Monthly Archives: April 2011

Weekend Round Up/What’s Cooking

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This weekend and next weekend are all about Jazz Fest for most people, myself included. And I’ve got you covered on that.
However, there is was some pesky event over on the other side of the Atlantic which had a good chunk of the female population in a tizzy. For that, Cupcake has you covered.

JAZZ FEST
Things to do before you head out to the Fairgrounds:

1. Get the map.
2. Get the App. It’s free, has an interactive map (for when your other one is lost, torn or covered in food stains), has food listings, and a music schedule. I’ve done some extensive field testing so I know, it works without connecting to the internet/wireless. That means it is useful to us AT&T people too! Hooray!

Notice the No Service indicator. Thanks AT&T!

Still working, even though my phone isn't!

3. Check out our Jazz Fest food rundown from GoNOLA.com here.
4. Apply sunscreen. Don sunglasses.
5. Figure out what/how you’re sneaking in.
6. Enjoy!

Now here’s what Cupcake has for you on that other thing:

Cupcake here. If you haven’t heard, there’s a Big, British party going on today. In honour (hehe) of Kate and William’s “Big Day” I decided to share my very favourite (I can’t help myself) scone recipe with you. I got this recipe when I was in college and I loved it because it is delicious but really quite simple. You don’t need any fancy equipment, just good ingredients. Instead of camping out in London all night to catch a glimpse of the horse-drawn carriage, you can get your taste of life across the pond with these Cranberry Orange Scones. And if you’re a tad cynical about the whole fancy wedding thing, you could always make these for Mother’s Day brunch next weekend instead.

Cranberry Orange Scones
2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
5 tbsp unsalted butter, chilled
1-2 cups dried cranberries
1 large egg
grated zest of one orange
2/3 cup plain yogurt (I used Greek yogurt because that’s what I had)
milk and sugar for brushing and topping

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.
3. Cut the butter into small bits* and drop them in the flour mixture, toss and use your hands to knead all the bits into coarse crumbs.
4. Beat egg, orange zest, and yogurt together in another bowl, then add to the flour mixture and stir. Add the cranberries and knead it all together.

5. Flour a work surface and drop dough onto the surface. Knead a few times and shape the dough into a disk. Curt out 8 wedges and put them on a baking sheet. Brush each scone with milk and dust with sugar.

6. bake for 17-20 minutes, until golden brown.

*For some reason, I really hate “cutting in” butter. Perhaps its because I’ve never had the right tool for the job. Until now, I’ve always used two knives together, Edward Scissorhands style. Today I used a new tool, that, although not needed, was a huge help. Click here for my review of my new pastry cutter!

Upcoming Spot: The Sweet Palate

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Almost a year ago, I had stumbled into the Kupcake Factory’s French Quarter spot on St. Louis, between the Napoleon House and Johnny’s Po Boys. Apparently I was one of the few that actually found it, because the Factory has retreated back to its Uptown, Old Metairie and Kenner locations.

A few weeks ago I noticed that a store named The Sweet Palate is moving in. The Sweet Palate is the expansion of New York City’s Borne Confections. From the website:

the NOLA location will feature European desserts and Patisseries, chocolates from World Champion Oriol Balaguer and his award winning “8 Textures of Chocolate”, Dandoy Biscuits, Taste Gelato Artigianale, and our NOLA version of Petit Dejeuner- all butter Croissants, Kolaches, & Coffee.

Opening is scheduled right around the corner for some unspecified date in May. Their Facebook page doesn’t have any firm details either, although it does indicate they were handing out samples at the Home & Garden show in March. Seems a bit unfortunate to be opening right after FQF and possibly Jazz Fest and instead targeting the front end of the typical summer time lull. Hopefully the chocolates will stick around until the tourists return in the fall!

If anyone’s had any of the Borne Confections, let us know what you thought in the comments!

NOLA Brewing Easter Keg Hunt Wrap-Up

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New Orleans, for those that get it*, is like when you’ve found the one. You know, every day something reminds you just how awesome s/he is. For New Orleans, it’s getting caught in a random parade of 15 people in superhero costumes, complete with a Marine Corps color guard and police escort, on a weekday; the endless festivals; impromptu second-lines; and, on and on. The NOLA Brewing Easter Keg Hunt (which benefits the Gulf Restoration Network) is definitely one of those things that reminds you how special this city is.

On a Sunday with perfect weather, you had hordes of costumed freaks people roaming through the streets of Mid-City from place to place in search of trinkets to gain access to the final NOLA Brewing free beer blowout. The various teams all traveled at their own pace (no prize for first place), which led to a collection of mini-parades, all in search of free NOLA beer. While there were definitely a few looks garnered from the onlookers, they weren’t the frightened or concerned. Instead they were delighted and perplexed as to what amazing event they seemed to miss.

The hunt concluded at the Bayou Beer Garden after numerous stops which included Bulldog Mid-City, the Mid-City Yacht Club, Lemonade Parade (awesome lemonade, FYI) and Finn’s. The afterparty was a snapshot of how awesome New Orleans is: Great beverages, great food, great music, great sports and great fun. We had the Hornets sticking it to the Lakers in Game 1, free beer, live music, I slipped next door to Parkway and brought back a couple of po boys, Taceaux Loceaux saddle up to front of the bar, and, of course, costumed debauchery everywhere. In other words, just another Sunday in New Orleans.

Damn, I love this town.

* I’m not saying you have to get. Some people don’t, it just isn’t their thing. And that’s cool too.

What’s Cooking: Watermelon Mint Sorbet

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Somehow spring snuck up on me this year. But, it’s definitely here, and that means it’s time for some refreshing light desserts to round out your springtime menu. This past weekend $1.25 and I took full advantage of the nice weather and decided to grill our dinner every night. To accompany that, we worked up a watermelon mint sorbet that was pretty delicious at the end of the day. We noticed that our watermelon wasn’t particularly “watermelon-y” but the simple syrup made up for that with a little extra sugar. As the summer goes on, you may be able to dial back the sugar somewhat to let the watermelon flavor do its own thing. Here’s the recipe:
Continue reading →

Chickens of the Grill

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For some reason I tend to find myself out at the Pontchartrain Center about twice a year for an all day event, which typically doesn’t include lunch. Even if whatever mind-numbingly boring event I was attending did serve lunch, I’d want out just for the sake of escaping for a little while. Problem is, what are you going to eat out that way that you can trust? I’m not really a fast food eater, so that knocks out about 95% of the places on the main drag. Most of the time, I end up at the Smoothie King. It’s easy, consistent and I have a few things I know I like there. Compared to the cornucopia of restaurants I normally have to choose from in the Quarter and CBD, having to lunch out by the Pontchartrain Center is the culinary equivalent of being banished to Siberia for me.

The other night, Cupcake and I found ourselves with an evening appointment out that way. Right after work. The way I looked at it, it was going to be one of those nights that I either ate at 11:00 pm or didn’t eat at all. That is, of course, until we were introduced to Pollos a la Brassa Fiesta (“Chickens of the Grill Party”). The place is pretty aptly named, because although they’ve got a few other things on the menu, the only thing they weren’t out of was chicken dishes. The choices were simple, either a rotisserie chicken (whole or half) or a chicken sandwich. We both went the sandwich route and were highly skeptical.

What arrived was essentially a Latin American Philly chicken cheese steak: Soft bread, gooey cheese, onions and peppers. Oh, and well spiced, thinly-sliced rotisserie chicken. While the sandwich was good on its own, it was a “condiment” that really sealed the deal. A fantastic green aji sauce. The spicy and flavorful green addition transformed a decent sandwich into a great one. Thanks to the Chicken Party, I’m actually looking forward to the next foray out to the Pontchartrain Center. Fine, I’m just dreading it a little less.

Pollo a la Fiesta
3901 Williams Blvd.
Kenner

Spot at the Bar: Covington Strawberry

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Abita Strawberry has been long revered around the area as a standout seasonal beer. As Abita Stawberry’s fame has spread across the country (friends in Omaha and Austin sent rather giddy messages from their grocery stores), their local following has been under assault by another Northshore competitor, Covington Brewhouse’s Strawberry Ale. The Strawberry Ale features a significantly more pronounced strawberry flavor than Abita and, due to the strawberry puree in the kegs, some pours can feature significant pulp and strawberry “debris.”

In some corners of the bar, people have noted a lack of consitency from beer to beer, pitcher to pitcher, and definitely keg to keg. While many people I know enjoy a specific beer because they always know what they are going to get, these differences don’t seem to dampen the enthusiasm building behind the Strawberry Ale. While I could understand and expect such discrepencies in a seasonal beer, the Strawberry Ale has been promised as a year round product. That’s right, Covington Brehouse has promised to feed your strawberry cravings all year, unlike a certain someone who steals your refreshing strawberry brew after a few months.

But none of these things are the source of much glee across the internet. What is truly newsworthy today, and the very information which prompted this post, Covington’s Strawberry Ale is now available in bottles. It’ll be interesting to see if the strawberry puree makes it to the bottle and how the consistency “issue” carries over to the bottles. If anyone gets a chance to do a side by side, or get through a six pack, let us know.

Look for this at your local beer store (Photo credit: Covington Brewhouse)

NOLA Brewing Easter Keg Hunt

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There is little we like around here more than having a good time, unless it is having a good time and helping a worthy cause. We’re going to be having a good time anyway so why not be productive with it? The latest installment of fun philanthropy is the Easter Keg Hunt, scheduled for this Sunday, starting at 1 p.m.

So how does it all work? Simply enter a team of 2 to 6 players and follow cryptic clues to a stellar after party bash. From their website:

You may walk/run/bike/skateboard to seek out clue locations–NO VEHICLES ALLOWED. The hunt will lead you to the after party destination where there will be free NOLA Brewing beer as your reward, and prizes and Easter fun. The Colin Lake Trio will perform from 4 to 7 p.m.

Entry fees are $10 a person and proceeds go to help the Gulf Restoration Network, which is working hard to reverse the damage done by BP and their buddies. Oh, and that $10 gets you all you can drink NOLA beer when you finish the scavenger hunt. Of course to be eligible for the free beer you actually have to complete the hunt (no free beer for the slackers!).

Round up some friends, get a great name and some outrageous costumes and be prepared to scavenge your way across Mid-City. Check the list of rules and stipulations here and sign up here.

FQF Jackson Square Food Sneak Peak

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I know, I know you’ve had enough with the French Quarter Fest posts. I get that you might want to do something else, like the 40th annual Strawberry Festival. Perhaps you want to be a little more philanthropic and rock out to help our Japanese friends with Jammin’ for Japan at the Rock and Bowl this Saturday. That’s all cool. We don’t begrudge you that in the least. But this is our little slice of the internet and we love us some FQF.

Only Jackson Square was up and running at lunch time on Thursday, so that is where all the following vendors are. Here is what we ate and how we felt about it.

Broussard’s Restaurant & Courtyard
Slow Roasted Pork in Onion Stew Poboy $6.00: Little flavor, small portion. Too many other Po-boys to bother with this one.

Bombay Club
Gulf Shrimp Escabeche $6.00: Lightly fried drum and shrimp with onions and white wine, large portion, good flavor

Jacques-Imo’s
Slow Roasted Duck Po Boy $6.00: Still an excellent choice. Tender duck, great slaw, not a sloppy slaw

Trey Yuen Cuisine of China
Egg Rolls (2) $4.00: Tasted freshly made, vegetables seemed crisp and fresh. Much better than most egg rolls at a restaurant

Dickie Brennan’s Steakhouse
Prime Beef Debris Po’Boy $6.00: Might just be the king of the yard. Pocket of french bread filled to the brim with delicious prime beef debris.

Ristorante Carmelo
Crabmeat Ravioli $6.00: Ravioli is still great, but now $1 higher for what was already a disappointingly small serving of 2 ravioli.

Oh and don’t forget. If you’re hot and need a great way to cool down, zip over to Meltdown Popsicles for a tasty treat!

French Quarter Fest Logistics

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UPDATED FOR 2012 FQF

French Quarter Fest has exploded in popularity in recent years. The crowds are getting out of control, which in turns means that getting to FQF has become a chore. Without a plan your fun fest day could start off with a series of logistical problems that can set you way behind on the fun meter.

GETTING TO FRENCH QUARTER FEST
1. Driving and Parking
If at all possible, avoid driving to FQF. Ride your bike, walk, get a ride, whatever. Just try to avoid driving. Unless you’re showing up first thing, all the nearby parking garages/lots will be full. Even if you do show up first thing, getting out will be a huge headache.

If you must drive, takee advantage of the Free Shuttle. You park for a mere $10 and ride in on a shuttle. This year’s shuttle has moved closer to the Fest (from near the end of the Convention Center to O’Keefe, between Poydras and Canal). More information is available here.

If you don’t want to be tied to the shuttle and still need to drive, I suggest parking somewhere on Poydras Street and walking in. You’re most likely going to find easier access to parking on Poydras and have an easier time getting home. Canal Street is king of the no left turn in New Orleans and in times of significant traffic, the NOPD loves to close the Canal Street u-turns. Poydras, on the other hand, allows lots of left turns and is less trafficed than Canal 99% of the time. One warning, Poydras has a number of speed/red light cameras so obey the speed limit and the traffic lights.

2. Taking the Red Street Car
Last year hundreds of people decided that driving to Mid-City, parking on Canal and taking the street car in was a fabulous idea. Well it was for those that parked at the start of the line by the cemetaries (here). By the time the streetcars were arriving at Canal and Carrolton (maybe 4-5 stops from the end of the line), they were full and not stopping. The good news is the city has run buses along Canal to help move more people down the past few years.

Getting home has proven more difficult. The streetcars all filled up at the first stop by Harrahs and blew by every other stop until about Jeff Davis, when people started to get off. We didn’t see the buses running out to the cemetaries to pick up the slack and ended up having to walk home. Not the greatest of experiences, but also not the worst.

3. Riding the Green Streetcar
I’ve not tried this tactic, but have spoken to many folks who have. These people have had success with parking on St. Charles or one of the side streets in the Lower Garden District (in this area) and riding in from there. They claim to not have had difficulties with capacity like we experienced on the red line.

4. Taking the Ferry
The Algiers Ferry is a pretty awesome way to get to and from FQF with minimal congestion. The details for parking and directions can be found here. It’ll likely cost you somewhere between $10-$15, but you’ll be dropped off right at the foot of Canal Street near the start of Woldenberg Park, where the big FQF stages are. Because the ferries are sometimes down due to mechanical problems, you’ll want to double check the Algiers ferry is up and running before heading over to the West Bank.

5. Walking/Biking/Getting a ride/Cabbing
If at all possible, do this. However, if you do please remember to plan ahead. Figure out a route before hand and stick to it. You really don’t want to be 10 beers in, exhausted from dancing in the sun all day and find yourself lost as the sun goes down. Plan your route to go through the big streets that are well lit and frequently traveled. Ending your day lost or, worse yet, a vicitim of crime, sucks more than starting your day with a logisitical problem.

MOVING AROUND FRENCH QUARTER FEST
You’ve gotten to French Quarter Fest, so how do you avoid being caught up in the herd of cattle wave of humanity and swept past the stage you want to see or food booth you want to try? Click over to He Said/She Said NOLA for a kick ass tutorial complete with maps.

French Quarter Fest First Timers

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The official 2011 French Quarter Festival Poster. Photo from nola.com.

You all probably know by now that $1.25 and I just love spring in New Orleans.  Not only is the weather beautiful (for the most part anyway), but it’s festival season!  And one of our absolute favorites, French Quarter Fest, is just days away.  

In my impatient wait for the weekend to hurry up and get here, I decided to check out the list of festival food vendors set to tantalize our taste buds this year.  I was really just checking to make sure I could get my old standby favorites from last year, but I noticed there are quite a few newcomers to the list this year too.  So, in addition to all of the faithful favorites, $1.25 and I are going to have to find some room to sample these newbies as well.

In Jackson Square look for Broussard’s Restaurant and Courtyard, where they’ll be serving Crawfish in Puff Pastry with Mustard Dill and Slow Roasted Pork in Onion Stew Po’ Boy (YUM!).  Right after that we’ll beeline our way over to Dickie Brennan’s Steakhouse for their Prime Beef Debris Po’ Boy and a BBQ Shrimp Po’ Boy.

From there, you’ll want to head to the Old U.S. Mint food booths, where Boswell’s Jamaican Grill will add Jerk Chicken, Rice and Peas, Callaloo, and Beef or Veggie Patties to the mix.  I’m particularly excited to check out the new Tempura Battered Softshell Crab Po’ Boy at the new Oceana Grill booth.  Oceana will also be serving chargrilled oysters, but $1.25 and I don’t do the oyster thing.

Finally, at Woldenberg Riverfront Park, you won’t want to miss Big Mooney’s Restaurant’s Stuffed Crab, Stuffed Crab Po’ Boy and Seafood Pasta.  Mona’s will be there too with their Gyro Sandwich, Gyro Platter and some other Mediterranean goodies.

Phew.  And you thought French Quarter Fest couldn’t get any better!  Looks like we’re in for a great weekend. We’ll have more for you as we get closer to quittin’ time on Friday. Check back here later in the week and, in the mean time, check out fqfi.org for more information.