Innholdsfortegnelse for March - April 2016 i Taste of the South

AS MY FAVORITE SONGWRITER, EMILY SALIERS, SAYS, “There’s something about the Southland in the springtime.” From the far reaches of Texas to the bayous of Cajun country, over the rolling hills of the Mountain South, and all the way out to the coastal plains of Florida and the Lowcountry, our homeland wakes from its winter slumber, transforming into a vibrant tapestry of life, color, and flavor, just begging to be explored. For our first Foodie Travel Issue, we’ve picked out a tasty itinerary for you—35 iconic restaurants to add to your bucket list (page 45), culinary trails to explore (page 13), opulent hotels that are bringing back the lost art of hotel dining (page 57), and the South’s best soda fountains that are serving up nostalgia by the scoopful (page…

HONEY CITRUS MARMALADE North Carolina-based Copper Pot & Wooden Spoon specializes in handcrafted jams and preserves, working with small local farms to support sustainable agriculture. We love their Honey Citrus Marmalade—fresh ruby red grapefruit and naval oranges blend beautifully with North Carolina honey to create this delightfully tangy treat. $8.50; squareup.com/market/copper-pot-and-wooden-spoon PEANUT DEPOT ROASTED PEANUTS Open since 1907, Birmingham, Alabama-based Peanut Depot uses antique roasters to prepare peanuts the old-fashioned way in one of three flavors: fresh roasted, salted, and Cajun. Their store, located on historic Morris Avenue, makes a fun stop on your Southern road trip. $11; peanutdepot.com GEORGIA BLUEBERRY BALSAMIC REDUCTION Get a little taste of Italy with a decidedly Southern twist. A&A Alta Cucina produces a number of condiments and sauces that are all handmade in small…

JUST A FEW HOURS ' DRIVE IN ANY DIRECTION ALL AROUND the South, you'll find enough to see and do for a lifetime of vacations. Grab a couple of girlfriends, arrange a family reunion, or sneak away yourself to any one of the destinations profiled in this special travel section. throughout the South, cities are teeming with festivals, hot new restaurants, museums and nightlife. There are also relaxing indulgences like spa destinations, luxury mountain retreats, and natural attractions both breathtaking and awe-inspiring. The lure of the South extends through its delicious food, beautiful scenery and Southerners themselves. Welcome to the South, where hospitality reigns. MORGANTOWN, WV The Secrets and Celebrations of Buckwheat in Preston County, W.Va. THE GREATER MORGANTOWN AREA IS A…

Bardstown, Kentucky People might come to Bardstown for the bourbon, but they stay for the picturesque farmland and small-town charm. Located in the heart of the Bluegrass State, Bardstown boasts a variety of locally owned restaurants, eclectic shops, and historical attractions that blend to create a strong Southern spirit you won’t be able to resist. Harrison-Smith House Restaurant The Harrison-Smith House takes pride in the fact that they are surrounded not only by the best distilleries in the country, but also the best farmland. Chefs Josh Smouse and Newman Miller constantly try to incorporate local, responsibly raised meats, fruits, and vegetables into the menu. You won’t want to miss the fried and glazed Brussels sprouts or the Wild Lake Barkley Catfish. harrisonsmithhouse.com Kurtz Restaurant Merrill and Annette Kurtz opened Kurtz…

BACON-WRAPPED CHICKEN WITH SUGAR SNAP PEAS Makes 6 servings Your family will love coming home to this quick and easy dish. 6 boneless skinless chicken breasts 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper 12 slices center-cut bacon 2 (8-ounce) packages sugar snap peas 1/2 cup dry white wine 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard 1. Preheat oven to 400°. 2. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Wrap each chicken breast tightly with 2 pieces of bacon; secure with wooden picks. 3. Heat a 12-inch cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken, and cook until bacon is browned, 5 to 6 minutes per side. Place in oven, and bake for 20 minutes. Remove chicken from skillet; discard wooden picks. 4. Heat skillet over medium-high heat. Add peas;…

For many Southern towns, restaurants are part of their very soul. Located in everything from historic buildings to ramshackle houses, these iconic restaurants have kept their communities alive through the special magic of the shared meal. With so many wonderful restaurants in the South from which to choose, picking favorites would be downright impossible. Instead, we’ve focused on iconic spots that have been in business for at least 40 years and have helped build the Southern culinary landscape. Here’s our list of iconic Southern restaurants that have been serving their customers and keeping them coming back for decades. Without them, the South simply wouldn't be the same. COMMANDER’S PALACE NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA Commander’s Palace is certainly known for a few key menu items (who could forget Commander’s Bread Pudding Soufflé?),…

In centuries past, the spice trade brought exotic flavors to Southern port cities, leading to this classic Lowcountry dish. COUNTRY CAPTAIN CASSEROLE Makes 6 to 8 servings Sweet golden raisins and crunchy sliced almonds add texture and flavor to this Lowcountry classic. 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 2 carrots, chopped 1/2 medium yellow onion, diced 1/2 green bell pepper, sliced 1 clove garlic, minced 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained 1/2 cup golden raisins 1/2 cup unsalted chicken broth 11/2 teaspoons salt 11/2 teaspoons ground ginger 11/2 teaspoons curry powder 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper 2 cups shredded cooked chicken 2 cups cooked rice 1 cup sliced almonds Garnish: chopped green onion 1. Preheat oven to 350°. 2. In a 10-inch cast-iron skillet, heat oil over medium-high…

Once treating almost every Southern town to frosty concoctions, soda fountains are harder to find these days. But a dedicated handful of purveyors has carefully maintained the classic style, food, service, and, in some cases, even the prices over the years to carry on a bit of history and help revive the nostalgia of the classic soda fountains and the artistry of the soda jerk. Here are a few of our favorite spots around the South to sip and spin. Brent’s Drugs JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI Brent’s Drugs opened in 1946 in the first shopping center in Mississippi. The soda fountain was originally just a side note to the pharmacy—while you were waiting for your prescription to be filled, you could whet your whistle with a milkshake or soda. Since owner Brad…

IT'S LITERALLY MUSIC TO OUR EARS The Northshore has an amazing variety of local and national acts that celebrate Louisiana's rich history of musical diversity in venues from vineyards to historic jazz halls. Families flock to Pontchartrain Vineyards near Covington for its Jazz'n the Vines concert series , which starts on March 19. Couples and families alike bring along picnic baskets and lawn chairs to hear some of the region's best musicians. One of the Northshore's natural treasures, the Tammany Trace (a biking and hiking trail that connects St. Tammany Parish) , hosts free concert series near each of its trailheads-Rockin' the Rails on Thursdays in Covington, Mandeville Live! on Fridays in Mandeville. On Sundays , head over to Heritage Park in Slidell for Bayou Jam. And it wouldn't be…

TAKE AN OLD COLD TATER (AND WAIT) LITTLE JIMMY DICKENS All four feet and eleven inches of Little Jimmy Dickens might have been covered in a rhinestone suit when he sang this tune, written from the perspective of a boy waiting his turn at the chicken platter as the pastor and other guests took first pick. THERE AIN’T A CHICKEN SAFE IN TENNESSEE HOMER AND JETHRO Satire songs from the “Thinking Man’s Hillbillies” included this number from the heyday of the fast-food fried chicken craze. FRIED CHICKEN AND A COUNTRY TUNE BILLY EDD WHEELER As the song goes, “Selling fried chicken and a country tune/ They go together like a moon in June.” MAMA BAKE A PIE (DADDY KILL A CHICKEN) TOM T. HALL One of Nashville’s greatest songwriters, with…

SOUTHERN DEVILED EGGS Makes 24 12 large hard-cooked eggs, peeled and halved lengthwise 1/2 cup mayonnaise* 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt 1. In a medium bowl, mash egg yolks with a fork. Stir in mayonnaise, lemon juice, mustard, and salt until smooth. 2. Spoon filling into egg whites. Garnish with desired toppings. Refrigerate until ready to serve. *We used Duke’s Mayonnaise. GEORGIA Prepare Southern Deviled Eggs as directed. Top with sautéed sweet onions and Spiced Pecans (recipe on page 33). LOUISIANA Prepare Southern Deviled Eggs, omitting salt and substituting 2 teaspoons Creole mustard for Dijon mustard. Stir 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning and1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper into egg yolk mixture. Top with ground red pepper. MISSISSIPPI Prepare Southern Deviled Eggs as directed.…

While Christmas Eve may bring visions of sugarplums, come Easter, the image dancing in most Southerners’ subconscious appetites is that of a golden, glossy ham, scored, glazed, and studded with golden rings of caramelized pineapple. Behold the beauty of this sweet and savory showstopper, the worthy result of a slow and steady commitment to one glorious cut of pork. Few things welcome a scattered family to the table like the sight and smell of an Easter ham, at once humble and elegant in its utter simplicity. While the tradition of serving ham at Easter has been attributed to a number of historical connections, such as a difference between Christian and Jewish theology and a harkening back to ancient beliefs that pigs brought luck, let’s simplify the equation: ham was there.…

LouisianaTravel.com/Culinary PRAIRIE HOME COOKING A TRIP TO LOUISIANA'S PRAIRIE COUNTRY GIVES VISITORS A UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE ON CAJUN CUISINE. WITH ITS MOM AND POP SHOPS AND QUAINT, HISTORIC DOWNTOWNS, THERE'S SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE ON THE PRAIRIE HOME COOKING TRAIL. CHEF CHAT Nancy Brewer | The Kitchen Shop, Grand Coteau What are the quintessential dishes of the Prairie Home Cooking Trail? Because I’m a pastry chef I’d say sweet potato sweet dough pie, of course. Ruby’s in Eunice is a great spot for plate lunches. They have a dish resembling a large sausage roast called ponce, which is something you won’t be able to find outside this part of the world. What’s a must-do cultural experience on the Prairie Home Cooking Trail? In Grand Coteau, visitors can tour the Academy of the…

Blogger, cookbook writer, and all-around food lover Stacey Little comes from a long line of Southern cooks who taught him how to create simple, flavorful dishes and prepare them with lots of love. Stacey knows that his Southern recipes are the kind that bring folks together, and his passion is to continue to inspire this connection through good food. To learn more about Stacey and try his recipes, visit his blog southernbite.com, and check out his cookbook, The Southern Bite Cookbook. Favorite spring ingredients? I automatically think of all the great produce—strawberries, spring onions, and asparagus top the list for me. I grew up with grandparents who kept two huge gardens, so it was common to go out and pick what we were having for dinner. Dish you’d bring to…