Food & Drink

Alternative Weddings

Something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue just might be out the door as brides and grooms want their special day infused with creativity and personality. Couples pull their cultural trends into their weddings these days, aiming to make their special day exactly how they want it to be.

Serve It Forth: Gifts for Your Kitchen

Are you struggling to find the gift for the cook who has everything? It's really not as hard as it seems, and it doesn't have to be pricey. I tend to give others either what I want for myself or what I find particularly useful. For me, these gifts seem to fall into three distinct groups: "tools you don't think you'll ever use," "kicked-up basics" and "splurges."

Don't Give a Dog a Bone

It is always tempting to throw the dog a bone off your plate, especially during the holidays, but some human foods are not safe for your pets.

Cookin' Up Christmas

The holidays don't necessarily mean you're relegated to spending long hours in the kitchen. Instead, take the time to relax with your family and friends and let a local restaurant do all or some of the cooking—from a cozy get together to Christmas dinner with all the trimmings. Many local restaurants offer delicious and festive menus and catering services.

A Life's Dream Realized

After years of opening locations for restaurant groups such as Copeland's, Ruby Tuesday and The Peasant Restaurant Group of Atlanta, Ga., Kevin Thompson realized his dream of opening his own restaurant in May 1999. "I wanted to have a family-style restaurant that catered to families; a place with a nice, clean, wholesome atmosphere, where you can get a good meal and it not be outrageous."

Eat Right

It's hard sticking to health goals when the winter months and holidays roll around. With family gatherings and parties where food, often the unhealthy kind, is everywhere, it's easy to slip up. Though pre-diabetics and diabetics are especially challenged during this time of year, they can still enjoy the festivities by continuing to eat right and exercising.

Old Fannin Road Market Open For Winter

Shop locally and fresh at the Old Fannin Road Farmer's Market (307 Old Fannin Road, Brandon) all winter long. The Farmer's Market is open 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday and from noon to 7 p.m. on Sundays. It is located between Lakeland Drive and Spillway Road.

How to Cook Up Date Nights

Give your sweetheart an experience to remember and not just another food processor to store in the cabinet. Viking Cooking School (1107 Highland Colony Parkway, 601-898-8345) offers opportunities for the two of you to get out and try something different—learning to prepare new dishes—so that later, you can stay in and enjoy a special evening.

Sweet Pies of Love

My family always prepared for the Thanksgiving or Christmas feasts the day before. They ironed the good tablecloth, polished the silverware, and took the crystal and china out of the antique oak china cabinet. To accommodate family and friends, we added leaves to the round dining-room table.

Spicy for Good Health

Many spices used to season foods also have medicinal powers. Super spices, similar to super foods, are a group of spices that have higher concentrations of essential nutrients. The following is a list of five super spices that not only enhance foods' flavor but lower some health risks, too. Incorporating these and others into dishes can be simple yet satisfying.

The Best Meal I Ever Ate: Thai House

When it comes to dining in Jackson, the Mao Tod Gathim Prik Thai from the Thai House is a solid entry into the category of the "The Best Meal I Ever Ate." It's an unassuming menu item, falling near the back at No. 68. Consisting of fried pork served with a Thai dipping sauce, it's often lost in the sea of Larbs, Paht Priks and Pad Thai.

Just Brew It

In the early, crisp days of winter, after a morning run to unknot my muscles and jolt my brain, my body needs its caffeine fix. Coffee, however, is too harsh and heavy for me after exercise. I prefer a steaming cup of tea with my breakfast.

Green Your Thanksgiving Meal

Falling leaves, pumpkins, a cornucopia and turkeys: Whether we are conscious of it or not, some of the most prevalent Thanksgiving symbols come from nature. No matter where you are in the country, whether the leaves change, the snow falls or you spend Thanksgiving on a beach, you are bound to see some of these influences at your celebration. While surrounded by family and friends, it is easy to fall (pun intended) into old habits. This year, why not show how thankful you really are by committing to going green with your Thanksgiving celebration?

Cooking from the Soul

When Wilora "Peaches" Ephram opened Peaches Restaurant in 1961, she had $45 in her pocket. She took that money and cooked hotdogs for her first customers until she made enough of a profit to start buying vegetables and meats to make the restaurant's famous soul-food plates.

What Craig Taught Me

I met Craig Noone the summer of 2008 at Stephan Pyles Restaurant in Dallas, Texas. I had just graduated from culinary school in Austin, moved back to Dallas and landed a dream job working for my then-culinary idol, Stephan Pyles, at his flagship restaurant in the arts district downtown.

Ellington