Shame On Me! (and don't even mention the word chicken)

Oh, hello, there.

Remember me?

Yes, I know, it's probably a hazy memory but, hopefully it's not all lost!

Suffice it to say I've been burning the candle at both ends working on my film project, playing gigs and just general work and being worn out.  I thought about making a trailer for the film but how would I make a trailer for a 9 minute film without giving everything away?  So, the suspense is just going have to kill you in the meantime.  But I'll have another outtake up soon.

Haven't traveled as much lately as I would have liked but there are always in-between times that have to be endured so you can get to the good stuff, right?

First things first:  I still can't stomach chicken.  Period.  Don't want to think about it, don't want to look at it.  Can't eat it.  So don't even mention it!

Osyka is the last stop in Mississippi before you cross the Louisiana line.  It's a really cute little town and currently featured in Mississippi Magazine.  

The 1st annual Chicken-Fixin' Cook-Off kicked off during Osyka's Fall Festival that has been going now for about 25 years.  My friend Andi and I had a good drive down there and arrived around 10am.  We found the judging HQ and soon thereafter, chicken began arriving for judging.

Outside, the tents were buzzing with activity and the cookers were smoking.  Show time!  (Andi got to choose the best decorated tent.)

 

 

 

The smell filled the room and since it was around 11 at this point, our mouths began to water.   We judged on aroma, presentation/visual appeal, texture and taste.   

Here's the brain trust below, inspecting one of the entries.

 

 

Prepared, complete with chicken bib.  These were the nicest bunch of men!  And entertaining, as you can imagine.

Categories were Wings:  Amateur & Professional; Entrees: Amateur & Professional

 

 A close-up.  They were good!

One for tasting, one for looking.

 

The Osyka adventure was a lot of fun and the chicken judging went well up until a certain point.  Let me put it this way:  there were 5 of us judging (*and eating*) for 4 separate categories and each category had about 6 or 7 entries a piece.  Even if you have just a small bite or two to taste for flavor, it adds up.  And then sooner or later, it just all tastes like, well...chicken.

Once the judging was over and Andi worked on tallying the scores, I honestly thought it was going to be necessary at one point to just purge behind a bush or something.  I thought I was going to die!  It was the ultimate food baby...more like twins in this case.  UGH!  We were all pretty full, but the other judges had done it before and apparently had a 2nd stomach on retainer.  They did mention it would be good to have more people and split up the judging categories, so maybe next year, that will happen for the sake of future judges!

The official picture of the Osyka Chicken-Fixin' Judging Panel.

The Aftermath. 

Can you see the pain in my face??  

It was all I could do to smile...This is me (L) & Andi (R).

Overall, it was a really fun day.  We explored the fall festival.  There were so many good food vendors - not that I was in the market for more food - but we took a good bit home for later.  

Osyka was a railroad town and the tracks are still busy and run parallel to Main Street.  There's one going past as I took the photo of the pig cooker. 

 I bought some homemade pralines from a really nice man.  His wife made them and they were the best I've tasted!

At this tent below, they sold red beans and rice. 

 Look at how much they made in the cast iron pot!  It looked really good. 

And last but not least, there was a man and his family making fresh pork skins right then and there.  I got a little video of it, which I will post tomorrow.  It's fun to watch.  

Osyka was so much fun.  I love exploring new places.  Hope y'all are doing well!

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!

Back on Monday!

Hey everybody - I'll be back on Monday.  It was time to take a little break and rest up while I could.  Hope your August has been a good one so far! 

No doubt you've heard about the recent heat advisories in Mississippi and other parts of the South.  (And we thought June and July were bad.)  These temperatures  will melt most anything that stands still in one place for too long. 

There are so many fun and cool foodie bloggers out there these days.     

Y'all get a "Bless your heart!" (the good kind) from me because I'm glad you're there:

Have you heard of Phickles yet? It's an Athens, GA-based company with Angie Tillman at the helm, making and selling - like gangbusters - pickled okra, jalapenos - and most everything else! I'm on board.

The Hungry Southerner. A blogger who has paved the way straight into my heart with a special post about AMC's Mad Men premiere (among other things including this post about biscuits and gravy like my Daddy always made on Sunday mornings). Her blog includes recipes and fantastic food photos that have been taste-tested and approved. Drool-worthy!

Deep South Dish is a great stop for Southern recipes -  and you know "visiting" Ginger at Deep Fried Kudzu is almost always a daily stop for me.  I am dying to try her recipe for strawberry pretzel salad!

Thank you to The Runaway Spoon - a Memphis gal - for your post about watermelon sweet tea.  It will be a fixture this Monday night at our 3rd annual watermelon party.  Actually, it will be more of a supper with a smaller group this time around because we decided on low-key this year.

Also, don't forget to stop by Deep South Magazine.  Erin does a fantastic job covering anything and everything worth knowing about in the South!  From giving Southern writers a voice to sharing great stories of Southern people and places.  

Stay tuned for two upcoming interviews for Hymnal.  The first is my interview with Southern singer-songwriter Kate Campbell.  We talked about the South, food, funerals, literature and music.  It was so much fun - she even got me a terrific recipe for tomato gravy from her friend!  Something else to look forward to on Hymnal will be my interview with the one and only Mr. Van Dyke Parks who is a man of tremendous talent, a lovely soul (born in Hattiesburg) with a Southern-style double name.  I've also been working on some new songs, too.

Have a great weekend!

On Highway 51 between Hazlehurst and Crystal Springs.

The Vine That Ate the South

Yes, KUDZU.  

Kudzilla? 

I blogged about it on the Visit Mississippi travel blog in November and low and behold, it Kudzu ain't meeting its match in Hernando.

It's really true.  Goats.  Right outside of town on Highway 304 are the "Kudzu Removal Project" and the "Kudzu Control Demonstrations."  

We didn't see any goats out there grazing but I have before.  In one section, you could tell the goats made quick work of the Kudzu.

Daddy didn't stop, though.  He was on a mission to get us to The Blue & White in Tunica.

It's been a while since I've eaten at the Blue & White.  Over the past few months when I call my parents, Mama has mentioned that she and Daddy drove over to eat.  I kept seeing green...so when W & I were in town about a week ago, a special request was submitted for Sunday lunch at the Blue & White.  

Here's a look at the buffet - it's home cooking at its best.

Fried chicken, roast beef, chicken & dressing

Broccoli & cheese, yams, greens, fried green tomatoes, Brussel sprouts, lima beans and corn.

Yum, Yum.  This is my dad as he patiently waits to eat so I can take a picture.   

(Remember my trip to Ocean Springs?  

My friend Kathryn was not nearly as patient with me...but we were pretty hungry!)

I've had major cravings for fried chicken and yams.  And greens.  The rest is, as they say, gravy.

Their homemade yeast rolls are the best!

On our table was an advertisement for this double decker donut tower.  Sounds like a heart attack explosion on a plate to me (but would be worth it to try a bite).

And here's my sweet tea with the Blue & White story in the background.  The restaurant has been open since 1937.  As you can see in it was an old gas station that eventually just morphed into a restaurant.

A look at part of the restaurant.  It's so kitschy on the inside, which is what makes it such a great stop - and the food is delicious.  You can either get the buffet or order off the menu.  They are open for breakfast and lunch.  Either way, you'll be happy.  

Oh!  And I almost forgot:  Peach Cobbler for Dessert.  Phew.

The Blue & White Restaurant

1355 U.S. 61
Tunica, MS 38676
(662) 363-1371

Life from the Interior: Blurry Part Deux

of a car.  

Much to the chagrin of my husband, sometimes I go ahead and snap photos while driving a movie vehicle.  I can't say I entirely recommend it.

And, well, that's how these came about.

This was either driving over the Yazoo, Tallahatchie, Mississippi or_____________ (can't remember which one.  Can you tell?  Me neither.).  Same story below. 

Anybody recognize this bridge?  It will solve the above mystery.

It's rare I'm up for the sunrise, so naturally this is a special event.  This an especially poignant pictures, seeing as it was the only one to turn out halfway decent.   

The others look like this:

And the sky began to lighten up.

I like this one:

And one particularly foggy morning.

p.s.  I put an extra hoop for you to jump through in the event you would like to post on the blog.  I keep getting all this Chinese spam and it's getting on my nerves.

p.p.s.  I mention the above because a friend said she tried to post and had a hard time with it.  I told her about Chinese spam to which she replied:  "Wonder what weird chicken parts that's made out of?"

Blurry

When I'm on the road, more often than not, I drive right on past little scenes that are worth exploring.

On I-55 North around the Coldwater River bottoms (approximately 8 miles from Hernando), there is a silo overgrown with kudzu in the middle of a field that always catches my eye.

And I always want to stop in Como because that is where family from my Dad's side is buried.  Soon, I want him to take me back there.  This is the side that was here in the early 1800's.  Truth be told, I would like to visit Mississippi Fred McDowell's grave, too, while in the area.

One thing Walter and I would like to do is save up for a kayak like the one we used at Sea Camp.  

It'd be great kayak in the Coldwater River (on its way to being a designated Blueway) and all through the bottoms.

Keep telling myself next time I'll take the time to stop and explore.  That's my intention on future road trips - to give myself enough time where I won't be in such a hurry to get to my destination.

Reminds me of Cindy Woolf's song "Blurry."

Does anyone else do this?

Also, the Choctaw Indian Fair begins today and goes through Saturday.  I can't wait to watch more stickball!

Day Trip to Ocean Springs

My longtime friend, Kathryn, came into town and stayed with us over the 4th of July weekend. She's on a cross-country walkabout and stopped in Jackson to visit! 

We had such a great time doing a little this and that. She went with us to the screening of the "foodie films" at The Auditorium that me and my colleagues worked on a few weeks ago with Barefoot Workshop instructors Alison Fast and Chandler Griffin.

If you are interested in watching the films we made, click here. The documentary my group did is on Peaches, a historic restaurant on Farish Street (here in Jackson).  I'm so excited to have these skills to build on and continue my work with Mississippi Tourism through more film projects.

Mainly, the holiday weekend was a time for us to rest.  Since I've been going 90-to-nothing the entire month of June...and July hasn't showed signs of slowing, it was time to replenish with rest during a precious little downtime.

Monday, Kathryn and I decided to take a trek to Ocean Springs.  We'd mentioned the Walter Anderson Museum to her and she was also around as Alison and Chandler were talking about their current film work on the Coast.  She'd also never been to that part of the state either, so we decided to get up early and spend the day exploring.

I showed her the largest rocking chair in the world, which Kat promptly decided she'd climb up and get her picture taken.  I did it too. (haha)

Our first stop when we rolled into town naturally had to do with food.  (That should be a no-brainer about me at this point.)

We drove around the Downtown area for a few minutes and then down Government Street...where the Tat-O-Nut shop was closed until July 8.   :(  

Across the street was Phoenicia, a place I've seen but never actually been to eat. Mornings they served breakfast and the rest of the day it's Mediterranean fare.  

I ordered the special - Crab and Shrimp omelet.  Don't get me wrong, it was good but just ok as far as omelets go.  The reason I give it a "so-so" is because it was all shrimp and no crab at all.  Good but coulda been better...

Kathryn got the Eggs Sardou, which is basically Eggs Benedict but with artichoke bottoms and spinach.  Hands down, this was the absolute best choice.  It was unbelievable - so much so, in fact, that I had a raging case of "order regret."

My omelet came with a side of dollar pancakes that were very good and hit the spot.

We both got a side of Asiago cheese grits that were pure heaven.  They had a strong flavor and were kind of creamy.  I would swear by those grits if push came to shove.

I also got some Lebanese coffee that was ok.  I was hoping for something similar to Turkish coffee but it wasn't quite that strong nor did it have the good flavor.  Overall, I would definitely go back and totally recommend it.  I'd just order differently next time.

After breakfast, we rambled over to the Walter Anderson Museum.  It's a gorgeous facility and one that I would definitely visit over and over again. 

I definitely looked at the exhibit differently since my trip to Horn Island.  Looking up at Bob's boat, I thought, he was a tough old bird.

Love what he wrote on this Pelican sketch:

"There are some things that you can only do with love.  You will know that you have love when you do one of them."

It was obvious this was a very kid-friendly room.  There were lots of watercolors and signs like this explaining W.A.'s work, his life and the animals he loved. 

I'm convinced that the next cat I get will be named Robinson. 

We explored the community room and what I love about it is that you always discover a new aspect to the mural to appreciate and admire.  My thoughts kept coming back to the Horn Island experience.   Obviously you can't go there without coming back to the mainland with a different perspective.

You could get lost for hours enjoying the intricacies of his work. 

We drove to the beach and spent some time by the water.  It was a fairly cool and windy day with rain on the way.

Above looks like tar balls - I couldn't tell at the time because some of it was pretty grassy, too, but I'm pretty sure that's what it was.  

Despite what I've heard about parts of the Mississippi Sound waters being closed, there were boaters out, people on jet skis and swimmers, too.

I asked the lady at the museum if she could give us directions to Friendship Oak.  She only knew about Ruskin Oak.  So we drove through a neighborhood and saw a lovely old oak tree on a vacant lot - it's one of the oldest on the Coast and legend says it is associated with author John Ruskin, an Englishman in the 1880s - apparently people still have tea parties there at times to honor him.  I found an interesting website that says the story is a farce but shares interesting history about the land and about Ruskin just the same.  Don't know for sure.  Wasn't the one we were after anyway, so we drove on.

We continued our ramble along 90 over to University of Southern Mississippi's Long Beach campus (now a ghost town with its washed out buildings) and to the oldest of old Live Oak trees.

It was a tremendously huge tree - it won't even do to describe it.  The campus was quiet and peaceful after a hard rain that rolled through.  We enjoyed exploring her branches that were dripping with rainwater, completely awestruck by the massiveness of her size...and girth...and wing span!!  (Kat & I decided she was a big mama of a tree)

If this gives you any idea of the size...

Kat wanted to get a few pictures of the tree carvings along 90 and I wanted to snap a picture of the owlie that I missed last time we were there.  He's missing an eye now...and well, a bird pooped on him, too (that's to be expected...). 

There were tour buses on a particular stretch of 90 with workers cleaning up the beaches.  :(

Our last stop of the day was totally worth the wait.  My friend, Katie, tweeted about this place a couple of weeks ago...she was in Ocean Springs kicking her feet up while I was sweating it out on the Island...

Yum, yum, YUMMO!! Caboose Snowballs!!

You walk in through the driveway where the old railroad tracks still peek out of the ground and on past the house.  

And there's the caboose.  

We decided to look a few minutes before ringing the bell by the order window.  They serve any and every flavor of snowball you could imagine - and creamy flavors, too - the lady who came up behind us got condensed milk on hers - along with Blue Bell ice cream and sundaes - you get the idea.

There are even more flavor combos taped to the window.  Katie was right:  these flavors were well thought out.  There is even a new flavor called "Mississippi Tarball" that is chocolate and coffee flavored.

Just as a side note:  It sort of cracks me up that some of the roadside stands along 49 and even the Caboose advertised "hand-dipped" Blue Bell ice cream.  I know it's folksy and all, but it comes out of a commercial tub, people.  We can hand-dip it ourselves after we get it from the store...Just sayin'.  Give us something homemade!

Ok.  I'm done.

We rang the bell and a lady came out from the house.  She opened the caboose window and asked us what we wanted to order.  Kat and I asked her a couple of questions and got a pretty funny reply.  

Us:  So, what's a "silver fox?"

Her:  All I can tell you is it sorta tastes like almond."

Us:  What's Cajun about the Cajun Cream Cheese?

Her:  All I can tell you is it tastes like cream cheese.

Ummm...ok.  

So, after the insightful explanations, I got half Praline and half Butter Cream.  Kat got half Praline and half Cajun Cream Cheese.  It was sublime.  The Butter Cream was a little too sweet for me but overall a great treat!  There's nothing I love more than good crushed ice.  Especially when it's got Praline flavoring.  Mmmm!

We had a full, fun day on the Coast and came back newly transformed BFF's of course (re: Friendship Tree)!

Had to get a photo of the old Beverly Drive-In right outside of Hattiesburg.  What a cool place.  The only working drive-in in the state is in Pontotoc, I believe (correct me if I'm wrong).