Again I'm late notifying you of the latest Haute Plates column. Please forgive the lapse.
In other news, my friend Mary has started a blog, Native Palate, that, if I know her, will have a lot to do with food. She's a clever young woman, and I expect good things. I suggest checking it out.
To conclude, here is a picture that I took at Three Muses the other night:
Rosemary Roasted Cashews
Like a lot of residents of the New Orleans area, I have mixed feelings about this day. I remember where I was five years ago. I was in Memphis, intermittently in the lobby and at a hotel bar, watching my city come apart at the seams. I've mostly avoided "Katrina + 5" articles in the media the last week or so, and I intend to continue to do so.
It's not that I want to forget; I couldn't if I tried, obviously. It's more that so much of what I read, particularly articles "debunking Katrina Myths" just don't capture the feeling that those of us directly affected have as a result of the levee failures. I cannot say how much I appreciate the support of folks from elsewhere. I don't think I could have made it without support from friends after the storm. My friends in Memphis and middle Tennessee cheered us up and housed us after the storm. My friends from all over the country sent money they probably couldn't afford to send, or who just checked in with me to see if I was okay. That includes folks who knew me only from reading this website, many of whom had never contacted me before. Those are all debts I'll never be able to repay.
But if you don't have a direct connection to the area, I don't think you can really understand what Katrina did to us. I'm not sure you can understand the attitude we have here now, and I'm not sure you can appreciate how proud many of us are to have come back and started the rebuilding process.
It's been a long haul, and it's not over by a long shot. When the BP disaster occurred, I know a lot of people suffered. There was a feeling that just when things were going fairly well, we got another shot to the gut was to remind us how fragile things really are.
But just as there were predictions that New Orleans would never be rebuilt after Katrina, the predictions about the loss of our fisheries as a result of the BP disaster have proven to be premature. Louisiana and Gulf seafood is as safe as its ever been. It's the most thoroughly tested seafood in the country, if not the world. I have no doubt that just as conventions have started to return to New Orleans despite the stories of death and mayhem after Katrina, Gulf seafood will soon regain its good reputation.
I know this is rambling, and I apologize. I suppose the message I want to convey is that while things are still difficult here, we're on our way back. Changes that followed Katrina, and changes that will no doubt follow the BP disaster are going to result in positive things for the area. Our schools are better, our levees are - we hope - stronger, and it appears we are finally getting some recognition that the loss of our coastal wetlands and barrier islands is a national rather than local concern.
I don't speak for anyone else, but I sense a feeling of optimism in these parts that I haven't in a long time. If you want to know what I'm talking about, come down to visit. In another month or two the weather will be pleasant, and we'd love to show you what it means to have a good time in New Orleans.
I was trying to find a photo from my flickr page that would match the text above. I think the image below sums up my feelings pretty well. It's from an event during the New Orleans Wine and Food Expo, the Royal Street Stroll, and it this doesn't entice you to visit, I don't know what will...
Bacchus Invites You To New Orleans
Please see this story by Brett Anderson in the online version of the Times Picayune. It's a very good recap of restaurants that have opened since Katrina. Though he does seem to have missed Le Foret, which is odd.
I'm going to write something on the topic of how we've changed since Katrina in the next couple of days, I think. I'm going to try, anyway. It's not an easy thing about which to write, but we're five years out, and it seems like a good time to try to put some perspective to things.
We shall see.
It's been a long day. I was in Alexandria taking a deposition, and I didn't have a chance until now to provide you, my friends, with a link to the current installment of Haute Plates.
I hope my tardiness is excusable. In addition, please have this picture from my meal at Oak:
Charred Baby Octopus with Serrano and Potato Salad
Recently I received word of a couple of upcoming events that may interest you. First up, an email from Matt Timms, of The Chilli Takedown, announcing a competition on September 19 open to anyone who wants to turn 15 lbs. of free bacon into a culinary delight. Following is the (slightly edited) press release:
CALL FOR COMPETITORS! The New Orleans Bacon Takedown is coming to Howlin’ Wolf, September 19th at 3PM! We’re looking for 20 cooks to step forward and accept 15lbs of FREE Black Label Bacon each- to create whatever bacon masterpiece they can food up! Email mtimms7@hotmail.com for a spot. Enter to compete for super sweet culinary gear such as Anolon Pots, Wusthof Knives, and Microplane Graters.Attendees can come on down and STUFF themselves for $15, and vote on their favorite bacon creation. Tickets available soon. Bacon cupcakes, bacon ice cream, bacon tacos, bacon candy bars… expect the unexpectedly amazing…!
The Bacon Takedown is sponsored by Hormel (makers of Black Label Bacon) and a portion of the ticket sales will go to Feeding America. I like bacon as much as the next red-blooded American mannish boy, so this looks interesting.
Next up, my pal Jyl Benson sends along word of the New Orleans Home + Interior Design Show, taking place the weekend of September 17-19. Why am I writing about a home and interior design show on Appetites? BECAUSE I CAN GOD DAMNIT. Also:
A number of chefs will be doing holiday entertaining demonstrations at the New Orleans Interior Design show, a new locally-based show will be held in the Convention Center, September 17-19. The show is produced by Home Builders Association of Greater New Orleans, who also produces the annual New Orleans Home & Garden Show in the Louisiana Superdome each spring. Participating chefs include Brian Landry (Galatoire’s), Chef Tory McPhail (Commander’s Palace), Anthony Spizale (The Rib Room), Justin Ferguson (Stroubes Chop House, BR), Alon Shayla (Domnenica -The Besh Group) and more.
The chefs' presence at the show is to bring awareness for the Gulf Coast Celebrity Shrimp Boot Raffle: Benefiting Catholic Charities Oil Spill Relief Fund, all money raised in this raffle supports the fishers and their families hurting from the Gulf disaster. Iconic white shrimp boots are being transformed through design and decoration - and then autographed by local and national celebrities. Among the celebrity artist participating: Sean Payton; Archie, Peyton and Eli Manning; Hoda Kotb; Chefs Emeril Lagasse, John Besh, Dook Chase, IV; the chefs and Brennan family members of Commander’s and Café Adelaide; the Broadway casts of Phantom of the Opera, Wicked and South Pacific; Irma Thomas; Irvin Mayfield; Jeremy Davenport; the Zac Brown Band; Sen. Mary Landrieu and Mayor Mitch Landrieu.Raffle tickets are $5 each, and will be available ahead of the show via a link on the website. During the show, they will be sold at a special booth.
The show runs from noon to 9 p.m. on Friday, September 17; from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday, September 18, and from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday, September 18. Tickets are $9 for adults, and members of the military get in for $4.5 with an ID. Obviously the show is geared more towards home building/renovation and interior design, but the culinary aspects are not an oversight, and the shrimp boot raffle looks like a great way to help local fishermen. Who knows, you might come away with a pair of shrimp boots decorated by Hoda Kotb. Hoda Kotb. Hoda Kotb. God I love saying that name.
I hope that one or the other of these events piques your interest. Personally, they had me at Hoda Kotb.
Hoda Kotb.
It's Thursday, and my Haute Plates column is online and available for your viewing pleasure. Leave a comment, why don't you?
Below is another photograph from a meal I had at the restaurant recently.
Trio of Desserts
This week's Haute Plates addresses Rambla, the restaurant housed in the International House Hotel. If you haven't been in a while, you might want to read the piece. The restaurant has changed a bit.
Indeed, here is a photograph of a menu item that has changed significantly:
Oyster Pintxo at Rambla, New Orleans
The current oyster pintxo comes with pepper jelly and green onions, as opposed to the Garotxa cheese and crystal beurre blanc pictured above.
Bombay Sapphire Gin and GQ magazine are holding a competition to find the nation's most inspired bartender, and this weekend the competition will be held in New Orleans.
Sunday, August 8, from 7 to midnight local bartenders will serve drinks featuring Bombay Sapphire gin at Republic New Orleans. The event is open to the public, and it should be a lot of fun. There are some very talented folks making cocktails in New Orleans these days, and while I don't have a list of the participants, I am confident that the drinks will be excellent. Also: free, which is a pretty sweet price-point.
I'm hoping to attend for at least the start of the event; if you're going, let me know. As is the custom around these parts, here is a picture of a cocktail I had at Cure some time ago:
Ladies and gentlemen, your weekly edition of Haute Plates is available. Please enjoy.
In other news, the long-delayed redesign of this website is finally under way. If all goes according to plan, within a week or two the new design should be live. In addition to a generally improved appearance, you will finally have the opportunity once more to provide comments. I know. Try to restrain yourselves.
In the interim, how about a picture of onion rings?
Onion Rings at Sid-Mar's
This, my children, amused me. Perhaps it will amuse you as well?
This week's Haute Plates will be up later today, is up and therein I discuss La Petite Grocery.
Not too long ago I attended a function put on by the James Beard Foundation at Kingsley House. Justin Devillier was one of the chefs providing food, and I got a shot of his dish:
Boudin, herb salad, and pickles
It doesn't have much to do with my piece on La Petite Grocery, but it was delicious, and I thought it was a pretty neat image. So there you go, I suppose.
A picture that functions as a teaser for tomorrow's Haute Plates
This week's Haute Plates is about Middendorf's. If you haven't been, you should spend the 35 minutes or so driving north on I-55 that it will take you to get there. Trust me, you won't find better fried catfish.
Here are two pictures of the deck that was added a couple of years ago:
The Deck at Middendorf's
The Deck at Middendorf's, showing the bar
You are worthless, vapid, ignorant scum. All of which I could forgive, had you also not smelled like you had just walked through the perfume department at Dillard's, saying "YES, YES, A THOUSAND TIMES YES" to every salesperson with a spray-sample.
What the holy hell is wrong with you? Again, when one of you actually suggested that invading Mexico was the only way to stem the tide of "them drugs" from crossing our borders, I was appalled, but at least there was unintentional humor involved. The volume of your conversation, inane as it was, could also be ignored.
But whatever the womenfolk at your table were wearing was an abomination sufficient to deserve a Singaporean cane-whipping. I hereby volunteer to administer it; and no, I am not going to take into account the subjects' advanced age in determining the vigor with which to apply the strokes.
Taste is dependent upon smell. When I was a lad, I had a friend who had no sense of smell. She could not distinguish chocolate ice cream from vanilla. You are a fool if you put on heavy perfume before you go to a nice restaurant to have a nice meal. You, most of all, will be unable to really enjoy your food. But what brings this into "I will beat you with a goddamn cane" territory is that EVERYONE AROUND YOU IS ALSO UNABLE TO ENJOY THEIR FOOD.
That is all. Here's a picture of a goddamn Irish coffee:
Goddamn Irish Coffee
