With monster, mega-grocery stores becoming the norm, many people miss out on the intimate, specialized care one can only receive at a corner, family-owned market. Thankfully, in the French Quarter no such super-supermarkets like Walmart can exist because the whole area a preserved historical landmark and, frankly, I believe the […]
Cookies for pets and their people
Written by Pippin (10-year-old shih-tzu, lifetime lover of treats) who is stepping in for his person, Kim Ranjbar, in the effort to offer his expertise and insight to benefit humans and their owners. As a distinguished, experienced canine with over 50 (dog) years spent in the heavily-perfumed, scrap-rich city of […]
Everything but the baby
Since early January, King Cakes have been flooding the office break room, daring you to take the chance and try another piece from yet another local bakery that has mastered the brightly frosted, cinnamon brioche we all know and love. I’m even willing to bet that you have already found […]
Onion Rings: The Better Batter
“But a bit of better butter,Better than the bitter butterWill but make my bitter batter better.” Those of us who have twisted our tongues in this particular construction know well the boon of Betty Botter and her bitter batter, but we also know the bakers of New Orleans know better […]
Melting for Grilled Cheese
Other than being forced to watch All My Children and General Hospital when my mom came home for lunch, the thing I remember most about being home sick from school was grilled cheese sandwiches. My mom would slap a couple of American cheese slices between two pieces of Wonder Bread […]
Choosing Chinese
Though it’s a running gag that the only eateries open during the holidays are Chinese restaurants, the reality is not so far from the truth. Naturally, in New Orleans you can indulge in lavish Thanksgiving dinners at some of the finest restaurants in town, but who really has that kind […]
The Blessed Biscuit
There’s just something wonderful, even almost divine, about waking up on a Sunday morning to the smell of freshly baked biscuits. I’ll swear on a stack of bibles that my Aunt Edie made the best homemade buttermilk biscuits on the planet. When she came to visit us from South Carolina, […]
Summertime Salads
It seems all one can do in the hottest month of the year is think cool. Dressing in light-colored linens, pulling your hair up off your neck, making sure all your beverages are well-iced and keeping the oven in the “off” position are all essential means for survival this month […]
Hot Dog!
“Oh everyone would be in love,everyone would be in love with me!” -Oscar Brand, The Oscar Mayer Wiener Jingle There is no denying that outdoor grills are firing up all over your neighborhood, they most certainly are in mine. Amidst the heavy perfume of honeysuckle and the mossy-green smell of […]
Delightful Desserts
Though August in New Orleans means endless, sweaty, hot and humid days where we hide indoors and hope our air conditioners can handle the strain, the word also happens to be a delightful, little adjective. When something or someone is described as “august,” it means that they inspire reverence or […]
Mid-Summer Meatball Madness
Like indulging in ice cream during the coldest winter months, it’s not unusual to crave something heavy, rich and meaty in the depths of summer…even New Orleans’ summers. If you want something totally satisfying, something to grin around while the sweat drips into your eyes, I can’t think of anything […]
Simply Chips
Though they are likely the most oft-consumed snack, it seems to me that potato chips fall under the “most taken for granted” snack food category. It’s not that people don’t love them to the point of addiction, they just expect them to be there — accompanying their daily lunch time […]