NOLA Cuisine

We’ve lived in the Deep South for 5 years now, and even though it’s not a place we want to live long term we’ve had fun exploring another part of the country. (And trust me, sometimes the SE feels like a WHOLE other country) Pre-Daphne we took many long weekend trips: Savannah, Atlanta, Hilton Head, Jacksonville, St. Augustine, Chattanooga, Mobile, Gulf Shores, Panama City, Pensacola, Gatlinburg, Memphis. One of the places that we visited briefly but didn’t get a chance to really explore was New Orleans. We had planned a longer trip but then Hurricane Katrina came and we had to cancel. Too bad really because we both love Cajun and Creole cuisine and enjoy New Orleans jazz. I’d still love to go, but not with Daphne. In the meantime I’ll have to make my own red beans & rice and listen to my Preservation Hall Jazz Band cds. I need to buy Paul Prudhomme’s Louisiana Kitchen cookbook. Although I’m not sure I can ever really cook authentic Cajun/Creole food. I’m not a big fan of andouille and so many recipes start off with “take the heads off the shrimp and put them in a pot to make the sauce.” No… hell no. I pay good money to have my shrimp come without their heads thank you very much. If I have to see the heads I won’t want to eat them anymore. I don’t even like peel and eat shrimp because I have to touch their little feet. I have issues.  Like in A Christmas Story when they eat Chinese for Christmas and the duck is “smiling” at them.  Yeah, I don’t like my food to look at me.

I am buying a King Cake this year for Mardi Gras. I really wanted one last year but was trying to limit my sugar and all since I was pregnant. The first company I worked for here in B’ham had an office in New Orleans and that branch would always send us King Cakes. Yum. Although I’ve been dying to try the cinnamon roll recipe from the Pioneer Woman (I just figured out not too long ago that she’s a fellow Okie).  And nolacuisine.com has a pretty good looking King Cake recipe.  Hmm.. not sure which will win out.  But I’m hungry just thinking about it.

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