The most delicious and moist King Cake I have ever tasted is from Paul’s Pastry Shop in Picayune, Mississippi. The bakery’s slogan is “The Biggest Little Bakery in South Mississippi.” Picayune (population: 16,000) is approximately 45 minutes northwest of Biloxi, 45 minutes from New Orleans, and one hour from Hattiesburg, so its King Cakes and other delectable bakery treats are well known in South Mississippi and Louisiana. Paul’s Pastry Shop is two hours from Mobile, home of the first Mardi Gras celebration (not New Orleans, contrary to popular belief).

Brimming with holiday ideas from delicious menus and decorating inspiration to easy hostess hints and gifts made by hand, “Christmas Cottage Cookbook” is sure to make your season enchanting.

When the “Christmas Cottage Cookbook” arrived at my cottage, I interrupted my long Christmas to-do list, prepared a cup of Mocha Mint coffee with White Chocolate Mocha creamer, and plopped down in a comfortable chair by a cozy fire. You will want to do the same thing when you read this book.

Dr. George Pimentel serves as President of Jackson State Community College in Jackson, Tennessee. Before joining Jackson State in July 2020, he was the Vice President of Academic Affairs for Volunteer State Community College in Gallatin, Tennessee.

According to tailgating enthusiast Taylor Mathis, “You’ll understand why a game day in the South is unlike any other” when you read his cookbook, “The Southern Tailgating Cookbook: A Game-Day Guide for Lovers of Food, Football, and the South.”

Everyone dreams of hosting unforgettable soirees: the kind where candles and a fireplace create the perfect ambience, delicious canapes are passed, Champagne glasses clink, and the sound of laughter fills the air. In her first book: You’re Invited: Classic, Elegant Entertaining, Los Angeles-based hostess extraordinaire Stephanie Booth Shafran shares her secrets for perfect parties and takes the art of entertaining to new heights. From the table settings to the décor to the color-coordinated menus, every party she hosts showcases a myriad of inspired elements.

Several years ago I was a guest at LuLu’s, which was then located at Weeks Bay a short distance from the Grand Hotel Marriott Resort, Golf Club & Spa in Point Clear, Alabama where I was a guest. LuLu’s was a tiny dilapidated dive with lots of boats nearby and a bait shop. When you opened the door to the restaurant, you could smell the hamburgers. From the deck you could see beautiful Weeks Bay, and the sunsets were spectacular, much like in Key West, where LuLu and her husband have a home. “It was such a special place,” says Lucy Buffett of her first restaurant.

Debra Prinzing is a regular contributor to the “Los Angeles Times,” “Cottage Living,” “Better Homes & Gardens,” “Fine Gardening,” “Sunset” and other magazines. She lectures frequently on garden and design topics. She lives in Los Angeles.

Today’s shed is not your grandfather’s tool house. Rather, it is a canvas for a fabulous space, and it may serve as a yoga studio, guesthouse, playroom, writing nook, entertaining enclave, or any other kind of hideaway space you can think of. Sheds are, in fact, a great way to add a room to your house without undergoing a big renovation.