Whispers of a mighty river…..
Mississippi. . .. just the whisper in its name brings to mind images of the mighty river, and the state that shares its name.
One of the states of the ‘Deep South’, Mississippi derives much of its legacy from this gentle giant; the Mississippi River, the slow-moving heartbeat of the Delta Region. With its ever-shifting sandbars, the ‘Big Muddy’, as it is affectionately called by the locals, has an indelible impact on life here. Life slows. . . .to a laid-back, easy-going pace.
Once churned by the gentle rhythm of Steamboats ferrying passengers, it is even now a busy industrial lifeline for shipping millions of tons of grain, coal and lumber to the southern ports on the Gulf of Mexico.
And you just may know more about Mississippi than you first think!
Mississippi has many exceptional culinary delights; down-home comfort food, and long-standing family favorites. Try the deep nuttiness of long-grain wild rice, harvested in the lowland regions. Enjoy the unique flavour of fried catfish, which can quickly become habit-forming! And if you’re eating a fried catfish or shrimp dinner, chances are good that it will be accompanied by those mouth-watering fried golden-brown nuggets, called Hushpuppies!! Impossible to settle for just one.
The gem of Mississippi however, is without a doubt, the pecan! There’s a long-running debate over how to pronounce the name of this southern delight. Most southerners will tell you that it is “puh-kaanâ€, with no question or room for opinion. Pecan Pie, roasted pecans, pralines, . . .. these are all hallmarks of Mississippi.
Every time we enjoy a Pecan twirl, a chocolate turtle, or an amazing pile of hushpuppies, we can say a quiet thank-you, to the cooks of Mississippi, who shared them with the world.
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Mississippi trivia: Teddy bears and Stetsons
Do you have a favorite teddy bear? You can thank Mississippi! On a hunting expedition there, in 1902, President Theodore Roosevelt refused to shoot a captured bear; an act that resulted in the creation of a stuffed version of the ‘Teddy’ bear.
– In 1834, (decades before the Civil War!), a group of slaves were freed by their Mississippi master and returned to Africa, to create the present-day nation of Liberia
– During the American Civil War, a Mississippi hat-maker practiced his craft among the soldiers. After the war, he continued to create his new head gear. His name? John Stetson. His hat? An unforgettable icon of the nation.
