From the Big Apple to the Big Easy

I was recently told of a vacationing couple from abroad that was touring some of the southeastern region of the United States.  Upon being informed that the couple had planned a visit to New Orleans as part of their itinerary, my own memories of a week well spent in the Big Easy flooded to the surface.  I immediately recalled all of the things that Brian and I saw, the tours we embarked on and the food.  Oh, the food!  We’re from New York.  Long Island, to be more specific, but the Big Apple is just over an hour’s train ride away.  With access to some of the most global cuisine prepared by some amazing culinary geniuses, food consumed in another city really should not have impressed us that much, but it did.  New Orleans is, hands down, second only to New York’s metropolitan area when it comes to extraordinary dining experiences.  Since this couple is actually friends with my parents, I immediately passed along a few choice recommendations to make their brief stay in New Orleans a memorable and flavorful experience.

Inspired, I have chosen to generously share some of these recommendations with my readers.  It was ten years ago when Brian and I visited New Orleans, before hurricane Katrina perilously ravaged through.  Fortunately, New Orleans has since rebuilt.  Most of the places we enjoyed were not permanent victims of complete devastation and remain in business today.  Several friends of mine have experienced an equally wonderful time in New Orleans within the past three years.  The French Quarter remains alive and festive around the clock and still offers sheer gastronomic rapture at several restaurants.

We stayed at the beautiful Mariott resort located on Canal Street.  This is a perfect location for accommodations because there is so much to see and do within walking distance from that block.  Once we dropped our bags, we immediately did an about face and exited the hotel to begin exploring and familiarizing ourselves of the surrounding area.  Our stroll brought us to Riverwalk, a lengthy shopping mall filled with shops peddling all manner of New Orleans souvenirs.  Some of the shops were very specialized, such as one that was right up my alley where I purchased a cat-themed New Orleans t-shirts and coffee mugs and even a catnip toy for my pampered feline, stitched from swaths of fabric bearing jazz cat musicians in the pattern.  There was a cooking shop, selling New Orleans themed aprons, cookbooks, cookware and Cajun and Creole spices and condiments.  Our first meal in New Orleans was taken in the food court of Riverwalk, where a jazz combo of musicians sashayed through with lively tunes while I savored a shrimp po’boy.  On the river side of this mall is an outdoor promenade that spans the length of the mall and overlooks the Mississippi River, hence the name Riverwalk.

That evening, we dined lavishly on what was most definitely the finest meal in town at Emeril’s Delmonico, located in the lower Garden District.  This is one of several restaurants owned by the celebrity chef within the city.  His original establishment, Emeril’s New Orleans can be found in the Warehouse District and the more casual NOLA is situated in the French Quarter.

The following night’s dinner was spent in the elegantly styled dining room of the historical building that houses Arnaud’s.  The menu features stellar classic Creole fare and diners are treated to live jazz.  The traditional dessert of bananas Foster is prepared and flambéed with visual flourish at your tableside.

When pounding the pavement to take in such photographic opportunities as Jackson Square with the Saint Louis Cathedral towering in the background or the splashing fountain near Riverwalk, be sure to take a respite at the famed Café du Monde.  Fashioned after the sidewalk cafes for which Paris is world famous, there is no better spot to relax in the fresh air sipping chicory cafe au lait and enjoying a plate of powdered sugar-dusted beignets.  Before resuming your sightseeing tour, be sure to browse the shop for such souvenirs as cans of ground chicory coffee, beignet batter mix, coffee mugs, barista aprons and t-shirts.

One of the requisite beverages to throw back with reckless abandon is the original Hurricane cocktail from Pat O’Brien’s, the place where it was created during World War II.  Located in the heart of party central on Bourbon Street, this place is always hopping and hosting festive celebrations.  Any excuse is a great excuse to throw a party, and Pat Obrien’s delivers.  Many local bars and restaurants create a similar drink, but due to copyright laws they are not allowed to call their incarnation a hurricane, even if the impostor cocktail looks and tastes identical to the original.

For lunches and casual dinners, we delved into such Cajun delights as turtle soup, po’boys, jambalaya, fried alligator, gumbos and oysters in restaurants and pubs that were alive with the energetic rhythms and sounds of zydeco.  The three things that New Orleans is never lacking are good food, good drinks and good music.

For the ultimate in fine dining, we retained a reservation at Commander’s Palace, located in the Garden District.  With its strict dress code, Brian was definitely feeling the warmth in the southern heat as we opted for a table in the outside courtyard.  Once the first bite of epicurean delight touched his lips, however, all focus turned to savoring the most sumptuous offerings of haute Creole cuisine.  This family-run establishment is where a young Emeril once began his culinary career.

Our last dinner in New Orleans was in the dining room of the iconic Brennans.  Since 1946, this culinary jewel of the French Quarter has been serving up sublime innovations of entrees that will propel any foodie to immediate ecstasy.  The extensive wine list and spectacular menu choices make this restaurant yet another mandatory dinner stop.

After checking out of the hotel, with our flight not scheduled to depart for several hours, we opted to partake in one last meal.  It was very well chosen, it turned out, and I highly recommend this for any tourist’s final farewell.  The Court of Two Sisters is a historic restaurant nestled around a courtyard in the heart of the French Quarter.  Their award-winning daily courtyard brunch put every brunch we had ever dined in through life to shame.  Buffet station after buffet station offered the most extensive choices of food to satisfy the heartiest of appetites.  The cooling sounds of a splashing fountain and a live jazz band provided a mesmerizing and relaxing ambience.  It was during this meal when wait staff began calling on anyone in the courtyard who could speak French to help them communicate with a couple of touring patrons.  Feeling that my language skills were rusty, I only rose to the challenge when no one else present volunteered.  I was led to a table where two older ladies from France sat.  They reminded me of my French grandmother and my heart immediately reached out to them.  They were eternally grateful as I helped them place their drink order and we shared a nice conversation before I bid them Bon Appetit and returned to my on-looking husband, my confidence in my French speaking skills restored once again.

Since this is a food blog, I naturally focused primarily on edible recommendations.  For those who are curious about what there is to see during the day in New Orleans, just start walking through the French Quarter.  The architecture displaying elaborate iron scrollwork in the balconies is a site in itself.  Jackson Square is a gathering place for street artists, tarot card readers, fortunetellers and musicians, their sultry notes drifting from their saxophones and trumpets.  The Saint Louis Cathedral is situated on the edge of the square.  Horse-drawn carriages will whisk you away on a historical guided tour of the Quarter.  Visit the Mardi Gras museum to learn the history behind the annual carnival and to peruse a host of Mardi Gras exhibits featuring props and costumes. Animal lovers such as myself won’t want to miss the New Orleans Zoo and the Audubon Aquarium of the Americas.  Take a guided tour, if you dare, through the oldest cemeteries in the city to learn about the unusual traditional burial practices and visit the tomb of alleged Voodoo queen Marie Laveau.  We also took another tour that took us on a riverboat ride through the alligator dwellings of the Louisiana swamp, a picturesque experience with the surrounding backdrop of Spanish moss draped from every tree.  We also toured a couple of old Creole plantations, one of which was conducted by the most engaging and effective tour guide I have ever followed.  He made the subject matter so fascinating that I proceeded to purchase his historical book to learn more.  For nighttime entertainment, the streets are lined with jazz and zydeco clubs.  There are no laws in New Orleans regarding consumption of alcohol in the streets, so you can take a drink outside and stroll through the dynamic environ of Bourbon Street.

There is so much to see, do, eat and drink in New Orleans.  The city, like New York, never sleeps.  Because most things are either in walking proximity or accessible with a short ride in a cable trolley or taxi, one can take in every activity and location that I’ve mentioned at a leisurely pace over even a short span of four days.  I highly recommend a trip to New Orleans and adhere strictly to their daily mantra of ‘Laissez les bon temps rouler!’  English speakers are all familiar with the translation of this sage advise: Let the Good Times Roll!

If you need a little inspiration via a taste of the Big Easy at home, try my recipe for jambalaya.  My variation of the traditional Cajun entrée is one of Brian’s favorite requests.  For another sample of Cajun flavor, here’s a recipe for Andouille sausage and red beans.  Finally, serve up a plate of Creole goodness by preparing shrimp creole:

Shrimp Creole

Ingredients:

2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and cleaned

1 onion, chopped

2 green bell peppers, diced

1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained

½ cup white wine

4 large garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 15-ounce can tomato sauce

½ teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves

½ cup chopped fresh parsley

Bottled hot sauce, such as Tobasco, Frank’s or Lousiana

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the onions and sauté until translucent.  Stir in the garlic and sauté for another two minutes.  Stir in the wine and boil for one minute.  Stir in the tomatoes, tomato sauce, salt, pepper and thyme.  Season to taste with hot sauce.  Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Remove the cover and add the peppers and the shrimp.  Cook and stir until the shrimp have all turned pink.  Stir in the parsley and serve over cooked rice or, for southern flare, cooked grits.  Pass the bottle of hot sauce at the table for those who revel in punishing their palates.  Serves four.

One Dish Wonder Saves the Day

Thanksgiving 2011 is now but a memory, the highlights of which we can always revisit through pictures and conversational exchanges next time around.  Now we move into the most bustling season of all.  Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah or any other holiday that strikes around the turn of the winter solstice, life gets hectic.  No matter how much we insist that we are not going to overextend our time, our wallets and our energy each year, we just can't help ourselves.  We want to make every holiday the best one ever for our loved ones, and family is what the holidays really are about, right?


Let's examine a typical day of the average individual during the month of December.  You may have just stealthily crept out in participation of the end of day jail break from that daily grind called work.  All that's on your mind these days is that ever-growing to-do list of the season as you rush to your awaiting car to make every second count: got to get a tree, oh now you've got to trim the tree.  What's the weather forecast for this weekend? Can you put up the outdoor Christmas lights without being whisked off of the ladder by blustering winds; and shall you skip a shower that morning because you will likely be the recipient of a cold shower as you disentangle strings of lights out in the pelting rain?  Oh, better stop at the post office on the way home for stamps for all of those cards you haven't yet addressed.  Got to get the kids, the dogs, the cat, the hamster or the iguana in for pictures with Santa.  Oh, and you'd better get hubby or wifey's gifts wrapped up quickly, before your loving spouse starts snooping around!  Just when you thought you were done with gift shopping, yet another trek to the mall has been delegated your way for a last-minute recipient who decided that now would be an opportune time to pop back into your life after an eleven month hiatus.  The kids want to bake cookies this weekend - HOW many different kinds??  And the family wants WHAT tonight?  DINNER??! Who's got time for dinner?


Whoa, stop.  Stop right there.  You do have time to make a decent dinner.  The is where a culinary superhero, called one dish wonder, comes to the rescue.  One dish meals, in which most of your nutritional requirements cook together all in one pot, are the perfect dinners for a busy month such as this one.  Some which take a bit more time, such as a beef stew or a pan of lasagna, can be made ahead of time and heated through for serving later in the week.   Many others, from the first ingredient being chopped to the dish's final trek to the table, can be made in an hour or less.  All you need to make the meal complete is a salad and perhaps some warmed, crusty bread in the quest to fill up those with heartier appetites.


Pasta dishes in particular can be made in record time, especially if you have sauce on hand.  Whenever you make a pot of red sauce, or when making pesto, plan to end up with much more than you need for one meal.  Divide the rest into food storage containers and stash them into your freezer.  This is absolutely the best time saving advice I can offer anyone, it will save your hurried dinner plans every time.  Next time you need to throw together a quick meal, boil some pasta.  When it's al dente, throw in some shrimp and some broccoli flowerettes.  As soon as the shrimp has turned bright pink, drain it all and toss with some halved grape tomatoes and some pesto.  The tomatoes can be halved and a salad can be tossed together while the pasta cooks, you can buy the shrimp already peeled and cleaned and you can even purchase the broccoli already cut up.  This meal can be on your table in twenty minutes.  How's that for fast food?


Plan ahead for one dish dinners.  If you are making boneless chicken breasts on Sunday, roast a few extra ones and save them to cut into bite sized pieces for that pasta or rice dish, or to shred and stir into a pot of soup you might cook up later in the week.  Soups and chilis are also quick one dish meals when they contain a meat, a starch such as noodles, rice or beans, and vegetables.  Another great idea for the one dish dinner is the pizza.  Make some pizza sauce and, once again, make enough to freeze a few containers for future use.  Balls of pizza dough can now be purchased in many supermarkets.  All you need from there is some cheese, whether traditionally simple mozzarella or an interesting combination of other cheeses, a couple of other toppings, ten minutes in the oven and you are ready to dine.  Asian stir fries are also quick to leap from the pan to the plate.  The preparation of cutting the meat and vegetables takes a bit of time, but once that task is complete and your sauce ingredients are measured out and rounded up stove side, the actual cooking process is, to quote all of the nation's Chinese takeout owners, 'about ten minutes'.


There are a few small appliances in my kitchen which have seen very little use.  There is one item, however, which has been put to task on many an occasion and which I could no longer do without: the indoor grill/panini press.  Paninis are heaven-sent sandwiches in my humble opinion, basically grilled cheese sandwiches with some additional filling, pressed together for a cohesive, crisp, melted indulgence.  One of my favorite combinations for a panini is that of mozzarella, pesto and tomato.  Again, a quick dinner whose only necessary pairing might be a salad to round out the meal.


Heartier one dish dinners include stews, made with chicken or beef or even seafood.  There is probably an infinite number of recipes for chicken and rice combinations, which reflect a number of ethnic flavors to satisfy whatever you're craving.   One of the first dishes I ever prepared for Brian was a one dish Cajun entree called jambalaya.  I have tweaked the recipe several times over the years, and here is my own final variation; and yes, this is my final answer!


Jambalaya (4 servings)
Ingredients:   
4 chicken thighs
1 pound Andouille sausage, sliced into ½-inch thick slices
1 onion, chopped
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 teaspoon fresh thyme
1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
1 cup white rice
2 cups chicken stock
1 green bell pepper, coarsely chopped
1 pound large shrimp, peeled
Bottled hot sauce to taste


Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a deep skillet over medium-high heat.  Sprinkle chicken thighs with salt and pepper, then add to skillet.  Brown the chicken on all sides, then remove from the skillet and set aside.  Place sliced sausage into the same skillet and brown on both sides, then remove and set aside.  Add onions and garlic to the skillet, stir until onion is translucent.  Stir in the thyme and Cajun seasoning.  Add tomatoes and rice.  Stir to combine.  Add the chicken stock, stir to combine.  Return chicken to skillet.   Bring to boiling.  Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.  After 40 minutes, stir in the shrimp, the peppers, and the sausage, adding a little more chicken broth only if all the liquid has been absorbed.  Replace cover and cook until shrimp have turned pink, chicken is cooked through, the rice is very tender and all broth has been absorbed.  Serve, passing hot sauce as a condiment for added heat.

I love this dish, it reminds me of two happy incidences in my life: one of the the first dishes I ever cooked for my future husband, and of our vacation spent in New Orleans where we dined on some of the best food we ever ate on any of our trips.  Start to finish, I can execute this dinner in forty-five minutes to an hour; and while it simmers?  Well that opens up a nice window of opportunity to wrap a gift, address a couple of holiday cards, and thus cross yet another task off of my to-do list.  Remember, it may have to be fast food for a few weeks, but it doesn't have to be corporate drive-through nutritionally devoid fast food.  You can make a warming, comforting and satisfying dish of fast food in the same amount of time as it takes to wait on that drive through line, and you won't have to check your order as you drive away.