It's a Southern Thing
A holiday gift guide that's decidedly Southern
Brian Woodcock
TABLE: Cast-Iron SkilletReal Southern cooking starts in a cast-iron skillet, a vessel that retains even heat whether you’re baking cornbread, braising quail, or frying chicken. And the finest ones are made by the oldest cookware foundry in the country, Lodge Cast Iron, in the mountains of Tennessee. The company’s Logic line is preseasoned to create a glossy heirloom patina right out of the box. As long as you remember to never, ever wash it with soap, the skillet will last a lifetime—and then some. $34;
lodgemfg.com
Brian Woodcock
TABLE: Side Dish and Porridge Bowl
These rustic, unpretentious pieces from Alabama potter Tena Payne offer a refreshin
Brian Woodcock
TABLE: Tray
Equal parts pretty and practical, this magnolia leaf silver-plated tray with antler handle by Tennessee ar
Brian Woodcock
TABLE: Cocktail Napkins
The Austen monograms on these cocktail napkins—which look like something out of your grandmoth
Brian Woodcock
TABLE: Dinner-Party InvitationThe designers at Charleston, South Carolina’s Sideshow Press are bringing the art of letterpress back in high style, printing designs like the Stag, this festive dinner-party invitation, the old-fashioned way. $25 for ten;
sideshowpress.com
Brian Woodcock
SPORT: Kayak With its glossy black finish and handsome wood detailing, the new limited-edition Commander 120cx from South Carolina’s Wilderness Systems is one sleek inshore machine. Made from a tough but super lightweight composite material called Innegra S (the same stuff used in Formula One race cars), the twelve-foot kayak/canoe hybrid weighs just forty-three pounds—minus the cushy removable seat—so you won’t throw your back out getting it into the water. The Commander also features a secondary seat molded into the rear deck that provides an elevated vantage point while fishing. And for fly fishermen, it’s plenty stable to stand in. Fair warning: Only twenty-five of these concept boats will be made to order, though if you’re not one of the lucky few, the standard Commander 120 makes a fine, if slightly heavier, substitute. $5,000;
wildernesssystems.com
Brian Woodcock
FOOD: GranolaEven if you can’t swing a trip to Tennessee’s Blackberry Farm, you can get a little taste, thanks to a new line of mail-order foods that includes Chef Josh Feather’s famous granola. $14;
blackberryfarm.com
Brian Woodcock
FOOD: Crepe Cake The founders of the Charleston (South Carolina) Crepe Company came up with this addictive confection made of twenty-five layers of crepes and chocolate pastry crème topped with chocolate ganache. $50;
charlestoncrepecompany.com
Brian Woodcock
FOOD: Cheese Straws
We don’t want to start a ruckus, but these cheese straws from North Carolina’s Salem Kitchen (based on a seventy-five-year-old recipe) are the best we’ve ever tasted—lightly salted with a sharp kick. $15 a pound; 800-481-1923
Brian Woodcock
FOOD: Shelled PeanutsLike soda from a glass bottle, homegrown peanuts out of a burlap bag just taste better. We’re partial to the ones from Aunt Ruby’s, a family-run operation in Enfield, North Carolina. $11 for a five-pound bag;
auntrubyspeanuts.com
Brian Woodcock
HOUSE: Throw Pillow Rebecca Vizard searches the world for antique textiles and brings them back home to her Louisiana workshop, where she and her team at B. Viz Design cut and sew them into beautiful one-of-a-kind pillows and more. $885 and up;
bviz.com
Brian Woodcock
HOUSE: Kindling North Carolina–based Longleaf Lighter Company offers sustainably harvested fatwood perfect for quickly stoking a long-lasting burn—and for giving as holiday presents. $19 for a ten-pound bag;
kindlin.com
Brian Woodcock
HOUSE: Baskets These antique reproduction baskets from the designers at Georgia-based Vagabond Vintage work well for keeping firewood tidy, hunting stuff organized, or blankets in reach. $295 for a set of two;
mothology.com
Brian Woodcock
HOUSE: Mirror Add the organic texture of oyster shells to any room with a few of these twenty-inch-square mirrors from Atlanta-based Currey & Company. They look great clustered on a wall or holding votives in the middle of a long table. $310;
curreyandcompany.com
Brian Woodcock
STYLE: Tie A burnished gold and brown stripe gives the Skinny Heirloom Striped tie from Alabama menswear designer Billy Reid the classic appeal of suits from the turn of the twentieth century. $85;
billyreid.com
Brian Woodcock
STYLE: Gloves The more you wear these wild boar and lamb napa leather gloves from Arkansas designer Martin Dingman, the better they’ll look. Another stylish bonus: They’re lined in cashmere. $250;
martindingman.com
Brian Woodcock
STYLE: Jeans These Lincoln jeans by North Carolina denim designers Sarah and Victor Lytvinenko were inspired by traditional American work wear, but they’re great for relaxing in too. $275;
barneys.com
Brian Woodcock
STYLE: Overnight Bag Pack your gear in the Benedict, this hard-wearing duffel from Moore & Giles, a luxury leather-goods company based in Lynchburg, Virginia. $575;
mooreandgilesinc.com
TRAVEL: Travel Trailer Anybody who recognizes that a lumbering mega-RV may not be the best way to get back to nature will appreciate the compact quality of the Woodie from Silver Tears Campers in Roanoke, Virginia. The brainchild of furniture maker and designer John Davis (who simply got tired of sleeping on the ground when he went camping and fishing), the Woodie follows the same efficient design of the aluminum teardrop trailers popular in the ’40s and ’50s—except it has seemingly unlimited options for customization and the exterior is paneled in mahogany and ash, a nod to the mid-century “woodie” genre of cars. Our favorite part? The open galley kitchen in the back, which allows you to whip up a proper meal in whatever far-flung location you decide to set up base camp. $16,500;
silvertearscampers TABLE: Cast-Iron SkilletReal Southern cooking starts in a cast-iron skillet, a vessel that retains even heat whether you’re baking cornbread, braising quail, or frying chicken. And the finest ones are made by the oldest cookware foundry in the country, Lodge Cast Iron, in the mountains of Tennessee. The company’s Logic line is preseasoned to create a glossy heirloom patina right out of the box. As long as you remember to never, ever wash it with soap, the skillet will last a lifetime—and then some. $34;
lodgemfg.com
From crepe cakes to limited-edition kayaks, we bring you some of the best things to come out of the South since Elvis and hush puppies
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