Earth to Table June 24 2014

Born into a Mississippi Delta Farming family, my upbringing was literally “earth to table”. As a toddler, I spent most of my time perched on my mother’s kitchen counter, watching her cook: while imposing my inquisitive nature. My mom’s nature is one of appreciating acceptance from a student’s perspective. This explanation is one that defines empathy. Another undeniable influence was the father of one of my best friends. Mr. Clements procured a rabbit dish that he called “Poutoc”. The literal definition is loose: “with wine and garlic” Says Tommy with a Delta drawl and a shit eatin’ grin. My poker skills *bullshit detector), were not fully developed as a youth. For those not savvy in the linguistics of the south: it’s origins lye in the migration of numbers of Protestants from Ireland and Scotland. In my resilient search for the definition of this dish; I “Delta Draw” could be attributed to the internal opposition to following the recipe. NOLA influence inserts. I learned a lot from Mr. Clements so when I had to get a job in college, it was natural for me to get a job in a restaurant kitchen. I was lucky enough to be part of the opening team at the now well-known Ajax Diner in Oxford, MS.