July 9, 2022 Thankfully, the heat wave seems to have broken here in New Orleans, if you classify high 80s with higher humidity "not a heatwave". We had people over for a potluck on the 4th, and were able to sit outside comfortably. The food was delicious, the company enjoyable, and the fireworks show too far down the river to completely terrify the pets. For this week's recipes, I turned first to an old Southern cookbook I've had for years for a smothered porkchop and rice dish. (The book linked here is ...Continue Reading

June 24, 2022 Here in New Orleans it's sunny with a 99% chance of heatwave for the weekend, the kind of heat that is dangerous if you don't take care. I am grateful for air conditioning. I intend to stay inside, and spend some quality time in the kitchen. Not sure yet what I'm going to cook, but there will definitely be summer vegetables on the menu. The markets are bursting with them. Maybe I'll do a pot of my mom's vegetable beef soup, something she always made as soon as the vegetable garden started produc ...Continue Reading

June 17, 2022 Happy Father's Day! To those of you who celebrate it. Here in New Orleans, it's going to be a scorcher; we're under heat advisory all weekend. We're supposed to do a good bit of grilling for recipe development and testing for the magazine; heat exhaustion is a real thing, but we'll get it done. For the recipes this week, I selected a grilled pork tenderloin that I've been making for years, along with a cool salad and a lightened up pot of rice. Next up, Emeril's buttermilk onion rings; while you've ...Continue Reading

June 10, 2022 Congratulations to chef Amanda Cusey-- she took home top prize at the 2022 Louisiana Seafood Cookoff in Lafayette earlier this week. Her dish was a pan-seared red drum over a tomato polenta with a crawfish cream sauce; you may be able to find it on the menu at her restaurant, The Villa Harlequin in Lake Charles. She'll go on to represent the state in the Great American Seafood Cookoff, happening August 6 in conjunction with the Louisiana Restaurant Association's annual Foodservice ...Continue Reading

June 3, 2022 Happy Creole tomato season. Still! So far, I've kept to my goal of eating one a day. For the bourbon lovers out there, take a look at this special offering coming up from GW Fins here in New Orleans. Launching June 14th for National Bourbon Day, they'll be offering a flight of 4 of their most popular bourbons for $25: Basil Hayden, Bulleit, Maker's Mark and Buffalo Trace! Belly up to the bar, order a few starters off the extensive, excellent menu, and enjoy the bourbon. The special will run thro ...Continue Reading

May 27, 2022 Happy Creole tomato season. We got back from our vacation Monday night and I went out Tuesday in search of them; I intend to eat at least one a day for the entire season. There truly isn't anything better; lots as good, maybe, but they taste like summer to me. We spent 10 days in central Mexico and oh my, the food! It was so good, and I will be recreating some of the dishes for the next edition of the magazine, including a few featuring delicious Louisiana seafood. Ceviche, snapper Veracruz... For ...Continue Reading

May 6, 2022 Happy Mother's Day, for those of you who celebrate it. It's early this year; the grocery stores around me are bursting with floral bouquets and orchids. I don't think there's a brunch or lunch reservation to be had at a white tablecloth restaurant in New Orleans Sunday... good luck if you've waited until the last minute. I'm going on a long, well-deserved vacation next week and I can't wait. I *may* have time to produce a newsletter before I go, but you may not hear from me again until the week b ...Continue Reading

April 28, 2022 Jazz Fest kicks off in New Orleans this weekend and you couldn't ask for better weather. It's clear, warm, with low humidity, my ideal weather. There are other festivals going on all over the state, so get yourself out and enjoy them this weekend. For the recipes this week, I made Chicken Piccata for the first time from a Best Of recipe from Food Network; easy and delicious. There's an old fashioned recipe for a Cajun seafood fettuccine that you'll probably want to upgrade with some real, freshly-g ...Continue Reading

April 22, 2022 On Wednesday I had the pleasure of serving as a judge for the Louisiana seafood cook-off during NOLA Navy Week. We paired eithg local chefs with eight chefs from the various ships that were in town and gave them free reign to create something tasty in the 30 minutes allotted to them. Every single dish was outstanding, and the final vote talley was very close. Ryan Hacker, the executive chef at Brennan's, and Magalie Catron, off the USS Farragut, took first place with a marinated tuna ...Continue Reading

April 15, 2022 Oh boy, did we feast last weekend! My brother and I prepared 10 dishes over 2 days and they were all delicious. Friends and neighbors stopped by both nights to sample and were delighted. Shrimp poached in lobster butter, grilled redfish on the halfshell, slow-braised chicken quarters that may be the best I've ever made, deviled shrimp-stuffed deviled eggs... just for starters. You'll find all the recipes in the next edition of Louisiana Kitchen & Culture, shipping in May. This week's recipes ar ...Continue Reading