LIfe's little surprises often remain hidden unless you're paying attention. At the Southern Foodways Alliance Winter Symposium held in Birmingham recently, I heard the celebrated female mariachi band La Victoria perform a concert of corridos (storytelling folk songs). They sang about many things including a woman who traveled with her food--and food memories--packed in a suitcase. … Continue reading Mississippi Tamales and More, Thanks to a Los Angeles Mariachi Band
Mi Pueblo, which translates to "My Town," makes grocery shopping an adventure. I love going to this Hispanic supermarket on Green Springs in Homewood! Not just Hispanic, though, it's really a multicultural place with foods from all over the world. You'll recognize products from the United States, and you can get to know other things from … Continue reading Shopping for Food and Fun at Mi Pueblo Supermarket
I love to cook. I enjoy chopping what needs to be chopped with my favorite knife. I delight in putting all my ingredients into little bowls so they are ready when I'm ready for them. And I like to pour a glass of wine to sip while I stir. But sometimes I just want to … Continue reading Dinner at My House: Weeknight Fancy Chicken and Rice
My neighbor makes cheese straws for Christmas each year, and they always take me right back to my childhood. Cameron's classic Southern recipe--crisp-crunchy, mouthwateringly savory and just spicy enough--calls for a cookie press and a star tip and some real skill. The result is perfect, wavy strips pretty enough for gift-giving and so good I … Continue reading Everyday Cheese Straws (that are not straws)
So far this flu season I've braved three buffet dinners, two track meets and one gala, armed with I don't know how many little bottles of hand sanitizer and the new habit of eating finger foods with my left hand. I also happen to have a not-so-secret weapon: Medicine Soup. Think chicken soup ... and … Continue reading Dinner at My House: Medicine Soup
Restaurateurs and friends Reginald “Reggie” Washington and Duane Nutter serve “globally inspired Southern food” at their highly anticipated new restaurant, Southern National, in Mobile. Go ahead and plan your visit now. That city has embraced them, and, with a James Beard Foundation 2018 nomination for Best New Restaurant (Southern National is a semifinalist, and it was announced … Continue reading Southern National in Mobile is Destination Dining
Lucky you, Cahaba Heights! You have your own Crestline Bagel Co. now. The beloved breakfast and lunch spot in Mountain Brook's Crestline Village specializes in New York-style bagels and sees lines out the door every weekend (and some weekdays, too). Delayed school start? Crestline Bagel stop. This second location is in a new development on Crosshaven … Continue reading Crestline Bagel in Cahaba Heights
Few foods draw as many different opinions as chili. Maybe pizza might with its toppings and crust and sauce back and forth. But maybe not. With chili, you can do chicken, turkey, pork, beef or a combination of those. You can go with ground meats or nice, bite-size, browned morsels. You can skip the meat … Continue reading Dinner at My House: Chili Your Way
I am no baker. My grandmother, one of the most intuitive and clever cooks I've known, was no baker. She did make great biscuits, but those were biscuits. That's different. In fact, whenever Grandmother needed a cake made, she would call Aunt Mayretta and have her do it. Aunt Mayretta was known for her cakes, … Continue reading Pound Cake: It’s Good Enough, and It Tastes Great
Nick's Original Filet House (aka Nick's in the Sticks) is one of Alabama's oldest restaurants, serving great steaks at fantastic prices for more than 75 years. Photojournalist Brittany Faush and I went there for dinner recently, and we share our experience on Alabama NewsCenter. You can read our entire story here. My biggest takeaway (other … Continue reading Alabama Eats: Nicks in the Sticks
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