• Why I Love Tupelo!

    Why I Love Tupelo!

    Tupelo, Mississippi?!

    Never in my life did I think I’d live in the northeastern pocket of Mississippi, in the hometown of Elvis. This “microtropolis,” with its rolling hills, local culture, and large Magnolia trees, now holds an extraordinary place in my heart.

    My family and I never planned on living in Tupelo. We were “Hattiesburgers” through and through. However, a few years ago, a recruiter from North Mississippi called my husband with a job opportunity, and it was just perfect for him! Suddenly, we felt a strong push towards the state’s northern region.

    Since I am not originally from Mississippi, I ignorantly thought Tupelo would be like Hattiesburg, and I quickly learned that my assumption was wrong. South Mississippi and North Mississippi are different, but some things remain the same, hospitality and tradition.

    tupelo mississippi sign TVA

    Time For Change

    Change is hard—especially unplanned change. So, to be one hundred percent honest with you, it took me about a year to adjust to living in North Mississippi. I missed our family, friends, and living close to the beach, plus a million other minor details. I often wondered if we made the right decision. I often expressed my concern about making the right decision too. Bless my sweet husband for his patience during this time. Fast forward a little bit…and I’m so glad we made this decision!

    Life likes to shake things up a bit sometimes, doesn’t it? Now that we’ve been here for a few years, there is no doubt in my mind that Tupelo was part of a greater plan for my family and me as an individual.

    I can say out loud and confidently that I love Tupelo!

    Let’s Talk About T-town

    Nestled up in the northeastern part of the state, Tupelo is the only city in the southern United States to be named an “All America City.” Not once, but five times! With good reason too! With local charm and history, there’s a reason why Southern Living selected it as Mississippi’s town for “The South’s Most Storied Streets.”

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    One of the things I love the most about Tupelo is the incredible local morale and support. Much of our city and the surrounding areas consist of local businesses, and not only do the people who live here support them but so do other surrounding companies. You don’t have to remind people to shop locally here; they already do.
    The Tupelo area is full of rolling hills covered with oak trees, pine trees, magnolia trees, and the ever-growing, beautifully green kudzu vines. Cotton fields are in full bloom during the fall, and speaking of fall, we have a little bit of Autumn here! Translation: I can still live in the south and enjoy sweater weather too! In the deep south, a cool breeze is as common as a bagel, but here in Tupelo, the leaves change, and the air gets crispy for a little while.

    Most folks know Tupelo is the birthplace of Elvis Presley. On just about any given day, you can visit the small, two-room home that the King of Rock and Roll grew up in. Swing on his front porch swing, and see the neighboring museum. You can also stop by Tupelo Hardware and stand in the very spot where Gladys Presley bought her son’s first guitar. Good choice, Mrs. Presley, good choice!

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    Main Street, Tupelo is a visual representation of love, loyalty, pride, hard work, and determination. The downtown area of Tupelo has become the heart of the city. It didn’t use to be that way, and so while I love to shop, eat, and walk around downtown, it’s the relentless dedication and effort that’s continuously put into buoying up this city that I love the most.

    Downtown Tupelo

    Our downtown is a place where everyone is welcome. Diversity, imagination, and faith in a positive present and even brighter future lives within every historic brick and stone that lines these streets. I’m genuinely proud to raise my children in the Tupelo area.

    There is something to see on every square foot of Tupelo’s charming downtown. Hand-painted murals can be found on several buildings, while guitar silhouettes line the main street. You can even follow the path of Elvis’s blue suede shoes by looking for blue footprints on the sidewalks.

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    Pre-Covid, Tupelo hosted several events and festivals that included live music, delicious local food, and great family fun. Its dedication towards enriching personal and family experiences at the local level is simply top-notch.
    The Bancorp South Arena hosts several big-name concerts and events, providing opportunities for locals to attend while also inviting tourism and building a more robust economy. These events have slowly but surely been coming back, and it makes my heart sing to see the streets alive again!

    Tupelo is genuinely a little-known cultural oasis.

    Family, Food, and Fun

    My family and I are total Tupelo foodies! The local restaurant scene is fabulous here! There’s something for everyone’s pallet, and you’ll surely be served with a smile. Forbes Magazine named Tupelo as one of the “next big food destinations” in 2019. It seems we’re not the only ones that enjoy the local food here!

    My kids and I love to “Park Hop.” There is plenty to do at each park, with duck ponds, splash pads, and disc golf courses too! Tupelo has several beautiful parks to visit that promote beauty, history, and an active and healthy lifestyle.

    The Natchez Trace is a national landmark here, and it is gorgeous! Tree tunnels for miles, and you can drive on it from Tupelo to Nashville! You can also walk, hike, or bike the beautiful Natchez Trace National Scenic Trail. Hence, those who are planning to purchase an e-bike may visit this page https://www.aventon.com/collections/step-through-electric-bike-aventon and use the bike for a leisurely ride in these scenic bike trails.

    Why Tupelo?

    It’s not uncommon for people to ask, “Tupelo? How did you end up there?” I could give a million long-winded explanations as to why or how we ended up in Tupelo. Instead, I much prefer the response of…

    “It’s where we are supposed to be.”

    Southern charm, mixed with innovation and modern repurposing, makes Tupelo the perfect blend of tradition, culture, and progress. It’s also the ideal place for me and my family to call home.

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  • Dolly Parton, Queen of Country Music and Good Deeds

    Dolly Parton, Queen of Country Music and Good Deeds

    Two words. One fabulous lady. Dolly Parton!

    Young-Dolly-Parton

    To know her is to love her.

    Although I don’t know her personally, I wish I did, and I’ve been a lifelong fan ever since I was old enough to bee-bop along to “9-5” in the back of my grandparent’s silver Lincoln.

    A genuine rag to riches story, Dolly embodies strength, determination, and joy which she bestows on us all, as it’s her personal mission statement

    “My dream was to make as many people happy as I could in this life.”

    Dolly is a superstar, yet she remains humble and grounded in the things that matter most: faith and family. The little country girl who made the world her stage is also a woman of great intention.

    The Early Life of Dolly Parton

    From the hills of Tennessee, singing barefoot on the front porch, to owning the stage in six-inch heels and jewels, Dolly Parton is a larger-than-life living legend with a heart that’s just as big as her dreams.

    Dolly grew up in Locust Ridge, a small mountain town nestled in the Great Smoky Mountains. She is the fourth of twelve children with a large extended family as well. Many of her loved ones played essential roles in her success, but she credits her Uncle Bill Owens for helping her launch her music career.

    Dolly’s talent launched her to super-stardom, as she wrote her first song at the age of five and played her first show at Nashville’s Grand Ole Opry at 13! Dolly took the stage at “The Cas Walker Farm and Home Hour” in Knoxville, Tenn., and landed a spot on “The Porter Wagoner Show.”

    Young Dolly Parton iconic

    From Rags to Rhinestones

    Sometimes I think people look at Dolly and misjudge her because of her iconic image and style. The truth is, aside from her tremendous talent, many people vastly underestimate where Dolly came from and the amount of GOOD she does for people daily.

    Did you know that the Parton home didn’t have electricity or running water while Dolly grew up in the 1940s and ’50s? The winters, especially, were brutal. The country legend has shared what it was like living through the harsh mountainous winters as a little girl. Expressing that it was so cold that, most nights, the only bit of warmth she and her siblings would experience was when one of her younger siblings would wet the bed.

    Fast forward to 2021, and Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library sends books to children all over the country. She has multiple scholarships in place encouraging students to graduate high school. She most recently donated 1 million dollars to Vanderbilt University for COVID-19 vaccine research. And, I’m only scratching the surface of the many incredible “Dolly deeds.”

    Dolly Parton's Imagination Library

    Full of grit, dreams, and plans, Dolly, like the rest of us, is primarily made up of where she came from. Many of her songs tell the stories of her childhood, such as “Coat of Many Colors.”

    Dolly thought about becoming a preacher, like her Father, in addition to being a singer. In my opinion, Dolly is already a preacher of wisdom and love through her music. Her song “Little Sparrow” brings me to tears every time I hear it and is an unofficial hymn in my book.

    Dolly + Carl

    Dolly is happily married to her husband, Carl Dean, and has been for 55 years! She married the love of her life at 20 years old. A marriage of this caliber is impressive no matter what, but with the pressures of Hollywood, I think this is amazing.

    Although Dolly and Carl never had children of their own, Dolly considers her songs to be like her children, and you know what? Her songs will live on for generations to come and continue to touch lives, just like posterity does.

    Dolly, and her husband, Carl Dean.

    The Secret Song

    2045 seems like a long time away, doesn’t it? Well, it just so happens that this is the year that a “secret song” of Dolly’s will be released. She will be 100 years old and claims she will be long gone by then, but I wouldn’t be so sure about that!

    Reportedly, Dolly wrote this song 30 years in advance, can you imagine?

    So I wrote this song, and I can’t say what it is. It’s just burning me up inside that I have to leave it in there,” she wrote. “I put a CD player in the box, too. Because the song is on a CD, and there’s no telling what music is going to be by then. Hopefully, it will play, and the whole thing ain’t rotted.” ~Dolly Parton

    The box containing the secret song won’t be in just any old box. It’s inside of a chestnut wood box made by her beloved Uncle Bill. If anyone can live to 100, Dolly can, and she’ll look fabulous doing it, I’m sure of that! I don’t know about you, but I hope I’m around to hear this secret song, and I hope Dolly is too!

    Dolly at the 2021 Super Bowl

    Be a Dolly!

    If you follow Dolly on Instagram, she shares a positive message with followers nearly every day. There has been a Dolly comeback lately, although I know many of us have always loved her. Younger generations are learning about Dolly now too, and some of her older music is touching new hearts and souls.

    My favorite t-shirt of all time is light pink, with an outline of Dolly’s face and her big blonde hair.  The shirt says “Tease it to Jesus” and I love it!  I have all sons, and when they get older, this might embarrass them, but I don’t care. We all know “the higher the hair, the closer you are to heaven,” right? Not really, but it’s just another Dolly-ism to love!

    Dolly Parton is a musician, an actress, a philanthropist, a businesswoman, a wife, a daughter, and a sister. She’s not unlike you and me. She loves her family and cares about the well-being of others; she just does it with a little more glitz and glam. And, honestly, what’s wrong with that? Absolutely nothing. If you are going to be starting a career in the music industry then having the best gear at your studios is a must, Click here to see reviews of some of the best gear on the market today.

    In a world that often seems so negative, accentuate the positive. Be a Dolly!

  • Visiting America’s Hometown, Laurel, Mississippi

    Visiting America’s Hometown, Laurel, Mississippi

    My husband and I recently attended a wedding in his hometown, Hattiesburg, Mississippi. Later that weekend, we decided to check out the town of Laurel, Miss., home of the ever-popular HGTV show, “Hometown.”

    Here’s what you need to know before I dive into all things Hometown. We lived in Hattiesburg for the first ten years of our marriage and then moved up to Tupelo. I have spent MANY days in the town of Laurel for both work and church responsibilities. My memory of what Laurel used to be and what it is now is entirely different!

    Laurel used to be like many other small, forgotten towns with a few streets of beautiful historic homes and great potential. . The downtown buildings were abandoned, the roads unattended to, and many surrounding homes were declining rapidly. I recall telling my husband many years ago, “It’s such a shame. Laurel COULD be such a beautiful town.” Well, coulda, shoulda, woulda! Ben and Erin Napier made those comments come to life with their vision, love, and dedication to their hometown.

    To be clear, Laurel still has work to do, as we all do, right? But I believe their journey has just begun! Home by home and project by project, the Napiers are buoying up the streets of their beloved Laurel.

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    The downtown shops that surround the well-known Hometown sights are bustling and vibrant. Roads are being repaired. Beautiful artwork and quotes have been painted on the sides of brick buildings. Up and coming restaurants, as well as established local eateries, are inviting and full of patrons. Laurel is starting to shine, and it’s a beautiful sight to see!

    While walking the streets of Laurel, we met people from Wisconsin, California, and my husband’s hometown of Hattiesburg! It’s incredible that this small town, the Napier’s, and their show have attracted people from all over the country and just down the road at the same time.

    Naturally, the first thing I wanted to do was to check out the famous Laurel Mercantile Co. So we parked the car, we took a few photos in front of the blue truck we all know and love, and then everything became blurry for a bit, as I indulged in all things Hometown and handcrafted!

    The Laurel Mercantile Co. is full of beautiful, tasteful items handpicked by Ben and Erin. Cutting boards crafted by Ben, Erin’s signature headbands, artwork, candles, t-shirts, canvas bags, and so much more! At The Laurel Mercantile Co., everything has been made in America, and most of it is Mississippi-made and as we needed to drive all the way there. We got contact information for a lawyer, like those at Valiente Mott, in case an accident happens.

    The entire shop is full of heirloom quality, locally made goods. So, if you love to truly shop locally, their mercantile is a dream come true!

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    After taking in the craftsmanship and beauty of original art, and all things mercantile, we walked down the street to the Scotsman General Store. At the entrance of the general store, my husband became like a kid at Christmas time!

    Walking into the Scotsman General Store is like walking into your favorite childhood memory. Unfortunately, they were not filming on this rainy Saturday, but we still enjoyed all of the Scotsman brand original handmade wood products; they are gorgeous!

    You can grab a glass bottle of old-fashioned soda and some nickel candy and see Ben Napier’s woodshop where he creates the custom pieces you see on their show.

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    Flannel shirts, delicious pantry items, candles, cologne, beard balms, and beautifully crafted leather items are for purchase as well!

    My favorite part of visiting the Scotsman General Store was a conversation with one employee. He happened to be one of Ben Napier’s “main wood guys,” at least that’s what he called himself.

    He welcomed us to the store and asked where we were from. Being from the area, we told him how amazed we were at the growth and beauty of Laurel. We learned that he and his wife had moved to Laurel about a year and a half ago from Arizona. Their children were grown up and gone, and they thought Laurel, Mississippi looked like a nice place to live. He enthusiastically told us that they had sold their home in Arizona, moved to Laurel, bought a lovely home, and have been debt-free for a year! This sweet man said, “I have a job that I love, and it’s just awesome what Ben and Erin are doing here.”

    To which I replied, “I don’t even know you, but I’m so happy for you!” He smiled and said, “Listen, you guys are young, don’t ever give up on yourselves or your ideas.”

    Wow. Admittedly, I love my purchases from both of these fantastic stores, but that conversation still has me smiling. To me, it best represents the spirit that is Laurel, also known as the “City Beautiful.” So appropriate, don’t you agree?

    Ben and Erin Napier seem to have this innate sense of pride and purpose for their hometown. They dreamed of a new era of growth and prosperity for Laurel, and I can’t imagine how fulfilling it must be to watch these dreams come to life.

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    Laurel (like many Mississippi towns) was once a bustling sawmill center in the early 1900s and earned its title as the “Yellow Pine Capital of the World.” But, like many small towns throughout America, it has seen its fair share of economic hardships, recession, time and change, that eventually led to its decline. I think that’s why so many of us love to watch Hometown because everyone loves a great comeback story!

    The Napiers are not only restoring homes; they are restoring hope. Hope in building a prosperous life in a small town. Hope in connecting newcomers to locals. Hope in restoring industry and also restoring hope in the American dream.

    Ben and Erin Napier’s vision for their hometown in Laurel, Mississippi, showcases a great life lesson that we all need to remember…

    Lift those you love.

  • The Origin Story of Steel Magnolias

    The Origin Story of Steel Magnolias

    Have you watched Steel Magnolias lately?

    The other night I popped some popcorn, grabbed a Coke Zero, and indulged my Southern female senses to the very max! Don’t worry, I didn’t forget the tissue–because we all know we need a few–dozen when watching this iconic film.

    I’ve watched this film many times, but after watching it, I decided to learn more about its background as a play. Prepare yourself to laugh and cry while reading my findings. You might as well go ahead and grab some tissues too!

    The Creation of Steel Magnolias

    STEEL MAGNOLIAS

    Steel Magnolias was originally a play written by Robert Harling, a true Southerner hailing from Louisiana. Harling based the work on his experience of his sister Susan dying from complications arising from Type 1 diabetes. He reimagined the last three years of her life as a play to process his grief, with encouragement from the acting class workshop he attended in New York City.

    Harling originally wrote it as a short story to share with his nephew, and within ten days, his short story evolved into an entire play. In fact, one of Nicole Kidman’s earliest roles in her career was the part of Shelby in Harling’s original Steel Magnolias play.

    When the play gained popularity, Ray Stark bought the film rights and began developing a movie adaptation with help from Gene Callahan, an old friend from Louisiana. Steel Magnolias would later be filmed in Natchitoches, Lousiana, Robert Harling’s hometown.

    Hello Hollywood!

    The play had been such a success on Broadway that Bette Davis herself met with Harling and requested that she star in the movie and Katherine Hepburn and Elizabeth Taylor too! Wow, what a cast that would have been!

    During the film’s shoot, a major Hollywood writers’ strike occurred, and Robert Harling could not be involved in any rewrites. So, he did what any sincerely invested playwright would do: he visited the set incognito to stay involved with his passion project.

    I can’t imagine anyone else other than Julia Roberts portraying Shelby. However, she was third in line for the role, after Meg Ryan and Winona Ryder. Robert Harling said, “She walked into the room, and that smile lit everything up, and I said, ‘that’s my sister,’ so she joined the party, and she was magnificent.”

    The Authenticity of Steel Magnolias

    If you have seen the film, then you know the main character, Shelby is sick. We all know these scenes are coming; however, they always trigger such real emotions, don’t they?

    Perhaps, part of this is that instead of using actors to play the hospital staff who care for Shelby, filmmakers asked real doctors and nurses to fill these roles. Not only that, but the medical staff that appeared in the film were the same ones that cared for Robert Harling’s sister Susan during her final days.

    The nurse who turns off Shelby’s life support in the film was played by the real-life nurse who provided palliative care for Susan. Despite being a scene that must have hit very close to home, Robert Harling’s mother insisted on being on set while Shelby’s death was filmed. His mother also insisted on staying until the end to see Julia Roberts get up and walk away once filming stopped. Not only did Harling write a successful play about his sister, a strong woman, it is clear that his mother was also a true steel magnolia.

    Did you know the name Steel Magnolias comes from the hidden strength of what at first seem like extremely delicate flowers?

    In a 2017 interview, writer Robert Harling said, “My mother would always say to handle magnolia blossoms carefully because they bruise so easily.” This combination of steeliness and gentleness inspired the name of his award-winning play and subsequent film. As we all know, the leading ladies of this film are both beautiful and delicate and as tough as steel.

    Fun Facts

    The historic house in which Steel Magnolias was filmed is a bed and breakfast where fans can book themselves for the night. Looking for a fun girls’ trip? Its website promises a “traditional bed and breakfast experience, with a full breakfast, along with true Southern hospitality.” Who is ready for an authentic Steel Magnolia experience?

    In the original Steel Magnolias stage play, all of the action takes place in the beauty salon. So when the set director went looking for the perfect, quirky beauty shop to film in, she found one right there in town!

    When she approached the owner about filming there, she promised to purchase her all new equipment when filming concluded. She stayed faithful to her word and revamped the local beauty shop after borrowing the old version of the store for the movie.

    Speaking of beauty, both Dolly Parton and Daryl Hannah had to study hairdressing to avoid any burns, miscuts, or slip-ups while in character.

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    Who wants Dolly to do their hair? I know I do!

    There were no men at all in the original stage play. Just like the characters in the film, the leading figures in the play form close female friendships. However, one key difference makes the action and dialogue in the play all the more unusual. Although the play characters do speak about men, no man ever sets foot on the stage.

    The director of the film, Hebert Ross, was notorious for being quite critical and challenging. The all-star female cast’s bond grew stronger and stronger as they continued to support each other throughout the movie’s filming.

    Harling said that he raced through writing the Steel Magnolias script, finishing it all in one go.

    “The events that inspired it were so powerful that, after I found the story arena, it just poured out into my typewriter in a 24/7 tsunami of Southernness.”

    Thank you, Mr. Harling, for your tsunami of Southerness. Thirty-two years later, we are still moved by your words and positive representation of strong female roles. What a wonderful reminder to not only strive to be a steel magnolia but to also recognize and appreciate the steel magnolias in our own lives.

    Who are the southern Steel Magnolias in your life?

    Editor’s note – credit to some of our favorite Southern publications including Country Living and Garden & Gun for their interviews with Harling.

  • Trinity Combine Returns at Mercedes Benz Stadium

    Trinity Combine Returns at Mercedes Benz Stadium

    Trinity Community Ministries Atlanta’s dedicated mission to help homeless men and veterans reclaim their lives and return to their families and communities as mentors and leaders, is thrilled to announce the return of their annual Trinity Combine. 

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    “After all the challenges with COVID-19, plus having to shift to a virtual format in 2020, we are so excited to announce Trinity’s Combine is back and better than ever at Mercedes-Benz Stadium,” said Anita DeMyers, Executive Director of Trinity Community Ministries.

    “To be on Atlanta’s home field with our men and our community of supporters will be an incredible experience. Trinity is on a mission to change lives in Atlanta and beyond. With your support, we’re making miracles happen together.”

    Like so many non-profit organizations impacted by the pandemic and the economic downturn, fundraising to increase donation revenues is essential for Trinity’s success. Trinity House in downtown Atlanta, just down the block from the historic Ebenezer church, is a 36-bed home that had to reduce capacity and close its doors to visitors over the last year. Now, Trinity is trying to restore operations back to normal to help even more men and families get on the path to healing.

    For the Combine, competitors from across the southeast will show up to perform their best on the field of Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Competitors are able to register and compete either as individuals or as members of a two-to-four-person team. Individual competitors are encouraged to compete in all 10 events such as a 100-yard shuffle, pull-ups, 500-meter row, and (of course) a football throw.
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    The 2021 Combine early-bird registration is now open and includes access to a workout plan to prepare for the event, entry ticket into Mercedes-Benz Stadium as well as lululemon apparel, and Combine swag for a discounted registration fee of $125/person ($300 fundraising minimum). 

    For more information and to register, visit the Trinity Combine’s website or on social media

    About Trinity Community Ministries

    Trinity Community Ministries, Inc. (TCM) has operated and provided direct services to the Atlanta metropolitan community since 1981 and is officially incorporated as a 501(c)(3) organization. In 2004, TCM entered into a partnership with Big Bethel African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church, the owners of the former Hanley Building in the Sweet Auburn District of Atlanta, where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s body was prepared for his funeral, and where TCM’s administrative offices and Trinity House-Big Bethel program are still housed today. Today, TCM’s mission is to help homeless men reclaim their lives and return to their families and communities as mentors and leaders. Learn more at tcmatlanta.org.

  • The Family Recipe, Linking the Past with the Present

    The Family Recipe, Linking the Past with the Present

    Picture it….a Sunday afternoon, your family has gathered around, and there is a fantastic aroma of delicious southern-style foods. Ah, yes!

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    Do you remember those Country Time Lemonade commercials from many years ago? This is what I picture. For most of us, that is not an everyday reality. Nevertheless, southern cooking is a proper art form that has dwindled somewhat, and we must keep its legacy going.

    Never fear! We can restore timeless recipes and still progress at the same time, I promise! Our ancestor’s history can be told with food, numbers, and names found in some dust-covered book on a bookshelf for many of us. So much of who we are is where we came from.

    Open that old recipe book, and I’m sure you will find more than a recipe for pimento cheese or hot chicken salad. Look for notes etched in the margins, cutouts of magazine recipes from an era that seems so long ago, and other personal touches from an ancestor that took pride in cooking for their family. That recipe book is family history, a bible, and a cookbook wrapped up in one binding.

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    Most of the meals prepared by ancestors in the “Old South” reflect the history and economics of the region at that time. At one point, much of the south farmed for a living. Families ate what they grew, and southern kitchens could magically transform nothing into a delicious something. You might say that this was the original “clean eating,” and I’m here for it!

    The art of “Old Southern Cooking” is a timeless southern woman like my husband’s grandmother or great grandmother who could go into a kitchen and declare how there is absolutely no food in the house (perhaps with a bit of a dramatic flare). Yet, in an hour, have enough food cooked for thirty people, with all of it on the table and still hot. This is an art form that is rarely duplicated today, even with modern conveniences like microwave ovens.

    Fast forward to 2021, and many things have changed. However, family is still family, and good food is still good food. So we might not be cooking for thirty people, but what’s stopping us from re-creating those family recipes for a dinner party of two or four? Nothing. Dive in and impress your guests with grandma’s pot roast and peach cobbler. Check out Pellethead’s products if you’re looking for affordable pit boss accessories.

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    Cooking family recipes can bring a sense of togetherness that spans generations. They are a way of keeping our loved ones alive while we dice, stir, simmer and bake!

    Food appeals to all five of our senses. For many of us, just the smell of a favorite family dish cooking on the stove can bring us back to the kitchen of our youth.

    I am personally still trying to replicate my grandmother’s macaroni and cheese and caramel cake. I’ve come awfully close, but it’s still not quite like hers. Or, maybe it is, but since she’s not the one making it, it’s just missing that grandma magic.

    I hear this commentary quite a bit…things like “It’s just not like Mamaw made it” or “I could never make it like her.”

    Nevertheless, every time I attempt a family recipe, I am flooded with sweet memories, which instigates a very natural conversation with my children about a woman who meant so much to me that they never had the opportunity to meet. And, it’s always edible, so there’s that.

    The comfort that comes from a home-cooked meal and a family recipe is a surefire way for each of us to slow down, take a breath, and remember that life is short.

    If your southern family is anything like my southern family, then every event, big or small, revolves around food. Am I right? Whether it’s a birthday, wedding, christening, graduation, or even a funeral…typically one of the first questions is “What do y’all want to eat?” I recall my sister-in-law getting her braces taken off several years ago, and we went out to eat to celebrate! Admittedly, I have to counter all of these occasions on the elliptical machine often, but we all know in the south, we love food, and we are proud of our culinary talents! Also, I suggest you visit wetheknives.com if you’re looking for the perfect knife for professionals and amateurs alike.

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    If you’re looking through a family recipe book and the idea of whole fat buttermilk or pounds of butter makes you cringe, then modify it. Give the nod to your ancestors by using their original recipe and then personalize it towards your own health needs. I know our grandmas, grandpas, and aunties would want us to take care of ourselves!

    If you’re reading this and thinking that you don’t have a family recipe book, or maybe your family practiced the art form of the oral recipe, that’s ok! You have the opportunity to discover your own family recipe story. Start asking yourself or your family some questions such as:

    – What foods did/does your family eat regularly?
    – Which family members or loved ones teach you how to make certain foods?
    – What food(s) do you look forward to on special occasions/holidays?
    – Is there a recipe in your family that all of you like to make?
    – What foods do you make that your family asks for?
    – Are there foods your family makes at certain times of the year?
    – What foods do you associate with good memories?
    – Who is the oldest person in your family? Ask them if they have any family recipes to share.
    – Does anyone in your family have recipes from various family members?
    – Are there any recipes in your family that require special or specific ingredients to make?
    – Write these answers down, and voila, there’s your family recipe book!

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    At the end of the day, family recipes are a way to preserve the past and enjoy the present. Much of southern culture is defined by history, family, and food. It only makes sense that we would try to learn about our who we are, where we come from, and where we’re going through the art form of southern cooking.