When we had our son, Wagner, my entire church and most of our coworkers kept our bellies full and our freezer stocked for nearly three months. We had cassaroles, salads, fruit, cold-cuts, rolls, cakes, venison burgers… oh, and PIES. So good pies. This was the most wonderful gift we could have been given, especially since we were sleep deprived, cranky, and barely functional. It’s a tradition that’s not unique to Mississippi for people to “fix you something.” All over the south, when someone has a baby, or someone gets sick, or someone’s family member dies, food appears on the doorstep with prayers and love. It’s the most amazing thing. I’ve had people send love (also known as food) when my own grandmothers and grandfather died, and as my mother was battling (and winning) lung cancer.
Food comforts in ways that words can’t in certain situations. My favorite thing to take in situations where comfort food is called for is chicken and dumplins (it also happens to be one of my favorite things to eat in the world, so I figure it’s probably everyone else’s, too, right?) They are warm, and fill your belly, and just right. Honestly, “fixing you something” is this incredible act of love and hospitality that is one of my most favorite things about our south.
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