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While it’s hard to imagine a Southern picnic without mayonnaise, the creamy condiment originated in Europe. The Beginnings of Mayonnaise Its exact origin story is a bit hazy. It was created in the mid-1700s when a French chef, dismayed at the lack of cream during the Seven Years’ War, patiently combined oil and egg yolks into a whipped sauce. Another origin story is a version from Spain, called salsa mahonesa, taking its name from the Port Mahon on the Mediterranean island of Minorca....

Cold, overcast days absolutely scream for comfort food, don’t you agree? That’s why Ina Garten’s Company Pot Roast is just the ticket when the temperatures take a dive and a steady winter drizzle sets in. My house doesn’t have a fireplace, but give me a Dutch oven, a bunch of root veggies, and a nice cut of meat and I’ll set the scene in no time—and you better believe I’ll be calling on the Barefoot Contessa....

Hungry at midnight? If you’re not going to Waffle House, chances are you may find yourself enjoying a perfectly sized, square burger snack at Krystal, with most of its 300-something outposts operating 24/7. This week, the fast-food chain—originally founded in Chattanooga, Tennessee in 1932, and now headquartered in Georgia—has filed for bankruptcy. Founded in the midst of the Great Depression, Krystal is known to be one of the oldest fast food chains in the country....

It’s January, and while you may still have a few balsam and cedar wood candles on display, you know you should really wrap up the holiday wicks until next year. Thankfully, Chip and Joanna Gaines’ Magnolia Market is here for all of your olfactory needs. “It’s that time again—our spring candle is back! Usher in the new season with scents of grapefruit, driftwood, and sage,” an Instagram caption on the Magnolia Market account reads....

Not even COVID-19 can crush the legend of Bigfoot in Western North Carolina. The town of Marion’s third annual Bigfoot Festival is still on, but it will take a different form amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. According to WYFF4, WNC Bigfoot Festival 2020 will turn into a scavenger hunt, with dozens of restaurants, gift shops, and businesses taking part. The Finding Bigfoot Scavenger Hunt begins on Monday, September 12, and runs through September 30....

Growing up, no matter if my dad was cooking an elaborate dinner for guests or just a Sunday night family supper, he always asked me or one of my four younger siblings to be his sous chef. While many of the meals we prepared alongside him growing up were not the most kid-friendly of recipes, his carrot soufflé was. As a kid, I remember he used to give me the “easy” tasks: crushing the saltine crackers or grating the cheese....

When we say eating a real-deal po’boy is a nothing less than a Southern rite of passage, we mean it. Because there are few moments in life quite like the one when you taste the perfectly crispy, deep-fried goodness that’s packed into crusty, chewy French bread and dressed up with slatherings of gravy, lettuce, tomato, mayo, and pickles for the very first time. Hot sauce optional. Po’boys and New Orleans go hand in hand, melding the history and soul of the Crescent City into a singular, mouthwatering experience....

When we were kids, pillow forts and cardboard castles and bedsheet tipis made the ultimate getaways, if only for the afternoon. We’d bolster up with blankets and snacks to pass the time, and if we’re being honest, not much has changed. Any getaway needs blankets and snacks, after all, and a weekend getaway in a castle or tipi? We’ll take it. We’ve got you covered with a Kentucky castle getaway, and even with floating Tennessee cabins....

Makeup isn’t always required for getting lengthier lashes, but it is one of the easiest ways. When you get the right mascara, you can transform the look of your eyes with a single swipe of product. If you’ve continued to dream of a mascara that gives you the fluffiest lashes ever, look no further: Ulta shoppers might have found your new favorite product. The formula of Pacifica’s Vegan Collagen Fluffy Lash Mascara has “blown away” shoppers....

Listed at the top of our hobby list is perusing our favorite Instagram and Pinterest accounts for our next great hair moment. Whether we’re lobbing, bobbing, highlighting, or fringing, the inspiration is endless. Last year around this time our obsession was of-the-moment mushroom brown hair. Now, we’ve found a slightly warmed-up version that’s hitting all the right notes. Needless to say, our next cut and color is on the books—and it can’t come soon enough....

For over a decade now, Hallmark Channel has been our go-to destination for feel good holiday flicks. They fill our hearts and television schedules with all kinds of holly, jolly delight from October through the end of the year. This year, Hallmark Media is debuting 40 brand-new original films between their two networks. One of these new flicks gives the fans exactly what they have wished for. Eagle-eyed viewers last year caught that a few of Hallmark’s leading men popped up in each other’s movies....

There are discoveries, and then there are discoveries. You know you’re onto something as U.S. 98 slides southeast down the coast from Panama City. After heading inland briefly past flanks of longleaf and slash pines, you find yourself rolling more slowly past stately antebellum homes until you arrive at a pristine 19th-century downtown. Just beyond is a sky-blue waterway dotted with shrimp boats. You meander downtown, amazed by what you see: a craft brewpub; a Charleston, South Carolina-worthy boutique with beautiful clothing; an upscale outfitter with fishing rods and fashionable outdoor wear; antique stores; and art galleries....

Whether you’re still researching the best nonstick pans, have a brand-new set, or are just looking to make sure you are not making any nonstick cardinal errors, consider this list of no-no’s your abridged encyclopedia for proper care. There is, of course, a lot more to caring for your nonstick cookware, but this is a good place to start. We’re digging into both the little-known and widely understood facts about nonstick cookware, starting with the basics....

At Southern Living, we have no shortage of azalea wisdom to draw on. (Can you imagine how many times they’ve appeared in our magazine since gracing the very first cover in 1966? The answer is too many to count.) We’ve searched the annals of Southern Living garden coverage and put together our list of top don’ts when caring for azaleas. 1. Don’t buy heat-lovers if you live where it snows. Knowing what to plant is as important as knowing where to plant it....

You don’t have to sell us hard on a trip to Gatlinburg, Tennessee. Between the Smokies and SkyLift Park to theme parks like Anakeesta and nearby Dollywood there’s something for everyone to enjoy in this majestic slice of The Volunteer State. But if you’re looking for an exciting new draw, look no further than Anakeesta’s Treehouse Adventure Course, which is currently being built for the adventure hub by Climb Works, a local construction shop in Gatlinburg....

At a certain point, summer in the South basically becomes a game of telephone wherein everyone is asking each other, “What are y’all doing about these mosquitoes?” The pesky, blood-thirsty suckers know how to ruin a good time faster than a pinecone under the Slip N Slide; and so when sugar won’t do, we bring out the sprays, wipes, citronella tiki torches, and yes, even the dad-approved mosquito net bug pants....

The black bears of the Great Smoky Mountains have emerged from their winter slumber hungry and, apparently, in need of a hot tub. Last week, Todd Trebony was sipping his morning coffee on the porch of his rental cabin in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, when a young black bear climbed up to join him. Trebony, of Camilla, Georgia, ran inside and began recording the bear through a glass door. A video, which he shared to Facebook, shows the bear walking along the perimeter of the porch before slipping into the cabin’s steaming jacuzzi....

David Jamison first made headlines last year after a video of him performing elaborate handshake routines with his students went viral. The fifth-grade teacher at Hickory Ridge Elementary School in Memphis, Tennessee, wowed us all with his ability to memorize a unique handshake for each of his 75 students, and perform them with their creators at the start of class. Now, Jamison is hoping to inspire as all yet again, this time by opening up about his experience with COVID-19....

A fifth-grade language arts teacher at Hickory Ridge Elementary School in Memphis, Tennessee, is stealing hearts once again. David Jamison first went viral in 2019 for memorizing and performing elaborate, individual handshake routines with his students. Now, after his own battle with Covid-19 and months of virtual teaching, the man nicknamed “The Dope Educator” is back in the classroom with a modified way of making each of his students feel special....

These days, from coast to coast, we’ve been amazed by the inspiring acts of kindness—large and small—in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. For sure, we’ve seen a lengthy list of charitable deeds in our neck of the woods. We’ve seen Tyler Perry buy groceries for senior citizens in Atlanta and New Orleans. We’ve seen South Carolina moms band together to buy lunch for University of South Carolina hospital workers. We’ve seen Dollywood step up to help East Tennessee Children’s Hospital and first responders amidst the crisis....