The Sights Sounds and Culinary Traditions of the Mississippi
Regions
Mississippi
Regions
Delta
As diverse
as the crops that grow here and the music that made it famous, the Mississippi
Delta is a melting pot of cultures – from African to Italian to Asian.
Capital-River from
a mighty river and antebellum mansions to downtowns with restaurants featuring
soul food, authentic ethnic dishes and modern culinary delights.
Pines barbecue
and bakeries, cheese and cheesecakes, the tastes of this region take their
influences from their Native American heritage and the railroads that brought
lumber, cotton and other goods.
Hills
home to
William Faulkner, Tennessee Williams and Southern fiction characters, platters
of fried chicken, skillets of cornbread, and delicacies such as pecan
pie.
Coast
a little of
everything: golf, gambling, art, architecture and great food. Immigrants
from all over the world - Croatian, Vietnamese and French – a blend of
cultures and culinary traditions.
Sights and Sounds
The B.B. King Museum is a tribute to one of
Mississippi’s most famous sons and the land that inspired his music. With its
sleek, linear design, the 20,000-square-foot museum carved out of an old cotton
gin is a convergence of old and new and is a cornerstone of Mississippi’s blues
heritage.
The Birthplace of Elvis Presley in Tupelo, Mississippi is
the only location in the world where you can see, feel and touch where the King
of Rock & Roll began his musical journey.
Delta Blues Museum in the land where the Blues
began, just 90 miles south of Memphis, is dedicated to exploring the history
and heritage of this unique American musical art form.
Vicksburg National Military Park commemorates the campaign,
siege and defense of Vicksburg. Its surrender on July 4, 1863, coupled with the
fall of Port Hudson, Louisiana, divided the South, and gave the North
undisputed control of the Mississippi River. It includes 1,330 monuments and
markers, a 16 mile tour road, a restored Union gunboat, and a National
Cemetery.
Natchez’s
historic district is of the oldest permanent settlement along the Mississippi.
It boasts over 500 historic homes and sites, seasonal trees, unique courtyards,
five historical churches and roof top views.
Numerous
antebellum mansions, many of them private residences, open their doors to
visitors during the five-week Pilgrimage every spring and fall.
Food and Drink
The
Mississippi Story can be told through heirloom recipes, family-owned
restaurants and farm-to-table menus full of celebrated dishes. From catfish to
comeback sauce, from tamales to traditional Southern sweets, from shrimp to
slugburgers to sweet potatoes, Mississippi's culinary heritage is home to
award-winning chefs, noted national food writers, as well as some of the best
home cooks and out-of-the way diners to be found anywhere.
Mississippi is a true melting pot of regional, ethnic, national
and international cuisine
The African-American Influence what has come to be known
and loved nationally as “soul food” runs through virtually all culinary styles.
Traditional Southern fare such as barbeque, comfort food and sweet tea; a cooking
style that Mississippi can truly call its own.
In the early twentieth century, migrant workers from Mexico
left their mark on the Mississippi Delta with the ever-popular tamale.
Italians, Chinese, Lebanese and other immigrants also reshaped the course of
Mississippi cuisine. In Jackson, the Greek influx of the mid-twentieth century
remains a dominant force on the local restaurant scene. Along the Gulf Coast,
newcomers from Croatia, Italy and Vietnam settled in to enrich and expand upon
traditional Gulf seafood dishes.
