A Taste of Magnolia

DIVIAN CONNER is a Mississippi mama of four ‘not so little’ little ones. Coming up with recipes, trying new ones, and feeding her crew of tweens and teens is her passion. Southern recipes, easy recipes, sorta hard recipes, but always delicious recipes is what you will find on her food blog, www.divianlconner.com. Now venturing into outdoor cooking over an open fire, Divian is fascinated with camp cooking and entertaining.

Lemon Meringue Pie Bites

BY DIVIAN CONNER

The winter months are always a time I look forward to. Although the cold weather can be unkind and downright rude at times, I still look forward to the warm cozy interiors that winter brings. Lighting a fire in the fireplace or snuggling up under a fleece blanket with a nice cup of hot chocolate is just so sentimental to me. Winter is a time of boots, thick jackets and barren trees but it is also a time of warm soups, hot drinks and filling meals that really invoke a time of family. It is a time when everyone comes in from the cold and the gathering spaces are full with friends and family.

Winter to me has always been a time of communion. Parties, fun indoor activities, along with tons of movie and game nights. It is a time of extended planning to get everything just right to make sure we all survive the Mississippi winter unscathed and still loving on each other despite being in the house for so long. Winter is also a time when I have more moments with my friends. Potlucks are a common theme with my group and we love coming up with different themes for dinners and sharing our plans and happenings with each other while gathered around together. We each bring a dish, lay it all out on the table, and sit around laughing, joking and catching up with each other while the winter wind nips at the windows. We are warm, we are together, we have made it through another year and we are thankful.

Winter is just that– time to be extra thankful. We are thankful for all that we have and the warmth that we continue to share. Planning times to be with my family and friends during cold winter months is a time for me to reflect back on the year and feel grateful for the continued time that I have with them. Dinner parties and special events in my living room or dining room with the air toasted just enough for comfort and the smells of good food floating, it is a way for me to show my appreciation. When it comes to parties and potlucks, small mini-foods are a plus for me. Bite-size pieces that you can literally inhale in a bite or something so cute and small, it is not overwhelming. Mini versions of foods can also help cut down on waste. People eat what they want without having to scrape plates off into the trash alongside other unfinished foods.

Mini pies are an extra special way to make your guests feel that every attention to detail has been carefully thought out and thinking of different ways to present them drives that point home even more. Pies in shot glasses, expresso cups or in mini pastry cups, provide your friends and family with bite-sized pieces of heaven. This winter may be cold, but the warmth of your attention to detail will definitely not be forgotten. edm

LEMON MERINGUE PIE BITES

Crust:

• Vanilla wafers (crushed) • Butter, melted

1. In a bowl combine just enough melted butter for the cookie crumbs to stick together. Once done press firmly, a teaspoon or two of the crumbs into the bottom of your shot glass.

Lemon Filling:

• 6 egg yolks • 1 ½ cup water • 1 cup sugar • ½ cup of lemon juice • ¼ cup cornstarch • ¼ teaspoon salt • 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter 1. In a pan, mix sugar, water, cornstarch and salt over medium heat. Continue stirring until it begins to bubble and thicken.

Once it thickens turn off the heat. 2. Take out about ¼ cup of this mixture and slowly add to your eggs, whisking/stirring continuously to prevent curdling.

Slowly pour the egg mixture into the sugar mixture and turn on the heat. Add in the lemon juice and stir. 3. Once it bubbles, turn off the heat again and add in the butter, mixing well. Let the filling cool.

Meringue:

• 4 egg whites, room temp • Zest of one Lemon • 1/4 cup sugar • ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar 4. Once egg whites are room temperature, whisk until fluffy, add in cream of tartar to help them maintain their form. Add sugar in a tablespoon at a time, continuing to beat the eggs. Beat until peaks are formed.

Assembly:

Add the lemon filling on top of the cookie crust and top with a dollop of meringue. Bake in oven at 350 degrees until peaks are golden brown.

Oxford’s Chicory Market:

Fresh Produce and Open Arms

BY SUSAN MARQUEZ

There are people who see what needs to be done in the world and then decide to act. John Martin and Kate Bishop are two such doers, both interested in food from a policy point of view. “We are interested in health and nutrition,” says Martin. The couple lived in the Mississippi Delta – Greenwood, where Martin worked for the newspaper and Indianola, where Bishop taught school – before moving to the northeast. Martin ended up in the arts and nonprofit world while Bishop earned her literacy specialty degree and she trained other teachers, but Mississippi lured them back.

“We wanted to get back to the South,” says Martin. “Kate is from Oxford, and we had a friend who ran the Farmer’s Market. He talked us into taking it over.” Burlin Hollowell ran a produce stand out of the building – then an old service station – in the early 1990s. He sold vegetables that he and his friends raised and exotic produce that distributors had trucked in. When Frank and Liz Stagg took over, they expanded the grocery offerings, continued tapping the local food movement, and began selling foods that appealed to Oxford’s growing immigrant communities. People soon learned that the Farmer’s Market was a hub for quality produce, and it was a place that welcomed all.

In 2017, Martin and Bishop renovated the store and changed the name to Chicory Market. “We are proud that our store has been a food space in Oxford for over 30 years,” says Martin. Martin and Bishop have made the space their own and have connected with a new generation of local farmers and producers.

Growing up in Oxford, Bishop was raised in a community connected by food, and recalls eating watermelons and pimiento cheese from the old James Food Center. Martin and Bishop “feel strongly about creating a special place that preserves and grows the spirit of Oxford as a place that nurtures creativity and welcomes newcomers and curiosity seekers.” The market serves people from all walks of life. “This is a place where

all feel welcomed. Here we are, five years later and we feel an overwhelming sense of responsibility. People are more interested than ever in eating local.”

With up to 75 local providers, Chicory Market not only provides fresh, locally sourced food to their customers, but also supports local growers. The benefits to all are apparent. “We are in one of the most fertile areas in the country,” states Martin, “but Mississippi still has issues with obesity and diabetes. Having ready access to healthy foods can make a huge difference. It can even make a difference financially.”

During the pandemic when national supply chains were falling apart, Chicory Market was able to source locally. “Even with our most recent inflation, a lot of local producers have been able to circumvent those forces,” Martin says. “Their prices have remained stable, and people are eating better. I think people are seeing the value and sustainability of buying locally sourced food.”

The store has a grand mission: to support the local food network by working with farmers and other local providers to source quality ingredients while improving access to healthy, local food for people of all income levels and lifestyles. They also aim to build a community around food involving people of all means, colors, creed and backgrounds. “We are fortunate

that Oxford is still small enough to have a store like this. We also have the University here, which gives us a cultural perspective,” says Martin.

In addition to locally sourced produce, proteins and delicacies, Chicory Market offers fresh seafood. “We are one of a very few places in Oxford that sells fresh seafood,” says Bishop. “Three days a week we get a delivery of fresh gulf shrimp, salmon and some other gulf fish.”

Chicory Market now also offers prepared foods for sale. “Seven days a week, we have everything from traditional chicken salad to sides and entrees using seasonal produce,” says Martin. “That allows us to purchase even more from local farmers, and to avoid food waste by using produce before it goes bad.” The market also makes casseroles, soups and sandwiches. “During football season, we do a lot of tailgate catering, and for Thanksgiving we do a lot of sides. Then we’ll crank up our holiday menu.” The newest addition to the market is sushi. “We have a sushi chef who comes in three days a week.”

There is an outdoor seating area where people can dine on-site, and Martin says they are planning an expansion that will provide a larger place for the community to gather outdoors. For more information on Chicory Market, visit chicorymarket.com. edm

Homemade holiday

BY LISA LAFONTAINE BYNUM

Not all holiday gifts come from a department store. Sometimes the best presents come from the heart … and the kitchen! Spread a little Christmas cheer with these three delicious homemade holiday gifts. edm

Homemade holiday TREATS

Cheese Straws

Divinity Candy

CHEESE STRAWS MAKES APPROXIMATELY 100 CHEESE STRAWS

Ingredients: • 1 ½ cups unsalted butter, softened • 16 ounces sharp shredded cheddar cheese, room temperature • 4 cups all-purpose flour • 2 teaspoons salt • 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. 2. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and cheese until the cheese is evenly mixed throughout. 3. Add the flour, salt and cayenne pepper. 4. With the mixer on low, mix the dough until the flour is completely incorporated. Then turn the mixer up to medium and continue to mix until the dough comes together. 5. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil. 6. Using a cookie press, form the dough into 2 ½ – 3-inch straws leaving ¼-inch of space between each straw. 7. If you don’t have a cookie press, roll the dough out to 3/8inch thick. Cut the strips 1 ½ inches wide and 2 ½ to 3 inches long. 8. Bake the straws for 12 minutes until they start to turn golden brown in some places. 9. Allow the straws to cool on the baking sheet for about five minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack.

DIVINITY CANDY MAKES APPROXIMATELY 2 DOZEN

Ingredients: • 4 cups sugar • 1 cup light corn syrup • ¾ cup water • 3 egg whites, room temperature • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract • 1 cup chopped pecans • Additional pecan halves and cherries for garnish, optional

1. Combine the sugar, corn syrup and water in a medium saucepan. Heat over low heat, stirring frequently, until the sugar is dissolved. 2. Bring the sugar mixture to a boil over medium heat.

Continue to boil without stirring until the sugar reaches hard ball stage, or 260 degrees F, on a candy thermometer.

You may need to adjust the heat a little to reach the correct temperature. Remove the saucepan from the heat. 3. While the sugar is boiling, beat the egg whites at medium speed until stiff peaks form. 4. With the mixer running, add the sugar mixture in a slow

and steady stream. 5. Once all the sugar has been added, continue to beat the egg whites until the whites have lost their glossy sheen and the mixture holds a shape, about 10-15 minutes. 6. Add the vanilla and chopped pecans. Mix on low speed until the pecans are evenly incorporated throughout the divinity. 7. Spoon heaping tablespoons of divinity candy onto waxed or parchment paper. 8. Top each piece of candy with a pecan half or a green or red maraschino cherry half. 9. Allow the divinity to dry at room temperature for a minimum of two hours, up to 24 hours. Store in an airtight container.

ALMOND JOY COOKIES MAKES APPROXIMATELY 2 DOZEN

Ingredients for the cookies:

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened • 12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate • 1-1/2 cups flour • 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder • 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder • 1/4 teaspoon salt • 1-1/4 cups brown sugar • 3 eggs • 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

For the coconut layer:

• 1 cup sweetened condensed milk • 4 cups flaked coconut • 1 cup powdered sugar • Toasted almonds

For the chocolate drizzle:

• 2 cups powdered sugar • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter melted • 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder • 1/4 cup hot water • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Create the cookies:

1. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter and chocolate, stirring frequently. Once melted, set aside to cool slightly. 2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt. 3. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the sugar, eggs and vanilla on low speed until well combined. 4. Add the cooled chocolate mixture and mix until just blended. 5. With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture slowly and blend just until the dry ingredients are wet. 6. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then cover the dough and refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours. 7. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F and prepare two baking

sheets with cooking spray. 8. Scoop out the dough one tablespoon at a time and roll into balls. Place the balls two inches apart on the baking sheets. 9. Gently press an indention into the center of each with your thumb (wetting your thumb helps keep the cookie dough from sticking). 10.Bake the cookies for approximately 12 minutes. Remove from oven. If the indentions have filled up during baking, gently press the center of the cookie back down with the back of a spoon. Allow the cookies to cool completely.

For the coconut layer:

1. Using an electric mixer, combine the sweetened condensed milk and coconut. 2. Slowly add the powdered sugar on low speed. Mix until

well-combined. 3. Spoon a dollop of coconut mixture into the indention on each cooled cookie. Wet fingers work best here to keep the filling from sticking.

For the chocolate drizzle:

1. Combine all the icing ingredients in a medium bowl and whisk together until smooth. 2. Place a wire cooling rack with cookies on it over a piece of aluminum foil or waxed paper to catch any excess icing. Spoon a small amount of icing onto the top of each cookie. 3. Top with a toasted almond. 4. Allow the cookies to set up for 30 minutes before serving.

Almond Joy Cookies

Mouthwatering Winter Feasts Around the World

As the days get shorter and the nights get longer, across the world people are getting ready for winter celebrations and the delicious dishes that go with them. In Britain and the USA, Christmas means roast turkey with all the trimmings. In France, they enjoy the lavish Réveillon on Christmas Eve. In South Africa, it’s all about outdoor braais, or barbecues. Here are just a few of the many luscious, food-filled holidays this season:

December 18-26: Hanukkah (worldwide)

Throughout the eight days of Hanukkah, a festival of lights commemorating the reclamation of their temple in Jerusalem, Jewish families celebrate by eating latkes (fried potato pancakes) with sour cream and apple sauce, sufganiyot (fried jelly doughnuts), gelt (foil wrapped chocolate “coins”), beef brisket, noodle kugel, and chocolate babka. Hanukkah Sameach! December 20: Kimtee Inmewit (United States)

The Umatilla Native American tribes of eastern Oregon hold their “new year” ceremony just before the Winter Solstice on December 20 in a celebration called

“Kimtee Inmewit.” Tribal history dictates that the first food that was created was the nusux (salmon), the second was the nukt (deer), and the third was a bitter root called sliiton. New Year is a time to celebrate the return of the sacred foods with singing, drums, dancing, prayers, and a shared meal of meat stew and fry bread.

December 6: Nikolaustag (Saint Nicholas

Day) (Germany/

Netherlands)

December 25: Christmas Day (Australia)

Christmastime in Australia is high summer, so Christmas dinner for many

Aussies is a mid-day picnic featuring boiled prawns or a trip to the beach to go surfing with Santa. The holiday is an all-day affair, and Christmas lunches are relaxed, with lots of eating and breaks for playing a “spot of cricket” or a quick splash in the backyard pool. Christmas crackers – those gaily wrapped paper tubes that when pulled go BANG! – are a must. (Yes, you must to wear the paper crown inside!) On the night of December 5, children all over Germany and the Netherlands tidy their rooms, polish their shoes, and set them on the doorstep (or window sill, or by the fire) before going to bed. In the morning, good children wake to find Saint Nicholas has come and filled the footwear with fruit, nuts, candies, and small toys and gifts.

December 25: Christmas Day (Japan)

In 1974, a fast-food franchise famous for its chicken released a festive marketing campaign in Japan. Their slogan “Kurisumasu ni wa kentakkii!” (“Kentucky for Christmas!”) hatched a national tradition – including Colonel Santa, complete with red and white suit – that continues to this day. Although it isn’t a national holiday in Japan, each

Christmas, families from all over the country celebrate with nearly a million pre-reserved, piping hot chicken dinners.

Mouthwatering Winter Feasts Around the World

January 1: New Year’s Day (United States)

“Eat poor on New Year’s and eat fat the rest of the year,” says an old saying here in the South. Many of us eat specific foods on New Year’s Day to bring good luck and prosperity for the remainder of the year. All kinds of greens (collards, mustard or turnip greens, cabbage) symbolize dollars, and black-eyed peas symbolize coins, both of which point to money; yellow cornbread represents gold; and pork or ham brings

“forward motion” or “advancement” in the year ahead.

January 6: Coptic Christmas Eve (Egypt)

On Christmas Eve (January 6, according to the Julian calendar), Coptic Christians attend a special church service that lasts until midnight. Congregants share a specific type of bread called “qurban” (“offering”) marked with 12 dots symbolizing the 12 apostles of Christ. The priest distributes one loaf during communion, and the other qurban will be shared among the congregation after the service as a form of blessing. January 1: Hogmanay (Scotland)

Immediately after midnight in the first few hours of the

Scottish new year, a darkhaired male or “first foot” visits nearby houses bringing with him symbolic pieces of coal (heat), salt (friendship), shortbread and a black bun – a dark, rich fruit cake wrapped in pastry (plenty of food all year), and a “wee dram of whisky” (good cheer and hospitality), ensuring that the house will experience abundance in all these things in the coming year.

January 22 – Tet (Vietnam)

Tet, or Lunar New Year, is the festival of the first morning of the first day. (Usually, Tet occurs on the same day as Chinese New Year.) It’s an occasion for pilgrimages and family reunions, fireworks and lion dances, and huge meals of bahn chung (sticky rice cake stuffed with pork and mung beans), gio cha (sausage), thit kho trung (braised pork with duck eggs for good luck), candied fruit and melon seeds. The altar must be decorated with a five-fruit tray, and the colors of the fruit are important. Popular fruits are orange, banana, pomelo, green apple, papaya, mango, coconut, and dragon fruit.

January 7: Russian Orthodox Christmas Day (Russia)

For many who follow the Orthodox religion, fasting for 40 days before Christmas and refraining from meat, dairy, and eggs is a common practice, so many of the traditional Russian dishes make the most of their return to the menu! A luxurious Christmas dinner might include pirozhki (stuffed buns), deviled eggs, kulebyaka (salmon pie), pegach (stuffed bread rolls), pelmeni (meat dumplings), golubtsi (cabbage rolls), blini, and tefteli (meatballs). Desserts are pryaniki (spice cookies), sbiten (a sweet and spicy honey drink), and Kiev cake with layers of cashew or hazelnut meringue and Russian buttercream. Nostrovia!

December 26 – January 1: Kwanzaa (United States)

Inspired by a variety of sub-Saharan African harvest festivals, Kwanzaa gets its name from a Swahili phrase meaning “first fruits.” There are no menu rules; it all depends on family traditions. The focal point is often some kind of one-pot stew or braise: Ghanaian groundnut stew, West Indian or South African curry dishes, Philadelphia pepper pot stew, jambalaya, Nigerian jollof rice or Senegalese thieboudienne. Also typical are familiar foods such as catfish, collards, macaroni and cheese, jerk chicken, gumbo, accras (Caribbean fritters), candied yams, buttermilk biscuits and spoonbread, and fried plantains.

Enzo Osteria: A Taste of Tuscany in Ridgeland

BY SUSAN MARQUEZ

Robert St. John knows restaurants. He has opened and operated many in both Hattiesburg and now Jackson. He also knows Italian food. He spends three months a year in Italy. In March 2011, he opened Tabella, an Italian restaurant in Hattiesburg. “I did Tabella before I ever traveled to Europe,” Robert says. “My take on Italian food is night and day from what it was when I first opened Tabella.”

In late September, Robert opened his newest restaurant, Enzo Osteria, in the Renaissance in Ridgeland. “We are doing a mix of American Italian and authentic Italian,” he says. “Most of the time I spend in Italy is in the Tuscany region. The authentic Italian cuisine at Enzo will be very Tuscan in origin. The pizzas in Tuscany are very thin, with minimal ingredients. We’ll be doing some American-Italian stuff too. I like both. Both are great.” Some tweaks are made in the food prepared to please the American palate. “In Tuscany, they don’t salt their bread. We use salt in the bread, but not too salty.”

The restaurant is in what was originally Biaggi’s. Built 15 years ago, the restaurant had great bones. “We did some work to the interior,” Robert says. “The biggest change is in the bar. It is a lot darker. It’s a great ‘happy hour after work’ bar. We also have two dining rooms, a private room and a great outdoor area.”

The restaurant was closed for two weeks for the transition from Biaggi’s to Enzo Osteria. “My first and most important goal was to keep everyone on staff,” Robert states. “We paid them all while we were closed. We trained them, worked with the kitchen to teach them the new recipes, and many helped with deep cleaning and renovation. I’m happy to say we opened with a full staff of former Biaggi’s employees.” The restaurant is named after Enzo Corti. “Enzo is one of my favorite Italian friends. He lives in the small town of BarberinoTavernelle in the heart of the Chianti region of Tuscany. He and his wife, Annagloria, are the first people my wife and I met when we traveled to Italy in 2011. We stayed in one of their villas; and we still stay there when we go to Italy. I told Enzo I wanted to name a restaurant after him, and Annagloria asked why we didn’t name one after her. I told her that her name was too long. Besides, Enzo has a z in it, and z’s are cool.”

Enzo is a fourth-generation wine and olive oil merchant. “He embodies everything I love about Italian food and culture, and we have patterned our restaurant and its approach after his love of Tuscan food and wine, his zest for living, exuberant charm and infectious personality. At Enzo Osteria, we aim to live up to all those characteristics.”

After taking several tour groups to Italy over the years, Robert says now hundreds of people know him. “The Tuscany region is a lot like the American South. That really struck me. It is an agrarian society, but instead of cotton and soybeans, they grow grapes and olives. They love family, and they are very hospitable. They love good food, and they love to have long, leisurely dinners with friends and family.”

Robert says the menu includes recipes he has learned in his travels to Italy and recipes his son learned while working in Tuscany. “We chose to keep the inaugural version very limited to make sure all our staff members are on the same page during the opening days. We will be adding more authentic Italian recipes through a daily features program, and many of those items will eventually transition onto the regular menu in the coming weeks.”

Enzo Osteria is open daily from 11 am to 9 pm and Saturdays until 10 pm. It is located at 970 Highland Colony Parkway in Ridgeland. edm

VELVETY CHOCOLATE: Easy and Decadent Desserts to Light Up Your Tastebuds

BY MICHELE BAKER

DECADENT MINT CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES

These decadent chocolate truffles only take three simple ingredients and feature a soft ganache middle (2:1 ratio of chocolate to whipping cream). The basic recipe can be customized by rolling the truffles in unsweetened cocoa powder or coconut; dipping in white, milk, or dark chocolate and drizzling with tinted white chocolate; or even coating with gold leaf.

For the filling:

• 8 oz. high quality, semi-sweet chocolate (the better the chocolate, the better the truffles!) • 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream • 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract or mint extract

For the Coating

• 6-8 oz. semi-sweet chocolate (more if needed) • unsweetened cocoa powder for dusting, if desired

Make the truffles:

1. Roughly chop the chocolate into small pieces and place in a heatproof bowl; set aside. 2. In a heavy bottomed sauce pan (or the microwave), heat the heavy whipping cream, stirring constantly. Do not simmer or boil; just heat the cream until lightly steaming. Pour over the chocolate pieces and add the peppermint extract. Allow to sit 4-5 minutes. 3. Gently stir the mixture in one direction until smooth; if the chocolate does not completely melt, microwave in 15-second increments, stirring gently. Place plastic

wrap directly onto the surface of the chocolate and refrigerate until cool (2-3 hours). 4. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Using a cookie scoop (or melon baller, or spoon), create individual truffles about 1” in diameter by gently rolling between your palms. Place on prepared baking sheet. Refrigerate while you’re preparing the coating.

Prepare the coating:

5. Make the chocolate coating by melting 6-8 oz. of semi-sweet (or dark, milk, or white chocolate) in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave in 20-30 second increments until melted and smooth. Using a toothpick or skewer, dip each truffle into the chocolate coating and place on parchment paper. Refrigerate until chocolate coating is firm. Makes about 2 dozen truffles. OPTIONAL: Melt 1-2 oz. white chocolate and add a drop of green or red food coloring. Drizzle across the tops of finished truffles. OPTIONAL: Float a small square of edible gold foil in a small bowl of water. Using a skewer, quickly dip the truffle into the water, swirling to cause the gold to stick to the outside of the truffle. With a fork, gently remove the truffle from the skewer.

EASY & DELICIOUS CHOCOLATE BARK

This recipe is the perfect holiday gift idea because it is quick and easy to make, and nearly any topping works, making the combinations endless. Try candy cane or pretzel bits, chopped peanut butter cups, red and green M&Ms, assorted nuts and raisins, cookies-and-cream pieces, sprinkles, toffee bits, candy bar pieces (anybody got leftover Halloween candy?), or just about anything else hanging out in the pantry as leftovers. And because it’s so easy to make, you can whip up a custom batch for each person on your holiday list!

Ingredient:

• 11-12 oz. bag of white, dark, milk, or semi-sweet chocolate chips (about 2 cups) • 1 tablespoon vegetable shortening or vegetable oil • Toppings of your choice

1. Line a baking tray with waxed paper or parchment. 2. Place the chips in a microwave safe bowl and add shortening. Heat on 50% power in 30 second increments, stirring between each, until melted and smooth. 3. Spread the chocolate into an even layer on the parchment. Top with desired toppings, chill and cut into pieces. Store in an airtight container. (Remember, some toppings such as pretzel or cookie pieces will go stale more quickly than other toppings.) edm

Elvie’s: Treating Employees to Retreats

BY SUSAN MARQUEZ

It is not uncommon for companies to take their employees on a retreat. Team building exercises help create a stronger and more cooperative work environment, and who doesn’t want to get away from the office for a couple of days? What is unusual is for a restaurant to shut down for three days to take employees to a farm in another part of the state. Yet that is exactly what Hunter Evans, chef and owner of Elvie’s restaurant in Jackson, arranged for his staff this summer. And it’s probably one of the reasons Elvie’s has been named one of America’s 50 Best Restaurants for 2022 by the New York Times.

Hunter shut down the restaurant for the weekend in mid-August so his staff could attend a retreat at Home Place Pastures, a farm in Como, Mississippi that raises grass-fed beef, pastured pork and lamb. “I wanted to educate them on what it’s like to be on a farm. Home Place is an amazing spot. They have their own USDA inspection facility on site, which is very unique.”

The staff actually stayed in a house at the farm. “My father came to join us. He has many roles, but at the retreat, he assisted with personality tests and breakout sessions.” Hunter

says it is important to him to spend time as a team. “We have people who work together in the restaurant who really don’t have an opportunity to talk to each other. Attending a retreat like this, learning hands-on about one of our vendors, helps drive creativity. It certainly directs our menu.”

Learning more about the vendors the restaurant uses makes it easy for the wait staff to inform customers about different items on the menu. “It was a time for them to get away from the restaurant, and to put their eyes on where our food comes from. Learning how the food we eat is raised helps them to understand the importance of sourcing from local farmers.” In addition, the retreat helped the staff to bond together as a team. “We did a quick, spontaneous trip to New Orleans a while back for a short hangout, and that let me know that getting away for a retreat would be a good idea,” Hunter says. “It was fun to see how they hung out together in a different setting. The retreat provided a place for people to interact in a different way from when they are at work.”

Elvie’s is an all-day café in Jackson that serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. The restaurant’s ever-changing menu reflects seasonal fare highlighting Southern farmers. The retreat helps to make the connection to the restaurant’s commitment to using the highest quality, most ethically-sourced and besttasting ingredients available.

Home Place Pastures is a working farm that offers tours to the public, as well as camping, glamping and overnights in Cypress Place Cottage on the farm. Special events are hosted at the farm throughout the year, such as the “Boucherie and Blues Picnic” and the “Whole Hog Regenerative Ag Experience.” edm

From Mississippi to Beyond

Modern Southern Cuisine with a Spin

BY KATHY K. MARTIN PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS: THE SIPP

When chef Cameron Bryant describes his food at The Sipp on South Lamar in Oxford he says, “It’s The Sipp’s food with my accent.” He offers this same advice to his own sous chefs: “Create the food that represents the restaurant, but put your own spin on it.”

This has been Bryant’s evolving philosophy for his cuisine since he began cooking in his hometown of Kosciusko, and after that in Colorado, New York, and Italy. Growing up, he learned to cook a hamburger when he worked as a busboy at the Rib Alley. He also experienced the power of food alongside his two grandmothers. “I learned so much around the dinner table and just the communal aspect that food brings to our lives.”

He studied at Ole Miss, but moved to Winter Park, Colorado, to work at a ski resort and figure out what he wanted to do with his life. One day, the owners of a local taco shop offered him a job as a cook; his time there was the catalyst for his career path as a professional chef. He claims that even reading Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly by Anthony Bourdain didn’t deter him from his goal.

After returning to Oxford in 2006 to complete his degree, he grew even more passionate about food as he began to work at well-known local eateries such as Old Venice Pizza. His fondness for creating Italian dishes grew too, so he embarked on his next step – culinary school with further training in Italy. “It was a lot of fun, and I was very fortunate to be accepted into the program,” he says of his time at the French Culinary Institute in New York. His training included three months of classes stateside and three months of classes in Italy, followed by an unpaid internship at a two-star Michelin restaurant in Alba, Italy.

His first jobs after returning to the U.S. were in Brooklyn at the Diner and Marlow & Sons restaurants. “I’d call it modern American food, hyper seasonal, with their own butcher shop and bakery.”

However, Oxford tugged at him. With family in French Camp and his parents growing older, he decided to move back home. “I decided I could pursue my career and my family at the same time here in Mississippi,” he says. Bryant worked at the Ravine and then helped set up the menu for the Green Roof Lounge, both in Oxford. Before long he was approached by A.J. and Claire Kiamie, third-generation owners of Kiamie Package Store, to launch their vision for a wine, whiskey, and tapas bar called The Sipp.

Bryant describes the planning stage of the restaurant as many nights of hanging out and taste-testing recipe ideas until one in the morning. “I probably made about 40 or 50 Mae Helens during that time,” he jokes, referencing the menu item which features Texas toast, beef patties, cheese, grilled onions and chipotle-basil aioli with fries, all named for the legendary employee of Oxford’s historic Kiamie Bowling Lanes. Opening in 2019, The Sipp’s dishes feature small plates to taste and large plates to share, such as General Homie’s cauliflower wings, Latinspiced meatballs, beef empanadas, and other nibbles that pair well with a glass of wine or bourbon. The bar list is more than quadruple the size of the food menu, featuring over 50 wines and 100 whiskeys.

Bryant also owns YūGō Oxford, a modern fusion restaurant on the town square, which features dim sum and signature plates of stir-fry and fried rice dishes. The restaurants are very different, yet also similar in vibe and décor, “like two halves of the same coin,” Bryant explains. “I just put my spin on the food that belongs at that restaurant.”

This is one of chef Cameron Bryant’s favorite recipes from The

Sipp. It is based on a timeless technique of marinating roasted vegetables in vinegar to preserve their flavors and freshness. edm

HERB ROASTED MUSHROOMS You’ll need:

• 6 cups button mushrooms, cut in half • 1 tablespoon dry thyme • 1 tablespoon dry tarragon • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper • 1 cup olive oil • 2 teaspoons salt • 1/2 cup aged sherry vinegar

1. Preheat oven to 400. 2. In a large mixing bowl, toss the mushrooms with oil, dry herbs, salt, and cayenne pepper. 3. Pour into deep baking dish and roast in the oven for approximately 20–25 minutes or until the mushroom water has evaporated. 4. Remove from oven and allow to cool to the touch. Stir in vinegar. 5. Pack into a lidded container and keep in the fridge until ready to use. Serve with crostini, aioli, and shaved sharp cheese, on steak, or tossed into a salad.

West End Fresh Salads

BY SUSAN MARQUEZ

When Bruce Parker and his brother opened a convenience store on a dry county line on the west side of Tupelo in 2003, he never dreamed he would one day sell their house made chicken salad and pimiento cheese to over 500 retailers in 12 states. The brothers were selling beer to folks across the road, and like most convenience stores, they served food. “We came from a food service background, and we wanted our offerings to be better than most gas station food.”

Parker says they cooked their own plate lunches and had seating in the store. “One Sunday a pharmaceutical rep came in with his family for lunch,” says Parker. “He asked me if we could cater to doctors’ offices. We had never done anything like that before, but I didn’t think it would be that hard.” They went to Sam’s and bought containers and began a catering business on the side. “We started catering for weddings and other events,” he recalls. “We called the catering business West End Catering, because people were paying us a lot of money to cater their events and we didn’t want them to know it came from a gas station.”

While they had a set menu, Parker says they would ask what people really wanted, explaining, “We could do anything, from petit fours to a whole hog.” One of their regular catering clients was a hospital that sponsored a monthly meeting of a women’s group at the First Baptist Church in Tupelo. “There would be anywhere from 200 to 500 women at the events,” says Parker. “One month we got a call saying they wanted chicken salad on a bed of lettuce with crackers and a croissant. Afterwards, ladies began coming into our store asking if they could buy the chicken salad; they loved it.” The chicken salad is a sweet relishbased recipe. They began packaging it in one-pound containers and selling it in a deli case in the convenience store. “My mom began making desserts for us. We sold pie by the slice and other treats.”

Parker’s “aha” moment occurred when a woman came in and ordered six pounds of chicken salad. “I said, ‘that’s a lot of chicken salad, what kind of event are you having?’” The woman told him she was taking it back to friends in Oxford, a 45-minute drive away. “I was shocked that someone would

drive 45 minutes to buy chicken salad. I realized then that we should probably get it into other stores.” Parker’s first stop was Palmer’s on the east side of Tupelo. “I asked if they’d stock it, and they said yes,” he recalls. “So I went to another store, and they said they had heard it was good stuff, and they’d love to carry it as well.”

Seeing the potential in a wholesale business, Parker soon split off from his brother and set up shop in an empty restaurant to start making chicken salad. They were rocking along until a call from the Department of Agriculture. “They told me we couldn’t do what we were doing. But they helped us get into compliance, a complicated process. We got licensed to sell products outside the state and picked up stores in Memphis and Alabama.” West End Fresh Salads are now available in Kroger, Piggly Wiggly, Cash Saver, Food Giant, Food Rite, Mac’s Fresh Market, Foodland and other stores in Mississippi, Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana Florida, Georgia, Texas Tennessee, and Illinois.

With business booming, they had to move into another building, allowing the company to expand to nine products. “We have the original chicken salad, and a dill relish-based chicken salad. My wife introduced her pimiento cheese recipe, and we’ve also added a jalapeño pimiento cheese. We also have a grab-and-go snack kit with either chicken salad or pimiento cheese, Captain’s wafers, and a wooden spoon.”

Since they’ve been through the process of learning about mass production, distributors, food brokers and such, Parker says his company is now working with other food manufacturers. “We are co-packers for several food products, including making bagels for Dave’s Bagels in Memphis; Arbo’s Cheese Dip, which is sold in several different states; Oxford Falls Bloody Mary mix; and products for Pimento’s, a restaurant chain in Memphis. “I love being part of making dreams a reality by developing and manufacturing other products and getting it into stores. There are a lot of people trying to get into the food business, so we are happy we can help.”

For more information on West End Fresh Salads, visit the company’s website at westendfreshsalads.com. edm

Daily Blue Plates | Brunch | Lakeside Patio

361 TOWNSHIP AVE. RIDGELAND, MS 39157 601.707.0587 | ANJOURESTAURANT.NET

The Mermaid Cafe: Good Seafood in a Great Community

BY SUSAN MARQUEZ

When Matt Taylor was 16 years old, he was given a hand-me-down car with no gas. “My parents told me that if I wanted to go somewhere, I needed to get a job.” A family friend owned a Subway sandwich shop, and he went to work. “Little did I know, that was the beginning of my career in food service.” Matt realized while working at Subway that food service was a good way to make a living. “We all have something in common,” he says. “We all have to eat.”

After graduating from Jackson Prep, the Flowood native went to Mississippi State. During his time in Starkville, he worked at a country club and various restaurants. With some experience under his belt, he went to work at the famed Rendezvous restaurant in Memphis for the next seven years. “I went to work for the Vergos family, which was my first exposure to Greek restauranteurs. I learned so much working there. It has a special place in my heart. They were such a good family to work for.”

But there is no place like home. “There is something about Jackson that pulls people back. I returned in January 2010 and started waiting tables at Nick’s.” Nick Apostle owned the white-tablecloth restaurant, and he became a mentor to Matt. “I grew up eating at Nick’s,” Matt recalls. “It was the celebration place, where we went for special occasions, like birthdays

or prom.”

When Nick’s closed the doors at its Lakeland Drive location and opened in Fondren, Matt helped open the new restaurant. “I worked my way up the ladder there, and during that time I learned so much about the business from Nick. We had long talks, and he has easily forgotten more than I’ll ever know on my own.” Nick tried retiring a second time, closing the Fondren location, but he had one more restaurant in him.

The Lake Caroline community was developing, and Nick opened a neighborhood restaurant overlooking the lake. The seafood-driven menu was perfect for The Mermaid Café. “I moved to the Mermaid Café, but I had my doubts,” says Matt. “There wasn’t much out there when it opened in 2009. But Nick was a visionary. He saw what it could be.”

As Nick’s children began having children, he was ready to hang it up to spend more time with family. It was Nick’s hope and Matt’s dream for Matt to buy the restaurant. Two years ago, on January 1, 2020, Matt became the owner of The Mermaid Café. Three months later, the Covid pandemic caused the demise of restaurants across the country.

“We were fortunate,” says Matt. “We never closed the restaurant. We had to get up to speed to transition to curb-side service, but it worked for us. We had so many regulars coming by to pick up food, and they would tip hundreds of dollars. They wanted to be sure the staff was well taken care of so they would stay on. I was so touched. It’s our staff that keeps us going, so that meant so much.”

The Mermaid Café is in a unique spot, facing west across Lake Caroline. The long front porch is dotted with rocking chairs where folks enjoy watching the magnificent sunsets. Large enough to seat 170 people, the building is also used for private receptions, from rehearsal dinners to wedding receptions, showers, birthday parties and the annual Bishop’s Cup held in conjunction with the Catholic Charities golf tournament.

The menu is broad enough for everyone, from small children to older guests, to find something they enjoy. “I have made very few changes to the menu since I have taken over,” says Matt. “I am smart enough to know that any changes I make need to be small. I don’t want to alienate the folks who keep the lights on.”

From seafood to steaks, burgers, sandwiches, salads and pizza, The Mermaid Café offers a good selection of dishes. “We also do nightly appetizer and entrée specials, and that helps bring creativity to what we do.” Matt is comfortable with his staff, many of whom worked with Nick long before Matt came onto the scene. “We have a gentleman in the kitchen who worked with Nick for over 30 years, and he’s been with me since I started. We also have a couple of staff members who have been on board for over 20 years.” Matt says that it’s been a lot of fun so far. “I love that it is different every day. I enjoy getting to know our guests, many of whom have become good friends. I don’t think I could ever be content to work in a cubical day-to-day. I am one of those people who thrives with interaction with others and with chaos. I think that puts me in the perfect spot!” edm

Roasted Kabocha Squash with Red Onions and Garlic

Recipe adapted from Williams Sonoma

Kabocha squash is a small, round flavor bombshell whose bright orange flesh tastes like a cross between pumpkin and sweet potato. If kabochas are not available, substitute Hubbard, butternut, acorn, or your favorite squash. (Note that delicatas will require shorter cooking times.) Recipe adapted from Williams Sonoma.

ROASTED KABOCHA SQUASH WITH RED ONIONS AND GARLIC

Ingredients:

• 2 Kobocha squash, about 2 lbs., halved, seeded and cut into wedges • 2 red onions, cut into wedges • 3 bulbs of elephant garlic, tops cut off crosswise • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage • kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Method:

Preheat oven to 375 F (190 C). On a nonstick baking sheet (or a silicone baking mat), toss together the squash, onions, 2 tablespoons of the oil and chopped sage. Spread out to a single layer on the baking sheet; season with salt and pepper. Nestle garlic bulbs in among the onions so they stand up, cut sides exposed. Drizzle garlic with the remaining tablespoon of oil. Roast until the squash is tender, about 30-35 minutes. Serve warm.