Spring is blooming on your Easter table. From yellow chick cupcakes to blueberry French-toast casseroles, there are plenty of ways to wow your brunch guests with simple seasonal recipes. "Between hiding eggs and preparing baskets, you may be tempted to fall back on brunch basics like pancakes and scrambled eggs, but that's no fun," McCormick Executive Chef Kevan Vetter said. "With simple pantry staples - like food color - and a little planning the night before, you can enjoy a fun and tasty holiday brunch." These simple tips from Vetter can help you transform a boring brunch into a colorful E ..read more

By Michele D. Baker   Winter is the time for fresh fish, root vegetables, Brussels sprouts, kale, cauliflower and other cruciferous vegetables, and for cabbages of all kinds. These delicious recipes from Grandma's cookbook will help you make the most of these seasonal beauties. Red Cabbage Gratin  Ingredients:  ½ red cabbage (can use green if desired)  Olive oil  6 oz. gruyere cheese  4 oz. freshly grated parmesan cheese  Salt and pepper  1 teaspoon minced garlic  1 teaspoon onion powder  1 cup heavy cream or half and ..read more

By Nora Parikh and Nina Parikh   Everyone’s favorite dessert on special occasions in our family is my Filipina mother Nora’s leche flan. Birthdays, Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving, or any other time of celebration, we all look forward to topping off our meal with leche flan which translates to “milk custard.” The version made in the Philippines differs from the Spanish version because it includes more egg yolks, condensed milk, and it is steamed.    Nora’s Leche Flan  Ingredients for the caramel syrup:  ½ cup sugar  2 Tablespoons water  Ingredien ..read more

By Carol D. Andersen    Healthy eating starts with the farmers, says Dr. Cindy Ayers Elliott, co-founder of the Farmers Hands Market, which recently opened near the Jackson Medical Mall to connect Mississippians with locally grown produce. The new farmers market was a collaboration between Elliott’s Foot Print Farms and the Jackson Medical Mall Foundation (JMMF), funded by a grant from the W. K. Kellogg Foundation, to improve access to healthier foods in urban areas. It is now funded by TIME, Inc. (To Improve Mississippi Economics, Inc.). The market was established not ..read more

This article first appeared in the December 2023/January 2024 edition of eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI magazine. What’s Happening around Mississippi this winter? Well, a lot, actually! Here are just a few of the restaurants and food businesses that are new or recent: Robert St. John Opening 3 Restaurants in Jackson  The Hattiesburg restaurateur is planning to open three restaurants in the Jackson area. The Clarion Ledger reported Robert St. John is planning to open two Ed’s Burger Joints, but the locations have not been finalized. (St. John currently owns the Ed’s Burger Joint in Hat ..read more

This article first appeared in the December 2023/January 2024 issue of eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI magazine. By Tina P. Dill    Vicksburg sits high on a bluff overlooking the Mighty Mississippi River, richly steeped in civil war history, where antebellum homes still stand and monuments are around every corner. Growing up in Vicksburg surrounded by history, hardworking people and wonderful friends and family made a lasting impact on me. As is the case with many cities, food can often become a focal point for family time, hanging out with friends, meetings and a va ..read more

This recipe first appeared in the December 2023/January 2024 issue of eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI magazine. By Susan Marquez    In my years as a young wife and mother, eating out at a restaurant was a special treat. It wasn’t something we did often – not that we didn’t want to – we simply didn’t have the budget for it. But the desire to have a night out to eat delicious food with friends was strong. When a friend called and asked if we would like to be in a supper club she was starting, my husband and I jumped at the chance. There were four other couples in ..read more

This article first appeared in the December 2023/January 2024 issue of eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI magazine. By Jay Reed  Twelve short years ago I wrote my very first “Till We Eat Again” column in this magazine. That issue was delivered at the same time of year (the hap-happiest season of all), and in it I talked about the unique mains my family eats for Christmas dinner: fried chicken and homemade ice cream. Sides vary. I won’t take the time to re-hash the whole scenario and backstory but suffice it to say that once we crossed that road with chicken in hand (now you know how it go ..read more

By Evangeline Davis  This article first appeared in the December 2023/January 2024 issue of eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI magazine. The holidays are here, which means lots of great foodie finds for the holidays are flooding the marketplace! We've collected some of our favorites for your consideration: Hale Holiday Gift Collection, $39.99  This fruit and snack variety box is a customer favorite and a can’t-miss gift. Treat loved ones to Hale’s premium seedless grove navel oranges and easy-peel honey-sweet tangerines for a healthy snack that tastes indulgent. satisfy your salt and crunch cr ..read more

This article was originally published in the December 2023/January 2024 issue of eat. drink. MISSISSIPPI. This recipe and image are respectfully sourced from and courtesy of Jenn Segal, Once Upon a Chef (onceuponachef.com) See Jenn's recipe here.   Noodle kugel is a traditional Jewish holiday dish of egg noodles baked in a sweet or savory custard. Although made with noodles, this sweet recipe is really more like a dessert. Ingredients for the streusel topping:  1 cup packed dark brown sugar  1-¼ cups sifted all-purpose flour  1 teaspoon groun ..read more