What prompts this week's line

of thought was a visit last Friday night to Mac's Steak and Barbeque restaurant

in Warm Springs.

I frequently pick up an order

of barbeque and Brunswick stew when I am over that way and bring it home

to eat with fresh light bread (that's plain old white loaf bread from

the grocery, but fresh is the key and Sunbeam Old Fashioned is our family

favorite).

This time we didn't go to Mac's

for the barbeque. We went for a steak and it was good, too. On a scale

of one to 10 I'd give the steaks an eight. But it was/is the ambience

at Mac's that sets the place apart. Laid back. Easy. When we walked in

for this most recent dining experience, it was to the sound of a Jim Reeves

tape playing in the background. Frequently, there's live music in the

spring, summer and early fall.

Other special dining spots

for Friday night? The Barn over on the Barnsville Highway just north of

Thomaston offers a country seafood bar that Daniel and I like. Yep, there's

a difference in a big city seafood buffet and one done country style.

We like both, but country wins out most of the time.

Of course, if laid back country

doesn't thrill you, it's hard to beat the Friday night seafood buffet

at Callaway Gardens Inn for excellent food and service presented in a

somewhat elegant Southern setting.

For Sunday dinner, I have two

favorite spots. The Concord Cafe (in Concord) is awesome. The vittles

there are almost comparable to those spread before us many years ago at

my mother-in-law's table when all the kids would come home. Three or four

meats. Several casseroles. Eight or 10 vegetables. Salad bar. Two or three

breads. Tea and coffee and at least eight desserts to choose from. All

this for ten bucks! The restaurant looks like something left over from

way back when, and the food will take you way back when!

My other Sunday choice is the

Bullock House in Warm Springs. It's a bit like having Thanksgiving dinner

any Sunday you choose, and the fried green tomatoes cannot be beat. I

especially like to walk out the door and browse around the plant nursery

next door. No nicer setting exists than Warm Springs for "walking

it off" before crawling back in the car to head home.

When I'm in Peachtree City,

I like to have lunch at The Italian Oven. I love their bread and salad

and several menu items have become favorites. In Newnan, Gus's is always

a good choice. In Fayetteville, The Village Cafe remains my pick. In Jonesboro,

it's Butch's. In Stockbridge, the only place I eat is the Eagle's Landing

Pharmacy soda fountain. I'm sure there are other great places, I just

like old fashioned soda fountains!

What really prompted this line

of thought was a recent week-long stay in Savannah where dining choices

can be mind boggling. Three places to which I will assuredly go again

if the opportunity presents itself are The Toucan Cafe, River House (on

River Street), and The Delivery Room (two locations). Oh, and Savannah's

Candy Kitchen on River Street offers multi-flavored pralines that defy

description, and they let you taste before buying!

My all time favorite place

to eat is in my own home. Almost anything. Anywhere. On the back or front

porch, at the dining table or kitchen bar, sitting on the sofa or floor

or hearth in the living room, any available spot in my office. I love

to have fresh bread baking and filling the whole house with the aroma.

I like chicken any way it can be prepared. I especially like to cook chicken

and dumplings, and turnip greens. Of course, anything fresh from the garden

is always appreciated!

My second favorite place to

eat is on the tail gate of Daniel's truck. Sardines in mustard sauce and

saltines always hit the spot. He likes those little fish steaks in hot

sauce. We both prefer iced tea and take it with us wherever we go.

Years ago Daniel gave me a

red canvas bag on which was written "a loaf of bread, a jug of wine

and thou beside me in the wilderness ..." I suppose good company

goes a long way to making any food, or the setting in which it is consumed,

memorable and worth sharing with others.