happy new year, Greenwood....

John David and I absolutely adore cooking (and more specifically cooking together), and have wanted to visit the Viking Cooking School in Greenwood, MS for some time now.  Since the Delta = duck hunting, we decided to wrap both into one and make a trip of it during hunting season...and what better time to plan a fun trip than New Years? 

We invited our friends Ron and Kel along for the trip, and even Puddin got to ride along (to retrieve all the ducks, of course). 

We arrived in Greenwood on New Year's Eve Eve and checked in here...

Talk about wonderful...this place is amazing!  The bed was so plush and comfy...I almost didn't want to get up for my massage and manicure appointment at the spa the next morning...almost! 

Back to Thursday night, though...after checking in, we walked across the street for the New Year's Celebration cooking school.  The kitchen was incredible...all the pots, pans, utensils, etc. you could ever need and the nicest Viking range ever. 

Becky was our chef/teacher and was the cutest, bubbliest, sweetest thing ever!

She taught us so much!  We cooked a shrimp appetizer, grilled brie sandwiches for our salads...

Chateaubriand (fancy word for steak) with Bearnaise Sauce, which Chams mastered the art of stirring to create...

And for dessert, chocolate creme brulee...all extremely rich and delicious!

The whole cooking school group

We had such a great time cooking and getting to know several great Mississippians!!

While Chams and I were cooking our hearts out, Ron and Kel enjoyed a night out on the town and had a delicious meal (that they didn't have to cook themselves) here..

Chams and I were somewhat jealous when we heard about their meal there...steak, veggies and chocolate meringue pie...for a steal of a deal, too!  We'll definitely be trying it out on our next trip back to Greenwood!

On Friday morning, Kel and I had appointments at the Alluvian spa while the boys hunted.

I'm not sure who had the better time, but I can say that one group was very very tired from getting up way to early for the ducks!!

After meeting back up from pampering and hunting, we had a great lunch at Delta Bistro...

shopped around the great downtown area, and drove around looking at all the great scenery...

This house was in the middle of a huge empty field.  So pretty!

I just love big fields lined with irrigation systems...i know, random.  Reminds me of cotton fields back home in North Alabama.

These are part of the Tallahatchie Flats (as seen in Garden & Gun).  You can actually stay in these houses!

After a checking in at the Hampton (no rooms at the Alluvian for New Years, sadly!), a much needed nap, and freshening, we headed over to celebrate New Year's at Lusco's.

We reserved a booth, and enjoyed lots of great conversation and delicious food! The boiled shrimp appetizer and a steak are a must!  We left with full bellies, and were too tired to ring in the new year anywhere other than the Hampton.

What a wonderful trip to start off 2011!  Good food, good friends, and good times galore!!!  We'll definitely be back to visit the Delta.  Maybe it'd be a good New Years trip tradition....

Happy 2011!!