Unless huddling under and umbrella or wading about in galoshes is your jam your outdoor activities are probably getting s—canned for the weekend, so your options are a bit limited. You could build that ark you have been considering. You could do as I plan to do and ready your massive, confusing pile of self-employed tax paperwork for the annual visit to the accountant or consider something a bit more uplifting. Here are my best bets.
Tonight, Cochon Butcher is launching Thursday Steak Nights, with each week’s featured menu showcasing different cuts and aging techniques employed worldwide. This evening’s classic menu is straight up All-American features shrimp cocktail, a 12-ounce dry-aged New York Strip; a twice baked potato and fried onion rings; New York-style cheesecake with fresh strawberries; and a choice of either light or dark ale. The cost is $50 per person and is available for dine-in only.
On Saturday at 11 a.m. the New Orleans Chapter of Les Dames d ‘Escoffier International (LDEI) will continue its monthly culinary book club, available free of charge to those interested in discussing food-related fiction and nonfiction. This week’s featured tome is Love, Loss and What We Ate: A Memoir by Padma Lakshmi.  This vivid memoir of food and family, survival and triumph, traces the arc of Padma Lakshmi’s unlikely path from an immigrant childhood to a complicated life in front of the camera. Registration is required in advance and a Zoom link will be emailed to participants the day prior. Guests can expect authors and special guests in attendance. Book club attendance is free but a donation of $5 is suggested to support Les Dames d’Escoffier International and the New Orleans chapter’s goals to foster a supportive culture in our community to help women achieve excellence in the food, beverage, and hospitality fields. To register visit  LDEI Book Club.
Brunch is always a good bet on a rainy day. Check out Compere Lapin on Sunday from 10:30 a.m. – 2 p.m. when delicious choices abound—an Egg Sandwich with smoked aioli served on Brioche; Hot Fire Chicken with biscuits and pickles; Buttermilk Gnocchi with sausage gravy; Goat Bolognese; Doughnuts with Chantilly and caviar and other signature items. For $35, you can opt for the Prix-Fixe deal, which includes one small plate, one large plate, and one dessert. Creative cocktail concoctions all also on offer. Consider the Bottomless Brunch Punch for $20.
Spread some joy this weekend, share some kindness, and embrace the beauty and the spirit of this temporarily very water-logged place we call home.
