Something Salty
Every proper cocktail gathering should have salty nibbles for the taking. Exercise Delta hospitality with these five Southern-inspired bar snacks.
By Melissa Townsend

Fried Black-Eyed Peas

Want to flabbergast a flock of foodie friends stopping by for drinks? Serve Chef Lee Richardson’s ingenious fried black-eyed peas served at Capital Bar and Grill in downtown Little Rock—and check their blogs the next day.

1 pound dry black-eyed peas
Enough water or stock to cover peas
1 tablespoon salt
Smoked paprika for final dusting

In a large saucepot, add the dry peas and water to cover the peas by two or three inches. Bring to a boil and simmer for about 15 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon of salt to the water and continue to simmer for an additional 10 minutes. Strain the peas from their liquid and spread them out on a baking sheet. Place the peas in a 200°F oven for 10 minutes to dry them out. The peas may be stored at this stage for up to three days.

To Fry: Heat vegetable oil to 350°F. Fry the peas for about 2 1/2 to 3 minutes. Toss in a bowl with smoked paprika and salt to taste. Serve immediately.

Rosemary Oyster Crackers

Introducing Delta Magazine’s modern take on the seasoned oyster crackers that became popular in the ‘80s. Here, olive oil and fresh rosemary add deeper flavors. So easy and so good!

1 package Hidden Valley Ranch salad mix
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
10 ounces oyster crackers

Mix seasonings, rosemary and olive oil in a jar and shake well until thoroughly blended. Place oyster crackers in a large bowl and pour oil mixture over crackers. Let stand 10 minutes. Mix every 10 to 15 minutes until oil is absorbed. Store in a ziplock or tin.

Toasted Pecans
Buttery goodness. A Southern cocktail party classic always worth repeating. 

4 cups pecans
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon cayenne

Preheat oven to 325°F. In a large skillet, melt butter over medium low heat. Add pecans and remaining ingredients and toss to evenly coat. Spread in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until lightly toasted. Store in an airtight container.

Benton’s Bacon Bow ties

A throwback to ‘50s and ‘60s-era cocktail parties when the humble club cracker cloaked in bacon was always a hit. Bring it back, but raise the bar with Allan Benton’s bacon, the South’s finest (with a cult following), dry cured in Tennessee. Benton’s bacon is both thick and intense, so here it’s rolled thin and trimmed.

1/2 sleeve of buttery crackers
12 slices Benton’s Hickory Smoked Country Bacon*

Preheat oven to 225°F. Lay strips of bacon flat on a cutting board. Place plastic wrap on top of bacon and roll with a rolling pin to make it thinner. Cut off the entire fat side of the bacon and cut each strip diagonally in half. Place a cracker in the middle of each bacon strip with the back of the cracker facing down. Wrap bacon around the cracker, overlapping each side. Place on a baking sheet, cut side down and bake slowly for 2 hours or more, to desired crispness. Transfer to paper towels and cool completely. Store in an airtight container until ready to serve. Best served room temperature.

Pimento Cheese Straws

A revelation! The marriage of two Southern traditions: old-fashioned cheese straws and pimento cheese. These straws are more like delicate Southern pastry, but don’t be intimidated. They’re relatively easy to make, just watch them, as some will be done faster than others. Truthfully, the pimentos don’t add much flavor, but they make for great conversation—and will disappear.

10 ounce jar of diced pimentos or 1/2 cup roasted red bell pepper strips, drained and chopped
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 1/4 cups Crisco shortening
3 tablespoons ice water
3 to 4 dashes of Tabasco
10 ounces extra-sharp cheddar cheese, grated

Preheat oven to 350°F. Drain pimentos and pat dry with paper towels. Finely chop and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, salt, cayenne, pepper; mix well. With a pastry blender, cut in shortening until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add ice water, Tabasco and pimentos. Work in grated cheese by hand until thoroughly combined.

Pinch off a hand full at a time and roll into a ball. On a floured surface, roll out dough to about a 1/4-inch thickness. With a fluted pastry cutter, trim edges and cut into strips of desired length and width. Place on an insulated baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes. Touch each straw to test for doneness and pull out straws as ready. Transfer to a flat surface, season with salt and allow to cool. Store in an airtight tin.