Mind Your Holiday Manners
10 tips for being the perfect guest & host from Atlanta etiquette expert Patti Davis.
Christmas in Laurel
by Judy Smith As I turn the calendar page to December, Christmas lights are all aglow along the main street in town, ribbons cascade and tumble from the tops of perfectly shaped fir trees and silver bells, wreaths and garlands adorn front doors and lampposts. There’s just a special type of charm that graces a small Southern town during Christmastime. As the whole town is decked out in its holiday finery, the spirit embraces its citizens like nowhere else.
'Our Time' at Yalo
A new photography exhibit in Water Valley showcases Mississippi's past and present, including never before seen works by the late Jim Higgins.
Celebrating St. Nick
Growing up in Crowley, Louisiana, as a Zaunbrecher (pronounced Zon-brecker), we celebrated St. Nick's Day. Traditionally on December 6, it's when families of German descent put their shoes out on the porch for St. Nicholas to bring them treats while they're sleeping.
Penguins
by Jamie Poole My boy Ethan was learning about penguins at school. I hated to admit that I didn’t know much about the birds. In fact, I wasn’t even sure if they were birds since they didn’t fly. As soon as he piled in the car with his Spiderman backpack in one hand and a sweaty fistful of construction paper in the other, he started up with the questions again. “Mama, Mrs. Carson said penguins live in Antarctica but not in the Arctic. Why can’t they live in both places?” “Hmmm … I don’t know, baby. Maybe we can read about that in one of our encyclopedias at home.” In 1982 my mama got roped into buying a set of World Books from my fifth grade teacher. They’d cost her a thousand dollars and that was back fifteen years ago. Now they propped up my box spring and mattress. I was already feeling stressed by the time he got in the car. Car-line always made me feel that way. Sitting still didn’t come easy to me. Made me feel real nervous just sitting there, arm dangling out of the car window because the air conditioner was broken and it was already ninety degrees in
2011 Holiday Gift Guide
Filled with gift ideas from the South, our 2011 Gift Guide has everything from jewelry, music and sweets to attire, ornaments, gift sets and even a little something for the family dog. Every product featured is made right here in the South, a lot of them by hand, so start shopping and put a little taste of home under your tree this year.
An Interview With Erika Marks
A native New Englander, Erika Marks fell in love with New Orleans while studying architectural preservation at Tulane University. She also fell in love with a native named Ian, who taught her to make exotic dishes like gumbo. Hurricane Katrina drove the couple from the city, but New Orleans stayed on Erika's mind through a move back to Maine and another to the Midwest. The story of a woman who leaves New Orleans with her two teenaged daughters for the quiet shores of an island off the coast of Maine became Marks' first novel, "Little Gale Gumbo," published October 4.
Virgin Snow
“Oh God – Fish!” Tommy screamed, skipping in full-tilt panic on the bank, screaming for the dog to pull herself to solid ice. He watched, helpless as she struggled, paws flailing, splashing the slushy water and trying to gain purchase. Tommy’s prancing got him nowhere, so he stepped onto the pond to try and reach her, another forbidden. Each step past the tree line brought the cracking and creaking his parents warned him of.
Meyer Lemon Tart
Saint Street Inn opened in Lafayette, Louisiana, in August, serving farm-to-table food to the city's Saints Streets neighborhood. This time of year, owners Mary Tutwiler and Nathan Stubbs are taking advantage of in-season fruits like satsumas and Meyer lemons. The restaurant's baker, Gaylen Delcambre, is currently serving a Meyer Lemon Tart on the dessert menu. The recipe is an 1985 Martha Stewart one and the dish a Thanksgiving favorite for its refreshing tartness after a heavy meal of turkey and stuffing. Delcambre suggests taking sugar and bruleeing the top or just serving the tart with a dollop of whipped cream. 2 cups sugar 1 cup lemon juice Zest of 3 Meyer lemons 2 sticks cold butter, cut into cubes 12 egg yolks 1 pie crust (recipe below) Whisk all ingredients except butter well, then cook on medium heat stirring constantly until bubbly and thickened. Remove from heat and pour into a large bowl through a sieve to remove zest. Gradually beat in butter and then pour into prepared crust. Put in fridge uncovered for two hours then remove and keep at room temperature. Decorate the top by piping a beaten egg white or whipped cream around the edges. Pie Crust 1 1/4 cups flour 1/8 cup sugar Pinch of salt 1 stick
Ann Patchett's Parnassus
"I think of this as my gift to the city," Ann Patchett told NPR about the opening of her new bookstore in Nashville November 16.