None of these journeyers ever realized what a “long” state Mississippi is. This trip had us travel the entire state from north to south. Our hosts, Richard and Kathy, led us from town to town through their fabulous home state.

We started the trip just north of the Mississippi border in Memphis, at the famous Peabody hotel – and we knew this trip was going to be a hoot when it began with a DUCK PROCESSION at cocktail time through the lobby of the hotel. Dinner followed at the famous Central BBQ. You can’t visit Memphis without a visit to Graceland where we snacked on the King’s favorite peanut butter and banana sandwiches.

The Blues and Jazz both play key roles in Mississippi’s cultural scene – and Richard brought us to some of the hottest blues clubs in the entire state.   We travelled across the crossroads that Eric Clapton made famous to the spot where Robert Johnson made his pact with the devil. Who could forget our tour of the catfish farm and processing plant? That will be in our memories for years!  We ate catfish in more ways than I can remember, but my favorite was when they were served with a “big ol’ bowl o’ collards.”

We visited a shop where mud from the Mississippi River was turned into beautiful, internationally recognized, award-winning pottery. We crossed back and forth across the Mississippi River several times, and many of us had the opportunity to visit an authentic Mississippi Riverboat Casino after dinner one night.

We attended a cooking class and dinner at the Viking plant – and saw the birthplace of many of our Viking gas ranges. Viking presented a cooking demonstration and fabulous dinner for us, complete with live entertainment.  When we arrived deep in the heart of the beautiful Nachez, a true Southern Belle served us the most simple – yet delicious, tomato and mayonnaise sandwiches on homemade bread.  How can the simplest of ingredients become such a delicious soul-satisfying snack. The warmth of these people was amazing… “Hi y’all.  Welcome” came from the nicest people on the planet. The culinary delights on this journey were so rich, comforting and varied, they warmed our southern souls. Who new Hot Tamales were a staple of working class people of Mississippi?

As in true CLJ tradition our final night was a show-stopper…pun intended.   We were greeted at an ante-bellum mansion by ladies in hoop skirts and waiters in full-out livery attire.  The dinner proceeded with white-gloved staff meticulously serving each course.  But then all of a sudden… once dinner ended, the Confederate Army arrived in full dress uniform.   Each soldier escorted our journeyers to the ballroom of the mansion where they danced the night away. For us guys, you think it is easy dancing with a lady in a full hoop skirt?  Needless to say, the dancing was only interrupted by our laughing so hard we could not contain ourselves. Finally we arrived on the Gulf Shores of Mississippi.  For many of us, our final destination was New Orleans where attendees could spend the weekend in the French Quarter for Jazz Fest.