“To understand the world, you must first understand a place like Mississippi.” Yazoo City native, Willie Morris, often attributed that quote to William Faulkner. I have never seen a document verifying that Faulkner uttered those exact words. It actually sounds more like something Morris would say. Nevertheless, I agree with the sentiment that my homeContinue reading “The Visit Part I”
Category Archives: Uncategorized
Country bacon at its best comes from Benton’s
Over the course of my 56 years, I have accumulated a little wisdom. One thing I know for sure is that there are some people who make other people feel good by being in their presence. There are also some places that make people feel good by just being there. Last week, I got aContinue reading “Country bacon at its best comes from Benton’s”
This or That
For as long as I remember I have been playing “this or that” type games with my friends and family. I don’t remember the first this-or-that I ever proposed to someone, but it was probably in the late 1960s and went something like this, “Who’s the best band, The Beatles, or The Rolling Stones?” AContinue reading “This or That”
It’s A Tough Job, But Somebody’s Got to Chew It
SEATTLE— I’m in the middle of a 48-hour jaunt to Seattle where I am working with an equipment company who will supply the machinery to cook several of our offerings at The Midtowner, the new breakfast-lunch restaurant we’re opening in June. Equipment testing, and its proper selection, sizing, and placement, is one of the keyContinue reading “It’s A Tough Job, But Somebody’s Got to Chew It”
Back on the Farm
BLACKBERRY FARM, WALLAND, TN— My wife and I first came here in the 1990s. We returned for our 10th wedding anniversary, and then started coming in the summer months after dropping our two children off at summer camp. Today we are here for our 25th wedding anniversary. After all of these years, and millions ofContinue reading “Back on the Farm”
From A Fruit Cart
Last week a documentary crew representing the Mississippi Bicentennial set up shop in my hometown and asked eight Hattiesburgers to film a three-minute documentary short on a topic of their choosing. I was one of the eight. A few of the participants struggled when deciding what to feature. The subject of my short was aContinue reading “From A Fruit Cart”
The Parrot at Thirty
When measuring events in history, 30 years is a long time. Wars rarely last that long. Presidential terms are only four years, and even with re-election, they are capped at eight years. Senatorial terms are seven years, house terms are two. The average lifespan of an independent restaurant is short. Most fail within the firstContinue reading “The Parrot at Thirty”
Three Blessings a Day
I am feeling blessed this morning. It’s a feeling that I’ve experienced a lot lately. It’s not gratitude for monetary or material things, but for experiences and relationships. I’m grateful for many things, mostly for time spent with friends and family— morning, noon, and night. It occurred to me the other day that I eatContinue reading “Three Blessings a Day”
Enzo’s Olive Oil
“Start with a little oil in the bottom of the skillet,” I recently told my son, while showing him how to cook a dish in our home kitchen. That day I started the process with a little extra-virgin olive oil in the bottom of the pan. Typically, I never sauté with extra-virgin olive oil, butContinue reading “Enzo’s Olive Oil”