Innholdsfortegnelse for July/August 2018 i Louisiana Cookin'

WHEN I WAS GROWING UP, my dad took us crabbing a few times, though it wasn’t something we did often. We didn’t use baited traps as many folks do. Our method—sneaking barefoot around the warm shallow water with nets—was probably not as efficient, but much more fun. Even so, we had a bucket full of those snappy little critters by the end of the day. Each season in Louisiana brings with it a host of new flavors and dishes that we look forward to all year long. As summer settles in, blue crabs start running, sno-ball stands reopen, and the okra is high. In this issue, you’ll find some of our favorite new summer recipes, including some classics from Napoleon House chef Chris Montero. His crispy Panko-Crusted Crab Balls and…

As you know, in each issue, we feature a chef we believe in here in this space, but this time around, we’re going a bit more high-spirited. Alan Walter is the creative director at Loa, the upscale cocktail lounge in New Orleans’ International House Hotel. We caught up with Alan to discuss his distinctive approach to craft cocktailing: For those who haven’t visited, please tell us about Loa. Loa is part of a boutique hotel just outside the French Quarter. It is close enough that we cater not only to our own guests, but people who are sent our way from concierges at other hotels. We also have a strong local following. It’s a very romantic, candlelit bar, great for date nights, with low light and music low enough to…

Several south Louisiana restaurants are redefining what it means to quickly enjoy a gratifying meal by blending the convenience of fast food with the quality of fine dining. They continue to promote the delicious meals that Louisiana is known for with a casual atmosphere, but also prioritize providing meals that can be described not only as fast but also fresh, healthy, and personal—words that are seldom found together. BIG EASY BOWLS The first of its kind in Louisiana and New Orleans, Poke Loa formed from owner Cecile Tanguis’ self-described obsession with poké (pronounced po-KAY) after visiting her brother in California. Realizing she would return to the Crescent City and leave poké restaurants behind, Cecile decided it was time for poké to make its Louisiana debut and went straight to work.…

ON A RECENT SATURDAY AFTERNOON, Gabriel Balderas was checking on the progress of the garden that runs alongside El Cabo Verde, the restaurant that he and his wife, Brooke, have owned and operated in Shreveport since 2016. The garden is an experiment; blueberries and garlic vie for space alongside peppers and herbs. Some plants will flourish in the unpredictable climate of Shreveport, others will not. A similar experiment is happening inside El Cabo Verde, where Gabriel is attempting to split the difference between the cheese sauce-covered Tex-Mex that has long been dominant in northwestern Louisiana and a wholesome Mexican cuisine prepared from fresh, carefully sourced ingredients. Refer to his style of cooking as healthy, however, and Gabriel bristles. He has the wariness of someone who has seen his cooking philosophy…

Louisiana’s history with cocktails is one of varied and legendary proportions. In the 19th century, Louisiana delivered unto the world the Sazerac, and with New Orleans as Louisiana’s major port, even during Prohibition, liquor made its way into our roots and across the state. Of course, it’s no secret that alcohol holds a distinct place in the life and culture of Louisiana. From Mardi Gras celebrations to cocktail hours, fine dining to the New Orleans’ “go-cup,” few other places honor spirits in the same fashion. But enjoying a cocktail is no longer merely sipping a mixed drink; it is something beyond the glass. In the endless pursuit of perfecting their craft, mixologists and bartenders throughout Louisiana work diligently to remain on the forefront of innovative cocktail experiences for connoisseurs and…

AS LOUISIANA SHRIMP fill local seafood markets, we are always dreaming up new ways to use the delicacies. This summer, we’ll be making these shrimp po’ boys on repeat for a lunch or dinner that comes together in minutes. Topped with sweet and tangy slaw and a drizzle of zesty rémoulade sauce, these sandwiches are packed with a punch of flavor that you’ll be craving all season long. BLACKENED SHRIMP PO’ BOYS MAKES 4 SERVINGS 2 cups thinly sliced green cabbage 2 cups thinly sliced red cabbage 1 cup thinly sliced miniature sweet red peppers ½ cup sliced green onion 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar 2 teaspoons honey ¾ teaspoon kosher salt 3 tablespoons blackening seasoning 3 tablespoons olive oil 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 3 pounds jumbo fresh shrimp,…

“I LIKE TO USE THE BEAUTY OF THE INGREDIENTS THAT I’M USING INSIDE THE RECIPE TO DECORATE THE DESSERT ITSELF.”—CHEF RUBY BLOCH DURING HER TIME in the Crescent City, 2016 Chef to Watch Ruby Bloch has become known for her whimsical creations that use less traditional flavors and techniques. After years of heading the pastry kitchens at Cavan, Meauxbar, and Sylvain, the New Jersey native struck out on her own last fall with her custom desserts business, Salt and Light Pastry Co. Ruby enjoys highlighting the flavor of seasonal ingredients in her desserts, and with the Bayou State’s abundance of summer crops like blackberries and blueberries, the possibilities are endless. We caught up with Ruby to learn more about her new endeavor and how to make the most out of…

IN CASE YOU ARE DREADING turning the oven on, please know you are not alone. It’s deep summer here in Louisiana, so if you’re like me, you’re about to go from your air-conditioned home to your air-conditioned car to your favorite local restaurant. I feel cooler already just thinking about somebody else doing the cooking. As regular readers of this column know, it is my life goal to eat my way across Louisiana, and if I do say so myself, I’m making some great progress. Wherever you live in the state, you can find great moderately priced restaurants practically in your own backyard. Let me tell you about some of my recent great finds. LIVIN’ LA VIDA LOCAL By the time you read this, there will be a bacon-centered restaurant…

TODAY, BOUDIN IS WELL-KNOWN throughout Louisiana, but it wasn’t always that way. Before the world was introduced to the pork- and rice-based sausage, it was uncommon to find Cajun-style boudin outside Acadiana, and it was something traditionally enjoyed after a boucherie, a communal slaughtering of a hog as an effort to preserve every part of the animal. The meat would be used to make boudin, tasso, andouille, hog’s head cheese, and more. In our world of modern refrigeration, boucheries are less common and have become more about celebrating Acadian culture than meat preservation. However, boudin certainly is widespread. While the exact origins of Cajun boudin itself are murky, we do know that the French have been making sausages called boudin blanc and boudin noir for centuries, and when the French…

The availability of FRESH, LOCAL CRABMEAT is one of the joys of LIVING AND EATING IN THE BAYOU STATE. Whether you tuck it into a creamy dip, bake it into crispy crab balls, or serve it over a grilled salad, there are endless ways to enjoy the delicate flavor of Louisiana crabmeat, which is one of the reasons Chef Chris Montero of Napoleon House loves it so much. “One of my favorite seafood items is crabmeat because of its versatility and because it enhances almost anything,” Chris says. Chris, an eighth-generation New Orleanian, has been at the helm of the beloved French Quarter institution since 2015, when Ralph Brennan Restaurant Group took ownership of the historic restaurant. He is also executive chef for Café NOMA at the New Orleans Museum…

THE SMOKY AROMA OF BARBECUE has been a welcome addition to New Orleans’ City Park neighborhood since 2016 when Ronnie Evans and Philip Moseley opened Blue Oak BBQ on Carrollton Avenue. Ronnie and Philip, native New Orleanians who have been friends since they met in fifth grade, honed their skills at a barbecue restaurant in Vail, Colorado, before buying their own pit and opening their restaurant in April 2016 after a few years of pop-ups in the kitchens of Grits and Chickie Wah Wah, where they amassed a following of meat-loving patrons. Rather than focusing on a single regional barbecue style, Ronnie and Philip’s approach blends flavors and techniques from places they’ve visited, plus Louisiana’s own smokehouse traditions. The menu features a variety of smoked meats available as combination plates…

THE CAROUSEL BAR & LOUNGE 214 Royal St. New Orleans 504.523.3341 hotelmonteleone.com THE MIRROR ROOM 200 Desoto St., Suite B Alexandria 318.704.6111 bentleymirrorroom.com THE RADIO BAR 3079 Government St., Suite B Baton Rouge theradiobar.com PAMPLONA TAPAS BAR 631 Jefferson St. Lafayette 337.232.0070 pamplonatapas.com SOBOU 310 Chartres St. New Orleans 504.552.4095 sobounola.com TIKI TOLTECA 301 N. Peters St. New Orleans 504.288.8226 tikitolteca.com ISLAND TIME Mexico meets Polynesia at Tiki Tolteca, the Latin American tiki bar from Felipe’s Mexican Taqueria that has been a fixture for colorful cocktails since 2013. Tiki Tolteca started as a pop-up bar above Felipe’s French Quarter location in 2013 and grew into a full-service bar in 2014. Being under the Felipe’s umbrella made Latin American influences a given, but the theme was inspired even further by an…

MORE AND MORE START-UPS are taking advantage of Louisiana’s growing food scene. One such start-up is Cultured Guru, Louisiana’s first company to produce and specialize in fermented foods that are rich in probiotics, like kimchi. Kimchi is a Korean side dish, typically made with fermented Napa cabbage or other vegetables, a variety of spices, and fish paste. There are over 100 variations of kimchi, but Cultured Guru differs in that most of their ingredients are sourced in the state of Louisiana and “inspired by Korean kimchi,” say owners Kaitlynn Fenley and Scott Chachere. They use Louisiana-grown green cabbage and their own blend of spices. They opt for kelp instead of fish paste, ensuring those with alternative diets can enjoy Cultured Guru’s products. “The flavor profile is similar to Korean kimchi,…

CELEBRATED EACH YEAR on July 14, Bastille Day is the French National Day commemorating the storming of the Bastille, which helped to spark the French Revolution. With French culture being such an intrinsic part of New Orleans’ heritage, the city celebrates this occasion each year with events like the official Bastille Day Fête at the New Orleans Museum of Art, a block party in the Faubourg St. John neighborhood, and a themed dinner at Arnaud’s. The Bastille Cup is a drink the French 75 Bar made for Bastille Day years ago, and now we have it on the menu each summer. While Pimm’s Cups are wonderful drinks to take on daytime strolls through the French Quarter, we wanted to build another cool drink for the warmer months of the year.…

J U LY June 30–July 4 Erath 4th of July Erath erath4.com 4 Go 4th on the River New Orleans go4thontheriver.com 4 New Iberia Fourth of July Parade New Iberia | 337.344.9397 iberiatravel.com/events 4 Red, White, Blue and You! Celebration Lake Charles | 337.491.9147 visitlakecharles.org 5–8 ESSENCE Festival New Orleans essence.com/festival 7 Lebeau Zydeco Festival Lebeau lebeauzydecofestival.com 13–14 Bayou BBQ Bash Morgan City | 985.384.3830 cajuncoast.com 17–22 Tales of the Cocktail New Orleans | 504.948.0511 talesofthecocktail.com 20–21 Natchitoches-NSU Folk Festival Natchitoches | 318.357.4332 louisianafolklife.nsula.edu 20–21 Cajun Music and Food Festival Lake Charles | 337.794.2541 cfmalakecharles.com 27–28 Marshland Festival Lake Charles | 337.540.3182 marshlandfestival.com AUGUST 1–31 COOLinary New Orleans coolinaryneworleans.com 3–5 Satchmo Summer Fest New Orleans | 504.522.5730 satchmosummerfest.org 11 Red Dress Run New Orleans nolareddress.com 11 Franklin Art Walk Franklin…

DON’T GET JASON HUGUET, the young chef-owner of Steamboat Warehouse in Washington, talking about dogs, hunting, or ghosts, because you’ll never get around to his true passion, which is food. Although somehow, they are all mixed up in the same story—certainly ghosts are. At 17 years old, he walked into the early 19th-century cotton and goods warehouse, recently converted to a restaurant, to meet a friend, and something happened. “I think it was the smell but not from the kitchen. It was the old cypress, the light on the beams. I just felt something. The building was calling to me. I was hypnotized by every part of it. Right then and there, it adopted me.” He was just out of high school, thought he wanted to go into some kind…

When summer arrives and temperatures rise in the Bayou State, it’s often best to keep the cooking time to a minimum. Thankfully, we can still enjoy delicious and satisfying meals without turning on the stove with some of our favorite no-cook summer recipes. Whether you try a bowl of refreshing Corn and Shrimp Soup or dig into the sweet and spicy Shrimp and Mango Ceviche, these recipes are sure to help you have a cool and tasty summer. TOMATO SALAD WITH PECAN PESTO MAKES 6 SERVINGS 5 heirloom tomatoes, sliced 1 medium red onion, thinly sliced 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil Juice of 2 limes 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh oregano 1 teaspoon sea salt ½ teaspoon ground black pepper Pecan Pesto (recipe follows) 1.…

“[FONVILLE’S] HOME WAS AN OPEN HOUSE; EVERYONE WAS INVITED.”—MELINDA RISCH WINANS CULINARY ART COLLIDES WITH VISUAL ART in The Fonville Winans Cookbook: Recipes and Photographs from a Louisiana Artist (Louisiana State University Press, 2017), collected by the photographer’s daughter-in-law Melinda Risch Winans along with Cynthia LeJeune Nobles. Fonville Winans was known for his photography, but Melinda insists that there was much more to the man. In addition to his role as a photographer, he was a devoted husband, father, inventor, and, as the cookbook reveals, a skilled amateur chef. After Fonville’s passing in 1992, Melinda and her husband, Walker Winans, saved 15 cookbooks that contained notes from Fonville himself in addition to two loose-leaf notebooks that included over 250 handwritten recipes. Melinda immediately knew she wanted to turn the recipes…