I left Jackson in 2008 and knew I'd miss it. I'd miss the people, the music, the arts scene, the Crossroads Film Festival, the parades, Hal & Mal's—all of that. But fortune sent me west to settle near San Diego, in what the natives call the South Bay, a multicultural swath between the big city and Tijuana, Mexico. For all of its dynamism, its culture and its multifaceted personality, this whole area—in fact, much of San Diego—leaves me thinking about some of the best things in Jackson that I miss most.
I
have woken up in the middle of the night craving a burger. Not just any
burger, but a huge Stamps turkey burger. I haven't eaten beef in over a
decade, but I love a good turkey burger. For my money, that's the best
there is, particularly if you include the sweet potato fries. I'm told
that Stamps is now Cool Al's. I don't know if it's the same, but I do
know that it would be the first or second place I'd eat if I came back.
Here,
just north of Mexico, tamales are as common as tacos and served by the
dozen. They're traditional: pork or chicken wrapped in masa and served
in cornhusks—boring. I want tamales served up Mississippi-style, smaller
and spicier and crafted from cornmeal and Delta blues. I want it served
up with pico de gallo, sour cream and sweet-corn sauce. I want tamales
from Walker's Drive-In. I don't care what else I get there; it's all
wonderful. But I want tamales with it.
