Memorable dishes flavor a Delta tour

My introduction to chitlins was at the The Big Dinner sponsored by Washington County Sheriff Harvey Tackett. A friend later drove me miles up river to the ’Coon Hunters Ball, featuring turtle soup, squirrel stew, venison and oh-so-tender broiled rattlesnake.

In your Mississippi flavors tour, start with tamales at Cleveland’s casual dining Delta Meat Market by James Beard-nominated chef Cole Ellis. Or the smoked catfish dip or rib eye Philly cheesesteak at Clarksdale’s white tablecloth Hooker Grocer + Eatery by Head Chef Johnny Cass.

In Indianola, shop, lunch and linger over a table of desserts at Evelyn Roughton’s The Crown.

– Chris Schroder, The 100 Companies