FOOD & FUN

CHANGING THE WORLD… ONE BAGEL AT A TIME!

The Secret Ingredient is ALWAYS Love.

Bee Happy

4013 Beatline Rd, Suite C Long Beach, MS 39560 228-222-4145 bagelbees2020 BagelBeesBakery

CHAPPY CHAPMAN PARTNER, RUM KITCHEN STARR CHAPMAN PARTNER, RUM KITCHEN

FRESHEST SEAFOOD FRIENDLY SERVICE AMPLE FREE PARKING CRAFT COCKTAILS & STEAKS

RUM KITCHEN’S “Cook Ups”

Embrace the flavors of the Coastal Cuisine that brings the essence of the Islands to you. A friendly relaxed atmosphere serving the freshest burgers, seafood, steaks, craft cocktails and much more. 7 - 65” screens, kid friendly, awesome customer service, free parking, daily happy hour, and monthly special events featuring our flavorful cuisine and unique, original craft cocktails.

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324 Hwy 90, Waveland, MS 39576 (228) 467-9099

pineapple salsa, house-made spicy mayo, tobiko and black sesame seeds. The veggie taco also was remarkably good. Served on a soft shell with black bean puree and shredded cheese sandwiched between a crunchy shell with spinach, fire-roasted corn, pico de gallo, guacamole and chipotle ranch, it made eating meatless a pleasure. If pressed to choose my favorite, I would have to go with the crawfish taco, which also includes sauteed shrimp with roasted garlic, spinach and corn topped with chipotle ranch. The carnitas taco with braised, slow-cooked pork shoulder was the closest of the four to traditional Mexican tacos.

While I had to get a to-go box to bring some of the goodness home, I couldn’t quite leave yet after hearing about the apple pie empanadas served with vanilla ice cream. Two warm empanadas come with an apple orange marmalade dusted in cinnamon and maple sugar, topped with house-made caramel sauce. It was a great way to end a highly satisfying meal.

Rooftop Taco & Tequila Bar opens at 11 a.m. Tuesday through Sunday, closing at 9 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday and Sunday, 11 p.m. on Thursday and at midnight Friday and Saturday. Every Tuesday, guests can take advantage of all-day taco specials, and on Wednesday, they can indulge in the popular, one-dayonly birria tacos. Five-dollar quesadilla specials are featured on Thursday, as well as $1 margaritas for ladies’ night. Weekends feature a special late-night menu, with live bands performing during the day and a DJ playing until close.

ROOFTOP TACO & TEQUILA BAR 1110 Government St. B, Ocean Springs (228) 447-3375 www.rooftopos.com www.facebook.com/ RoofTopOS

BY ANDREA YEAGER

Treat your tastebuds to an EXTRAORDINARY BURGER

Some Coastians prefer to stick to the old-fashioned burger with all the trimmings, while others are game for a taste adventure.

Across the country, the tried-and-true ground beef burger on a bun with lettuce, onions, tomato and cheese is the hands-down favorite. Some no longer eat ground beef and opt for a veggie or bean burger.

Some like to add mushrooms, Swiss or bleu cheese. Others prefer a slice of pineapple on top, plus all the fixings. A few, like me, dig into a chili cheeseburger that requires a stack of napkins.

While the best burger debate continues, summer is the time to fire up the grill and get those patties sizzling. Instead of the favorite, why not try something different — maybe even a burger with an Asian or Hispanic twist?

Here are some more unconventional burger recipes that are sure to please even diehard patty, bun and mayo folks. For those not eating meat, a simple veggie burger can pack flavor, too. This one also is lower in fat and perhaps better for the waistline. VEGGIE BURGER 1 (16-ounce) can Goya black beans 1/2 cup fresh, small green bell peppers 1/2 cup chopped onion 3 cloves crushed garlic 1 egg 1/2 teaspoon chili powder or more to taste 1/2 teaspoon or more cumin 1/2 cup gluten-free breadcrumbs

Wash and dry beans, then mash. Finely chop peppers, onion and garlic. Add to mashed beans.

Beat egg with chili powder and cumin. Add to beans, then mix in breadcrumbs. Shape as a burger patty. Bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes on each side, or place on grill for eight minutes on each side. From www.fooducate.com

Burger: Burger patties Burger buns Mushrooms Onions Crispy bacon Whiskey sauce Whiskey Sauce: 1 tablespoon butter 1/4 cup chopped onion 1/2 cup whiskey 1 cup of beef stock 1/2 bay leaf 1 tablespoon roux 1 teaspoon tomato paste Salt Fresh ground pepper WHISKEY BURGER

To make sauce: In a small saucepan, melt butter and sauté onion until transparent on medium heat. Add whisky and simmer for about two to three minutes. Add beef stock, bay leaf and tomato paste. Using a silicone-covered whisk, stir until combined.

To make the roux, combine one-half tablespoon soft (not melted) butter and 1/2 tablespoon of flour. Stir together very well. Whisk in the roux, salt and pepper. Simmer for about five minutes, whisking often. Take out the bay leaf before serving.

Burger: Cook the burgers to your preference. I like to combine beef and pork ground meat and add some chopped onion, garlic clove, fresh herbs and a little bit of breadcrumbs.

Sauté mushrooms and onions until caramelized and add a little bit of whiskey sauce.

Top the burger off with sauteed mushrooms and onions, bacon and whiskey sauce. From www.willcookforsmiles.com

In a small bowl, combine the ketchup, soy sauce, brown sugar, pineapple, ginger, garlic and sesame oil; set aside.

In large bowl, combine the egg white, breadcrumbs, onions, crushed pineapple and three tablespoons ketchup mixture. Crumble beef and turkey over mixture. Mix well. Shape into six burgers.

Using long-handled tongs, moisten a paper towel with cooking oil, and lightly coat the grill rack. Grill burgers covered over medium heat, or broil four inches from the heat for five to seven minutes on each side (or until a thermometer reads 165 degrees and juices run clear), brushing occasionally with remaining ketchup mixture.

Grill or broil pineapple slices for two to three minutes on each side, or until heated through. Serve burgers and pineapple on buns with lettuce and tomato. From Taste of Home Magazine TERRIFIC TERIYAKI BURGERS 1/4 cup ketchup 2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce 1 tablespoon brown sugar 1 tablespoon unsweetened crushed pineapple 1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh gingerroot 1 garlic clove, minced 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil

Burgers: 1 egg white, lightly beaten 1/3 cup dry breadcrumbs 3 green onions, chopped 2 tablespoons unsweetened crushed pineapple 3/4 pound ground beef 3/4 pound ground turkey 6 sliced unsweetened pineapple 6 hamburger buns, split and toasted 6 lettuce leaves 6 slices tomato

Andrea Yeager is a freelance writer who lives in Gulfport with her daughter, granddaughter, three cats and two dogs.

Owners, Pepe Perez & Lilian Perez-Gollot

10027 CENTRAL AVE, D'IBERVILLE, MS (228) 396-0044

BY ROBIN KILLEEN

Divinely rooted

We’ll be discussing roots here — but not in the context you might think. Rather, we’ll be addressing the necessity and benefits of being rooted in Christ.

Colossians 2:6-7 says: “So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him. Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.”

Growth is the process of development and maturing, and in this passage, it refers to the progress of the kingdom of God and the spiritual development of his believers. In the Bible, scripture uses examples and images of growth, such as seeds, plants and infants, to explain the dynamic nature of our personal faith and the kingdom of God.

The use of plants and roots in these instances is symbolic of our connection to Christ and the necessity and advantages of being rooted in him, as well as what happens if we’re not.

Roots are essential for plants to live, and similarly, being rooted in Christ is necessary for having a healthy spiritual life and, in turn, living life to the fullest. Just as plants flourish or perish depending on the health of their roots, we exhibit Christ-like qualities when we are rooted in him.

Jeremiah 17:7-8 says, “But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.”

Now we understand a plant that is not rooted in its life source eventually will wither and die. This metaphor of vegetation with no root system demonstrates that if we are not rooted in and remain disconnected from Christ, our only life-source, we are more susceptible to life’s issues during turbulent times and could wither and die.

In our spiritual walk, we must be rooted, grounded and grow deeper in our life source so we may stand taller and accomplish what God has called us to do.

I pray that out of his glorious riches, he may strengthen you with power through his spirit in your inner being. I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ (Ephesians 3:16-19).

Roots are essential for plants to live, and similarly, being rooted in Christ is necessary for having a healthy spiritual life and, in turn, living life to the fullest.

Robin Killeen is founder of W.O.W. (Women of Wisdom). W.O.W. meets every second Wednesday of the month at noon at the Knight Nonprofit Center in Gulfport.

5 questions with ST. VINCENT DE PAUL COMMUNITY PHARMACY

Sam Burke, executive director of the St. Vincent de Paul Community Pharmacy, tells us all about the nonprofit and its efforts to provide free pharmacy services for thousands of people, who would otherwise go without.

WHAT DOES YOUR ORGANIZATION DO, AND WHAT IS ITS MISSION?

The St. Vincent de Paul Community Pharmacy’s Mission is to provide prescription medication and wellness education to those in need. The pharmacy fills a void in the healthcare process, ensuring underinsured and uninsured patients receive the much-needed medication they need. The organization has two permitted pharmacies in Biloxi and Hattiesburg, as well as extension sites in Bay St. Louis and Moss Point. The pharmacy does not dispense any controlled drugs.

WHEN AND WHY WAS IT FOUNDED?

The organization was founded in 1998 as a special works mission of the St. Vincent de Paul Society. The SVDP is a volunteer organization within the Catholic Church that works with the poor of the community.

In the mid to late 90s, local churches were experiencing a substantial increase in requests for prescription medicine assistance. It was decided at that point to create a central pharmacy location to serve residents in South Mississippi. The pharmacy continues to operate with primarily volunteer labor, including licensed pharmacists, technicians, eligibility screeners and front office staff. The organization has three paid staff and over 100 volunteers. There really is no other program like St. Vincent de Paul Community Pharmacy in Mississippi.

WHAT IMPACT HAS THE ORGANIZATION MADE IN THE COMMUNITY?

Since opening in 1998, the St. Vincent de Paul Community Pharmacy has filled over 275,000 prescriptions for 4,336 clients in South Mississippi. The value of the medicine that has been dispensed is nearly $15.4 million. The organization has positioned itself to be as accessible as possible by providing multiple pharmacy locations, as well as extension sites for eligibility screenings. Even during the past 12 months of COVID-19, the pharmacy has remained open. We filled nearly 28,000 prescriptions in 2020. Not a single client went without his or her medicine being filled. We are quite proud of this fact, especially given that volunteers do the work.

Left side: Linda Anderson, Nancy Carson, Craig Lobb, Dr. Larry Drawdy, Gerald Strayham; right side: Ann Thibodeaux, Carlotta Hewes and Kalin Lloyd

WHAT HAS BEEN THE GREATEST THING YOU HAVE LEARNED OR GAINED BY BEING INVOLVED IN THIS ORGANIZATION?

There are some truly selfless and amazing people in the world. Being an organization so dependent on volunteers, I continue to be amazed by the people that live in and around us who are willing to share their time, talent and treasure for the sake of their fellow man. The individuals we serve aren’t that different from us; one or two factors in life have led them to our door. The professionalism and empathy our volunteers show have long set the tone for our operations. It is the most dedicated “personnel” I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with. Another great thing is the true appreciation our clients have for the services they receive. Many of them would not have a very high quality of life if not for the medicine they receive from us.

WHAT’S NEW WITH THE PHARMACY?

Like the rest of the world, St. Vincent de Paul Community Pharmacy has had to adapt to the changing world around us. At the peak of the COVID-19 crisis, we had to scale down our operations. We minimized the number of people in the building by spreading the workload across multiple days per week. In doing so, we now have a pharmacist available on multiple days each week, whereas before, we only had one once a week.

In the coming weeks, we will be reopening our lobby to conduct the eligibility screening process. This has been on hold for the past year, as it involves a 45-minute interview process in close proximity. Once the lobby is safely reopened, we will then look to reopen our extension sites. These steps will bring us closer to resuming full operation.