Where to Grab a Bite in Jackson, Mississippi

If you’re headed to the heart of Mississippi, then you should better come hungry. There are numerous excellent culinary choices in the state. This is southern cuisine at its finest. Here are the Top 5 Restaurants in Jackson, Mississippi.

5. Char Restaurant. In the mood for a steak? Char Restaurant is exactly what you’re looking for when visiting Jackson. With a "clubby" atmosphere and cozy seating, this restaurant is a steak lover’s paradise. A large bar area offers a vast selection of beer and liquor.

4. The Pig and Pint. True to its name, The Pig and Pint offers succulent barbecue along with a wide selection of draft beers. This restaurant is fueled by a chef who routinely enters barbecue competitions and takes his brisket seriously. Local craft beers give diners a taste of the region, and the service staff consistently exhibits Southern hospitality

3. The Iron Horse Grill. If two words had to be used to describe The Iron Horse Grill, local and fresh would be the most accurate. Ingredients are sourced from local farms, and the restaurant staff take pride in preparing all sauces, salads, steaks, and meals from scratch every day. With a diverse menu that offers more than just barbecue, customers can choose from Mexican, Southwestern, and American dishes as well as a well-stocked bar.

2. Walker’s. If you’re looking to switch your meals up in Jackson, Mississippi from barbecue to more modern, American fare then this stylish bistro will be a welcome change. Known for its excellent, fast, and attentive service, Walker’s offers a pleasant experience in its stylish and low-key Drive-In style location.

1. 1908 Provisions. While Jackson has plenty of excellent barbecue and American restaurants to choose from, elegant French, Californian, and Southern fare is a rare treat that is best experienced at 1908 Provisions located in the Fairview Inn. Seasonal dishes prepared by head chef Gary Hawkins are consistently new and exciting. The casual dining atmosphere and attentive service make it easy to relax and enjoy a fine meal here. A wide variety of seafood, barbecue, and locally sourced vegetables enables every customer to find the perfect meal for their trip to this restaurant in the quaint Belhaven neighborhood of Jackson.

Dining Destinations in Maine

Seafood, bars, and classic grills.
That's exactly what the state of Maine is known for. From fancy dining to rustic seaside bar and grill atmospheres, Maine has some of the best eateries around. With a high volume of lobster and clams, Maine's seafood cuisine tops seafood restaurants along the coast. In fact, Maine is so well known for its seafood, that shoppers and restaurant-goers can now track when and where their fish was caught off the coast of Maine. From the sea to the plate, Maine's cuisine is like no other.

Here are some of the best restaurants to visit while in Maine to experience this kind of unique dishes in a completely exclusive environment.

40Paper - An Italian Bistro and Bar
This Maine restaurant dubs itself both a traditional bistro and modern bar. With hand-made pasta and European influences, 40Paper provides an elegant yet fresh experience with Italian-style dishes. This restaurant teams up with farmers and and local growers to supply quality ingredients. 40Paper relies on a healthy, relaxing dining experience for its guests.

The dinner menu includes items ranging from pasta and pizza to steak and ribs.

Long Lake Sporting Club - A Restaurant and Lounge
This is a family-owned restaurant of 35 years and strives for an excellent dining experience for its guests. Like any great sports bar and grill, Long Lake Sporting Club serves steak, ribs, clams, shrimp, jump lobster and much more for the seafood-enthusiast.

Pai Men Miyake - A Japanese Restaurant
This restaurant in Portland focuses on ramen with broths with pork, chicken, and vegetables. This is a much more casual dining option in Maine but with great food nonetheless. With classic Asian dishes ranging from shrimp gyoza to sashimi, this eatery is suitable for the cultured-eater.

Walter's - A Classic Portland Restaurant
If you can't decide a style of food to eat, this restaurant has unique dishes from land to sea. Inspired to cook Asian, Mediterranean and Caribbean dishes, the chef and owner strives to use fresh and global ingredients for his seasonal menus. The dining experience has a classic, elegant mood, perfect for Portland.

Some of the key dinner menu items are Forbidden Shrimp, duck, and Brick Chicken.

About the Author: Kelly is a guest contributor of Hartstone Inn and Dockside Guest Quarters, relaxing bed and breakfast destinations in Maine.

"SuperFoods" That Aid in Weight Loss

According to Health.com there are some foods that have been labeled as "Superfoods" or foods that are naturally high in nutrition. These superfoods  can aid in building bones, preventing chronic diseases, improving eyesight, improving your mind, and most interestingly keeping you slim.

Black Beans

Black beans are a great alternative for vegetarians and carnivores alike. A cup of black beans contains 15 grams of protein, but doesn't contain the saturated fat found in other protein sources, like red meat.

Oats

In terms of fiber, oats really are super! Just a half cup of oats has 4.6 grams of resistant starch, a healthy carb that works to boost metabolism and burns fat. 

Avocados

Avocados are known for being fatty, but the right kind of fatty that benefits your body rather than hurts it. Rich in oleic acid, avocados may trigger your body to actually quiet hunger and also contain large amounts of fiber and protein. 

Salmon

Salmon is a great example of a lean source of protein that helps you feel full, but doesn't add fat to your body. Salmon is rich in MUFAs with have been proven to increase weight loss.

Blueberries 

Blueberries are a great snack or treat, with one cup only equaling 80 calories. Blueberries also help you feel full with 4 grams of fiber. 

Broccoli

Broccoli is known for it's cancer preventing properties, but is also very full of fiber and is less than 30 calories. 

Brown Rice

Brown rice a healthier, more fiber packed alternative to its counterpart, white rice. A half cup serving contains 1.7 grams of resistant starch, that boosts metabolism and burns fat. Brown rice is also low in calories but is heavy to make you feel full. 

Pears

Pears are full of fiber, just one pear equals 15% of your daily recommended amount of fiber. However, avoid peeling your pears because the skin is where all the fiber is located! 

Wine

Consumed in moderate amounts, wine has actually proven to increase weight loss. Resveratrol, the antioxidant found in grape skin stops fat storage. Studies have shown that wine drinkers have narrower waists than liquor drinkers and that downing a glass can boost your calorie burn for 90 minutes.

Grapefruit

Studies have shown that eating half a grapefruit before each meal has helped people lose up to a a pound a week. A compound in the fruit can lower insulin, a fat-storage hormone, leading to weight loss. It is a good source of protein and is good at filling you up while being 90% made up of water. 

Kidney Beans

Kidney beans offer protein and fiber, more than 5 grams per serving and are also very rich resistant starch!

About the Author: Susan is a guest contributor from The Center for Optimal Health, a center for integrating healthy life style habits with the best of conventional and alternative medicine. 

Breakfast Places for Breakfast Lovers in Davidson NC

For students at Davidson College, breakfast is served when they get out of bed—which could be 2 am or 2 pm. That’s why when you visit this charming town of Davidson half an hour from Charlotte, it’s oozing with all-day breakfast places serving eggs cooked in different varieties and greasy bacon and sausage  to satisfy any cravings. Breakfast is indeed the most important meal of the day especially with the delectable dishes lovingly prepared at these restaurants.

Careers in the Food Industry

Many people are passionate about food. So passionate that they decide that they want to make a career out of it. While there are many different types of career options for someone who wants to work in the food industry, we've highlighted a few that we think might catch your attention.

Chef

This one would be difficult not to mention when talking about careers in the food industry. Chefs can come from all different backgrounds. Many go through extensive training at culinary schools, where competition can be pretty tough. Many other chefs find ways to make it on their own with little external training, or learning from a mentor. Depending on the type of chef that you want to become, you may want to consider some form of culinary school from a respected institution.

Waiters/Waitress

Many people who start a job as a waiter or a waitress will often find themselves to be great at their job and they keep finding new opportunities to expand and develop their skill set. A talented waiter or waitress will need to understand everything the restaurant or food venue offers and should be able to make food and beverage recommendations based on a customer's needs. They also need to be able to communicate very effectively with chefs or anyone preparing food, as they will be the ones held responsible for the quality of the food served. While many waiters or waitresses learn from experience, many aspiring waiters or waitresses can attend hospitality schools to make themselves stand out from others on the market.

Food Quality Specialist

If you ever wonder how your food and beverages are consistently safe for you to consume, then you should thank a food quality specialist. They are responsible for making sure that food and beverages are safe to consume something as small as a restaurant chain to a region of the United States. There are plenty of positions available at the moment. Just go to a job search site like Foodsafetyrecruiter.com and use their job search tool for finding a job opening in your regional area.

Hospitality Manager

From deciding the structure of a menu for a restaurant, to how a food venue may be set up and designed, a hospitality manager will be in charge of a great deal of items related to the food service of a business or an organization. Hospitality managers are often found in hotels but will work in any environment that prides itself on providing excellent customer service as well as food or beverages.

The Importance of Cleaning Produce

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

As a little kid, I loved fruits and vegetables. If you put an apple and a piece of cake in front of me, I’d go for the healthy option, which seems crazy, especially in today’s society. Since I would often help myself to fruits and vegetables, my mom always made sure that she has clean produce readily available. As I grew up, she showed me how she would clean the produce and cut it if necessary, which I have continued to do over the years, but I don’t think I ever really understood the importance of cleaning produce until recently.

Up until yesterday, cleaning my fruits and vegetables was something I did because my mom taught me to. I always knew that fruits and vegetables may have pesticides on them. After reading and article about the most commonly contaminated produce, which you can read here, I started to be more selective when it came to what I bought. But pesticides are just one reason why it is important to clean your produce, as well as make it important for homes to have a deionized water system, such as these, though.

Aside from the fact that a lot of produce come in contact with pesticides, I never really thought about how many germs are on the fruit and vegetables from other people's hands before I bought them. I understand that the produce needs to be packaged, shipped, and displayed in order to be bought, but how many other shoppers touch the produce before you are the one to buy it. I will admit that I have always been very selective about the produce I buy and am guilty of putting items back if I don’t think they are the best quality. I’m guessing I’m not the only person that does this either, making it very likely that multiple people have gotten their hands on the produce you are bringing home, and who knows where their hands have been! Ewwww, it makes me cringe so be sure to always clean your produce when you bring them home! 

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Holiday Festivities

Over the last few weeks, I’ve had the joy of reconvening with old friends and loved ones near and far to celebrate the holidays. I know I’m lucky to have friends in so many places, and I truly value the opportunity to slow down and enjoy their company this time of year. Last night, my neighbor Deborah invited several of the Bunko girls and I over for a wine and cheese party to reunite. Her kitchen and living room were filled with a smorgasbord of delicious cheeses from around the world. I should have known I’d break my diet around this time of year... but I think it’s alright to indulge one night or two. I’ve been very good so far and am happy with my progress!

Anyway, the cheese appetizers she had were unreal. They were just too good. My favorites were Brie de Melun from France, English Farmhouse Cheddar from England, Parmigiano Reggiano from Italy, Constant Bliss from Vermont, and Piave from Italy. She paired them with several different kinds of breads including pumpernickel, French baguettes and flaky croissants. Deb recommended adding Nutella on top of the Brie de Melun and heating them up in a toaster oven until melted, which I’d never heard of before. Oh man, did she knew what she was talking about! For drinks, we enjoyed Winter White by Leelanau Cellars, Pinot Grigio by Barefoot Wine, and Garnacha Calatayud by Cruz de Piedra. I’d recommend them all, but I am particularly fond of wines by Leelanau Cellars. They’re all really inexpensive as wine goes, and easy to find. Nothing fancy, but good nevertheless.

Overall, it was a wonderful evening. Deb’s home is beautiful— it looks like something out of a Home and Garden Magazine. I was really drawn to her eclectic use of mixed patterns in her living room. She paired mismatched pillows ranging from a raspberry sherbet color to a rich, bold teal with a texturized rug. It looked especially nice with her dark hardwood floors and vintage furniture. Apparently she hand-painted the desk herself after being inspired on Pinterest. I’ll have to go on that site and look for some ideas of my own. I also really liked these small copper lamps she bought to light the pathway leading to her front door. I bet it looks really pretty when it snows, but it's been oddly warm here lately. I’m thinking about updating our outdoor lighting this coming spring, just to spruce things up a bit. I’d love to be able to return the favor and host a fun get together in our backyard once it warms up.

Hope you’re all enjoying this December as much as I am. Happy Holidays and Happy New Year to you all!

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