Evelyn's Blog - Taste of Gourmet

Air Tran's GO magazine includes The Crown.....

This is a great article about food in the Mississippi Delta in the new GO magazine....Air Tran's in-flight publication that includes The Crown in Indianola!    Thank you Susan.....!

Susan Puckett describes everything so "hungrily"....especially the Hushpuppies served on plates of Fried Catfish!  You'll finish the article  really hungry for our Smoked Catfish Pate and The Crown's Panned Catfish with Dill or Garlic Herb Sauce AND hot tamales, fried dill pickles and even turnip greens!  (Well maybe not turnip greens.....but Susan makes them sound so yummy!)  Here's the link: http://www.airtranmagazine.com/features/2010/05/travel-report-mississippi/6
Ya'll come to the Delta and eat with us and visit theB.B. King Museum and Delta Interpretive Center at the same time....it's a great day trip from Tunica!

Take the Culinary Trail through Mississippi....

And of course, stop in Indianola at The Crown!  Amy Evans from Southern Foodways has documented the fun (and delicious) places to eat all over the Mississippi Delta!  We are thrilled to be a part of the Trail....Southern food AND Southern Hospitality is just the best!

Yesterday at The Crown....we had a lovely lady from Illinois who was eating with us for the very first time!  She was so complimentary about her Catfish Allison, the desserts AND the warm hospitality!  You know... that's what makes The Crown my great love...greeting people from all over the country and making them feel welcome to Indianola, the Delta and the South!  We LOVE having ya'll come to visit!

This is the link to the Culinary Trail!  Now just get in your car and come on to Indianola - see the B.B. King Museum...eat with us for lunch and enjoy our little town of the Bayou and the Blues!   http://www.visitmississippi.org/shopping_dining/culinary_trail.asp

Fresh Dewberry Crumble

Last year Tony and I picked a few fresh dewberries on the lake bank...enough for a couple of pies during the late spring and they were scrumptious!  But THIS year....I can't believe how many pies we'll get to make!  And I am partial to pies and crumbles and crisps...all that great flavor and so quick to do!

The Crumble I made last night was so good!  Using our Fruit Crumble mix of course....I just washed the berries, cut up one fresh apple in small pieces, put the fruit in my baking dish and sprinkled all the Fruit Crumble that I had mixed with butter over the top!  The dark berries just bubbled through the crumble topping and the combo was "scrumpdillyiscious" as my Sage said!  I've already been into it this afternoon...cold from the fridge....can't stay away from a yummy dessert!  

Fresh berries are coming into the Farmer's Markets now or just buy some from the grocery.  My trick to "extend" the berries is that cut up apple (or two)....it gives another dimension of flavor...makes the berries "go further" and the apple takes on the color of the "other fruit"....blueberries, blackberries, raspberries..or freshly picked Lake Shackleford Dewberries!  Love this weather that's producing dewberries!!

Quick Bite with Jezebel.....

Jezebel Sauce is just one of my favorite products.....it stays in my fridge always....and I've said a million times in The Crown..."I always drizzle it on my Royal Roast Beef Sandwich (our most popular sandwich) and then dip each bite into MORE Jezebel"...I just love the stuff!

Jezebel Chicken
Boneless skinless chicken breasts
Crushed pretzels (or crackers)
Taste of Gourmet's Jezebel Sauce

Put chicken dry. 
Rub chicken with Jezebel Sauce and roll in pretzels to coat.
(Put a bit of butter on top of chicken if you choose)
Place in buttered pan and bake on top rack of oven at 375
for about 45 minutes. 
Note: Prepare chicken and freeze to bake later.

Jezebel Sauce is a sweet, hot, horseradish mustard that's great on
a ham sandwich, on roast beef, added to egg yolks for "deviled eggs."
YUMMY!  $8.95 per jar and you only need a little for lots of flavor.
click here for more Jezebel recipes or order at www.tasteofgourmet.com.

If you want to see the other Quick Bites meal ideas....click here....lots of recipes on www.tasteofgourmet.com!  Come visit us at The Crown in Indianola and TASTE lots of goodies in the gift shop....today we had RazzMaTazz, Peach Pecan Pepper Preserves, Chimmi Sauce, Suddenly Salsa, Dill Dip, Pickled Black Eyed Peas and of course our Smoked Catfish Pate!  Lots of people say they choose to just hang around the Tasting Table and enjoy nibbling!  You will too...it's a real Taste of Gourmet experience!

What are you doing for your Mom on Sunday?

Mother's Day gifts don't have to cost a lot of money......they just have to be full of love!  I always cooked lunch and made a special cake for my mother and grandmother on this special day...and I want to continue that tradition by helping my grandchildren cook something special for Jennifer!

Sage loves to help me cook (she's not a great "taster" of what she cooks but loves the fixing and stirring!)
Our plan is to make Sweet Potato Pancakes on Saturday at our house, then she can just pop them in the microwave for a minute Sunday morning!  Made with the Sweet Potato Muffin mix, they are moist and yummy and Sage loves cutting up fruit!  So what could be better than she and Prescott serving Jen pancakes with butter and a bowl of fresh fruit!  They can do that at their own house without burning themselves and it will be a huge surprise for Jen!

Then....since they both love to decorate a cake... that's the second project for the day....they will be deciding what and how to do it....I don't want to stifle their creativity....Prescott will probably choose Twix lined up all over the square cake...and Sage will likely cover hers with whipped cream and then sliced strawberries!  It's their gift and I love helping them.  Izabela and Carter in Maine decorated Kevin's birthday cake a few days ago......Carter said, "Bella did it all and it was the most beautiful cake I have ever seen!"  Bella's secret was every inch top and sides, was covered in chocolate chips!  YUM!

I've said a million times.....FOOD IS A GIFT OF LOVE!....and when you prepare it for someone you love...the love just multiplies!  And we all get to enjoy every bite!  Have a wonderful Mother's Day weekend...My love to all of you who are Moms! 

Big Festival in Indianola on July 2nd and 3rd!

B.B. King Homecoming
Blues, Bikes n' BBQ!
Concert on Friday, July 2 with B.B. King live in the Park! And to pay tribute to B.B....Marty Stewart will be performing before B.B. King takes the stage and maybe playing WITH B.B.!  What a night! 
Blues, Bikes n' BBQ all day on Saturday July 3rd with Music, Arts and Crafts, BBQ Contests, Bike Rally, Children's Area, and more...All happening in Indianola around the B.B. King Museum!
Do friends love your cooking?  Enter our Backyard BBQ Contest or the Memphis BBQ Network sanctioned Contest! 

Want to sell your Arts and Crafts at the Festival?
Click here  to download all the applications  to take part in the festival on Saturday July 3! 
Children's events all day, Live Music at the Museum's outdoor stage, Food vendors and a special Fried Catfish Dinner on sale....fun all day!
Any questions call us at The Crown 662-887- 4522! 
We're so excited about this festival and having B.B. King home again and playing in the park!  It's going to be two great days.....and don't forget to come by The Crown to shop or eat lunch with us! 

 

Another Quick Bite.....

Great Grilling Chicken - Eating Supper in 30 minutes!
Cut boneless chicken breasts (or thighs) in long thin strips and put in bowl.
Drizzle Great Grilling Marinade over chicken and stir to flavor (use 1 Tablespoon for 2 servings it only takes a little.)
Let the chicken marinate for about 20 minutes (or marinate overnight to make supper even faster.)
Rub a bit of olive oil on a skillet - get it hot and add the chicken pieces.  Shake and stir as chicken browns and caramelizes. Add 1 teaspoon Great Grilling directly to the skillet as you take off heat.
Serve hot over rice or pasta or over a big salad!  (with our Vidalia Dressing of course!)