It’s oyster season, folks. Thank goodness, and Hallelujah! Linda and I kicked off the Thanksgiving holidays by attending a wonderful oyster roast party. There, I met and enjoyed the hard work and delicious oysters provided by Brandon Smith, owner of Grayson Bay Oyster Company, and his “Crafted Emerald Coast” oyster catering business, ECOyster Mobile Raw Bar.

On a drizzly Monday a few weeks ago, we made our way to the new Jesse’s on the Bay just past the Peninsula Golf Club on Ft. Morgan Road. It was Linda’s birthday, and this is where she wanted to celebrate. Reservations were made a few weeks earlier when we stopped on our way home from a day-long boat trip.

I am not much of a Sports girl, I didn't attend big universities with all the Teams, but I am a very good eater and therefore enjoyed my experience with Tammy’s Bar and Grill in Fairhope. A ladies’ lunch at a Sports Bar is a bit of an oxymoron!

Early this year, Laura Stafford, owner and operator of Gourmet Goodies in Daphne, received a call from a man in Pensacola who told her he had eaten one of her homemade Crawfish King Cakes the year before. He was on his way to a party in New Orleans and was wondering if he could swing by and pick one up on his way through town.

Linda and I enjoy discovering new places to eat. It's even better with friends who are knowledgeable about different cuisines and are able to recommend various restaurants. In this case, we were at an event in downtown Mobile and took the opportunity to all meet at Slurp Society Ramen Shop where Von’s Restaurant used to be at 69 St. Michael Street.

A Sunday afternoon drive to pick up friends from Pensacola International Airport resulted in an epicurean pleasure by way of George Bistro + Bar on 9th Avenue in “The City of Five Flags.“ Very close to the airport, I did the right thing by making a reservation because, at 5:30 p.m. on a Sunday, it was bustling!

I caught up with Chris Andrews, owner and operator of Bienville Bites and Taste of Fairhope Food Tours, to discuss his upcoming book release party at The Haunted Book Shop in Mobile on Monday, October 23. Who better to write about the City’s rich culinary history dating back to before the French laid claim to the area?

Many old-timers who grew up in Baldwin County and the surrounding area have fond memories of hanging around Judge Roy Bean’s place. A proverbial “hole-in-the-wall” on a spit of land between Fairhope and Daphne (actually, in Montrose), it was owned by the late Jack West and was the go-to spot for people to gather with friends, play with the resident goat (Billy) in the backyard, listen to music and perhaps rub elbows with Jimmy Buffet, who oftentimes stopped in unannounced.