Winter has finally arrived and the Southern Cultural Heritage Foundation is heating things up with a winter soup workshop.

“What could be better that a hot bowl of soup on a chilly night,” executive director of the SCHF Stacey Massey asked, and for those interested in learning new recipes with seasonal ingredients, Lisa and John Martin, owners of Martin’s At Midtown, will lead the workshop scheduled from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Jan. 27 at 1302 Adams St.

The soup workshop will also focus on interesting flavor combinations, Massey said.

Recipes that will be demonstrated during the workshop will include Golden Three Cheese Soup, Creamy Butternut Apple Soup, and Tuscan Lentil Soup. Participants will also have the opportunity to sample all the delicious variations, Massey said.

On Feb. 8 the Art of Thai Cooking: A Beginner’s Workshop will be led by Lucy Priddy and Wipawi Vanadit-Ellis. The class will run from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. and participants will learn authentic Thai home cooking, which will include its flavors, simple techniques, and traditional recipes.

“You will learn how to cook authentic versions of some of the most popular recipes using ingredients found at local grocery stores,” Massey said.

The cost of each of the cooking workshops is $30 for SCHF members and $35 for nonmembers. Space is limited and reservations are required

Other upcoming events scheduled at the SCHC include the Raise the Roof Talent Search & Competition.

“The deadline to register is Feb. 12 and entry categories will include voice, music, dance, drama and comedy. The contest is open to individuals and groups and cash prizes will be awarded to each category winner. Category winners will compete for the overall cash grand prize of $1,000,” Massey said.

Entry fees for the fundraiser, geared to helping support the roof rehabilitation of the facility, are $10 for individuals and $30 for groups of 3 or more.

Preliminary competition will begin at 6 p.m. Feb. 20 and semi-finals will begin at 2 p.m. Feb. 21.

“All category winners will come together and compete for the overall cash grand prize during the final completion,” Massey said, which is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. Feb. 27.

All competitions will be held at the SCHC auditorium.

Admission for each show is $15 for adults, $5 for ages 6 to18 and free for ages 5 and younger. At 6 p.m. Feb. 25, a presentation and booksigning by Pulitzer Prize-winning photojournalism professor, Alysia Burton Steele will be held in the convent chapel of the SCHC.

The University of Mississippi professor’s book, “Delta Jewels: In Search of My Grandmother’s Wisdom,” is a collection of oral histories and photographs of African American church mothers from the Mississippi Delta.

In a press release, Steel stated the it was “the emotional pull to reconnect to her grandmother’s wisdom and her African-American heritage,” that prompted her to set out on this project of recording the oral histories of women from her grandmother’s generation. Since its release, Steel’s book has been entered into the Library of Congress.

Also in attendance with Steele will be the director of the Mississippi Delta National Heritage Area and the Delta Center for Culture and Learning, Dr. Rolando Herts.

Herts nominated Steele for the Preserver of Mississippi Culture Award from the Mississippi Humanities Council, an award she has been selected to receive.

For more information on all events, call 601-631-2997 or email info@southernculture.org.