Thanksgiving's Coming!

Here is a pumpkin soup recipe that I made recently, and I thought it was great. Be sure to use "sugar" or "pie" pumpkins when making this, as opposed to Jack O' Lantern type pumpkins. Pie pumpkins are meatier and have a darker flesh. I cut mine into quarters and baked them after brushing a little oil on the inside. I cooked them about an hour at 300º until the flesh was soft.

I then scraped the meat out of the darker orange skin. This is what you cook with, discarding the skin. About 5 or 6 cups of pumpkin are needed. Two small sugar pumpkins should do it. Drain off any moisture after you scrape the meat out of them.

I hope you enjoy this recipe. It's great for friends coming over to knock the November chill off. Slow cooking really helps infuse these flavors greatly.

Pumpkin & Andouille Soup

5 - 6 cups cooked pumpkin (2 cans canned)
1 ½ cup onion (diced)
1 cup celery (diced)
1 tbs garlic (minced)
1 tbs Tony C's Cajun & Creole Seasoning
2 cups Chicken stock (warm)
2 cups milk
1 stick butter or margarine
3 tbs flour
½ tbs each salt and black pepper
1 tbs rubbed sage
½ tsp nutmeg
⅓ lb Andouille Sausage (grated)
1 cup Half n Half
2 bay leaves

Sauté the onions, celery, garlic in half of the butter or margarine. Add sage, nutmeg, Tony C's, salt, pepper, and bay leaves. Cook until onion has softened. Add remaining butter and flour, stir until flour browns a bit. Add 2 cups of warm stock and stir well.

Add sausage and cook for 10 minutes, then add milk. Bring this to a boil for 5 minutes, and then turn down to MED. Add the pumpkin and cook for about 30 minutes. Place the pot covered in a 300º oven and cook for 2 hours.

After cooking for 2 hours, remove from the oven and, using an immersion blender, pureé the entire pot of soup. If you don't have one of these, spoon everything into your food processor or standard blender and pureé. Check your seasonings for salt and keep warm. Serve garnished with toasted pumpkin seeds. For a unique serving method, hollow out another larger pumpkin, brush the inside with oil, and bake for about 30 mins. Serve soup inside this pumpkin. Impress your friends!

Enjoy the Holidays!

RouxBDoo

Andouille Sausage in LaPlace

I have been wanting to get some authentic Cajun Andouille for some time now. I am usually stuck using Richard's or Savoie's, nothing against these, they are fine products but I wanted some of the real deal. On Halloween day while visiting friends in LaPlace, I axed them to take me Andouille shopping. In case you don't know what Andouille is, it is a smoked pork sausage, which is chunkier than say... Hillshire Farms, and uses REAL smoke for their curing. It was created by Cajuns to flavor their gumbos and other dishes.

Jacob's Andouille in LaPlace is an award winning boucherie specializing in Andouille of all kinds. Of course their bread winner is pork, but as you see from their menu on the wall, they have chicken andouille as well. I bought about 3 sticks of the original to take home and a small segment off of another stick to munch on while driving to Baton Rouge, This stuff is amazing. I have yet to make a gumbo with it, but I hope to next weekend.

A very small place, all the work is going on backstage. so to speak. You go to a counter and order, or you can serve yourself to the items that are in the cooler to the left. They also make boudin, tasso, Italian sausage, smoked chickens, bacon, smoked pig's tails, and cracklin's to name a few. In addition to their patient and friendly counter service, they have a very thriving mail order business as well. I have been to their site and you can order nearly everything they make from it. The Andouille mails well because it doesn't need to be refrigerated.

If you want great andouille for your cooking, you can't beat Jacob's. Gumbo, Andouille Cheese Grits, Red Beans, Jambalaya, to name a few, are awesome with the inclusion of this wonderful smoked meat. If you'd like a great Chicken and Andouille Gumbo recipe, here you go! Enjoy and be sure to check out Jacob's if in New Orleans, (it's about 15 mins. out of town, past the airport) or go to their site and have it delivered to your doorstep.

RouxBDoo

Chicken and Andouille Gumbo

1 cup cooking oil
1 ½ cup plain flour
1 lb (2 cups) smoked Andouille sausage
2 lb boned/skinned chicken thighs (Diced bite size)
2 cups onion (diced)
1 cup celery (diced)
½ cup green pepper (diced)
2 cloves garlic (minced)
2 cups crushed, canned tomatoes
¼ cup green onion (sliced thin)
¼ cup parsley (chopped)
2 tbs worcestershire sauce
1 tbs hot sauce (Tabasco or Crystal)
3 bay leaves
1 sprig fresh thyme
1 tsp black pepper
½ tsp cayenne pepper
8 cups chicken stock (hot)

In a 7 qt., cast iron Dutch Oven, heat oil on MED/HI, when hot, add flour and stir continuously until the roux reaches a dark brown color. Add diced onions and cook until onion is transparent, about 5 mins. then add celery, green pepper, and garlic, and cook another 10 mins.

Add chicken, bay leaves, black pepper, cayenne pepper, thyme, worcestershire sauce, and hot sauce. Stir to combine, cook 10 mins. Whisk in 2 cups of the hot stock, add the Andouille and cook 10 mins. Now add remaining stock, tomatoes, 1⁄2 the green onion, and 1⁄2 the parsley, bring to a boil for 5 mins., then turn it down and let it cook on MED/LO for an hour or more. Serve with rice, topped with remaining parsley and chopped green onions.

Middendorf's Restaurant for great seafood.

I had been hearing about this restaurant for nearly two years from my friends Beth Fury and Henry Harmison from The NOLA food forum, and on their LADay Rides Blog. " Oh you have to go to Middendorf's, it's great". "Oh yeah? What's so great about it," I would ask. "Thin catfish is their speciality", they would say. This was intriguing to say the least. I love catfish, but sometimes it can be thick and greasy because it takes longer to cook when it's a big fat filet. This thin catfish caught my attention.

OK, they do not have their catfish on a diet, they just slice them about one third of an inch thick, dust them in a light cornmeal, and deep-fry them nice and crispy for your dining pleasure. Let me say, I had a seafood platter, so as to get a sample of everything, and the catfish was not only the best thing on the plate, but it was the best catfish I have ever eaten... ever! You can't imagine how good this stuff was. I usually have lots of tartar sauce on hand, but I didn't really want to mask the flavor of this catfish delicacy.

First, a little about the restaurant itself. Started in 1934 by Louis and Josie Middendorf, the restaurant opened with Josie doing the cooking and Louis tending bar and chatting up their customers. In 1970, Middendorf's was already popular, but it became even more so after I-10 opened between Metairie and LaPlace. Then recently the restaurant was purchased from the family by husband and wife Horst and Karen Pfeifer. Knowing a good thing, they haven't changed the recipes or the specialities from the ones that made the place famous. Horst and I are pictured above.

They had a nice gumbo, maybe a little heavy on the worcestershire sauce, but still was nice. The also had crab fingers, (shelled blue crab claws) served with an odd parsley sauce of some sort. The shrimp remoulade looked great as well as the shrimp Po-Boy that Henry ordered. I had some shrimp on my platter and they were very lightly breaded and flavorful. The shrimp and the oysters rounded out the platter very nicely. Nothing could stand up to the catfish though, it was the belle of the ball.

Beth's husband Darryll had the fried oysters, which I got a couple of those on my seafood platter as well, and they were great. Honestly everything I got was great with the exception of the stuffed crab. I am sad to say was very dry and tasteless. Might have gotten a bad one, I am told they are normally quite tasty. If you use too much filler in crab cakes, or deviled crab, it can ruin it. No worry, the rest of the platter more than made up for this unfortunate crustacean.

They make their own ice creams and had several flavors on hand including the standard chocolate, vanilla and the best strawberry I ever tasted, and I don't usually like strawberry ice cream. I actually chose the peach, it was alright but I should've had the strawberry. All in all the homemade ice cream was excellent.

Henry, Nan, Barbara, Beth and Darryl were great company, and Beth is a great trip planner. I hadn't seen Barbara in over a year, and it was great meeting Nan, such a sweetie, and Darryl for the first time. We all went to Berry Town Market in Ponchatoulas. It was great. We also did some antiquing, wading deep into the Manchac swamp, and bought some andouille at Jacobs in LaPlace. What a day. Again, Beth and Henry, thank you so much for a great Halloween afternoon and letting me get to know a little more about Louisiana than just New Orleans. Be sure to get out to Middendorf's when visiting the area.

RouxBDoo

Boiled Peanuts

I love boiled peanuts, I always have, since I was introduced to them in Savannah Georgia as a child. It was my Dad that started me on what he called "boilt' beanuts." Here is a picture of some I got at a place called Berry Town Produce in Ponchatoulas, LA. I have never seen peanuts this big in my life, and they made the best boiled peanuts I've ever eaten. The nut inside was enormous!

If you can't get any of the ones pictured above, or don't want to bother boiling your own, try Peanut Patch brand boiled peanuts. They are really good and very inexpensive, being available at WalMart among other places, like your local grocery store. These are surprisingly tasty, well of course they are, considering they're made in South Caroline you know they would be. I love that as you drive through SC you will see about every convenience store or gas station selling boiled peanuts.

If you want to make a go of it, I also have a recipe for you...

4-5 lbs green, raw peanuts
6-8 qts purified or distilled water
1 1/2 cup kosher salt

In a large stock pot, bring the water to a boil, add salt, peanuts and boil for 6 to 7 hours, or until the peanuts are done. The only way to tell is to taste them. The consistency of the peanuts should be that of a cooked bean, just this side of mushy. The freshness of the peanuts to begin will help determine if they’re done or not. You can add garlic powder, creole seasoning mix, or just some cayenne pepper to the mix for a taste variation. Be sure to use kosher salt to keep your peanuts looking fresh. Iodized salt will turn the peanuts black. You might have to add water as they cook.

Try boiled peanuts sometime, it is an acquired taste, but you might love them.

RouxBDoo

Saucy Q Barbecue in Mobile, AL

I first heard about this barbecue restaurant in Mobile from my cab driver one day, and decided to find it and give it a try. We had enjoyed some of the other Mobile eateries we'd found so far, and we had a hankerin' for some ribs.

My pal Evan Hanna and I took a quick ride over to 1111 Government St. to Saucy Q Barbecue, which is located in what looks like it had been an old Western Steer chain restaurant. The placement of their smoker in the front of the restaurant gave me a reassurance that this might be worth the trip.

Upon entering the foyer I got another great whiff of wood smoke and pork. After scanning the MENU I elected to get an order or rib tips and "knuckles." The tips come from the bottom end of the ribs, I don't want to venture a guess where the "knuckles" come from. Although I do not like really "wet" barbecue, (I prefer applying any extra sauce by myself), the sauce was excellent and the ribs were tender and flavorful.

I also got a pork sandwich that was more ground than pulled. It had a tasty slaw on it and came with the sauce on the side. The meat was flavorful and smoky and was laid on generously. I was impressed.

My buddy Evan got a full rack of spare ribs, about a dozen big and meaty. The were also served with the sauce on the side. The meat came off pretty clean, and could have been a little more tender, but all in all were tasty and smoky. I will have them next time.

The sides were all excellent. Between Evan and myself we had the macaroni and cheese, collard greens, french fries and cornbread muffins. All tasted scratch made, (the collards were awesome) and all were done very well.

I met the owner Elbert Wingfield, and I told him our thoughts on the food, how we really enjoyed it. He was a very friendly man, you could tell he likes people. He is a barbecue aficionado, who evidently knows his craft. Most barbecue joints disappoint me with their sauce, some use an institutional sauce, but this was sweet like I like it, smoky, and did what it's supposed to do.

We got a couple of pictures and bid him farewell. One thing is we forgot to was ring the bell, indicating a satisfied customer. OK, sorry we forgot, but we had a great lunch, nice atmosphere, and a friendly and attentive staff. When hungry in Mobile, head on over the Saucy Q's Barbecue Restaurant for a great meal, and tell them RouxBDoo sent you!.

Check out these Jack-O'-Lanterns

American sculptor Ray Villafane has some of the most incredible pumpkin sculptures I have ever seen. He has an amazing tutorial on his site to help you do the same. Now, we've all carved our share of pumpkins, but never anything on this scale. these things are tremendous works of art. If they didn't rot, they should be in a museum. What is really amazing is seeing the tutorial on his site and how simple he makes it look. Old triangle eyes and toothy grin this year most likely.

I hope you go to his site and check out his other artwork. As you all know I love Halloween and all its trappings. I will be posting more Halloween stuff on here. I will be spending Halloween in New Orleans!
I am going to House of Shock, and hopefully 13th Gate in Baton Rouge. These are two gigantic Haunted Attractions in Louisiana owned by friends and haunt associates of mine. I have never seen Dwayne's place yet, and am yet to see House of Shock's new location. It will be a great Halloween. In the mean time, enjoy these great pumpkins!

RouxBDoo Boooooooo

Cajun Food in Mobile Alabama

Since my last days in New Orleans I had been longing for some good food. On my way to my new assignment, the MS Holiday, I am passing through the commercial district of Mobile Alabama. I happen to see a restaurant called "The Boiling Pot" along the way advertising PoBoys, Crawfish, and Seafood, and thought, "Hmmm, I'll have to try that next time I am in town."

Man am I ever glad I did. I tried the Fried Crawfish Tails first and the were the BEST I'VE EVER EATEN. Very tender, very flavorful, and very lightly breaded. The were huge, some of them, there on my plate. Perfectly breaded and fried.

I next tried the gumbo. It was OK, it wasn't earth shattering, I'm not sure, but it tasted like an institutional variety. For my taste, it was a little thin, but there were quite a few shrimp in it, so I'll give them extra credit for this. Either way it wasn't bad.

I was so happy to have Cajun food of any kind, especially those fried crawfish. I was surprised they didn't have Jambalaya on the menu, I'd think it would do well. I ignored a few of these little points here and there. If nothing else go there for the Fried Crawfish Tails. So if you're in Mobile Alabama, check out "The Boiling Pot" for some tasty food. Oh, here's their MENU to check out.

RouxBDoo

Do You Know What It Means To Miss New Orleans

Well, I do. I have been relocated with my job to Mobile Alabama. A really nice place but it ain't NOLA! I spent my last day there last week and it rained nearly all day. I have a picture to prove it. I had beignets at Cafe Du Monde for breakfast, soft shells at Galatoire's for lunch, and I grabbed a bowl of gumbo to take back to the ship for dinner.

I will miss my friends, the shops, the restaurants, the food, and all that goes into New Orleans and makes it so unique. I am planning on spending Halloween there if I can work it out. I guess it was appropriate that it rained the last day I was there.

Farewell for now, I'll return someday.

RouxBDoo

Amy Francisco's Crawfish Etouffée

Hey gang, I am posting this link over to Amy Francisco's Crawfish Etouffée recipe. This one doesn't require a roux, which takes up most of your cooking time. I will have to try this myself soon. Amy is one of our blog readers and I appreciate her offering this recipe, she must've known I love this dish. Check it out and let me know. Thanks again Amy, we appreciate it.

CLICK HERE to see this recipe.

Photo Credit: Pam Roth
© Pam Roth

Country Bob's All Purpose Sauce

Country Bob's All Purpose Sauce came to my attention through an e-mail sent to my blog. Now, I love sauces and create a few of my own and I am usually very skeptical about them. They have to be pretty good to get my attention. I went to their website where all their diverse line could be ordered. In a few days I got a bottle of their signature sauce, an "All Purpose Sauce" which I can best describe as a cross between a steak sauce and a barbecue sauce.

My initial taste test consisted of a dab of sauce on a spoon. Wow, a nice dark flavorful sauce. Properly balanced with sweet, savory, and spicy flavors. It was very tasty and a nice thick consistency. Sometimes sauces might be too thin but this was ideal for basting or just pouring on meat. On to test number #2.

For my next test I had fried some country style ribs for dinner. I had my brother over to eat so I thought I could kill two birds with one sauce. I tried the sauce on the pork, again the sauce was darn near perfect. I think it's a winner, my brother Phil, who works as a cook in food service, liked it too. I look forward to trying it while grilling out.

As I looked over the website I liked the story about their origin. A quote from the website says, "In 1968 Country Bob Edson perfected the sauce of his dreams. After years of giving the sauce to friends and family he began to sell it in 1977". I love stories like this. I also like the fact they acknowledge Christ as their "CEO." In a time where businesses are terrified to make public their beliefs, Country Bob's makes me proud.

If you go to their website at COUNTRY BOB"S, you can get a coupon for a free bottle of All Purpose Sauce. They also have barbecue sauces, Season Salt spice mixes, and a gift box set with all of their products and even a recipe book. Nice people with a great line of products. Oh, by the way, for the first two people to leave a comment on this post, you will receive a free bottle of the All Purpose Sauce. You need to also e-mail me your mailing address to pass along to Country Bob's if you are in the first two.

Now, I know this is not necessairily cajun or creole, but good food is good food, and this sauce is GREAT! Check them out now!

RouxBDoo

Luncheon at Galatoire's

In 1983 I was passing through New Orleans on a tour of South Louisiana. It was my first visit to the Crescent City and my pal Tommy Curtin was driving. Tommy had been here before and told me of a restaurant that had been around for nearly a century. Not only was it world famous, it was Bob Hope's favorite restaurant. Well, that sounded good to me, let's go!

The restaurant in question was Galatoire's. It was opened in 1905, by Jean Galatoire when he bought out Victor's restaurant on a VERY different Bourbon Street. It has stayed in the family for generations and won many prestigious awards over the years. Always listed in the top restaurants in New Orleans it has been consistent in its stellar service and amazing food.

On my first visit to Galatoire's I vividly remember ordering the Trout Meuniere Amandine, which was recommended by my friend Tommy. Honestly, this was the best fish I'd ever eaten. Actually it was the best meal I had ever eaten. This beautiful trout was sautéed in clarified butter, and topped with toasted almonds. How many meals can you remember 26 years later?

When I was considering going back to Galatoire's, I made up my mind I was going to have to Soft Shell Crabs, they've been my favorite food for years. My decision was made easier by watching a video of soft shells being made by Galatoire's Head Chef Brian Landry. (To view this video CLICK HERE.)

I made my way over to Bourbon street to the restaurant with its classically appointed green awning. Entering from Bourbon is like stepping into a different world. The white linen covered tables, and real waiters dressed like waiters and not like the flair-festooned, suspender-bound, "wait-persons" you see at Bennigans and the like.

I was seated and introduced to Peter, my waiter and his lovely assistant Evangelyn. She served me a personal loaf of nice crusty french bread with butter. Ice tea came and I made my choice for the soft shells with a gumbo appetizer. I asked Peter if Chef Landry was on the premises, to which he said "yes, would you like to meet him?" "I would love to," was my reply.

Soon I was shaking hands with one of New Orleans' youngest head chefs, especially in such a prestigious appointment. A friendly face let you know that meeting a customer was not a laborious chore, but an honest gesture of welcoming me to his place. We chatted for a moment about what a big fan I was of him and the restaurant, he then excused himself to get back to work. This simple, friendly encounter really made my visit special and memorable. By the way, make no mistake, my mention of his age has no bearing on his abilities, which are beyond impressive.

Peter first brought out a bowl of seafood gumbo, which was the best I've EVER had, and that's no easy task. Chock full of shrimp and lump crab meat, the base was dark and flavorful, the way it's supposed to be. After finishing the gumbo, I was served my entrée. There on the plate were two large, expertly pan fried, "busters," covered in toasted almonds and sautéed lump crab meat. I almost got teary at the sight and aroma of this heavenly crustacean.

Words can barely express my emotions from the first bite to the last of this wonderful meal. The dish was absolute perfection. My favorite food just got "kicked up a notch." Where could it go from here?

OK, maybe I am going overboard, but it was a great meal. I topped it off with coffee, and as I was finishing up Chef Landy came back to my table to ask how my meal was and bid me farewell. What other "Top Rated" restaurant does the Head Chef take this type of personal approach? Not many I'd recon. I paid my bill and made my goodbyes to Peter and Evangelyn. On the way out I grabbed a menu and a couple of recipe cards and headed back out into the garish trappings of Bourbon Street.

A wonderful day with an exquisite meal. An exceptional New Orleans experience that I will cherish. Did this meal top my first Galatoire's encounter? Not sure, but if not it's a close tie. Chef Landry, his staff, and the owners should be very proud of this crown jewel in New Orleans' lofty epicurean crown. Galatoire's is located at 209 Bourbon St., just a block off Iberville. Reservations are not required for the downstairs dining room, but dress respectably, no shorts, etc. Click HERE to see their website.

RouxBDoo

Metairie Creamy Crabby Soup

When I was first staying in New Orleans overnight with business, I had a friend Doug Ferguson who lived in Metairie, a suburb of New Orleans. Doug and his sweet wife Barbara welcomed me to their beautiful home like family, and I love and cherish them dearly for their wonderful Southern Hospitality.

We would cook from time to time, and I developed this soup while there. Now, we used to add shrimp to it, but I think it is perfect as it is with just the crabmeat. I miss the evenings with the Fergusons since they moved to Texas after Katrina, here is the soup recipe though. I made it tonight and it was wonderful. It made me think of my friends, so I named it after Metairie. I know you'll love it.

BTW you can use less crab, or more soup. I like this balance. Also, you can use the less-expensive claw meat instead of the lumps for this soup. It actually works better for soups like gumbos and bisques.

Ingredients

1 lb crab meat (use cheaper claw meat)
1 cup onion (small dice)
1 tsp garlic (minced)
1 16oz can chicken stock
3 cups milk
1 cup heavy cream
½ stick butter
4 tbs flour
1 tbs Tony Chacere's
¼ tsp cayenne
¼ tsp paprika
¼ tsp nutmeg (or a pinch)
½ tsp black pepper
2 bay leaves
2 sprigs thyme

Directions

In a MED/HI stockpot melt butter, and add onions, garlic, bay leaves, thyme, and nutmeg. WHen onions are wilted, add flour, Tony C's, cayenne, black pepper, and paprika. Cook and stir until the roux starts to turn a tan color. Add stock and blend into the roux. Cook for 10 mins. and add crabmeat, milk and heavy cream. Bring to a boil and turn down to LO and cook for about 30 mins. Great with cheddar garlic biscuits. Don't add salt, there's salt in the crab, stock, Tony C's, and the butter. You might get it too salty!

RouxBDoo

Zatarain's

Zatarain's has been a New Orleans' tradition since 1889. Although they have a very wide and encompassing selection of products, my favorite is their Creole Mustard. This is one of the first products introduced by Emile Zatarain in the late 1800s. It remains a big seller to this day. Now, I know they have rice mixes, seafood boils, gumbo base, Creole Spices, etc, but my favorite is still their mustard.

Anywhere you use yellow mustard, try this instead. I use it in recipes, sometimes I use it in my barbecue sauce. My favorite application for it is on a roast beef or Ferdi Po-Boy. There is nothing better than that spicy mustard complimenting my Po-Boy, and not just the meat type, shrimp, oyster, fried crawfish, all can benefit with a shot of Zatarain's Mustard.

I like mixing it with mayonnaise, (about half and half), or with Steen's Pure Cane Syrup for a nice glaze for pork loin or chicken. I learned that little tip from my friend Danno at NOLA Cuisine. Anyway you use it is fine and it's up to you! Please go over to their site and see the many great products a they offer. For their website CLICK HERE!

PS: I like their Cayenne Pepper too!

RouxBDoo

Chef Matt Murphy Recovering

As we reported a few months ago, Chef Matt Murohy from the Ritz-Carlton, New Orleans, contracted a streptococcus infection that led to toxic shock syndrome and disseminated intravascular coagulation, a condition that prevents proper blood coagulation. Well after many surgeries, and treatments he is finally back on the mend. HERE is our original post.

If you go to NOLA.com you can read all about his recovery and all the efforts by his fellow chefs in New Orleans to raise money for his mounting medical bills. Matt, we are happy and relieved you are getting better, our prayers were always with you. See you soon at the Ritz-Carlton, maybe I'll pipe you a tune 'er two on my Uilleann Pipes.

How to Make a Roux

As Justin Wilson used to say, "firs' ya gotta make a roux, you know dat!" If you don't "know dat" you should realize to make a proper gumbo, sauce piquant, etouffée, or crawfish stew, for example, you need to know how to make a Roux. Pronounced "roo," it is the result of cooking nearly equal amounts of oil and flour together until it is nice and brown. Different shades of brown are achieved by different cooking times and temperatures. The longer the cooking time, the darker the color and flavor, and the less thickening quality it has. Usually cooked in a cast iron pot or skillet, oil can be substituted with lard, shortening, or animal fat. Most of the old Cajuns insisted on using lard.

Although both descended from French kitchens, Cajun rouxs are usually darker in color, and are used more for flavor than as a thickening agent. Creole rouxs are used more to thicken and tend to be lighter in color, like a béchamel sauce. They often use butter instead of oil for a more savory flavor.

For most recipes, I will use a dark roux. Somewhere between the color of milk chocolate and dark chocolate. This takes some time. Etouffées, for instance, use a lighter roux, but this varies from dish to dish.

For a standard roux, we will use 1 cup of vegetable oil and 1½ cup of flour and a cast iron skillet or dutch oven. If you make it in a skillet you'll probably need to transfer it to another, larger vessel after making it. Heat the oil in the skillet on MED, whisk in flour to avoid any lumps. After smoothing out all the lumps, I use a heat-proof, silicon, flat-end spatula to stir the roux, you want to make sure it doesn't stick to the bottom of the pot, and this silicon spatula gets in all those little corners. Most cooks prefer using a wooden spoon.

Don't go off and leave it. With the spatula, completely brush/scrape the roux off the bottom and sides, wait a few seconds, letting it brown a bit, and then repeat. Keep it moving, don't let it burn. If black specks appear, throw it out and start again. Keep stirring until it is the desired color you need, take it off the stove eye, and continue with your recipe.

Roux can get to upwards of 500º and can burn you badly. Chef Paul Prudhomme calls it Cajun Napalm. Be careful and don't burn it, or yourself. Do a few trial runs before you plan a big dish. If you are making it to put in a recipe later, transfer it to a heat-resistant container, as it will continue cooking if you leave it in the skillet. It is best to make it in the pot or skillet you will be using for the particular dish. Most recipes will require you to sauté the *"Holy Trinity" in the roux. If so, put the onions in first, to wilt them for a few minutes, then add the remaining celery and green peppers. This picture shows a roux after the onions have been added.

Adding the "Trinity" will stop the cooking process, so make sure you have it where you want it (color-wise) before adding the onions. Oh, the roux will actually turn a darker reddish color after adding the onions, this is from the caramelization of the sugar in the onions. The smell is almost irresistible at this moment. If you wanna cook cajun food, you gotta make a roux.

* The Holy Trinity is diced onions, celery, and green bell pepper.

Have Fun!

RouxBDoo

The Dry Dock Cafe

Well, I've been through dry dock before, but that usually pertained to a refurbishment of a cruise ship. The Dry Dock Cafe is a great meeting place and restaurant across the river from New Orleans downtown in an area called Algiers. My friend Mangesh Desai, an Indian magician from the ship, and I took the ferry over to Algiers Point to meet two other magician friends, Trini Montes, Trini's darlin' wife Amy, and card magic legend Jon Racherbaumer.

I first met Trini and Jon years ago when I first started coming to New Orleans, then Trini, an excellent magician on his own, came on the cruise and we got together later to do some magic. Jon is a prolific author, writer, and performer. I always feel humbled when I get to see Jon. He is as friendly as can be and will absolutely blow you away with mind-blowing card magic, especially for magicians.

I had been to The Dry Dock Cafe before with my magician friend Joe Harrison, it must be popular with magicians for some reason. Just right off the ferry platform on the corner of Bouny & Delaronde, The Dry Dock Cafe is serving a great menu from seafood to cajun and creole specialities. I had the seafood gumbo and a fried shrimp and oyster platter for my meal and they were both great.

The gumbo, was brown and thick with great crabmeat and other seafood. The flavor was some of the best I've had in town. Believe it or not, it is hard to find good gumbo in New Orleans, since so many restaurants (rumored to be over 50) are using an institutional gumbo made by hundreds of gallons, and passed off as made in-house. This is a welcome change to have this great bowl of gumbo with it's little gumbo crab reaching over the edge of the bowl.

The fried shrimp and oysters were really fresh tasting and fried perfectly. The slaw and hushpuppies were great, and the fries, although I ate only a couple, were good enough. The meal was capped off by some nicely brewed ice tea. All in all a great meal.

Getting together with my magician buddies was a special day and the food was equally magical. I recommend The Dry Dock Cafe for their food and pleasant atmosphere. You can get there from downtown by heading down to the end of Canal Street, crossing the tracks there at the World Trade Center to the Spanish Plaza, and then walking up the ramp to the ferry. The best part is... it's FREE! Check it out when in New Orleans, you can even take your car over on the ferry.

RouxBDoo

The Praline Connection

I rarely, if ever travel past Esplanade, on into the Faubourg Marigny section of New Orleans, although I should more often. Well I climbed on the Riverfront Streetcar and rode to the end of the line which left me off at the end of the French Quarter on Esplanade. My reason for the trip was to try out a restaurant I had read about in a magazine ad from Louisiana Cookin' Magazine.

The Praline Connection is a restaurant, that started as a confectionery, by business partners making pralines. Cecil Kaigler and Curtis Moore opened their first location on Frenchman Street in 1990 and, according to them, the rest has been culinary history.

I arrived about 1:30, just after the lunch rush and was immediately seated. My waitress was a lovely lady named Toya. I considered ordering appetizers since I wanted to try some of their standard dishes. I then noticed the Taste of Soul platter which came with chicken, ribs, catfish, gumbo, jambalaya, collards, cornbread, red beans and rice, finishing off with bread pudding for dessert. Daaayaaamn!

I know, it sounds like a lot but... IT IS!!! It's friggin massive, I had to take MORE than half of it back with me. As you can see in the picture, I got nice cup of gumbo, which tasted great, but I will say, was kind of sparse ingredient-wise, but it was really tasty, so I'll give it a thumbs up anyway!

Then they brought my entrée or entrée group. Everything was hot, fresh, and delicious. The chicken was really good, nice crispy outside and cooked perfectly. The catfish was light and mild tasting, (I hate stinky fish). The ribs were baked nicely with a standard barbecue sauce. Not the way I normally like ribs, but very flavorful anyway. Most people prefer more sauce than I do, and would love these.

The red beans were creamy, and the jambalaya was spicy and moist like I like it. I have to say I really loved the collard greens. They were just like I remember eating them while growing up. I had a piece of cornbread with the meal and for dessert had a warm serving of bread pudding with a praline sauce. The sauce had a slight "bourbony" flavor and really rounded out the bread pudding.

The service was excellent, Toya was a great waitress and was helpful in her food suggestions. I will say I was disappointed the ice tea was a mix or from a can or something. It had that artificial taste that comes with the preservative. Fresh brewed tea is not that hard to manage. If you were raised in the South you expect fresh brewed tea, but this is one of my few criticisms.

A traditional restaurant with great food and reasonable prices. The Taste of Soul platter was just under $20, and can easily feed two people. I found all the menu items very affordable. I am going back soon to try their Etouffée and other items like Gumbo ZHerbes. I highly recommend this place if you are visiting New Orleans or showing friends or tourists around the French Quarter. It's about two blocks off Esplanade, an easy walk from the Streetcar station. Enjoy!

RouxBDoo

Jezebel Sauce

If you've never had this wonder sauce, you need to try it out. I had read about if for a few years and had even seen it referred to on television before I decided to make a batch. What is it? Jezebel sauce is sweet, spicy, and savory all at once. It puts you in the mind of a honey mustard on steroids.

It contains a varied bunch of ingredients that don't normally share the flavor platform. It is best when served at a party by placing a block of cream cheese on a platter and pouring a couple of cups of Jezebel sauce over it. You guests can then scoop the mixture with crackers. The cream cheese tempers the feistiness of the Jezebel nicely. I have also seen recipes using the sauce with pork or chicken.

It is quite easy to put together, and I keep it refrigerated between servings. This is my version of the recipe, I was torn between apricot or pineapple preserves for the second ingredient, some recipes call for either. I found that Walmart actually carries an apricot/pineapple preserve mixture that worked wonderfully. I hope you enjoy making and eating this sauce, it is great for parties and adding a little zest to baked chicken, pork loin, or something similar. Give it a try and let me know what you think.

12 oz apple jelly
12 oz pineapple/apricot preserves
½ cup horseradish
3 tbsp dry mustard
1 tbsp coarse ground black pepper
½ tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp Tony Chacere's Creole Seasoning

Mix the jelly and preserves in a bowl, stir in horseradish and blend thoroughly. Mix the dry mustard, black and cayenne peppers, and creole seasoning in a bag or bowl, dump it into the jelly mix, and whisk it together well. Refrigerator until ready to use. CLICK HERE to download the recipe.

RouxBDoo

You have to see this...

One of my fellow Cajun and Creole bloggers, Gaston from Mandeville LA, posted this recipe for a Bacon Wrapped Pork Loaf with a Boudin Stuffing Monstrosity, and you have to see this thing. High Cholesterol? Steer clear!

Click Here! to see the BBQ Bacon Bomb Explosion Dun by a Coon Ass!!! complete with recipe and video. Mercy!

RouxBDoo

August Recipe of the Month: Cajun Pork Roast

This pork roast recipe is wonderful. I cook this roast in a roux-based braising liquid. The roast I use is a 4 lb. sirloin roast. I sometimes use a 6 - 7 lb. shoulder or butt roast but the smaller size was all I needed. This is a great roast for Po-Boys as it just falls apart. You can also substitute a beef chuck roast if you prefer it. This makes a nice gravy and is great with rice. I hope you enjoy it, here's the recipe.

Pork Roast with Brown Roux Gravy

½ cup oil
½ cups plain flour
2 lg onions (sliced)
5 ribs celery (¼ in. sliced)
1 bulb garlic (whole head peeled & diced)
4 - 5 lb sirloin pork roast
1 tbs black pepper
1 tbs salt
1 tsp cayenne pepper
2 sprigs thyme (fresh
1 tbs parsley (chopped)
3 bay leaves
2 tbs worcestershire
6 cups water (hot)

Preheat oven to 250º. Rub roast with half the salt and pepper. In a 7 to 8 qt. Dutch Oven, or similar kettle, heat oil on MED. When hot, add flour and stir continuously until the roux reaches a dark brown color. Add onions, garlic, and celery, cook 5 mins., stir in the cayenne, the remaining salt and pepper, worcestershire, and cook 5 more mins. stirring continuously.

Add half the water, whisk it into the roux, and bring it up to a boil. Carefully lower the pork roast (fat side up) into the roux mixture. Add the thyme and bay leaves. Add enough water to reach just halfway up the roast. Bring back up to a boil for 5 mins. and turn down to MED. for a while with the lid on.

After cooking for 15 mins. on MED, turn down to LO for 2 hours. After two hours, spoon some of the braising liquid onto the roast, cover it, and place it onto middle rack of your 250º oven. Leave roast in oven for at least 2 more hours, I let mine go for a combined 5 hours in all. After turning the oven off, let relax for about another half hour. You can baste it if you like.

Using a giant spoon or spatula, lift roast out of the pot and rest it on a plate. Skim the grease off the top of the roux gravy and serve over the pork roast. Best served with rice or on a sandwich.

RouxBDoo

Lee's Inlet Kitchen

I know this blog is normally about food from New Orleans and South Louisiana, but I love seafood and recently I walked down "Memory Lane" for an unbelievable seafood dinner. Growing up, every year I went to Myrtle Beach South Carolina with my family. We always had a wonderful meal in the nearby community of Murrel's Inlet, specifically at one of the Inlet's most prolific, and oldest restaurant, Lee's Inlet Kitchen.

Established in 1948, the restaurant was opened by Eford and Pearl Lee of Cool Springs South Carolina. The restaurant grew in popularity, being located in a favorite seafood destination for many Grand Strand vacation goers. Absolutely fresh local shrimp, flounder, oysters, and scallops, to name a few, made up their returning customer's favorite menu items.

Their Lowcountry-Murrells Inlet style seafood is lightly breaded for frying, or broiled to perfection, and always consistent. So many times you have a great meal at a restaurant and the next time you return it is totally different. That's why I always loved going back to Lee's Kitchen.

Years passed before I returned to Lee's Kitchen. We had kids of our own now and I guess it just was too much trouble to drive all the way down to Murrel's Inlet. Whatever the reason, it had been way too long since I had eaten at my favorite seafood restaurant.

We planned to get there a little early to avoid the long lines. My family and I entered and were seated almost immediately. The air was fragrant with the all-too-familiar smells that I remember so fondly. The place hadn't really changed in all the years since. Oh, it was a little fancier in terms of decor, otherwise the place was pretty much the same.

My daughter asked about the She Crab Soup, which she was promptly brought a sample of some of the best soup ever. Smooth and creamy with fresh lump crabmeat, this was so luxurious it's sinful.

We all pretty much ordered different, fried seafood dishes and waited while I prattled on and on to the kids about how Lee's hadn't changed since I was a kid. Our food soon came and honestly it was some of the best shrimp, oysters, and scallops we had eaten. The scallops were sweet and tender, the shrimp barely dusted and expertly fried, and the oysters were crunchy and plump. All served with some of the best tartar sauce ever made. In a word... wonderful.

I highly recommend Lee's Inlet Kitchen for when you visit Myrtle Beach and advise you to take the time to drive down to Murrel's Inlet and experience Lee's, as well as some of the other great old restaurants there like Nance's Crab Bar or Oliver's Lodge. Be sure to post a comment to let me know about your visit and the food you had. I'm sure it will be memorable.

Photo by Todd Evans

RouxBDoo

Kitchen Witch Cook Books

While walking in the French Quarter last week, I came upon a curious little book shop that seemed very inviting called the Kitchen Witch. Specializing in cookbooks was what drew me inside where I met the owner Philipe LaMancusa.

Very friendly, with a pair of very cool glasses, Philipe helped me in searching for a few titles among the biggest collection of Cajun and Creole cookbooks I have found anywhere. As a matter of fact the quantity of all-around Southern cookbooks was quite impressive.

We talked about cookbooks, publishing, and his dealings with New Orleans building codes and those that enforce them. He also gave me some great advice about cookbook marketing and where to track down some great fried chicken using Austin Leslie's famous techniques.

There are so many great cookbooks, including out of print books, and specialty marketed volumes of recipes. In addition to books they also carry collector's LPs. Racks of old vinyl records contain many treasures to the right buyer.

If you are looking for specific Lousiana cookbooks, or any cookbook for that matter, contact these nice folks. Philipe LaMancusa and his lovely partner Debbie Lindsey operate the Kitchen Witch at 631 Toulouse Street, just off Royale St. in the French Quarter, and can be e-mailed at Kwitchen1@aol.com

RouxBDoo

Mother's Restaurant for Breakfast

Long a New Orleans institution, I had eaten lunch at Mother's Restaurant when I managed to beat the long lines and crowds, but I had never eaten breakfast there. I was advised by my good friend, and fellow New Orleans foodie, Tim McCormack to go there and try the morning fare.

My buddy Tim was working on the Carnival cruise ship that was moored in New Orleans during Katrina. He spent a lot of time downtown and in the French Quarter, and got to know some of the best places to go, along with many of the local downtown merchants themselves.

Back to Mother's, I walked in with no long line to contend with. Ordered at the counter, and found a table in the back dining room. The restaurant was nearly full and the back room was pleasant and a bit cooler than the rest of the building.

I ordered a biscuit with debris gravy and an order of Mother's "World's Best Baked Ham." The pleasant waitress brought my meal to me and there was a big, pretty, "cat-head" biscuit piled high with the shredded beef debris gravy.

The side dish of smoked had a hefty portion of, honestly some of the best ham I have eaten. Nice big, thick chunks of ham, so tender you could actually cut it with one of those dull, non-serated, restaurant knives.

The beef debris was generous and was tasty on that biscuit, especially when I added a bit of ham to make an improvised "Ferdi Special" biscuit. The "au jus" from the debris made the biscuit nice and moist. (The "Ferdi Special" is a ham and debris roast beef Po-Boy that Mother's made famous.)

On the way out I met Joe Amato, the owner of Mother's and found him to be friendly and welcoming. He is the man that makes the hams and beef roasts everyday. Recently on "Man -vs- Food" Joe revealed his secret glaze for the ham. Very inventive indeed. He's quite a familiar character in New Orleans.

So, when in New Orleans, be sure to get by and try Mother's for breakfast. They have eggs, grits, waffles, and all the other items I have mentioned here, to name just a few. Lunch starts at 11:00 am. It's located on the corner of Poydras and Tchoupitoulas, just look for the sign that says "World's Best Baked Ham", and say Hello to Joe for me!

July Recipe of the Month: Cajun Brown Shrimp Stew

I made this wonderful shrimp dish yesterday and LOVED it. I recommend you do too! Here is the recipe. It's the Recipe-of-the-Month.

Cajun Brown Shrimp Stew

2 lbs med shrimp (cleaned/deveined)
2 cups onion
1 cup celery
4 - 6 green onions (sliced thin)
½ cup oil
1 cup plain flour
2 tbs butter
1 tbs salt
½ tbs black pepper
½ tsp cayenne
2 tbs worcestershire
2 tbs garlic (minced
1 spring thyme
2 bay leafs
3 cups shrimp stock

Make a dark roux with the flour and oil on MED, add onions cook for 5 mins., add celery, green onions, garlic, and everything but the stock, butter, and shrimp. Cook for 10 mins. stirring making sure it doesn't stick. Add one cup of stock, blend well. Add other 2 cups of stock then the shrimp. You add the shrimp after adding the stock, when the mixture is cooler, This way the shrimp wont harden up. Let cook and reduce for about an hour.

Serve over rice with garlic bread.

RouxBDoo

Café Du Monde, Classic New Orleans

I got to thinking last week, as I sipped my Cafe Au Lait, and dusted the powdered sugar off my moustache, that I had never done a post about Café Du Monde. A trip to New Orleans, especially for the first-timer, is not complete without a trip to this wonderful little cafe. Its green and white striped awnings seem to call you off the street to rest your weary feet and have a wonderful confection that is exclusive to New Orleans in its origin.

The Original Café Du Monde was established in 1862 in the New Orleans French Market. Their menu has not changed much since then. The very simple fare consists of Beignets, a square donut-like fried dough goodie, covered by a mound of powdered sugar. The aforementioned Café Au Lait, which is a mug of dark coffee with a touch of roasted chicory. This is normally mixed half and half with hot milk. That's about it menu-wise.

Whenever I get to New Orleans and the Café is calling me, I usually jump the Riverfront streetcar and ride down to about Dumaine. I get off and walk around to be greeted by the smell of those beignets frying in the hot oil. Get there early enough and you'll usually never have a problem being seated. The beignets come 3 to a plate, piled high with confectioner's sugar. OK, don't ask for Splenda with your beignets, you usually go there once a trip, live it up.

The Café Au Lait is just so rich and decadent, you might stay for another cup. The second can be decaf. Although the service has changed a bit in the years, you can still get fixed up and out within 30 - 45 minutes. I recommend though, you relax, read the Times-Picayune, and plan your day in New Orleans. This is a great way to start it out though. A bit of history in the French Market. By the way, don't worry about spilling powdered sugar on your shirt, you'll see many a "dusted" warrier around the French Quarter from eating at the Café of even having "Sugar Wars" for which Du Monde is famous.

RouxBDoo

Court of Two Sisters

I recently made it over to the Court of Two Sisters Restaurant for their much acclaimed Jazz Brunch. For starters, what a wonderful place, whether you eat in the courtyard or choose to remain inside (where it's air-conditioned) you cannot go wrong. The wait service is extremely friendly as well as informative. My waiter, Paul Tarto (below), led me over to the buffet and showed me every item and described them as if he was describing any menu item. He was very patient and very attentive.

As I am not a huge salad fan, I can only tell you about a few of the cold items. The Crawfish Pasta was really good and fresh, both the Sweet Potato Salad with diced Andouille, and the Curried Chicken Salad were unique and tasty, as was the Country Paté. There were cold shrimp and crawfish on the cold bar too. If they're not in season, I'd avoid the crawfish. They won't make you sick, but they are not at their peak.

On the hot bar you see the carving station with turkey and roast beef. Right next to that was their famous Turtle Soup, accompanied with a bit of sherry vinegar. The main bar had many traditional Creole and Cajun dishes. Cajun Jambalaya, Shrimp Etouffée, Catfish Roulades stuffed with a Crabmeat Stuffing and topped with a Creole Mustard Creamé Sauce, (my favorite), Duck l'Orange, and Crawfish Marian just to name a few.

Candied yams, very luxurious mashed potatoes, Oysters Bienville, Grillades and Grits, and several breakfast items round out the hot selections among others. You can order omelets, I didn't, but they were recommended, their Shrimp and Crabmeat Omelet (pictured above) is a favorite. Now then... on to the desserts.

Desserts included Bread Pudding with a Bourbon Sauce, Bananas Foster, Ice Cream with Praline sauce, and many assorted cakes, pies, and confections. I really enjoyed this buffet, it really beats Harrah's by a long shot in my humble opinion. The price is $28.00 and includes your tea or coffee.

I recommend it if for nothing else but enjoying the ambience. The food is good, the old place is wonderful, and legend has it you might meet up with the ghosts of Emma and Bertha Camors, the two sisters. The restaurant has been featured on many Haunted Location television shows. The Jazz Brunch is served everyday.

RouxBDoo
Photos by Sara Essex

Rustic Gumbo • Dish of the Month - June

Rustic Chicken and Andouille Gumbo.

I call this a "rustic" gumbo because it is made in the old style of using whole pieces of chicken, bones, skin, and all. The chicken is fried in the traditional way after being dusted with flour. The rest is pretty much the same. Of course you do have to watch out for bones, but the flavor this chicken imparts to the dish is great.

I made a really dark brown roux for this as well, it took a while. As you can see in the picture the gumbo is thick and luxurious. I normally serve it with rice. I really recommend you get a cast iron Dutch Oven, this recipe made just under 7 qts., plus cast iron cooks so well. I use a Lodge Dutch Oven.

I am posting the recipe HERE. This is my own recipe, but I was inspired by Chef Donald Link from his new book "Real Cajun: Rustic Home Cooking from Donald Link's Louisiana" He had a recipe he calls Fried Chicken and Andouille Gumbo. I add a few things he doesn't and vice versa. You should try this recipe, it is awesome. This gumbo is the Dish of the Month for June.

RouxBDoo

Chefs and Restaurant Friends to aid Chef Matthew Murphy

Chef Matthew Murphy, the executive Chef of the Ritz Carlton Hotel in New Orleans, had a bad fall on May 19. The next day, after continued complications and swelling, he went to the emergency room and from there was taken directly into surgery. He was diagnosed as having a group-A Streptococcus infection, toxic shock syndrome, and disseminated intravascular-coagulation. In other words he was a very sick man. He was given a 25% chance of surviving.

Now, as of June 2nd his wife Alicia reported he is breathing on his own, and on the 4th that he was talking. The couple have quadruplets and are expecting another child. The financial burden is tremendous, but some help is on its way. On June 14th between 4pm - 8pm, 45 area chefs, including Paul Prudhomme, John Besh, Donald Link, and Tory McPhail, among others, will convene at the Ritz Carlton for a fund raiser to help Matthew toward his medical bills. The price is $65.00 and reservations may be made by calling 504-670-2828. For more progress about Matthew go HERE. Our prayers are with him and his family.

Crab Cakes Extraordinaire!

Crab cakes are my favorites, and I thought I'd share my recipe with you, my fearless readers, and encourage you to make your own.

For Starters, I know crabmeat is expensive. I usually get the Special, it is a step under the Lump, and two under the Jumbo Lump. It works fine, yes you don't get the huge bites of crabmeat, but it tastes great. I use a cast iron skillet and a mixture of butter and oil to fry it in. I don't use very much, I like a nice sear on the outside, and too much oil or butter makes that difficult.

Here is the recipe...

1 lb. special crabmeat
1 egg (beaten)
3 tbs. mayonnaise
1 ½ tbs worcestershire sauce
12 Ritz crackers (crushed fine)
½ tbs tabasco
½ tbs Tony Chachere's (Creole Spice Mix)
½ tbs garlic (minced)
2 tbs onion (minced)
½ tbs vinegar (or lemon juice)
1 tbs fresh parsley (minced)

Place onion and garlic in a bowl with 1 tbs butter and ¼ cup of water. Place in a microwave for 2 mins. This will wilt them and take some of the bite out of them. Mix all ingredients, except the crab into a bowl and combine. Add crabmeat, scoop into balls and flatten into patties. Place on a plate lined with wax paper and place in the fridge for about an hour, let them firm up.

Fry in a cast iron, or similar, skillet or sauté pan, with 1 tbs of butter and 1 tbs of vegetable oil. Let them go on one side until it is nice and brown, then turn them and do the same on the other side. Serve with tarter or remoulade sauce. For an easy sauce, see the recipe below, it'll do in a pinch. This crab cake recipe should make about six good sized crab cakes, serving about 2 per person.

For my Easy Faux-moulade sauce, mix...

1 cup mayonnaise
¼ cup cocktail sauce
1 tbs lemon juice
2 tbs creole mustard
1 tbs tabasco sauce

RouxBDoo

Server Change Problems

If you have been having trouble downloading recipes, or have seen some graphics missing, it is because my server is changing over and it might be a couple of days before we're up and running. Also it has been a while since you've had a post. I hope to get back to New Orleans in two weeks and start back writing good food posts. Hang in there. Until then, I will leave you a post about crab cakes.

RouxBDoo

A Low Country Intermission

Anyone that knows me, knows I dearly love Cajun and Creole Cuisine, but I also love the food and flavor of South Carolina and Georgia's Low Country Cooking. Cities like Savannah Georgia, Charleston, and Hilton Head, South Carolina are just some of the places you can get good Low Country fare. The dishes, in a way, and very similar to Cajun and Creole cooking. Lot's of seafood, rice, pork, okra, and slow-cooked specialties. This area was populated by the Gullah, African people who maintained their language and food culture more than any other African immigrants. These free-people-of-color made their home in the tidal basin there at the border between the two states. Because it is below sea-level, it got its name "The Low Country." This culture is still vibrant and flourishing today.

Some of their more popular dishes include Shrimp and Grits, She Crab Soup, Frogmore Stew (a Southern-style clambake), Hoppin' John (a black eyed peas and rice dish), Perloo (similar to Jambalaya) and my all time favorite, Backbones and Rice. The "backbones" are sometimes called Country Style Ribs. These are braised in a stock and cooked with rice until they absolutely fall apart. The rice is so savory and tasty it is a meal in itself. For more information on the Gullah Cuisine, go to Chef Rick's Site, it's a great blog about Low Country and Cajun food as well.

So, I decided to make Backbones and Rice today and thought I'd include them in this blog. OK, I know they're not Cajun, but the style is so similar, I know you'll love this dish if you make it. I have the recipe for you HERE. Just click on this link and you can download the recipe as a PDF document. If you'd like, all my Low Country Recipes are HERE. Give it a try and let me know. This week I am hopefully getting back to New Orleans and to our favorite foods to eat and talk about. Enjoy!

RouxBDoo

New Orleans Bicycling

I am very sorry for not having written a blog in the last couple of weeks. I have been very busy working and since the Swine Flu came along, my schedule has been very erratic. Alright, for starters, you cannot get Swine Flu from eating pork. Now, that's all you really need to know. If you're feeling ill, take two pork rinds and call Jimmy Dean.

As for the subject of this post, I saw something really funny in New Orleans on Saturday, well funny to me but not to the bicyclist. My friend Sergey, the Doctor on board, saw this and he snapped a picture of it and e-mailed it to me. Evidently, the cyclist locked his bike up and removed the seat to keep someone from stealing his bicycle. Apparently that mattered not to this Crescent City thief. Everything BUT the frame was stolen from the bike, leaving it for the owner to wonder why he bothered.

Saturday in New Orleans was tremendous. Great weather, great food and a walk around town. Crawfish Po-Boys and smoked Boudin at NOLA Grocery, some Calabrese Salami from Cochon Butcher, and some Southern Candymakers Pecan Pralines for dessert. Lunch was washed down with some Abita Root Beers. Sergey also sent me this great shot of some shucked oysters he had for breakfast. Any day in Nawlins' is a good day.

RouxBDoo

Chef Donald Link article

Here's a nice little article on Chef Donald Link in New Orleans. The article is from Delta's Sky Magazine by Chef Andrew Zimmern of Bizarre Foods. I scanned it, I hope you can read it OK. Link is one of my favorites, met him last month. He is probably the fastest rising chef in New Orleans. He, along with Chef Stephen Stryjewski, owns Cochon and Butcher, he also owns Herbsaint Restaurant, and Calcasieu Private Dining Room. He is a man of pork, a swinetologist. As you can read by my previous post HERE, Butcher is awesome. Try the Calabrese Salami if you go there. Odd name for a sausage maker, Link. Hmmmm. Click on the picture to enlarge the article.

RouxBDoo

Bud’s Broiler on City Park Ave re-opening!

Well, I had almost forgotten about Bud's Broiler. Now, I realize this is a Cajun and Creole food blog, but Bud’s Broiler is a New Orleans institution. My friend Doug Ferguson used to pick me up downtown and we'd sometimes go to Bud’s Broiler in Kenner, near the airport (pictured on left). If you've never had a Bud's burger, the are char-broiled, dipped in a barbecue sauce they call "hickory sauce", slapped on a warm bun and topped with a huge mound of shredded cheddar cheese.

Listen kids, there ain't much better burgers out there than Bud's Broiler. If you click HERE you can not only find their location but also see their menu and pics of all the tasty burgers and other food items. Billy and Shannon Wright are re-opening the City Park Avenue location on April 20. This location, the first Bud's Broiler, opened in 1952, has been closed since Katrina. They have bought the location and franchised the business from Bud's owner Joe Catalano, who took over the chain in 1980 from the widow of founder Alfred J. "Bud" Saunders.

If you'd like to read the entire story at NOLA.com click HERE. If you want an incredible burger, much, much better than what the McClown or the King are trowelling out, go to any Bud's location. If you click HERE you can find a location near you. Be sure to tell them you read about it here at RouxBDoo's Cajun and Creole Food Blog. Tell 'em RouxBDoo sent you!

Happy Burgering!

Big Easy Pork Terrine

I was home a few extra days this week and being back on my Low-Carb diet, (since the last post) I needed some protein. I first thought about meatloaf, but then I found I had some Brawnschweiger (liver spread) in the fridge, so I decided to make a terrine. Pretty much the same as a meatloaf, only fancier name.

It was very simple, dice up some onion, mix all the ingredients together, then let it cook forever. HERE is a link to the recipe. You can cut it in half if you'd like. I call it the "Big Easy Terrine" not for New Orleans (The Big Easy) necessairily, but because it's really easy and it's FRIGGIN' HUGE.

Enjoy!

RouxBDoo

The Best Pralines at Southern Candymakers

Well, after a big lunch at Deanie's, in the French Quarter on Saturday, I was walking back to the Trolly stop at Bienville St., and I happened to walk by Southern Candymakers on the corner of North Peters where it runs into Decatur St. My senses were immediately assaulted by the mystical smell of sugars caramelizing in cream and butter. They were making Pralines!

Against my better judgment I walked into the store and saw the new batch of Pecan Pralines (pronounced prah-leens) being spooned out onto a marble slab to cool. A gentleman was scooping up the delicacies and offered me a sample bite. Now, I've eaten pralines before but never fresh from the kettle while still hot. These were the best pralines I have ever eaten. Honestly, they were the creamiest, with whole pecans, all warm and mellow… words cannot describe them. Even after they had cooled, they were still the best I'd eaten.

It turns out the friendly gentleman serving me was Peter Tompkins, one of the owners of Southern Candymakers. He told me their business, at 334 Decatur, had been in the French Quarter for 18 years making a vast array of delicious candies, in addition to the pralines. They have two locations, the second being further down in the French Market at 1010 Decatur.

This is a locally owned business, that also does mail order if you can't be in New Orleans to get them yourself. You can order them by calling 504-523-5544 or toll free at 800-344-9773. Their great website can be accessed by clicking Southern Candymakers. Oh yeah, here's also a short video about Southern Candymakers.



Meanwhile, I will give you my recipe for pralines. This is not the recipe from Southern Candymakers, but it is the best I've found. This might tide you over. Be sure to buy a candy thermometer to make it easier on yourself.

RouxBDoo's Pecan Pralines

1 1⁄2 cups white sugar
3⁄4 cups brown sugar
3⁄4 cup Half & Half
1⁄2 stick butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1⁄2 cups pecan halves

Combine first four ingredients in a heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil, then turn down a cook the mixture on MED until it reaches 240º with a candy thermometer, or forms a soft ball. As the mixture cooks, don’t stir it to death, this will make it grainy. Stir it only occasionally, while spooning the mixture up on the side of the saucepan, to wash the sugar crystals off the sides.

Remove from the heat and add the pecans and vanilla. Stir the mixture until it starts to cool and gets cloudy. It is then ready to spoon out onto wax paper or a Teflon pan. Don’t let it get too thick or it won’t drop properly. If it does, add some warm water to it, only about a tablespoon. Let them cool and serve.

Enjoy

RouxBDoo

Owner of Rouse's Grocery Dies at 79

Anthony J. Rouse, owner of the Rouse's grocery chain, died Thursday, March 5th. He was 79. Rouse had opened his first store in Houma and the stores proliferated in the Houma and Thibodaux area. After Hurricane Katrina he bought all the Sav-A-Center and A&P stores. The chain now incloudes 35 stores and employs 4,700 people, and is the largest, local owned, grocery chain in South Louisiana. He did this in the face of many businesses leaving the New Orleans area.

Rouse was born in Marrero but later moved with his family to Thibodaux. In 1960, he opened a 7,000-square-foot grocery store in Houma with his cousin, Ciro DiMarco. DiMarco retired in 1975, and Rouse's son Donald became manager of the store, which was renamed Rouses.

I love the little French Quarter location (above), it is handy, small, and carries nearly everything. It's nice to see a local chain do well in this economy, or any economy.

RouxBDoo

Deanie's in the French Quarter

I finally made it over to Deanie's Seafood Restaurant, after watching Adam Richmond tackle the monstrous BBQ Shrimp on Man vs Food. Deanie's Bucktown originally opened in 1961. Their current location, at 1713 Lake Avenue in Metairie, has been serving folks great seafood for years. The good news is they also have a French Quarter location. It has been there for 8 years, according to our waiter, and is located on the corner of Iberville and Dauphine, just a block off Bourbon St.

I arrived with one of my shipmates. Our friendly waiter offered us a small plate of red potatoes that had been cooked in Old Bay seasoning, or at least tasted like it. They were wonderful! My friend ordered berl'd crawfish and I got the BBQ Shrimp appetizer. I also got "Busters" for my entrée. Busters are softshell crabs and they're my favorites. They were wonderful, lightly battered and fried, with a tasty slaw as well.

The shrimp were just amazing. Like the ones in the Man vs Food video clip below, they were HUGE! They looked like dolphin. They were served with a small individual baguette of french bread to sop up all that wonderful buttery sauce they're cooked in. Their prices are comparable to lower than most of their nearby competition. I heartily recommend them.

They have an informative website HERE. Make sure your trip to the French Quarter includes a trip to Deanie's. Great food and excellent service, at moderate prices.

RouxBDoo

Danno's Return to NOLA

My blogging buddy Danno, whom I've never met before, made it into town last week for a few days of trying out new restaurants and reconnecting with old ones. We tried to meet but we weren't in town on the same day. He did make it by one of my favorites, Cochon Butcher. He has some wonderful pictures of his trip on his blog NOLA Cuisine, be sure to check them out.

We see Danno in the above picture, standing in jackson Square, in front of the St. Louis Cathedral. He also made it to several other places, like Casamento’s Restaurant, to sample some of their fine cuisine. He makes it into town periodically and is a true connoisseur of Cajun and Creole food. His blog has been an inspiration to me. I hope someday we can meet and have a meal together. Be sure to check out his extensive recipe collection HERE!

-RouxBDoo

Zagat Launches 2009 New Orleans Guide

Here's a quote from their press release...

Winners: Since 28% of surveyors in New Orleans named Creole and Cajun as their favorite cuisines, it is no surprise that Brigtsen's (Contemp. Louisiana) won Top Food and Top Service; while Commander's Palace (Creole) was voted Most Popular restaurant (as it has been every time it's surveyed) and Top Decor to boot. Best Bets for a bite at top value are at Hansen's Sno-Bliz, Angelo Brocato and Morning Call. Other food and popularity winners are:

August
Bayona
Cafe Du Monde
Dakota
Galatoire's
Stella!

If you'd like to read the entire press release, click HERE!

Enjoy

RouxBDoo

New Orleans Jazz Great Pete Fountain

In honor of Mardi-Gras, I am posting my favorite video of the "wonnerful" Pete Fountain, doing his duty on the Lawrence Welk Show playing Tiger Rag. This was in '58 and you can hear Lawrence say…"Ready boyce, a one ana two" Enjoy Pete here, sorry I hadn't posted it sooner. Enjoy Mardi Gras!!! Just look at Mr. Pinchy over to the left, snapping his pincers and dancing to the music!

Cochon Butcher

The owners of Cochon, Chef Donald Link and Chef Stephen Stryjewski, have opened a new "swine bar" in New Orleans on Andrew Higgins St. It is an upscale boucherie called simply "Butcher." I was like a kid in a candy store drooling over the pretty foods in the display cases. Wonderful Cajun and Creole delicacies like their in-house made Andouille, Boudin, Tasso, as well as international favorites like Soprasetta and Genoa salamis.

I could barely contain my excitement enough to soak-in all the sights and smells in the trendy, bistro-like cafe. Such items like Duck Pastrami, Head Cheese, and Stuffed Chickens were some of the other foods that were also available. I took home the awesome soprasetta, homemade andouille, and the aforementioned head cheese. All were awesome. Surprisingly, the andouille was nearly the size of a Coke can. It was my first encounter with head cheese. I took some back to the ship to Chef Jorg Schneider, who said it was the closest he'd had to that made in his homeland of Germany.

I believe, though the most unusual item was something I had only dreamed about, something that I thought would only exist in some mystical, wonderful, fairy-tale land, and what is this food that gives me cold chills, and turns my knees to custard at the same time??? Ready??? BACON PRALINES. Yes, you heard me. Lovely brown sugar carmelized with cream, butter, and pecans. Then, the magic happens. Huge chunks of cooked, smokey, bacon. Not flavored bacon bits, but respectable chunks of fried, savory bacon. It was poured into a 3/4 inch thick slab, which the counter person would break off to sell. I broke my low-carb diet for the day to have this bacon-y treat. I highly recommend it.

I also got to meet Chef Link. To me it's like meeting a celebrity or sports star. Link (on left) and his partner Stryjewski (on right) are two of the top super chefs in town. Their Cochon Restaurant is remarkable and is in MY top 3 in town. Link was very friendly and must be working very hard to keep all his businesses on top. Be sure to check out Cochon and Butcher while in New Orleans. They are near the Convention Center on Andrew Higgins near NOLA Grocery, one of my other favorites. Cochon is on the corner at Tchopotulous, Butcher is directly behind it.

RouxBDoo

Leo's Cajun Corner

OK, I know most, if not all, of my posts on this blog are about food from Louisiana, specifically New Orleans, or the Cajun country of South Louisiana. I felt though this place really deserved my attention since I really LOVE this place.

Leo's Cajun Corner is located on the lovely island of Galveston, Texas. I met Leo Marcantel on my last visit there having lunch in the dining room of his brand new location on Broadway, (the one pictured is their old one, now torn down). Leo is, at first glance, a friendly fellow that seems to have a happy staff serving wonderful food. We spoke about his new restaurant, which he'd begun building before Hurricane Ike devastated the area.

Their speciality is their smoked foods. They have a butcher's display case full of many smoked meats that you can eat there or take home. My favorite are the rib blade tips, smoked to perfection giving them a reddish-brown hue and infusing them with a wonderful flavor. No sauce is slathered on them like some places do… they don't need anything, they are perfect! The same goes for their chicken and porkchops as well. My friend AJ ordered a chicken beast that looked more like a turkey breast. it was HUGE, as were the porkchops, some the size of a dinner plate.

I have had their gumbo and jambalaya as well, their gumbo is a chicken and andouille which is very simple but flavorful, the same with their gambalaya which was flavored with andouille as well. I am yet to try their crawfish or shrimp etouffée, but I am sure it is tasty.

One of my favorites is their smoked boudin. Now all y'all know I love boudin, and their's is really good. The rich mixture of pork, rice, and spices. The carry plain, smoked, and crawfish boudin. They also make their own andouille, tasso, bacon, ham hocks, beef jerky, and a few other smoked sausages.

Now the best part… their prices. They have the best prices anywhere. I cannot get over how inexpensive the food is. About half the cost of most New Orleans or even Galveston prices. Example: their boudin is $3.89 a lb., A small gumbo, (the size of most large in NOLA) is $1.99. A large etouffée is only $5.25. They can smoke any meat you bring by as well as making custom items like Deer sausage.

Amazingly they don't have a website yet, of course when you see the crowds eating there you wonder if they need one. They do have a mySpace page that is listed HERE. Please, if you are in Houston, run down to Galveston and leave some tourist dollars to help them recover, and also run by a get some great cajun and smoked foods with Leo's Cajun Corner. Tell Leo you read about them here!

RouxBDoo

This months recipe Red Beans for Valentine's Day

I am reminded of the old poem...
"Beans, beans, the musical fruit,
the more you eat... you remember it.

Well I thought we'd make red beans the recipe of the month. I love red kidney beans seasoned with a lttle onion, celery, garlic, and smoked ham or sausage. Since red is a Valentine's Day color, and I don't know many pink Cajun foods, OK shrimp maybe, I felt that beans would be the food that provides the music of Love, well not quite. You know what I mean. HERE is my recipe. Enjoy

RouxBDoo

The Chicken Butt

OK, we were having a discussion on a message board about the tail of the chicken. You know, the little lump of skin with a few tiny bones, and a scant morsel of meat? Yes, that one. One lady had heard it called the Pope's Nose. Well I did some checking and I found a list of the Top Ten alternate names for the chicken's tail. I hope you enjoy them.




The Colonel's Knob
El Pollo Asso Bucco Holo
The Outback Backside
Roy Rodger's Chicken Dodgers
The Nagin
The Judas Piece
Anusette
MacNugget (well they come from somewhere)
Uday or Qussay (your choice)
Da Wagon dat Chicken be Draggin'

My Cajun friend and fellow food blogger, Arthur Hebert, reminded me that Justin Wilson called the chicken butt "the part that goes over the fence last." Click Here

Finally a NEW POST

Sorry, sorry, sorry my friends that actually do stop by and check this blog out from time to time. I have been swamped at work and home very little. But I wanted to tell you of my new out-of-the-way food find. It is right in the NOLA Airport. The ACME Oyster House is of course a venerable old restaurant in the French Quarter on Iberville since 1910, but if you are flying out of New Orleans in the morning, and are hungry? Take your self, and "rat now," over to the ACME "Erster" House in the airport and order the andouille and egg Po-Boy. Oh Man, was it good.

Now, I have been on a low carbohydrate diet since the first of the year, and I believe this was the first bread I've eaten, but it was worth it, with that great old french bread, sauteed onions and peppers, andouille sausage, all stirred up into real eggs. No egg substitute here. OK their prices are ridiculous, but you actually get near what you pay for unlike alot of the airport reataurants. Get 'en to smear a little mayo on it too! Give it a try if your out that way.

RouxBDoo

Salmon Crochets, Croquets, or Croquettes?

A restaurant website had a plethora of misspellings, one being "Salmon Crochets." After a little fun with PhotoShop, I imagined what the alternatives might be. The first photo of my great grandmother back in the old country making the "Salmon Crochet" by hand. The second is a photo of two old gals playing a thrilling game of "Salmon Croquet."As you can see I have way too much time on my hands. Actually I don't, but I love doing little fun projects like this using the magic of PhotoShop.

My brother Chef Phil Harkleroad

My brother has always had the same passion for food and cooking as I have. After looking for a job during this economic sowdown, he got one cooking and working in food service. I am so happy and proud for him, he really loves it and likes the people he works with. My kids and I went to where he works and visited with him for a bit. I love my brother and hope he continues to enjoy his job, finally, in a profession he really enjoys. Good luck Phil, I am happy for you.

RouxBDoo

This Month's Recipe Etouffée

Here is a shrimp etouffée I made in '08. There is a recipe HERE. I am now making it without a roux. Some use a roux and some don't. Send me your etouffée recipes and I'll post them. The picture is a bit odd, it was taken at night out on our porch table. The lighting wasn't the best. By the way, Etouffée means "smothered" yes, smothered by a velvety, tasty sauce.

RouxBDoo

Arnaud's Restaurant Owner Archie Casbarian Dies

Archie Casbarian, owner of Arnaud's Restaurant, died in a Metarie hospice center on Saturday at the age of 72. Casbarian and his wife Jane took over the legendary French Quarter restaurant in 1978 and in the last 30 years have restored it to it's former glory.

They hosted every president since Richard Nixon, along with countless others seeking out some of New Orlean's finest Creole foods. Casbarian felt keeping menu items like Oysters Bienville and Shrimp Remoulade, was important since they were among some of the original recipes from when the restaurant was opened in 1918 by Arnaud Cazenave.

Casbarian survived by his wife, a son, a daughter, a grandson and two brothers. For more information about Arnaud's go HERE. Thank you Archie for your hard work and contributions to New Orleans' wonderful cuisine. God Bless You.

RouxBDoo

A New Year and New Foods

Well 2009 is here and some of you celebrated it in the traditional way by eating black-eyed peas and cabbage and blowing yourselves into the new year. I started a diet. I am cutting carbs out of my diet which means no rice, bread, pasta, etc., at least for a while. There are lots of foods that I can eat, I love meats, cheeses, and some vegetables, which makes this diet easier for me than most traditional diets.

Let's say you want to fry some shrimp but don't need the breading. Drop a bag of barbecue pork rinds into a food processor and PULVERIZE them. Dip your peeled shrimp into a milk/egg wash, and then into the pork rind dust. Make sure you get the shrimp covered properly. Deep fry them and enjoy.

For a sweet snack, add a pack of Splenda to about 4 ounces of cream cheese, spread an even layer onto a slice of muenster or mozzarella cheese. Then spread a thin layer of low sugar/carb peanut butter. Roll the cheese up and slice it into pinwheels. Go an extra step and melt some low carb chocolate and dip the pinwheels into it. Let them cool in the fridge. Have fun with these.

If you are starting a diet this new year, good luck and hang in there. It's not easy but it's worth it. Good Health!

RouxBDoo

A post from my iPod Touch

I got a wonderful iPod for Christmas. It's the iPod Touch and allows me to post to my RouxBDoo Blog. It is time consuming with my big-ass fingers, but It's nice to know I can use it for that purpose.

I hope everyone had a great holiday

Timmy

-- Post From My iPod Touch

Here's a Justin Wilson Christmas Story

Away in a Manger - My Favorite Christmas Recording

Here is Jerry Douglas playing his amazing Dobro on Away in a Manger. This is a excerpt from Sugar Plums - Holiday Treats From Sugar Hill Records. Merry Christmas my friends.
Buy the Sugar Plums CD, CLICK HERE!

Sorry for not posting sooner!

Well, it's Christmas Eve and I haven't been able to post hardly anything. I have been swamped at work and have been out of the country for most of the month. I just returned home and am going to bed. I have to run out in the morning and do some last minute shopping, little bits and candy-making supplies.

I am making Pralines tomorrow for Christmas, it will be my first time, wish me luck. I will try and post something tomorrow before the big day. Love to all my friends reading this. Be back soon. Until I get a picture of this year's tree, here's last year's.

RouxBDoo

Thanksgiving onboard the MS Fantasy

What a great meal Chef Jorg Schneider and Sous Chef Martin Miles made for the Staff and Crew on the ship last week. Not to mention the 110 turkeys they made for the guests. They fixed about 12 for the staff and crew and they were the best I've eaten. Chef also made a HUGE pumpkin Pie for the crew. They measured out the oven and had a metal disk made to the specifications to create the largest pumpkin pie they could fit in it.

I helped in the staff dining room to carve the 4 turkeys we went through. These had been de-boned and expertly roasted by Chef Martin. Brown and crispy on the outside and moist and flavorful on the inside. I even enjoyed the dark meat, which I usually avoid. It was a great Thanksgiving on the ship, and I truly have a lot to be thankful for. Having a job for starters! I am also thankful for my two friends Chef Jorg and Chef Martin, they are truly remarkable. I am pictured with Master Chef Jorg Schneider.

Getting ready for Christmas!

RouxBDoo

Tim's Turkey Tips

Alright, while some folks are out nearly burning their houses down trying to deep-fry a turkey, I am using more civilized methods to prepare the Thanksgiving bird. Years ago, while I was a cruise director, I used to have my meals in the Officer's Mess on board. They used to fix incredible turkeys that were seasoned with fresh garlic and olive oil.

I experimented at home with cooking turkeys and finally came down to a great recipe that, not only makes a tasty turkey but, makes a moist and tender turkey as well. You'll need the following items.

Turkey (thawed, giblets removed)
2 onions
2 apples
2 oranges
1 whole bulb of garllic
1 cup olive oil
kosher salt
black pepper
1 stick butter
¼ cup soy sauce (optional)
several sprigs of fresh thyme (optional)

You might want to have a pair of disposable plastic server's gloves (like they use at Subway)

Make sure the turkey is thawed and the cavity is cleared out of the giblets and the neck. You can use the neck for stock, do not use the liver, etc. for stock. Rinse the turkey off, inside and out and pat dry.

Cut your onions, apples, and oranges in half and stuff them into the cavity of the turkey trying to position the cut side out against the inside of the cavity. You can peel a few cloves of garlic and add to the cavity, as well as lodge the stick of butter and fresh thyme up in there. Try to gather the skin around the turkey's backside, pull it together, and secure with a toothpick or skewer.

Now for the outside. If using soy sauce, give the turkey a rubdown all over with the soy sauce, (you can use low sodium). Smash and mince the remaining cloves of garlic, and mix them with the olive oil and rub this over the turkey's surface. You might want to tuck some garlic up under the wings and legs. Once you have covered and rubbed-in the garlic and olive oil, give the bird a light coat of salt and pepper. NEVER pierce the skin! This allows moisture to escape.

Place the turkey in the oven uncovered, and bake at 450º for the first hour. Then cover with foil, turn down the heat to 325º, and bake for approximately 15 - 20 minutes per pound. Use a meat thermometer and let it go to a 170º internal temperature. You can also check the turkey provider's chart for cooking time and add about an additional 10% in time.

Remove the foil for the last hour and baste every 15 mins. When the time is up, turn oven off and allow turkey to relax in the oven for about 15 mins. and outside the oven for 20 mins. before slicing. Although it is difficult lifting the foil and replacing it, it doesn't hurt to baste the turkey earlier in the baking process every half hour or so. Bottom line, don't be in a hurry. Better to let it cook longer at slower temp, and keep it moist. Some folks even braise it in a few inches of stock.

Either way, Happy Thanksgiving!

RouxBDoo

The Napolean House

Thursday Nov. 20 I was back in NOLA for the day. We actually didn't go to NOLA Grocery as we usually do. My friends couldn't make lunch today, so my friend from Mexico City, Eric and I went to a restaurant in one of the oldest buildings in town, The Napoleon House.

Very reasonable, (as a matter of fact downright inexpensive, comparatively) and great service. We ate out in the courtyard of this building built in 1821 for Mayor Girod, by his brother. The mayor offered it as sanctuary for Napoleon Bonapart, if he had gone into exile. Evidently it survived both great fires, (I believe they were after this) and has been a thriving restaurant for some time.

Eric had a roast beast Po-Boy with gravy, I had gumbo and Jambalaya. Both were good, the gumbo being the better of the two, had a nice flavor, the jambo was the Creole Red variety, I prefer brown, and it was a little tomato-ey for my taste. It could've cooked more, but all in all, it was a nice meal. The waiter was attentive and the place was very relaxing. Everything else I saw looked great and as I said earlier, it was very reasonable, maybe the best meal deal in the French Quarter.

Timmy
RouxBDoo

Grits… boilt', fried, and cherished!

I love grits. Always have, even before snooty people started eating them. I bought some coarse stone gound, grits from Parks Mill in Abingdon, VA. They make great corn meal, grits and other items. I am including their recipes for grits and cornbread here. It might not seem like alot of grits in the recipe, but it made a whole bowlful. I added a bit more water.

After you make your grits, try this… put them in the fridge overnight, dump them out and slice them about half and inch thick. Dredge each grit plank in seasoned flour (flour, Tony C's Cajun Mix, black pepper) and fry it in a skillet with, I use margarine when I fry mine. Let them get brown and crispy on the outside. Oh man are they good. Check out Parks Mill for great products.

RouxBDoo

Sorry About Thanksgiving!

OK, OK, I am the one that fusses the most about early Christmas content, but I love Christmas and wanted to get my Christmas recipes on the ol' blog. I also changed my logo on top. The mansion in the picture is Kinnity Castle in Ireland, (I love this picture) I really hope you try and enjoy these Christmas Recipes.

The shortbread recipe is simply awesome, as well as my Dad's Peanut Butter recipe. My father W.J.Harkleroad Jr. was an wonderful father and a really good cook. He left me this recipe for his candy. It is similar to a fudge, but so much better. The last is my sweet wife's sugar cookies with buttercream icing. Enjoy these and look in the future for more fun during Christmas.

RouxBDoo

Joe the NOLA Cat

Well, Thursday lunch was at our current favorite NOLA Grocery with Murray, and then a stop off to see Joe the Cat. Joe is a fixture at "The Foundry," a catering facility a few blocks over. Joe can be found sleeping most of the time. His friend Robin informed us that, amazingly, he HAD BEEN SLEEPING before we got there. Whew, that's a relief!

Joe and I took to being friends immediately, I guess since I am a confirmed cat-person and Joe smelled the smokiness on my boudin-stained fingers. At the NOLA Grocery I had a Ferdi special Po-Boy, this is roast beef debris with Chisesi ham. MMMmm, I loved it. Can't wait to go back for it and that lovely boudin. Oh, Murray is the only person I know that has Mexican imported Fresca to drink. It is a grapefruit flavored drink. I know there is an American version but it is awful in comparison.

Seeya next week!

Chicken Fricassée

Well, I delved into the dish Chicken Fricassée this weekend. I got it a bit confused with something else and added tomatoes. Now it wasn't bad, but it did over cook a bit, and all those little bones in the wing-tips, etc. became a real nuisance. I got a recipe from fellow blogger Arthur Hebert at The Bear Growls. He reviews restaurants around the Lake Charles, LA area.

Hopefully with this truly Cajun version it will turn out better next time. I also mede some great cornbread and pinto beans this weekend. Cornbread is one of my favorites, but DO NOT PUT SUGAR IN IT!!!! It's a bread not a cake.

Here is the Chicken Fricassée recipe…

4 to 5 lb hen cut into serving pieces
salt and cayenne to taste
6 tbs oil
6 tbs flour
2 large onions
4 cups hot water.

Season meat and brown in oil. Remove and add flour stirring to make a dark roux ( some recipes call for flouring the chicken pieces and going from there)

Add onions and cook until transparent. return hen to pot add water and cook on low for about 2 hours or until tender. (some recipes call for the trinity and garlic and sauteing them in oil then adding the flour) Serve over rice. Slow cooking is the key!

Mmmmmm Good! Thanks Arthur!

New Season, new posts

I am getting ready for the Thanksgiving season, and hope you are too! I don't know about the Cajun craze of TurDuckEn. I just don't know about foods that begin with the word Turd. Anyway, we will feature some new recipes and possibly some restaurant suggestions for those of you spending the holiday in New Orleans or SoLa. (that's South Louisiana)

I hope all have a great season, it's a beautiful time of the year. Get out and see the pretty colors, and if your area doesn't have them, go somewhere that does.

Happy Halloween Everyone!

This is just a post to remind everyone to make sure you got candy for the kiddies. Go out and find a haunted attraction to get a good scare this Halloween. Many haunted houses donate to a charity, our raised over $5,000.00 for Make A Wish over the past few years. Next week we start on our Cajun Thanksgiving! Until then, stay spooky!
RouxBDoo

How to Roast Pumpkin Seeds

Pumpkin seeds are one of my absoloute favorite things in the world to eat, and make. I thought I'd give you an easy recipe. You can substitute Tony C's for the salt.

1. Rinse pumpkin seeds under cold water and pick out the pulp and strings.
2. Dry and place the pumpkin seeds in a single layer on a baking sheet, coat the seeds and baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray.
3. Sprinkle with salt, or season salt, and bake at 325º until toasted, about 25 minutes, checking and stirring after 10 minutes.
4. Enjoy! BTW, you could experiment with different flavors, garlic powder, dill, etc.

NOLA Grocery again!

Here is Murray, the owner of NOLA Grocery back in their small but effective kitchen. He is working on an awesome beef debris Po-Boy for me. I met MrsFury and Henry (yes I'm not sure if I can use her real name or not) for lunch there on Thursday. The boudin was also incredible as usual. If you are in the area, go by there, we are still after Murray about doing gumbo. Hope he starts soon. Just thought I'd post the pics Beth made. (Ooops I used her name)

Halloween Food Special - "Boo - dan"

I love boudin (pronounced boo-dan), it is one of my favorite foods in the Cajun/Creole cuisine. I had some great boudin at NOLA Grocery, (previous post) and also had some at Leo's Cajun Corner in Galveston. I hope they are back up and running. Boudin is a sausage made with spiced pork, pork liver (just a wee bit), and rice. Stuffed into a natural casing and sometimes smoked, (my favorite) it is a staple in Cajun fare. I hope you get to try some soon. If you are in Lafayette Louisiana on October 25th you can attend the Boudin Cookoff. This sounds like awful fun. I hate I can't be there to declare the winner. They're all winners. Go to The Boudin Link for more info on BOUDIN. Here's a recipe. (Boudin pictured from LeBlanc's Cajun Boudin located in St. Amant, LA.)

Here is a link to a video of Dwayne and Shannon fron Bourques Boudin and Cajun Specialities making their world famous Boudin.

RouxBDoo returns to NOLA

Well friends, my triumphal return to the Crescent City was marked by a wonderful lunch with my pals Beth, Henry, and Kelly from the NOLA food forum. I finally got over to NOLA Grocery to have a wonderful roast beef debris Po-Boy and some tasty smoked Boudin. What looks like a tiny garage where someone has built a convenience store, actually contains a small kitchen that puts out some great food. It's impossible to try to calculate how those guys all maneuver in that kitchen.


We ordered and sat down at one of the two tables provided. Our "sammiches" were soon delivered and mine was great. The Boudin was smoked and spectacular. I love Boudin, as you guys might well know, and this was spiced just right and the smoky flavor was perfect. The owner came out bringing a pumpkin bundt cake with a butter cream icing. This was a nice complimentary dessert or "Lagniappe" as the owner called it. Lagniappe, loosely translated, is "a little something extra" and is a common local expression.


They just got a new snowball machine, and will be adding gumbo to their fall and winter menu. The owner told me it was just too hot to make it in the summer, back in that tiny kitchen. They have most kinds of Po-Boys, fried shrimp, oysters, andouille, etc. and several other great items on the menu. Local favorite like Zapps Chips, Hubig's Pies, and all type of soft drinks round out the inventory, along with the usual convenience store items. NOLA Grocery is handy and serves tasty food, so when in New Orleans be sure to pay them a visit. It's located on Andrew Higgins about a block and a half off of Convention Boulevard, right behind the restaurant Cochon.

New Orleans Restaurant Recommendations

OK friends, I have to admit there are a lot of places I haven't eaten in New Orleans, but I do have my favorites, and some are my least favorites. Rather than hurt someone's business because they might have had a bad day, I will restrict this post to those eateries I do really like, rather than those I don't.

For starters, I will give you my top three.

!. Galatoire's (French Quarter)
2. Commander's Palace (Garden District)
3. Cochon (Warehouse District)

Here are some of my other favorites to check out while in New Orleans or surrounding area. These are not in any sort of order.

Coop's Place (Decatur St.) Lil' Dizzy's (Esplanade) Grand Isle (Convention Blvd.) The Dry Dock (Algier's Point) Mother's (Poydras) The Old Coffee Pot (714 St. Peter St.) Creole Skillet (Julia St.) Brennan's (French Quarter) Don's Seafood (Metairie) Gumbo Shop (St. Peter's) Copelands (Various Locations) Café Du Monde (Various Locations) Central Grocery (Decatur) Bud's Broiler (Various Locations) NOLA Grocery (Andrew Higgins Dr.) Hana Sushi (Hampson) Desire Oyster Bar (in Royal Sonesta Hotel)

There are many more I have eaten there, like the pizza place on Decatur, the seafood place in Riverwalk, etc. Some of them had good food but I can't remember their names. I also spent many meals at the Cajun Cookin' store in Riverwalk, and had some of the best food ever in New Orleans. Unfortunately they are gone from that location. Their other location is in the Quarter, but they don't serve food. One place that I loved was the Diplomat on Tchopotulous, again it has now closed, I guess due to low tourist numbers.

I might also mention that Whole Foods Gourmet Stores have cooking stations, and it was there I had some of the best scallops I've ever eaten. The buffet at Harrah's is a great bargain, and the food is better than most buffets. You can find great food all over town, if you just look.

There are some other restaurants in New Orleans where I've eaten but some were disappointing, this is very rare though. Some other places are no longer open, as some of the previous ones I've listed. I hope you try some of these on your visit, and maybe try something new you can tell me about.

Robert Guthrie: New Orleans Artist

Although this blog is primarily about food from New Orleans and South Louisiana. I also like to feature people and items that are unique to the area. Here is a post about Robert Guthrie. Robert is a New Orleans artist with a fresh look at its historic architecture. In 1992 Robert was selected as the artist for the Official New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival Poster.

He finds the fluid radiance of watercolor well suited to the charismatic wash of lines and light intrinsic to the French Quarter. His creations appear throughout New Orleans on canvases, posters, walls, banners, and murals. Click HERE to see his website and view all his wonderful paintings of the French Quarter and New Orleans.

I really appreciate Robert giving me permission to display a few of his pieces. The uppermost painting is of one of my favorite restaurants Galatoire's. If you love New Orleans, Robert's work will take you back there, right to the heart of the French Quarter! Be sure to go to this site and buy something original for your home, and if you own a restaurant you could feature these beautiful works in your dining area.

CLICK HERE!

Timmy

Haunted New Orleans Restaurants

I found a really neat website of not only fine restaurants in New Orleans, but the ones that are haunted. I have the list here, but you need to go HERE to read the stories. This is the site for Haunted New Orleans Tours. Check the site out, or when in New Orleans you can take one of the great tours.

Here's the list...

1. Arnaud's Restaurant
The spirit of Germaine Cazenave is said to haunt the museum.

2. Brennan’s Restaurant
It is said to the be ghost of the late Chel Paul Blange, among others. The Red Room is an active spot.

3. Antoine's Restaurant
Make sure to tell the Ghost of Antoine hello.

4. La Louisiane Restaurant
Louis Bézaudun and his wife Ann's ghosts are said to be seen walking in and out of the building.

5. Muriel’s Restaurant
There are at least three known actual ghosts at Muriel’s, and maybe more.

6. Cafe Du Monde
Many of the locals swear of a ghost waiter that takes your order and dissapears.

7. Pat O'Brien's
The two most haunted areas of Pat's are the Piano Bar and the upstairs Ladies Room.

8. The Bombay Club Restaurant and Martini Bistro
The ghost of a Storyville Madame is sighted often.

9. Louis XVI Restaurant
Many of the ghost ofen are sighted in ghost photos taken at wedding receptions and around the Mardi Gras Season.

10. Court of Two Sisters 

Many locals tell haunted Tales of the Two Sisters ghosts watching over them as they enjoy their wonderful meals.

Many other Haunted Restaurant in New Orleans have had reported ghostly encounters. Next time in New Orleans and you are thinking of having spirits while dining, you might better specify.

Halloween Season is Creeping up!

Well, you might have noticed a slight change in the appearance of my blog. You might or might not know, I am a big Halloween fan and haunted attraction aficionado. So what can I write about in this post? Well, two of my good friends Ross Karpleman and Steve Jay, own and operate the House of Shock in New Orleans. The House of Shock is a gigantic haunted house/horror show located in Clearview.

Ross and Jay started the attraction years ago in Jay Gracionette's grandfather's back yard. Jay is a also a business partner. Their 4th partner in the venture was Phil Anselmo of the band Pantera. The attraction grew, achieving massive success after several years, becoming one of the largest and most prolific dark attractions in the country. The show draws up to and sometimes over 40,000 attendees.

They have been featured in several network and cable Halloween specials, as well as articles in various media including Playboy and USAToday. I have visited the House of Shock several times and have jumped into costume and character in for some of the fun, scaring the patrons that line up by the thousands to experience one of the most intensely terrifying horror shows anywhere.

On a culinary point, (since this is a foodie blog) Phil Anselmo's family owns Anselmo's, a fine Italian restaurant in Metairie. My son Martin is a heavy metal guitarist, as well as a big fan of Phil's newest band, Down. My pal Ross plays keyboards and also appeared on Down's last CD. Ross is a longtime friend who was nearly washed out by Katrina. He is restoring his house in Lakeview with plans to move back in soon. I am sure though, the House of Shock has his full attention these days.

If you'd like to know more about the House of Shock you can click HERE. For information about my Halloween activities go HERE. To locate a Halloween Haunted Attraction in your area, go HERE or HERE. Check back by during October for more fun seasonal posts.

Brian Landry Cookin' Busters @ Galatoire's

Here's Chef Brian Landry of Galatoire's frying up some soft shell crabs. This looks so good you can smell them!
You can find more incredible videos of the great New Orleans chefs at… www.NOLA.com

Zapp's Chips

In my never ending effort to bring you great products of New Orleans and South Louisiana, I bring you Zapps Chips.   A truly unique and wonderful potato chip selection that includes PLAIN, CAJUN CRAWTATOR, MESQUITE BBQ, NO SALT, HOTTER 'N HOT JALAPENO, CAJUN DILL, CREOLE TOMATO, SOUR CREAM & CREOLE ONION, SALT & VINEGAR.  Check out these great potato chips when  in New Orleans or order them from their website.

Poor Galveston

My beautiful Galveston was shattered last weekend by Hurricane Ike.  I had prayed it would veer off, but no it went in with full force and did millions maybe billions in damage.  I have called friends that evacuated and they're OK.  Galveston will return, but it will be a while.  Houston will also need much repair.

I have worked in and out of Galveston for many years now, I hope Sharon and Paul at the bookstore are OK, as well as my friends at Galveston Limo.  I look forward to seeing the gang at Leo's Cajun Corner and hope their new dining room was spared.  I will be back soon for some boudin.  Good luck friends in Texas, God bless you!

Galatoire's Cookbook Bargain

Well, I was in a Book Warehouse and got a real bargain.  I got the Galatoire's Cookbook by Leon Galatoire.  It was published in 1994, and I guess some of them have found their way to the close-out racks, or book "Big Lots."

Either way I got one and am really enjoying it so far.  Galatoire's was my first fancy restaurant to eat in my first trip to New Orleans, and I still remember the Trout Muniere Almondine with a Crabmeat Cocktail for starters.  If you can't find yours from the discount tables, you have to…

Get it here from Pelican Publishing.

When in New Orleans be sure to visit Galatoire's Restaurant for a once in a lifetime meal and dining experience. I recommend the trout.  So tasy you'll not want to eat it, you'll want to kiss it square on the mouth.

NOLA spared by Gustav

It seems that New Orleans eased by fairly unscathed form Hurricane Gustav on Monday. The storm made landfall 72 miles southwest of the city Monday morning. The levees held and the repairs, made in the last 3 years, seem to have been fairly effective. I, along with millions, had prayed and held our breath for days. I am so relieved and happy for all my friends in the area. I do worry about friends in Houma, hopefully everyone there is alright.

I also admire the Republicans for delaying their convention in concern for the Gulf Coast and Hurricane Gustav. I am sick of everyone blaming everything but the weather on George Bush. Ray Nagin is a moron, I cannot believe he was re-elected. Gov. Bobby Jindal however, did an amazing job during the crisis. Good on you RNC, great job Governor.

RouxBDoo

Hurricane Gustav heads toward New Orleans

Impending storm Gustav, a dangerous category 4 hurricane with maximum winds near 140 mph., is steaming it way toward New Orleans, or at least toward the region. I hope and pray it veers off and misses the city altogether. It is unknown if the city is ready for another Katrina-type storm. Although work has been ongoing with the levees in New Orleans and in the surrounding areas, there are still areas which might still be vulnerable.

I am supposed to fly to Houston and continue on to Galveston, to head right out into the gulf. I have no idea if I will still be going, and then returning to Mobile on Saturday. Everything is all up in the air.

As for New Orleans, I pray that all my friends and favorite places are safe, as well as the entire city of course, and we will be able to return to the beautiful Crescent City by the river. Stay safe and secure everyone, I hope to see you in October, all in one piece.

Steen's Pure Cane Syrup

I love Steen's Pure Cane Syrup.  I just recently discovered it in the last year, and I pick it up occaisionally and keep it on board.  I use it in my barbecue sauce recipe, on bread, biscuits, etc.  I even mixed a bit with some Creole Mustard to make a really tasty condiment.  

It is great to cook with, and not as dark as molasses.  Although I love molasses, they can be bitter sometimes.  Steen's is smooth, dark, and almost buttery.  You know, I don't make anything from these recommendations on this blog, I just want to pass these things along.  It is products like these that make New Orleans and Louisiana unique.  Enjoy Steen's and visit their WEBSITE.

My friends the Fergusons

One of my best friends anywhere is Doug Ferguson, born and raised in Metairie Louisiana, where he lived with his wife Barbara.  For at least 6 or 7 years, Doug would pick me up at the ship and we would have breakfast or lunch somewhere, (usually at Tiffin Inn).  I cherish all the times we would sit and talk about our shared passion, haunted houses and attractions.  Doug has worked for several of them in the New Orleans area, House of Shock for one.

Doug and his lovely wife Barb became my good friends over the years.  He introduced me to Commander's Palace.  We went there about 3 times, once when my wife was travelling with me.  Most times we'd cook at Doug's house, where I created my Metairie Crab and Shrimp Bisque.  We'd go by Whole Foods and buy seafood, or sometimes we'd fix steaks on his grill, and just relax and enjoy hanging around.

Upon the passing of Doug's Mother, a lovely woman and true Southern lady, Doug inherited his family home about a year or so before Katrina.  I remember worrying Doug might not evacuate before the storm.  He had mentioned before his resistance to leaving in previous storms, and would probably never leave for any, because the warnings were always dire and most times turned into nothing.  I called him on Friday before Katrina and spoke to Barb and she told me they were reluctantly leaving, travelling to Texas.

During the storm, Doug and Barb were in Fort Worth with some of her family.  After the storm, I had trouble reaching Doug and was a bit worried.  Finally after a few weeks I heard from him. They were OK and he was heading back to New Orleans soon to see the damage.  He later told me they were going to repair the damage and move.  They eventually sold their house and moved to Fort Worth where they have a beautiful new home.

Although Doug doesn't seem to miss New Orleans, I know I miss Doug when I am there.  I associate him with it so closely, it feels strange.  This post is just a note to tell you about my friends and how I miss them.  I know Halloween It'll be doubly so.  I can never thank Doug for all the hours he spent driving me around, not to mention the gas.  I do hope to see him again, either in Texas, or my home in Tennessee.  Fix something good to eat.

Doug and Barbara Ferguson - displaced by Katrina, but come out on top.

Farewell Ralph Fountain

My second time I ever went to New Orleans, I was on a tour with a show that included a clown (yawn), World class juggler, Tommy Curtin, and myself doing ventriloquism and magic.  We did shows all through Cajun country, New Iberia, Houma, Alexandria, Thibodeaux, Slidell, Baton Rouge, etc. and finally New Orleans.

While in New Orleans we stayed at Magician Ralph Fountain's house with his lovely wife Laura, and their banjo playing poodle, Frankie was his name I believe. If the name sounds familiar, he was the cousin of Pete Fountain the legendary New Orleans jazz clarinettist.  From what I gathered, they were raised as brothers by one of their mothers.  I am not sure of the exact relationship.  

Ralph was the consummate host, feeding us on crabs, crawfish, and shrimp, piled high on newspaper layered tables.  Ralph taught me about Cajun and Creole cooking.  Of my favorites, he made white beans in the same spirit as red beans.  His white beans were phenomenal.   I still make them from time to time.

I stayed in touch with Ralph over the years and saw him last about 10 yrs. ago when I first came to NOLA to work on a ship, the Celebration.  He picked me up at the airport and we went and had soft-shelled crabs, somewhere in Metairie.  He took me to his home in Arabi and gave me a huge bag of fresh figs from the trees in his back yard.  We sat for a few hours and talked about magic a passion we both shared.

After Katrina, I could not find where he had been moved to.  All the area magicians I asked knew nothing as to how to contact him.  I did read online that he was OK, but had been declining in health in years even before Katrina.  He and area magicians had a falling out years before and none of them had much to do with him anyway.  He had become a bit reclusive, all the while his health was failing.  I still loved him and missed him.  I even attempted to contact Pete Fountain to no avail.

I heard recently Ralph had passed away while living in Florida.  I was very saddened, not so much about his passing, he was after all in his late 80's and I have a feeling he went somewhere glorious. What made me sad was the fact I had never located nor spoke to him again.  Ralph would always get all teary-eyed whenever you'd be leaving after staying at his home.  He was a sweet man who I really miss.  I will try to contact Laura, and send my condolences.  For now though, here's a little goodbye to Ralphie-Boy.

He was a magician, entertainer, great cook, and good friend.  I will miss him and think about him whenever I cook white beans or eat crawfish over a newspaper draped table.  Farewell and adieu old pal.

Click here for his obituary.

If you want to know about his career, click here!

Ralph Fountain - In Memorium - September 14, 1924 - March 02, 2008

The Jambalaya King!!!

Emile Stiffle is the Jambalaya King.  Now he didn't just coronate himself the King, he earned it by winning many competitions and cook-offs, most notably beating Chef Bobby Flay on the Food Network show "Throwdown."  Emile is a caterer and chef, his son Laurent (pictured on left) is an upcoming but accomplished chef in his own right.

I recently had lunch with Emile and Laurent  and we had a great time.  He is a wealth of information and a heck of a nice guy.  You can visit his website with LOADS of Cajun recipes on it just click HERE!  Chef Stiffle's recipes were a valuable study when I was preparing to cook on my ship for the staff.  Although I had my own recipes, his recipes were a valuable study in proportions.  That was a lot of gumbo and jambalaya to make, and his recipes helped me immensely.   

Here's to the Jambalaya King, long live the King!

Roux-B-Doo

Lodge Cast Iron

If you are serious about cooking Cajun or Creole Food, you need some serious cookware.  Serious doesn't mean expensive necessarily, I mean well made cast iron is what I recommend for your cooking.  Lodge, I understand, is the only American made cast iron you can buy now.  I own their 7 qt. Dutch Oven and it is marvelous.  Nothing makes a roux like cast iron.

I use it for everything I cook nearly, gumbos, jambalayas, red beans, etouffée, and it's great for deep frying.  Lodge skillets and kettles come pre-seasoned and are ready to go, right out of the box.  The have factory outlet stores here and there, I found the best bargain, if you'd like the dutch oven, is buy it on-line from Walmart, pick it up at the store and pay no shipping.

WalMart Lodge Dutch Oven

Lodge Manufactruring

Their chicken fryer is a great product as well.  It's like an extra deep skillet with a lid.  They still make corn bread molds and all sorts of skillets and griddles.  This cast iron will last you a lifetime and can be passed on to your children or other family when you kick off.

Roux-B-Doo

Jambalaya

Well, I had to make some Jambalaya today for the band.  We played the Highlands Festival in Abingdon Virginia, and I took it up for us to snack on.  I love Cajun brown Jambalaya about as good as anything.  I use a sausage called Conecuh since I really do have a source for Andouille close-by.  It is great sausage.

I was telling my friend Robin Cross about my Jambalaya recipe, and ended giving her the rest of my batch.  If you're getting hungry, you can download the recipe HERE.  Enjoy this wonderful dish.

New Orleans Closed to Traffic

Well we, the MS Fantasy,  missed New Orleans again on this port day because of the additional clean-up where they moved the barge still containing oil.  They had to close the river again around Algiers' Point across from where the ship docks.  So we are heading into Mobile Alabama again tomorrow.  I don't mind Moblie, as a matter of fact it is quite nice, but I did hope to go by Cookin' Cajun in Riverwalk on their last day.  I think they said they have to move tomorrow.  (I am writing this on 2:00 am Thursday morning)

I was hoping to buy some rice before they move.  I know you can buy rice anywhere, but they had some nice pecan rice as well as the popcorn rice, which is my favorite.  This rice is so tasty on its own.  I find plain rice boring usually, but  the speciality rices they carry, are nutty and mellow tasting.  I believe most of these rices they sell come from Louisiana.  

An enormous amount of rice comes out of Louisiana, 520,000 acres, generating about 200 million dollars.  The rice is grown in some areas in cooperation with growing crawfish.  The crawfish are raised in the same rice fields, or patties, along with the rice, but at different times of the year.  Part of the year rice is grown, then in June the fields are drained for the rice harvest.  While the fields are drained, the "mudbugs" burrow down into the mud and grow fat and happy eating the bits of rice the harvesters miss.

The crawfish reproduce in the spring, then the crawfish season is around February I believe.  Y'see, grains and crustaceans working hand in claw for a better world.  Now wasn't that informative!  I just hope I got it all right.  That's about all I know about it, except the part when it comes to eating them, which I really enjoy any time of year.  My dear wife, who loves lobster and shrimp, considers crawfish to be insects.  For some reason she will not eat one at all.  I think it is the "mudbug" reference.  Oh well, more left over for me.

Well, I got off topic there, but any conversation you can steer toward crawfish logically, is worth having.  Let's hope they get the river open and the oil is cleaned up soon.  New Orleans has had more than her share of misfortune, and as I said in a post a few days back, it needs to properly recover from Katrina first, and the only way that will happen is when the tourist come back and their numbers are back at pre-Katrina levels.  Let's hope that day is soon.

Here is a news story

See you later!

Timmy

Roux-B-Doo-B-Doooooooooooo

Lee Benoit and the Bayou Stompers

I went into Mulate's in New Orleans last July with my family, Melanie, Martin and Sarah.  When I saw they had a band I said to myself... "oh, great... a band to try to talk over while I am eating."  We ordered and the band started, and I can't tell you how much I enjoyed this band.

The band was Lee Benoit and the Bayou Stompers.  Now, I am a bluegrass and Irish music guy.  I do appreciate other types of music, but it has to be good!  This guy is awesome.  His wife. family and others make up this band and they are equally tremendous.

In the left hand column of this page, toward the bottom, I have linked a pic of his new CD "Ma Petite Femme" to his website.  Don't take my word for it, go over there and hear his music.  Buy something and tell him I sent you.  I get nothing in return but satisfaction I have promoted a man and his band that work really hard and produce great music.

Wish I could say the same about the food that night at Mulate's... oh well, hope it's better in Breaux Bridge.

Timmy

Roux-B-D00

Hubig's Pie for Breakfast

These are my favorite junk food snack.  Coconut is my absolute favorite.  My buddy Eric, the backstage manager on the ship, brought me this one from WalMart.  I am ashamedly having it for breakfast.  These pies are as uniquely New Orleans as the muffuletta. Make sure you get one next time you're in town.  For more information go to... Hubig's Pies.

Have a nice morning!

Timmy

NOLA Needs Tourists

Worried about going to New Orleans?  Don't listen to Anderson Cooper on CNN, to hear him New Orleans was completely destroyed.  Not so.  The downtown areas, especially the French Quarter and surrounding areas like the Garden District, Warehouse District, etc. are fine.  But they desperately need tourism in New Orleans.  

Yes, the devastation was great, I saw some of the results of it today coming in from Mobile.  For some reason though, the news media seem to want to misrepresent where it took place, and that has frightened off tourists.  I am there every week and the city seems to be waiting.  Things are getting better, conventions are coming and there are some great hotel deals to be had as well, but it hasn't bounced back yet.

The tourist areas are in great shape, (except 6 Flags) all the restaurants are open and hotels are welcoming.  If you've never been, you are missing a truly original American icon.  The music, food, and culture are really unique.  

So, go to New Orleans and have a beignet, or some Etouffée and "Laissez les Bon Temps Rouler” or Let the Good Times Roll!

Roux-B-Doo

Poppy Tooker Making Gumbo

Poppy's one of my favorites and her gumbo looks incredible, almost as good as mine!  She seems like she'd be a hoot to get to know.

Oil Spill in NOLA

Well, I was on the Cruise Ship MS Fantasy this week and there was a big oil spill, or "Erl" spill in NOLA on Wednesday.  The ship will not be calling in New Orleans for a few weeks.  I hope its not long,  I miss New Orleans, plus I have to take a bus from Mobile, Alabama (we're docking there for the tim being) to New Orleans.  About 2+ hours, then fly home.  I did have a bowl of gumbo in the airport today, fair at best.

The clean-up is steadily going on in New ORleans, but it was all up and down the Mississippi.  Might take a while.  BTW let me know if you like my blog, it is my first.

Sitting in the NOLA airport, Delta, CrownRoom, needing sleep!

Timmy-Boy

Adam Weber, Cajun Cook

While on vacation, at home with his family,  my little buddy Adam Weber cooked a full Cajun meal for a little family get-together.  He used a copy of my recipe book, made gumbo, jambalaya, and not sure what all else.  He said it went over huge with his family. 

Adam and I worked together on the MS Fantasy where he was a videographer.  He will be a great director someday. Maybe he'll be reassigned to our ship again, and we can cook together.  Hopefully Chef Jorg will let me cook Cajun food again.  It was a big hit last time, and I had a blast.

It turned out really well,  I was so relieved that everything turned out well, I am not used to cooking 6 gallons of anything! 

See you after your much deserved vacation, Buddy!

Photo by Mrs. Fury

Colinda

This is a great old Cajun Song about a girl named Colinda, named after the dance, or vice-versa.

COLINDA ( Zachary Richard ) 

Colinda était la plus belle La plus belle du village 
Et tout ceux qui en la voyant La trouvait si belle 
Sa maman qui la chaperonne du matin jusqu'au soir 
Mais aussitôt qu'elle tourne la tête, On entend son ami dire 

Allons danser Colinda, danser collés Colinda 
Allons danser Colinda, pendant que ta mère est pas là 
C'est pas tout l'monde qui connaît 
Danser les danses du vieux temps. 

Allons danser Colinda, pour faire facher les vieilles femmes 
Allons danser Colinda, à l'arc en ciel Colinda, 
Allons danser coler pour faire de beaux étincelles. 
C'est pas tout l'monde qui connait 
Danser colé comme toi, 

C'est pas tout l'monde qui connait ho ho la la. 
Allons tomber en amour Colinda, doucement 

Tomber en amour avant que c'est trop tard.

Here's the Mamou Cajun Band performing it.

 

Justin Wilson Old Fashioned Gumbo

Here is one of my favorite justin Wilson videos, he's making Gumbo! Click HERE to download a .pdf file transcription of this recipe. I transcribed it from this video. Enjoy Justin in his element.

Cookin' Cajun / Creole Delicacies closing in Riverwalk

My friends at Cookin' Cajun are closing their Riverwalk store on July 31st, and this makes me very sad.  Ever since I first set foot in their restaurant area, I was treated like family.  The entire Verlander Family… Ken, Lisette, Mama Lisette, Corinne, Saundra, Marylin, and all the rest are wonderful people and I will miss them.  Their food was superior to most all the food downtown.  I loved their gumbo, red beans, jambalaya, and their lunch specials were incredible.  I think Riverwalk is losing a truly authentic business, and they should be ashamed the way they have treated them.

They are still open in their French Quarter store and you can order from… Creole Delicacies OnLine

Good Bye and God Bless

Tim

How Y'all are? My first post.

Well, this is the first of my blogs about one of my passions… Cajun and Creole foods.  I imagined eating it ever since seeing Justin Wilson cook on television, then my first time in Louisiana, I really experienced it and fell in love.  I returned to Louisiana,  dating a Cajun girl, while in my 20s.  Her Mom gave me a few tips about cookin' Cajun, and I have enjoyed fixing gumbo,  jambalaya, etc., for years now.

Now, once I figure out everything about this blog set-up, I will include some, or all, of my recipes.  Come by every once in a while and check it out.  I will probably only update it every weekend, because of my job and travels, it will not be every day, for sure.  

Thanks for checking us out!

Tim