Antebellum Elegance And Southern Hospitality
Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2013 4:33 pm
While we’ve been spared some of the ferocity of winter that has blanketed other parts of the United States with a thick covering of snow, here at the American Queen Steamboat Company’s Memphis headquarters, we also are eagerly awaiting spring. One of our favorite months is March when electric green leaves once again begin to cover mighty elms and oaks, baskets of colorful flowers hang from porches, daffodils and tulips poke their blooms through ferns and bushes in gardens throughout the South, and a delightful hospitality spreads as quickly as the warm sunshine across the landscape.
Our 9- and 10-day March riverboat journeys on the grand American Queen are getting a lot of attention right now as snowbound would-be travelers are looking ahead to longer days, balmy temperatures and the elegance of antebellum plantation homes, cobblestone streets and opportunities to make new friends.
All of our March voyages provide the opportunity to explore Natchez, the grand dame of Southern towns. During Spring Pilgrimage, the owners and caretakers of magnificent historic mansions open their doors to visitors, but for us there is one home that stands apart from the rest. Twin Oaks is a stunning Greek Revival-style home that was built in 1832. Surrounded by several acres of meticulously maintained gardens, both the mansion and the landscape around it truly flower each spring.
Twin Oaks is symbolic of the history, legend and warmth of not just Natchez, but all the towns and cities we visit across the South as we travel between New Orleans and Memphis every March. Though now lovingly restored, the plantation home was once used to house Federal troops during the Civil War and has been home to characters ranging from Lewis Evans, a Mississippi Territory lawman, to Cornelia Connelly, the founder of the Society of the Holy Child Jesus, an international community of Catholic women.
Today, the six-room bed and breakfast is owned by acclaimed Southern Chef Regina Charboneau who also serves as the American Queen’s Culinary Director. After an extensive renovation, Chef Regina opened Twin Oaks to the people of Natchez and the guests of the American Queen. She operates a cooking school for those so inclined and hosts afternoon teas and dinners. In addition to being a beloved part of the Natchez Spring Pilgrimage, Twin Oaks is also a star during the holidays with its elaborate Christmas decorations.
As part of a Premium Choice Tour, the American Queen’s guests can enjoy an intimate afternoon at Twin Oaks with Chef Regina herself. Elegance abounds as guests are entertained in grand Southern style with a personal guided tour of her home, followed by champagne cocktails and a buffet of seasonal sweet and savory treats. During the course of the afternoon, Chef Regina shares her secrets on how to make some of her favorite seasonal dishes and tips on how to entertain effortlessly.
What guests notice most is that Chef Regina hosts from her heart. She once said that she had Mississippi River water running through her veins and no matter where she traveled, she always wanted to come home to Natchez. And after making a name for herself in Alaska as well as the San Francisco restaurant scene of the 1980s and 1990s, she did just that. Her San Francisco restaurant, Regina’s, was a favorite haunt of celebrities such as Shirley MacLaine, Lily Tomlin and Patti Labelle. In 1995, her Biscuits & Blues nightclub was acknowledged as the best blues club in America.
Clearly, Chef Regina knows a thing or two about cooking and entertaining.
One of the joys of sailing on the world’s largest riverboat is the fabulous cuisine, courtesy of Chef Regina. Visiting her in her home and sampling her culinary talents as she explains the nuances of how each item is created is a perfect complement to the dishes served aboard the American Queen. The Mississippi River regions offer a plethora of ingredients to work with such as sustainable fish and seafood, farm-raised quail, free-range chicken, artisan cheese, pecans, honey, wild rice, sweet corn, stone-ground corn meal, grits and an abundance of fruit and vegetables. Incorporating cherished family recipes, Chef Regina has recreated many American classics that beg for a modern twist while all menus are prepared just as they were meant to be with the best ingredients available.
The history of the South, the lure of the Mississippi River, the spring blossoms along the streets of Natchez, and the genuine warmth of Chef Regina Charboneau are all part of what makes a March voyage on the elegant American Queen such a treasured memory. We’re willing to bet that for the last few minutes while reading this blog that you’ve forgotten all about winter. We invite you to look ahead to spring with the American Queen Steamboat Company. Choose from our 9- and 10-day journey between New Orleans to Memphis on March 1, 8, 15, 23 and 30, 2013. Naturally, each journey includes our signature complimentary one-night luxury hotel stay in either New Orleans or Memphis before your journey begins.
Our 9- and 10-day March riverboat journeys on the grand American Queen are getting a lot of attention right now as snowbound would-be travelers are looking ahead to longer days, balmy temperatures and the elegance of antebellum plantation homes, cobblestone streets and opportunities to make new friends.
All of our March voyages provide the opportunity to explore Natchez, the grand dame of Southern towns. During Spring Pilgrimage, the owners and caretakers of magnificent historic mansions open their doors to visitors, but for us there is one home that stands apart from the rest. Twin Oaks is a stunning Greek Revival-style home that was built in 1832. Surrounded by several acres of meticulously maintained gardens, both the mansion and the landscape around it truly flower each spring.
Twin Oaks is symbolic of the history, legend and warmth of not just Natchez, but all the towns and cities we visit across the South as we travel between New Orleans and Memphis every March. Though now lovingly restored, the plantation home was once used to house Federal troops during the Civil War and has been home to characters ranging from Lewis Evans, a Mississippi Territory lawman, to Cornelia Connelly, the founder of the Society of the Holy Child Jesus, an international community of Catholic women.
Today, the six-room bed and breakfast is owned by acclaimed Southern Chef Regina Charboneau who also serves as the American Queen’s Culinary Director. After an extensive renovation, Chef Regina opened Twin Oaks to the people of Natchez and the guests of the American Queen. She operates a cooking school for those so inclined and hosts afternoon teas and dinners. In addition to being a beloved part of the Natchez Spring Pilgrimage, Twin Oaks is also a star during the holidays with its elaborate Christmas decorations.
As part of a Premium Choice Tour, the American Queen’s guests can enjoy an intimate afternoon at Twin Oaks with Chef Regina herself. Elegance abounds as guests are entertained in grand Southern style with a personal guided tour of her home, followed by champagne cocktails and a buffet of seasonal sweet and savory treats. During the course of the afternoon, Chef Regina shares her secrets on how to make some of her favorite seasonal dishes and tips on how to entertain effortlessly.
What guests notice most is that Chef Regina hosts from her heart. She once said that she had Mississippi River water running through her veins and no matter where she traveled, she always wanted to come home to Natchez. And after making a name for herself in Alaska as well as the San Francisco restaurant scene of the 1980s and 1990s, she did just that. Her San Francisco restaurant, Regina’s, was a favorite haunt of celebrities such as Shirley MacLaine, Lily Tomlin and Patti Labelle. In 1995, her Biscuits & Blues nightclub was acknowledged as the best blues club in America.
Clearly, Chef Regina knows a thing or two about cooking and entertaining.
One of the joys of sailing on the world’s largest riverboat is the fabulous cuisine, courtesy of Chef Regina. Visiting her in her home and sampling her culinary talents as she explains the nuances of how each item is created is a perfect complement to the dishes served aboard the American Queen. The Mississippi River regions offer a plethora of ingredients to work with such as sustainable fish and seafood, farm-raised quail, free-range chicken, artisan cheese, pecans, honey, wild rice, sweet corn, stone-ground corn meal, grits and an abundance of fruit and vegetables. Incorporating cherished family recipes, Chef Regina has recreated many American classics that beg for a modern twist while all menus are prepared just as they were meant to be with the best ingredients available.
The history of the South, the lure of the Mississippi River, the spring blossoms along the streets of Natchez, and the genuine warmth of Chef Regina Charboneau are all part of what makes a March voyage on the elegant American Queen such a treasured memory. We’re willing to bet that for the last few minutes while reading this blog that you’ve forgotten all about winter. We invite you to look ahead to spring with the American Queen Steamboat Company. Choose from our 9- and 10-day journey between New Orleans to Memphis on March 1, 8, 15, 23 and 30, 2013. Naturally, each journey includes our signature complimentary one-night luxury hotel stay in either New Orleans or Memphis before your journey begins.