STICK WITH THE PIE AT LABELLE, FLORIDA’S FLORA & ELLA’S

The sign above is one of the first things you’ll see as you step towards Flora & Ella’s, a rather famous Cracker eatery along State Highway 80. They have been serving up down home chow and friendly service for many decades now. I love seeing messages like this at businesses because you know you will be treated with true Christian hospitality. The folks here are indeed extremely nice.

I was very familiar with their dessert pies, yet we had not truly sat down & dined here until last month. I was tempted to order the meat loaf with tomato sauce, but I was a good boy and called for the Vegetable Plate. I must say I was pretty darn disappointed with the result. Sadly, the days of scratch cooking at Flora and Ella’s are apparently a thing of the past. The greens and black eyes were right out of the can. THOU SHALT NOT SERVE YOUR FELLOW MAN CANNED VEGETABLES. The okra was of the pre-breaded, frozen variety (yuk!). THOU SHALT NOT SERVE HIM FROZEN OKRA. And the cornbread stuffing (served without a drop of gravy) was a dry, flavorless blob of bread and herbs. THOU SHALT NOT WITHHOLD GRAVY FROM A WEARY TRAVELER.

The servers at Flora and Ella’s wear T-shirts that state “Life is Uncertain, Eat Dessert First.” Boy, I didn’t really know how true that was until I finally gave up and pushed the veggie platter aside. I quickly turned my attention to the pie vault, which was conveniently located just a few feet from our table. REMEMBER: THOU SHALT NOT COVET THY NEIGHBOR’S COCONUT CREAM PIE. The Peanut Butter Cream sounded so fabulous, but my #1 favorite pie at Flora and Ella’s is their to-die-for Coconut Cream with its mile high meringue. They boxed up a full pie for us and even added a doily at the bottom for extra class and elegance. Now that’s a true Granny-style Southern touch you won’t get at your local Wal-Mart bakery.

We carried our pie on down the road to my parents’ place on Singer Island. However, Flora and Ella’s has kindly placed a nice row of rocking chairs on their front porch just in case you need to digest a spell before continuing on your journey. So please take my advice and do stop for a slice (or a whole pie). If you’re hungry for more than that, there is a Popeye’s Fried Chicken right next door. Your meal will likely be cheaper, faster, and ultimately more satisfying.

ODDS & ENDS ---

Unlike former VP Dan Quayle, we can spell potato. We also know good ones when we taste ‘em. We love Zapp’s Chips out of Louisiana, but we also crave the “spudilicious” taters created by our friends at Route 11 in Middleton, VA. Every year about this time, Route 11 sends us a delicious assortment of chips for holiday snacking and our annual DixieDining.com Christmas bash. God bless ‘em … these hard working folks are the salt of the earth. They make chips the old-fashioned way and you can taste the TLC in each and every bite. They have been blissfully “Chipping Away since 1992.” Of all their wonderful flavors, my personal fave is Sweet Potato. These chips are delicious … naturally sweet and just a hint of salt. Trust me, they are so amazing — you simply must try them!

Now if you like the Sweet Potato Chips, I’m betting you’ll also dig Route 11’s Mixed Vegetable Chips. The beet and the parsnip chips are especially near and dear to my heart (or should I say belly?). But, if you’re crazing a mega-spicy snack, look no further than Mama Zuma’s Revenge Habanero Potato Chips. Just make sure you have a cold beverage nearby. I would also suggest that you wash your hands before rubbing your sleepy eyes. These chips are high octane and certainly not for the faint of heart. But remember … “Some Like It HOT!” OK, so now we have your mouth watering. Pick up your phone and order some Route 11 Chips today. Or better yet, drive right on over to www.rt11.com and tell them that DixieDining.com sent ya!

Another part of our amazing annual holiday shipment from Bourque’s Specialties of Port Barre, LA was their absolutely incredible Jalapeno Cheese Sausage Bread. Oh my gosh, where do we begin to dare explain the wonders of this one of a kind belly bomb? The closest thing I can compare it to would be the Ugly Biscuits we once woofed down with glee at Fairhope, Alabama’s Biscuit King. Yes, imagine (if you will) a larger, spicier version of the Ugly Biscuit and you’re getting close. I really hate to use the word ugly because in our eyes this bread is a “thang of beee-yooo-teee.” It’s made with smoked sausage, jalapeno peppers, Rotel tomotoes, eggs, cheese, and bread dough … but its sum is far greater than its individual parts. It’s a zesty Cajun treat — one bite and it will set you FREE! www.bourquespecialties.com

The annual CD release of the Oxford American’s Southern Music Issue is as excellent & eccentric as always. Don’t miss Ella Fitzgerald’s killer version of Cream’s “Sunshine of Your Love.” No kidding, folks — it is actually very good. The big band rocks and Ella gives the rock standard her own unique twist. Neko Case’s “Hold On, Hold On” is 100% pure ear candy. This track alone is worth the cost of the 2 CDs and magazine that I am here to usher into your lonely little word. Neko’s voice is silky smooth & loaded with emotion. Also noteworthy is Jerry Lee Lewis’ take on Sam & Dave’s “Hold On, I’m Comin’.” Lewis is backed by the Stax rhythm section of Steve Cropper, Duck Dunn, etc. It’s a very unique interpretation I think you’ll dig. I met Jerry Lee two or three years ago in Memphis. I told him that he still sounded great. He gave me a glassy-eyed stare, grinned and replied in his easy Louisiana drawl, “Why, Thank ya!” The Killer looks very frail these days, but he’ll no doubt go down rockin’ and rollin’. Shake it, baby!
www.oxfordamericanmag.com

Let me start by saying I’m not a hunter, don’t own a gun, and don’t have much of a green thumb. That out of the way, a new magazine called “Garden & Gun” have really impressed us. Billed as “The Soul of the South,” this publication out of Charleston, SC is a real thing of beauty. Great photographs and interesting short stories about all things Southern. There is also great writing from the likes of Rick Bragg, Roy Blount, Jr., Marshall Chapman, and food critic John T. Edge. Learn more by shooting over to their nicely done web site www.gardenandgun.com.

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For further information on great Southern restaurants and food sources, please stop by our web site at www.dixiedining.com, drop us a line at 709 Sandy Nook, Siesta Key, FL 34242, or visit our daily blog page at www.dixiedining.wordpress.com.  We can be reached directly by telephone at 662 404-0816. We look forward to hearing from you soon.

Until next time … “May the Fork Be with You!”