Friday brought another lunch adventure at the office — this time a trip to Bogue Chitto to try brisket and Cajun pasta with the Bogue Chitto Boys.

These “you’ve got to try the …” lunches have been a highlight of the past couple of months, as co-workers and new friends have introduced me to their favorites — from pork chop lunches to chicken salad to burgers — in Brookhaven and surrounding areas, and I’ve learned to navigate the roads and find the local favorites in a new hometown.

Like any newcomer, I’ve asked advice from nearly everyone I meet: “Where do you go for dry cleaning? What’s your favorite take-out place? Where do I go to get these grey roots covered up?”

Like gracious hosts, everyone has been more than happy to share their insights. And let’s be honest, locals’ favorites are always the best.

That’s why I’m so excited for the upcoming Best of Southwest Mississippi Awards, launching in May.

This recognition program, sponsored by Brookhaven Magazine and The Daily Leader, recognizes and honors the best our community has to offer – from car dealers to insurance agents, hamburgers to breakfast biscuits, plumbers to caterers. Each year, we invite you — our readers — to nominate the people and business you believe deserve recognition, and then we celebrate and reward those winners.

The response is overwhelming, and this year I’m excited to say we’ve listened to your feedback and expanded the opportunity for recognition of our business by moving to a digital platform and creating both a nomination round and a voting round.

The 2021 Best of Southwest Mississippi contest is hosted at www.dailyleader.com.

Beginning May 1, you can log onto the site and enter your nominations for the “best” in hundreds of categories: professional services, health and wellness, pet services, weddings, food and drink, and shopping and entertainment. The nominations remain open through midnight May 31, and you can come back each of those 31 days to share your nominations.

The top five nominees in each of the categories will advance to the voting round, which opens July 1, and at that point you’ll have the opportunity to cast your votes for the best in each of the categories.

And, because only the top five nominees in each category will advance to the voting round, it will be crucial that you be sure to log on and nominate your favorites — because your voice is the key to selecting our community’s best. And we know that many previous winners will be fiercely defending their titles and counting on your support.

Besides, I’m counting on you all to help this newcomer learn the locals’ insights into the best of Brookhaven and Lincoln County.

Stacy G. Graning is general manager of The Daily Leader. Contact her at stacy.graning@dailyleader.com.