Prior to becoming a mom of three, a business owner and a food writer/blogger, I was a legal secretary and a paralegal. In New Orleans, I worked for a large law firm that occupied the top two levels of the One Shell Square building on the corner of Poydras Street and St. Charles Avenue. Liked the job, really liked the people I worked with and loved, loved the location. That’s because One Shell Square is situated in the New Orleans Central Business District, or what the locals call the CBD, and the CBD is sandwiched between the [ ... ]
Archive for the Category » New Orleans Classics «
15
May 2013
May 2013
Prior to becoming a mom of three, a business owner and a food writer/blogger, I was a legal secretary and a paralegal. In New Orleans, I worked for a large law firm that occupied the top two levels of the One Shell Square building on the corner of Poydras Street and St. Charles Avenue. Liked the job, really liked the people I worked with and loved, loved the location. That’s because One Shell Square is situated in the New Orleans Central Business District, or what the locals call the CBD, and the CBD is sandwiched between the [ ... ]
Category: Chicken, Main Dishes, Miscellaneous, New Orleans Classics, Roux
Tags: Chicken, Roux Leave a Comment
25
Apr 2013
Apr 2013
Time to share one of my warm weather entertaining essentials, Remoulade Sauce. For you curious non-New Orleanians out there, Remoulade Sauce originated in France and found its way across the pond to New Orleans via our early French inhabitants. That French version consisted of a cold white sauce of mayonnaise spiked with the likes of mustard, gherkins, capers, anchovies, hard-boiled eggs and chopped herbs. The sauce was used primarily as an accompaniment to cold meat, fish and shellfish. It was unique and tasty but, over time, was enhanced by local ingredients and emerging cooking styles. [ ... ]
Category: Miscellaneous, New Orleans Classics, Sauces
Tags: New Orleans Classics, Sauces Leave a Comment
27
Mar 2013
Mar 2013
Of all the family recipes that have been handed down to me through the years, there are two I cherish most. One is The Turtle Soup, which I wrote about last February, and the other is this Carrot Cake. Both are nostalgic nods to my childhood. Both flood my thoughts with warm memories of Sunday suppers, birthday dinners and holiday gatherings (especially Easter) shared with my mom’s large and loving family. Both remind me of Grandma Kirn, my great-grandmother, who started these wonderful food traditions and of Papa, my maternal grandfather, as well as my mom, who have carried them [ ... ]
15
Mar 2013
Mar 2013
In New Orleans, dining out on Friday nights during Lent at any restaurant that serves seafood is, for lack of a better term, a sport. That’s because the crowds are large, the waits are long and the weather is oftentimes questionable (a big issue when you’re forced to wait out in a shell parking lot). A finely tuned playbook, complete with the abilities, expectations and limitations of each person in your party, is a must. So are sandwich bags full of Cheerios (if you have little ones), cell phones with fun games (if you have middle ones) and a padded [ ... ]
Category: Appetizers, Finger Food Fridays, Main Dishes, New Orleans Classics, Oysters, Poor Boys, Seafood
Tags: Appetizers, Finger Food Fridays, Oysters, Seafood 2 Comments
13
Feb 2013
Feb 2013
I’m preparing a special Valentine’s Day dinner for my hubby and kids influenced by childhood memories and the meals I shared with my family at Ruth’s Chris Steak House. Growing up, we didn’t have much money. But whenever my dad had a few extra bucks in his pocket, he brought us to Ruth’s Chris for an amazing steak dinner. My meal always consisted of the same thing. A petite filet, which always arrived at our table screaming in a hot bath of sizzling butter, and creamed spinach, a rich, velvety and bubbly dish of vegetable bliss. [ ... ]
Category: New Orleans Classics, Roux, Sauces, Side Dishes, Vegetables
Tags: Roux, Sauces, Vegetables, White Roux One Comment
06
Feb 2013
Feb 2013
When I prepare roast beef, I start with the largest chuck roast I can find. I look for a six or seven pounder. If I can’t get my hands on one that size, I buy two smaller roasts that total about the same. Why so much you ask for my family of five? Well, in this house, roast beef is a cook once, eat thrice proposition! No ifs, ands or buts! That first meal is always a traditional roast dinner complete with Baked Mashed Potatoes and something green. The leftovers are then repurposed–in [ ... ]
Category: Beef, New Orleans Classics, Poor Boys, Roux, Sauces
Tags: Beef Stock, Poor Boy, Roux, Sauces Leave a Comment
31
Jan 2013
Jan 2013
It’s Super Bowl week guys and even though the Saints aren’t playing in the big game this year, there’s still plenty of energy and excitement in New Orleans. Hosting the event has a little something to do with that. The City’s also smack in the middle of Mardi Gras Season. That equates to full celebration mode from sun up to sun down. Hoorah!
One of the great things about living in or visiting a host city is being able to share in the excitement surrounding the event without having to attend the event (because we all know how expensive those tickets are). [ ... ]
Category: Finger Food Fridays, Gumbo, Main Dishes, New Orleans Classics, Pork, Roux, Sauces, Soups, Stock
Tags: Gumbo, New Orleans Classics, Pork, Roux, Seafood Stock 6 Comments
22
Jan 2013
Jan 2013
It’s been said by the master of charbroiled oysters himself, Mr. Tommy Cvitanovich of Drago’s Seafood Restaurant in Metairie, that this is the simplest dish to cook at home but the most difficult to duplicate. Well, from an ingredient standpoint I get that since Drago’s has never published its exact recipe (although there are apparently some very close versions floating around). And that’s understood. But I have to say, once you nail down the cooking method I think it’s pretty darn easy to recreate those sizzling-hot, sexy restaurant oysters at home. Here’s how I make them.
I start [ ... ]
Category: Appetizers, New Orleans Classics, Oysters, Sauces, Seafood
Tags: Appetizers, New Orleans Classics, Sauces, Seafood 2 Comments
13
Nov 2012
Nov 2012
These are my mom’s sweet potatoes. Her recipe is simply the best! No fuss or fanciness. Just smashed sweet potatoes “candied” ever so perfectly. I’ve eaten many variations of sweet potatoes and candied yams over the years, but none are as good as moms. During the holidays, they’re a must. It’s a family tradition my mom has carried out for as long as I can remember. And at every Thanksgiving and Christmas meal, I strategically spoon a generous serving onto my plate between the gravy-laden turkey slices and the Le Sueur green peas. [ ... ]
Category: New Orleans Classics, Side Dishes, Thanksgiving, Vegetables
Tags: New Orleans Classics, Vegetables Leave a Comment
07
Nov 2012
Nov 2012
Do you all realize there are only two Thursdays between now and Thanksgiving? How did that happen? Why isn’t Thanksgiving on November 29, instead of November 22? I’m well aware of the fourth Thursday of November tradition, but we’re losing an entire week here! Can’t we buck the system just once? For that reason alone, I’m glad I’m not hosting dinner this year. That takes some pressure off. But I still need to make two side dishes that can be prepared in advance and travel well (as in 500 miles well) or that can be made with little time and [ ... ]
Category: Breakfast, Christmas, Main Dishes, New Orleans Classics, Pork, Side Dishes, Thanksgiving, Vegetables
Tags: New Orleans Classics, Pork, Vegetables 2 Comments
