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Wednesday, October 12, 2022
The 2022 Arkansas State Fair Food Guide.
Everything you need to know about dining at the Arkansas State Fair, but were hesitant to ask, can be found in my annual guide to all the fair fare - fantastic, favorites and the just plain freaky. Bookmark this page to find the best midway meals and extraordinary eats during the ten days of Arkansas's largest food event.
Labels:
#arkansasfood,
#arstatefair,
2022 Arkansas State Fair,
2022 Arkansas State Fair Food Guide,
Arkansas State Fair,
Arkansas State Fair Food Guide
Wednesday, September 7, 2022
Taking the Waters: A Morning at the Buckstaff Bathhouse in Hot Springs.
An experience guests a hundred years ago could enjoy is still available to you today, in the original building (and tubs!) where folks have been enjoying a soak in the pure thermal waters of Hot Springs National Park since 1912. The Buckstaff Bathhouse's offerings will leave you relaxed and ready for more adventure in the Spa City.
Labels:
Buckstaff Bathhouse,
Hot Springs,
Hot Springs Arkansas,
Hot Springs Bathhouse Row,
Hot Springs thermal waters,
spas in Hot Springs Arkansas,
taking the waters,
what is it like to
Tuesday, June 7, 2022
With Crazy Fresh Oysters, Shrimp, Crab and Crawfish, Bozo's Ain't Clowning Around.
What started out as a little bait-and-grocery on Pascagoula's south side has grown into an establishment that draws crowds, food lovers and journalists - a dependable spot for fantastic locally-caught and harvested seafood, po'boy sandwiches and such. We drop in at Bozo's Grocery and Seafood for a Sunday morning bite.
Labels:
#TieDyeTraveling,
#visitmississippi,
Bozo's Grocery and Seafood,
Bozo's Seafood,
fresh seafood,
fried crab claws,
fried oysters,
fried shrimp,
Gulf seafood,
Mississippi restaurants,
Pascagoula MS,
seafood
Friday, November 26, 2021
The Last Remaining Breaker Wheel Meals, A Fast Food Joint Where You Ordered by CB Radio
Once a hundred restaurants strong, there's just one remaining Breaker Wheel Meals in Arkansas - a lone holdout thriving near downtown Monticello.
Labels:
Arkansas classic restaurants,
Arkansas dairy bars,
Breaker Drive-Inn,
Breaker Wheel Meals,
drive in,
Monticello AR,
nostalgia,
Polish
Wednesday, October 27, 2021
Home of the Love Burger: Troy's Drive In in DeWitt.
There's nothing like a flame-broiled burger - and when the flames get this high, you know you're getting something special. Let's visit DeWitt's classic dairy bar.
Labels:
Arkansas burger,
Arkansas burgers,
Arkansas dairy bars,
best burgers in Arkansas,
DeWitt,
Love Burger,
Troy's Drive In
Wednesday, October 13, 2021
The 2021 Arkansas State Fair Food Guide.
After the 2020 hiatus, the Arkansas State Fair is back with panache in 2021, with so much amazing and delightful fair eats to enjoy. Here's the definitive list of what's back, what's new and what's awesome - from the singular expert on our state fair food bounty.
Monday, September 20, 2021
Arkansas Dairy Bars: Neat Eats and Cool Treats, ready for pre-order now.
Coming October 5th, you'll be able to order your own copy of Arkansas Dairy Bars: Neat Eats and Cool Treats, the culinary travel guide to all 94 of The Natural State's currently operating homegrown dairy bar establishments. Here's how to order your copy.
Wednesday, August 25, 2021
The Day The Beatles Came to Town - Jack Allison's Polar Freeze.
Jack Allison passed in 2019. I'm sharing this bit of history in advance of my new book, Arkansas Dairy Bars: Neat Eats and Cool Treats, which will be released September 28th, 2021. Please check out the accompanying documentary of the same name on Arkansas PBS.
Jack Allison has it made. Every day he wants to, he goes in to work at a restaurant he founded in 1958. He gets to sit down with his friends, who come by for coffee or a morning milkshake, and he gets to chew the fat with them. He smokes hams and makes burgers and when he wants to take off for a day or a week, he can do that.
Labels:
arkansas,
Arkansas dairy bars,
Arkansas food,
Jack Allison,
Walnut Ridge
Sunday, August 1, 2021
A New Film: Arkansas Dairy Bars
Ice cream, and something more - a delightful, nostalgic array of restaurants all over Arkansas keep a tradition going, safely, during a pandemic age. A business model that already allows social separation while feeding into the need for comfort food, continues to thrive here. Come join me as I explore our state, seeking out the stories of our local dairy bars and sharing them with you. You'll certainly get hungry watching what's to come.
Labels:
#ArkansasDairyBars,
Arkansas dairy bars
Thursday, April 22, 2021
Strawberries in Arkansas - Ponderings and 11 Recipes for Strawberry Pie.
The first fulfilled promise of an Arkansas spring is the bright, tart bite of strawberries. Even when frost complicates our willy-nilly vernal awakening season, the promise of the sweet, sumptuous berries brings even the most deeply hibernated food lover out from under coats and blankets to rejoice in the beginnings of a beautiful, bountiful Natural State harvest.
Labels:
#arkansaspie,
Arkansas strawberries,
strawberries,
strawberry celebration,
strawberry history,
strawberry pie,
strawberry pie recipes,
strawberry shortcake
Thursday, December 31, 2020
Five Picnics and Parks in DeSoto County, Mississippi.
Looking for a great place to enjoy a good meal outdoors at the top of Mississippi? Here are five parks to consider - along with great eats you can easily and safely pick up and enjoy.
Labels:
@visitdesotocounty,
#barbecue,
#DetourInDeSoto,
#DiscoverDeSoto,
#DistancingInDeSoto,
#MaskUpMississippi,
#OnlyInDeSoto,
#VisitMSResponsibly,
#YallAreWelcomeHere
Monday, November 30, 2020
A Bite of Arkansas: A Cookbook of Natural State Delights - A New Book.
When the pandemic response took me off the road and off the job of covering Arkansas's highways, byways and pieways in March, I was lost. Every assignment, speaking engagement and appearance evaporated in the course of a week. In my worry, I turned to cooking. The memories evoked in a white tile kitchen in Little Rock brought me back around to another facet of my life I could share - dishes I grew up on and discovered throughout my life, right here in The Natural State.
Here's the foreword for my new book, A Bite of Arkansas: A Cookbook of Natural State Delights, plus ordering information.
Sunday, November 29, 2020
43 Tables: An Internet Community Cooks During Quarantine.
What happens when a pandemic forces food lovers to stay home for a while? Cooking commences. And when it happens to my internet community, books happen. Come take a look inside this unusual cookbook created with recipes from 43 contributors.
Labels:
Quarantine Cuisine
Wednesday, September 16, 2020
Delectable, Authentic Dishes at La Media Luna in Johnson.
A marvelous stand-out in a land bursting with Mexican restaurants, La Media Luna adapts to this uncertain era while serving up incredible, excellent and fresh fare in northwest Arkansas.
Labels:
#arkansasfood,
Arkansas food,
Arkansas Mexican restaurants,
Johnson AR,
La Media Luna,
Mexican food
Monday, September 14, 2020
Cypress Social Provides a Tasty Escape From Urban Life.
Labels:
#arkansasfood,
#cypresssocial,
cocktails,
Cypress Social,
Delta food,
destination dining,
North Little Rock restaurants,
seafood
Monday, May 11, 2020
What We've Lost: Glenwood Tea Room in Shreveport.
The pandemic claims another restaurant worth visiting. Glenwood Tea Room, an antique shopping experience with a marvelous eatery within, officially closed in May. Here are my remembrances of a January 2020 visit.
Labels:
#louisianafood,
closed restaurants,
Glenwood Tea Room,
scones,
Shreveport eats,
Shreveport LA,
tearoom,
tearoom experience in Shreveport
Wednesday, March 25, 2020
Quarantine Cuisine, or So I Found a Turkey in My Freezer.
How many meals for three can you make out of one 12 pound turkey? Let's talk turkey for a while. Recipes included.
The COVID-19 quarantines are affecting us all - and frankly, it's no time to travel. With restaurants on a pickup only basis and social distancing a requirement, I'll be turning Tie Dye Travels to stories and to recipes, food tips and the like for the duration. I have been quarantined since March 12th and will likely continue for the next four to five weeks. Please enjoy these ideas.
The COVID-19 quarantines are affecting us all - and frankly, it's no time to travel. With restaurants on a pickup only basis and social distancing a requirement, I'll be turning Tie Dye Travels to stories and to recipes, food tips and the like for the duration. I have been quarantined since March 12th and will likely continue for the next four to five weeks. Please enjoy these ideas.
Labels:
#arkansasfood,
cooking challenge,
Quarantine Cuisine,
turkey
Quarantine Cuisine: Crock Pot Turkey Tetrazzini.
If you like chicken spaghetti or delight in starchy, creamy comfort foods, this recipe utilizing turkey or chicken along with dried and canned goods from your home will be a recipe you'll want to savor, share and save.
Labels:
#arkansasfood,
Quarantine Cuisine,
recipe,
tetrazzini,
turkey,
turkey tetrazzini
Quarantine Cuisine: Parmesan Turkey Rice.

Quarantine Cuisine: Turkey and Black Bean Enchiladas.
So much of what I've been doing with this simple roasted turkey is to demonstrate what you can do when you keep a pantry and use it to come up with different dishes. After all, it's hard to get tired of turkey if you have plenty of ways to use it.
And this dish - literally thrown together with leftover bits, is one of our favorites, even though the end result was a little ugly.
And this dish - literally thrown together with leftover bits, is one of our favorites, even though the end result was a little ugly.
Quarantine Cuisine: Crock Pot Turkey Pot Pie.
A home-style classic you can make from turkey (or any poultry, or even ham if you want) that takes a while to cook but is utterly worth it.
Hunter is now singing "Turkey Pot Pie" to the tune of Paul McCartney and Wings' "Live or Let Die."
Hunter is now singing "Turkey Pot Pie" to the tune of Paul McCartney and Wings' "Live or Let Die."
Quarantine Cuisine: On the Subject of Broth-Making.
For those of us who remember the pot on the back of the stove going for hours or even days in our youth, I ruminate on what goodness may come when one chooses to use the bones of a beast.
Labels:
#arkansasfood,
broth,
turkey broth
Quarantine Cuisine: Turkey Cashew Apple Salad.
A good cold dish you can make and eat off of for day? How about a nice turkey salad? Give this one a shot.
Labels:
#arkansasfood,
cold salad,
Quarantine Cuisine,
recipe,
turkey,
turkey cashew apple salad,
turkey salad
Quarantine Cuisine: What's in Your Pantry?
Our parents, grandparents and their forebearers all kept pantries of food items that could be called upon to feed their families. Though modern times have lead to less filled pantry shelves, keeping one is a marvelous idea, especially for when you're stuck at home. Here are my thoughts on how and what to keep in yours.
Labels:
pantry,
Quarantine Cuisine
Tuesday, February 18, 2020
This Garage Getaway in Rogers is All About the Automobile.
Check out this Cool Place to Stay in Arkansas, literally a garage apartment for one or two, just blocks from downtown Rogers. A great place to stay when you're tired - or exhausted!
Pardon the puns.
Video included.
Pardon the puns.
Video included.
Labels:
#visitarkansas,
AirBNB,
Car Lovers,
cool places to stay,
cool places to stay in Arkansas,
Rogers Arkansas
Monday, February 17, 2020
Wesner's Grill, The Oldest Restaurant in Benton County, Arkansas.
Breakfast, lunch and pie - hallmarks of our great diners here in Arkansas. Let's check out the oldest such establishment in the most northwestern of counties in our state, and have a bite of breakfast, too.
Labels:
#arkansasfood,
Arkansas breakfast,
Arkansas's oldest restaurants,
Benton County,
breakfast in Arkansas,
corned beef hash,
gravy,
Rogers Arkansas,
Wesner's Grill
Sunday, January 12, 2020
Arkansas Classic Black Angus Forced to Seek New Home.

The longstanding burger and steak joint that has served Little Rock since 1960 is looking a new place to move after the new owners of the building decide to have the eatery move out.
Labels:
#DineLR,
Arkansas burgers,
Arkansas Food Hall of Fame,
Arkansas's most famous burgers,
Black Angus,
Classic Eateries of Greater Little Rock,
Little Rock eateries,
Little Rock restaurants
Tuesday, January 7, 2020
New Girl Scout Lemon-Ups are a Happy Tie to the Past.
What, am I seriously going to write about a cookie? Why yes, yes I am. Because this year's new cookie from the Girl Scouts takes me back to my favorite cookie of all time - the Jackson Jumble.
Labels:
Girl Scout cookies,
Girl Scout Diamonds,
Jackson Cookie Company,
Jackson Jumbles,
Jackson Lemon Jumbles,
Lemon-Ups
Thursday, November 21, 2019
102 More Things to Eat in Arkansas Before You Die.
There's too much good food in Arkansas to limit oneself to just 101 dishes to try. In my new book, 102 More Things to Eat in Arkansas Before You Die, I'll take you to even more places where extraordinary edible creations can be devoured. And you can order yours to arrive before Christmas.
Friday, November 1, 2019
Good Pho Your Belly, Good Pho Yo Soul - A Texarkana Treat.
For Vietnamese food lovers in southwest Arkansas, the offerings have been few and far between. Fortunately, Pho Yo Soul Kitch-Inn delivers on favorites and some of the best pho you might ever encounter.
Labels:
#arkansasfood,
chicken,
pho,
Texarkana,
Texarkana AR,
Vietnamese
Thursday, October 31, 2019
Godsey's Grill Songbird Smokes Some Excellent Wings.
A trip to Jonesboro could include these excellent, full sized chicken wings, if you find yourself ready to dine on the north side of town. The Godsey's burger is pretty decent, too. I just miss the peanut butter pie.
Labels:
#arkansasfood,
Arkansas burger,
burger,
Chicken Wings,
Godsey's Grill,
Jonesboro
Wednesday, October 30, 2019
Getting the Whole Hog, or Some of It, on the Table.
Whole Hog Cafe has received nationwide renown for its smoked meats and selection of sauces. Here are some of my thoughts on this giant of Arkansas barbecue.
Labels:
#arkansasfood,
barbecue,
BBQ,
beef brisket,
brisket,
macaroni and cheese,
stuffed potato,
Whole Hog Cafe
Tuesday, October 29, 2019
In Praise of Gas Station Sushi... Sort Of.
You''ve heard the punchline before - an admonition never to eat sushi from a gas station. But what if it was actually good? This one time, I'm willing to give it a shot. Let's visit Pine Bluff Hibachi Express.
Labels:
#arkansasfood,
gas station sushi,
hibachi,
monkey brain,
Pine Bluff,
Pine Bluff Hibachi Express,
sushi
Friday, October 25, 2019
So... What Now?
This is just a brief post to let everyone know that changes are in store. Tie Dye Travels has been the root of my efforts over the years, and I'm so glad to be able to look at these 1200+ articles and see not only how much has been covered, but how my writing style has changed, my photography has improved, and the ways food culture and Arkansas's restaurant world has evolved these past 12 years.
There is SO MUCH right now... so much that I tapped the brakes a little on my upcoming book, 102 More Things to Eat in Arkansas Before You Die, which will now arrive in Novembe. So much I'm not ready to share... for business reasons. So many decisions to make.
But I'm still researching, and I'm behind on sharing all that amazing stuff. We're talking stories of just over 100 restaurants at this point, as well as some musings here and there.
To that end, I'd like to hear from you. I have for some time contemplated moving into podcasting. I have the equipment and I think I have some interesting stories to share, plus so much material in interviews and whathaveyou. On the other hand, I tend to be a visual consumer of information, and I haven't spent much time with podcasts yet. Are you hungry for a Tie Dye Travels (or another name) podcast? Or are you hankering for more Tie Dye Travels?
One way or another, this site is due for an overhall, and I'm looking for suggestions there as well. So if you have them, I have an email address and a comments section ready for you.
I am very, very excited about what's to come, especially some new projects in 2020, and when the time comes that I can share, I'll be sharing like gangbusters. For now, thank you so much for your appreciation and support over all these years.
Kat Robinson
There is SO MUCH right now... so much that I tapped the brakes a little on my upcoming book, 102 More Things to Eat in Arkansas Before You Die, which will now arrive in Novembe. So much I'm not ready to share... for business reasons. So many decisions to make.
But I'm still researching, and I'm behind on sharing all that amazing stuff. We're talking stories of just over 100 restaurants at this point, as well as some musings here and there.
To that end, I'd like to hear from you. I have for some time contemplated moving into podcasting. I have the equipment and I think I have some interesting stories to share, plus so much material in interviews and whathaveyou. On the other hand, I tend to be a visual consumer of information, and I haven't spent much time with podcasts yet. Are you hungry for a Tie Dye Travels (or another name) podcast? Or are you hankering for more Tie Dye Travels?
One way or another, this site is due for an overhall, and I'm looking for suggestions there as well. So if you have them, I have an email address and a comments section ready for you.
I am very, very excited about what's to come, especially some new projects in 2020, and when the time comes that I can share, I'll be sharing like gangbusters. For now, thank you so much for your appreciation and support over all these years.
Kat Robinson
Wednesday, October 9, 2019
The 2019 Arkansas State Fair Food Guide.
All the eats, from the staples of cotton candy, funnel cakes and corn dogs to the extravagant, weird and just plain unusual - right here in your handy internet guide. Bookmark this page to use the entirety of the Arkansas State Fair.
Labels:
#arstatefair,
2019 Arkansas State Fair,
2019 Arkansas State Fair food guide,
Arkansas State Fair,
Arkansas State Fair food,
Arkansas State Fair Food Guide,
crazy state fair foods
Tuesday, October 8, 2019
What'll Be New at the 2019 Arkansas State Fair? Some Speculation.
Each year vendors vy to see who can come up with the strangest, tastiest and most popular new food at the Arkansas State Fair. For over a decade I've shared those treats with you, and given you insight on where to find your best value in funnell cakes, corn dogs and cotton candy. Here's what I believe is coming to this year's fair.
Friday, August 16, 2019
Order 101 Things To Eat in Arkansas Before You Die.
My latest book, 101 Things To Eat in Arkansas Before You Die, comes out August 22nd. Click here to learn more about this book and to order your signed copy.
Wednesday, July 31, 2019
Quick Bite: Cancun Mexican Restaurant in Jacksonville.
Good, relatively inexpensive Mexican food can be found in the former Mexico Chiquito location off Main Street in Jacksonville at Cancun Mexican Restaurant - especially during the all-you-can-eat lunch. Let's check it out.
Labels:
#arkansasfood,
Cancun Mexican Restaurant,
cheap Mexican food in Arkansas,
Jacksonville AR restaurants
Thursday, May 30, 2019
Lum and Abner, an Arkansas Original.
Before Martin and Lewis, before Abbott and Costello... there was Lum and Abner. The pair were voiced by two Mena natives - Chet Lauck, a banker - and Norris "Tuffy" Goff, who worked in the family grocery business. The show they created would become a beloved part of American life for nearly a quarter of a century. Here's more on Arkansas's early claim to radio fame.
Labels:
Abner Peabody,
Chet Lauk,
early radio shows,
KTHS,
Lum and Abner,
Lum Edwards,
Mena,
Norris "Tuffy" Goff,
old time radio,
Pine Ridge
Saturday, May 4, 2019
A Bobby Burger, a Plate Lunch and Pie at Bobby's Cafe in North Little Rock.
The excellent diner near the Morgan Maumelle exit off Interstate 40 offers a good breakfast, great lunches and the enormous Bobby Burger. And of course, there's pie.
Labels:
#arkansasfood,
#arkansaspie,
Another Slice of Arkansas Pie,
Arkansas burgers,
Arkansas food,
Arkansas Pie,
Bobby's Cafe,
diner,
Maumelle,
North Little Rock,
North Little Rock restaurants,
plate lunch
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