Posts

Wickles There are usually a few different jars of pickles rattling around in a Southerner’s refrigerator, from sweet bread and butter chips to tangy okra spears. If you like your pickles with a little kick, Wickles Pickles are brined with hot peppers and other spices. Born in Dadeville, Alabama, like any good recipe, Wickles came from a grandmother’s kitchen. Read more about the brand here. Pimiento Cheese Homemade pimiento cheese is always best, of course, but sometimes a craving strikes and there’s no cheese grater in sight....

If you ask The Southern Living Garden Book to point you toward a hardy plant with a stunning color payoff, it will send you straight to purple heart plant. Also known as Tradescantia pallida ‘Purple Heart,’ it’s a beautiful, hardy perennial with long, trailing stems that resemble rambling vines. Purple hearts are most often found planted in pots or displayed in hanging baskets. They’re aptly named, as their foliage appears in silvery purple and violet hues....

We’re happy to share a classic divinity recipe with Anne Horn, of Boyne Falls, Michigan. Made from egg whites and sugar syrup, this old-school candy is light, airy, and super-sweet, even by Southern standards. (Sugar is one of our four basic food groups, right?) There are other recipes on the internet for quick and easy versions, but we think the real thing is worth a little extra effort. Mrs. Floyd’s Divinity makes 4 dozen....

I’ve always found it fascinating that scents can evoke a specific memory. Vanilla and warm sugar remind me of baking cookies with my grandmother, fir and balsam bring me back to hunting down the perfect Christmas tree, and cinnamon and berries prompt recollections of the holiday punch served at our Christmas Eve party. Although I burn holiday-inspired candles throughout the month of December, I’ve struggled to find one that nails the nostalgia-inducing aromas of the season while also masking the inevitable pet smells that come with being a dog owner—that is, until I tried Bath & Body Works Three-Wick Candles....

Bridal showers are traditionally about “showering” the bride and groom with the right tools for their new life together. As with all traditions, such as giving baby showers, there are etiquette guidelines for hosting bridal showers; guidelines we rely on not only to inform us on what is socially acceptable, but that keeps us from creating social blunders, or “bless your heart” moments. Etiquette experts such as Emily Post, Miss Manners, and even Mama have strong opinions when it comes to these types of occasions, so we tried to wade through all the information out there and answer some of the most often-asked questions regarding bridal showers....

If you’re looking for an easy dish to cross off your holiday to-do list, start with sweet potato casserole. This favorite Thanksgiving and Christmas side dish freezes very well, and if stored properly, it can be prepared months in advance. When most people think about sweet potato casserole, they picture the iconic marshmallow-topped version we all know and love. But there are plenty of other variations of this dish—some are super-sweet with a buttery cornflake topping, other are layered with cheese and Yukon gold potatoes, and others go in a more savory direction, with fresh sage and a layer of toasted breadcrumbs and pecans on top....

When it comes to high-quality cast iron skillets, $39 doesn’t typically get you that far. Typically relegated to wedding registries and Christmas wish lists, the beloved kitchen apparatus doesn’t always have the best price point. Until now, that is. Last month, I watched (Iron) Chef Geoffrey Zakarian, demo his new line of cast iron cookware in partnership with kitchen brand Dash. They’ll launch on QVC’s “In the Kitchen With David” show on Sunday, October 28, and allow me to share why it’s a beginner cook’s best friend ....

No matter the quickness and ease that texting and emails lend to our busy lives, nothing will ever beat an old-fashioned phone call. The stories and details simply cannot be mimicked in text form, no matter how cute and cheeky the smiley faces and heart emoticons seem. Yet, just like with anything else in the South, there are manners to mind, even when it comes to your weekly gossip session with a girlfriend or daily touch-base with your sister....

Ah, the scuppernong. I’ve heard it’s the stuff of Southern legend, being, as I am, a born-and-raised Californian, Bostonian by education, and Parisian by heart (and gap year). When I first stumbled across this muscadine while researching the South’s best u-pick farms, I wondered what on earth. The name alone had me in near hysterics, and the only thing funnier was the conversation that ensued upon calling my local grocery stores (specialty and not) in California, where I’m working remotely until the end of the summer....

Bread baking is part science experiment, part art. It takes a bit of practice to make a rustic, bakery-worthy loaf with a chewy golden crust and tender, airy interior. But that’s what also makes bread baking so rewarding. That, and the incredible smell of a freshly-baked loaf. Most recipes for loaves of yeasted sandwich-type bread (like sourdough, focaccia, or potato loaves) produce a very wet dough, which is a good thing—that’s what helps form all of those big holes that keep the loaf light and airy inside....

Sorry to be the bearers of bad news, but apple snails aren’t the only invasive invertebrates slithering around in Texas. McClatchy News reports that sightings of hammerhead flatworms have skyrocketed following recent heavy rainfall in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. This invasive worm species, which can grow up to a foot in length, are more common in Southeast Texas. According to Ashley Morgan-Olvera, director of research and outreach for Texas Invasive Species Institute, hammerhead flatworms are currently gaining ground in and around Tarrant, Dallas, and Smith counties....

Tuesday night as the sun sets, the Jewish people begin their observance of the holiest day of the year, Yom Kippur. It is the Day of Atonement, where the Jewish people fast for a little over 24 hours as they repent for wrongdoings of the last year and ask for forgiveness. It’s a solemn day, usually spent in synagogue as a community. Only the Jewish community of southwest Florida is faced with a huge obstacle this year....

It was a perfect summer afternoon as we sped out into the Gulf of Mexico off of the coast of Crystal River in central west Florida’s Citrus County. The water was flat, the sun warm, and the scallops were waiting. I’ve lived in the Sunshine State for more than 20 years, and this was my first time going scalloping—I couldn’t wait to dive in. During our ride offshore, I had a few questions about Florida’s bay scallops for Captain John, who runs charters out of Plantation Adventure Center....

Scottie Scheffler shot a 1-under 71 to claim a three-shot victory over Rory McIlroy and win the Masters on Sunday. Wearing his new green jacket, the 25-year-old University of Texas grad spoke to the media about the hours leading up to the career-defining moment at Augusta National. “I cried like a baby this morning,” he said. “I was so stressed out. I didn’t know what to do. I was sitting there telling Meredith, ‘I don’t think I’m ready for this....

It’s not the kind of thing one might expect to see at a high-end seafood restaurant, but the version served at Alewife will make you wonder why it’s not part of every menu in the country. Called the Siren’s Song, Alewife’s sampler comes on an extra-large platter littered with little bowls. The selections might change from day to day or even order to order. It started out as a way for chef and owner Lee Gregory to use up ingredients and minimize food waste, but it has become the perfect embodiment of what makes the place so special....

Best Cyber Week Bedding and Bath Deals To spruce up your bedding, start with your pillows. This Tempur-Pedic memory foam pillow is ultra comfortable for every kind of sleeper—it has a flat side for side sleepers and a contoured side for back sleepers. Even our shopping editors sleep with it nightly! If you’re looking for a total bed upgrade, this Sealy mattress is a great option to consider. It’s available in thickness ranging from 6 inches (firm) to 12 inches (soft) to give you customized comfort and support....

If we had to sum up what life is like for a curly-haired lady, it would be more about can’ts than cans. Follow the curly hair commandments—or suffer the consequences. These rules are non-negotiables and direct how curly hair must be treated, for your own sake. No touching curly hair while it’s drying, unless you want unmanageable frizz. Absolutely no brushing after it’s dry. Apply product thoughtfully, using the “rake and shake” method....

I like to pass the time on drives back to my college town by devising an itinerary based entirely on where I plan to eat. No matter the purpose behind the trip, whether a football-rival meeting between the hedges or a visit to a former professor’s class, my focus is always the food. I start out by visualizing a map of the city. Punctuated by intersections I once crossed often, the streets link together in my mind....

How do you like your grits? Whether you stir in chopped bacon, three kinds of cheese, fresh herbs, hot sauce, or keep things simple with a pat of butter on top, our test kitchen has a simple tip that will make any type of grits taste even better. While you can use plain water to cook a perfectly fine pot of grits, our test kitchen often replaces some of the water with another liquid for an instant flavor boost....

If you can’t get enough of Home Town: Ben’s Workshop with Ben Napier streaming on discovery+ and Clint Harp of Fixer Upper fame kept you on the edge of your seat (erm, carpenter’s bench), then do we have news for you: Tim Allen and Richard Karn are coming together to host a new reality competition series, Assembly Required, on The HISTORY Channel. The former Home Improvement co-stars will have you laughing and learning all along the way, and will also be joined by YouTube woodworking guru April Wilkerson, as the series’ resident expert....