Father’s Day is this Sunday, June 16, and to be honest, it kind of slipped up on me.
If you are like me, you are probably scrambling for a great gift idea. So let me share my list of Five Favorite Mississippi-centric gifts to give the fathers in your life. (You can thank me later)!
1.Indianola Pecan House is home to “The Original Praline Pecan. But that’s not the only goodie they offer, not by far. They have a wide variety of flavors and products to buy for your special guy this Father’s Day. Along with all the delicious pecan goodies, you will find lots of sauces, marinades, and dressings for the next time he wants to grill. Grab him some jams, jellies, and preserves for a great Father’s Day breakfast. Or purchase a gift tin or basket filled with his favorite sweet and savory snacks. Whatever he loves, find it and more at pecanhouse.com.
2. For the fisherman in your life, check out Cliff Pace’s Black Label Handmade Balsa Baits. A Bassmaster Classic Champion and MLF Pro tour winner who has been crafting his own lures since high school, Pace still hand paints and tunes every bait that leaves the Black Label Balsa shop in south Mississippi. To see his amazing array of lures, go to woodbaitcountry.com. Also, keep an eye open for a full account of this Mississippi craftsman in a future article here at Our Mississippi Home.
3. So … they might not readily admit it, girls, but most men love a little pampering as much as we do. Emma Wilder Farm near Seminary, Mississippi, has just the gift! Owners Kimberly and Barry Broome raise Nubian milk goats and keep a honeybee apiary at the farm. And they sell their Mississippi-made products at emmawilderfarm.com, where you can find a variety of bath soaps for Dad as well as face and body products made from goat’s milk. While you’re at it, buy your handsome honey a little raw honey and some beeswax beard balm.
4. If your favorite father is a true carnivore, then nothing could surpass the gift of a really good steak. And just in case you have not heard, the Mississippi Beef Council awarded Jason’s Southern Table in Kosciusko with “The Best Steak in Mississippi.” Restaurant owner Jason Armstrong had three of his signature steaks – the original ribeye, the fillet, and the “outlaw” steak – nominated for this prestigious award. After several months of anonymous guest judging across the state, Jason’s original ribeye got the win. Check out the award-winning menu online at the Facebook page for Jason’s Southern Table.
5.They say that a man without a knife is a man without a life. But my husband, the father of our two sons, says that a man without a well-made, sharp knife is a man without a life. He should know because he is one of many amazing Mississippi knifemakers. Feel free to look at his handmade knives at kudzukutters.com or search online for his fellow state bladesmiths. They are a tight-knit group of craftsmen who learn from each other, trade knives, and support each other’s businesses. And every single one of them will tell you that your man would love a handmade knife for Father’s Day. But make sure it is made in Mississippi!