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I have always been scared of nurses, Southern ones especially. Nurses give shots—and like it. They draw blood, digging for the vein with what they claim is a needle but sometimes feels more like a broken bottle or an old television antenna or a tenpenny nail. They march you on the treadmill till you gasp and beg. They make you drink chalk…and, I think, plutonium. Nurses, even if they weigh only 90 pounds, can throw you around on the X-ray table like you’re a big sack of corn....

In a Southern household, hosting is practically an art. Whether you’re having a few friends over for a casual game night or celebrating the holidays with your extended family, there are a few rules of hosting every Southerner should know. Tricks of the trade like always having a fresh hand towel in the powder room and ensuring that every guest has a drink in hand are tried-and-true standbys our grandmothers swear by....

Around here, Pappy Van Winkle needs no introduction. The fine bourbon has become something of Southern folklore: Barrel-aged for more than twenty years and released in limited batches each fall, the bottles are elusive (fans will scramble for lottery tickets just for the chance to buy one) and expensive (many go for upwards of $3,000). But for senior ESPN writer and author Wright Thompson, Julian Van Winkle III, the man behind the bourbon and the grandson of Pappy himself, is even greater a treasure than the legendary liquor he makes....

Spending weekson an island in Fiji competing on Survivor: Winners at War inspired interior designer Kim Wolfe’s next challenge after returning home to San Antonio. “One of the hardest things about Survivor is how slowly time ticks by, but it also gives you an opportunity to think. I’d been doing a lot of interior design and realized that I wanted to start working on houses for myself. When I got home, I needed an outlet, so I poured my energy into flipping a property,” she says....

Funerals are a sad fact of life and when they come —and they will— you need to go to the funeral. And if you are going to a funeral in Texas, you should show up with a cake. Specifically, a Texas-sized chocolate sheet cake, which has become such a common fixture at the tables at funeral potlucks that it has earned the name Texas Funeral Cake. Technically, funeral cake is a chocolate sheet cake with fudge icing and topped with crunchy pecans and big enough to feed a crowd....

Most of the time, we take things nice and slow down in the South. A walk around the neighborhood is a lazy saunter, and the express lane at Publix isn’t guaranteed to move quickly—because sometimes you have to catch up with the cashier. Our leisurely pace is a point of regional pride for many of us. It’s a declaration of that highest ideal of savoring time rather than rushing it. But there’s one place where our celebration of slow-moving ways takes a back seat to efficiency and speed: The buffet line....

If you’re anything like us, we’re guessing you’ve been doing a lot of couch-sitting this past year. There have been Sweet Magnolias marathons. Plenty of lovely reading sessions. More games of Scrabble and gin rummy than you can count. What’s that, your couch is showing some de-fluffed cushions or general wear and tear? Well friends, now’s the time to buy that velvet couch you’ve long been coveting — and contrary to what you may think, it doesn’t have to break the bank....

Sweet Potato Appeal The sweet potato is a popular ingredient in many classic, cool-weather recipes. You can stir it into a savory stew to feed a hungry crowd on game day, bake into a family-favorite casserole for a holiday meal, or simply roast a potato and eat it plain. Next time you are at the market buying sweet potatoes, look around and see if you spot something a little different....

When shopping for a new home, we all have our own little list of non-negotiables. Baking aficionados might yearn for a spacious chef’s kitchen with top-of-the-line double ovens, while car buffs might balk at any garage that fits less than three sets of wheels. And then there are those features which generally appeal to most of us. These days, that might include an open plan living area, high ceilings, and lots of natural light....

Several years ago, my family opted to start having a more casual menu for Christmas lunch. Since we usually have a more traditional meal for Christmas Eve, and there was also a lot of repetition from the Thanksgiving menu, we decided something different would be fun. The menu we now enjoy during our Christmas lunch is made up of appetizers and small bites, which is a nice change from the formal meal....

The world’s most famous emu lives on a hobby farm in South Florida. Emmanuel the impertinent emu has been trying Taylor Blake’s patience since 2015, but she only began sharing his hilarious phone-hating ways with the internet a few weeks ago. Blake, the TikTok creator who runs Knuckle Bump Farms, recently shared a video of Emmanuel interrupting her while she was trying to film an educational video about a cow. She told The Washington Post that she was so irritated when she first filmed it that she didn’t share it like she usually does....

Set your watch to island time on a trip to Dauphin Island, Alabama. It’s a barrier island in the Gulf of Mexico with all the Southern style, coastal charm, and picturesque sunsets you dream of on vacation. With a population of under 2,000, it’s a cozy spot with plenty to do and see. Located three miles south of Mobile Bay, Dauphin Island has clear blue water and powdery white sand galore....

Winter’s garden feigns quiet slumber. In reality, though, it’s catapulting the New Year into four seasons of floral profusion. As the first petals face the world, the landscape begins its progression of nonstop color. The Southern spirit of each season can be captured in a dominant shade. Right this minute, white flowers abound. In spring, the world erupts with a flurry of pink. Summer’s cool blues offer a reprieve from heat, and the first hint of gold promises autumn’s onset....

People visit Florida for a variety of reasons: the endless sunshine, the gorgeous beaches, the warm weather, the theme parks, the greenery, the tropical air, the laid-back and breezy style of living…. But the Florida food scene—from fresh seafood to Publix subs to Mickey-shaped treats—is also worth writing home about. Across the state, there are regional and statewide specialties to try, all promising to delight your palate with the same zest that makes the Sunshine State famous....

There are many ways to make a pot of chili, and even more “secrets” to making that an ordinary chili recipe even better. Use fresh spices. Brown the meat thoroughly before adding it to the pot. Use a mix of dried and fresh chiles. Sauté your aromatics. Cook the chili low and slow. And if all else fails, you can always top it with plenty of Cheddar cheese and sour cream....

Growing up in a family of seven, a container of milk never lasted long enough in our refrigerator to reach the expiration date. Along with being used in the pound cakes and banana puddings my mom baked, milk was stirred into gravies for country fried steak and fried chicken, poured into bowls of breakfast cereal, and consumed by the glassfuls by thirsty kids running in from playing outside. My mother knew the value and convenience of freezing certain foods....

The shrubs are blooming and the trees are bursting—you know what time it is. Summertime brings gorgeous flowers, lush leaves, and bright colors in every corner of the garden. Seeing all the vibrant garden changes makes the summer heat almost bearable—almost. This season, a blooming tree with pretty lilac flower spikes has been catching our eyes, and we think it’s a gorgeous planting for Southern gardens. Chaste tree (Vitex agnus-castus) is also known as Texas lilac tree, Vitex, chasteberry, and Monk’s pepper....

Here at Southern Living, we’re crazy for fresh tomatoes. Grilled cheese is better with fresh tomatoes, salads beg to include them, and pasta salads practically require them. When it comes to cherry and grape tomatoes, you may be using the terms interchangeably, but there are some slight—but significant—differences to bear in mind. Chef Rich LaMarita of the Natural Gourmet Institute in New York City breaks it down. Cherry Tomatoes First things first, let’s talk shape....

There’s never a wrong time to make pie. Summer means fruit pies, lots of fruit pies. And no holiday is complete without a dessert table full of decadent favorites. Since these cream or lattice-topped beauties are always in season, we thought it’d be a good idea to give you a step-by-step guide to the most important part of making a perfect pie—blind baking the crust. “Blind baking” is the term for baking a piecrust before you add anything to the pie....

If we’re being honest, the perfect batch of crispy, delicious, evenly-cooked bacon is difficult to achieve. If you pan fry it, you run the risk of having hot spots that burn pieces while others are limp and chewy. If you cook it in the air fryer, sure, it’s well cooked, but most air fryers can only hold four or six pieces. And microwave bacon? I know it can be done, but should it?...