Author Archives: Robert

Of Fires, Dogs, and Fruitcakes Every year we close the restaurant early one Sunday before Christmas and host a large party for all 150 of our employees. Each employee brings a guest and we open the bar, hire a band, and prepare a feast from the kitchen. I host a dinner for all of theContinue reading “Of Fires, Dogs, and Fruitcakes”

A few weeks ago I wrote a column about dining in joints. In the column I asked readers to e-mail their favorite joint. Before I publish the reader’s submissions and comments, I would like to revisit the definition of a joint. At first glance, a joint might not look like a restaurant one wouldn’t evenContinue reading “The Charm of Dining in Joints”

Déjà vu I was driving to Tupelo for a book signing last week and was struck with the strong sense of déjà vu. It was late November and I was traveling North on US 45. It is a route I traveled often as a child, usually around this time of year. My earliest Thanksgiving memoriesContinue reading “Déjà vu”

Holiday Disasters During the holidays we reflect on the kindnesses that have been shown to us over the years. We give. We receive. And we remember. Memories are clearer around this time of year. We remember the Christmas we received our first bicycle and a few others when we received milestone presents. We remember bitsContinue reading “Holiday Disasters”

Shhh! Don’t tell Charlie Last week Congressman Charles Rangel, D-N.Y., was quoted in The New York Times as saying, “Mississippi gets more than their fair share back in federal money, but who the hell wants to live in Mississippi?” The answer to the congressman’s question as to who wants to live in Mississippi is: meContinue reading “Shhh! Don’t tell Charlie”

Holidays for the Mouse I am currently two books into a three-book publishing deal with Hyperion Books. Hyperion is based in New York and is a division of ABC, and ultimately the Walt Disney Company. I, too, now work for the mouse. The first book in my Hyperion deal was Deep South Staples, the secondContinue reading “Holidays for the Mouse”

Joints I receive a lot of e-mail about the fine-dining restaurants I visit. I eat out often. It’s my occupation and my hobby. So far this year I have dined at eight of the top restaurants in New York and others in Atlanta, New Orleans, Chicago, San Francisco, and the Napa Valley. I love foieContinue reading “Joints”

West Indies Salad One of the most popular crabmeat recipes in the Gulf Coast region is West Indies Salad. West Indies Salad, a cold hors d’ oeuvre usually spooned onto crackers, is a simple combination of lump crabmeat, onion, vinegar, oil, salt, and pepper. The dish was invented by the late restaurateur, Bill Bayley ofContinue reading “West Indies Salad”

The Long Forgotten Nest Recent book business took me and my family to the Mississippi Gulf Coast. While riding down Beach Boulevard and lamenting the loss of so many beautiful and historic homes and classic Coast restaurants I developed a craving for seafood. In the past, when eating seafood on the coast, I stick withContinue reading “The Long Forgotten Nest”