Travels in Mississippi...so far SO FUN!

Below is where we've been so far. Once everything is underway (October), full blog posts will be on http://www.visitmississippi.org/ along with video footage and other interesting facts and photos.

The Mississippi Museum of Art in Jackson: The Palette Cafe by Viking. Interviewed Chef Emily Burgess. She treated us to lunch and it was delicious.

Below is a "plantation sandwich": a Cornbread sammich made with turkey and roasted asparagus, topped with hollandaise and garnished with bacon with a side of fresh dill tomatoes. note: sweet tea in the background. She's been visiting the Farmer's Market on High Street to use in her culinary creations and also offers a "Green Plate Special" with all fresh veggies.

Chef Emily Burgess

Mr. Bill's Catfish Chips for sale in the Cafe. They are delicious.

We also interviewed Katy Simmons (of Simmons Catfish heritage, see below) who, with her sister and a catfish salesman, Mr. Bill, came up with the concept and have begun to market them.

Road Trip: Yazoo City
I was so disappointed that this wasn't our road trip vehicle:

Ubon's BBQ Restaurant: Championship Memphis-style BBQ and home cooking. Absolutely loved the shirt tacked up on the wall. We interviewed Leslie Roark Scott and her father, Garry Roark. They have been competing since 1989 and have the trophies to prove it. Their food was incredible and the interview was a lot of fun.

leslie roark scott and garry roark

the masterminds of Ubon's BBQ

pulled pork, beef brisket and the most decadent ribs evah.

home fries & sweet 'tater fries with a special comeback sauce made with a splash of their BBQ sauce in it...yum yum.

Garry and Leslie made some good friends at the Big Apple Block Party a few years ago. These fans were so impressed with their BBQ, they shadowed the Roarks and pretty soon started their own team. As Garry says, "I've heard of backslidin' Baptists Before but I've never heard of a backslidin' Jew!"

Jubon's - "At Least the Salt is Kosher!" (note: pig in yalmulke...haha)

Simmons Catfish (Farm and Processing Plant)

Awww, poor little catfish...on their way to become breaded, fileted and frozen.

that's alotta catfish!

Phillips Bros. Catfish Farms

We got to watch them feed the fish. It was so much fun to watch the frenzy.

150 ponds x 100,000 catfish/pond

Did you know that the catfish are taught to eat from the top of the water? Farm-Raised catfish are not bottom feeders. That's why they taste so good. They are checked daily to make sure their flavor is perfect.

A view from the car on the way out to the catfish farms.

Lee Hong Grocery in Louise, MS (a few miles NW of Yazoo City)

A Chinese-owned grocery famous for its "Hoover Sauce."

(I've been wondering who the namesake of this town is...who is "Louise"??)