Garden & Gun

Celebrating the best of Southern culture, music, food, style, travel, art, literature, and the sporting life. Plus, lots of good dogs.

Tomato Tales • GROWING—AND RELISHING—ONE OF THE SOUTH’S GREAT SUMMER GIFTS

“I want people to read the article and feel like they have spent time with Lee Smith” • —Silas House, who profiled the author, who’s also his mentor (p. 120)

LETTERS • Find us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter @gardenandgun

Dennis Quaid’s Gospel Truth • SILVER SCREEN, SMALL SCREEN, EVEN YOUR MUSIC STREAM—THE HOUSTON NATIVE HAS THEM COVERED

Bodies of Water • PAINTER CALIDA RAWLES FINDS POWER IN THE POOL

Custom Spread • REPLACING THE PLASTIC DECOYS WITH A FEW HARDWORKING HEIRLOOMS

Reads to Savor • NEW BLUE-RIBBON SOUTHERN COOKBOOKS WORTH A SPOT IN THE KITCHEN

Bully for Bison • A RESTORED OKLAHOMA TALLGRASS PRAIRIE OFFERS A BLUEPRINT FOR HERITAGE HERDS

Is It Okay to Give Our Season Tickets to Opposing Fans for a Game?

Turning It Up • RHIANNON GIDDENS CONJURES FEMALE HEROES ON HER FIRST SOLO ALBUM IN SIX YEARS

Banana Nana • CHEF ROB MCDANIEL CHANNELS WARM BANANA PUDDING MEMORIES

Vine to Brine • TRANSFORM GREEN CHERRY TOMATOES INTO BEAUTIFUL AND VERSATILE “OLIVES”

AI on the Rocks • A CHATBOT MIXES A SOUTHERN COCKTAIL—WITH SURPRISING RESULTS

Trash to Treasure • A LOVE CONGEALS OVER A LONG-DESPISED PISTACHIO-PUDDING SALAD

Sublime Seafood • AT PÊCHE, ONE OF NEW ORLEANS’ FINEST FISH HOUSES, NICOLE MILLS EXPANDS THE PALATE

Tending a Dream • WHEN THE FARMER-FLORIST DEE HALL COULDN’T FIND A SOURCE FOR LOCALLY GROWN FLOWERS NEAR NORFOLK, VIRGINIA, SHE PLANTED HER OWN

Sole Kitchen • CHEF TRAVIS MILTON SERVES UP A MOUTHWATERING BATCH OF AIR JORDANS

Everything All at Once • LAYER YOUR RING, BRACELET, AND NECKLACE COLLECTIONS TO TELL A STORY ALL YOUR OWN

River Song • IN THIS NANTUCKET-MEETS-LOWCOUNTRY COTTAGE, THE NATURAL WORLD DRIVES DESIGN

Dude’s Last Hunt • A MARINE SAYS GOODBYE TO A LAB WHO WAS THERE FOR IT ALL

Flesh and Bone • DESCENDANTS OF INDIGENOUS TRIBES CONNECT AT GEORGIA’S OCMULGEE MOUNDS

Rules of Rural Etiquette • FINGER WAVING, GROCERY GREETINGS, AND OTHER ESSENTIALS

Party Like a Chef • HOST A FIRED-UP TAILGATE, STANDOUT BRUNCH, OR FLAVORFUL COCKTAIL HOUR WITH THESE MENUS AND SECRETS FROM SOME OF THE SOUTH’S MOST WELCOMING CHEFS

The Big Wild • THERE’S NO OTHER PLACE ON EARTH QUITE LIKE ALASKA, THE GREAT LAND, WHERE FISHING EXPEDITIONS FOR ITS RENOWNED TROUT AND KING SALMON STILL COME WITH BUSH PLANES, EPIC VIEWS, BROWN BEAR SIGHTINGS, AND THESE DAYS, PLENTY OF LUXURY, TOO

Save The Last Shag • FOR ALMOST a CENTURY, ONE DANCE HAS CAPTURED the SPIRIT of the CAROLINA COAST and BEYOND. FOLLOW ALONG with THREE GENERATIONS of the FREE FAMILY as THEY PIVOT, BELLY ROLL, and BOOGIE WALK to KEEP the TRADITION ALIVE

THE BOLD AND GENEROUS SPIRIT OF LEE SMITH • Across her fifteen novels—among them Appalachian classics and a recent road trip tale set partially in the Florida Keys—no one has tapped into Southern truths quite like the Virginia-raised author. Just ask the legion of writers who praise her for guiding their own stories

Top of the Morning • RISE LIKE A REGULAR FOR THESE LOCAL-FAVORITE BREAKFAST JOINTS

Vermont Calling • TUCKED INTO COOL MOUNTAIN FOOTHILLS, MANCHESTER BECKONS WITH A BREAK FROM SOUTHERN HEAT

The Southern Agenda • GOINGS-ON IN THE SOUTH & BEYOND

Walking on theWild Side… • …OF NEW ORLEANS’ FRENCH QUARTER