JFP Cocktail HourThe Jackson Free Press is a great place to work for so many reasons. One especially fun reason came last Wednesday before we shut down for the holidays when we had an impromptu JFP cocktail hour as we opened presents.
The Basic Home BarThe basic necessities for your own home entertainment.
Adventures in GingerbreadMy mother spoiled me with books, and my prized possession was a gilded copy of "Grimm's Fairy Tales," which I pored over with all the twisted earnestness of Wednesday Addams. The details never lost their punch between readings: the revelation …
The Hanukkah Oil ClubOil. It's in nearly everything we eat. We use spritzes of oil to sauté and roast, drizzles of it to toss with salads and puddles to deep fry, well, everything else. Oil is made from olives, corn, a variety of …
Christmas Dinner: Let the Pros Do ItLooking for some help with your holiday meal? Consider letting a local restaurant, food distributor or grocery store help out.
Kids In the KitchenOn Black Friday, while others pushed and shoved their way through crowds of shoppers, my son Mateo and I made our way to the Viking Cooking School in Ridgeland to create a gingerbread house. The class, designed for guardian-child interaction, …
Love in a Bottle: Edible GiftsMy experience with Secret Santa has been a never-ending cycle of gag gifts and prepackaged hot cocoa in holiday mugs. Two years ago, I received a parcel that changed my mind, filled with exquisite jellies and preserves, like rare gems …
Cookin', Schmookin': Help Is On the WayOn Thanksgiving you have two options: Do the cooking, or let someone else cook for you. Luckily, local restaurants and food distributors can fill in and make Thanksgiving easier.
A DIY ThanksgivingWant to cook Thanksgiving dinner yourself, but don't know where to start? Tired of the same old recipes? Here are some new options, from my kitchen to yours.
Leftovers? Make Soup (Duh)Thanksgiving is a time to relax, enjoy a good meal, and make new memories with family and friends. Alas, this warm and fuzzy feeling is soon dispelled once the guests have gone home, and you are left with enough leftover …
Turkey TriviaTurkey time is here. Hallelujah. Before you dive into your towering plate of gobbler, take a minute to get to know this fabulous poultry that wows dinner tables across the nation.
A Good DeedIt is easy to get so caught up in the hustle and bustle of the holiday season that we forget about those less fortunate. This year, before beginning your own holiday shopping, we urge you to reach into your kitchen …
A Salty SolutionIf you grew up feasting on a dry, chewy, tasteless bird every year, here's the good news: Turkey meat can be juicy and even flavorful, thanks in part to a technique known as brining.
Spice Box: SAGEThanksgiving turkey wouldn't be the same without the peppery, somewhat astringent flavor of sage. It's used in poultry seasoning and stuffing for holiday meals, but plenty of good cooks don't know what to do with this velvet-leaf herb outside cornbread …
Alt.ThanksgivingWe've had it all before: roast turkey, stuffing, dinner rolls and pumpkin pie. It is easy to get tired of the typical Thanksgiving meal, specifically when the post-turkey drowsiness sets in.