If you were fortunate enough, you might have known Chef Paola Bugli, the room chef (casino talk for head chef) at Stalla, the Italian place at the Beau Rivage. She is a great chef and an interesting person, and I was sorry to see her sail away to Las Vegas.

Mississippi is well known for its genuine hospitality, and that is precisely what you will get when you visit the Southern Sisters of Laurel, owned by true Southern sisters Suzanne Williams and Sandy Williams Hanna.

Because when I go to my favorite Mississippi eatery, I usually wish I had hidden a small sandbox shovel in my purse. Seriously, I could eat myself silly at Crave. And I am not alone in my estimation of this award-winning gem of a dessert destination.