My favorite meal of all time is Cornbread, fish and Collard Greens, and my husband – Chef JD – is the ONLY one who can whip it up to my liking. It’s a taste of the south that was introduced to him and me through our grandmothers (Florida Blue was my grandmother and Ruby Jackson was his grandmother- both were from Alabama).

When dinner’s cooking…as I’m walking in the door from work…the aroma immediately takes me back to my childhood. The emotion attached to this meal is so strong that it almost brings me to tears. I hug my husband and thank him every time he chooses to make this dish for dinner. Its pure heaven

The cornbread (which is really called corn pones because it’s made with yellow cornmeal, then fried as small patties), is fried so that the outside is crispy and the inside is soft and seasoned to taste. The Collard Greens offer up a fresh, tantalizing flavor of Chef JD’s secret seasoning (also known as “Pot liquor” by southerners). And the fish (which is usually Catfish) is seasoned to taste and fried up in Chef JD’s secret batter.

The combination of these three foods, prepared by my husband, Chef JD, makes for a soul-satisfying experience. It takes you back to a time when fun, family and friends was a priority in our society. Your taste buds begin to dance the dance of angels and sing the song of saints. I find myself humming and laughing out loud when I’m indulging in this magnificent meal.

I wish I could share it with the world.