Innholdsfortegnelse for April 2024 i Southern Living

Watermelon Radish Salad with Brown Butter Vinaigrette Melt 5 Tbsp. unsalted butter in a medium stainless steel skillet over medium, stirring constantly, until golden brown, 4 to 6 minutes. Pour 3 Tbsp. brown butter into a large bowl; reserve remaining butter in skillet. Return skillet to medium-low heat; add 6 watermelon radishes (peeled, trimmed, and cut into wedges) and 1 tsp. kosher salt. Cook, stirring often, until radishes are lightly browned and just tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes. Add 3 Tbsp. each olive oil and Champagne vinegar, 1 Tbsp. honey, 1 tsp. Dijon mustard, and ½ tsp. kosher salt to reserved brown butter in bowl; whisk until smooth and combined. Divide 2 (5-oz.) pkg. Little Gem lettuce evenly among 4 plates. Top evenly with ½ cup chopped toasted pecans, ½ cup shaved pecorino Romano cheese, and cooked radishes. Serve with dressing. ACTIVE 20 MIN. - TOTAL 25 MIN.…

BEAUTIFUL SPACES FOR A BETTER LIFE WHEN THEY’RE done well, gardens feed our bodies and our souls, knitting us together with the people we love,” says Kathleen Pourciau, who discovered gardening’s therapeutic properties four years ago. Sick with COVID-19 in March 2020, she was gazing out the window of her Baton Rouge home into an empty yard when her eldest daughter, Bonnie Kate, suggested planting something there. As Pourciau considered the undertaking, she remembered the 2-acre plot her grandfather had tended until he was in his nineties, sharing the fruits of his labor with the community. “He didn’t sell anything from it; he just gave out of abundance,” she reflects. “I suspect he knew the power of growing things, of having your hands in the rich dirt, and how that…

WINNER OVERALL With 5-out-of-5 ratings across the board, this reasonably priced skillet is a favorite for home cooks and professionals alike. Built to be passed down, the 10.25-inch preseasoned pan is versatile and induction compatible, has dual pour spouts, and can easily be transferred from the stovetop to the oven. Lodge Seasoned Cast Iron Skillet, $28; williams-sonoma.com WE TEST FOR THE BEST Every product branded with our Tried & True logo has received the highest marks from the professionals in the Southern Living Test Lab. For this process, we rounded up 18 cast-iron skillets and put them through the paces, baking batches of cornbread and searing pork loins. We assessed heat conductivity, how easily oil poured, maneuverability, evenness of cooking, and ease of cleanup. Tap here to learn more about…

TOP 10 BEST SMALL TOWNS 1. St. Augustine 2. Sanibel Island 3. Mount Dora 4. Dunedin 5. Fernandina Beach 6. Apalachicola 7. Rosemary Beach 8. Seaside 9. Captiva Island 10. Grayton Beach BEST CUBAN SANDWICH Columbia Restaurant THE LEGEND BEGAN IN 1903 with a humble saloon in Tampa where trolley conductors and cigar-factory workers ducked in for a slurp of strong coffee. Then in 1905, this place became Columbia Restaurant, and today it’s the largest eating establishment in Florida, with seating for 1,700 customers. These days, you’d be forgiven for thinking you’re walking into a tourist trap. For a venue to be featured endlessly in vacation guides and “best of” lists (including this one), there has to be some kind of catch, right? Locals wouldn’t bother with something so overhyped. Except, on any given day, a huge number of those…

BEST PARK New River Gorge National Park and Preserve WEST VIRGINIA lives up to its “Wild and Wonderful” slogan, and New River Gorge National Park and Preserve perhaps epitomizes this catchphrase most of all. Home to dense stands of old-growth forest, sky-high cliffs, and powerful river runs, it heralds a future that local officials hope will shift the area’s economy from mining and extraction to preservation and tourism. Since the designation of the national park in 2020, hundreds of new jobs have helped revitalize the region. Situated where the churning New River cuts a groove of canyon 1,500 feet deep into slabs of shale and Nuttall sandstone, this is one of those rare gems that allows people to get their nature fix via a wide variety of activities. The…

The thing about Buc-ee’s is that, before you’ve been to one, it doesn’t make any kind of sense. And after you’ve experienced it firsthand, you don’t need for it to. It’s a 24-hour mega gas station with a bustling barbecue joint inside—a retail experience that’s part home-decor store and part outdoor outfitter. In this gawker’s paradise, the people-watching is surpassed only by the dizzying selection of snacks. Folks come for the abundant and obsessively maintained restrooms and stay to browse the corn hole sets, footed pajamas, deer feeders, and scented candles (including some perfumed with the sugary aroma of their signature puffed-corn treat, the Beaver Nugget). You’ll find anything from a 14-ounce tub of bacon grease to a Dutch oven or a cast-iron smoker. You could even complete your Christmas…

Waffle Iron Hash Browns with Fried Eggs ACTIVE 20 MIN. - TOTAL 50 MIN. SERVES 8 1 (30-oz.) pkg. frozen shredded hash browns, thawed1½ cups matchstick carrots (from 1 [10-oz.] pkg.)¾ cup thinly sliced large scallions (about 3 large)2 Tbsp. cornstarch1½ tsp. garlic powder½ tsp. black pepper½ cup, plus 2 Tbsp. canola or peanut oil, divided, plus more for waffle iron2½ tsp. kosher salt, divided8 large eggs4 oz. feta cheese, crumbled (about 1 cup)¼ cup finely chopped fresh herbs (such as dill, chives, and mint) 1. Preheat a 4-square Belgian waffle iron to medium and an oven to 200°F. Squeeze out any excess moisture from thawed hash browns, and place in a large bowl. Add matchstick carrots, scallions, cornstarch, garlic powder, black pepper, ½ cup of the oil, and 2…

Daniel Boone ASSOCIATE ART DIRECTOR Daniel Boone grew up in Fairhope, Alabama; attended Auburn University; and has been part of the Southern Living art department since 2019. He plans, directs, and designs many of the print magazine’s features and columns, including this month’s South’s Best package, which begins on page 59. Jonathan Miles WRITER Jonathan Miles is a journalist and author of Dear American Airlines, Want Not, and Anatomy of a Miracle. Over the years, his writing has appeared in various national magazines, including GQ, Garden & Gun, and Field & Stream. For this issue, he traveled to Marfa, Texas, in November to interview Matthew and Camila Alves McConaughey for our cover story (page 102).…

WHEN I WAS A KID, I was a strict rule follower—and I still am. But on my birthday in mid-April, there was one rule I looked forward to breaking. Before supper, I would sneak into the refrigerator when no one was watching and eat a heaping scoop of my present—Aunt Brenda’s famous banana pudding (my parents graciously pretended not to notice the missing spoonful when it was time to serve). You see, instead of a gift, my aunt gave me a big bowl of this dessert each year. Although I had secretly hoped for a golf cart, I happily accepted the pudding instead. This version is my standard for every other recipe. Her secret? Sour cream. The added tang and creaminess balance out the typically overly sweet treat, making it…

ASHLEY TAYLOR knew his wife’s tastes well: elegant, traditional, and—when it came to architecture—as Georgian as possible. So when he spotted the “For Sale” sign on a tree-canopied lot in Richmond’s Windsor Farms neighborhood, he wasn’t sure the mid-1960s redbrick house with tall, skinny columns that were tacked on like an afterthought would cut it. His wife, Gail, also loves a home that’s timeless and well proportioned. “But when he gets a spark about something,” she says, laughing, “good luck!” Fortunately, that spark had merit. The house had a strong presence and was on a desirable lot, so as any good lawyer does before making his case, Ashley did a little preemptive research—namely, a call to Dan Ensminger, a Richmond-based architect the family had worked with previously. After a quick…

IF YOU DRIVE south down State 69 from Tuscaloosa and look out your window, you won’t see much. The University of Alabama’s grand campus of stately brick buildings and mega-mansion sorority houses fades to farmland. Cemeteries, a sprinkling of churches, and little else blur by until you finally reach Greensboro, Alabama’s lively but diminutive main street. From there, turn onto State 61, and traverse another 10 miles of countryside to Newbern (with a population of about 130), where Auburn University’s Rural Studio springs up like a dandelion in a clover field. From this 5-acre plot deep in Alabama’s Black Belt, more than 1,250 undergraduate architecture students have dreamed up the plans for 220 homes and public buildings that, over the past three decades, have become part of the fabric of…

BEST MUSIC VENUE Fox Theatre ONE OF MY earliest memories of visiting Atlanta was when my grandmother took me to the Fox Theatre around Christmas to see The Nutcracker. It wasn’t the dancing or the music that mesmerized me but the building itself. The facade, adorned with arabesque patterns and pointed arches, was unlike anything I’d seen growing up in Savannah. We passed through the lavishly decorated lobby—with its marble columns, opulent gold leaf, and intricate mosaics—into the grand auditorium. I took in the large stage flanked by two towering minarets and the ceiling that shimmered like a starry night sky thanks to nearly 100 tiny crystal lights. When I eventually moved to Atlanta in 1987 to study architecture at Georgia Tech, the Fox Theatre was still every bit as…

TOP 10 BEST SMALL TOWNS 1. Fredericksburg 2. Grapevine 3. Round Top 4. Port Aransas 5. Wimberley 6. Marble Falls 7. Nacogdoches 8. Granbury 9. Brenham 10. Marfa BEST MARGARITA Joe T. Garcia’s JUST BEFORE 11 a.m. on any given weekend, folks stand on an unassuming sidewalk near the Fort Worth Stockyards and wait to descend upon the patio at Joe T. Garcia’s. The restaurant’s lushly landscaped garden is ready to seat as many as 1,000 customers, and the aromas of cheese enchiladas and fajitas—recipes perfected over 89 years—fill the air. Behind the colorfully tiled bar, hundreds of margaritas are rimmed with salt and sent out at lightning speed. The restaurant’s house drink has a famously potent reputation, but their other citrus-laced renditions are just as tantalizing. Have one any way you like, from infused with sweet strawberry to refreshingly…

NO. 1 Wilmington, NC The charm of this historic port on the Atlantic Ocean and the Cape Fear River has made it a favorite filming location for movies and TV shows, earning it the nicknames Hollywood East and Wilmywood. Over the past few years, the population has increased, and a study by United Van Lines found it was the top place to move in 2022. Lodging options range from an outcropping of rentable houseboats to the anticipated Hotel Lela Wilmington (which is opening soon) and the beautifully renovated Arrive Wilmington. NO. 2 Franklin, TN No longer just a weekend getaway from the bustling Music City, Franklin has fully come into its own. The population continues to rise, with new residents citing the thriving downtown as one of the many reasons…

LIKE A SEASONED CHARACTER ACTOR, WILMINGTON HAS ALWAYS EXCELLED AT PLAYING ITS PART—BUT NOT JUST ANY PART, EVERY PART. Situated between the Cape Fear River and the Atlantic Ocean, the city has spent decades transforming into whatever setting it has needed to be. In the late 1990s, it became an idyllic Cape Cod village for the teen drama Dawson’s Creek, and then it mimicked Los Angeles for Iron Man 3. Nicknamed Wilmywood, Wilmington has long been revered by Hollywood for its mild temperatures and versatility—and recently travelers have begun to take note. Want a less crowded spring break escape? Its beaches are at your service. Seeking a charismatic riverfront city? Wilmington’s scenic Riverwalk and majestic live oaks rival those of Savannah. When it comes to the attributes of a great…

Little Carrot Layer Cakes with Coconut Buttercream ACTIVE 40 MIN. - TOTAL 55 MIN., PLUS 1 HOUR COOLING MAKES 12 CAKE 2¼ cups all-purpose flour1 cup packed light brown sugar½ cup sweetened shredded coconut¼ cup granulated sugar2 tsp. baking soda2 tsp. ground cinnamon¾ tsp. kosher salt½ tsp. ground ginger¼ tsp. ground nutmeg3 large eggs, at room temperature1 cup canola oil½ cup whole milk1½ cups shredded carrots (from 2 large peeled carrots)⅓ cup finely chopped toasted walnuts⅓ cup golden raisins, finely chopped COCONUT BUTTERCREAM 1½ cups unsalted butter, softened2½ tsp. vanilla extract½ tsp. kosher salt½ tsp. coconut extract (optional)6 cups powdered sugar3-4 Tbsp. well-shaken and stirred coconut milk (from 1 [13½-oz.] can)Toasted sweetened shredded coconut 1. Prepare the Cake: Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a rimmed 17 ½- x 12 ½-inch baking…

“THE GREEKS DO THINGS A LITTLE DIFFERENTLY,” says Auburn, Alabama, restaurant owner Lisa van der Reijden. As opposed to having lunch after church, which is typical for many Americans who celebrate Easter, her family’s meal was enjoyed much later. After the midnight Greek Orthodox service, they would gather to break their fast. “Everyone was tired, but there was always excitement when we walked through the door, well past 2 a.m., knowing that my mother would have this soup waiting for us,” she says. “We’d all sit down together, sleep-deprived and hungry yet filled with joy from the service. The stories and laughter flowed as she somehow kept bringing us bowl after bowl of soup—a miracle in itself.” Avgolemono Soup ACTIVE 20 MIN. - TOTAL 35 MIN. SERVES 6 2…

Five Smart Ways To Organize Your Fridge How Often Should You Wash Kitchen Towels? More frequently than you think—though it does depend on how they are used. If you’re cleaning up messes involving raw meat, they should be washed immediately. When you’re drying dishes, they should be changed out regularly—daily, if possible. It’s also more sanitary to have a separate cloth reserved for hand drying that you replace every week. NO MORE OVEN MESSES Save yourself from drips and spills Scrubbing cooked-on grease and grime is a task no one enjoys. You could use a baking sheet to catch drips, but FitFabHome Non-Stick Liners are durable, can be reused, and go under exposed elements in electric ovens or on the lower rack of other models. The mats are easy to…

WHAT WE’RE LOVING, SHARING, AND CELEBRATING ASHLEY SCHOENITH hasn’t met a classic soup tureen or “chippy old table” she doesn’t like. “I’m the person my family members think of before they get rid of things, because I love pieces like that so much,” says the Atlanta resident. Her deep appreciation for items with stories is the spirit behind Heirloomed Collection, the textile-and-home goods brand that she first launched as IceMilk Aprons with her grandmother Cele in 2006. “It was a way for us to spend more time together,” says Schoenith of the company’s start. “We did not intend for it to be a business. I worked in advertising and branding at the time, but then I left my job and it organically took off from there.” Although their original aprons…

SHAMYRA SYLVESTER grew up making food in what she describes as “survival mode.” She recalls eating “what was traditionally available,” which usually happened to be highly processed, unhealthy foods that were inexpensive and quick to whip up. It wasn’t until she moved to Atlanta after finishing college that she discovered the power of nutrition and how significantly it could affect her quality of life. “My roommate in Atlanta came from a wealthy, highly educated home that was extremely health conscious,” says Sylvester. Through examining her roommate’s choices, like purchasing fresh produce and limiting processed foods, she began considering her own nutritional habits. Later, when Sylvester moved to Washington, D.C., to attend graduate school, she was exposed to more avenues of prioritizing her health. “As I was walking around my new…

WHEN I WAS A BABY, my mother routinely found me crawling up the stairs to return to my nursery. “You’ve always liked being surrounded by your things,” she says. It’s true: I must have my trinkets. Everything in my house tells my story, from an ashtray turned catchall I bought at Bar Hemingway in Paris to the Italian game table (with a hidden roulette wheel!) found at a beauty parlor. It’s no surprise that I love estate sales. A couple of years ago, I visited one held at a Dallas home that was perfectly preserved in the mid-1950s. As I walked through the place, it was as if a black-and-white film turned to color. Items in each room illuminated the owner’s life: a rolling rack of candy-colored cardigans, chintz…

BEST HOT BROWN The Brown Hotel SIT DOWN TO EAT a meal in any Kentucky restaurant—whether upscale or country casual—and there’s a good chance there will be a hot brown on the menu. The open-faced turkey sandwich, usually served warm on a thick slice of toast with bacon, tomatoes, and Mornay sauce, is a headliner on the Bluegrass State’s long list of culinary contributions, alongside barbecue, bourbon, and burgoo. You might encounter it in the form of a hot chicken sandwich (at Frankfort’s Bourbon on Main) or even as a vegetarian version that omits the turkey and bacon and adds asparagus, mushrooms, and zucchini (at Ramsey’s Diner in Lexington). For the true original, you’ll have to go to J. Graham’s Café at The Brown Hotel in Louisville, where the…

BEST BLUES VENUE Ground Zero Blues Club INSIDE AN OLD cotton-grading warehouse in Clarksdale, the audience is buzzing with anticipation for the evening’s show. It’s just a routine Saturday (or Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday, for that matter) at Ground Zero Blues Club. The walls are plastered with old concert posters and heavily graffitied with signatures, and the patrons are as diverse as the international flags hanging overhead. Servers deliver baskets of hot tamales, catfish, and fried green tomatoes to tables that are cramped with mismatched chairs. Music lovers, young and old, have converged from all around the globe in this corner of Mississippi to hear the blues in the place it was born. “The quality of the music that’s played here, it’s like nothing I’ve ever heard anywhere else,”…

NO. 1 Charleston, SC NO. 2 Savannah, GA NO. 3 Nashville, TN NO. 4 New Orleans, LA NO. 5 Asheville, NC NO. 6 Greenville, SC NO. 7 Atlanta, GA NO. 8 Austin, TX NO. 9 Raleigh, NC NO. 10 Orlando, FL NO. 11 Lexington, KY NO. 12 Charlotte, NC NO. 13 Chattanooga, TN NO. 14 Dallas, TX NO. 15 Birmingham, AL NO. 16 Fort Worth, TX NO. 17 Louisville, KY NO. 18 Richmond, VA NO. 19 Athens, GA NO. 20 Charlottesville, VA…

NO. 1 Otherworldly Hotels The days of being beholden to big-chain hotels are long gone. As tourism has risen, so have creative places to stay. Travelers can go from a bustling city to a small town or from the Gulf Coast beaches to the West Texas mountains without having to book a cookie-cutter double room. Spend the night in a recycled shipping container with farmhouse-chic finishings via Flophouze in Round Top, near the triannual Original Round Top Antiques Fair. Wake up among centuries-old cypress branches at Treehouse Utopia, a series of whimsical elevated escapes tucked into the Texas Hill Country close to a state park and a natural area. In Marfa, settle into a brightly colored, renovated vintage trailer at El Cosmico. NO. 2 GINORMOUS SPACES FROM THE COAST to the canyons, there’s going…

1 MOREL MUSHROOMS Hollow with honeycomb-like pitted caps, these mushrooms are different from the ones you’re likely used to eating. When buying morels, seek out firm, plump specimens. Store them, unwashed, in a paper bag in the refrigerator for no more than a couple of days. Clean them right before using: Swish quickly in water, or wipe gently with a damp paper towel. Pasta with Morel-and-Pea Cream Sauce Morel mushrooms seem almost otherworldly; they have porous, spongy caps that generously soak up any surrounding flavors. Here, they absorb the creamy sauce with shallot-infused butter, fortified wine, and the soft anise notes of tarragon. If you can’t find morels at the farmers’ market, feel free to substitute a mix of wild or cremini mushrooms from the grocery store; regular chives can stand…

SOUTHERN COOKING AT ITS BEST Cajun Shrimp Stir-Fry ACTIVE 20 MIN. - TOTAL 20 MIN. SERVES 4 1 lb. large peeled, deveined raw shrimp1 Tbsp. Cajun seasoning (such as Emeril’s)3 Tbsp. canola oil, divided6 oz. fresh snow peas, trimmed (about 1 cup)2 Tbsp. finely chopped garlic (about 6 cloves)1 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh ginger3 medium scallions, thinly sliced (white, light green, and dark green parts separated), divided3 Tbsp. rice vinegar¼ cup unsalted butter, cut into 4 even pieces1½ Tbsp. fish sauce2 tsp. fresh lime juice (from 1 lime)2 tsp. hot sauce (such as Tabasco)¼ cup roasted, salted peanuts, chopped2 Tbsp. fresh cilantro leavesCooked white rice, for serving 1. Place shrimp in a large bowl. Add Cajun seasoning and 1 tablespoon of the oil; toss to coat. Heat 1 tablespoon of the…

One-Pan Broccoli-Rice Casserole ACTIVE 25 MIN. - TOTAL 35 MIN. SERVES 8 3 Tbsp. olive oil, divided1 cup chopped yellow onion (about 1 medium onion)1 (8-oz.) pkg. sliced fresh cremini mushrooms1½ cups uncooked instant long-grain brown rice (such as Minute)1 tsp. kosher salt1 tsp. garlic powder1 tsp. dry mustard½ tsp. paprika½ tsp. black pepper2½ cups chicken broth (such as Swanson)¾ cup panko breadcrumbs4 cups fresh broccoli florets, cut into 1-inch pieces4 oz. Colby Jack cheese, shredded (about 1 cup)3 oz. extra-sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded (about ¾ cup) 1. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large (11-inch) broiler-safe high-sided skillet over medium-high. Add onion and mushrooms, and cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are lightly browned and their liquid has evaporated, 7 to 8 minutes. Stir in rice, salt,…

Cherry-Cheesecake Brownies ACTIVE 15 MIN. - TOTAL 1 HOUR, PLUS 2 HOURS COOLING AND CHILLING SERVES 9 1 (8-oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened¼ cup powdered sugar4 large eggs, at room temperature¾ tsp. kosher salt, divided½ cup all-purpose flour⅓ cup Dutch-process cocoa½ cup unsalted butter½ cup 60% cacao bittersweet chocolate chips (from 1 [12-oz.] pkg.)1 cup granulated sugar¼ cup packed dark brown sugar1 tsp. vanilla extract¾ cup cherry pie filling (such as Lucky Leaf) 1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat an 8-inch square metal baking pan with cooking spray; line with parchment paper or aluminum foil, leaving a 2-inch overhang on all sides. Set aside. 2. In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese and powdered sugar with an electric mixer on low speed until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Add…

Appetizers Fava-and-Whipped Feta Bruschetta, P. 147 Radishes with Miso-Sesame Butter, P. 147 Breads Ramp-and-Rye Focaccia, P. 146 Breakfasts Avocado Toasts with Watermelon Radishes and Herbs, P. 21 Waffle Iron Hash Browns with Fried Eggs, P. 176 Mains Bourbon-Glazed Salmon, P. 165 Cajun Shrimp Stir-Fry, P. 164 Fiddlehead-and-Bacon Tart, P. 146 Miss River’s Louisiana Crawfish Rolls, P. 27 Pasta with Morel-and-Pea Cream Sauce, P. 146 Skillet Pasta Primavera, P. 166 Sweet-and-Sour Braised Beef Brisket, P. 172 Sides Charoset, P. 172 Leafy Green Salad with Sunflower Seed Dressing, P. 172 One-Pan Broccoli-Rice Casserole, P. 174 Potato Kugel with Schmaltzy Onions, P. 172 Watermelon Radish Salad with Brown Butter Vinaigrette, P. 21 Soups Avgolemono Soup, P. 178 Creamy Garlic Scape Soup, P. 147 Sweets Aunt Brenda’s Sour Cream Banana Pudding, P. 23…

I THINK I ALMOST got fired from my first job outside Alabama because I had a hard time finding my way around. It shouldn’t have been such a challenge. I was in Clearwater, Florida, where there are only three directions you can go in anyway. Head west, and you’ll end up with wet socks. But I managed to get lost all the time. I’d warned them that this might happen, but the editor who interviewed me said, “Pshaw, we’ll give you a good map.” “But I tend to have trouble with those,” I explained. He responded that it was okay, since many of the streets in the area were numbered. Then I had to confess that I might still have issues. “Why?” he asked, thinking maybe I had been…