MMOct2022

&Mud Magnolias

RECIPES

Fall is here, and with it, cooler weather. What better way to feel all warm and toasty than with a plate of hearty food and an ice cold beer?

DIY: AN ALLERGY-SAFE

HALLOWEEN OPTION

Teal pumpkins aren't just colorful and spooky, they alert neighborhood trick-or-treaters that your household offers allegy-safe candy. We'll show you how to make one.

FUEL IN HIS VEINS

Kevin Doyle build his first motocycle when he was just 14 years old. These days, he’s building incredible custom bikes at his Tupelo shop, Fuel Cycles.

MODERN DAY COWBOY

Horseback riding comes second nature to Vaudry Edge. Along with his trusty fourlegged sidekick, Willie John, Edge has won cowboy championships across the nation.

TIMELESS AND MODERN

Men’s fashions haven’t changed much over the decades … and for good reason. Some looks are classics, and we’ve got some locally sold styles sure to please just about every personality.

PROST VON DAS HAUS

Beer from a tap? Fantastic. Homemade beer from your own tap? Mind-blowing. Mark Fancher, owner of the area’s only homebrewing shop, Trost und Prost, takes us through the tipsy joys of brewing your own booze.

Light reflects off t engine of one of Kevin Doyle's custom motorcycles. Cover photo by Adam Robison.

11 no. 1

C onfession time: Growing up, I had the misguided notion that adulthood would bring with it the total annihilation of anything resembling what I considered fun.

I was a bit of a geeky kid. My prima ry sources of leisure were video games, horror movies, writing and embarking on what seemed to me to be epic adventures with my best friend, but were mostly just a couple of kids running around the neigh borhood. For years, I held onto a lingering dread that maturity meant exchanging these pleasures for things that were a little more practical and a lot more boring –neutral-colored button-ups and four-door sedans and hours of bank-account balancing.

All of which, to be fair, is a part of my adult life. But so too are video games and horror movies and writing and embarking on what seems like epic adventures with my best friend (that’d be my wife, Mandy, these days). Getting older didn’t mean surren dering the things I loved. It never does.

Flipping through the pages of this month’s issue of Mud & Magnolias, I was encour aged by the stories of others – people like custom bike builder Kevin Doyle and extreme cowboy Vaudry Edge – whose youthful passions have grown with them.

As you read the stories within this issue, I hope you likewise feel inspired to always take time to do something you love. Never let go of the things that bring you joy –whether it’s tinkering with an old motorcycle, going for a leisurely trail ride, enjoying some delicious fatty barbecue and a beer or gearing up for a spooky night of trick or treating with the family.

Never lose your sense of adventure, no matter what age you’ve reached, and don’t for get to have fun out there. M

MAVERICK

warm & cozy Fare

It’s time to celebrate crisp air and fall flavors. Whether the grill’s your thing or you prefer to spend time in the kitchen, we’ve got you covered.

WHITE RUSSIAN

SHOTGUN SHELLS

POOR MAN’S BURNT ENDS

SWEET PORK LOIN

By GINNA PARSONS Photos by ADAM ROBISON and THOMAS WELLS

SAUSAGE SHEETPAN SUPPER

1 (14-ounce) package andouille or smoked sausage, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1 large russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1 medium red onion, cut in wedges

1/2 red bell pepper, cut in 1-inch pieces

1/2 green bell pepper, cut in 1-inch pieces

1/2 yellow bell pepper, cut in 1-inch pieces

1/2 orange bell pepper, cut in 1-inch piec

es

1/2 cup pickled banana pepper rings

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon Creole seasoning

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Butter for greasing pan

In a large bowl, combine sausage, potatoes, onion, bell peppers and pepper rings. Mix oil, Creole seasoning, salt and pepper; drizzle over sausage mixture and toss to coat.

Transfer to a 15x10-inch rimmed baking pan greased with butter. Roast at 400 degrees until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally, 35 to 45 minutes. Serves 4.

MAVERICK SHRIMP AND GRITS GRITS

4 cups water

1⁄2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided 1 cup stone-ground grits

1⁄4 cup heavy whipping cream

TOPPING

4 ounces chorizo sausage

4 ounces country ham, cut in thin strips

3 ounces smoked sausage, such as Cone cuh, sliced in 1/4-inch rounds (about 20 coins)

1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided 12 large shrimp, peeled, leaving tail fan attached if desired

1 clove garlic, minced

1⁄4 cup sliced scallions

2 tomatoes, seeded and diced

1⁄4 cup water

Bring water, salt and 1 tablespoon butter to a boil in a 3-quart heavy saucepan. Stir in grits

and reduce heat to low. Cook, uncovered, stirring frequently and adding more water as needed, until grits are thick and creamy, about 40 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in cream and remaining tablespoon of butter. Keep warm.

Make the topping 15 minutes before grits are done. Cook chorizo, ham and smoked sausage coins in 1⁄2 tablespoon butter in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring, for about 5 minutes. Transfer chorizo, ham and sausage to a plate with a slotted spoon. Add 1⁄2 tablespoon butter to skillet and heat until foam subsides. Add shrimp and cook, turning, until just cooked through, about 3 minutes. Stir in chorizo, ham, sausage, remaining 1⁄2 tablespoon butter, and remaining ingredients. Cook, stirring and scraping up any brown bits in skillet, until heated through.

Divide grits among four bowls and spoon topping over each serving. Serves 4.

WHITE RUSSIAN

2 ounces vodka 1 ounce Kahlúa coee liqueur 1 splash heavy cream

Combine vodka and Kahlúa in a rocks glass with one cube of ice. Pour in heavy cream and stir. Makes 1.

SHOTGUN SHELLS

1 pound ground beef

1 pound ground breakfast sausage 1 (8-ounce) bag good shredded Cheddar cheese (such as an aged blend) 2 (4-ounce) cans diced green chilies

2 (8-ounce) boxes manicotti shells

2 (12-ounce) packages hickory smoked bacon slices

Sweet barbecue spice rub Sweet barbecue sauce

In a large bowl, combine ground beef, ground sausage, shredded cheese and green chilies. Mix well.

Stuff anicotti shells with mixture, lling end to end (you may only need 20 to 24 of the shells). Wrap each shell with one slice of bacon. Sprinkle shells with sweet barbecue spice rub. Refrigerate overnight.

When ready to cook, heat charcoal grill to 300 degrees (you can throw in a few hickory wood chips). Place stued manicotti on grill in a single layer. Cook for 1 hour, uncovered, over indirect heat.

Brush shells with sweet barbecue sauce and let

cook another 15 minutes. Remove shells from grill and let cool 10 minutes before slicing.

POOR MAN’S BURNT ENDS

1 (4-pound) chuck roast

2 to 4 tablespoons yellow mustard

2 teaspoons garlic powder

2 teaspoons onion powder

2 teaspoons dry mustard

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 tablespoon kosher salt

2 teaspoons black pepper

2 tablespoons butter, sliced 1 (12-ounce) bottle barbecue sauce

Rub roast all over with yellow mustard. In a small bowl, combine garlic powder, onion powder, dry mustard, brown sugar, salt and pepper. Sprinkle spice mixture all over roast and rub it into the meat.

Heat grill to 275 degrees. Place seasoned roast on grill and cook over indirect heat until roast reaches internal temperature of 165 degrees.

Remove roast from grill and cut into 1-inch cubes. Place cubes in an 8x10-inch aluminum pan. Cover meat with pats of butter. Pour bar becue sauce over all.

Place pan on grill and cook until meat reaches internal temperature of 205 degrees. Remove from grill. Let meat rest for 20 to 30 minutes, uncovered. (Total cook time should be between 4 and 4 1/2 hours.)

SWEET PORK LOIN

1 (3-pound) pork loin, cut in 1 1/4-inchthick slices

2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil Kosher salt

Ground black pepper 1/4 cup honey

Hot cooked white rice

Rub pork slices with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

Heat grill to 450 degrees. Place pork slices on grill. Cook until a meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part of one chop reaches 90 degrees. At that point, ip all pieces of meat. Continue cooking, ipping every 15 to 20 de grees, until a meat thermometer reaches 160 to 165 degrees, about 20 minutes total.

Remove pork slices from grill. Brush pork with honey and let rest for 10 minutes. Slice each chop into 1/4-inch slices (you should get about 10 slices per chop). Fan pork over hot cooked rice and serve. M

DIY: Teal pumpkins for safe Trick-or-treating

By BROOKE BULLOCK BURLESON Photos By THOMAS WELLS

The Halloween season is here! Spooky decorations and buckets of candy are sure to bring in most trick-or-treaters on Oct. 31, but for some children with food allergies, Halloween night can be anything but thrilling.

The Teal Pumpkin Project is all about encouraging homes to provide nonfood related treats for kids with allergies. Anyone can participate in the Teal Pumpkin Project by following just a few steps.

1. Make your own teal jack-o-lantern by scooping out the contents of a pumpkin and carving a spooky face.

2. Paint your pumpkin teal and place it in a visible outside location so trick-or-treaters and their families know you offer allergy friendly trinets. You can even put some small, flameless candles in the pumpkin to give it that eerie effect

3. Fill a plastic teal pumpkin with non-food goodies like slap bracelets, unsharpened pencils, erasers

and fake vampire teeth for kids to grab. Be sure to keep your sweet treats and candy in a separate container as not to cross-contaminate your nonfood items.

4. Register your home on the Teal Pumpkin Project map at foodallergy.org and put a cute sign in your front yard to let trick-or-treaters know that you offer sweet and allergy friendly treats alie! M

Interestedinhostingyourweddingamidstbeautifulsun-dappledtrees?Look nofurtherthanThe Woodlandsof Farmington.JohnandBrendaHayes constructedThe Woodlandsin2019just10minutesawayfromdowntown Corinth.Theirgoalwastoofferavenuewithaclassicsouthernambianceand alltheamenitiestoensurealessstressfulapproachtoweddingplanning.The Woodlandsoffersanoutdoorchapelsurroundedbytoweringtreesandanindoorreceptionhallequippedwithacaterer’skitchenandenoughroundtables withwhitechairstocomfortablyseatupto180guests.Bridalpartiescanprepareforthedayintheprivacyoftheirownsuites.Whitelinentableclothsand therecordingofyourweddingceremonyareavailableuponrequest.Isthis beginningtosoundliketheperfectplacetohostyournextspecialevent? Call Johnand/orBrendaat662-255-2626/662-415-1602toscheduleatour.

FUEL in his veins

By BLAKE ALSUP

Photos By ADAM ROBISON

Kevin Doyle has been riding and repairing motorcycles since he was a kid

On the cover page: Kevin Doyle opened his custom bike shop, Fuel Cycles in Tupelo, in 2015. The 43-year-old Oregon native said he’s been building (and rebuilding) bikes since he was a young teen. Above: The grip on a custom bike can be seen reflected in the glossy sheen of another motocycle in Doyle’s shop.

Kevin Doyle fixed up his first morcycle in his bedroom as a sixth grader in McMinn ville, Oregon.

His father had bought the bike – little more than just pieces – for $50 and said, “Here you go. Get it running.”

So that’s what he did. He rode that bike for about five years Doyle, who moved to Tupelo with his par ents in the 1990s when he was 14 years old, said he’s always been mechanically inclined.

“My whole life, someone could be locked

out of their car and I was in the third grade and I would know how to get in,” Doyle, 43, said. “Or the vacuum cleaner at the house would be broke, and I would just know how to take it apart and put it together and fi it. I don’t know why, but I just understand mechanics.”

For years, Doyle – who worked as a con tractor – wanted to open a motorcycle shop, but he worried he wouldn’t be able to pull it off

For a while he did both, spending his time away from his full-time job fixing bies inside a 12-by-10-foot shop building in his backyard.

“It's freeing. Once you're out and there's no one talking to you, you literally just forget everything that's going on. It's really hard to explain until you get one and realize it.”

- Kevin Doyle

In 2015, Doyle finaly bit the bullet and opened his own shop – Fuel Cycles in Tupelo, and began working on motor cycles full-time. The name was inspired by a half-destroyed sign he saw while eating at a gas station-turned-restaurant in Memphis that simply read “Fuel.”

Located on President Avenue behind the South Gloster Street McDonald’s, the business now occupies two buildings – one with a lobby and garage in the back. And another with the same, but a much larger garage space and a motor cycle showroom with rows of freshly painted and polished bikes Doyle fixe up or restored.

“Someone will bring something in, and we’ll change it completely,” Doyle said.

“Like the blue one,” he said, gesturing to one of the display bikes. “It didn’t come in looking like that.”

He and a handful of contractors working at the shop typically have around 50 bikes queued to repair or re furbish, sometimes including their own.

Doyle’s favorite bike is a Harley-Da vidson Softail Night Train he got in 2007. He also owns a one-of-a-kind Har ley-Davidson Thunderbike prototype made in Germany, which was featured in Hot Bike Magazine.

The number of people interested in motorcycles has been constant for longer than Doyle has been alive, he said. He thinks it will remain that way, especially if the automotive industry continues to shift production to electric vehicles.

Opposite & this page: Doyle replaces the headlight of a bike inside his Tupelo shop.

There’s certainly plenty of interest in Tupelo.

A few months ago, Fuel Cycles started hosting “Bike Night” every Friday night at the shop. Between 80 and 100 bikers show up each week to enjoy grilled burgers and cold beer.

“There wasn’t a place for all the bikers to go and hang out,” Doyle said.

There are lots of biker clubs in and around Tupelo, he said, though he isn’t a member of one.

“Technically, I’m a nomad,” Doyle said. “I am not affilied with any club, and this place is basically Switzerland. Any club can come and hang out. They can wear their patches if they want to. It’s open for everybody.”

That’s to his advantage as a business owner, but it’s also a plus for customers. No one is turned away; everyone is welcome.

Doyle typically arrives by 8 a.m. each mor ning and stays until about 7 p.m. He spends some time talking with custom ers while working, but most of the day, he’s doing what he’s been doing since he was 14 years old: Working on bikes.

Doyle wouldn’t have it any other way. He knows the joy of riding motorcycles and is always happy to help a fellow biker get back on the road.

“It’s freeing,” Doyle said of riding. “Once you’re out and there’s no one talking to you, you literally just forget every thing that’s going on. It’s really hard to explain until you get one and realize it.” M

Above: Light reflects off the metallic sheen of motorcycle engine inside Doyle’s shop.

Right: Motorcycles stand in line inside Doyle’s shop.

By BLAKE ALSUP

Modern Day Cowboy

Vaudry Edge and his horse Willie John race across the South

Photos ADAM ROBISON

Vaudry Edge spends his days selling horse tack and raising colts on his farm in Tupelo. But several weekends per year, he’s navigating obstacles in extreme cowboy races across the southern United States on his horse, Willie John.

Edge, 68, started racing in 2007 when a friend put on an independent event in Missouri. Despite having never raced before, he had plenty of experience from working cattle in pastures all his life.

After that first vent, he joined the Extreme Cowboy Association (EXCA) and began taking part in races across the southern United States.

“It’s just kind of fun to do and helps your horse,” Edge said. “It teaches your horse a lot of stuff and is pretty exciting o do.”

A HIGHLY COMPETITIVE SPORT

Edge and Willie John – an American Quarter Horse named for Willie Nelson and Perry Johns, the man who loaned Edge the stud that sired the horse – complete obstacles ranging from crossing narrow bridges and jumping barrels to crossing water and roping a steer.

Above: Edge and Willie John are silhouetted as Edge closes the gate to a horse pen. Left: Edge slips a booted foot into a stirrup.

Obstacles are timed and judged, with participants receiving points for each.

To train for these events, Edge has set up his own obstacles on his farm. Nothing compares to the adrenaline and excitement of an actual race, but it’s a great way to prepare.

Edge typically competes in five or six vents per year. He has previously raced in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Alabama, Kentucky and Texas.

He’ll be participating in the 2022 Extreme Cowboy Association world championship in November. A requirement for participa tion is to be among the top 60% of racers.

That’s not a problem for Edge. As of late September, he was ranked 17th in the nation.

Participants in the world championship come from as far away as Canada, Australia, France, Belgium and Israel.

“It’s grown so much,” Edge said. “You didn’t have to have that good of a horse, but nowadays, lots of people give $50,000 to $60,000 for a horse to compete on.”

The sport is highly competitive. In nearly every race in which Edge competes, he’ll go up against a handful of world champions.

As competitive as it is, extreme cowboy racing is accessible to anyone, Edge said. There are competitive classifications fo people at any age or skill level, from childhood novices to profes sionals over 70 years old and everything in between.

OTHER NOTABLE ANIMALS

Ultimately, extreme cowboy racing is a hobby for Edge – one he’s passionate about, but a hobby nonetheless.

His day job is selling horse tack, a business he’s been in most of his life, along with raising around three dozen colts and herding cows.

Besides Willie John, the Edges own a couple of other notable animals.

Romona’s horse, Pick, is featured in the 2022 film Mysterious Circumstance: The Death of Meriwether Lewis,” and on the movie poster, ridden by “Dukes of Hazzard” star John Schneider. Pick has also competed in extreme cowboy races and took part in the Calgary Stampede in Alberta, Canada.

Edge’s farm is also home to Four Metallic, a son of Metallic Cat, a Red Roan Stallion featured in the hit TV show “Yellow stone.” He was purchased by Edge at a sale in Oklahoma City. Key to success in races

What Edge and his wife, Romona, enjoy most about races is meeting people. They’ve each made friends with EXCA partici pants and spectators that they count on seeing at events through out the year.

Not only do they see other people they know, but other hors es as well. At most any event he attends, Edge will sport a horse or two he’s raised being ridden by fellow EXCA participants. In

Top right: Edge runs Willie John through an obstacle course at his farm in Tupelo. Bottom right: Edge is multitime Extreme Cowboy Association national champion, as evidenced by his growing collection of trophy belt buckles.

He’s currently ranked 17th in the world.

Above: Edge leads Willie John out of the stables. Left: This closeup photograph shows the spur of one of Edge’s boots. Opposite page, clockwise from top right: Edge rides Willie John; one of Edge’s boots sits in a stirrup; Edge trains with Willie John.

2020, eight horses Edge raised competed in the world champion ship.

Romona Edge attends EXCA events with her husband every chance she gets and said they’re exciting but nerve-racking.

“It makes me nervous because I want him to do well,” Romona Edge said, adding with a smile, “Which he does.”

She’s not wrong; Vaudry Edge has earned first plae accolades at several events. He’s even a member of the EXCA Hall of Fame. He was inducted in 2020 and received a commemorative belt buckle.

For Edge, the key to being successful in EXCA races is simple: “You’ve just got to do all your obstacles correctly and have a good time,” he said. M

Men’s looks for the fall season are a mix of old and new

Although slow to change at times, men’s fashion continues to adapt to the latest styles and trends with the debut of each season. This fall, look for jewel-toned button-up shirts with neutral vests to pair with classic khaki or black slacks. For game day, represent your school’s colors and mascot with a light fabric polo, but don’t be afraid to up the ante with a patterned suit in hunter green or deep navy for an evening look when your team plays an away game.

photos by ADAM ROBISON AND THOMAS WELLS

By DENNIS SEID

Like many entrepreneurs, Mark Fancher found inspiration close to home.

Fancher enjoys having a good beer, but about 12 years ago, he couldn’t find his fvorite – a German Dunkel Lager – anywhere nearby. He found a distributor in Miami, but that was out of the question.

So, he decided he’d attempt to make it himself.

Fancher found a clone recipe, and after a few tries, found out he was pretty good at brewing. In fact, the beer he’d made tasted better than what he had been buying.

“Most beers, the further you get into making it, the better you’ll be at it,” he said.

That successful experience eventually led him to open Trost und Prost Homebrewing and Winemaking Supply on Eason Boulevard

Above: Mark Fancher moves a cart of his Muscadine & Black Berry Wine into a spot inside his storage area at his store Trost und Prost on Eason Boulevard in Tupelo. Left: Trost und Prost has large variety of beer- and winemaking supplies.

Photos ADAM ROBISON

in 2013.

“I had been brewing and making wine for a while but had never even been in a homebrewing business,” Fancher said. “The closest at the time was in Memphis, so I thought Tupelo seemed like it might be big enough, and I’d give it a try.”

Today, Trost und Prost – German for “comfort and cheers” – is the only homebrewing store in Mississippi, and Fancher attracts customers from all over the state, as well as from Alabama and Tennessee.

“To this day, I still haven’t been in another home brew shop,” Fancher said. “This is all a vision of what I thought it should look like. It might be different rom others – I just don’t know.”

Fancher said he tries to have anything somebody might want in the hobby. Occasionally, it’s something he’d like, but isn’t certain will be to others’ tastes, but Fancher isn’t one to sell something he can’t use.

“I’m not a salesman – that’s never been my thing,” he admits.

According to the American Brewmasters Association, more than 1.1 Americans brew at home. The South is home to almost a third (31%) of them, followed by the Midwest (26%), Northeast (24%) and West (19%).

By sheer volume, homebrewers make up only about 1% of the market, but that’s still over 1.5 million barrels of beer a year.

Customers at Trost und Prost won’t be able to make quite that much, but they will find just about verything they need to make wine or beer.

The split between winemakers and beer makers are fairly even at his store. During the fall, winemakers have a slight edge as muscadines – the most popular fruit in the region –are harvested.

“Winemakers doing kits is pretty steady year-round, as is beer making,” he said. “There may be a bit of a lag in sum mer, especially for those who brew outside, and there will be a slight uptick in the fall and spring. But most of my customers are year-round.”

All-in-one electric brewing systems make brewing easier year-round as it can be done inside. All the heating, mashing

Above: Shelves are lined with various hop pellets. A pile of corks await being popped into the tops of bottles.

and boiling are done in one pot essentially.

“It’s more contained, doesn’t take up much space, and there is less cleanup,” Fancher said. “And it takes some of the drudgery out.”

And Fancher has no issue at all with the all-in-one inside brewing systems. He understands.

“On nice days, I want to be outside getting stu done; on really hot humid days or really cold or rainy days, I’d rather do something else, and I’d rather be inside brewing,” he said.

Outside brewers will use a fish ryer or some kind of huge cooker usually fueled by propane. They can be under cover, but the space needs to be ventilated.

“And that’s never appealed to me because, in Mis sissippi in July or August, I don’t want to be over something steaming hot, and in January or February

Above: Mark Fancher points out the air lock on top of a carboy container used for wine. Left: A pile of barely malt grain awaits the brewing process.

I’m not that interested either when it’s cold or raining,” Fanch er said.

Fancher says novice homebrewers can make either beer or wine, as both are fairly simple to do, although winemaking seems a bit more complicated.

But he said, “When I describe winemaking, it takes me way longer to describe it than making it – it’s really simple.”

Fancher will ask customers as many questions as he can to get a feel for the type of wine or beer they like to craft. From there, he’ll guide them to just about everything they’ll need.

“Now, I’ll tell you how I’ll do it, but when it comes to home wine and home beer, there are so many ways to do it,” he said. “I’m not the kind of guy to tell you that you have to do it this way. Choose whatever method you like and tastes better to you.” M

Right: A pile of corks await being popped into the tops of bottles. Below: Bottles of homebrewed booze sit on shelves inside Trost und Prost in Tupelo.