But just ask Jack Davis, he will agree that F is for fall, also football and festivals, but most importantly, F is for the fish fry. Not farm-raised fish, but those unfortunate gill-flippers who grabbed the hook early in the morning and found themselves frying in the deep-fryer by 11:00am. That’s a real fish fry.

If you drive Highway 39, north toward Daleville, open the car window and take a sniff, nine times out of 10 there will be an aroma in the air like no other. Yep, Jack is cooking up a fish fry. Folks come from miles around to enjoy the bounty: cat fish, crappie, perch, river cat, bass and whatever was biting at the time. Nothing frozen will ever make it into one of Jack’s famous cooking’s and that’s just the way he wants it.

It was a recent Wednesday morning that hubs and I made our way to Jack’s house. I mean I had marked this significant date on my calendar and checked each day off until the time arrived. A few days prior, Jack had mentioned in conversation that he had enjoyed fishing his special spot and with good luck. He spoke of cleaning the fish which honestly, I sort of tuned out. I don’t need too many of those details, but just call me when they are ready to eat!

A real southern-style fish fry, if you want my definition, is catching, cleaning, frying and eating all in one day. With Jack Davis, he along with special helpers, will do all of the work. We invitees just need to show up with big appetites. No problem!

I have been fortunate to attend several other fish fries down through the years and they have all been good-eating, but most of the time the fish are the “bought-kind.” Jack has always said the catching is more fun than eating and watching his guests enjoy his bounty and generous spirit, is the best of all.

I am reminded of stories, as told by my mother, when the entire Harrison clan gathered on the banks of Tallashua Creek located on the family property line in Newton County. Family Patriarch, William Henry Harrison, purchased the property prior to 1900. It was tradition for the family to gather for special occasions there at the creek bank, especially my great grandmother’s birthday. Paralee Reynolds Harrison enjoyed fried fish, especially as prepared by her family.

Back at that time the morning would be spent baiting hooks and bringing in the bounty. The children would splash in the creek and the women would prepare all of the fish fry trimmings, including hushpuppies, and by 11a.m. the family would sit together right there on the creek bank for the special meal.

Now that’s a southern fish fry and Jack Davis has continued the tradition in a mighty way. We, as deep-south dwellers, should continue our traditions. Those as taught by our kin, generation after generation. If we don’t, who will?

I admit I do enjoy a nice grilled red fish (especially from Weidmann’s) and as well I’ve had smoked salmon and a bit of tilapia on my dinner plate, but when I get really serious with my consumption of fish, well, Jack Davis is my all-time-favorite place.

Oh, and I must mention Betty Davis is Jack’s special assistant. They are the true husband/wife team. Maybe without Betty, the dessert scene would not be as plentiful. Last Wednesday, Betty prepared an amazing blueberry cobbler.

Southern traditions are more than important. They are a way of life, sweet and comforting, nostalgic and never out of style. When we Mississippians forget out past and our grandmas and grandpas, when we count as unimportant the traditions that shaped us into the kind, generous people we must strive to be, it will be a sad day.

So today, allow me to remind all of us that it is the things we learned at the knee of our family that really matters. We must continue to tell those heart-warming stories to our children and grandchildren. And one of those stories will always be Jack Davis and his many community and family fish fries.

Anne McKee is a Mississippi historian, writer and storyteller. She is listed on the Mississippi Humanities Speakers Bureau. See her website: www.annmckeestoryteller.com.