June 25, 2012

Catfish Supper at the Blue Levee

Gentle Reader,

Tonight we dined at the Blue Levee Restaurant.  They are usually closed on Monday night, but Luther made special arrangements for them to be open just for us.  What a treat!  The catfish was wonderfully tasty, as was the banana pudding.  We had hush puppies, fries, and cole slaw, too.  Cole slaw seems to be a staple here in the Delta.

We learned that there is great competition for the catfish market, with the predominant competition coming from VietNam.  We also learned that the new Swai fish on the market, which we have found at the Kroger, is in competition with catfish.   Nothing quite like a good old-fashioned fried catfish dinner with catfish farmed in the Mississippi Delta.   Good eatin', my friends!

My catfish dinner...

 Table here at teh Blue Levee are decorated with labels from old beer bottles... Didn't see any Effess from Turkey here, Trixie!!!

 Fascinating, colorful artwork at teh Blue Levee Restaurant

 And for my students who read Fried Green Tomatoes this year... yes, the Piggly Wiggly is alive and well in the southern part of the United States...  Twanda!!!!

This is a "Bottle Tree," which originates in the Gullah Islands of South Carolina.  Folks construct these using a metal pipe as a base, and then attach bottles to the pipe.  Blue bottles are especially desirable, as they are believed to ward off evil spirits.  People in the Gullah Islands also paint their window frames blue, to keep the evil spirits away.  This Bottle Tree was in the space right outside of the entrance door at the Blue Levee Restaurant...

Scott and I ended our day with another couple at a local Mexican Restaurant.  Erin and Brad also met at a workshop and have combined their Boston and Montana lives in Montana, a place that truly offers big skies.  We talked about Istanbul, as they were considering going there for their honeymoon in August.  We wish this delightful young couple a bond that will last a lifetime...

May you plant your equivalent of a Bottle Tree, keeping you safe and protected...

namaste,

Marianne