Late spring through early summer is farmers market paradise in south Louisiana. Creole tomatoes, Ponchatoula strawberries and north shore blueberries, along with local asparagus, herbs, peppers, new potatoes and so much more await us at markets throughout the metropolitan area.…
Just after our seafood industry was threatened by the openings of the Mississippi River spillway, we get the good news of a crawfish abundance and lower prices. That’s manna from heaven for the backyard cooks. Backyards are not the only…
Not long ago, good Southern barbecue was a rare find in New Orleans. A slice of meat drenched in barbecue sauce was about the closest you could get. Shortly before the turn of the 21st century, a few cooks with…
I get more compliments for my potato salad than any other dish. It’s a deep South version, I must admit, but that’s not to say I don’t like the creamy New Orleans-style with fewer ingredients. The local spud recipe is…
My go-to dish for winter evenings is a pot roast, with all but the rice in one pot. At one time it could be consumed by my family, but as children went off to college, it began to cover two…
Sometimes the dressings outweigh the turkey at my family’s Thanksgiving table. There are those, including me, who must have oyster dressing. A simple cornbread dressing pleases those who don’t like oysters, and you might as well count the must-have mirliton…
Beloved Creole dishes fuel lifetimes in New Orleans with diehards sticking to red beans on Monday and gumbo on Friday. Nevertheless, population shifts find adventurous diners and cooks loving the influences of foreign cuisines. Not the least of these are…
If I have learned one thing about raising children, it is to feed them noodles. Really, any kind of pasta will do, but noodles are a favorite among kids, who like to slurp things. We Americans, of all ages, have…
It’s a known fact that tourists avoid New Orleans in the heat of summer. And many who live here try to escape. Hard as I try, my trips lean toward early summer or fall, leaving me to survive the inferno…
Sometimes I think appetizers are the hardest recipes to come up with. We attach ourselves to a few winners, but soon enough they become overdone and boring. It took the seven-layer dip about 20 years to move off the popularity…
One of those things I wanted to do and never got around to was writing to LSU food scientists asking them to stop making our Louisiana strawberries more like California’s. In other words, large and shippable. Maybe others complained because…
This is the time of year I plan meals around what I can find in my garden or at local farmers markets. Fresh herbs — sweet basil, mint, thyme, rosemary, oregano, chives, lemon balm — are flourishing. Creole tomatoes are…
I never enjoyed a restaurant more than the former Genghis Khan on Tulane Avenue, where for a moderate price you could hear piano and violin accompanied opera while eating whole fish and kimchi, among other Korean dishes. The whole…
At my first Carnival parade party after moving to New Orleans, I enjoyed a well-seasoned meat and gravy dish served over grits. Upon saying goodbye to the hostess, I heard a guest say, “The grillades were delicious.” So I asked…
Mardi Gras is late this year — March 5. The latest it can be is March 9 and the earliest it can be is Feb. 3. Every year, no matter on what date is falls, it’s either “early or late.”…
Although Texans live next door, we are miles apart when it comes to cooking. Two ingredients bring us together, however, and they are beans and peppers, usually prepared very differently except for one big dish - chili. With some cooks,…
Carols in the Quarter, bonfires on the levee and Celebration in the Oaks set the mood for a New Orleans Christmas along with great food traditions from the past. Predominantly Catholic residents of the 1800s fasted before midnight Mass on…
Growing up in Memphis, I always feasted on ambrosia at holiday time. The day before Thanksgiving or Christmas, my mother would crack fresh coconuts with a hammer out on the driveway and peel and chop the oranges. It took hours…
With the holidays almost upon us, dessert fantasies are a common occurrence — pies, cakes, cookies, candies, all manner of sweets. I love every one of them, but I have a special place in my heart for ice creams and…
They say the weather is beautiful everywhere in October. Because it is one of our most comfortable months, I try to stay at home and enjoy the snappy chill in the air and the first chance for hot soups.…
PICTURED, ABOVE Rather than offer dinner rolls, you can opt to garnish the soup when serving with crispy croutons. These may be stored in an airtight container (after cooling completely) for up to 2 days. If there are no fresh…
Bags of frozen mixed berries are widely available these days. The one I bought contained raspberries, blueberries and blackberries. Since there is no added pectin, this is a soft spread. Made with a minimum of sugar, it is tart and…
While everyone is cursing the high temps and humidity, I’m as happy as a clam at high tide. I agree August days can be as hot as Hades, and the mere thought of cooking can certainly make one break out…
Quick summer meals that go well with your favorite chilled, adult beverages
Abundant, sweet tomatoes are ripe for picking and eating alone or in a meal
High-flavor, low-effort recipes to ease the transition from spring into summer
Elevate sweet and savory dishes with fresh herbs
The Marksville creation popularized by Jazz Fest
In keeping house for many years with my husband Doug, there are three things I never do - cut grass, wash cars and make Hollandaise sauce. As the woman of the house (and we all know a woman’s work is…
There will be leftovers of the soup and dessert, which can be served again at another meal. Valentine’s Day this year is the day after Mardi Gras, which is Ash Wednesday (the first day of Lent), declared by the Catholic…
