Mississippi Friends in the Mountains

When I look outside of my window and see mountains in any direction, that instantly cheers me up.  It's so cool to get out of my car and look in front of me to see the glow of the home lights on the side of the mountain. 


So, my good friend, Mary Margaret, put me in touch with a friend of hers named Neal - a fellow Mississippian and Delta boy - and what's more, a fantastic chef.


One of our first excursions once we got settled in, was to Brevard.  We wound our way to Neal's house, where the promise of a good meal waited.  He had gotten a couple of rainbow trout (that very morning, and were swimming around in his sink just before we got there) and made an amazing smoked trout dip.  There are no pictures of the dip because it went FAST - a testament to its flavor and how hungry we were!


A venison backstrap thawed while we talked and ate.  In the meantime, he toasted some aromatic spices - that "smell like Christmas" - and chopped them up in the food processor.  He coated the venison in the aromatics and put them in a huge iron skillet to cook on the stove top.  


We also got to know Neal's friend, Emily, who is so much fun! She's a fantastic cook as well.  We had so much fun!


Neal began to prepare the plates and put down a bed of pureed sweet potatoes, sliced the venison and arranged it just so, then topped it with sweet pea shoots tossed in homemade vinaigrette.  Divine, I tell you!!  

Take a look at this: 

  

I'm doing a story soon for DeSoto Magazine about Neal, Emily, and her husband, Brandon, for DeSoto Magazine about North Carolina fly fishing (Neal & Brandon are working on being guides), so if you're in the area and can pick up a magazine in May/June, stay tuned!  

Wish List: Chalkboard State Map

Y'all!!


I saw this on Etsy and thought this was SO COOL!


What originally caught my eye from seller ShopDirtSA was the scrabble letter pillows (that I have to say are freakin' pricey, but if money were no object..........)

But then I saw the custom-made map of your state!!! OH my stars I want one sooooo badly!!  Wouldn't this be the best EVER?!

Of course you know I want a Mississippi one.  They're $45. Not bad, I'm thinkin'.

You (and/or kids) could color in spots where you've traveled, where you want to go, make notes - whatever!  I'm in serious love.

Let Them Eat Cake

This afternoon, my coworkers and I wandered up (aka road up the elevator) to a Mississippi Arts Commission staff reception, which we know is a sure thing:  good company, good food and great art. 

The MAC not only supports talented artists, but they have on staff many talented artists who create textiles, mosaic designs, paintings, music and more.  

My friend Mary Margaret is the Heritage Director there.  She and I (along with our co-workers) attended the Barefoot workshop session last summer, got to know each other better and had such a great time making our foodie films.

Her corn hole sets were on display and they are fabulous!

As she describes it, "...It's a backyard game much like horseshoes, only safer. The point is to toss a bean bag across the yard and into the hole on the board. Most often folks play in teams of two."  

But I digress, because the purpose of this particular post is not about playin' corn hole, it's about filling your pie hole.  (I'm still not sure that sounds very nice)

Long story sorta short, this afternoon's reception had a food theme and to our delight, there were two very particular homemade food items on the table:  a sweet potato pie and a lovely King Cake.  The King Cake has a special place in my heart because it's just that time of year AND it had cream cheese in the middle, my personal fav.  We were also excited because recipes accompanied the treats on the table, and Mary Margaret said I could share her recipe with y'all.  You are going to love it!

She and her mother adapted this from a cinnamon roll recipe they have in the family vault...which makes it even more special when someone shares!  And I have to add, there wasn't much left by the time I headed back to my office.

photo courtesy of Mary Margaret Miller

Sunflower County King Cake

by Sandra and Mary Margaret Miller

(makes 2-3 cakes: more the better!)

Dough:

1 C shortening

¾ C sugar (heaping)

1 C boiling water

2 pkg yeast dissolved in lukewarm water (115-120 degrees)

2 eggs beaten + 1 t. salt

6 C flour

Cream Cheese Filling:

2 8 oz. blocks cream cheese, softened

1 t. vanilla flavoring

1 t. almond flavoring

½ t. salt

1 egg beaten

¾ C sugar

In a mixer, combine shortening and sugar until dissolved. Add boiling water and beat until cool. Add yeast and eggs. Beat until combined. Stir in flour. Beat until combined. Spray dough with butter flavored spray and cover with a damp cloth. Refrigerate overnight to rise.

Place half of the dough mixture on a floured surface. Knead and roll into a rectangle, about ¼ inch thick. Ice with a thin layer of cream cheese filling and roll, jelly-roll style, into a long tube. Place on a buttered pan in an oval shape, connecting the ends.

Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes, until cake is golden. Remove from oven and cool completely. Before icing, cut a small slit in the bottom of the cake and insert a plastic baby or other festive trinket. Make sure to use an object that is easily noticeable and not too small.

Icing:

2-3 C sifted powdered sugar

1 t. vanilla flavoring

1 t. almond flavoring

3-4 T milk

Combine all ingredients with a hand mixer until smooth and glossy. Divide icing into three cups and color with green, purple and yellow/gold food coloring. Decorate cake with the icing in any fashion you see fit! Green, gold and purple sprinkles are a nice addition.

  

This will be your new favorite King Cake recipe during Mardi Gras.  Enjoy!  And most of all, thank you Mary Margaret :)

So, have you found any good King Cake Recipes out there or do you leave it to the professionals?

I Never Did Tell You

Nope, I never did tell you about my visit to Cleveland at the first of December. 

We caught wind that a group of European journalists were going to be in the area on a media familiarization tour.  They arrive here and are promptly whisked through various points around the South including Mississippi, Tennessee and if I'm not mistaken (but I could be) Alabama to write various articles and to get a taste of what the region is like.  So my colleague and I made tracks into the Delta to meet up with the group, film a few things and take some photographs.

Our trip took us to Dockery Plantation, the fabled location where historians say the Blues began (with Charley Patton), a place that we visited last year (wow - has it been that long??) and where the group was going to have an authentic Southern dinner in the refurbished gas station that sits in front of those old buildings above, off of Highway 8.

A lot has happened over the past year.  The Dockery family established the Dockery Farms Foundation to help renovate and preserve the plantation.  Bill Lester is a family friend, next door neighbor, local historian and all-around good guy. He is Executive Director of the Foundation, told us stories, filled us in on the history and then pulled out a coin from his wallet.  I got an up-close look at the Dockery Farms currency that used to be good in Cleveland, Ruleville and Merigold (if I'm not mistaken).

With grant money the Foundation was able to renovate the gas station, which will be turned into a multi-use building for visitors.  They still had the old Coca Cola signs (there was an RC Cola mirror in the bathroom) and were able to put everything back just like it was.  It always warms my little heart when families don't throw things like that out - just like the old cash register and scales above and the old butcher block nearby.

Here are a few other things still sitting around:

  

You can imagine my excitement when we showed up and I saw someone unloading dinner.  It wasn't just anybody:  it was Chef David Crews. I'd read about him before while researching the Culinary Trail because he got his start at the restaurant Crawdad's, in Merigold - most widely known as the location for McCarty's Pottery and The Gallery Restaurant.  David now serves as Chef Instructor at Mississippi Delta Community College in the Culinary Arts Program as well as working at Stafford's on Main in Drew. (Drew is known as "duck hunting central").

The man is a culinary mastermind - just trust what my stomach is saying, ok? 

Please take note his menu for the evening:

He has a post on his blog about the evening as well.  It was quite the spread and an absolutely, hands down, terrific dinner.

I have to tell you about this.  David let me try a little bit as he was setting up - he would have to explain it to you himself (because my description won't do it justice). Look at the circular white dish right in front of the napkins with a knife sticking out of it.  That would be because he and I dug into it.  For good reason.  Think of it as something akin to duck paté.   Except it isn't duck - it's pork.  More specifically it is "pork shoulder rillettes."  A mixture of the deepest, smokiest pork reduction spread over crackers that will ever hit your mouth - sounds a little reckless, doesn't it?  I swear, it's a wonder I stopped myself from smuggling the dish home.  It was unlike anything I have ever tasted which translated into the unbelievable.  A bite was good on its own or just as fine when topped with the pickled green tomato chow chow.  It is the epitome of hog heaven. (sorry for the pun but it's the truth)

*Update on the rillettes*: I asked David to explain a little of the process of how he made the spread and this is what he shared with me:

"The Rillettes is an "old School" way of preserving meat.  Typically it is pork shoulder or belly that has been cured in salt then slow cooked in pork fat until tender, it is the pork equivalent to Duck Confit.  The one thing that I do different is that I dry cure mine in both salt and ground dried peppers, then as opposed to cooking it in the oven, I render it in a smoker that is burning sweet pecan wood...then let cool to room temp before going in farther. I think that this step not only gives it that "southern" smokey flavor it also give the meat time to release it's water and began to absorb some of the pork fat.  Also this step will add some time to it's shelf life because smoke has an antimicrobial effect on the surface of the meat.. Then remove the meat from the fat and grind to a paste. Finish by adding paste to a mason jar and cover with warm pork fat as a "lid". I cover mine with an actual lid but saran wrap will work, then refrigerate (for optimal storage) or leave on the counter covered..." 

There you have it folks. The answer to a question of pure divinity. Thanks, David!

A view from the other side:

Because you can never have too many action shots of the Southern Pecan Braised St Louis Style Ribs, Southern Slaw, Southern Pecan BBQ Sauce:

Leaning in for the close up.

And, we score!!

A lovely view of the chicken leg quarters, or rather Fig and Muscadine Compote glazed Slow Roasted Poussin with the Delta grind grits.

You didn't think I'd leave you hanging without a close-up of the grits soaking in thyme-infused poussin stock?!  

 

My personal favorite was the pork belly tamales, smothered in caramelized onions and drizzled with Tabasco Comeback Sauce.  I unabashedly went back for seconds on that. 

Below is the fresh greens with cherry tomatoes, avocado, Lauren Farms freshwater prawns (there's nothing like them), fresh cilantro and as you can see below, he tossed the salad in freshly squeezed lime juice and (the pièce de résistance) Tequila.  This garnered major applause as Chef Crews described it to the hungry crowd gathering impatiently around.

For dessert, we had banana pudding cheesecake.  I must figure out a way to make this at home.  I shared a piece with my coworker, Mary Straton and I am not ashamed to say, I distracted her while I ate a major portion of it.

You thought we were done with dessert?!  The night isn't over yet!

The Chicken Strikes Back

Happy Saturday!

While you are probably sleeping in past the hour of 7 a.m. this morning, me and my friend Andi, will soon be on the road to the town of Osyka, Mississippi (pronounced O-sie-ka).

Where's that, you ask?

If you are traveling down I-55, you'll find it's just off Exit 1, right before you hit the Louisiana line.  The reason both Andi and I are so excited about this trip can be summed up in one word (ok, two and a half):  Chicken Cook-off!

Months ago, while I was in the midst of writing the Mississippi Culinary Trail, there was an email forwarded to me about this event that coincides with their Fall Festival and could I add it to the Trail?  I spoke to Kim with the Osyka Civic Club at length and she was was thrilled beyond measure about the festivities. She then asked me if I would be a food judge.  I didn't have to think twice about that.  Of course!  

Andi is getting roped into helping with some of the judging process and also helping pick the Best Decorated Kitchen set-up.  This experience is a no-brainer on so many levels...

The Chickin' Fixin' Competition teams have been meticulously preparing their dishes to present to me and three other judges who will be on hand to taste, smell and ultimately judge their chicken creations.

It's obvious to see why this is such an adventure for us.  Have you ever heard of Osyka?  Yeah, me neither really besides Culinary Trail entry.  Have you ever been?  Nope, me neither.  Small town Mississippi?  Yes, please!  

This is going to prove to be a fun day for sure!  Kim told us to fast for a couple of days because there would be so much food.  Whoa.

Osyka's Fall Festival is happening today from 8:00am to 5:30pm, with food and craft booths, free musical entertainment and kid-friendly activities.  And don't forget about the poultry extravaganza!

Another thing I'm excited to do when we visit Osyka is Nyla's Burger Basket.  It is a Culinary Trail entry, known for their burgers, hand-dipped onion rings and cajun fries.  I've never been before so the excitement is definitely building for me...(I'm hungry already)

Have a good weekend and I'll report back on Monday!  

Bok!

City Murals

Or town murals, depending on your point of view.


Hope you are having a good Monday.  We are having a great time in Dallas right now - I have so much to share with you from our trip!  But first...


Changing the topic back to Mississippi:  when we were in Grenada for Mother's Day, I was drawn to the lovely murals on the sides of Downtown buildings.  What amazes me is both the scale and the skill!  Murals are definitely eye catchers and I have to get a closer look whenever I run across them (I've been taking pictures of them in Dallas, too.)


Murals are such a colorful and meaningful way to personalize a city or  community.  They give the area new life and share a bit of personality with outsiders.  It always makes me feel like I'll be amongst kindred spirits!

Nearby were more murals, located across the street from Orleans Bistro on Main Street that included old town scenes and businesses.

Another view:

And, below, during my recent trip to the "Fair City" of Philadelphia.  Right now I'm realizing perhaps it would have been a good idea to do a little research and find out who painted these lovely pieces...ah, hindsight!  (I'll ask and report back!  Promise!)

My sister lives in Pine Bluff, Arkansas and the Downtown area is a veritable ghost town - what a shame!  Walter and I explored the streets and came across some terrific murals that depicted scenes and people of historical significance for the town.

Arkansas has some major Delta areas, too, and below is the man who invented the mechanical cotton picker.

A Closer look at what the wall says:

Here are some other historical figures.  Not every wall explained who they were but it's something worth looking up and discovering why they were chosen to be immortalized on the buildings (at least, it is to me...and no, haven't done that yet).  The lady on the left looked like she was an early doctor. 

I liked this mural a lot.  These two men below are apparently part of movie history.

Here's a closer look at their names and the faces

A mural for the early 20th century car club...
what a novelty cars are! 

And on the building in the same park is another mural of old Pine Bluff.  These murals were commissioned and done in 1992.  It would be great if another revitalization could happen there.  

Friday Fun: Trains

After going through some of my pictures from the last year, a pattern began to emerge.  I get snap-happy about trains.

This was from my visit to Pocahontas.

The train tracks in Indianola from my trip during the fall. (I meant to post pictures a looooong time ago and never did.  But I'm trying to catch up.)

I was really determined to see where the Southern crosses the Dog in Tutwiler that day but didn't make it after all.  So, that's why I took one more photo looking down the tracks.

This yella train was traveling alongside me as I was on my way through Arkansas to visit my sister.  He blew the horn at me and waved since I stopped on the side of the road. 

So colorful!

On my way back from Arkansas, I stopped at the Heathman Plantation on Highway 82 (between Greenville and Indianola).  You can see some other photos of the plantation on the Visit Mississippi Travel Blog.

This one is my absolute fav.

I think of all the railroad lines in the state that have all but dried up and wonder what it would have been like to hop into the passenger car for a day trip or for maybe a longer journey to find new opportunities in a bigger city.

Speaking of Arkansas, we're heading that way this weekend for a special birthday party.  My niece, Drew, is turning 1!