The Dixie Dish

People ask me all the time if our apple cake is really my great-grandmother’s recipe , and I can resoundingly say— yes, it absolutely is . I’ll never share the recipe (that’s staying in the family vault), but I can tell you this: it’s been made with love, laughter, and just a touch of chaos across generations, and every bite feels like home . Growing up, we didn’t have the means to buy Christmas gifts for friends, neighbors, or coworkers. Instead, my mom would spend days baking apple cakes to share. It was a true labor of love , and she often drafted us kids into service to peel, slice, or mix —though most of the “helping” turned into squabbles over who got to lick the bowl or the beater . Even when we were sent off to bed, I’d wake to the smell of cinnamon and apples and hear Mom quietly swapping cakes in the oven at 2 a.m. She had the sharpest internal alarm clock I’ve ever known. That smell— warm apples and cinnamon —would fill the whole house. To this day, it’s the kind of scen...

Gatorfest 2025 lit up Silverton, Colorado this summer with music, Cajun food, and the unforgettable burning of  Big Al . Hosted at the legendary  Columbine Roadhouse in Silverton , the festival drew locals and visitors alike for a weekend packed with community, flavor, and tradition.  This year’s 40-foot wooden gator was decorated in full Mardi Gras colors—bold purple, green, and gold—with a giant big-top hat and beads hanging from his paws. He was the centerpiece of the weekend and the symbol of letting go, with a “troubles slot” in his belly where folks slipped in worries and regrets to be burned away. Friday and Saturday featured live music from the South Austin Moonlighters , whose soulful harmonies and tight rhythms filled the mountain air. Festival goers jumped into stick horse races and cherry stem tying contests, laughing and cheering under the San Juan sky. On Sunday , the tradition continued with the crowning of gator royalty before the grand finale. As the sun...

If you’ve ever wandered past a big purple trailer in the mountains, caught a whiff of spicy Cajun boil in the air, and heard a little zydeco mixed with laughter, chances are you’ve found The Purple People Feeder . Our grand opening included 6 inches of snow. That’s us — Dixie Farms Crawfish & Seafood . We rolled into the Four Corners with a 40-foot trailer, a head full of Southern hospitality, and pots big enough to feed a small town. Our mission? To bring bold Louisiana flavor to the mountains of Colorado and beyond. From steamin’ crawfish boils to Alaskan Bairdi snow crab feasts , boudin & gumbo to Mawmaw’s Apple Cake , we’ve got something for every appetite. And if there’s a festival, farmer’s market, or live band in sight — we’re probably parked nearby. What You’ll Find Here This blog will be your inside scoop on: 📅 Where we’re headed next – Pop-ups, festivals, and surprise boils. 🍤 Menu spotlights – The stories behind our dishes (and the recipes Mawmaw won’t let ...