03/16/10

Two Weeks' Notice

It’s been awhile since my last post, and a lot has happened. Not only did I fall off the wagon — hard! — and completely profane my Lenten promise to abstain from sugar, but I’ve also shortened my post-Mardi Gras recovery and enjoyed every second of it. Well, not the sugary fall from grace part — just the general idea that I’m still living it up in the Big Easy and getting happier and healthier each day.

I’m not sure why it took so long to make the connection, but this weekend I was reminded that Louisiana is the happiest state in the country, according to a study done by the Centers for Disease Control in December 2009. Imagine if the CDC did another study today on the happiest city in the country: It’d surely be...

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03/15/10

New Orleans Voices Podcast: Sandra Scalise Juneau discusses St. Joseph altars

Sandra Scalise Juneau is a food historian, culinary arts instructor and author of the Bonne Bouchee food column. Sandra is particularly well- versed in the Sicilian tradition of St. Joseph altars. New Orleans' Sicilian families and the public have long embraced St. Joseph altars. Sandra tells us this New Orleans tradition is growing, and the city's Vietnamese and Hispanics, among others, are making their own St. Joseph altars, adding their foods and talents to this wonderful tradition. LISTEN NOW!

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03/15/10

Errol Laborde: Searching for St. Joseph

I found the town I have been looking for, and I will reveal it here, but first let me tell you what the search was all about.



This being the week of St. Joseph Day brings to mind two trips I have made to Sicily. I am neither Sicilian nor Italian, but I have long been fascinated by the Sicilian cultural contribution to New Orleans. This town experienced the largest Sicilian migration in the nation. One especially colorful and meaningful contribution was St. Joseph Day altars. I remember visiting my first altar as kid, where I heard an  old Sicilian grandma explain that she began building the food altars after a tiny saint appeared in her room and told her to do so. That was a hard command to turn down.



While in Sicily, I was curious about the...

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03/15/10

The Ultimate New Orleans Resource Directory

2010 first edition

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03/12/10

making a splash

Jump feet first into the season with fun and fabulous jewelry.

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03/12/10

when life hands you lemons… make limoncello!

This refreshing liqueur “takes the cake” when it comes to warm weather dessert.

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03/12/10

rise and dine

This spring and summer, there are so many good reasons to get out of bed and start celebrating.

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03/12/10

springing into action

It’s hard to top the season we just had, starting in the autumn with the Saints’ winning streak and culminating in a frenzied February with what some people called “Lombardi Gras,” the joyous coincidence of the Saints’ Super Bowl win and Carnival.

But as incredible as that was, I’m definitely looking forward to the months ahead: the warmer temperatures, French Quarter Fest, Jazz Fest, seersucker suits, the New Orleans Wine & Food Experience, Tales of the Cocktail, Fourth of July cookouts, White Linen Night.

To get you in the proper spirit, we have some amazing recipes for a fast and easy meal that will get you out in the sunshine and won’t heat up the kitchen: lamb chops, couscous, zucchini and grilled peaches. To...

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03/12/10

Cooking Lessons

There are not many moments in my daily life that are sitcom-perfect, but last Sunday was one of them. The weather was finally, blessedly, gorgeous, and my husband and daughter were outside planting sweet olive and jasmine, making my backyard smell like New Orleans, while I was inside cooking jambalaya, making my kitchen smell like New Orleans.

When Ruby wandered in, she was fascinated by all of my chopping and stirring, and I, in an alarmingly good mood and two glasses into a bottle of wine, picked her up and started dancing around the kitchen singing “Jambalaya” to her.

“I want to make jambalaya and crawfish pie and filé gumbo,” she said and wandered off.

I assumed she was headed to her play kitchen … until I...

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03/12/10

style

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