I'm back! Some of you may have noticed last Friday that my post went out half-finished because I was 1) having far too much fun while away to stay on top of it and remember to actually complete it and 2) was up in the air somewhere between San Francisco and Auckland by the time I remembered. BAD TOSCA. The good news is that I'm back with more ideas than ever to keep this space as busy as it usually is. Yay you, right? And so now you get the actual post as it should have been *shamefaced look* New Orleans was oh-so-much-awesome-times-thirty. People, places, sights, drinks and, well, food. And I'm almost convinced that I would have tried a good three quarters, if not all of the dishes recommended in New Orleans by Adam Karlin and Lisa Dunford. So, yes, I ate (and drank) my way around the city and, if push came to shove, I'd happily do it all over again. This post is little more than the 5 dishes I've picked out as the best of everything I tried while on holiday, with a quick mention of where I ate it, and how deeply out of pocket I was at the end. Kidding! We ate very well for people who spent very little, and that was only accidental. Tip: If you only ever eat at one place while visiting New Orleans, make sure it's the Golden Feather Mardi Gras Indian Restaurant Gallery on North Rampart Street. If I'd been able to find recipes that even closely approximate what we were served there I'd have bumped those dishes onto the list. True story. I was going to attach a slideshow of pics with this post but Picasa doesn't want to play nice with me today. BOO! So instead you get this crummy link which will have to do *sad face* But you'll get pics of, well, pretty much everything foodie we came across. And boy was there heaps :)
MOAR MOAR MOAR! or, as I usually call it, Honourable Mentions:
Gumbo - soup or stew often served on riceCajun & Creole cuisine : from gumbo to jambalaya : vibrant Louisiana food made deliciously easy / Ruby Le Bois
Introducing the very best of Cajun and Creole cuisine, including all the classics, such as Seafood Gumbo, Jambalaya, and Bananas Foster. An introduction to Cajun and Louisiana Creole, highly distinctive styles of cuisine originating from the southern States of America.
Tosca's comment: Including both visits to New Orleans, I have tried at least 7 different versions of gumbo; homecooked, upmarket restaurant, mass produced and market. Each worthy in their own way. This time around I tried 2 versions, one at The Gazebo Cafe on Decatur Street (less than $9 and part of a sampler with 2 other dishes included) and at the Banana Courtyard Bed and Breakfast (North Rampart Street, free).
Bread pudding - served with bourbon sauceSouthern lady : gracious spaces : creating the perfect sanctuary in every room / Phyllis Hoffman
No one knows how to dress a table with elegance and flair better than Phyllis Hoffman, publisher of Southern Lady magazine, the quintessential resource for entertaining the gracious Southern way. Now, Hoffman draws upon her years of expertise to create Southern Lady Gracious Tables, the definitive guide to creating gorgeous "tablescapes" for every occasion. Starting with the basics, Hoffman presents a series of breathtaking spreads for a whole range of occasions, from formal settings to casual get-togethers, and describes how to achieve each look, right down to the recipes--55 in total--for her mouthwatering specialties. Enjoy a lovely outdoor lunch of tasty Fried Green Tomatoes with Crab and Green Chile Cream Sauce, or finish off a dinner party with delectable Praline Bread Pudding with Bourbon Sauce. Hoffman then builds a "wardrobe for the table," navigating through the complex world of dinnerware, fine linens, and serving pieces. Each and every element of the table--from fruit saucer to lemon fork to water goblet--is covered in a friendly, helpful way. Finally, there's advice on adding that all-important personal touch, with instructions on how to craft flowers, family heirlooms, collectibles, and other unexpected treasures into the perfect centerpiece, place marker, or accent. All along, her advice includes refreshingly simple techniques for presentation and encourages the reader's own creativity in playing with colors, patterns, and styles.
Tosca's comment: I'm convinced that nobody makes bread pudding like New Orleans locals, and most certainly I've never had one with bourbon sauce. This particular dessert I ate at The Crazy Lobster in the Spanish Plaza, and cost less than $8. I'm now on the hunt for the perfect version of this recipe - or as near as I can get it, anyway.
Jambalaya - Cajun rice dish with shrimp, chicken, smoked sausage, and andouille sausageThe world's 100 greatest rice recipes : classic dishes from around the globe, from risotto and paella to jambalaya and biryani / Christina Ingram
This practical book opens with an extensive introduction to the different types of rice and the many products made from it, and takes a close look at the rice plant. Learn how to cook rice to perfection, whether your chosen dish is plain boiled rice, risotto, paella, biryani, sushi, fried rice, or rice pudding. Useful information on the equipment used in the preparation of rice, how to store rice, and its nutritional value, is also included. Rice is prized by cooks everywhere for its texture and flavour, which make it the perfect partner for almost any ingredient from a handful of herbs to an extravagant array of seafood. The recipe section presents a mouth-watering display of the versatility of rice. Classic rice recipes sit alongside contemporary dishes from around the world in an extraordinarily comprehensive collection.
Tosca's comment: This year I tried three different versions of jambalaya, one from The Gazebo Cafe on Decatur Street (as a part of a sampler for less than $9), one on the Steamboat Natchez (that tasted so much like hangi) where the cost is built into the ticket and includes dixieland type jazz, and one at the Banana Courtyard Bed and Breakfast (made by Mr. Hugh himself).
Beignets - a type of square donut served with icing sugar/powdered sugar sprinkled on top DamGoodSweet : desserts to satisfy your sweet tooth, New Orleans style / David Guas and Raquel PelzelDelves into the fabric of the home-style sweets of New Orleans in America. Through 50 desserts, from traditional beignets, red velvet cake and pralines to the Roman chewing candy and calas fried rice cakes, and through instructional and anecdotal head notes, this title deals with the pastries and desserts of this American city.
Tosca's comment: Beignets MMMM. I could eat those for breakfast everyday. Weirdly, I detest donuts, yet I adore beignets which are little more than a square version of donuts. Maybe what they cook it in is different? Or maybe I'm just a donut-ist. You can usually buy them for about $2-$3 for 3.
Strawberry shortcakeDinner at Matt's / Matt Moran ; photography by Chris Chen
Start with oysters two ways, a classic mushroom consomme or a stunning beetroot-cured ocean trout, then work your way through to mains that will satisfy any appetite: sweetly spiced roast duck breast, an impressive Beef Wellington or an elegantly light lobster salad. Top it all off with one of Matt's show-stopping desserts, like his luscious chocolate and Earl Grey tea tart, a sublimely delicate pistachio souffle or a contemporary version of that old favourite, strawberry shortcake. Learn the secrets of cooking at home with restaurant flair from one of the best in the business, and make your next dinner party the talk of the town with Dinner at Matt's.
Tosca's comment: My very first Strawberry Shortcake experience ever! Made by Mr. Hugh at the Banana Courtyard Bed and Breakfast, so I got to eat it for free. OM NOM NOM!
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