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