Warm, friendly, with an easy, understated elegance–that’s entertaining “Southern-style” for me and Jamie.

(Oh, and we think a meal always tastes better when you’re al fresco, seated at a long banquet table under the shade of an oak, surrounded by friends and family.) 

When the newly revamped Taste of the South magazine approached us to do a cooking & entertaining feature showcasing our Dixie roots–and recipes from our new cookbook–we jumped at the chance!  Then, we had some serious, Martha Stewart-like questions to ponder: What was our ideal spring party? What would we serve? How would we serve it? Inside or out? White wine or spring cocktails?

Over a tumbler of bourbon and glasses of rose’, we brainstormed. Finally, we came up with a spring menu that would please both the guys and the gals, use local & seasonal ingredients and go easy on our just married budget.

  • Sauteed Flounder with Crushed Sweet Peas and Mushroom Broth
  • Roasted Pork Tenderloin
  • Grilled Bread Panzanella
  • The ‘Spaniard’ Grilled Cheese Sandwich Bites
  • Mini Bourbon Milkshakes
  • Spiced Pecans

We invited out some of our closest Birmingham friends and family to be a part of the shoot (Brooke is related to the entire right-side of the table) and we looked forward to the day the magazine would hit the newsstands.

Well she’s here! And flipping through the pages reminds us of the more simple, real moments of our life together– those that are focused on good food and life’s small, easy joys.

I’ll drink a glass of Bourbon Peach Press to that (and, yes, that recipe’s included)!