Wagyu Bavette may be one of my favorite cuts.  It’s part of the bottom sirloin and has amazing beef flavor.  It reminds me of a thick and juicy version of a skirt steak.  It has more texture, which I like, but requires you to slice it against the grain in order to enjoy it. I don’t think I have ever seen it in a grocery store but it is worth searching out at specialty butcher shops. more

During the last few months we launched a very exclusive global culinary experience in the form of The Flora Supper Club, a multi-course wine pairing dinner right here in central Mississippi. Over the last decade the sleepy little town of Flora has grown into a foodie destination with a special emphasis on the growing farm-to-table movement. After honing my skills as a chef all over the world, from Japan and Australia to Italy and Denmark, the desire to apply what I had learned within a unique dining experience has become a runaway success. The concept was inspired by the legendary Delta Supper Club of years past. The Flora Supper Club is located in the Flora Station district within the historic Dave’s Triple B building on Main Street. Reservations are open to all by contacting Anne Marie Smith at (601)879-7803 or annemarie@makeitraines.com. You can also visit us on Facebook via https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100086601717014 to learn more about dates and cost. more

This month’s column is the perfect supper for the autumn and winter months. Our pork ribeye has become the most celebrated dish when preparing a private dinner for family and friends. We’re pairing our menu with an affordable red blend from Oregon’s Willamette Valley winery Teutonic Wines. It’s a dry wine with Apple, lemon, cherry and herbs on the nose. It’s a lighter bodied red with subtle notes of Citrus and red berry on the body. The finish is clean and mildly crisp. Appropriately called Lardo, the wine is perfect with salty fatty foods.  The acidity pairs well with rich food and what better wine than Lardo  with a lard infused pork ribeye” . Its light distinct fruity flavor also pairs well with charcuterie or as an aperitif. Available in most local wine shops and at Raine’s Cellar in Flora. more

As the summer unfolds we’re going to suggest some of our favorite food and wine pairings. In the coming months we’ll help you take the mystery out of specific wines and how they will compliment certain dishes. This month we’re preparing Blackened Catfish Over Grit Cakes With Lemon Beurre Blanc. The dish is a different take on a popular southern staple. I like to pair this entree with slightly floral chardonnay that I think has enough acidity to hold up to the richness of the beurre blanc. 2019 Magnolia Chardonnay. It is not a wine to break the bank and very well crafted.  I also love the story of these Mississippi natives who raise these grapes in the Saint Lucia Highlands of Monterey,  California. They then named the wine after the state flower of Mississippi to honor their southern roots. more

As we move into the warmer months, we are preparing to open our next big venture in Flora, Mississippi.  The Flora Butcher was our first venture immediately embraced by thousands of customers in central Mississippi. That following extended to Alabama, Louisiana, Texas, Tennessee and Arkansas.  This was followed by Dave’s Triple B: Barbecue, Beer & Blues Restaurant which has won raves from both locals and food enthusiasts from around the country. Now we prepare our third Flora business, Raines Cellars.  We will be offering fine wines and rare spirits, as well as familiar labels of a certain high quality. Our team has gone to Kentucky to pick our own bourbon barrel picks and travel to the West Coast to buy rare one of a kind wines at auction.  All these labels will be available for sampling at our in-store tasting bar.  Our culinary staff will be creating special dishes that are compliment by specific wines and spirits.  Our first is more

We do a lot of different kinds of tacos at Dave’s Triple B in Flora.  When we started, I was just trying some out as a “Taco Tuesday” special but they are now permanent fixtures on our menu. I encourage you to try tacos at home! They are a fun way to feed the family or entertain groups and, because there are endless combinations, they never get old. I have included a lot of the elements from our tacos but don’t be afraid to experiment. A great cole slaw could be as easy as sliced cabbage and your favorite salad dressing. At The Flora Butcher, we offer 6 or 7 kinds of aioli and an almost endless selection of sauces from small Mississippi producers. more

No matter how you stack it (every imaginable pun intended) the classic American Hamburger remains the most popular sandwich  throughout the United States. The humble hamburger has evolved in a variety of ways, from Veggie Burgers and Salmon burger to Pork Burgers and the mouth watering Wagyu (Kobe) Burger. So as we find ourselves in the middle of summer with our grills at the ready, we’ve decided to give you some of our favorite options when serving up the 21st Century burger. more

For the last four years, Mississippians have come to recognize their good fortune by having access to prime Wagyu steaks and locally-sourced chicken, pork and lamb via The Flora Butcher. The priority of owner Chef David Raines has been to offer his loyal customers the finest in specialty meats.  more

Making fresh sausages daily has been a mainstay of The Flora Butcher since we started. As a whole animal butcher shop, there are always meaty trim and pristine fat left over from creating the wide variety of both common and specialty cuts that we offer. We do sell things like ground pork, wagyu beef, lamb, goat etc. but it’s way more fun to take the time to make original sausages for our clientele to try. more

“May you live in interesting times” is the old English expression purported to be of Chinese origin. Certainly, the last few months have lived up to the true meaning of that phrase. While … more

When our new Governor, the Honorable Tate Reeves and Mississippi’s First Lady, Elee Williams Reeves, decided to host their first State Dinner, it was decided that the special evening would showcase The Magnolia State’s growing farm-to-table movement. more

Without a doubt, I can say that my earliest enthusiasm for cooking came from my time at the hunting camp. I had some triumphs and some disasters but it was the perfect place to play around and get creative with food. It’s also where I learned how much that I enjoy cooking for people. Hunters are usually cold, tired and hungry so they were the most receptive audience that I could ask for. more

Mississippi recently celebrated Catfish Month so we decided to honor the largest Aquaculture business in America with a couple of our favorite recipes. The Magnolia State produces some 350 million pounds, representing over 55 percent of the catfish farmed in the United States. Friday is Blackened Catfish day at our Flora Butcher Shop, while every day is Catfish day at our restaurant, Dave’s Triple B in Jackson. Mississippians produce the best farmed catfish in America and we’re happy to serve it at our establishments and share our recipes this month. We’ve also included the perfect accompaniments and desserts designed to delight everyone around your dinner table. more

When planning a cost-effective menu that will have your family and guests raving, a well-prepared chicken dish should be at the top of your list. Throughout my culinary journey from Denmark and Italy to Japan and Australia I have collected a wide variety of dishes. That said, I still come back to dishes prepared when growing up in a truly-inspirational family kitchen. I hope you’ll try these dishes at home and let us know how they were received. more

The best way to celebrate Father's Day is always with a special menu that will satisfy the biggest of appetites. For this issue we're giving you two delicious options depending on whether you'll be serving dad a classic breakfast or a steak beyond his expectations. For the latter we are using a Dry-Aged Wagyu Porterhouse from my family farm. So forget the tie and cufflinks and give dad a day he will always remember. more

This time of year is when we see more and more people purchasing lamb at The Flora Butcher.  more

Holiday meals for my family always included prime rib. Inevitably, there would be leftover pieces of steak from people who couldn’t finish and a nub of the roast that never needed to be cut. These two traditional “next day” meals made short work of any leftover prime rib but changed it into something that I always looked forward to. more

The German tradition of Oktoberfest has been around since the early 19th Century and has been one of Deutschland’s more celebrated exports. My culinary journey had me cooking in Germany for a few years, which gave me wonderful insight to the food and song prepared in tribute to King Ludwig and the good people of Munich in southern Germany.  The most important ritual is the consumption of locally sanctioned “official” Oktoberfest beers. more

When you think of a picnic, the visual of a blanket spread over a green lawn with a basket full of culinary delights is usually what comes to mind. But a “picnic” can take on a variety shapes, from a backyard barbecue to a tailgate party before the big game. Whatever form your picnic takes, know that the tradition is alive and well in the South. We simply love dining alfresco for a variety of reasons, or no reason at all. more

Having cooked all over the world, I can tell you that nowhere is lunch a more celebrated daily ritual than in the American South. Raised in Louisiana, and now living in Central Mississippi, we began serving lunch at our Flora Butcher shop in August 2016.   more