Deep South Dining

In this edition of Deep South Dining, Malcolm and Carol have a few questions on their mind. Is pizza making as popular as the Wall Street Journal says it is? How do you get your hushpuppies soft and spongy? What are savory hand pies, actually empanadas? These are not all the questions tackled during this hour of delicious inquiries, they also speak with Cooking & Coping standout Bob Yarbrough and a host of very appreciative listeners. Let's eat ya'll!

The 162nd Mississippi State Fair starts October 6th and to usher in this once-a-year buffet of food and fun we welcome the Department of Agriculture and Commerce Commissioner Andy Gibson. Commissioner Gibson talks with Malcolm about fair food and the famous biscuit booth. He even shares the recipe live on-air. Since the 70's the Mississippi State Fair biscuit booth has given away tasty biscuits to hundreds of thousands of fairgoers, many of who make it a family tradtion. Then we welcome Jessie Zenor from Greenhouse on Porter who's biscuit business has built a true family-like following.Greenhouse on Porter Biscuit RecipeIngredients:2 cups all-purpose flour1 tbsp baking powder¾ tsp salt½ tsp black pepper1 stick cold butter1 cup full-fat buttermilkDirections:Preheat oven to 425 degrees.In a large bowl, mix flour, baking powder, salt & pepper.Chop cold stick of butter into half-inch cubes. Using your fingers, squish the butter into the flour mixture until the largest pieces are about the size of peas.Stir in the buttermilk, mixing only until the dough comes together, careful to not overwork the biscuit dough.Dump the dough onto a floured surface and roughly shape it into a square about an inch thick. Cut into 9 pieces.Place biscuits on a parchment-lined pan and bake for about 10 minutes, or until golden brown.Serve with any topping you can dream up!

There are a few things that come to mind when people speak of southern charm and red velvet cake should definitely be one of them. At the top of this edition of Deep South Dining, Malcolm and Carol take a dive into the history of red velvet cake and even spend a few minutes tasting a chess pie that you can prepare at home. Just follow the recipe below. Also from just up the road in Tennessee, cookbook author and CEO of the Belle Meade Winery, Sheree Rose Kelley talks about her life in food and love of family recipes.Pumpkin Chess PieIngredients 1 stick butter1 Tablespoon flour2 eggs½ tsp each of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice¼ tsp salt1 ½ cups pumpkin (cooked or canned)3 Tablespoons bourbon or water1 unbaked 9-inch pie shell DirectionsHeat oven to 425 degrees.Cream the butter, sugar and flour.Beat in eggs.Stir in spices and salt. Mix well.Add pumpkin and bourbon.The mixture will have a “curdled” appearance.Pour into an unbaked pie shell.Bake at 425° for 15 minutes, then 350° for 40 minutes.Cool and serve.(Freezes well.)

Deep South Dining is the only show dedicated to food and southern culture that can start an episode talking about cheeseburgers, transition to fired pies, and end up in Australia with fried eggs. It may sound like a hard job but host Malcolm White and Carol Puckett pull it off every Monday morning. To connect more with Malcolm and Carol, join them online with the Cooking and Coping Facebook Group (Link).

Chris Washington opened the catering company, Michael Cordell Eats during the height of the pandemic. Both as a way to keep money coming in to support his family but also as a way to pursue his passion for food more seriously. Talking with Malcolm and Carol they bond over their love for an anytime breakfast, cheesecakes, and learning the food industry on the ground floor. Also, friend of the show, Chef Enrika Williams shares her experience at the Atlanta Food & Wine Festival, and Carol shares feedback from listeners about the different ways to enjoy Deep South Dining.

It is no question that catfish is one of Mississippi's top exports. 55% of all U.S. farm-raised catfish come from the Magnolia state. To help talk catfish and celebrate national catfish month, Malcolm White welcomes guest host Chef Enrika Williams to the show, while his skillet buddy Carol Puckett is out. As a true Mississippian Enrika has an opinion on how she likes her catfish and shares a piece of her process in the kitchen. Also, we hear from a few Deep South Dining favorites and answer the question: whole fish, fillets, or thin?

As usual Malcolm and Carol start the show by letting us know what has been happening in their kitchen and shares some of the good news happening in the Mississippi food scene. Congratulations Austin Sumrall! Then without warning a bomb was launched onto the Deep South Dining community. The question was asked: How do I make creamy grits? So down the grits hole we went, answered a few emails, and also shared tips for exiting a food rut. It was a deliciously good time!

How far do you travel up the Scoville scale? Today Carol and Malcolm are talking about peppers and adding the right amount of spice to your recipes. Recently Malcolm took a trip to Avery Island, the home of Tabasco, and reports on some of his findings. Who knew Tobasco is aged in oak barrels like wine or your favorite whiskey? Also Java chimes in with some tips for parents gearing up for the upcoming school year.

Mississippi summers can promise you three things sun, humidity, and water. But we don't mind, because it is great for our Mississippi vegetables.From backyard gardens to farmers' markets, this is a great time for summer veggies.The summer harvest has also been good for figs. Malcolm and Carol share some tips for dealing with a robust amount of figs from preserves all the way to fig vodka. Let's eat y'all!