I’ve lived my entire life surrounded by water. From the Pacific Ocean and the San Francisco Bay to the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico, great bodies of water have always been close to me, intermixed into everyday life. Oh the nights I spent dancing around bonfires on the […]
Sweet as can bee
Rich and golden, often herbal, sometimes fruity and always sweet, honey is probably the single most fabulous food humans eat. Why so fabulous? Well, for starters, the earliest depiction of honey harvesting is an 8000 year-old cave painting in Spain showing “hunters” gathering honey from wild bee colonies, but this […]
The Country Club: What’s in a name?
Neighborhood restaurant in Bywater measures up to its name, yet still retains its flair for whimsy and frivolity after a year-long renovation. Tucked away into what was once a remote corner of Bywater, The Country Club has been “secret” neighborhood gem since 1977. Built over 130 years ago, this Italianate […]
The (Pine)Apple of My Eye
By far one of the most attractive aspects of living in New Orleans (and other regions of the Deep South) is the endearing atmosphere of genuine hospitality. Locals go out of their way to make newcomers feel welcome, whether it’s the courteous cries of “Good morning!” and “Where y’at?” or […]
Michael Gulotta: Inspirational Ingredients
After his recent appearance on Food Network’s “Iron Chef Gauntlet,” you might assume chef and restaurateur Michael Gulotta is seeking the spotlight as one of the nation’s latest celebrity chefs, but the reality is quite different. “I’m more excited about my new restaurant than I am about Iron Chef” says […]
A Good Egg
Like that guy in your building who always tidies the empty bins on garbage day or the receptionist at your dentist’s office who never forgets how much you love dogs, eggs are wee packages of wonderful that we can always depend on. How many times have you been scrambling for […]
A Peas Offering
For literally centuries, the field pea has been a Southern staple. Whether you’re familiar with Purple Hull, Old Timer, Turkey Craw or Rattlesnake, field peas have long played the role of subsistence food for both people and livestock all over the globe. In fact, archaeologists have discovered domesticated seeds for […]
The Troubadour Hotel: Ballad of a boutique
This past fall, New Orleans’ Central Business District welcomed the newest addition to the city’s burgeoning boutique craze, The Troubadour Hotel. Slumber Corners NOLA LLC purchased the long-defunct Rault Center and initiated a $10 million renovation, in coordination with locally-based Campo Architects, that only came to completion a few months […]
Keep your eye on the (meat) ball!
Tender, meaty, earthy and filling … the meatball is as all American as apple pie and equally heart-warming. Like biscuits and gravy, fried chicken and grilled cheese sandwiches, comfort food is re-emerging onto our local food scene and the mighty meatball is no exception. This food nostalgia could be a […]
Meat (pie) of the matter
Believe it or not, but meat pies have been a dish that humankind has been enjoying since the ancient Egyptians first created one circa 9500 BC when bakers would incorporate nuts, honey and fruits into the bread dough they prepared for the pharohs. The Greeks would wrap meat in a […]
Augmenting Tradition: Windsor Court Hotel
The Windsor Court Hotel reopens their distinguished and refurbished Polo Lounge after a summer-long expansion, offering increased seating and an extended performance area without sacrificing opulence or comfort. For over three decades, the Windsor Court Hotel has been an inviting place, offering luxury and refinement to visitors and locals alike. […]
What’s in my bag?
Aside from the costumes, face paint, running around the neighborhood with friends (and foes) under the cover of night and trying to fill your pillow case before schlepping it all back home, Halloween, for me, always hit its peak at the end. Exhausted and elated, with a little help from […]
8 Reasons Why New Orleans is Butt Over Brisket for Barbecue
Memphis, St. Louis, Austin, Kansas City, Decatur . . . these cities tend to spring to mind when talking about great barbecue, but over the past several years New Orleans has finally entered the smoke ring to prove our our bark is a far more pleasant bite than previously imagined. […]