By Ms. Mary Michaela Parker, MSU Extension Service There are some weeks when I don’t feel like cooking dinner or am short on time to prepare a meal from start to finish. On these nights, I like to have a few meals ready to pull out of the freezer instead of being tempted to visit a fast food drive through. I like to have soups, casseroles, and taco meat frozen in small portions. They’re easy to heat up, require minimal effort, and I still have a good homemade meal. Here are a few things to keep in mind when freezing foods: Make sure your freezer is kept at or below zero degrees Fahrenheit. Frozen food is safe to eat indefinitely when frozen properly. Eat food sooner rather than later because the food quality will deteriorate over time. Portion out foods before freezing and write the amount on the bag or container. If you have leftovers you don’t want to go to waste, freeze them at the earliest time to stop bacterial growth. Consider freezing foods in flat containers or bags. This is a great space saving technique and helps the food thaw faster! Don’t put hot food into the freezer. Let it get to refrigerator temperature before freezing. Freezer burn can be a pain! Proper cooling, air removal, moisture-vapor-resistant packaging, a tight seal, and using frozen foods in a timely manner all help prevent freezer burn. While there are many foods that freeze well, there are a handful that don’t, including: Cooked eggs Cooked chunks of potatoes (mashed potatoes freeze well) Custards and cream puddings Potato salad Pasta Raw, watery vegetables such as lettuce, cucumbers, and radishes. Tomatoes, celery, and cabbage are okay if frozen as an ingredient in a cooked dish. Yogurt and sour cream Mayonnaise Sauces and gravies thickened with flour and cornstarch Fried foods Crumb toppings on casseroles It’s often hard to remember how long you can refrigerate certain foods before they spoil. Check out this chart for guidelines on how long you can keep food in your fridge. It also has info on when to eat frozen foods to ensure maximum food quality! If you want info on how to freeze vegetables, check out Publication 0974, “Freezing Vegetables.”

By Divian Conner One of our favorite times of year is fall. While my mom has pumpkins and an array of gold and yellow leaves adorning her table as soon as fall hits, it is no secret in our family that I have been known to bring out the stretched spider webs, black studded pumpkins and Halloween décor at the end of August. To me, fall is Halloween and, in my house, we start planning as soon as we can. I laughed when my mom asked the other week, “We can expect your Halloween table September 1st, right?” While this year is likely to be a repeat of last year—more of a private, intimate gathering of my close family, the anticipation is still great and the planning intense and thorough. Instead of going door to door with candy, I have already started secretly stocking up on various bags of sugary goodness--I have this vision of a table covered in candy haul to light up just about anyone’s eyes. It may be a bit different, but we will not let it deter us from having a great and wonderfully spooky time. The cool end of summer leads the way to bonfires, ghost stories and watching movies with jump scares as a family. While it is true that we do not shy away from the spookiness, we also see it as the beginning of holiday family time. Not only do we look forward to our Halloween party, but the movie nights are always a treat. Halloween-themed snacks are laid out while we snuggle up on couches and yell at the actors on the screen, “Run, child, run!” The night is full of frights, but tons of laughs and conversations on what we would do. With older children, who are really no longer “children,” we make it into time to really talk. The nights of gearing up to the finale are appreciated in this household. This year is no different, I already have a playlist of creaks and moans from the doors of old houses, and the menu has already been started. I have never been one to need an excuse to throw a themed party, and October is the perfect time to plan a super spooky one for my family and friends. I have been toying with the idea of a Haunted Fairy Tales theme and decided that sometimes, some of the most beautiful things can be spooky. These moss-covered cupcakes can be made any time of the year and topped to fit almost any theme, are super easy to make, and are perfect for Halloween dessert tables everywhere! Chocolate Blackberry Jam-Filled Cupcakes Boxed chocolate cake mix, prepared as directed Sweetened lime juice Blackberry jam Cream cheese frosting Green food coloring Cupcake liners Prepare cupcakes as directed on the box. Once cool, spritz with sweetened lime juice lightly. Using a piping bag, fill with jam. Insert pipe tip into center of cupcake and fill. Top with cream cheese frosting that has been tinted green and roll in cookie moss crumbs to coat. Cookie Moss Refrigerated cookie dough Green/yellow/blue food coloring Spooky topper of your choice Break apart the cookie dough into sections and create various shades of green by mixing in the food coloring. Prepare and bake the cookies as directed and once cooled, crumble the cookies in different sizes to make the “moss.” Mix them to create the various shades of natural moss.

By Julian Brunt I am not sure what the “Mad Potter of Biloxi,” George Ohr, would have thought of Lauren Turner’s instance on turning away from Coast culinary traditions, but my guess is he would have loved it. George was a non-conformist; he would have been delighted to see a blooming chef opening her first brick and mortar restaurant and insisting on serving healthy and delicious food that was also affordable. Turner, like Ohr, is a person of strong opinions. You won’t find anything fried here, and it is a plant-based café, but the menu will be familiar to you. It’s loaded with items like tacos, shepherd’s pie, white bean stew and even General Tso, all vegetarian friendly. Even with reduced hours because of the pandemic, business is booming, so the Turner’s gamble seems to be paying off. If you have never visited the Ohr O’Keefe Museum of Art, now is the time to do so. With any luck at all, a cool and less humid fall will linger and the bricked patio, shaded by lovely live oaks, is a delightful place to sit and enjoy lunch. The museum was designed by architect Frank, in what he called “dancing under the oaks,” and the galleries are ladened with Ohr’s work and that of other interesting artists. There is a new piece of sculpture on the front lawn by Vivien Collens, called “Blue Circuit,” which is worth a good look. The third Thursday of each month is After Hours, featuring music, drink and good food. The Ohr is also hosting a growing number of classes and concerts from beer making class, to an outside gumbo class is coming soon. There's plenty to see and do, but don’t forget to visit Makin’ Groceries Café and all it has to offer. The General Tso dish typically consists of chicken, but Turner makes it with cauliflower and bok choy. The shepherd’s pie, a classic English comfort food dish, is made with lentils, a protein-packed meat alternative. The enchiladas are stuffed with sweet potatoes and black beans, both mineral and vitamin-rich sources of protein. On my last visit, the cold case was stocked with chocolate mousse pie, Thai quinoa salad, parfait and truffle pesto hummus. It's as creative a menu as you will find anywhere. Lauren Turner offers take home meals, where for a reasonable price you can serve your family tomato pie, yellow vegetable curry, red beans and vegan sausage, to mention just a few possibilities. Turner also offers a daily hot plate special that is just $8.00, a deal that’s hard to beat along the Coast. General Tso was the special on the day of my visit. Tuesday is Taco Tuesday, Wednesday is spinach and mushroom stuffed spaghetti squash and Friday is sweet potato and black bean enchilada. The menu also features breakfast snacks, soups and desserts. George Ohr was all about being unconventional and very creative at the same time, and Lauren Turner’s Makin’ Groceries, fits in perfectly. Head to the Ohr for a day's outing and discover the fresh and nutritious eats at the café.

By Julian Brunt In 2015, I was driving on Porter Avenue in Ocean Springs and saw a sign on the side of the road. It said “Coffee, Biscuits, Beer and Friends.” The sign was just too Southern to ignore, so I pulled over, parked and went inside. I had a feeling that this was going to be my kind of place and never did I have a more providential thought in my life. The Greenhouse on Porter is a very special place indeed. Writing about restaurants and food culture in Mississippi and the Deep South keeps me busy and constantly on the lookout for interesting places. I thought that the Greenhouse might make a good story, but it turned out to be a lot more than a story I would write about once and then just file away. This place was funky and sells homemade biscuits, but not like the ones Mom used to make. I found that they offered a biscuit special every day, one sweet and one savory. There was a sweet potato biscuit with homemade pimento and cheese, a lox biscuit with pickled onion, capers and a house made spread called “fluff” and a handful of other biscuit variations. But there was more to this place than just biscuits. I started coming on a regular basis, meeting new friends and attending events like trivia, bingo, poetry night and weekend music concerts. The Greenhouse slowly became my home away from home; a place to visit but also a place to bring the laptop and get some work done. It just seemed to get better and better. It is an old greenhouse, and when owners first found it, it was weed-filled, run down and in need of a lot of love. Jessie Zenor and Kait Sukiennik were not even looking for a business venture, but once they walked in the door the wheels began to turn. Kait had always wanted to learn how to make biscuits and Jessie was a coffee barista waiting to happen. You would have to see Kait and Jessie brainstorm to truly understand how these two connect. When they stand toe to toe and start throwing ideas at each other, magic happens, and that is the only way I know to describe the Greenhouse: pure magic. Jessie and Kait got the old greenhouse cleaned up, tables and chairs were bought, benches made. The counter in front of the kitchen came together, as did the menu, but most importantly was the concept. This was a place for the community to enjoy and everyone was going to be welcomed here. In fact, they had bumper stickers printed that said simply, “Everyone,” and they meant it. To this day, you will find not only people from around the country, but people from around the world and from every community as well. Success did not come quickly, but as the community began to realize what a jewel the Greenhouse was, business picked up. I can say in all honesty that I have met more interesting people at the Greenhouse than I have met any place in the world that I have visited. Perhaps the first interesting person I met there was a British doctor that had shipped an old BMW motorcycle to Venezuela and rode it to Alaska, stopping in Ocean Springs along the way. How about Cyan? A lovely young lady with a degree in genetics, who is also one of the most interesting and accomplished writers I have ever met. She has been published in magazines like the Harvard Review and calls herself a “freelance science communication specialist”. Zaba is a geologist who was working for the Gulf Coast Research Lab when she first walked in the door of the Greenhouse. I meet a Turkish couple there that was touring the USA on bicycles- not the touring kind, the Wal-Mart kind. Then I met the young lady who was studying Irish dance and I will never forget the time she gave an impromptu demonstration in the middle of the Greenhouse. What a delight! I would be remiss if I did not mention Captain Jack, a retired captain of ocean-going vessels that was once captured on the Niger River in Africa by terrorist and held captive. I could go on and on, but let me just say this: if you go to the Greenhouse, when the door opens and someone walks in, you better look up. There is no telling just who it might be. Let me give you an idea on what other people think about this profoundly special place. Corey Christy is the outreach coordinator at Maritime and Seafood Industry Museum in Biloxi. He is a regular at the Greenhouse as a patron and as a musician. Corey has been friends with Jessie and Kait since before the Greenhouse opened and has watched the dream materialize. He says, “It really does feel like a family. Every time you go you are going to meet someone you have never met before and the people you do meet are willing to share ideas and stories. The Greenhouse just feels like Ocean Springs, and no other place has the vibe or the diversity that this place does.” Mick Hartsfield, a U.S. Army veteran, Vietnam combat helicopter pilot, graphic artist and casino administrator said many of the same things about the Greenhouse as Corey. “The Greenhouse provides a sense of community, a diverse crowd that joins together that can be magic. There was a time when Symone French (a jazz singer from Mobile) played inside because of rain and it was as intimate a moment as I have had anywhere in the world, with a crowd that was as different as could be. The Greenhouse is the local coffee shop you have dreamed of and the hotspot nightclub where you want to be Friday night.” Scotty Leatherman is a world traveling tennis professional, historian of some note and a daily regular at the Greenhouse. He says, “From the beginning, Kait and Jessie were more interested in creating a community than just a coffee shop. They wanted a place where they could blend art and music and people in a way that could only be done in Ocean Springs.” Symone French, the afore mentioned jazz singer who performs often at the Greenhouse says, “There are so many things that makes the Greenhouse special, but the number one reason is simple: the people. From Jessie and Kait to the patrons... the GH wouldn’t shine quite as bright without the wonderful people involved.” There is now also a Greenhouse location in Biloxi. There are a lot of ways I could end this story, but I can’t think of a better one than sharing with you the Greenhouse recipe for biscuits: Greenhouse on Porter Biscuits 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 tablespoon baking powder ¾ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon black pepper ½ cup cold butter 1 cup full fat buttermilk Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a large bowl, add and mix together all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt and black pepper. Chop butter into half inch cubes. Using your fingers, squish the butter into the flour mixture until the largest pieces are about the size of peas. Stir in buttermilk, mixing only until the dough comes together. Be careful not to over work the biscuit dough. Dump dough onto a floured surface and roughly shape into a square about an inch thick. Cut into nine pieces. Place on a parchment lined pan and bake until golden, about 10 minutes. Serve with any topping you dream up. Greenhouse on Porter 404 Porter Ave, Ocean Springs (228) 238-5680

By Susan Marquez What does caramel icing and furniture shopping have in common? Everything, when it comes to the deep caramel color of Primos’ caramel icing. A woman once took a tub of the icing into a local furniture store, wanting a leather recliner for her husband in that same rich color. Primos Café has long been an institution in the Jackson area. Originally opened by Angelo “Pop” Primos, a Greek immigrant baker, in the 1920s. Today, Pop’s grandson, Don Primos, owns the restaurants, now located in Madison, Ridgeland and Flowood, maintaining the standard of excellence created his grandfather. One of the favorites at Primos Café throughout the years has been their delicious caramel cake. “My mother, Mary Ann, would visit her college roommate’s family, the Gammons, in Como, Mississippi,” says Don. “Mrs. Gammon always served her fabulous caramel cake. My mother mastered the art of Mrs. Gammon’s cake and made it for us often. My father wanted to start serving slices of layered cakes at Primos Northgate in Jackson. Around 1983, my mother and my wife, Virginia, would make six or seven different layer cakes at home, one at a time, and bring them to Northgate to sell.” Eventually, the restaurant hired another baker at Northgate and “the girls” were off the hook. “The caramel cake has always been a favorite,” says Don. “The baker, Joann Grayson, started making one cake at a time, then three at a time and eventually began producing the distinctive caramel icing in bulk. Our recipe now is the result of much tweaking. It is the perfect ‘brownness,’ a deep caramel color that’s just before being overcooked. It’s always creamy and never too sugary or grainy. Our icing is made in-house, with pure butter, cream and love – no substitutes!” Primos began selling the icing online though the Primos online Bake Shop in November 2016. “People use it to ice cupcakes, for caramel apples, as a fruit dip, with ice cream or even as a snack on its own.” Another popular product Primos sells online is cheese straws. “We even have cheese bursts, which are equally delicious and beautiful on cheese platters,” says Don. The cheese straws became popular in 1970, when Don’s father, Kenneth Primos, was looking for a cheese straw he could use for parties and receptions held at Northgate’s banquet facilities. “He researched and developed our recipe,” says Don. “Customers began asking for them, so he began selling them in the Primos Deli.” The cheese straws were originally made using Wearever aluminum cookie guns. “We used those for years, and every time one broke, my dad would fix it, creating parts when needed,” says Don. “He did that until he could no longer fix the cookie guns, and he was unable to replace them.” When Primos opened the Flowood location on Lakeland Drive, the demand for cheese straws grew and Don sourced an extruder to create the cheese straws using the same recipe. The popular starburst-shaped cheese bursts were added at that time, providing a perfect bite-sized version of the spicy original cheese straws. A perfect addition to any party table, the cheese straws look pretty while providing a satisfying crunch and touch of spice. Primos recommends heating them in a 350 degree oven for five to ten minutes before serving for maximum enjoyment. Don says approximately 1,800 pounds of the cheese straws and cheese bursts are sold each December. “They have become a staple at holiday parties and they have become a very welcomed gift.” The caramel icing as well as the cheese straws and cheese bursts are made by Primos employees at the restaurant’s central bakery, located behind the Primos Café on Lakeland Drive. The products are shipped nationwide through primosbakeshop.com.

By Jay Reed It was early February when Welcome Home Beef opened its doors in Starkville. Barely a month later, the country was in full-fledged pandemic mode. Restaurants were either closing or transitioning to curbside, and locals who might normally be eating out several times a week were barely leaving their homes. Thankfully, buying food was declared essential. And for food lovers who found themselves with lots of extra time while working (or not) from home, Starkville’s new “beef boutique” was there to help. That’s not their official marketing moniker, but it fits. A boutique is defined as a small specialized business, and for the Sanders family - siblings Scott, Leslie, Will and mom Linda - that business is beef. One day, says Scott Sanders, they want to be a “meat boutique.” They’ve already added pork from the other end of University Drive at Mississippi State, and hope to expand their options even further in the coming months. But the beef is the star, with seventeen different cuts of steak, four kinds of roasts, ground beef, brisket, even tongue and cheek. The Sanders family has been in the cattle business for a long time. More than once, David Sanders (the patriarch of the family) had considered the idea of opening a retail store to sell beef. After he passed away in early 2019, his kids took over the cattle sales business. Leslie and Will handle much of the retail side, while Scott deals with the cows. Scott is also an educator. He can get as deep in the details as you want when talking about cuts of beef, factors in raising cattle, even economics - and those are key things to know for a niche business like this. He points out two primary components that are required to have good quality beef: marbling and some age. In the midst of all that knowledge, however, it’s really all about the taste. And that’s what it’s all about for return customers, too. One gentleman came back in the store raving about a roast, saying, “I haven’t had a roast like that since the 70s.” The Sanders will tell you their goal is not necessarily to make the beef taste “better,” but to make it taste like it did 30 years ago. How did that happen? It wasn’t a flux capacitor in a DeLorean; it was a trip to Nebraska. Scott was there looking for new places to feed cattle and happened upon a farmer whose cows seemed different. It was July and the cattle were playful, had clarity in their eyes and just looked natural. He asked what made them so unique, and the farmer told him they didn’t allow hormones in his feed yard. In fact, most of the feed was grown within a mile of where they were fed. Scott said, “I bet your meat is just fantastic,” and the farmer said, “Let’s go to the house and get some.” And they did. Scott went back to his hotel with sirloins and burgers taken from the freezer and cooked them on a burner. Everything was delicious. He called home and said, “I found our new thing.” Back in Starkville, the family sat down and came up with a plan: buy the cattle here in the south, feed them in Nebraska, get them processed and sell the beef here. One option would have been to supply the common retail cuts of beef: rib eyes, filets, roasts and burgers. But that’s not what they wanted to be. The real goal was to be a vertically integrated source of beef and know everyone involved in the process; a longer process than the average steak aficionado might realize. Plus, there are so many other great cuts that don’t get the same press as, say, a filet mignon. Most eaters know about New York strips, rump roasts, briskets, maybe even London broil. For many, however, the words picanha, shoulder clod, and teres major seem like a foreign language. When it comes to favorites, Scott likes the diversity of the hanger steak: “It’s delicious, it’s tender, it’s fun to cook. You can put it on a taco, you can throw it on the grill and eat it with a baked potato, you can make beef tips out of it - there’s a lot of different things.” Leslie admitted that she was very traditional. “It used to be a filet, but now it’s a ribeye - it really is. They just have a great taste.” Mark Coblentz, Starkville’s teen celebrity chef, has travelled from coast to coast and ranks the steaks from Welcome Home Beef up there with the best: “They have a beefy flavor that I like to highlight, not hide with a marinade.” Coblentz is also a fan of the ground beef, noting that the burgers taste like steak. That’s because they are. Scott explained that a higher than average percentage of the ground beef they sell is from those 17 cuts of steak from the whole cow, not just the usual lean trimmings. That also reduces shrinkage. “When you take our eight-ounce patties and throw them on that skillet, when they’re done, they’re still bigger than that bun you’re going to put them on.” Kinzie Brown and her family were new to Starkville, arriving shortly before things went viral, at about the same time as Welcome Home Beef’s grand opening. Nice dinners at home were taking the place of meals out, and the grown-ups often enjoyed filet mignon. But the kids kept saying, “Can I have a bite?” The Sanders suggested the bistro filet for the kids: similar but less expensive. Little did they know that all the Browns would end up eating that cut. Kinzie said, “The bistro filets were just as tender, just as flavorful - buttery, and so good, we love it.” Welcome Home Beef has become their one stop meat shop. Chances are good that it will become the same for many. Welcome Home Beef 329 University Dr. Starkville, MS 37521 662-769-1412 Twitter: @beefhome Instagram/Facebook: @welcomehomebeef

By Julian Brunt Bay St Louis is popping at the seams. The weekend streets are crowded, it is not always easy to find a parking place, and shops, bars and restaurants are working overtime. There is so much to see and do in this little seaside town of about 13,000, but for me, there is only one choice when I am dining in The Bay, and that is Field’s Steak and Oyster Bar. The restaurant is pleasant, with high ceilings, lots of wood and the bar is obviously a local hangout, but the reason I always stop here is Chef de Cuisine, Lauren Joffrion. This up and coming young she is absolutely on fire. Every dish that comes through her pass is beautifully plated, imaginative and delicious. The menu, which changes three times a year, does not get lost in a hodgepodge that tries to cover too many bases; it has focus, with heavy emphasis on local seafood and culinary traditions, but bold enough to be decadent, in a refined way. When I visited for this story, I tried something from the du jour menu and am still reeling over it: an amazing (large) crab cake, topped with a perfectly fried soft-shell crab, on a bed of collards (oh, those collards!) and served with a homemade remoulade. I love the pairings, but what really struck me was the attention that was paid to each ingredient. The crab cake, which had only enough breading to hold it together, was perhaps the best I have ever had. That would have been good enough to make the dish remarkable. But the soft-shell crab was perfect, crunchy yet still moist, too. I think what really got my attention was the greens. I am a collard green snob, to be sure, and Chef Lauren could have taken a short cut or two and this would still have been a great meal, but no, those greens were seriously good! What about the remoulade, you ask? Man, just get out of the way and give me a spoon! Chef Lauren says she is, “Trying to impress local palates with interesting dishes they have never tried before, serving food that can only be found at Field's.” I think that there is no question that she has been successful. But she is modest with the success she has found and gives a lot of credit to her sous chef, Wayne Berthelot, another chef with the potential to go to places. Best sellers at Field’s include the “Fork and Knife Burger”, with a flaming bordelaise sauce applied at the table, the “Double Smash Burger”, seafood nachos, and the gumbo, made with shrimp and crab, green onion sausage and a very dark roux. Other dishes that stood out were the steak po-boy, and the Chef’s Hand Cuts, all 28-day aged, hand cut, cast iron seared beef topped with wagyu butter, smoked rosemary and pepper crusted. Wow! Field's Steak and Oyster Bar is worth a drive from anywhere in the state. Stay a day or two in this quaint little city, I think you will fall in love with it, and, of course, Field's. Field's Steak and Oyster Bar 111 Main Street, Bay Saint Louis (228) 231-1972

By Divian Conner When my kids were younger, they loved the idea of taking lunches to school and of course, I loved making school lunches. The euphoria when walking the grocery store and choosing items for the week’s upcoming lunches was thrilling to me. All of the endless varieties of snacks coupled with super cute lunch box accessories made my heart flutter. I would get the occasional side eye from my children when I would eagerly tell them about the animal toothpicks I had purchased or the rainbow silicone cupcake liners that were just the best. Even though they were not as excited as I was about what went into making their lunches, they were certainly excited to take them to school. With the past year spent in a virtual learning environment, I am most excited about getting back into the swing of things and to make more amazing lunches for the last two peas of my pod and creating even more unforgettable memories. Chinese Bakery-Style Hot Dog Crescent or pizza dough Hot dogs of choice Shredded cheese of choice Wrap each hot dog with a thick layer of the dough. Using a knife, cut through the wrapped hot dog without slicing completely to the other side of the dough. Make sure the hot dog is sliced completely, just not through the other side of the dough. Once sliced, turn each slice under to face upward, arranging into shape. Place on greased baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees until golden. Add cheese and bake for until melted. Remove and allow to cool. Serve with toppings of your choice. We love ketchup! Japanese Katsu Sandwich Thick-cut pork cutlets Italian-seasoned panko breadcrumbs Salt and pepper, to taste 2 eggs, beaten 1 cup all-purpose flour Hawaiian sandwich bread Tonkatsu sauce (recipe included below) Red cabbage coleslaw (recipe included below) Sprinkle bread crumbs on a baking sheet and bake until browned. Season pork cutlets with salt and pepper to taste. Coat lightly in flour, then dip to coat with the beaten eggs. Make sure all sides are coated. Dip into the toasted bread crumbs, make sure the entire cutlet is covered, patting the bread crumbs down onto the cutlet. Place on a non-stick baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes or longer, depending on size of the cutlets. Cut the edges from the bread and spread one slice with Tonkatsu sauce. Top the other slice with the red cabbage coleslaw and place cooked cutlet on top. Slice in half and serve. Tonkatsu Sauce 2 teaspoons oyster sauce 1 tablespoon ketchup 1 teaspoon sugar 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce Mix well. Refrigerate leftover sauce. Red Cabbage Cole Slaw 1 cup of shredded red cabbage 2 tablespoon mayo ½ teaspoon sugar ½ -1 tablespoon rice vinegar Salt and pepper, to taste Mix well and serve chilled. Sweet Chili Noodles Cooked Udon noodles 3 tablespoons soy sauce 2 tablespoons honey 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce 2 teaspoons sriracha 1 teaspoon sesame oil Dried seaweed and sesame seeds to garnish (optional) Mix all liquid ingredients together and pour over cooked noodles. Coat noodles evenly and sprinkle with a mixture of chopped dried seaweed and sesame seeds.

By Brandi Perry Cammack and Cain Roberds had always loved good beer and being out on the water on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Their love for beer started in the 1990s, and that desire to find the best craft beer led them down the road of homebrewing. The idea for Chandeleur Island Brewing was born. But after their contractor business built two breweries in Alabama, it was not long before they realized it was definitely the right time to bring their longtime dream to life. Fast forward to December 2013, and the men had decided to partner up on this dream and bought a historic building in downtown Gulfport. By autumn of 2014, construction was underway, and their dream was slowly becoming a reality. Being contractors, they got the construction work done in about three months and were brewing their first beer by years end of 2014. Chandeleur Brewing quickly became a fan favorite not only on the Gulf coast but throughout the state, and for good reason. They are easily making some of the best beer in the southeast, a testament to years of trial and error and the inherent flavors of the Mississippi Gulf Coast. But the Roberds were focused on more than just making good beer. They wanted to give back to the water, marine life, and islands they grew up enjoying. The namesake of the brewing company is a chain of uninhabited barrier islands that stretch approximately 50 miles in the Gulf of Mexico. Created nearly 2000 years ago and named by explorer Pierre Le Moyne d’Iberville when he christened them in 1700, the islands have always been a popular spot for boating and fishing. Fishermen from all over the country come to the islands to hook one of their world-famous redfish or speckled trout. Chandeleur Brewing partnered with Mississippi State University’s Marine Fisheries Ecology Program to create a beer that can give back with every purchase. The result was Shark Tracker Wheat Ale that is perfect to fight that summertime heat. Every purchase helps support the Great Hammerhead Shark Tracking efforts in the Gulf of Mexico. It is safe to say there is not a more recognizable shark in the gulf than the hammerhead. These amazing sea creatures make round-trip migrations each year that total 2,000 miles. Sadly, these sharks are considered critically endangered, and their population in the United States is currently unknown. That is where Chandeleur Brewing comes in: a portion of the proceeds from the Shark Tracker beer supports hammerhead satellite tagging projects which will provide critical data for future conservation and management. To say the brewery and the brother are dedicated to conservation would be an understatement because the hammerhead tracking is not the only collaboration they invest in. The brewery also partners with the Mississippi Aquarium and has released a Conservation Beer Series. There are only seven species of sea turtles in the world, and most of them are threatened with extinction. One such turtle is Kemp’s Ridley. The Kemp’s Conservator Munich Dunkel is a beer that is fighting for these beautiful turtles. Proceeds from their sales will go directly towards the Mississippi Aquarium’s research and conservation efforts for the Kemp’s Ridley. The second brew in the conservation series was Croctober Fest Marzen Lager. There are 24 species of crocodiles in the world, and many of them are critically endangered. In the southeast, the American alligator was a success story as far as conservation goes. The American crocodile can be found around south Florida and continues to be an endangered and vulnerable species. There is no doubt that Chandeleur Island Brewing is producing the best beer on the coast. Regardless of what your beer preferences are, you can find it in their taproom. Located less than a quarter-mile from the same waters that inspired the tastes, smells and relaxed feels that the brewery exhibits, their taproom menu truly has something for everyone. Lucky You (Nitro) is a stout and Irish dry. It’s the coffee that will get your motor going. Complete with roasted cacao and a nutty flavor, even non-coffee drinkers love this. A unique addition to Chandeleur’s tap list is hard seltzers. Staycation, Rosieon, Prick Off and Respect top off their unique hard sparkling water. H90 Surfside Pineapple Wheat, Sir Columbus II and Shark Tracker are on tap as their American pale wheat, followed by Elegant Plum as their Scotch Ale. If you enjoy golden ales or IPAs, they have them ready to serve too. One type of beer that is a little more unique than the others is fruited sours. The Lil’ Miss Sour is a tangerine sour ale, while the Don’t Whine-A-Melon is even more unique with watermelon and sea salt as their ingredients. A variety of beers can be found at any time in their cooler that may not be on tap. Even though tours of the brewery are temporarily on hold, there are still many ways that visitors can experience the brewery. Their taproom is always pet and family-friendly, and they are open seven days a week. Each day of the week there is a special group that receives a discount as a thank you for all they do. On Mondays, it is Military and First Responders Night, and they received 15% off. Trivia Night is from 6:30 to 8:30 pm. Tuesday is for those amazing teachers, and they also get 15% off. Wednesdays are dedicated to the Service Industry workers and Thursdays to Healthcare Heroes and game night. On Friday, new beers release, and visitors will find live music on Saturdays from 3 to 6 pm and 7 to 10 pm, and on Sundays from 3 to 6 pm. A trip to Gulfport and Chandeleur Island Brewing is a must. Regardless of what beer you prefer, you will find that each has the flavors of the Mississippi Gulf Coast and the hard work. Opened seven days a week, you can visit on weekdays from 1 to 9 pm, Friday from 12 to 10 pm, Saturday from 11 am to 10 pm, and Sunday from 11 am to 7 pm. They are located at 2711 14th Street in Historic Downtown Gulfport. If you have questions before you visit, give them a call at 228-701-9985.

By Brandi Perry In downtown Hattiesburg stands a very unassuming building that at first glance can be easily ignored. But locals and tourists alike come to the Hub City to see what all the fuss is about at Coney Island Café. What they find is a historic eatery with a storied past that nearly has a cult following. Coney Island Café, at 400 North Main Street, is one of the most iconic restaurants in the state and the one that has been selling hot dogs longer than any other restaurant in Mississippi. The café’s hot dogs are unique because they come with chili being their main topping, followed by pickles. The combination of their tangy homemade chili and the saltiness of the pickles set this hotdog aside from any you will find in the Magnolia State. The mustard and onions accentuate the delicious uniqueness of the meal, leaving visitors feeling as if they were eating something that had been served for many years, and they could not be more correct. But the hot dogs are only the beginning of their extensive and delicious menu. Opened originally as a fruit stand, this renowned blast from the past diner has been around since 1923. Arthur Fokakis, who came to the United States from Greece in 1919, operated the business as a fruit stand until he transitioned it to become a short-order café that served hot dogs, hamburgers and homemade curly fries for breakfast. The menu has not changed much since that first meal was served, and for the regulars, they are perfectly fine with this. Even more amazing than their longevity and delicious foods is the fact that the Fokakis family has owned it since day one. Sadly, there was a time when the future of the café was unknown. Third-generation owner Billy Fokakis closed the restaurant when he received his diagnosis of cancer. It was the first time in 94 years that the restaurant stood in the dark. Even though locals were aware of his condition, they were still shocked and saddened to see the doors closed and locked and the future of the café hanging in the balance. Until that heartbreaking day, Billy had not missed a day of work since taking over the business from his father in 1984. That closed door represented 33 years of 6 am to 3 pm every weekday. That was not only a nod to the dedication to the family to provide a delicious and consistent product to the residents of Hattiesburg, but also the love and passion he had for the customers and employees. Remarkably, the café did not stay dark for long before Robert St. John, a regular at the café and restaurant owner himself, asked his restaurant group, New South, to figure out a way they could help. They decided on a fundraiser to help pay Fokakis’ medical expenses. The plan was simple: the group would host three meals in one day at the restaurant and host a concert in the parking lot. No one could have been prepared for the response of locals, regulars and even out-of-towners flocking to downtown Hattiesburg to help a man they had never met. Sadly, Billy lost his battle not long after the event, and the future of Coney Island Café was unknown. It did not take long for Billy’s children Kayla and BJ to decide what they must do. The lights came back on, the doors unlocked and the fourth generation Fokakis’ are running out of food every day no matter how many customers they prepare for. You can’t miss the turn of the century building with the University of Southern Mississippi mural in Historic Downtown Hattiesburg. However, it’s when you enter the door, and you are instantly hit with nearly 100 years of memories, flavors and hospitality you realize the reason for their longevity. The welcome you will receive from the staff and BJ or Kayla is something you will not find in many places. The hamburgers are cooked on a well-seasoned griddle that allowed the edges of the hand-formed meat to have a nice crispy crust. Even though it is the hotdog that everyone flocks here for, it is important to note that their burger is one of 33 that have made Visit Hattiesburg’s HattiesBurger Trail, a culinary tourism nod to some of the best hamburgers in the Hub City. The old-fashioned cheeseburger with chili will take you back to yesteryear with a simply unmatched flavor. The homemade Curly “Q” fries have stood the test of time and should be a required order from everyone that enters the restaurant. Regardless of what you order, the flavor brings back memories of your childhood and the old-time diner that may have called your hometown home. These unique and now rare locations contain all the flavors of a community, from the people to the history and beyond. The nostalgia that embraces this restaurant must be experienced. From the historic photographs to the unique menu items, this spot must be on your bucket list. If Coney Island Café can teach us one thing, it would be that you never know what you have until it is gone. There was a very real possibility that this historic restaurant would not get to experience its 100th anniversary and even though everyone is aware that life throws some strange curveballs, it seems as though this centennial will actually come to fruition. With the fourth generation going strong to keep the café everything it is known for, there is no doubt that the love, hard work and spirit of the past generations are pushing them to many more anniversary celebrations. Coney Island Café is located at 400 Main Street in Historic Downtown Hattiesburg. Serving breakfast and lunch, visitors can experience it every weekday from 6 am to 2 pm. If you need to get in touch with them before visiting, please call 601-582-8513. After one visit, we can guarantee you will be counting down the days until you can visit the restaurant again.

By Paige McKay What started off as just a hobby has since turned into a full-time cake and baked goods business. For Morgan Hartley, founder of Charmed Cakes, baking cakes and sweets is an around-the-clock gig that’s done out of her home. Whether it’s a wedding cake, a birthday cake, cookies or cupcakes for any occasion, Hartley can pretty much do it all. Hartley stays busy throughout the year creating stunning wedding cakes and birthday cakes for people around the Jackson metro area. Whether you need a cake for a small wedding of 35 or a large wedding of 300, she can get it done. She can even do beautiful and extravagant cakes for any kind of groom: a duck hunter, a Mississippi State fan or a golf fanatic. For brides and grooms, Hartley offers sample platters of cake flavors of your choosing so that you’re able to taste your cake and icing flavor choices before committing to a flavor. Couples get to pick four cakes and four icing flavors to taste, and it makes for the perfect cake tasting session leading up to the big day. Along with wedding cakes, Hartley also creates beautiful birthday cakes that are custom made to match almost any theme you can think of. Her past work includes a TikTok themed cake, a Harry Styles cake, a JoJo Siwa cake, a Fortnite cake and everything in between. If classic cakes are more your style, opt for the classic white buttercream cakes with roses made of icing. No matter what your dream or vision is, Hartley is sure to make it come to life in the form of a beautiful, delicious cake. What sets Hartley apart from other bakers and bakeries is her use of all kinds of buttercream icing flavors and her vast variety of cake flavors. Charmed Cakes offers a whopping 20 flavors of cake with classics like French vanilla, chocolate, almond and red velvet, as well as other unique flavors like Oreo cake, coconut cream, cinnamon spice, blueberry cream, chocolate cinnamon and peanut butter silk cake. Complete your favorite cake flavor with one of 23 buttercream icing flavors that range from the classic cream cheese buttercream to chocolate, almond, Biscoff Cookie, peanut butter, cream bouquet, toasted marshmallow, cookie dough and even Nutella buttercream. Charmed Cakes also offers several specialty cakes. The popular Reese’s Cake is a chocolate cake with peanut butter buttercream icing and chopped Reese’s between each cake layer. It’s topped with even more Reese’s cups and a chocolate drizzle that’s perfect for any peanut butter and chocolate liver. Or, opt for a S’more’s Cake, Snickers Cake, Blueberry Lemon Cake or Oreo Cookies and Cream Cake—an Oreo cake covered in Oreo cream cheese buttercream icing, chopped Oreos between each layer, and topped with more Oreos and chocolate drizzle. If cupcakes or cookies are more your speed, Charmed Cakes has you covered. You can get any of the cake and icing flavors made into cupcakes, and Hartley can work her magic to create all kinds of decorative cookies for any occasion. Charmed Cakes has taken off tremendously in the last couple years, and Hartley is constantly busy with cakes and cookies for every occasion under the sun. If you’d like to use Charmed Cakes for your next event, be sure to contact Hartley early as she is the only person behind her business. She runs a one-man show on top of being a wife and a mom, which is no small feat, so it’s important to get your orders in as soon as possible. Hartley also offers technique and cake decorating classes throughout the year, and you can keep up with those dates and offerings through the Charmed Cakes Facebook page. To check out her work, visit @charmedcakes on Instagram or facebook.com/charmedcake. Customers can also find a link to order on her Facebook page.

By Susan Marquez All images from RemingtonLottFarms.com When you think of a special meal, steak usually comes to mind. Steak is the food of celebrations. Other cuts of beef are used in the menu staples we eat every day: hamburgers, spaghetti, beef stew, tacos and more. Most folks are used to picking up their beef and pork from the grocery store, however Greg Lott is hoping to change that with Remington-Lott Farms. Folks in the metro-Jackson area now have a different way to buy meat, thanks to a chance meeting between Jim Rowell and Greg Lott. “I’ve been in the cattle business for years,” says Greg. “Jim and his family moved their farm to the Canton area, near my family’s farm. We started talking and decided to form a partnership.” Remington-Lott Farms began selling meat at the Mississippi Farmers Market on High Street in Jackson in February 2015, just in time for the Dixie National Rodeo. “We had lots of beautiful beef for sale, and our very first customer came up and asked us if we had any bones for sale,” recalls Greg. “She bought a whole bag of bones to make beef broth. That was our first sale!” As people learned that the beef sold by Remington-Lott Farms was superior to the beef they were used to buying at the grocery store, the sales at the farmers’ market soared. “We dry age our beef for 18 to 21 days,” says Greg. “That makes for a better tasting cut of beef. Our beef is also raised with no hormones and we package it with no preservatives. Plus, people like to know where their food comes from. This beef is one hundred percent born and raised in Canton.” As their customer base grew, the company decided to open a retail location in Gluckstadt. That was followed by three other locations in Flowood, Clinton and Ridgeland. The meat can be sold in smaller portions, but the CSA (commercially supported agriculture) model has been the most popular. “We sell either a half or a whole share of beef,” explains Chelsie Eaves, who is the granddaughter of Jim Rowell. “Unlike a lot of other farmers who have crops that only grow a certain time of year, we can raise, and sell, beef all year. Our CSA is for three-month increments.” The half share sells for $60 a month, or $180 total. Each month customers get six to seven pounds of premium grass-fed beef, including ground beef, and a variety of sirloin strips, stew meat and if they would like, pork raised in Carroll County. The whole share sells for $110/month, or $330. That is twelve to thirteen pounds of beef a month, or a mix of beef and pork. Premium cuts, such as filets, ribeye, porterhouse or T-bone steaks can be added to the order for an extra charge. Other products sold in the retail stores include ground brisket, smoked beef sausage and beef bacon. “The bacon is so good, I sometimes eat it on crackers,” says Chelsie. The company’s newest product is an all-beef tamale. “We have them made at Tony’s Tamales in Bentonia,” says Greg. Chelsie says her grandfather is 95 years old and still working in the cattle business. “He was so excited that we got into this business,” she says. “And he’s excited that we can share this delicious beef with others. What we are doing is taking beef back to the way it was in the good ol’ days! To me, there is simply no taste comparison. The flavor and quality are incredible. Our customers tell us that once they taste the difference, they can’t go back to grocery store meat!” Greg says the company offers gift cards for sale at the retail locations and online. “It’s hard to find the right gift for someone who seems to have everything. But anyone would enjoy some nice steaks!”

By Brandi Perry Brooksville, Mississippi, a small farming town of a little more than 1,000, is located on Highway 45, just half an hour from Starkville. But, for nearly 40 years, this blink-of-an-eye town has been home to one of the most popular bakeries in the entire Magnolia State. The Ole Country Bakery started making its mark on the world in 1981, creating a reputation that preceded them throughout the Southeast. During the fall, football fans throughout the south embark on game day road trips to both Mississippi State, Ole Miss and even Tuscaloosa just an hour away. Many of those road trips are timed just right so that a stop in Brooksville is possible. Coffee, baked goods and sweet southern hospitality were just a few of things visitors expected when they entered the doors. The cool winds of fall seem to blow a little colder across the open fields in Brooksville but once you enter the bakery, warmth quickly follows. Shelia Decker and her family called western Kansas home but had relatives in the Macon area. "Every trip we made to Mississippi; my husband would say if that bakery ever came up for sale, he wanted a chance to own it," she stated. "But I wasn't sure that would ever actually happen." But, in November 2011, the couple opened the doors of the bakery as the new owners and in turn, made a seemingly impossible dream a reality. As excited as they were about their new adventure, the Decker's were still a little hesitant as to what their first move would be. "We were told very early on that people in the south don't like change," Decker answered with a smile. But change is inevitable even if it is small doses. The Decker's added new things to the menu and also extended their bakery line but there was no argument from the regulars or the visitors. One major change that occurred in the kitchen was simply to ensure perfectly followed recipes. All the measurements in the kitchen were in cups, but the Decker's decided it would be easier to transition to measuring in weight. "You can send any girl to the kitchen and tell them to measure five pounds of flour and it'll be exactly five pounds. But, if you were to tell them to measure a cup of flour, you're going to get a variety of loose cups and packed cups. This way, there's no discrepancies in our recipes, ever," explained Decker. Today, the Decker's have a well-oiled system that works perfectly. Each item is made fresh daily, with some workers arriving at four in the morning to make sure the daily dough making is done. It's no secret that the Ole Country Bakery is a special place but one reason all their items taste so good may be because they do not use any preservatives. Because of this, the shelf life of the homemade items may not have the shelf life of what you find in your local grocery, but the taste and quality alone will make up for those extra couple of days. In addition, they try to locally source as much as they can. The pecans for their specialty items come from a Brooksville local, the ham from West Point and the milk from Beason Family Farm in Philadelphia, where all their dairy products are pasteurized, not homogenized. The fall and winter seasons bring special items to the menu at the bakery. Fruit cakes and orange slice cakes are already on the shelves, as well as pumpkin bread and pumpkin cream cheese rolls. You will always find plenty of pies and decorated cookies closer to the holidays. Today, their Amish bread is hands down their best-seller, but their pies and caramel cakes run a close second. Before moving to Mississippi, Decker had never even heard of a caramel cake, but she quickly learned how to make the southern favorite. Now, she can barely keep it on her shelves. Breakfast is not the only time you can enjoy visiting the Ole Country Bakery. Lunch is served every day, and Sunday and includes deli sandwiches, salads and soups. These items were also very popular in the middle of the COVID-19 statewide lockdown because the bakery stepped in and acted somewhat as grocery store where the locals could get lunch, milk, bread and other necessary staples. Several varieties of frozen casseroles that are large enough to feed the whole family are also available in the frozen section, giving families an opportunity for a delicious yet easy meal. For nearly 40 years, the community has supported the bakery and helped establish its special reputation. During the lockdown, the bakery was able to return the favor and help the community through a difficult time. Open six days a week, there's a good chance you may meet Shelia Decker on one of your visits. But, she's the first to admit that she's much more comfortable in the kitchen with her hands in the dough. "Owning this bakery has made me get more involved out front and more comfortable with dealing with the public but I am definitely more comfortable in the back making dough," she remarked about her somewhat shy personality. When asked what legacy she hopes the bakery can leave behind, Decker said she hopes it will always be a family-owned bakery but she also hopes things are kept the way they are. "There's something special and rare about a bakery that still does everything by hand. I hope when it's our turn to pass the torch, that part of the business will always remain. We definitely feel like we took over someone else's hard work but we want to keep it like the previous owner had it, too," she remarked. In a world where everyone is looking forward to the next great advancement in technology, Decker and her family continue to push forward and put the goodness of hard work, love and a taste of the past in everything they make. If you find yourself within 100 miles of the Ole Country Bakery in Brooksville, take a detour! From the moment you step through the doors, you will be greeted with smiles, hellos and smells that will take you back to your grandmother's kitchen. Even though they are opened from 6 am to 5 pm Monday through Saturday, they are closed on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and New Year's. Make sure to call ahead to find out all about their holiday hours and specials. You can reach Shelia and her staff at (662) 738-5795.

By Brandi Perry Located just a couple of miles off Highway 61 and mere blocks from the churning Mississippi River stands a large, southern-style home perched high on a hill overlooking Adams Street in the Historic Olde Town Vicksburg. Long before this home was built or the world-renowned southern cuisine was served to thousands, the Spanish explored the area and called it “Nogales” for the many walnut trees that adorned the bluffs throughout the area. However, by the time the United States became a country in 1776, the area residents called it “Walnut Hills.” The town changed its name once again when founded in 1811 to Vicksburg. The handsome old house that bears the name of the original settlement was built in 1880 by the Rogers Family. Laying eyes on this marvelous piece of architecture just once keeps visitors remembering the wide porch, mismatched rocking chairs, the tall, shuttered windows and the pierced columns. But the strongest of all memories come when the first-time visitors sink their teeth into the delicious cayenne-laced fried chicken. When you step through the doors and here and creak of the floor under your steps, you are immediately taken back in time. There is no way around feeling as though you are miles away from your daily life when you enter the doors to a true Mississippi culinary adventure. The historic district home opened in 1980 as a round table restaurant. The state has seen very few of these types of establishments, and most have passed from existence. Walnut Hills was very similar to the old boarding house restaurants that became popular in Mississippi around the beginning of World War II. Patrons still have the opportunity to sit at a round table when they visit Walnut Hills. While seated, food arrives to guest in large portions, and the table is spun when someone wants a dish passed their way. One of the best reasons to sit at the round table is that guests may share a meal with someone they have never met, getting to extend courtesy and hospitality to each other while sharing in the south’s favorite pastime, eating. The secret behind the delicious food and 41 years is the longevity of their staff. Miss Herdcine Williams has been the chief cook at Walnut Hills for more than 30 years, and she is the second generation of family members to attribute to the success of this incredible restaurant. Miss Herdcine’s mother, Ms. Alma Robinson, made the salads and slaw every day at Walnut Hills until she retired at the age of 70. Her son, Xavier, has been serving there for more than 15 years, making him the third generation of the Williams Family to play such a critical in the restaurant. Beyond their place on the staff, they each have helped develop the extensive menu and contributed recipes to the community cookbook. For instance, Herdcine is the author of the recipes for the famous fried chicken, homemade biscuits, salad dressing and made from scratch cornbread. Owner Joyce Clingan’s specialties include cakes, pies, casseroles and potato rounds, all of which are favorites at Walnut Hills. In addition to southern cuisine, Walnut Hills also serves incredible steaks, seafood, po-boys and desserts that have won numerous awards. Some of the old favorites include the creole cream cheese cheesecake, the pecan praline pie, complete with pecan liquor, and the Nellie and Joe’s Key Lime Pie. If you want dessert, there is something for everyone! After a visit to Walnut Hills, it is easy to see why Delta Magazine awarded the restaurant the title of "Best Fried Chicken" and why they received a certificate of excellence from TripAdvisor. Additionally, they received Best Presentation at Taste of Mississippi in 2015, were named one of Mississippi’s 10 Best Restaurants by Culture Trip in 2015 and Deep South USA listed them as a top 10 places to eat in Mississippi. With all these awards and recognition, there is no wonder they have been featured on Good Morning America, Southern Living Magazine, 1000 Places to See Before You Die and Saveur Magazine, to name a few. Walnut Hills is so much more than just a popular restaurant. There are a couple of sister businesses on the property that deserve mentioning as well. The Nogales House at Walnut Hill, originally built in 1868, is a renovated home next door to the restaurant. This home serves as an event center that specializes in fine dining, a full bar and an extensive wine selection. They also pride themselves on making your private function a success while keeping it within the budget you established. Requests and reservations must be made ahead of the event. The Bakery at Walnut Hills serves freshly made cakes and pies, and guests can choose to have one piece or the entire dessert. The bakery recently unveiled four new delectable creations including, chocolate cake, lemon cake, red velvet cake and even homemade cheesecake. Guests who have previously visited Walnut Hills before may notice some changes upon a new visit. Extensive remodeling has been done to the property, including a new kitchen and a chef for the evening meals. However, regardless of any changes, the hospitality, delicious food and the longing to stay a little longer to experience the spectacular location remain. Take a second when you are nice and full and sit a spell in one of the famous unmatched rocking chairs on the front porch. There is no better way to let your food settle. When you have a chance to visit this Mississippi jewel for yourself, they are located at 1214 Adams Street in Vicksburg and are open Wednesday through Monday and closed on Tuesday. Their hours are 11 am to 2 pm on Sunday, and 11 am to 9 pm the remainder of the week. If you have questions about any of the three parts of Walnut Hills, please call (601) 638-4910. You can view all their delectable menu items and learn more about the restaurant and its colorful history at walnuthillsms.com. All photos in this article were taken by Dori Lowe of “Backroads and Burgers”

With tailgating season ahead, learn more about the history behind a classic handheld. By Julian Brunt There can be little doubt that the hamburger is the most iconic American food, and it is wildly loved around the world as well, with millions being served daily. But where did this steak between two slices of bread come from? Stories vary from convenience food served to workers during the Industrial Revolution to German restaurants in New York, Chicago or even a small town in Texas. But there is one fact that is absolute: it is another example of impoverished people doing what they can to get by on little or nothing. Is the hamburger really a food inspired by poverty? Yup, you can be sure of it. The wealthy were steak eaters, but the poor could not afford such an expensive cut of meat. The solution was simple: small cast-off pieces of meat trimmings were ground up and reformed into a patty. It looks like a steak, tastes good and is far more affordable. Poverty provokes ingenuity. Every town in the South has a burger place that the locals brag about. But when it comes to innovative ideas, burger makers just cannot be topped. Fine dining restaurants use Japanese wagyu beef for their patties, others top theirs with cave-aged Gruyère cheese, perhaps the king of all good melting cheeses, and there is a vast list of other toppings from bacon to fried pickles. More often than not, great burgers are vaunted just by word of mouth or social media. When a good burger is found, word gets out fast, and lines will form. But Hattiesburg, Mississippi, has created the Burger Trail to advertise the city's famous burgers, with dozens of places advertised to attract locals and visitors alike. It is a pretty cool idea. But just where can you find the best burger of all? It is pretty simple to break burgers down into two basic classes: homemade and restaurant-made. There are some pretty amazing burgers out there being made by professional chefs like the Land Mass Burger served at the sports bar at the Beau Rivage Resort and Casino in Biloxi. It is an award-winning burger created by executive chef Kristen Wade, made with a smoky, grilled double-patty, American cheese, Mississippi tomato fondue, caramelized onions, crispy bread and butter pickles, a succulent blend of New Orleans barbeque sauce and Alabama white sauce. All of that is topped with a fried oyster. It has got to make you wonder; just how many kinds of burgers are there in the restaurant world? In southern Mississippi, where I live, the po’boy is the most popular sandwich style and, as you might guess, hamburger po-boys are popular. My favorite comes from Fayard’s Marathon gas station on Washington Avenue in Ocean Springs. It is chargrilled and absolutely delicious, but I always order it with extra mayo. Any po’boy that does not require a handful of paper towels is just not up to snuff. The Ole Biloxi Fillin’ Station also has a famous chargrilled burger, The Main Street Burger, made with half a pound of Angus beef and a blend of locally known secret spices and comes fully dressed (meaning lettuce, tomato and pickles). In Ocean Springs, there is a food truck called the Burger Box, which is all about burgers, as the name implies. They have burgers such as the BBQ burger, made with Angus beef, lettuce, tomatoes, caramelized onions, bacon, pickles, cheddar cheese and BBQ sauce. They also serve The Showtime Burger, made with a half-pound Kobe Beef patty, Muenster cheese, hickory smoked bacon, fried pickles, tomatoes, onion and lettuce. My all-time favorite burger in the classic category comes from the Delta Corner in Indianola, Mississippi. It is a small, out-of-the-way restaurant famous for its fried chicken, but the burgers I have had there were sensational. I am not sure what makes this cheeseburger so good and can only guess it is the perfection of each ingredient. The bun is firm (I hate falling apart bread or buns) and tasty, the patty is hand-formed, perfectly seasoned and cooked, the pickles are crunchy. It must be magic. I have ordered the burger with a side of their famous pan gravy, which is typically served with their crazy good fried chicken, and although I get weird looks when I order it, it is a great combination. Just down the street is the Blue Biscuit, so ably run by my friend Trish Berry, and she makes a killer good double burger. Trish was Morgan Freeman’s personal chef for years, and it shows in the delicious food served at the Blue Biscuit. I could go on and on telling you about good restaurant burgers served in the South, but the very best burgers just might be the homemade variety. Restaurants have to make a profit and so must control food and operating costs, but the backyard griller does not have any restrictions. Here are a few suggestions: hands down, the best fire for grilling is made with hickory wood. It is hard to find in some places and takes a while to burn down to the red glowing coals perfect for grilling, but it is worth the wait. Next is hardwood charcoal, followed by regular charcoal, then a propane fire and in last place is in a skillet on the stove. The best beef has a high-fat content (fat equals flavor!) and, of course, Japanese wagyu is probably at the top of the list. Even a cheaper regular grocery store ground beef with the highest fat content can be delicious when well-seasoned. Certified Black Angus is good, too, but make sure it says certified, not just Angus. The number one rule when cooking burgers is do not overcook the patty. Medium is best for texture and flavor. A well-done burger is going to be dry and uninteresting. There is a world of good cheese out there, with Gruyère at the top. A good English or Irish cheddar is good, and, if it is what you are used to, good ol' American cheese, if you use enough of it, is good, too. My favorite toppings include smoky Benton's bacon, heirloom sun-ripened tomatoes, Duke's mayo, crunchy pickles, a fried egg and a side of Zapp’s chips. There really are so many good options when it comes to having friends over for a grill party. Remember that the quality of ingredients and taking the time to do things right will make all the difference in the world.

By Julian Brunt In 2012 when Jason McDonald and Timothy Gipson started the Great Mississippi Tea Company, the outcome was far from certain, but they were confident they could pull it off. The timber farm they owned was destroyed in Hurricane Katrina, and they needed to find another way of make a living, but they wanted something that was interesting and challenging, too. They visited the Charleston Tea Plantation in South Carolina while on vacation and learned that the tea plant is in the camellia family. Camellias grow great in Mississippi, so maybe this was the idea they needed. As with any new project, the learning curve was steep. They had visited the Charleston Tea Plantation again, gathered as much information as they could, and the project seemed straight forward enough. The task at hand was to clear 10 acres of the property they already had, buy tea plants, water, weed and start. That’s not so hard, right? Starting a tea farm proved to be difficult, really difficult. The mortality rate of their first plants was extremely high, only 7,000 of the 30,000 they eventually ordered survived. It takes years for tea plants to mature to the point where their leaves can be harvested, so making a profit in the first years of business is near impossible. Obviously, this is not a simple business to get into, and the Great Mississippi Tea Company faced many a dauting task. Jason and Timothy are very bright fellows, have worked profoundly hard and are highly respected in the American tea community. Today, the Great Mississippi Tea Company is considered by many to be the most successful tea operation in the continental USA. Even southern Mississippi’s tea expert, Mimsie Ladner, owner of the tea company “Gachi”, agrees. “Although it’s relatively new, American-grown tea is a growing industry. In recent years, there has been a number of new growers entering the scene, with varying degrees of success. Many of them are flying by the seat of their pants, with little knowledge of the meticulous skills it takes to make a really good cup of tea.” Mimsie explains. “Jason and Timmy set themselves apart with their dedication refining the art of tea making to produce a quality product that competes with the specialty tea regions that have been growing tea for centuries. And their commitment and passion has not gone unrecognized; in the tea community, they are among the most respected American growers, while their tea is considered some of the best in the country.” Their first task was to find the tea plants that would do well in Mississippi’s hot and humid climate. The tea plants that do well in the mountains of China would not do well here at all. There are only two main varieties of the tea plant, Camellia sinensis. One is Chinese and one is Indian. All tea plants prefer a rich and moist soil, with full to part sun, but with in the two varieties, there are types, or genetic variations, that prefer different conditions. They caught a break when they discovered that at one time the Lipton Tea Company operated experimental tea stations all over the country, and that one had been in Poplarville, Mississippi. They visited the site and brought home two plants. Eventually they found a source, and were able to order the plants they wanted, but the first two years were a total loss and the next was not much better. There was so much to learn about irrigation, just knowing when to plant, knowing what supplements were needed, even figuring out how far apart the plants needed to be planted. But they learned by trial and error. They even ended up selling their beautiful home and downsizing to save money. Once they had enough plants in the ground, and they were mature enough to harvest, a new learning curve began. They had to learn how to harvest, and they had to learn how to process the leaves into specific teas. Harvesting, at least at first, was done by hand. A full day of picking by hand harvests just over two pounds of leaves. But you don’t just go out there and start plucking tea leaves. If you are going to make green tea, you harvest two leaves and a bud. If you want to make oolong, then it is the third, through sixth leaf and for black tea, its three leaves and a bud. It is a complicated business. But remember, the tea they were trying to grow is no what you buy at the grocery store for iced tea. They were looking to get into the fine tea market. If you want to get an idea of how many different types of tea there are in the world, look at the Imperial Tea Court web page. There are hundreds, and each is different. Some teas go for a few dollars an ounce, other cost thousands. The tea world is like the wine world, its not just reds and whites, and just like in wine, a tea expert is called a “sommelier”. After the leaves are harvested, they must be processed into the style of tea you are trying to make and there is a science to those processes as well. Each type of tea, and there are four main varieties (green, oolong, black and Pu'erh (poo-air)), requires a different technique. The process of making tea from harvested leaves can involve drying, spinning, rolling, oxidizing, steaming, carding and more. It is not a recipe that is just figured out. They took classes, did research, and finally got the recipes right. The Great Mississippi Tea Company has one of the only USDA certified tea processing plants, and they call it the “Tea Shack”. It is unassuming, from outward appearances, but once inside the image changes. There are three rooms, each specializing in a different process, like drying or rolling. Again, it is a complicated business, and the Tea Shack looks like a scientific lab. I am by no means a tea expert, but I do love a good cup of tea, thanks to my friend Norwood. James Norwood Pratt is considered by many in the field to be America’s expert on tea. His first book on tea, “A Tea Lovers Treasury,” came out in 1982. Norwood taught me that good tea was a very special thing indeed. A cup will stimulate you, but with out the ragged edge that coffee can cause. I find it perfect for the early afternoon pick-me-up. My experience with tea is certainly limited, and I relied heavily on Jason and Timothy for tasting notes, but the six teas we tried while on this visit were grand. Each kind of tea requires a different brewing method, different temperature and different brewing time. The first tea we tried was a green tea, called Mississippi Queen. It was a bit grassy, in a lovely way, was not bitter in the slightest and very smooth. Yellow tea was next; it is a fermented tea called Mississippi Sunshine. It was similar to the green tea but lacked the grassy quality. Oolong was next, a buttery and slightly floral tea. Black Magnolia had a delightful sweet potato flavor, not strong, but just enough to be delightful—my favorite. Next were two flavored teas, an adaptation that is popular in the U.S. We tried a smoked tea, with peach and vanilla flavors, and Earl Gray style tea that was sharp with orange, lavender and sage. The Great Mississippi Tea Company is going places. The first year they were in production, they ended up with 40 pounds of processed tea. Last year it was 500 pounds. Today, they sell tea in 19 states and in a famous tea shop in London. They have also won many awards, including two silver medals at the Global Tea Championship in 2018 and 2019. Check out their website, greatmsteacompany.com, to learn where to buy their tea and to see what is going on at the farm. Tours of the farm are also available, contact the farm for further information. The Great Mississippi Tea Company 2575 E Lincoln Rd SE, Brookhaven (601) 823-4295

By Kathy K. Martin Cindy Davis Harthcock and her husband, Andy, of Djinn Spirits have paid homage to their Mississippi roots by naming their whiskey “Beat 3.” Born in Jacksonville, Florida, her family moved to Lawrence County in Monticello, Mississippi when she was seven years old so her father could start his new job with the local paper mill. Located in bucolic Lawrence County, she says that Monticello has been largely conservative and devoutly religious for generations and the citizens voted it dry 14 years before Prohibition, and for the most part it remains that way today. “It was quite a culture adjustment for me,” she says of the move there, which was during the late 60s. She later graduated from nursing school at the University of Southern Mississippi, where she first met her husband, a computer science major from the Jackson area. They moved to Southern Florida, got married, and later moved to Georgia and Texas before settling in New Hampshire about 13 years ago. Around eight years ago while still working in nursing, she read an article in a food magazine about chefs making their own apple brandy. She and her husband began building their dream of operating their own distillery. Distilling at home isn’t legal, she says, but they attended classes to get their license and they may have experimented in their kitchen making whiskey to get started. Their dream was about to become a reality in late 2013, when they realized they needed a name for their “now legal” whiskey. This is when Cindy recalled her childhood. Growing up in a strictly dry county could probably be a poor source for material to name a liquor, she says, but there was intrigue and whispers. Like all Mississippi counties, Lawrence County was divided into “beats.” Each beat was a voting district similar to other districts or wards in other state counties. People of a certain age from Lawrence County knew that when you were looking for adult beverages, Beat 3 was the place to go, says Harthcock. “There were a couple of upstanding families who bootlegged and moonshined, strictly as a public service mind you, and everyone knew it. It was such an open secret that even a seven-year-old girl knew it and remembered.” When the couple opened Djinn Spirits in Nashua, New Hampshire, their first whiskey was a moonshine that sported the Beat 3 name on a map of Lawrence County. Located about an hour north of Boston, Nashua is one of the state’s biggest cities, she says, but without any of the hustle and bustle. “It’s quiet here with lots of farms and apple orchards and we’re within an hour’s drive from the coast and about two hours to Vermont.” Now the distillery manufactures award-winning, aged whiskies, gin, and liqueurs. They also offer a popular new line of pre-packaged cocktails with names like Beachday, Scarecrow and Winter Sun. These cocktails have fun, seasonal flavors available only at the distillery. Krupnik, a Polish spiced honey liqueur, became their fourth product in 2014, using a 500-year-old recipe and help from a Polish friend. “We lost so much in the way of product development during Prohibition and I hope to up America’s liqueur game.” Following that, the next year they launched their first single-malt whiskey, and then introduced their Henry Knox gin. Some of Djinn’s latest products are blended whiskies. “My strength is in blending barrels to get the best taste.” She says that taste is very subjective and although predicting exactly what a combination of whiskies will taste like is impossible, she frequently has a rough idea of what will work, then proceeds to do controlled experiments until she gets the best flavor. The name for the distillery came interestingly enough from a game of Scrabble. She jokes that she doesn’t really like to share the story because her husband beat her in a game after a great score from the word “djinn.” She says that dijinn is the name of a spirit from Middle Eastern mythology. It’s the origin of the word “genie.” “Unlike an angel, a being that has to be good, a dijinn can be good or bad and I think the same is true for alcohol. It can be good or bad and I like that concept of free will,” she explains, “We have a choice.” When she returned home for her high school reunion in 2019, she brought some Beat 3 whiskey to share with her former Lawrence County classmates. “Sharing that with old friends was the height of Southern hospitality.” It was such a hit that she plans to return soon and bring that Beat 3 back home again. Ready to try Djinn’s famous Beat 3? Here’s a recipe using their liquid gold, perfect for gatherings or a weekend cocktail at home. La Louisiane 2 oz Beat 3 Single Malt Whisky (or Rye) 1/2 oz sweet vermouth (we like Punt e Mes) 1/4 oz Benedictine 3 dashes Paychaud's Bitters Absinthe rinse Rinse glass with absinthe and drain. Stir other ingredients over ice and strain into coup. Garnish with a cherry (we like the Luxardo brand).

By Brandi Perry Mississippi State University in Starkville is known for football, baseball, Bully, tailgating and a strong agricultural background. However, many people are not aware that they also have one of the only university-owned cattle herds to make the top rankings. From that herd, the campus produces milk, ice cream and their world-renowned cheese. This is their story. The history of cheese at Mississippi State University is a fascinating one, but none of it would be possible without the Bearden Dairy Research Center. More than 100 cows, a mixture of Holstein, Jersey and crossbred, are milked twice a day every single day of the year. The Jersey herd has been ranked in the top 10 of all categories for groups similar to their size. This includes a number 5 ranking in protein, 4th in milk and 10th in milk-fat production. Total output of milk every year is more than 365,000 gallons. However, these are not the same type of cows your grandparents milked. These cows produce 8-10 gallons a day, while the hand-milked cows from days gone by may have yielded 1-2 gallons a day at best. Currently, the Mississippi State University herd in the second or third oldest jersey herd in the United States. That herd was registered in 1906 for Mississippi A&M. The herd has been continually bred since then. For the first time since the 1950s, a cow was brought into the system in 2014. Kenneth Graves, the dairy herder at Bearden Dairy at Mississippi State, explained the lifestyle of the cows in the herd. "When the calf is born, they are hand raised and fed twice a day. As they get older, they slowly move up the chain until they are here. Our goal is for that cow to have its first calf at 21 months old." Even though the cow may have its first calf at nearly two years of age, most of the goals have a 3-4 lactation goal. In other words, if the cows live to be 6 to 7 years old, they have had a long life. Dr. Amanda Stone, an Assistant Professor in the School of Animal and Dairy Science, explained why the farm only used artificial insemination. "Artificial insemination is the only way we can improve the genetics of the goal. Our goal here at Mississippi State is to genetically improve a cow to the point where it is more efficient, makes more milk and lives longer. Once the older cows are moved out of the milking rotation, their offspring will be taking their place. Not only do those cows come in with fewer years on them, they also have better genetics." Jersey cows have a lot more fat in their milk than what you find in your local grocery store Coming it between 4.5-5%, the milk in the grocery store will be closer to 3%. Holstein's run has 4.2% fat in their milk and are also known for their quantity of milk. Throughout the United States, there's more Holstein cattle milked than all the other cows combined. At the Bearden Dairy, milking is done at 3 am and 3 pm and are handled by the students in the animal science programs. This occurs every single day of the year, including holidays and the most horrendous weather. From the dairy, the milk travels to Custer Dairy Processing Plant where the raw milk (up to 1300 gallons a day) is pasteurized and either gets turned into fluid milk for bottling all over campus, cheese, ice cream or butter. James McClelland has been a part of this incredible process for nearly 30 years now. "In 1938, just before World War II closed the border at Holland, ten teakwood molds were shipped to us. Dr. Herzer was looking for a notable cheese to bring to the university that was just as popular as the football team. That's how the ‘cannon balls’ of edam cheese started," McClellan explained. The mold helps shape the three-pound balls of edam cheese and more than 50,000 are sold each year. There are one and a half pound balls of edam that are included in Maroon and White Gift Packs. Once the cheese is made and put into the mold, it is placed in a salt brine bath before it is covered with wax. However, the cheese is not immediately placed for sale. Edam is aged for three months before anyone can take it home. Cheddar cheese is also made in the processing plant and are made in huge blocks weighing 20 pounds. Two 20 pounds blocks are placed in a wooden crate and aged for three months as well. When the three months pass, the cheddar is cut two-pound blocks and then sold. More than 50,000 of these blocks are sold annually. The most popular cheese produced by the Custer Dairy Processing Plant is called Vallagret. Similar to a Swiss, the cheese is produced in wheels and ages in cold storage. Only 10,000 wheels of this cheese is made annually and it is usually the one that sells out the fastest during the holiday season. Cheese isn't the only delicious product made at the dairy processing plant. "We churn out about 5,500 pounds of butter each year and about 25,000 gallons of the best ice cream on the planet," McClellan educated with a smile. "There are seven flavors of the ice cream but the Muscadine Ripple is by far the most popular." The muscadines used to make the ice cream are actually grown and harvested at the South Mississippi Branch Experimentation Station. It takes 150 gallons of muscadine juice to make a year's worth of the popular snack. From the processing plant, all the delicious products are brought to the MAFES Store on the campus of Mississippi State University. This store welcomes visitors thousands of visitors through their doors every year, the majority from Mississippi but many others from across the country. Additionally, the cheese products are shipped all over the world, especially during the holiday season, where orders may only be two cheese balls or 1,500. Corporate companies, professional athletes and students share these cheeses with those who may not have yet experienced it. Mississippi State University is indirectly extending hospitality worldwide through their cheeses. The MAFES Cheese Store on the campus of Mississippi State University is open from 8 am until 5 pm CST Monday through Friday. The store is closed during regular university holidays but is open for home football game days. The store is located in the glass annex at the front of the Herzer Food Science Building on 925 Stone Boulevard. In addition to products available to order online, the MAFES Sales Store offers a wide range of products for purchase in the store. There are so many incredible places scattered up and down the backroads of Mississippi that should be on everyone's bucket list. This is definitely one of those places. From world-class hospitality to the best milk products found in the southeast, Mississippi State University should be a destination for anyone that appreciates the best of what the Magnolia State has to offer.

Ms. Susan M. Collins-Smith, MSU Extension Service Stoneville, Miss. -- Mississippi rice producers and crop specialists are optimistic about the state’s 2022 harvest despite a high population of rice stink bugs that were difficult to treat. “Overall, it’s so far, so good,” said Hunter Bowman, rice specialist with the Mississippi State University Extension Service and researcher with the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station. “It was really hot and dry when it was heading out and pollination was happening. But hopefully, that won’t have much of a detrimental effect.” According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture Crop Progress and Condition report released Aug. 8, rice is 90% headed and 15% mature, which is slightly ahead of the 5-year average. Fifty-two percent of the crop is in good condition. Twelve percent is in excellent condition, and 33% is in fair condition. Another worry for farmers this year was the rice stink bug, which showed up in force. Rice stink bugs feed on the rice grain, stunting plant growth and reducing yield. These pests can also transmit diseases and viruses to the plants. To make matters worse, farmers faced poor control from pyrethroids -- the first line of defense and one of only three labeled pesticides available to treat the pest in rice. “Tenchu and malathion are the two other labeled options in addition to pyrethroids, but those pesticides were in short supply and dealers ran out,” Bowman said. This situation led Extension crop specialists to work with the Bureau of Plant Industry to request a Section 18 crisis exemption from the Environmental Protection Agency for an additional pesticide that would help farmers control the insects while not disrupting harvest. A crisis exemption was granted for the pesticide Endigo ZC on July 28. “We were able to get the exemption, but there was a limited supply of Endigo ZC, too,” said Bowman, who is stationed at the MSU Delta Research and Extension Center in Stoneville. “We had trouble getting our hands on it.” Bowman noted that there was only enough malathion this year to treat 50,000 to 60,000 acres across the entire U.S. While malathion has been in short supply for several years, the COVID-19 pandemic tightened supplies and raised prices on all kinds of pesticides. “If producers were unable to get any of these alternatives, we recommended they run with extra applications of pyrethroids if they could get that,” Bowman said. “That way, it would reduce the number of stink bugs to low levels and help protect yield.” Producers also face other issues each year, including rice water weevils and Italian ryegrass. “Rice water weevils are sometimes a problem for us, but this year, we avoided any major issues,” Bowman said. “Italian ryegrass in Mississippi has developed resistance to many herbicides we use for control in early spring, and herbicide options to control the weed in the fall when it emerges are limited due to plant-back restrictions in rice the following season.” Bowman said Mississippi acreage is down quite a bit compared to the 10-year average. “We expected to plant about 100,000 acres, but we ended up with between 88,000 and 90,000 acres,” he said. “Some people decided to plant soybeans instead because of high urea prices and better soybean prices.” Will Maples, Extension agricultural economist, said supplies are down and prices are higher than in recent years. Current projections by the USDA put the national average farm price at $15.50 per hundredweight, which is $1.80 higher than 2021. Since the first of August, the harvest month rough rice futures contract has averaged $17.28 per hundredweight, Maples said. “Even though rice producers are seeing higher prices, margins will likely be thinner than in years past due to increased input costs,” he said. “The combination of higher input costs and high prices for other commodities limited rice plantings this spring. Long-grain rice supplies are currently projected 5% lower than last year with ending stocks currently 12% lower.”

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From Family Features In today's world, grocery shopping can seem more like a burden than an opportunity to gather supplies for your family's favorite meals. With prices of everyday ingredients fluctuating almost daily, it's important for many families to make their dollars go further at the store. Easy ways to stretch your grocery budget, like using versatile ingredients, can make the checkout experience a little less impactful on your household's finances. Consider the benefits of mushrooms, which provide a delicious option to enhance flavor in favorite recipes while extending portions in an affordable way. Save Money Stretch your dollars by stretching your meals using a process called "The Blend.” Blending finely chopped mushrooms with ground meat can extend portion sizes of your favorite meaty recipes and help your bottom line. Chop your favorite mushroom variety to match the consistency of ground meat, blend the chopped mushrooms and meat together then cook to complete the recipe. For burgers, use a blend of 25% finely chopped mushrooms and 75% ground meat. For tacos or chili, use 50% mushrooms and 50% meat or an even higher mushroom-to-meat ratio. Savor the Flavor The savory umami taste of mushrooms means a flavorful experience in blended recipes like burgers, where the chopped mushrooms help hold in the juiciness. Or, you can chop, quarter, slice or enjoy them whole in recipes like Garlic-Rosemary Butter Roasted Chicken Thighs and Veggies with Mushroom Orzo Risotto, Creamy Spinach, Mushroom and Lasagna Soup or Blended Pasta Sauce paired with your favorite pasta. One Carton, Multiple Dishes Thanks to mushrooms' versatility, you can buy one large carton of mushrooms to chop up then bulk up multiple dishes, from a morning omelet to hearty soups to blended burgers. Serve Up Nutrition Low-calorie, low-sodium, fat-free and cholesterol-free, mushrooms are nutrient rich and can play a starring role in a variety of meals. With an array of fresh varieties and nearly endless ways to prepare them, they can be your powerhouse from the produce department. Find more recipe ideas and ways to make the most of your grocery store dollars at MushroomCouncil.com. Garlic-Rosemary Butter Roasted Chicken Thighs and Veggies with Mushroom Orzo Risotto Recipe courtesy of Emily Weeks, MS, RD, on behalf of the Mushroom Council Prep time: 20 minutes Cook time: 50 minutes Servings: 4 Chicken: 8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs salt, to taste pepper, to taste 6 tablespoons unsalted butter 16 ounces mushrooms, such as white button, cremini or portabella, quartered 3 zucchinis, sliced in half moons 3 large carrots, thinly sliced 4 sprigs fresh rosemary, leaves removed and roughly chopped 4 cloves garlic, minced Orzo: 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth 1 tablespoon unsalted butter 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 1 small yellow onion, diced 2 garlic cloves, minced 16 ounces mushrooms, such as white button, cremini or portabella, finely chopped 1 cup uncooked orzo pasta 1/8 teaspoon black pepper 1/3 cup white wine 1/3 cup shredded Parmesan cheese To make chicken: Preheat oven to 450 F. Pat chicken dry. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. In large skillet over medium-high heat, melt butter. Sear chicken until brown on both sides, 4-5 minutes on each side. In large bowl, toss mushrooms, zucchinis and carrots with rosemary and garlic. On large baking sheet, spread vegetables. Nestle chicken into vegetables. Drizzle with butter and juices from pan. Bake 20 minutes until chicken is cooked through and vegetables are tender. To make orzo: In small pot over medium-low heat, warm broth. Using skillet from chicken over medium heat, add butter and olive oil. Add onion, garlic and mushrooms. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions soften, 3-4 minutes. Add orzo and black pepper. Stir and cook orzo 2 minutes. Add white wine and cook until evaporated, about 1 minute. Add broth to orzo, 2/3 cup at a time, stirring until liquid is absorbed. Repeat with remaining broth, waiting until last batch is absorbed before adding next. Remove from heat and stir in Parmesan. Serve in individual bowls with chicken and roasted vegetables atop mushroom orzo risotto. Blended Pasta Sauce Recipe courtesy of the Mushroom Council 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped 3 garlic cloves, minced 1 pound mushrooms (such as white button, cremini or portabella), finely chopped 1 pound 80% lean ground beef 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1 jar (24 ounces) marinara sauce cooked pasta salt, to taste pepper, to taste grated Parmesan cheese In large pot over medium heat, add oil and cook onions, stirring occasionally, until just soft, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute. Add mushrooms and cook 5 minutes, or until mushrooms are soft and reduced in size. Add ground beef, Italian seasoning and salt; cook until browned throughout, about 6 minutes, stirring and breaking up lumps. Skim off fat, leaving about 2 tablespoons. Stir in marinara sauce and reduce heat to low. Cook 10 minutes. Serve over cooked pasta, season with salt and pepper, to taste, and top with grated Parmesan. Creamy Spinach, Mushroom and Lasagna Soup Recipe courtesy of Emily Weeks, MS, RD, on behalf of the Mushroom Council Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 30 minutes Servings: 4 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 medium onion, small diced 8 ounces mushrooms, such as white button, cremini or portabella, sliced 1 jar (24 ounces) marinara sauce 1 can (15 ounces) diced tomatoes 2 tablespoons tomato paste 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar 1 teaspoon granulated sugar 1 tablespoon dried basil 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon oregano 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 1 bay leaf 3 cups vegetable broth 6 lasagna noodles, broken into pieces 1/2 cup heavy cream 5 ounces fresh baby spinach 1 cup whole milk ricotta 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, for topping Heat large pot over medium heat. Add olive oil, garlic, onion and mushrooms. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions and mushrooms soften, 4-5 minutes. Add marinara, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, vinegar, sugar, basil, salt, oregano, pepper, bay leaf and broth. Bring to boil over high heat then reduce heat to low and simmer. Add lasagna noodles and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and remove bay leaf. Stir in heavy cream and spinach until wilted, 2-3 minutes. Divide between bowls and top each with dollop of ricotta and sprinkle of mozzarella. SOURCE: Mushroom Council

Love s’mores but hate the gooey, sticky mess trying to make one? This s’more dip is the perfect alternative, with the added bonus of feeding a crowd (about 8 people) all at once. Use any kind of chocolate you’d like and dip with graham crackers, vanilla wafers or even cinnamon sugar pita chips. S'mores Dip Ingredients and materials: Cast-iron skillet or single use aluminum tray 1 tablespoon salted butter 1 pound semisweet chocolate chips 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt 8 ounces large marshmallows, halved crosswise Graham crackers, wafers or anything else for dipping Set a skillet over direct medium-high heat of fire. Melt butter, add the salt and chocolate, and stir. Top with marshmallows, cover with a lid or foil, and cook until marshmallows are melted, 7 to 10 minutes. Remove from grill and serve warm.

By Jay Reed Dolce. It’s the Italian word for “sweet.” And what’s the sweetest thing ever to come out of Italy? If the answer that comes to your mind is, “my grandmother,” I’m not here to argue. I don’t know her, but I’m sure she’s delightful. But is she creamy, too? And really cold? Because I’m talking about something else: the Italian word for “frozen,” which would be “gelato.” Dolce also happens to be the name of Starkville’s newest place to get something sweet, frozen and creamy. In what is becoming a trend in Starkville, as well as other local business corridors across the state, a historic building was repurposed and renovated on Main Street. It’s owned by the Masonic Lodge, but most people in the area know it as the old Rex Theatre, which operated for decades beginning in the early 1930s and was Starkville’s first air-conditioned building. Most of the current space is occupied by the Glo company, which approached local business owners Robbie and Bonnie Coblentz about putting a small business in the front corner, where the Rex box office used to be. With multiple ties to the culinary community and the broadcast media world, they considered a variety of possibilities but the dimensions of the space—big enough to serve and seat, but not quite big enough for a kitchen—narrowed their options. After lots of thought, brainstorming and consultations they concluded that a gelato shop with a movie theme would fit the playbill nicely. The next step was to find a source for the frozen sweetness, and a series of random events led both Robbie and Bonnie to Hugh Balthrop and his company, Sweet Magnolia Gelato. The idea of serving a Mississippi-based small batch product appealed to them, and after taste-testing a few of Sweet Magnolia’s offerings, it was an easy decision. The current menu at Dolce is simple but growing. They keep about a dozen different flavors in the freezer all the time, served by the scoop. A few classics and local favorites are stalwarts, such as Fior de Latte (a traditional sweet cream), chocolate, honey bourbon, banana pudding, espresso chip and peanut butter cup. The rest of the spots rotate among dozens of Sweet Magnolia options like blueberry cheesecake, pistachio, red velvet cake, or Stracciatella (vanilla with slivers of dark chocolate). Plus, they try to keep a couple of flavors of sorbet such as lemon, strawberry, pineapple or raspberry. Toppings are simple, too: dark chocolate shavings, mini chocolate chips, graham cracker crumbs, whipped topping, chocolate and caramel sauces and brown butter bits (an exclusive showing). They can take any flavor in the freezer and make a classic milkshake—for sorbets, they add Sprite or lemonade. The historic location of the shop also inspired a list of Movie Milkshakes such as The Maltese Falcon (chocolate with malt), My Fair Berry (strawberry with mini chocolate chips), Viva Stark Vegas (banana pudding and peanut butter chip, thank you very much), and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (vanilla with a “bang” of espresso). They also offer an affogato, which is a scoop of gelato “drowned” (another Italian language lesson) in a shot of espresso. When certain varieties come along, they essentially beg to be incorporated into weekend specials, layering on the built-in flavor profile. For instance, the lemon buttermilk gelato served with whipped topping and graham cracker crumbs called to mind Robbie’s favorite lemon icebox pie. Ms. Mary’s pound cake gelato topped with sliced fresh strawberries and whipped topping served as a frozen version of strawberry shortcake. A gelato panini recipe—a scoop encased in a brioche bun, heated in a specialized press—is under development. And if you can’t get enough in the shop, pints are available to take home. For those into the details, the difference between gelato and ice cream is essentially three-fold. Gelato has less butterfat, less air and is generally served at a slightly warmer temperature. This trio of distinctions leads to a velvety texture, a flavorful bite yet doesn’t necessarily melt faster. Sorbets are dairy-free (usually just fruit and sugar) while classic sherbet recipes have milk or cream. Dolce has both indoor and outdoor seating and lots of windows, perfect for watching the comings and goings on Starkville’s Main Street while enjoying a scoop, shake, or special treat. Movie posters from the Rex Theatre era line the walls, and a display of vintage movie cameras from Robbie’s personal collection fills a corner. A classic dessert in a classic building. Sweet. Dolce Gelato Treats is located at 101 West Main Street in Starkville. Closed Sunday and Monday, this shop is open the rest of the week from 2 pm to 9 pm, or until 10 pm on Friday and Saturday.

Check out some of our favorite places in Jackson for a classic, Southern blue plate in this Visit Jackson blog post!

By Ms. Natasha Haynes, MSU Extension Service Do you need a grab-and-go breakfast but want to skip the fast food? Overnight oats are a great option. These Banana Pudding Overnight Oats are stress-free and packed with protein for a hunger-free morning. Banana Pudding Overnight Oats Ingredients: - 2 ripe bananas, divided - 1 cup old-fashioned oats - 1 cup nonfat plain yogurt - 3/4 cup skim milk - 1 tablespoon chia seeds (optional) - 1 teaspoon cinnamon - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional) - 1 graham cracker, crumbled - 4 (8-ounce) glass jars with lids Directions: In a medium bowl, mash 1 banana with a fork. Stir in oats, yogurt, milk, chia seeds*, cinnamon, and vanilla extract*. Divide evenly between the four glass jars. Place the lids on the jars and refrigerate for 8 hours, or overnight. Before serving, slice the remaining banana. Top oats with sliced banana and crumbled graham cracker. *Optional ingredients Tips: Personalize this recipe by using your favorite milk and/or yogurt! Letting the oats sit overnight makes them soft, just as if they have been cooked. Thanks to University of Georgia Extension for this recipe! Chia seeds are a great source of fiber, protein, antioxidants, and omega-3 fatty acids. Find out more from Qula Madkin, Extension instructor and registered dietitian, about chia seeds and other seeds that can provide important nutrients that we need every day in our All About Seeds blog post. Don’t like oats? These nutrient-dense Cook’s Choice Muffins are another option for breakfast on the go. Omega-3 fatty acids are one of the five power foods to include in your diet for brain health. Find out more from Qula in our blog post about How to Slow Brain Aging. Follow The Food Factor on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter! And if you like our recipes and videos, we’d love for you to share them with your friends! It really helps!