurants,” he said. “I manage my managers at this point.”

Lemus also listens closely to his customers. When he was asked if he might consider something in addition to El Agave, he did some research, saw what downtown New Albany needed and focused on that.

Just a few months ago, Lemus opened

Nico’s. Named after his youngest child, the restaurant is on the corner of Bankhead and North Railroad, once home to The Rainey.

Some might call Nico’s an Italian eatery, but Lemus would rather avoid labels. Yes, the restaurant boasts a bright red, 3,000-pound pizza oven from Italy, but Lemus did not want Nico’s to be known as a pizzeria.

“Nico’s can be anything — Spanish, Greek, Italian, American. It will have its own identity. It’s a nice, casual, well-rounded downtown restaurant,” said the father of Santhiago, 10; Ellie, 7; and 1 1/2-year-old Nicolas (Nico). “I wanted it to be a place me and my family could come and enjoy, too.”

After high school in New Albany, Lemus attended Mississippi State University and majored in international business.

“Plan A was to use my degree,” he said.

“The restaurant business was supposed to be Plan B. It’s a lot of work, but Plan B has worked out OK. Restaurants and food have the power to bring a community together.

People sit and enjoy a meal while catching up and socializing. That’s what I want to do for New Albany — bring people together.”

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joel miller

Joel Miller has made quite a name for himself in the Oxford hospitality industry.

Some folks simply call him “Chef.” The Louisville, Kentucky-born Miller created culinary delights in kitchens in Memphis, New Orleans, Puerto Rico, San Francisco, to name a few, before finding his way to Oxford nearly 17 years ago.

In Oxford, he’s worked at City Grocery and the now-gone Yocona River Inn, among others. More recently, Miller was chef and owner of Ravine, just a few miles from downtown Oxford, serving food Miller called “Southern contemporary.” The Ravine remained a favorite spot in Oxford for 15 years until Miller closed it in 2022 because he had tired of the ownership side of the food service business.

Miller worked in restaurants during his college years and reached a point at which he said he needed to either make a career of the culinary arts or do something else.

He chose to pursue becoming a professional chef and attended Johnson & Wales College of Culinary Arts.

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“I was bad at college but good at restaurants,” he said, smiling.

Miller did not immediately fall in love with the food service industry. One of his earliest jobs was serving as a busser, and he hated it. But once he found his way into a kitchen, Miller found what would become his passion.

“I learned a lot about food and cooking from my grandfather who lived in the Delta, in Marks,” Miller said. “He was an excellent cook, and I would watch him.”

These days, Miller, 48, is the executive chef of Kingswood, a restaurant and bar, inside The Oliver Hotel, Oxford. The Oliver Hotel, formerly known as Chancellor’s House Hotel on the corner of University Avenue and Lamar Street, is the rebrand of the historic Oxford Hotel.

At Kingswood, Miller pays homage to the culinary history and landscape of his adopted state. The restaurant’s goal is to foster community through shared plates in a casual and comfortable space. The Kingswood menu features new American

cuisine and showcases seasonal, locally sourced ingredients. Miller has long found inspiration for his culinary creations from the local farmers market.

“I’m honored to be a part of this journey of bringing this culinary vision to life,” he said. “I’m excited to be back doing what I love closer to the locals. For those who’ve dined with me in the past, they can expect everything they know and love about my style of cooking, but with a twist that gives a playful nod to the new hotel concept.”

There’s a lot to appreciate about the profession Miller has chosen. He enjoys that there is an artistic component to cooking.

Sure, there’s the day-to-day grind, but there’s always a new menu to plan. He loves teaching others in the kitchen and watching food bring people together.

“I remember when I was a kid, no matter how scattered or busy we might have been all day, we would come to the table to have a meal together,” he said. “There’s a lot of camaraderie in sharing a meal. A good meal can heal a lot of wounds.”

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THACKER MOUNTAIN RADIO PHOTOGRAPHED BY CARLEIGH HARBIN

Thacker Mountain Radio Hour kicked off its fall 2023 season on Sept. 7 at the Graduate Oxford hotel with the show’s new executive director, Amanda Wymer, on hand.

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1. Larry Wells and Kathleen Wickham 2. Beth Bowers, Tammy Shaw, Anita Ludlow, Leann Staton and Elizabeth Wilson 3. Frances Zook, Cathy Miller and Cindy Coopwood 4. Jo and Richard Podd 5. Martha Maynard and Tony Spruiell 6. Michael Worthy, Brandon Lewis and Doug Thomas 7. Denise and Blake Smith with Susan Hayman

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OLE MISS FOOTBALL PHOTOGRAPHED BY CARLEIGH HARBIN

The Grove and Vaught-Hemingway Stadium have been bursting at the seams for the Ole Miss Rebels first three home games of the 2023 season, with Ole Miss besting Mercer, Georgia Tech and LSU. 1

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6 1. Payton Martin and Jenny Johnson 2. Aubrie Wemple and Kylah Groves 3. Keenen Davis 4. Sam Gattas and Murphy Moore

5. Emily Smith and Courtney Woodard 6. Jenia Bolton and Raven Graves 7. Zechariah Spillard

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OLE MISS FOOTBALL

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8. Harlan Miller and Lindsay Speck 9. Marcus Davis and Chloe Baker 10. Olivia Moore and Kaycie Clements 11. Jarrett Davis, Jay Davis, Millicent Kundrat, Meredith Warlick and Noah Thomas 12. Emily Reynolds, Sydney Baldos and Lainey Waldrep 13. Natalie Grace Decker, Marisa Martin, Ashley Wolfley and Alexa Beaty 14. Jack Hensley and Kendall Causey 15. Kaitlin Childress and Jordan Dollenger

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BUT TERFLY RELE A SE PHOTOGRAPHED BY CARLEIGH HARBIN

Beau Ridge at Oxford Farms greeted September by releasing 100 butterflies for an afternoon of fun and fellowship for residents and their friends and family members.

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6 1. Lori Hannah 2. Reagan Cohn and Reese Bishop

3. Doug and Frances Hassell 4. Mary Jo Walsh and Christin Yax 5. Gayle McFraw with dog Kirby and Jack Barnes 6. Barry Linton 7. June Goza and Amy Cox

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OUT & ABOUT S e n io rK a re G ol f C h a l le n ge

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5 1-3. SeniorKare Golf Challenge participants 5. Members of Kiwanis Club of Oxford and Delta Psi fraternity with Della Davidson Elementary School students 6. Oxford Middle School students

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OUT & ABOUT S m it h , Jo ne s a nd W i l l i a m s Fa m i ly Re u n io n

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1. Members of the Smith, Williams and Jones family 2. Oxford Intermediate School homecoming float 3. Friends and family of Rascals 4. Friends and family of Campbell Clinic

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CHILI FEST PHOTOGRAPHED BY LISA ROBERTS

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Chili Fest took place in downtown Tupelo Oct. 6. Ticketholders got to taste and vote for their favorite chili team, and Southerland performed to end the night. Chili Fest was the first event of this year’s Fall Into Tupelo weekend, which also included a Family Fun Day and Down on Main concert.

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1. Lisa Blaylock, Jerry Tackitt, Kim George, Missy Sullivan, Brandon Gordan and Christy Turner 2. David Lee, Tyler Scott, Anny Miller, Ryan Webb, Kelly Monts, Meaghan Lee and Davy Estes 3. Chase McPherson, DeVote’ Thomas, Jackson Smith, Jessica Rushing and Karen Dickey 4. Josh Sullivan, Lisa Martin and Renee Baldwyn 5. Alexander Weatherford, Elise McMasters, Charlotte Loden, Jason Weatherford and Jason Sanders 6. Melonie Kight with Alex and Molly Farned, Iris Dillard, Deana Carlock and Traci Dillard 7. Billy Humphries and Christine Elbert with Keith Henley, Laura and Jennifer Fowlkes and Brit Harris

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W T VA SENIOR HEALTH FAIR PHOTOGRAPHED BY LISA ROBERTS

Northeast Mississippi seniors were treated to WTVA’s Fall Senior Health Fair on Sept. 19 at the Tupelo Furniture Market.

Healthcare providers were on hand to offer information and free medical screenings.

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8 1. Bridgett and Marshall Neal 2. Wanda Wells, Santana Crowley, Laquisha Westbrook and Armintie Price 3. Cheryl Pine and Janice Graham 4. Cindy Farris and Vickie Roberts 5. Marisa Boatner and Lindsey Brown 6. Craig Chrestman and Renee Watson 7. Jacob Lovelady and John Patterson 8. Jane Owens, Jennifer Claseman and Michelle Coleman 9. Payton Prestridge, Melissa Williams, Maranda Young, Stephanie Walker and Ashley McDaniel

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COMMUNITIES FORWARD PHOTOGRAPHED BY LISA ROBERTS

Gumtree Park in Tupelo was the setting in mid-September for Communities Forward Festival, an event to help build a positive relationship between the communities and police. The day featured a parade, food vendors, a barbecue cook-off and more.

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1. Teresa Johnson, Annie Williams and Felecia Cole 2. Timoa Listenbee and Te’Arrow Kohlheim 3. Irene Banks and Shawn Turner 4. Monica Williams and Marleigh Hughes with Marvin and Linda Williams 5. Marcelle Huddleston and Martha Clay 6. Aaliyah Hampton, Dieysha Thornton and Dayana Mobley with Andre and Nova Perry, Jerneshia Woods and Osiris Perry 7. Chakia Cole and Teresa Scott

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CORINTH HOMECOMING PHOTOGRAPHED BY WHITNEY WORSHAM

The Corinth School District celebrated homecoming the week of Sept. 11. The fun-filled week culminated in a downtown parade and pep rally and the high school football game against the Kossuth Aggies on Sept. 15.

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1. Polly Windsor with Randall Long and Grace Windsor 2. Priestley and Ruthie Clegg with Jordan and Joan Worsham 3. McTyeire Davis, Lylah Cox and Henry Huggins 4. Jack Windsor with Thomas and Daniel Comer 5. Lilly Smith with Allison and Collier Long and Abby Summers 6. Lynlee Shipp, Kate Walker Williams and Hadley Rutledge 7. Abby Ballard and Baylee Anna Bain 8. Carley James with Greenlee and Liddie Moss and Teigan James

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OUT & ABOUT Tup e lo 9/11 Me mo r i a l S t a i r C l i m b

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1. Ethan Craig, Ty Stroup and Zack Boren 2. Rob Woods, Keon Poindexter and Carlos Brown 3. Patrick Graham with Brad and Terry Robinson 4. Stone Coleman 5. Eli Palmer 6. Chase Miller and Jay Shea with Rowdey Baughman and Lux Files 7. Jaxson and Mikayla Klaesen with Evelyn Crane

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PHOTOGRAPHED BY JOE WORTHEM

xford’s John T. Edge muses on El Colibri, a food truck in Oxford that serves up authentic Mexican cuisine and exemplifies how food, as a shared experience, creates community.

People frequent El Colibri, an Oxford taco truck owned by Maria Rodriguez, not only for its authentic Mexican food but also for the community that gathers for it.

Keys jangling from belt loops, four men in boots walk a gravel lot, bound for El Colibri, the bright-red taco truck on North Lamar, backed by a curtain of kudzu. White paint tattoos their blue jeans and the black phones in their back pockets.

Owner Maria Rodriguez, mother to three, a veteran of the City Grocery kitchen, works the front window.

Behind her, a cook toasts football-shaped torta loaves to layer with refried beans and pile with chorizo and potatoes.

Crowned by a half-pineapple, stacked with marinated pork, a vertical spit turns.

At a picnic table beneath a red umbrella, a man haloed in drywall dust opens a foam clamshell to reveal two gorditas.

CH U N K S O F P O R K , C A RV E D F ROM TH AT S PIT, SPILL FROM THOSE GRIDDLED CORNMEAL POUCHES. S E ATE D A LO N G S I D E MY N E W F R I E N D, TO R TA I N H A N D, B R I C K- R E D S A L S A D R I P S D O W N M Y F O R E A R M A S I WAT C H O X F O R D C H A N G E I N R E A L T I M E .”

John T. Edge hosts the television show TrueSouth on the SEC Network, ESPN and Hulu. At the University of Mississippi, he directs the Mississippi Lab and serves the Department of Writing & Rhetoric as writer-in-residence.

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