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Posted: Wednesday, October 3, 2018 8:40 am
Kristina Norman knorman@ddtonline.com | 0 comments A little over two weeks remain until the kickoff of the seventh annual Delta Hot Tamale Festival that will welcome residents and guests who will fill Greenville’s streets. The week of festivities will get started Oct. 18 with the sixth annual gala welcome dinner and book signing with Southern writers and chefs at Belmont Plantation, said Julia Reed, an award winning author and Greenville native, who organizes the event each year. “This is the third year we are having the gala kickoff dinner of the Literary/Culinary Mashup at Belmont, which has been a great partner to us,” she said. “We are so blessed to have this plantation house so close to the city limits.” Attendees at the ticketed event will be treated to a three-course dinner prepared by notable chefs from the Southern region of the United States, hors d’oeuvres, specialty cocktails, a live auction, cigar bar, dancing and live music.Chefs for this year’s dinner include Donald Link, of the Link Restaurant Group; Jason Goodenough, of Carrollton Market; Kristen Essig, of Coquette; Mason Hereford, of Turkey and the Wolf; Rebecca Wilcomb and David Rouse, of Herbsaint; and Billy Jones, of Cochon. They will be joined by the Delta’s own Cole Ellis, of Delta Meat Market, and Hugh Balthrop, of Sweet Magnolia Gelato Co. “We have a lot of beloved chefs who have been here before, like Donald Link, who has an enormous and fabulous empire of restaurants in New Orleans,” Reed said. “Kristen is one of the new ones and Mason Hereford is coming for the second year. He and Kristen will compete along with some others in the celebrity chef category we do on the main stage Saturday.” Every year Reed said she tries to have a theme that the chefs can focus the dinner around. “Our theme of Delta Hunt and Harvest was so popular we’re doing it again,” Reed said. “Jason Goodenough, who made the amazing duck entree last year, is doing stuffed quail. We’ll have a nod to the mighty catfish and other game and Delta products.” Without the support of the chefs though, the event would not be possible, Reed said. “The chefs really love coming and we are pleased and so grateful because they come on their own dime and donate the food,” she said. The night’s auction will feature items for bid that include a duck hunt with Delta sportsman and writer Hank Burdine, a New Orleans trip and artwork. The week will continue Oct. 19 with panel discussions and lunch, set to begin at 10 a.m. with a Bloody Mary bar at E.E. Bass Cultural Arts Center, 323 Main St. Friday’s event will include a lunch catered by Allen Sanders, executive chef of Downtown Grille, from noon to 1 p.m. Having events like the welcome dinner and mashup help keep people around Greenville for more than one day, Reed said. “One of the reasons I, along with a whole lot of great volunteers, worked so hard to add the mashup to the festival, is so that people would have a reason to stay in town,” she said. Throughout the day, panels comprised of chefs, artists and authors will cover topics such as Southern cuisine, the intertwining history of the blues and tamales, Greenville’s rich cultural, literary history and art focusing on Delta landscapes. Reed will sign copies of her latest book “South Toward Home, Adventures and Misadventures in my Native Land,” as will Burdine of his book “Dust in the Road: Reflections of a Delta Boy.” 2018 Celebrity Chef and Author Line-Up: John Alexander, a painter who has exhibited extensively in the U.S. and around the world; Hugh Balthrop, founder and creative director of Clarksdale-based Sweet Magnolia Gelato Co.; William N. Beckwith, a Greenville native and sculptor who apprenticed at age 14 under Leon Koury; Roy Blount, Jr., an author, humorist, panelist on the hit National Public Radio show “Wait, Wait, Don’t Tell Me!” and columnist for Garden & Gun magazine; William Dunlap, a Mississippi native, artist, writer, noted curator, lecturer, and journalist who has contributed to many national magazines and books; Cole Ellis, a Cleveland native and owner of Delta Meat Market; Kristen Essig, a New Orleans-based chef who is co-chef and partner with Michael Stoltzfus. Both were 2018 James Beard Award finalists in the Best Chef in the South category; Huger Foote, a photographer with deep Delta roots who was born and raised in Memphis, Tennessee; Sara Foster, chef and co-owner of Foster’s Market, a gourmet food market and cafe in Durham and Chapel Hill, North Carolina; Jason Goodenough, chef of the Carrollton Market in Uptown New Orleans named the 2017 Chef of the Year by New Orleans magazine; Jessica Harris, a noted author, culinary historian, retired professor of English at Queens College in New York and the founder of the Institute for the Study of Culinary Cultures at Dillard University in New Orleans; Mason Hereford, owner of Turkey and the Wolf, a New Orleans sandwich shop that was chosen best new restaurant of 2017 by Bon Appetit magazine; John Huey, former editor-in-chief of Time Inc., and contributor to both Southern Living and Garden & Gun; Billy Jones, the Chef de Cuisine at Cochon in New Orleans, a James Beard Award-winning restaurant that is part of the Link Restaurant Group; Donald Link, a James Beard Award winner, executive chef and CEO of the Link Restaurant Group, which includes Herbsaint, Cochon, Cochon Butcher, Peche, and La Boulangerie; Beverly Lowry, an author and novelist with Greenville roots; Kim Sunée, a New Orleans-raised, Anchorage, Alaska-based author and food columnist for the Alaska Dispatch; Malcolm White, executive director of the Mississippi Arts Commission, former director of the Mississippi Development Authority’s Tourism Division and co-founder of Hal and Mal’s restaurant in Jackson; and Rebecca Wilcomb, the chef de cuisine at Herbsaint restaurant in New Orleans and the 2016 James Beard Award Winner for Best Chef South. She was also the 2015 winner of the Delta Hot Tamale Festival in the Celebrity Chef category. A limited number of tickets are still available for both the dinner, which costs $185, and the mashup, which are available for $60. To purchase tickets, visit https://www.mainstreetgreenville.com/literaryculinary-mash-up.html GREENVILLE, Miss – July 9, 2018 – Main Street Greenville will hold a ribbon cutting ceremony to commemorate the grand opening of Mitchell’s Tire and Service Center, LLC on July 9, 2018 at 10:00 am. The event will take place in front of the business entrance at 821 Washington Avenue in downtown Greenville, Mississippi.
After purchasing a small engine service center from Bobby Jenkins in July 2000, the Mitchell family relocated the business to 821 Washington Avenue, and appropriately named it “Mitchell’s Small Engine Supply”. Over the past eighteen (18) years, Mitchell Small Engine Supply has serviced the small engine repair and maintenance needs of the Delta, and has met and established a diverse customer base over this time period. Now, looking to expand their services within the region, owners Shelly and Bobby Mitchell, Jr. are proudly announcing the opening of Mitchell’s Tire and Service Center. Mitchell’s Tire and Service Center will be able to service all of your tire needs, including tire replacement, alignment, flats, brakes, struts, shocks, cv axels, oil changes, radiator flushes, a/c services and more. “The commitment to provide the very best in sales, parts and service to our customers is what Mitchell’s is all about. We see the growth and revitalization of downtown Greenville, and we want to be a part of that! Providing another service to the people in downtown Greenville is a step forward in helping with the revitalization efforts”, stated Bobby Mitchell, Jr. For more information, please contact Shelly and Bobby Mitchell, Jr. at 662-378-8132. ### GREATER GREENVILLE DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION, INC. RECEIVES MISSISSIPPI ARTS COMMISSION GRANT (Greenville, Miss) – The Greater Greenville Development Foundation, Inc. (hereinafter referred to as “GGDF”) has been awarded a $4,500.00 grant from the Mississippi Arts Commission (hereinafter referred to as “MAC”). This grant is a portion of the nearly $1.4 million in grants the MAC will award in 2018-2019 and will be used to support the 2018 Delta Hot Tamale Festival. The grants are made possible by continued funding from the Mississippi State Legislature and the National Endowment for the Arts (hereinafter referred to as “NEA”). “MAC supports arts activities in nearly every corner of the state through grants to arts organizations, schools, communities and units of governments,” said Malcolm White, executive director of MAC. “The projects and programming these organizations produce with MAC funds helps enrich our state’s communities. This funding helps organizations provide arts experiences and educational opportunities to people who may not otherwise have access to the arts.” GGDF is a non-profit organization which is committed to the renewal efforts of downtown Greenville. As such, the net proceeds from this Festival, as well as other Main Street Greenville events, directly benefits this mission. Specifically, with the proceeds from last year’s events, Main Street Greenville was able to provide facade improvement grants to downtown business owners, implement landscape improvements within the central business district, provide technical assistance to numerous existing and potential businesses, as well as develop preliminary plans and administer a capital campaign for the development of a new community green space and pavilion, which will also be the future home of the Greenville Farmers’ Market. The MAC, a state agency, serves the residents of the state by providing grants that support programs to enhance communities; assist artists and arts organizations; promote the arts in education and celebrate Mississippi’s cultural heritage. Established in 1968, MAC is funded by the Mississippi Legislature, the NEA, the Mississippi Endowment for the Arts at the Community Foundation of Greater Jackson and other private sources. The agency serves as an active supporter and promoter of arts in community life and in arts education. For information from the Mississippi Arts Commission, contact Anna Ehrgott, Communications Director, 601-359-6546 or aehrgott@arts.ms.gov. ### Relocation of Restaurant Scheduled for June 14, 2018 at 10:00 am in Greenville, MS
GREENVILLE, Miss – June 14, 2018 – Main Street Greenville will hold a ribbon cutting ceremony to commemorate the grand opening of the Cajun Shotgun House & BBQ restaurant on June 14th at 10:00 am. The event will take place in front of the restaurant entrance at 1831 S. MLK in Greenville, Miss. In 2013, Wayne and Lucy Miller purchased the Shotgun House and BBQ from long-time owner, John Dobbins. At this time the Miller’s changed the name to the Cajun Shotgun House and BBQ. “The name was very fitting since Wayne and I both came to Greenville from Louisiana”, said owner, Lucy Miller. Lucy has always dreamed of owning her own place, specifically a bakery. With the purchase of this established restaurant, Lucy decided this would be a great time to put her own personal touch on the business by adding additional items to the menu, including baked goods. The Cajun Shotgun House and BBQ now offers a variety of items including hamburgers, pulled pork, seafood, and a diverse pallet of dessert items. In addition, the Cajun Shotgun House and BBQ now offers catering services for all types of events. Lucy Miller further stated, “we were hesitant about leaving the downtown location simply because everyone knew where we were, but we had no choice…we were completely out of room. The new location has allowed us to expand our kitchen and dining area, as well as increase our staff to accommodate the additional business”. To celebrate the relocation, a free tasting of customer favorites such as pulled pork sliders, ribs, baked beans, cole slaw, brownies, pork skins, tea and water will be served. ### Arts & Culture
Celebrate the South's Fifty great things Southerners should see, do, cook, read, and drink—at least once April/May 2017 Juleps at the derby, check. Quail hunting in the Red Hills, check.Tailgating at the Grove, check. But beyond these quintessential experiences, a world of under-the-radar adventures awaits. N° 40: Stop by a Small-Town Festival by Antony Hare From Crisfield, Maryland’s Hard Crab Derby to Helen, Georgia’s lederhosen-heavy Oktoberfest, small-town festivals in the South are idiosyncratic ecosystems, each with its own rituals and customs. Take the Delta Hot Tamale Festival in Greenville, Mississippi. There, cornmeal-in-corn-husk dough packets are just part of the funky fun. Winners of the Miss Hot Tamale contest wear gowns made of corn shucks. Celebrity chefs compete in a cook-off. Roy Blount, Jr., cracks you up with his prelunch blessing. And the Hot Tamale Parade rolls through downtown, with blues musicians, Hot Tamale royalty, and children in tow. Click here to see the list in it's entirety. It's time to learn about the Mississippi Delta's long love affair with hot tamalesJay Jones, Special Contributor
Connect with Jay Jones Don't miss a story. Like us on Facebook. Like Dallas News' Facebook Page GREENVILLE, Miss. -- In the Mississippi Delta, that swath of bottomland along the mightiest of rivers, it's best not to ask folks how the tamale -- a humble food with deep roots in Latin America -- made its way to, of all places, Mississippi. Sure, you can ask. But your head will soon be swimming with countless theories. Were the packets of spicy meat and cornmeal wrapped in corn husks consumed on the battlefield by Confederate soldiers? Or, did they not appear until the early 20th century, when Mexican migrants came to pick cotton? One thing is for certain: They had grown hugely popular by the time legendary bluesman Robert Johnson sang about them in 1935. Hot tamales and they're red hot, yes she got 'em for sale She got two for a nickel, got four for a dime Nowadays, a dozen will cost you $10, but they continue to be sought after in towns along the river from Tunica to Natchez. No visit is complete without indulging in a food that, in these parts, is as beloved as biscuits and gravy. Aaron Harmon (left) and his father, Willie, run Hot Tamale Heaven, a restaurant and manufacturing facility in Greenville, Mississippi. They make about 20,000 tamales each day. Jay Jones In Greenville, the self-proclaimed Hot Tamale Capital (there's a Delta Hot Tamale Festival this year on Oct. 21), tamales can be ordered not only in restaurants, but also from street vendors and roadside stands. The team at Hot Tamale Heaven (1640 U.S. 82, Greenville, 662-378-2240) makes 20,000 of them a day. Willie Harmon began making tamales for his neighbors in the mid-1980s. The first day, he made $6.50. "I was so happy, you'd have thought I made a thousand dollars," he said.Willie now oversees the factory while son Aaron manages their restaurant. (A second location is under construction.) They serve them in the traditional husks, as well as battered and deep-fried. Workers at Hot Tamale Heaven in Greenville prepare tamales for sale, trimming the corn husks and tying them together in batches of six. Jay Jones Downtown, on the corner of Washington and Theobald, Perry Gibson's been selling tamales for 35 years from a stainless-steel cart labeled Perry's Original Sho-Nuff Hot Tamales. He has a passionate recipe for success. "A lot of love and good seasonings and good product. You start with a good product, you end with a good product," he observed.About 85 miles to the south, in historic Vicksburg, owner Jewel McCain of Solly's Hot Tamales (1921 Washington St., Vicksburg, 601-636-2020) pointed out a simple truth: There's nothing "fast" about her food. Tamales are exceedingly time-consuming to make. "I get up here at 4:30 in the morning, get the water boiling and the grease on, seasoning the meat. I get the [corn] shucks in the pot to soften them," she noted. McCain said she can have as many as 120 dozen tamales made by the time the first customers arrive at 10:30 a.m. Her recipe -- handed down from Henry Solly, who began the small restaurant in 1939 -- is a blend of chiles, cumin, garlic salt, ground beef, oregano and red pepper covered in white cornmeal. Solly's also serves a tamale burrito ($4.50) and the Fiesta, her spin on nachos. The platter ($6.25 for a small order, $7.75 for a large) includes tamales alongside cheddar cheese, chili, jalapeños and refried beans -- with tortilla chips on the side. The sprawling Vicksburg National Military Park (nps.gov/vick) is a reminder of the city's pivotal role in the Civil War. Its fall on July 4, 1863, was a bitter pill to swallow. Locals refused to celebrate Independence Day until 1945, when they caught the patriotic fever sweeping the country. At Fat Mama s in Natchez, people who ve yet to try the local cuisine are encouraged to try a variety of menu items, including tamales, a southern-style sausage, chili and cornbread. Jay Jones Downriver in Natchez on a sultry summer's eve, David Gammill's tamales are as hot and steamy as the air. At Fat Mama's Tamales (303 S. Canal St., Natchez, 601-442-4548, fatmamastamales.com), the restaurant his parents started, he grew up doing his homework on a cot wedged between a deep freezer and jumbo-size bags of onions. "There are a thousand things you could cook that are easier than tamales," he mused.Still, after completing college, he returned to Vicksburg to run the family business. Gammill urges the uninitiated to build a shareable platter by ordering not only tamales ($10 a dozen), but boudin, a spicy Cajun sausage ($4.25); "Fire and Ice" pickles ($2.50); and his chili ($6.75), which comes with a large side of zesty cornbread. "There were tamales along the river as long as anyone can remember," he said, making his parents' restaurant, which opened in a small log cabin in 1982, a relative newcomer. It has since moved and expanded. One of the theories postulated by the Southern Foodways Alliance, part of the University of Mississippi, is that American Indians, whose diet was based on maize, made the first tamales thousands of years ago. But as Jewel McCain pointed out, "It's just basically speculation." If you goThe Southern Foodways Alliance (southernfoodways.org) has a searchable website that includes oral histories and an interactive map of its Mississippi Tamale Trail, with more than 20 listings. Jay Jones is a freelance writer in Las Vegas.
Greater Greenville Development Foundation (GGDF) of Greenville, MS has been awarded a $4,100.00 grant from the Mississippi Arts Commission (MAC). This grant is a portion of the $1.5 million in grants the Commission will award in 2016-2017 and will be used in support of the Delta Hot Tamale Festival. The grants are made possible by continued funding from the Mississippi State Legislature and the National Endowment for the Arts. “Organizations that support the arts play a pivotal role in growing Mississippi’s creative economy,” said Malcolm White, Executive Director of MAC. “The Mississippi Arts Commission is pleased to support their work, which reinforces the value of the arts for communities and for the economic development of our state.” GGDF, Inc. is a non-profit organization, organized exclusively for charitable, educational, scientific, and literary purposes. Our mission is to promote events and issues which are relevant to the quality of life for the residents of Greenville, Washington County, the Mississippi Delta, and the State of Mississippi. The Mississippi Arts Commission, a state agency, serves the residents of the state by providing grants that support programs to enhance communities; assist artists and arts organizations; promote the arts in education and celebrate Mississippi’s cultural heritage. Established in 1968, the Mississippi Arts Commission is funded by the Mississippi Legislature, the National Endowment for the Arts, the Mississippi Endowment for the Arts at the Community Foundation of Greater Jackson and other private sources. The agency serves as an active supporter and promoter of arts in community life and in arts education. For information from the Mississippi Arts Commission, contact Melia Dicker, Communications Director, at 601-359-6546 or mdicker@arts.ms.gov Mississippi Communities Receive 2016 National Main Street Accreditation
JACKSON, Miss. (June 23, 2016) -- The following Main Street communities in Mississippi have been designated as accredited Main Street America™ programs for meeting rigorous performance standards set by the National Main Street Center: Aberdeen, Amory, Baldwyn, Batesville, Belhaven, Biloxi, Booneville, Canton, Carthage, Cleveland, Clinton, Columbia, Columbus, Corinth, Crystal Springs, Greenville, Greenwood, Gulfport, Hattiesburg, Hernando, Holly Springs, Houston, Indianola, Kosciusko, Laurel, Louisville/Noxapater, Macon, Meridian, New Albany, Ocean Springs, Okolona, Olive Branch, Pascagoula, Pass Christian, Philadelphia, Picayune, Pontotoc, Port Gibson, Ripley, Senatobia, Starkville, Tunica, Tupelo, Vicksburg, Water Valley, West Point and Woodville. Each year, the National Main Street Center and its partners announce the list of accredited Main Street America programs in recognition of their exemplary commitment to preservation-based economic development and community revitalization through the Main Street Approach®. "Receiving National Main Street accreditation is a prestigious designation and we congratulate each of these programs in Mississippi for this achievement," said Stacy Pair, MMSA State Coordinator. "Main Street programs play a strategic role in making Mississippi more competitive by stimulating local, regional and statewide economic development." “Once again, we are thrilled to recognize this year’s nationally accredited Main Street America communities for their outstanding work,” says Patrice Frey, President & CEO of the National Main Street Center. “We are experiencing an exciting era for America’s cities and towns, with a growing recognition of the importance of strong local enterprise, distinctive character, engaged residents, and sense of place. These are things that Main Street America programs have been working to protect and advance for years, strengthening the economic, social, and cultural fabric of communities across the country.” Each Main Street organization’s performance is annually evaluated by the Mississippi Main Street Association, which works in partnership with the National Main Street Center to identify the local programs that meet 10 performance standards. Evaluation criteria determines the communities that are building comprehensive and sustainable revitalization efforts and include standards such as fostering strong public-private partnerships, securing an operating budget, tracking programmatic progress and actively preserving historic buildings. Since 1993, Mississippi Main Street Association has generated nearly $4.9 billion in private and public investment (including nearly $1.2 billion in public investment). In 2015, Mississippi Main Street cities generated 178 net new businesses, 49 business expansions to existing businesses, 1,695 net new jobs, 61 facade rehabilitations and 225 downtown residential units. More than 47,377 volunteer hours were recorded. MMSA currently has 52 active Main Street cities throughout the state, five Downtown Network members, and numerous Association and Allied professional members. ### The Mississippi Main Street Association is a program of the National Main Street Center, Inc., and the Mississippi Development Authority with many allied partners and investors. Main Street is an economic development program based in historic preservation. The mission of the Mississippi Main Street Association is to provide visionary leadership, guidance and counsel to Mississippi Main Street communities through organization, promotion, design and economic development to make our cities and towns better places to work, live and play. For more information, visit http://www.msmainstreet.com . Main Street America has been helping revitalize older and historic commercial districts for more than 35 years. Today, it is a network of more than 1,000 neighborhoods and communities, rural and urban, who share both a commitment to place and to building stronger communities through preservation-based economic development. Since 1980, communities participating in the program have leveraged more than $65.6 billion in new public and private investment, generated 556,960 net new jobs and 126,476 net new businesses, and rehabilitated more than 260,000 buildings. Main Street America is a program of the nonprofit National Main Street Center, a subsidiary of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. |
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