Jackson, Miss.: BBQ and caramel cake

A recent visit to Jackson gave me a chance to pick up a couple of my favorite carry-out items:

1. A pulled-pork sandwich from the Hickory Pit bbq (Hickory Pit, 1491 Canton Mart Road, Jackson; 601-956-7079) was excellent, though the mild sauce that accompanied it was a little too assertive for its own good. I really do like my BBQ almost plain so that I can taste the smokiness & the meat with not much in the way. Cole-slaw was good, too: crunchy and not at all mayonaissey, and flavorful but mild enough that if you wanted to doctor it up with your own salt and pepper, you could. The potato salad was close to mashed-potato-salad but had the requisite tang, so I was happy. My dining companions enjoyed their chopped brisket sandwiches, and I liked my sample enough to order it the next time I’m in Jackson. I guess I’ll have to get that AND the pulled pork.

2. Caramel cake from Primos (Primos Cafe & Bake Shop, 2323 Lakeland Drive # A, Flowood; 601-936-3398) was great. This signature item from Primos is a yellow cake with caramel icing, and I’ve discovered that the key is to cut your slice thin. (We usually get a whole cake at a time.) It is a really sweet cake, and if they’ve overloaded it with icing, well, just one slice can be overwhelming and you just might have to go lie down for a while 'til it wears off. So, moderation, okay?

Susan