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Fried green tomatoes are a Southern delicacy of lore—so famous they’ve been the star of books and movies. The crispy, golden discs are crowd-pleasing Southern comfort food at its finest. Add vine-ripe green tomatoes to a salad or salsa for pops of bright color and tangy-sweet flavor. Add a fried slice to burgers, sandwiches, or even po’boys. (We add Cajun seasoning to the breading for more delicious flavor.) Fried green tomatoes are a classic food that every cook can—and should—master....

Watermelon is a sweet summer treat and has been a Southern favorite for generations. When you bite into a watermelon, what you want is juicy, sweet goodness. But if you don’t wait long enough for it to ripen, what you will end up with is watery sadness. Nobody wants that. And you can avoid by learning how to tell whether or not a watermelon is ripe before you slice into it, rather than waiting to find out with a mouthful of flavorless disappointment....

So, ladies, it’s time to join us and email your fellow book club members and let them know there’s a last-minute switcharoo for February’s lineup, as Writers & Lovers is quite the tome. Named one the of 100 Notable Books of 2020 by The New York Times and one of the 10 best books of 2020 by The Washington Post, the novel has a plot that keeps you on the edge of your seat....

On Saturday, June 19, the country will recognize Juneteenth, which honors the freeing of slaves in our country. More specifically, the holiday marks the day in 1865 when following the Civil War, Union Army Major General Gordon Granger issued General Order No. 3 in the island city of Galveston, which ordered the freedom of more than 250,000 enslaved Black people in the state of Texas, one of the last groups of slaves to be emancipated in our country....

There’s nothing quite like the look on a child’s face when they open a toy on Christmas. The pure joy and excitement pouring out of them as they rip through the wrapping paper is truly infectious. And thanks to MUST Ministries and volunteers like Rion Flynn, there will be a lot more kids in Georgia who will get to experience that joy this holiday season. Flynn is an Atlanta-area schoolteacher turned stay-at-home mom....

The straw-style sun hat is made with recycled materials, and it delivers UPF 50 protection to keep you safe while outside. When worn with sunscreen, the tightly constructed hat (and its stylish wide brim) provides an extra barrier between your skin and the sun. And if you happen to sweat, you’ll appreciate the moisture-absorbing inner material around the crown that’ll prevent sweat droplets from rolling down your face. The hat comes in seven different colors and is available in medium and large sizes....

After a two-year hiatus, Mardi Gras returned to the streets of New Orleans in full force this week. But days of revelry leaves a wake of garbage—an estimated 608 tons of trash, to be exact. At some points along the five-mile parade route, the litter can climb as high as the street signs. When the party ends and the tourists are asleep in their hotel rooms, clean-up crews toil through the night to clean the streets....

Cameras were rolling as Fox Weather journalist Robert Ray pivoted from reporter to rescuer in flood-ravaged Dallas. Ray was getting ready to report live on the record-breaking flooding that impacted the area when a car drove into the floodwaters Monday morning. He watched as the car quickly became engulfed in waist-deep water that had submerged part of Interstate 35. Video of the rescue, caught by KDFW-TV, shows Ray jump into action....

Dolly Parton is heading back to the silver screen. Sony Pictures has landed the rights to bring the Smoky Mountain Songbird to theaters in the movie adaptation of Run Rose Run, the No. 1 New York Times bestseller that Parton co-authored with James Patterson. While Hello Sunshine was already on board to produce the film, this news brings us one step closer to seeing Dolly step into the role of country music veteran Ruthanna on the screen....

Best friends Wyatt Close, 19, and Brandon Thompson, 19, were carpooling to work on October 1 when they stopped for gas at a QuikTrip in Lebanon, Tennessee. The teens, from nearby Carthage, decided to split a $30 lottery ticket. The store didn’t have the game Close had his eye on, so he settled on two Jumbo Bucks Titanium instant tickets and took them back to the van. The first was a non-winner, but the second....

In the South, even the locations we call “new” may not be entirely so. They are very often rooted in the old—vintage garages converted into restaurants or crumbling department stores transformed into vibrant, thriving community centers. The story of one of Charleston, South Carolina’s latest hotels, The Dewberry, begins with the L. Mendel Rivers Federal Building, originally commissioned by John F. Kennedy in 1963. After 35 years as government offices, it suffered extensive hurricane damage....

Time flies indeed. More than 25 years ago, Felder Rushing and I wrote a little book called Passalong Plants about weird and wonderful plants we grew up with that you couldn’t get at garden centers. They survived only by being shared friend to friend, neighbor to neighbor, and generation to generation – stuff like green rose, pregnant onion, hardy ageratum, and milk-and-wine lily. With all due humility, the book was a smash hit....

They don’t call it the Paradise Coast for nothing. Located on the southwest edge of the Florida peninsula, Naples is a charming coastal town known for a unique combination of luxe living and laid-back vibes. Think pure white sand beaches, lots of opportunities to get out on the water, and a community that’s dedicated to local conservation efforts. And the islands. Oh, the islands. There are so many unspoiled beaches to explore in the aptly named Ten Thousand Islands National Wildlife Refuge, located just 40 minutes southeast of downtown Naples....

I’ve pared down my makeup routine quite a bit over the years. When I used to go into an office, I usually did a full face: BB cream, concealer, blush, mascara, eyeliner, and lip color. Then, when I became a freelancer and worked exclusively from coffee shops, it dwindled down into a two-step routine of just mascara and lip color. You can imagine how little I wear now that I never leave the house....

Essentially just an ultra-fuzzy blanket, this faux shearling jacket from Prettygarden is a stylish defense against the chill of autumn. It’s available in two distinct styles—one is similar to a short peacoat with prominent lapels, the other is an oversize zip-up bomber—and both feature that cozy, teddy bear-like material, plus two large side pockets. BUY IT: Starting at $32.99; amazon.com With 26 different colors to choose from, sizes S to XXXL, and a price tag no higher than $35, it’s no surprise that customers are obsessed....

What makes celebrating Christmas in the South special is the gracious nod to holiday tradition, year after year, whether we’re talking town squares draped in twinkling lights and garland or carols sung at the town tree lighting. For those looking for a taste of these Southern yuletide revelries all wrapped up in a setting prettier than any picture, there’s a small town more than worth the trip: Aiken, South Carolina....

About 20 miles south of Fort Benning, just east of the Alabama state line, you’ll find one of Georgia’s best-kept secrets. Providence Canyon State Park is a 1,003-acre recreation area with unique geological formations you’d expect to see in Arizona, Utah, or maybe even on Mars, but certainly not in The Peach State. Providence Canyon, also known as Georgia’s Little Grand Canyon, is considered one of the Seven Natural Wonders of Georgia, though it owes its existence to humans....

Chrysanthemums are the MVPs of the autumn garden. They take center stage in any fall decoration or front porch display. They bloom in cheery autumnal hues, and many can endure Southern winters with grace and avoid deer grazes. When fall arrives, we never forget to put out our mums, whether perennials or annuals. That said, there are always a few things to remember when the mum season arrives—including the best weekend to put mums out, so they ensure pretty blooms all season....

The homes that truly stand the test of time are those that carefully consider place, where architecture and interior design reflect the local landscape and regional lifestyle as well as the individual needs of homeowners. Coastal homes, like their mountain and lake counterparts, are often escapes, where homeowners can retreat from the demands of everyday life. In this case, the surrounding landscape becomes the whole reason for being. These homes invite both days of quiet reflection and celebratory weekends with friends and family....

With the advent of smartphones, email, virtual invites, and modern norms, a lot has changed in the etiquette space since Emily Post founded her institute in 1946. “The traditional way of gathering that our parents and grandparents enjoyed has all but gone away,” explains Edward Perotti, the San Francisco-based owner of EP Events & Experiences who has hosted events across the globe (including at the Louvre Museum in Paris!) for more than 27 years....