Dining With Delia Jo

There's really nothing in the world quite like the feeling of coming home. For me this year that's especially true, for more reasons than you might realize. 

Less than a two-hour drive down I-65 from Nashville (my home again for the last 9 months) is my hometown of Huntsville, Alabama. Known by most people as "Rocket City USA"  for its U.S. Space & Rocket Center and huge role in the space program, Huntsville became Alabama's first incorporated town in 1811, though the recognized "founding" year of the city is 1805 - the year of John Hunt's arrival.

In the 1950s, Huntsville was known as the "watercress capital of the world", but thanks to Dr. Wernher von Braun and his team of rocket scientists Huntsville has been forever transformed into a place recognized for its place in the space program and also for its incredibly smart people.

But for me, it's a lot more than that. Born at Huntsville Hospital and raised mostly in the rural north …

August marks the seventh year that eateries throughout Madison County, Alabama have participated in Huntsville Restaurant Week, a 10-day celebration of the fast-growing Alabama city's local cuisine. Located a mere hop, skip, and a jump (see also: just less than 2 hours) south down I-65 from Music City, Huntsville, Alabama is a small town escape from the weekend hassles (read: Bachelorette parties) that Nashville now brings.

Over 55 restaurants participate in the annual event, (this year it takes place from August 10-19, 2018) offering special menu items at fixed prices for lunch and/or dinner. Each restaurant hopes to showcase their own unique specialties and local flavor, attracting locals and out-of-towners to dine around Rocket City, USA.

Alabama's Restaurant Week and Huntsville's Restaurant Week overlap, so you could technically make a whole thing of this and dine your way across the entire state. Go north to south and end up on the beach, relaxing (#sweethomealabama,…

Come for the cuisine - linger for the camaraderie.

That's the phrase that resonated with me while visiting Lake Charles, Louisiana, which is celebrating its 150th year as a city in 2017. Just a short 55-minute flight from DFW, the city boasts a rich, family-taught culinary culture that is evident in every bite you eat (more on that later).

Originally a lumber-centric town, Lake Charles is now the fastest growing city in Louisiana thanks to their booming energy and hospitality industries. Port Lake Charles is the 11th-busiest port in the US; a deepwater seaport used to move goods ranging from agricultural food products to aluminum, steel, and petroleum.

The town has overcome a number of her own struggles, including a massive fire that destroyed its downtown area in 1910, a huge hit from Hurricane Rita in 2005, and a large-scale oil spill in 2006. These trials have served to strengthen the neighborly and compassionate culture in Lake Charles, making them stronger than ever.

The cha…