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