Unique, savory and sweet breads

The aroma of just-baked bread is a delight for the senses at any time of year. But there's something extra special about opening the oven door on a batch of fresh, hot rolls or a homemade loaf during the winter months.

Countdown to taste: Ring in the new year with new ideas

New Year's Eve -- that night when anything seems possible for 2012. The new year, soon to arrive fresh and unsullied, is filled with visions of pounds lost, salaries raised or "that room" finally repainted. What a shame to waste such an occasion by falling asleep in front of the TV before the traditional midnight ball-drop.

Last minute food gifts

'Twas four days before Christmas and all through the house, mama was worrying, "Who did I leave out?" Sound familiar? Between work, shopping and family commitments, many of us may be feeling a bit rough around the edges about now. But if you've suddenly realized you forgot to get a little something for a kind co-worker or the neighbor who feeds the dog when you're away, try not to stress out.

Christmas from the heart: Grassroots outreach plans to feed 5,000

"This started out in 2007 with, 'Hey, can you cook a ham? Can you make some green beans?' and now this," smiled Liz Robinson, her eyes bright with excitement. "We started out with 100 kids and their families, and now we're feeding 5,000 people!"

Annual Caledonia Day festival adds cooking contest to roster of fun

Some of the area's best cooks are sharpening up their skills for one of the latest additions to the Caledonia Day Festival set for Friday and Saturday.

Lee Home legacy: Docents share favorite recipes and prepare for historian's visit

After a disastrous fire destroyed most of S.D. Lee Junior High in December 1959, it looked for a while as if the smoke-damaged Stephen D. Lee Home that had served as the home economics building and cafeteria would be bulldozed with the charred remains of the school.

An apple a day: Nutritious, delicious fruit suits any season

This week's welcome cool snap in the Golden Triangle fulfills the calendar's promise: Autumn has not forgotten its appointed rounds and will be knocking on our door before too many more weeks have passed. With it, our culinary thoughts begin to turn toward foods that will soon be at their peak. One of those is apples.

Love the spud: Friday is National Potato Day. Have you had your tater this week?

You may not know the world's largest potato chip -- 23 inches by 14 1/2 inches -- was produced by the Pringles Co. in Jackson, Tenn., in 1990. Or that a potato was the first food to be grown in space. But we all know potatoes are nutritious and inexpensive, and so versatile they could be used in a different way every day of the year.

Still Cookin': Lorene Thrasher, 94, looks back on hard work, home cooking, love and laughter

Mary Lorene Thrasher was born 94 years ago in a small sawmill camp across the Alabama line. She didn't have to venture far to find a full life. She's lived the past 65 years in the New Hope community, within a few miles' distance of where she was raised, where she milked cows twice a day, pulled potatoes and learned to make corn husk mops.

Tasty training: Teachers learn cutting-edge skills with ProStart Institute at MUW

Teachers were, so to speak, on the other side of the desk Friday, as a week of culinary training came to an exciting conclusion at Mississippi University for Women.

Not your mama's grits: Southern staple stars in upscale recipes

Grits. No, we don't mean Girls Raised In the South (though I'm certainly proud to be one), or the Christian hip-hop artist GRITS, the Liberal Party of Canada, known as GRITS, or even Kid Rock's first album, "Grits Sandwiches for Breakfast."

Forks & Corks: Develop 'A Taste for the Arts' at Starkville Area Arts Council fundraiser

A culinary challenge designed by The Starkville Area Arts Council will bring six chefs together to "face off" Saturday for "Best of Forks & Corks" bragging rights. Patrons will be the big beneficiaries that evening, as they sample some of the finest cuisine in the region and take part in a live auction. But the long-term beneficiary is the community at large.

Where's the bacon? In cocktails, cookies and coffee

The only thing rising faster than the price of bacon may be its overwhelming popularity.

True blue: Get cooking with blueberries, nature's tiny superfruit

Don't let the blueberry's small size fool you. This little power food is packed with flavor and nutrition, lower in calories than many fruits, with zero fat. And, what could be easier? No peeling, coring or cutting.

'Food is art': Chef carves edible creations

Don't bother telling David Leathers not to play with his food. He can't help it. And, in this case, that's a good thing. The Fulton native has turned his infectious enjoyment of food into a career as a food sculptor and chef.

Side show: Add a bang to your Fourth of July with super sides

In light of our recent feel-good fascination with all things royal, there's a footnote of irony to this year's celebration of independence from Britain's rule -- but that's what 235 years, and a fairytale wedding, will do for you.

Award-winning cookbook author Martha Foose to visit Columbus

Maybe you've seen her on "Good Morning, America," or perhaps the "CBS Early Show." Or you may have read about her in Garden & Gun magazine this spring, or in any of the towering stack of glossy pages she's graced since first writing her best-selling cookbook, "Screen Doors and Sweet Tea."

The herbal factor: Elevate your cooking with herbs

Dr. Lelia Kelly knows her herbs. The Mississippi State University Extension Service consumer horticulture specialist grew and sold them commercially before coming on board at MSU. When she pronounces herbs the multipurpose plants of the 21st century, it's with good reason.

Fun on the Hill: Starkville program promotes healthy eating, living for kids

Some kids have never had a fruit smoothie. It may never have occurred to them to sidestep the monotony of eating fruit by tossing it in a blender with some milk or juice and drinking it. They may have assumed the smoothies at McDonald's are just a marketing gimmick to sell another cup of fruit-flavored ice cream.

Tempting Thai: Family brings Thai cuisine to the Triangle

In a Deep South more accustomed to fried chicken and buttered biscuits, most might not think Thai cuisine would find a ready audience. But that's what happened when Bann Thai opened its doors in Columbus in December 2010.

Best of the Triangle 2014

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