Sometimes the tastiest foods are served fresh from a truck.  Whether you are craving chocolate, savory BBQ or simply a hot dog, our Mississippi Food Truck Trail has you covered!  Here are a few of our favorite spots across the state.

Happy National Zoo Day!  Mississippi is home to the beloved Jackson Zoo, nestled in the heart of the capital city.  Many Mississippians carry fond memories of the zoo, and it is hard to believe the Jackson Zoo will celebrate 100 years in 2019! 

EJ Rivers of the Jackson Zoo says, “Our focus this year is really trying to spotlight the connection between the planet and the people on it.  We are teaching about conservation, animal extinction, and recycling.  We want to reconnect people with little things they can do at home to better our world!”

The Jackson Zoo has several incredible events coming up that you will not want to miss!

Saturday, April 9th – JSU Day!  From 10:00am until 1:00pm, the Jackson Zoo will be celebrating everything about Jackson State University!  JSU adopted the zoo’s Sumatran Tigers, and students, alumni and families will be enjoy visiting the JSU Tiger Exhibit, a pep rally for JSU including the JSU band and mascot, and kids will love a bounce house and activities! 

On the evening of April 9th, the Jackson Zoo staff will be at the Mississippi Braves game!  The first 250 people to enter the game will receive two free passes to the zoo!! Plus, the MS Braves players will sign their limited edition Jackson Zoo jerseys, which will be auctioned off during the game.

Saturday, April 16th – CU at the Zoo!  Join the Jackson Zoo and the Credit Unions of Mississippi for a fun day filled with crafts, activities, giveaways and of course, animals!  The first 2500 guests will receive free admission! 

Saturday, April 23rd – Party for the Planet and Zoo Day Celebrations!  Sponsored by United Healthcare Community Plan of MS, this will be a wonderful day at the zoo!  Crafts, bounce houses, face painting, special animal encounters, and keeper talks are just part of the fun.  Organizations around the state will share their resources about living more sustainably within our communities. 

“We are about to hit our centennial in 2019.  For almost 100 years, the Jackson Zoo has represented the entire world right here off of 220 and West Capitol Street.  We have been caring for animals and people in the community for a long time,” smiles Rivers.  “We bring the joy of people, animals and the world close to home.  We have never stopped.”

We highly recommend following the Jackson Zoo on social media!  Click here to view their Instagram account.  It features impressive animal photographs taken by the zookeepers themselves!  Click here to “Like” their Facebook page, or follow them on Twitter here!  You can also visit their website at www.jacksonzoo.org

All animal photos courtesy of the Jackson Zoo's Instagram account!  We hope to see you at the Jackson Zoo!

An Evening to Remember:  Dinner Inspired by a Sunset Flight

Aviation is a passion for Daniel Wile.  His mother, Sissie Wile, says, “It is so important to our family.  It started with my husband, Fred, whose favorite hobby is flying airplanes.  My son, Daniel, spent a lot of time at the airport with my husband and earned his pilot’s license at a very young age.”

When it came time to plan Daniel’s rehearsal dinner the evening before marrying Anna Allred, Daniel chose the perfect location:  an airplane hangar in his hometown of Meridian.  

The talented team behind Pretty Presentations converted the hangar into an enchanting venue. Guests were greeted by two of the family’s planes, beautifully adorned with flowers.  Sissie says, “We stayed outside and watched a gorgeous sunset. As we moved to dinner, the hangar became very romantic after dark.  The planes had floor lights beaming from them, and it was completely magical.”

Inside, the hangar was dressed with blue flowers, inspired by the sky on a spring evening.   “We draped the entire hangar, adding a touch of softness against the concrete floor,” reflects Sissie.  Tables were assigned according to airport codes throughout the state of Mississippi, and guests were seated near airports meaningful to them.  Family and friends also feasted on tiny chocolate planes after a delicious dinner.  

“Our rehearsal dinner was incredibly unique.  I was immediately captured by the idea of using the hangar, knowing how important flying is to Daniel and his family,” gushes Anna.  “The hangar was transformed into a truly spectacular setting.”

Vendors:
Venue: Southern Cast Products, Inc.
Photography:  Gamble Martin Photography
Rentals:  Pretty Presentations Rentals
Florist:  World of Flowers
Catering & Bar:  Pretty Presentations Catering
Lighting:  Davaine Lighting

Did you know that yesterday was officially National Pillow Fight Day?  For the second year in a row, Inspiration Mississippi is excited to turn this quirky holiday into something quite extraordinary.

We are honored to partner with The Salvation Army of Jackson, Sal & Mookie's New York Pizza and Ice Cream Joint, Broad Street Baking Company and Cafe and BRAVO! Italian Restaurant and Bar for our annual Pillow Donation Day.  THIS Saturday, April 9, during lunch and dinner, Sal & Mookie's, Broad Street Bakery and BRAVO! will be accepting new pillows to be donated to The Salvation Army of Jackson!  We are so inspired by The Salvation Army's belief in "Caring for the poor. Feeding the hungry. Sheltering the homeless. Clothing the naked. Loving the unlovable. Befriending the friendless."

As an added bonus, these three tasty restaurants will be offering 10% off of your meal with a pillow donation!  Giving someone in need a comfortable pillow – and a discount at your favorite eatery?  Pillow Donation Day sounds like a holiday worth celebrating to us!

We hope to see all of you THIS Saturday, April 9, at Sal & Mookie's, Broad Street Bakery or BRAVO! Italian Restaurant & Bar!  Let’s join these three restaurants and The Salvation Army and embrace their passion for transforming the lives of countless Mississippians.

For more information on Sal & Mookie's, please click here!  You can visit Broad Street's website here, or click here to check out BRAVO!  To learn more about The Salvation Army of Jackson, please click here.

A special thank you to Caitlyn Sullivan for capturing the amazing photograph!

{Blog by Mitchell Walters}

Tomorrow, people from around the world will gather in downtown Belzoni, Mississippi, to celebrate the 41st annual World Catfish Festival!  Over 10,000 people are expected to attend the family-friendly event, featuring arts and crafts, live music, a 5K run/walk and of course, a catfish eating contest. 

In honor of this lively Delta event, we are excited to feature Mississippi's own Simmons Catfish, one of the top producers of catfish in the world!

As Mark Twain once wisely declared, “The catfish is a plenty good enough fish for anyone.”  Thanks to the fertile land blanketing the Delta, Mississippi has become the top producer of one of the most wholesome foods in the country: the catfish.  For over thirty years, a family-owned and operated company in Yazoo City has dominated the catfish farming industry by raising, harvesting, processing and distributing flavorful, clean catfish. 


Growing up on a handsome Delta farm, a young Harry Simmons dreamed of one day becoming a farmer.  “This was a farming community and everyone worked in some type of agriculture,” recalls Harry.  After graduating from college with a degree in Agricultural Economics, Harry eagerly returned to his roots.  “I used a small piece of land that my dad gave me, purchased an additional 500 acres, and began farming.”  Today, Harry works and lives on much of the same land that sparked his passion as a boy.  

In 1974, Harry grew his first crop, cotton and soybeans, which produced an impressive, healthy harvest.  However, the next year’s crop was a disappointment, and Harry sought economic stability.  He laughs, “So, I began thinking about catfish.”  Farming catfish was a new phenomenon in the Delta, and Harry was intrigued.  “With the type of land that I was farming, catfish seemed to be the best thing to produce.  My land has an abundance of water, and its clay-type soil holds water well.”  Simmons Catfish was born. 

Harry began stocking his first catfish ponds in 1978, and by 1982, his business was flourishing!  “That’s when we created the Simmons Farmed Raised Catfish Processing Plant and began processing and selling our brand.  We started selling locally at first, then branched out across the country,” says Harry.  Simmons Catfish quickly became known for its exceptional quality and taste.  “When we started, we hoped to process about 20-25,000 live pounds per week. Now, we process around 75-100,000 live pounds daily,” says Harry.

Often called the “super fish,” catfish is a low-cholesterol, high-protein source of heart-healthy Omega 3 fatty acids, offering 100% of the daily requirement for energy boosting vitamin B12.  Willard Scott of the Today Show even famously proclaimed, “If I go down for anything in history, I would like to be known as the person who convinced the American People that catfish is one of the finest eating fishes in the world.” 

The Simmons Catfish farm is located in the heart of the Delta, and their exquisitely clear ponds are supplied from spring fed aquifers found 100 feet below the soil, promising a product that is safe for the environment and a sustainable food source.  Simmons Catfish feeds their farm-raised fish a mixture of grain, protein and vitamins, giving their catfish its signature taste – delicious, clean and fresh. 

The Simmons love of catfish does not end with Harry.  His daughter, Katy Simmons Prosser, is a remarkably talented chef.  Trained at The French Culinary Institute (now known as The International Culinary Center), in New York City, Katy spent seven years working in the competitive food industry.  In October 2012, Katy joined her father at Simmons Catfish, and immediately created a brand new Marketing division.  She has developed an attractive website, featuring everything from recipes to Simmons Swag, and Katy successfully reaches clients and potential customers through social media.  She also wows coworkers with her culinary skills.  Katy laughs, “Since our office is in the middle of nowhere, we are usually cooking something all of the time!” Harry says with awe, “Katy has been able to strengthen our brand and reach more people than I certainly would.  I am so pleased to have her here!”

Katy is devotedly carrying the family business into the future.  She says, “We are very excited about what’s in store for Simmons Catfish.  The consumer seems really interested in learning more about local farm-to-table companies and knowing where their food comes from these days.  We hope to build on this excitement and make sure catfish continues to be the staple food of the south for many generations to come.”

There is no doubt Harry is delighted with Katy’s work and her innate enthusiasm for Simmons Catfish.  “I am just encouraged that some of our younger generation is willing to get into the farming and agricultural community,” Harry admits.  “As a family enterprise, I am so happy to have Katy involved.  I also have a nephew who manages the farm at the plant.  I am hoping they can continue this business if they want to.  We will continue to grow our brand, a brand known for good quality and honest, dependable packing, service and delivery,” says Harry.  “I look forward to them taking charge and continuing to pursue growth in the company as we have for the past 30 or more years.” 

This dedicated family and their loyal team are committed to producing “Flavor fresh from the pond to your plate.” Katy says warmly, “Most Mississippians have very fond memories of growing up around a catfish fry with family, and I hope they feel a sense of pride that this southern dish comes from their home state.” 

For more information on Simmons Catfish, please visit their website here!  Also, a special thank you to Adam + Alli Photography for the wonderful photographs!