Weekend in New Orleans

After 2 1/2 years, I decided to take some vacation time.  The wife and I discussed going to Atlanta, Austin, Smokey Mountains, or Charleston.  We settled on New Orleans.  The boys are there and so are Aven and Harley our grand daughters.  We choose a weekend that the New Orleans Seafood Festival was scheduled.  No other town or state throws a festival better than New Orleans.

We left Friday morning and headed to our first stop, Bruce Cafe.  Bruce Cafe is located at the intersection of State Hwy 20 and 81.  The Cafe is a small house known by locals as a place for good home cooking.  In the kitchen is an old lady cooking from scratch on a standard home range in cast iron cook ware.  Nothing better.  I always get the sweet potato pancakes.  These pancakes are light, fluffy and sweetened with the taste of sweet potatoes.  My bubble was burst when I asked for the recipe and the waitress told me I could get them on line.  They are Bruce's sweet potato pancake mix from Louisiana.  The Bruce family packages sweet potato products and are know for their quality.  That being said, I will still stop at Bruce Cafe for its homey atmosphere and delicious food.  The drive to New Orleans was easy having done that drive hundreds of times.  Next stop Adams Catfish.  I have traveled all over the south, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Arkansas, Texas (not the south) and Mississippi, and eaten fried catfish in all those states.  I have even eaten catfish in Indianola, Mississippi the home of Delta Pride Catfish.  No one, I mean, no one fries catfish to perfection like Adams  Adams is located in Belle Chasse, Louisiana on the westbank across the bridge from New Orleans.  My father in law had a Western Auto store there and I remember when Adams first opened.  It is a small restaurant that does one thing and one thing well.  It is the best catfish I have ever had.  I went for the six piece fillet plate with fries and coleslaw.  I left nothing on my plate.  I really do miss this place as it was one of my families regular stops with the in laws.  We met my sons, daughter in law, the grand babies, and some dear old friends.  We had a great time seeing Woody and Karen.  I was full of love and catfish.  The next day off to the seafood fest.

The festival, located downtown at Lafayette Square, provides plenty of grassy area to throw a party, and party we did.  The food represented by local restaurants, was plentiful and delicious.  We shared, crawfish and spinach served in a bread boat, crab cake remolaude salad, Cajun egg rolls, meat pie, seafood pie, and a New Orleans snowball to cool us down.  Also available was Drago's grilled oysters, softshell crab poboys, shrimp poboys, oyster poboys, seafood Penna pasta, and fried Alligator on a stick.  You know, Alligator taste exactly like, Alligator.  Music was provided by Amanda Shaw who is now about 18, but started when she was about 13 playing Cajun style fiddle.  She really got the crowd dancing.  Next was hometown artist Kermit Ruffins and the Barbeque Swingers.  Kermit is a trumpet player in the New Orleans style and vibe.  He played several N.O. standards, as well as, adding his own N.O. style to other songs.  It was a long day, but well worth the trip.

Last night we visited an old favorite Cafe DiBlasi in Gretna where we once lived.  We have known Mario DiBlasi since we first got married 32 years ago.  We stumbled one night into his restaurant and have been going back ever since.  Simple Italian fare done well.  It's the first place I ever tasted Braciolle and I get it every time I go.  He also has the best fried eggplant ever.  It was heart warming to see the restaurant busy.  It's one of those neighborhood restaurants New Orleans is famous for.  Lori got the seafood pasta, Josh had the veal DiBlasi, veal topped with a lemon cream sauce, and Andrew had the steak Marsala, a beautiful beef fillet topped with Marsala sauce.  To me when you want comfort food, Italian works for me and Cafe DiBlasi is my go to place.

Sunday was a day of rest and time to spend with the girls.  We went swimming in the pool and relaxed in the room, anxiously awaiting or reservations at Restaurant August, John Besh's flagship property.  When we arrived my son Andrew knew the bartender.  Once seated we were presented a bottle of Champagne.  It's good to know Andrew in New Orleans.  Our waiter was Richard and as he described to nights offerings you feel like he could make a Michelin sound delicious.  We started with hot and cold appetizers.  Of course we had the gnocchi with blue crab and truffles, we also had an heirloom beet salad with quail eggs, mizuna, and black eye pea croutons.  We had the foie gras done three ways served on brioche toast points.  One version was topped with a muscadine jelly, one wrapped in a sponge cake topped with a champagne gellee, and the last done terrine style with oxtail mouse.  We also had the organic greens served with a pumpkin seed vinaigrette, with point Reyes blue cheese and pumpkin seed brittle.  Last but not least we had the crispy pork belly, with kimche cucumbers and grilled plums.  I could have walked out right then, but of course I didn't.  Main courses included, Red fish Courtbullion with the sauce was poured from a tea kettle at the table, Duck with smokes bone marrow, Softshell crab meniere a brown butter and lemon sauce, Snapper crusted an olive bread crumbs in with a peprine sauce topped with an roasted eggplant marmalade, and I got the crispy pork tenderloin and pork shoulder, the latter served with a ravioli on topped filled with a pork sauce, so when you cut the ravioli the sauce showered down over the pork.  Phenomenal.  I told Lori that we should go to Cafe D'Monde for bengnets and coffee, when our waiter told us the Chef had a special treat for us.  5 plates of sorbet with shortbread.   And if that wasn't enough gifts from the kitchen, Richard our waiter said the chef was sending out another treat.  We all ordered coffee and shared a plate of chocolate genache cakes, blackberry pasties, a raspberry square in the style of a firm jello, and pralines.  I guess I'll get the beignets some other time.  What a meal.  If you go to New Orleans, make August one of your stops.  Oh yea, ask for Richard, he was awesome.

On my way out of town tomorrow I'm going to the Gourmet Butcher Block, he is the guy who made John Madden those six legged Turduckens, for some specialties.  Also for lunch my beloved hot sausage po boy.  This has been a great vacation.  If you have never been to New Orleans, please go and enjoy what america's culinary city has to offer.

The food scene in Panama City

I have been back in Panama City for 6 years now and maybe I'm spoiled or maybe my standards are too high, but I have a problem with most restaurants here.  Lets face it.  The restaurants at the beach have a philosophy of feeding the masses, and feeding them at a reasonable price.  Quality is not part of the equation.  I have two hard and fast rules that have been true of every buffet I have ever eaten at, which includes a $60.00 a person Champagne brunch in New Orleans and Shoney's breakfast bar.  1.  You will never eat your moneys worth period.  You can't eat $4.99 worth of grits and eggs or $60.00 worth of Champagne and prime rib.  Buffets make money.  2.  When you cook in bulk as apposed to cooking per order the quality looses.  I remember Capt Anderson's when it was small and the food was good.  Now they are feeding hoards of people and as I said, when you cook for the masses, and not per order, the quality will always suffer.  I don't like the noise and I don't like the food.  Angelo's used to be a place where you got a good steak (not a Ruth's Chris) but a decent steak, cooked over real wood.  Now with the size of the restaurant and the size of the crowds, I prefer Outback if I have to have steak out.  Montego Bay's "fresh catch of the day" is Talapia.  Really?  Really?  I guess we haven't shaken that redneck riviera persona yet, despite those new high rise Miami style condos.  The food here has no personality, no style.  The French, Spanish, Native Americans, and the African Slaves have contributed to Cajun and Creole cuisine.  The Spanish inhabited Florida, but when you think of our food it is influenced more by the country cooks of Alabama and Georgia.  You have to travel up hwy 30A to find any inspired food.  In November I ate at Fish out of Water.  What a refreshing experience.  Incredible food prepared by hands who care and a chef with a vision.  Our back yard is the Gulf of Mexico for Gods sake.  We have access to fresh seafood and produce from local growers.  In the right hands this could be awesome.  I guess nobody cares.  Certainly not the tourist.  My mother has had a house on the beach since 1966.  I can't tell you how many times I have had to clean up the beach after a busy day.  I can't tell you how many times people have relieved themselves under her house, used her shower, sat on her deck at night thinking no one was home, or parked in her driveway.  Really?  Do they do that in your hometown?  If you go on the web site Urbanspoon.com the number one fine dinning restaurant in Panama City is Pineapple Wiley's.  Really?  Really?????  Is that where we are.  We will never get our beach back thanks to the money hungry commissioners.  Unless we demand better, we will never get better.  If gambling is brought here we will see more high rise buildings and long buffets.  I shutter at the thought.  Come on people, wake up. 

Tonights dinner.

I had to work today.  Last Sunday of the month.  It was good. I sold two cars.  Tonights dinner is grilled shrimp and Grouper with grilled Asiago/Parmesan/garlic cheese grits.  This morning I made the cheese grits and when they were sufficiently cooled I poured them in a cake pan lined with plastic wrap, placed in the refrigerator and let them set up.  I seasoned the fish and shrimp with my Bubbaque seafood seasoning.  Grilled over hardwood charcoal and served with a lemon buerre blanc sauce.  You have to try the grilled grits.  They were awesome.  I brushed olive oil on the outside.  They did stick a little, but the outcome was delicious.  Creamy exterior, grilled exterior, warm and cheesy.

Besh Steakhouse New Orleans

I just got back from New Orleans and my taste buds have been renewed.  My soul has been lifted.  My stomach has been filled.  Thursday night my son Joshua graduated from a local Community College.  I am soooo proud of him.  Thursday night we went to Deanie's Bucktown seafood and tore into a large seafood platter and some onion rings.  This seafood platter contains two soft shell crabs, two crawfish balls, and enough shrimp, oysters, and fish, to feed 5 with leftovers, all fried to perfection.  As good as it was Friday night was a true dinning experience.  We went to Besh Steakhouse in Harrah's casino in New Orleans.  My son Andrew is friend with the general manager Miles, and a waiter Brian, so we were taken care of like royalty.  Truly one of the best meals I have ever had.

First we were brought out hot french bread baguettes with real butter.  Next Miles suggested a red wine called Two Angels.  It was a 2006 vintage high altitude grow divinity bottled, Rhone wine.  Out standing.  Miles brought out some chicken pate with fried crustini to taste as we enjoyed the wine.  Next Miles asked us all what are preference was to meat doneness and disappeared.  Next arrive 5 appetisers.  Oysters in Bourdelais sauce, Natchitoches meat pies, stuffed crab shells, Besh Barbecued shrimp, and plum lacquered pork belly spring rolls, and a dish called Louisiana seafood done three ways.   Shrimp Remoulade, Crab Maison with caviar, and fried oysters in a blue cheese dressing.  I'm not finished.

Next came the main course.  Josh the graduate got the 32 oz. Cowboy Ribeye, Andrew got the 30 day aged 18 oz. prime New York strip with blue cheese butter and Abita Amber onion rings, Kristi got the Wagyu flanks steak, Lori got the surf and turf which was two small tournedos of beef topped with crawfish bernaise sauce, and I got the seared yellowfin tuna with lentils, spinach and foie gras.  I'm still not finished.

Dessert arrived.  Bread pudding, my favorite, Chocolate cake with brandy marinated cherries and ice cream, strawberry shortcake, cream brulee with mixed berries,  and a white chocolate cake with a rum ice cream. 

Saturday was Po boys, boiled crawfish and shrimp, and today was a Muffaletta.

Now I'm finished.

If you go to New Orleans please go to Besh steakhouse.  It will be a dinning experience you will not soon forget.

The quest for fire.

I grew up in a neighborhood full of kids my age. Kids I would follow through school from elementary to high school. Some of my fondest memories growing up were playing flashlight tag on a crisp autumn night when it got dark early. Flashlight tag is a version of tag but you play in the dark and if the flashlight hits you and "IT "says 1-2-3 tag then you're captured. What I also remember is the smell of grills starting up, hoping one of them was in my back yard. My mother did the grilling and her skills were simple, hot dogs, hamburgers, and steaks. We had an old Brassier style grill. I often wonder how we didn't loose more food to the ground on that old rickety thing. As a Boy Scout and later as a Boy Scout leader, I relished the chance to go camping, knowing we would build a large fire and sit around it for warmth and comfort. I have always loved cooking on an open fire. Recently while driving through a rural area, I caught the smell of burning leaves. I remember back in the day when you could burn leaf trash in your yard. The smell would cover the neighborhood. Man did that bring back memories. What makes the smell of fire so attractive to us?

I think it is quiet primal. Think about it. Man's first cooked meal was cooked by an open fire. Think for a moment with me. Man is a carnivore. He hunted for game and probably like other animals, ate his fill and moved on. The discover of fire and how to control it was probably one of the most important milestones in the evolution on man. This is one of the things that separate us from the rest of the animal kingdom.

So picture with me early man waking up one day with an unfamiliar smell in the air. As he walks toward it the smoke gets thicker until he sees the fire. Probably a tree or grassland set on fire by lightning. He puts his hand out and feels the heat. He probably burns himself in his curiosity. Once he learns to control and transport fire, he has warmth, light, and protection. One day he makes a kill and starts a fire to warm himself as he eats. After eating his fill he falls asleep. The next morning he looks at the carcase and notices it has changed. He reaches down to tear away a piece and finds it is warm and easy to pull. He also notices it is easier to chew and digest. Man has just discovered another advantage to fire, and we have been perfecting the art of BBQ and grilling ever since.

Whether it is hamburgers or pizza, everything taste better cooked with fire.

Amen.