Party at the Plantation.

Food is often the topic of conversation when 12 Yazoo City ladies, known unofficially as "the walking group," meet for their daily excursion through the hills and flatlands of the Delta town. The women who have been walking together for nearly 20 years are excellent cooks who are as likely to discuss recipes as local news. In November, however, the main topic of discussion is their traditional Christina party for family and friends, held annually at the home of the members. The party is a welcome break from the ladies' usual healthy diet and exercise regimen.

Bettye rout calls it "a way of celebrating a successful year of walking."

Lynne Howie offered to host the December 2000 event, at Cedar Grove, an antebellum plantation that has been owned by the family of her husband, John Sharp Howie for six generations.

The ladies' custom is to meet regularly at the home of Mary Coker after their 8 a.m. walk for coffee and ice water. When the holidays draw near, they use this time for making further party plans. Last year the group decided that nine members would bring their favorite hors d'oeuvre or sweet while the others would help decorations chairman, Diane Carroll, grace the elegant rooms with greenery gathered from Cedar Grove's extensive grounds. A majestic cedar would be cut to be decorated and placed in the center hall. Food would be presented on the large cherry dining table brought from Tennessee by Captain John McKnitt Sharp who built the home in 1834.

Sharp, who fought under Colonel Jefferson Davis at the Battle of Buena Vista during the Mexican War, acquired the property through a series of land grants. The stately house was built with timber cut from the plantation's forest land and bricks made on the grounds.

During frontier days, Sharp slept at the foot of the staircase with a shotgun to protect his daughters, who slept upstairs, from marauding Indians.

Among the house's treasures are leaded windows, elegant carved mantels, 14-foot ceilings, Empire furniture, and family portraits. Likenesses include those of Colonel C. H. Williams and his wife, Annie Louise Sharp, the daughter of John McKnitt Sharp. When Colonel Williams was killed at the Battle of Shiloh and Annie died at a young age, Captain Sharp and his second wife, Mary Allison Sharp, raised their children. One of them was U. S. Senator John Sharp Williams.

Senator Williams has been described by historians as the "last great planter-statesmen of the South." He served in the House of Representatives and Senate for 30 years and was chosen Minority Leader of the House in 1903. Popular and colorful, he was an eloquent speaker whose integrity was praised by the presidents under whom he served.

The Senator retired to the tranquility of his beloved Cedar Grove in 1909 and spent his later years receiving friends, telling stories, and enjoying grandchildren from a rocking chair on the lawn. Senator Williams and his wife, Betty, were buried in the family cemetery on the grounds.

The home has always been known for hospitality. It is easy to imagine Captain Sharp and Senator Williams smiling with pleasure over the success of the Christmas party at Cedar Grove in December 2000.

YAK PACK CHRISTMAS JAMBALAYA 

(pictured above)

1/2 stick butter

1 bunch green onions, finely chopped

1 red or green bell pepper, finely chopped

1 cup celery, finely chopped

1 pound sour cream

1 pound cream cheese, softened

1 pound Monterey Jack cheese, freshly grated

1 pound spicy steamed shrimp

1 pound spicy crawfish tails

1 pound Cajun smoked sausage

1 pound mushrooms, sliced

1/2 cup Italian flat leaf parsley, finely chopped

2 teaspoons Tony Chacheres' Cajun seasoning

2 tablespoons vermouth Several dashes Tabasco

Saute the onion, bell pepper, and celery in the butter for 2 to 3 minutes. Mix sour cream, cream cheese, and Monterey Jack cheese in a mixer. Warm with remaining ingredients (except vermouth) on low heat. Add shrimp, crawfish tails, and sausage. Stir in vermouth and adjust seasoning before serving. Serve in a chafing dish with thinly sliced bread squares that have been brushed with melted butter.

Jane Norquist

POACHED RAINBOW TROUT 

1 to 2 whole fish (cleaned with skin and head on, but eyes removed)

White wine (may use vermouth)

2 cans chicken consomme or homemade chicken stock, if available

1 lemon

3 bay leaves

1 tablespoon sea salt

3 teaspoons white pepper

Spray a fish poacher or high-sided pan with oil. Cover fish with wine and chicken stock or broth in the prepared pan. Add lemon, bay leaves, salt, and pepper. Bring to a very low boil and cook for 3 to 5 minutes for each pound of fish. Take the fish out of the pan and refrigerate on serving platter. Continue boiling the liquid until somewhat reduced. (If you use canned broth, add 1 package of dissolved gelatin.) Cool and pour broth around fish and chill.

Garnish with lettuce, tomatoes, fresh sprigs of rosemary, lemon slices, and a stuffed olive in each eye socket.

CAPER-DILL SAUCE FOR THE POACHED FISH

2/3 cup mayonnaise, preferably homemade

1/3 cup sour cream

3 tablespoons chopped capers 

4 tablespoons chopped green onions

1 teaspoon dill weed

2 or more dashes of hot pepper sauce

Mix well and refrigerate for a few hours.

Sara Jones

HORSERADISH SAUCE

1 cup mayonnaise

2 hard boiled eggs

1 tablespoon horseradish 

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Garlic salt to taste

Celery salt to taste

1 1/2 tablespoons parsley flakes

1 lemon, juiced 

Salt and pepper to taste

Blend all ingredients and refrigerate. Let come to room temperature before serving. Use as a dip for blanched green beans. Makes 100 servings.

Linda Peaster

SHERRY CHEESE MOLD WITH LYNNE'S CRANBERRY CHUTNEY 

3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened

2 (10 ounce) packages sharp cheddar cheese, grated

2 teaspoons curry powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup dry sherry, or to taste

1 cup Lynne's Cranberry Chutney

Sliced green onions for garnish

Mix the first five ingredients well and form into a round, flattened circle. Chill. Serve topped with Lynne's Cranberry Chutney (recipe follows) and garnish with green onions around the outside edges. Makes 75 servings.

Clayton Nagle

LYNNE'S CRANBERRY CHUTNEY

5 cups cranberries, picked clean

2 oranges, cut in chunks

2 apples, cut in chunks

1 cup raisins

2 tablespoons onion, grated

6 tablespoons red and green bell pepper, chopped

2 cups brown sugar

1/4 cup candied ginger, chopped

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Mix all ingredients using 1 1/2 cups of sugar to start. The amount of sugar depends on the tartness of the cranberries.

Cook over low heat until the cranberries burst. Add more sugar if needed to create a sweet-tart taste. You may add orange juice or water if the mixture seems too dry.

Put into sterilized jars and seal according to directions. Makes 12 cups.

Lynne Howie

SPINACH PEPPERONI FRITTATAS

1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed

1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese

3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

2 eggs

1 1/2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon dried basil

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 small onion, finely chopped

8 ounces pepperoni, cut into 36 thin slices

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Squeeze excess moisture from the spinach. Mix the spinach, cheeses, eggs, Worcestershire sauce, basil, salt, garlic powder, pepper, and onion in a large bowl, stirring until blended well.

Grease 36 mini muffin cups or spray the cups with vegetable oil cooking spray. Place 1 slice of pepperoni in each cup. Top with enough spinach mixture to fill each cup. Bake for 25 minutes. Serve hot, or allow to cool and remove from cups for freezing. Makes 36.

Note: If frozen, thaw and reheat at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.

Mary Coker

PIMIENTO CHEESE SPREAD

1 (4 ounce) can pimientos, drained and chopped

1/4 teaspoon red pepper

2 garlic cloves, pressed through garlic press

1/2 cup mayonnaise, more if needed

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1/4 cup Durkee sauce

1/3 cup fresh parsley, chopped

2 tablespoons Grand Marnier (you may substitute orange juice)

1 pound mild Cheddar cheese, grated

Mix all ingredients, except cheese, thoroughly. Add cheese; mix well and chill. Makes about 1 quart. Makes 2 loaves of sandwiches.

Mary Eleanor Galloway

TORTILL PINWHEELS

1 (8-ounce package cream cheese, softened

1 (7-ounce) can chopped green chilies, drained

1 (4-ounce) can chopped ripe olives

4-6 dashes hot pepper sauce

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder or 4 fresh garlic cloves, minced

8 to 10 flour tortillas

5 to 6 ounces thinly sliced chicken, turkey, or other luncheon meat

In a bowl, combine the cream cheese with the green chilies, ripe olives, hot pepper sauce, and garlic. Mix well. Spread some of the mixture on each flour tortilla. Cover with sliced chicken. Roll up tightly. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator at least 2 hours. When ready to serve, remove the plastic wrap and slice the tortillas in 1-inch pieces. Serve chilled at room temperature. Makes 60-70.

Jeanne Santmeyer

BOURBON-SOAKED CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES

7 ounces semisweet baking chocolate

1 ounce unsweetened baking chocolate

4 tablespoons bourbon whiskey or dark Jamaican rum

2 tablespoons strong coffee

1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces

6 ounces best-quality gingersnaps (pulverized to make 3/4 cup crumbs)

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/4 cup powdered instant coffee

Break up the two chocolates and place in a small saucepan with the bourbon or rum and the liquid coffee. Cover, set chocolate pan in a larger pan of boiling water, and turn off the heat under it. When chocolate is melted and smooth, in 5 minutes or so, beat in the butter piece by piece (a portable electric mixer is useful here), then the pulverized gingersnaps. Chill for several hours.

To form the truffles, mix the cocoa powder with the powdered coffee and spread on a plate. With a soup spoon or teaspoon, depending on the size you wish, dig out gobs of the chocolate mixture and form into rough, round, rocklike, truffle like shapes. Roll in cocoa and coffee powder, and place in paper or foil candy cusps. Refrigerate in a covered container until serving time. They may be kept refrigerated for several weeks or frozen.

Susan McClintock

ORANGE SNOWBALLS

2 3/4 cups vanilla wafer crumbs

1/4 cup melted butter

1 cup powdered sugar

1 cup chopped pecans

1/4 cup frozen orange juice, undiluted

ICING:

2 tablespoons softened butter

2 cups powdered sugar

Milk to make it a spreadable consistency

DIPPING:

Coconut (May pulse in the food processor a few seconds to make it a bit finer in texture.)

Mix first five ingredients and shape into bite-size balls. Chill for two hours in the refrigerator. Dip each ball into the icing and place on a wire rack so that excess icing will drip off. Before icing dries, roll in coconut. Store cookies in a covered container in the refrigerator.

Diane Carroll

DRIED APRICOTS DIPPED IN CHOCOLATE

2 packages Wilton chocolate drops

6 pounds dried apricots

Melt chocolate according to package directions. Dip apricots halfway into the chocolate and lay on wax paper to dry.

Mary Eleanor Galloway

DIANE'S APPLE TOPIARY 

Materials:

48 shiny red apples

8-10 red roses

Silver ice bucket

52 short wooden skewers

U pins

2 blocks of floral foam

Floral tape

Sheet moss

Fresh greenery such as cedar, seeded eucalyptus, or fir

Soak floral foam in water; do not cut foam into segments. Skewer each apple on a wooden rod, by sticking the pointed end into the bottom of the apple, but not piercing all the way through. Place one block of floral foam into ice bucket and insert four wooden skewers into the top. Attach other block to this one by pressing it down on top of skewers and securing with floral tape (tape from one side of the ice bucket to the other, running the tape over the top of the foam block, and then criss-cross.) Cover the floral foam with sheet moss, using U pins to attach. Starting at the bottom, attach skewered apples to the foam, one right next to the other. Continue in this manner until you have enough rows of apples to completely cover the floral foam. Stick bunches of greenery into floral foam into the gaps between the apples on the bottom row. If roses are very tightly closed, blow into the center of the bud, and then gently separate the petals with your fingers, to give a garden rose appearance. Cut rose stems very short, stick the roses into the top of the foam block, and intersperse with greenery.