Everyone loves Nola

This recipe - coming to you on a Friday - is our S/O/L/E Food Tuesday installment. It's either late or early, depending on how regular a reader you are. There's a reason that Top Chef was in New Orleans, why we're seeing New Orleans stories popping up here and there. It's almost time for Mardi Gras!

You may think of andouille, tasso ham, crawfish and such. But even if you're vegetarian, you can enjoy good Cajun food.  Good Time Eatin' in Cajun Country is one book that can guide you. (Donna Simón, 1995 Book Publishing Summerton, TN)

And then there are dishes that simply don't require meat, such as Gumbo des Herbes or "Gumbo 'Zerbes" as it's often called, red beans and rice or Calas.

Calas - Fast Recipe, Slow Food, and Historically Significant Food

In honor of Mardi Gras and one of the most delicious cities in the world, I'm bringing you this video clip of New Orleans native, Slow Food icon Poppy Tooker, in a How2Heroes video clip making Calas. In fact, there's a whole Mardi Gras section on H2H.

• Click here to see Poppy and listen to her explain the history of the Calas. Calas are a fritter that's a cross between an arancini and the beignet, perhaps?

This is Poppy doing what Poppy does best: enthusiastically sharing the rich culinary history of the many cultures and peoples that combine to make New Orleans a uniquely American city. (Do take a moment to click on the "About Poppy" link to hear a wonderful story of the moment when an old man tasted one of Poppy's Calas.)

The city born of rich, sometimes tragic history, the essential identity of our nation of immigrants may be more perfectly embodied in New Orleans, than anywhere else in the country. The common thread throughout it's history was the rich food culture that evolved to include influences from African slaves and free men, Spanish and French colonial rulers, as well as immigrant populations that came to this country via New Orleans. Each successive group leaving their indelible mark on the city's food "culcha."

Eat with your Eyes

• See my New Orleans Slide Show here.
• See slides of Food of New Orleans here.
• New Orleans Food & Beverage festivals.

 

• To learn more about Gumbo click here, or how to make Gumbo Step-by-Step click here.

Congratulations to Hungry Mother for Best New Restaurant nomination for 2009 James Beard Award. Hungry Mother is well known for it's Shrimp and Grits which is another typical dish of New Orleans. The dish was featured at the Shrimp and Sazeracs event recently hosted by Hungry Mother, celebrating the fine shrimp of Four Winds Seafood.

 

 

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New Orleans has a rich legacy of music, food, cocktails and literature.

 

This festival for writers and lovers of literature kicks off soon. The 23rd annual Tennessee Williams/New Orleans Literary Festival, March 25-29, 2009. The five-day fete, which celebrates the life and legacy of Tennessee Williams in the adopted city he called his "spiritual home".

The line up looks impressive the cost is relatively low. Good value for all literary types. See the Nola.com coverage of the event's announcement including video clips here.

 

 

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Tailor was kind enough to share this recipe for the lovely and magical Pimm's Pony which, you may recall, cured my ills at the kickoff reception for Tales of the Cocktail.

Ingredients

1 Kirby cucumber, coarsely chopped
2 ounces Hendrick's gin
1 ounce Pimm's
Ice
1 ounce lemon-lime soda

Directions

Puree the cucumber in a blender. Strain the puree through a fine sieve, pressing to extract as much juice as possible. Transfer the juice to a jar with a tight-fitting lid.
In a cocktail shaker, combine the gin and Pimm's. Add ice and shake for 20 seconds. Strain the drink into a tall glass over ice and top with the soda. Vigorously shake the cucumber juice for 30 seconds. Spoon some of the foam onto the drink and serve right away.
 

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But first a word from about our sponsors:

Long-time readers know that I've never had ads on my blog. I abhor the "soulja dancing" refi ads, won't abide dreck like Kraft Singles for the money big Ag would give, and generally don't care for clutter. Then FoodBuzz asked me to be a Featured Publisher and required their sidebar. The sky did not fall.

Then, I got the spiffy new site redesign and a big client skipped out without paying their bill. Ouch. It was a tough couple of months kids. I thought about the possible benefits: keeping the site up and running, keeping my newsletter going out and paying off my patient designer. These things don't come free. Why not revisit this ad sponsor thing? Well, I did.

I am honored to announce three new sponsors which you will see on the sidebar here and two in the newsletter. 

• Tales of the Cocktail
• Wild Idea Buffalo
• Diamond Organics

Each of these are entities I personally and professionally endorse. I've introduced you to them 

• Here - Tales Goes Gamely Goes on Without Me,
• Here - Buffalo It's What's for Dinner Tonight,
• and here - Mail Order Organic Produce.

So I urge you to click on their ads, go to their sites and shop from a vendor you know is endorsed by me. I'm really proud of the fact that I could hand select a group of vendors whom I adore and offer them the opportunity, honored this group said yes! So you can show your support of me, by buying from them. You won't be disappointed. Now, back to our regularly scheduled program...

Are Bartenders the new Celebrity Chefs?

With the surge of interest in pre-Prohibition cocktails and the artisans behind the bar making their own infusions, bitters, crafting new cocktails and gaining new professional credentials, we really have an embarrassment of riches here in Boston. 

Misty Kalkofen @ Drink - one of only a handful of BAR certified mixologists around. This designation is awarded to bartenders who pass a grueling three day examination process and is similar to a Master Sommelier designation for wine. Ms. Kalkofen took the BAR’s five-day Intermediate course (tuition: $3,500), and by passing the grueling exam received the greater of the two levels of certification, BAR-Ready, which recognizes professional-level bartending skills in high-intensity environments, plus broad knowledge of the culture, history and makeup of spirits and cocktails.

Jackson Cannon @ Eastern Standard - as noted in the Chronicle segment linked here (Shake it harder, Mary!), he's been a curator of cocktail history and lore for a long time, makes his own infusions.

Tom Schlesinger-Guidelli @ Craigie on Main - I believe he's making his own bitters and he's also a fan of classic cocktails.

Mixologists, Cocktailians, Bartenders - what's in a word?

I don't know why the word bartender seemed insufficient, but it seems to me that Mixologist sounds a bit defensive like a garbage collector insisting on being called a Sanitation Engineer. Bad analogy, I know but it's late. The latest portmanteau is "Cocktailian" maybe it's too much Star Trek but doesn't that sound like "Reptilian" to you? What's wrong with bartender?

Let me know your thoughts and here are links to couple of cocktail posts to lubricate the ride...

• Vermouth Rejuvenates the Aromatized Wine Category
• Sustainability and the Cocktail Hour- posting soon on Carrie &Danielle
• Biodynamic Wines for the Planet and the Palate

For Lunar New Year see Lunar New Year Menu that Matters.

And what would a Cocktail Hour post be this time of year if I didn't answer a few queries about V-Day. That heinous Hallmark hijacked day when all the Western world is made to feel under- appreciated or insufficient. Well, stay home with friends and rent a good movie, like maybe Let the Right One In. This film, okay yes, it's about a vampire and yes, there's a bit of gore, some people and limbs go missing...sure it's in Swedish, but you get used to...Really this is a very romantic film at its core. I do recommend it. And to drink? Here are two sparklers that are well under $20 and well worth a try:

• Willm - this Alsatian sparkling wine was the surprise of my frigid New Year's Eve. We went to see the Ice Sculptures (first time ever!) and nearly froze but for the trusty flask and Antarctica coats. Check Bauer wines, and remember they deliver! 
• Another surprise in the under $20 sparkling wine category: Gruet Rosé from New Mexico. I know, New Mexico! But you know what, it's not bad at all.

Or you could go with the theme and drink some Egri Bikaver...it's kind of on theme.

 

 

 

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