You'll Never Guess What I Found

I didn't even know this place existed until I literally walked into it. The only reason I walked into it is because I was walking in front of it, and couldn't believe my eyes when I did a double take and noticed what kind of shop I almost passed up. This is my kind of place, but I had no clue of its arrival. I went in of course, my curiousity was maxxed out. Right on cue, in this weekend before Christmas, I found something magical. The reason for my secrecy is due in large part to the fact that gifts were purchased at this unique boutique. Reply on the comment section to guess what I have discovered and I will leave you with this one hint...This is a food blog as you well know, so chances are good that my findings are indeed edible.

First You Make A Roux

It's the most wonderful time of the year. No, I'm not talking about Christmas, I'm talking about gumbo. Cold weather is gumbo weather. Well, it's a little optimistic of me to say cold weather. It was cold this weekend so I took advantage of one of our random, wintery cold fronts and made some chicken and andouille gumbo. While I could go on and on about the freshness and great smoky flavor of Jacob's andouille sausage, I wanted this post to showcase the roux. As we all know, this is where a good gumbo starts. Although I could talk about making a roux, Lauren and I thought watching it being made would be more fun. Enjoy the cool weather and make yourself some of dat dere gumbo, cher.

Ode To Eggnog

The first time I ever tasted eggnog I couldn't stand it. It was similar to what I call the "sushi experience". The first few times you try it you wonder why anyone would want to consume this. Soon after there is a breakthrough. You either realize you hate it, OR you wonder how did I live this long without it. I am definitely the latter and quite frankly I could not imagine the holiday season without it. I enjoy it so much that I wanted to write a tribute to this beloved beverage on the blog and I was even considering changing the name to the Nog Blog. However, I came to and felt like that would be a little weird, so I stole an ode from someone else. Hope you enjoy and have another glass of eggnog, because it's the holidays and we're all going to gain a couple of extra pounds anyway. Next month: Exercise tips!



Ode to Eggnog


Oh how I love thee,
My favorite holiday treat,
All thick and rich
And so syrupy sweet!

With a little rum or brandy,
And a pinch of nutmeg too,
I'll be full of Christmas cheer
To last the whole night through!

Everything seems more festive
With this beverage in my hand;
If you, my friend, have inlaws,
I'm sure you'll understand!

All the things that once annoyed
Have all been drowned out now,
'Cause I've had all the eggnog
That my bladder would allow...

Though I feel a little woozy,
Now that I have had my fill;
I hope that all this eggnog
Doesn't cause me to be ill!

Chocolate Espresso Pecan Pie

Homemade Pie. Those two words alone have the ability to transport you to a different era. A different era because, let's face it, homemade pie is not part of our era. This may be due in part to the reality that people don't take the time to make their own pie crust anymore. Sure, you can make your own pie with a pre-made, frozen crust, but that's not homemade pie. That's homemade filling. Or maybe its because pie is now losing ground to the cheesecakes, bread puddings and creme brulees of our modern day tastes. But as good as the latter may be, they just don't seem to satisfy my craving for pure comfort like pie does. This thanksgiving Lauren took on the challenge of making her first pecan pie. She decided to take this to another level and make it a chocolate, espresso pecan pie. Boy was that a great idea. The light, flaky crust topped with the dense, rich concoction of roasted pecans and decadent chocolate was sensory overload for me and for all that managed to score a slice. Luckily, there were many takers of the pie, otherwise I'd have a few extra pounds to show from my holiday eating.

Rib Stickin', Finger Lickin' Good Thing Going Here

The ribs were awesome. The pasta and salad equally delicious. The fact that everyone is pulling out all the stops to make every Eat Together a great time, leaves me at a loss for words. Are there more gourmet cooks in my family than I realized? Yes. But, what is being revealed on a monthly basis goes far beyond what's on the plate. Everyone is trying, and succeeding on all levels. There's been no wishy-washy commitments or second-guessing suppers. You are opening your doors, showing us a little more of who you are and sending us on our way stuffed like a turkey (thanksgiving pun.) For this is not merely an opportunity to show off your cooking skills, but in a much bigger picture you are in fact showing us your version of "passing a good time." No one will argue that as New Orleanians we like to eat and be merry. And as the old adage goes, where there's food, there's people. But aside from all the great menus we are putting together, we're creating comfort, memories and an experience. We're past all the small talk now, for just below the surface, there is a tradition brewing. Or maybe it's a ritual, or maybe it's just what we should have been doing all along. Whatever you want to call it, it seems to be working. In this week of giving thanks, I say thanks to all of you for making this such a great family.

Po Boy Festival...yeah you right!

I wanted to help put the word out on this one. The definitive New Orleans food now has it's own one day festival. On Sunday, from noon-6:00 you can sample some of the finest poboys New Orleans has to offer. All the happenings will be taking place between the 8100-8300 blocks of Oak St. over in the riverbend. Oh, and most importantly they will have a big TV set up for the Saints game so all can watch while stuffing their face. See everyone tomorrow.

Spirit of Giving - Donors Choose Campaign

In the spirit of the season I am challenging members of my family to donate to a worthy cause. There is plenty to read and learn about Donors Choose and please do so at www.donorschoose.org, but in a nutshell this is a non-profit organization that receives proposals from teachers all across the country and allows those who wish to contribute, to sign on to the proposal(s) of their choice and thus donate to or raise money for the project. It is a donation marketplace and the best part is that it will go directly from us to the school to fulfill the needs. You will see displayed on the blog a fundraising graphic which will monitor how much we have raised for the project. Click on the green tab below that reads "Donate To My Challenge" and this will bring you to the donation page where you are then able to click on the project to learn all the details of the teacher's proposal, including itemized costs, implementation of the donated materials and goals of the project. Among the many proposals to donate to, I have chosen this one because it is based on teaching low income, immigrant children all the benefits of cooking and eating meals together, and how cooking knowledge lends itself to a better understanding of math, reading and science. I am excited to take on this challenge and even more excited to get others involved. Please also feel free to involve extended family and friends that are not members of our blogging community. Happy Holidays!

The German Pretzel Project

Making pretzels from scratch takes a while. In fact it takes just long enough to qualify as a project and not just a recipe. However, this is one project that rewards you for all of your hard work. Fresh, warm pretzels are as satisfying as a homemade bread or a pizza crust made just before you baked it. This process starts with making a yeast dough, kneading it for a bit then letting it rise for a while. Then kneading the dough again and rolling it out into seperate sticks and letting it rise or puff once again for a while. Then boiling the sticks for about thirty seconds and draining them to dry. Then egg-washing each stick and sprinkling vigorously with kosher salt before you slide them into the oven. The result about 10 minutes later are soft, moist, delicious, salty pretzels. Great on their own but even better dipped into german or yellow mustard.

Lunch, Love & LSU in Lakeview

Now that we are "NUMBER 1" in all the land, we thought we'd have over the "NUMBER 1" family over for eats and drinks. Please join us this Saturday, November 17th at 2pm at 5907 Catina St in Lakeview, LA. If you need directions, look the LSU flags!!! We're looking forward to making new Hollier family memories!!!

Farmer's Soup

Although it's not actually cold as of yet, the first sign of fall and I immediately want soup. Usually it's soup of the heartier kind - gumbo and french onion soup - because it's comforting and it's what I know how to make. However this weekend I thought I'd expand my horizons a little bit and make a soup as a farmer would. This actually turned out to be easier than I thought and just as comforting and nourishing. It's a pretty simple formula. Start with your favorite beans (baby lima, black, kidney, white, etc.), add to that a combination of a little bacon, shallots and leeks, then throw in the vegetables that are in season (I used turnips, celery root and carrots), add chicken stock and some fresh herb (I used thyme) and let all the flavors simmer down. Adjust the seasoning to your taste then done deal and delicious. I think I have often been intimidated with making soup on a regular basis because of the time commitment I was used to with making gumbo or onion soup. This is simple though and really focuses more on the freshness of the ingredients. Soup is good food!

Italian Family Style

Once again we proved that the kitchen is the most popular room for the family dinners. Despite the rather large television in the den, we all gathered around the 8 inch in the kitchen to watch the Saints hand it to the 49ers. WHO DAT!

For dinner Joanne and Mike put together a wonderful red gravy pasta. It was a dish that would make even Tony Soprano proud. We continue with dessert - homemade peach cobbler and adorable fleur de lis cookies.

Watching the Saints wasn't the only form of entertainment at the Skertichs. Their was coloring, pumpkin decorating and a scarf wearing competition. Now that I think about it, I didn't
hear of a winner of that contest...

It was great spending time with everyone and we are all looking forward to "breakfast stuff" at Nicole and Ryan's on November 17th. Go Tigers!

Miss Mae

I thought you would all like to see a picture of Grace and Ryan's newest addition.

Miss Mae the boxer pup!

We are looking forward to seeing everyone on Sunday! WHO DAT!

The Joint

Wow, so October is definitely the busiest month of the year. So much so, that I managed to take an involuntary hiatus from the food blog. Fear not family foodies, I'm back. I figured a good comeback eatery to get all your mouths watering would be one of my favorite standbys, The Joint BBQ. I just so happened to visit The Joint this past Saturday and was reaffirmed at just how good this unassuming, bbq shack can be. They smoke all of their barbeque in house (actually it's out back) and they also make their own sauces. Two different kinds, so you have your choice of a more carolina style, vinegar-based sauce or if you prefer the thicker, kansas city style sauce, theirs is second to none in my book. The ribs are perfectly smoked and super tender, not to mention very popular which is why they were out during our Saturday visit.
No worries, the pulled pork and beef brisket are also home runs, especially with a couple of slices of white bread. Just as respectable and worth the trip to Poland Ave is their selection of sides. The cole slaw, baked beans and potato salad are all just-made fresh and as expected are great compliments to the barbeque. However, the baked macaroni and cheese in on a level all of its own. This is exactly how you want your your mac and cheese to come out every time. Creamy, not over cheesy and cooked just right. Throw in your choice of sweet or unsweetened tea and a great jukebox and this turns out to be money well spent.

My Plot To Farm II - The Dirt on Commitment

Ok, so the first thing I've learned from growing your own produce is that every stage of it requires commitment. Mostly time, but in order to grow something you want and can eat, you have to know your dirt. The best way I can describe it is: you need to know what's in it and what needs to go in it. You have to dig your hands and shovel into the unknown and check back with it to see how it reacted and adjusted to your changes. It's not just mud, it's an ecosystem. I'm also learning that just because you want it to do something, it doesn't mean it will. So, I've turned over the soil and removed lots of grass and weed roots in two of my four plots. I've set up raised beds and have sowed seeds for Detroit Dark Red beets. I've also planted young broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage and basil. This started out as a Saturday project, however now I feel like my plots need me to pay attention on a regular basis. I didn't just cut grass and pull out some weeds. I've put some high expectations on this dirt. I threw in some compost to get it fired up and now I want it to grow some food. And I think it will let me as long as I am giving it as much as it is giving me.

Out to Lunch

Due to Anniversary celebrations that lasted late into the weekend, Family Style regrets to inform you that there will be no post this week. We appreciate your continued support as we move into the future, without boundaries, sharing eating experiences both near and far. Have a great week people.

Management

Next Time You're In Donner, LA...

...think "Fried Chicken". Chester's Place might not look like much from the outside, and in keeping with consistency doesn't look like much on the inside. However, after my first visit to this roadside institution, I believe consistency has been their recipe for success. When you first step into this family run chicken shack, you get the feeling they have been open forever, which according to all the people at my table they have been. Since day one their simple menu has consisted of fried chicken, fried gizzards and onion rings. Over time they have expanded the menu to include frog's legs and also shrimp, but that is basically it. Keep it simple and do it really well. Works for me. You can order the fried chicken three different ways: Regular, Spicy or Frank's way (no batter). I went with spicy and although the chicken pieces tend to be small, I was delighted to see that when my paper plate of crispy fried goodness arrived, it was the whole chicken. Thigh, leg, breast, wing, neck, backbone. Finger licking good. In fact the motto of the restaurant printed on all of the waiters T-shirts reads "If the Colonel had this recipe, he would have been a General." Clever, and I would do this restaurant a disservice if I did not mention that the onion rings were probably some of the best I have ever had. Red onions, thinly sliced. Sweet, crisp, home run. In case you're curious, Donner is located about 20 minutes outside of Houma and although you may not find yourself there very often, it's worthy of a Sunday drive. By the way, they are only open on the weekends.

My Plot To Farm

Actually, I now have four plots. Four plots of what and where you may ask? What I am referring to is urban farmland, ripe and ready to harvest the fruits and vegetables of all four seasons. Land that is fertile, waiting to be tilled, seeded and irrigated. Where I am talking about is well...believe it or not, right down the street. I spent two hours this past Saturday helping neighborhood gardeners clear out our community garden, which expectedly had become mostly overgrown with weeds and vines due to neglect during the dog days of summer. Certainly, no one is to blame here because I know I can not spend any length of time outside when the temperature is pushing 100 degrees with 80% humidity, to maintain a volunteer garden. But on this day of weed clearing and unearthing the kinds of things (creatures) one only finds when they get their hands dirty, I discovered an opportunity to grow. No pun intended, but you can see what I'm getting at here. As someone who loves to cook and eat - and I could go as far as to say a foodie except I feel like that word makes me sound like a yuppie - I think the next step in food appreciation is to grow it myself. Sure I could have started small with one plot and planted a couple of tomato plants or grew a few varities of fresh herbs. But after spending two hours with these four little, adjacent parcels of land (that happen to get great morning sunlight) I felt that it was only natural and fair that they all be part of my latest food endeavor. Growing food is a labor of love. A love for the land, a respect for the food and the labor of your dedication to the dirt. The land is now mostly cleared and next the soil needs to be tilled. Of course, there will be more to come...

Sutherlin Hospitality

Ok, first things first. Missy, you have to post the recipe for those cheese biscuits. Was there bacon in there too? They were ridiculously good. Secondly, these monthly eat togethers are becoming really interesting. Besides the good idea of scheduling a date each month to spend more time together, the chance to go from house to house is giving all of us an opportunity to learn and see a different side of who we are, mostly because we are in our own element doing our own thing. We get to do hospitality our way. Creating a menu if we like or just cooking a bunch of different food. It puts us on the spot to be ourselves, as opposed to meeting at one person's house on a regular basis and knowing what to expect. I'm excited that this is beginning to take on a life of its own and I'm looking forward to what we come up with as time goes on. Nice job Missy and Bradford (and Wrigley) and I'm looking forward to October.

Come Hungry!

Menue: Shrimp and Grits with Cheese Biscuits

This Saturday

This saturday has been moved to 11:00 a.m.

317 Henry Clay

Can't wait to see everyone!

Feeling Crabby

Ok, so as you may have noticed by now, I like to share my food experiences with you. While I would like every food experience to be fascinating, delicious and educating, sometimes they just turn out to be bad...real bad. It's not that I don't expect these things to occur, it just so happens that the unenjoyable food event that took place this weekend turned out to be a two day event. After such an event, all I can muster is to say "What were they thinking?"
DAY ONE: Let me give you a little background info so you can fully appreciate this story. Lauren's dad Malcolm and his wife Sue fly in Friday evening to witness two close friends of theirs renew wedding vows after 20 years of marriage. Nice event and even local, so Lauren, Viv and I are also invited. The event is small and is being held at St. Mary Magdalen church, with the reception to take place in the rectory. This should have been the first sign of questionable things to come. We arrive, people are great and the food laid out has been provided by a local caterer. Now, as I mentioned this was a small event, so food expectations were low to begin with. Well, on the food table are a variety of aluminum foil serving containers with different hot dishes that all amazingly were the same color. Pecan crusted catfish, gumbo, crawfish etouffee and some sort of beef dish. Sounds ok right? Well, I couldn't tell which dish was which because they were all the same shade of brown, and what I did taste had very little flavor. Ok, so maybe you're thinking at this point I may be a bit of a food snob, but it wasn't until later events that I developed my disappointment. The fact that I was at a wedding in New Orleans and the food was very unappetizing was forgiveable because over the course of the evening we were also invited to a party for the happy couple that was taking place on Saturday at a beautiful home on Lake Catherine. There was talk of boiling seafood and softshell crab, out on the lake...ok, now we're talking.
DAY TWO: We arrive at lake house just after 2pm. We are greeted very nicely and as we are taking a tour of the house and climbing the grand staircase, we can't help but notice on the kitchen counter all the same food that was so universally avoided the night before, on display yet once again, in the same ugly, aluminum containers, yes a day later. It's one thing to serve bad food at a nice celebration once, but it borders on terrible idea to do it again the next day, to the same people no less. But needless to say we remained hopeful. There was big talk of boiled crabs and I even noticed the pot resting over the propane fire when I walked in. So I go to observe, just so I can feel better about the whole situation. The crabs go in, the seasoning goes in. Some onions, some celery. Uh oh, no potatoes, corn, sausage, artichokes or lemon. I chalk it up to the fact that not everybody has seafood boils the same way. Boy, was that ever an understatement. The crabs boil for a while then our host turns the gas off to let them sit for a bit to absorb the seasoning. Our mouths are watering and we are ready to get our hands dirty and crack some claws. So we wait patiently, and we wait, and we wait. Then its as if our host has disappeared altogether. Oh wait, there he is! Way down at the end of his pier, working on his boat so he can take his guest out for a ride on the lake. Working on your boat!?!?!? Good crabs have died and are now absorbing an inordinate amount of seasoning and you think now is a good time to work on your boat. At this point we have been at the lake house for three hours, have had no desire to eat any leftover brown food and are staring at a pot of now luke warm seasoning water, containing bright orange crabs that I am guessing are pretty much way overcooked and probably taste like a salt lick. We decide at that point that we need to go, and by go I mean go to Bucktown to get some boiled seafood. This crab tease has gone on for too long and once we have eaten our boiled crabs at Deanie's I'm going to call the food police or the Louisiana Entertaining Commission or maybe the mayor to report your poor hosting habits, because if there is one thing you can't do in New Orleans is throw a party and not give your guests something good to eat.

Beyond Freshness at the Farmer's Market

Years ago, when I first began visiting the Crescent City farmer's market (occasional Saturday morning), my objective was usually to find something so fresh that is was just picked the day before or maybe even that morning. Or maybe it was to find something unique from a local farmer that you may not see in your neighborhood supermarket. Something so fresh that you just had to cook it that day to do it justice. Back in those days I only knew of the market on the corner of Magazine St and Girod in the warehouse district. But as my interest grew I learned that there were other locations that had markets throughout the weekdays and after Katrina, a market also emerged in the cozy neighborhood of old Gretna. In addition to that I discovered fairly recently that very early on Saturday mornings (6am-9am) the vietnamese community, located in the far reaches of desolate New Orleans East, holds their own informal farmer's market as well. Although based on location I generally like to go to the Gretna market, but this Saturday morning I decided to drag my family out of the house at the crack of dawn to first pay a visit to the vietnamese market, then swing by the warehouse district to see what they had to offer there. The vietnamese market is a simple market. By simple I mean there are about a dozen or so local farmer's (mostly women) who have blankets laid out in areas of a strip mall parking lot selling the various types of greens and produce they grow in their home gardens. Just about all of the produce here consists of ingredients you would generally find in vietnamese cooking (of course) and I would bet most of it was pulled from the ground within in a mile from where I was standing. Asian pears, cilantro, bean sprouts, lemon grass, purple basil and the list goes on. However there is a language barrier here so communication and transactions are challenging. Even though you are still in Orleans parish, you get the sense you are in a completely different country. This market is about the garden next door. On a different scale, the market in the CBD is more organized and diversified. This market has booths with about 15-20 vendors who represent not just the neighborhood, but this whole region. From produce farmers from Folsom, tamale makers from Independence, citrus gurus from Plaquemines to artisan chocolates, homemade croissants and freshly-picked flowers, the challenge here is to walk away empty handed. After visiting both markets what left the biggest impression on me was not just how great local, fresh products can be, but how interesting and diverse the people growing and developing them can also be. These people are our neighbors and local farmers and artisans who are a part of our community. All of them may not live down the street but they live close enough to make the morning commute. If I had it my way I'd get all my food from folks like these, but that's just not possible. Not yet...

The Complex Simplicity of Vietnamese Food

Salty. Spicy. Sour. Sweet. The layers of flavor hit you from all sides at once. Crunchy and tender, the contrast in textures takes this meal to a whole different level. Unlike other traditional cooking methods, where a variety of ingredients cook together for a given time to become a homogenized, flavorful sauce or soup, Vietnamese cuisine is more of a celebration of how the simple, individual ingredients all work together to create a complex experience for your palate. One of my favorite dishes to date is the Rare Flank and Beef Noodle.
There is no easy way to read a vietnamese menu and this is basically the translated description you're going to find for this one. Now on this recent visit I decided to get this food to go, so I had the opportunity to assemble it myself. Once you open the take-home bag, you will find three containers to work with. In one container there is a comforting, salty, homemade beef broth, which I first throw into a pot to bring to a boil. In the second container there is thinly slice raw flank steak, chopped green onions and rice vermicelli noodles. The reason the steak is raw is because it is going to cook to a perfect medium rare when you pour the hot broth over it. The third container (actually a small plastic bag) includes fresh sweet basil, bean sprouts, sliced jalapenos and fresh lime wedges. This is the side salad to most vietnamese dishes, however it is not meant to be eaten alone, but in fact added to your dish to add a dimension of freshness and flavors that balance the other ingredients in your bowl. Even with my considerably limited knowledge of vietnamese food, it is my opinion that this dish is a fine example of all the interesting flavors this cuisine has to offer, simply divided into seperate containers so you can appreciate what each ingredient contributes to the dish.

September!

Our next dinner will be on Saturday, September 8 at 12:00. 317 Henry Clay Ave.

Bradford and I are excited about hosting everyone in our (not so) new house. I will trying a new recipe for Shrimp and Grits. The theme is comfort food meets southern hospitality.

I don't have any pictures of shrimp and grits, but I thought you would all enjoy and snapshot of wrigs.

Much Love,
Missy

The Perfect Burger in Poboy Town

There is no one reason why Camellia Grill may have the best burger in town. Maybe its because food just tastes better when you are sitting on a stool at an old fashioned lunch counter. Maybe its because when you order the burger they don't ask how you would like it cooked; they just cook it perfect everytime. Or maybe its the simple combination of a little mayo, lettuce and grilled onions along with perfectly golden fries and a chocolate freeze (milkshake) that make you realize you just can't get this anywhere else in the city. This is the way I believe hamburgers were meant to be enjoyed. Ask a local for a good place to eat a poboy and they will rattle off at least two or three "can't miss" places right off the top of their head. Ask the same local for a place to find a good hamburger and you may see a whole lot of thinking. Let's face it, New Orleans isn't a burger town. We've made our mark on sandwich history with the poboy. It's uniquely ours, it's who we are and quite frankly you just can't find bread like that anywhere else in the world. But there is something simply satisfying about sitting down to a good hamburger in the right environment. It's all american and all delicious.

Good Times

Yes, it's been confirmed. When I build my own house, the kitchen is going to be the biggest room in the house. This is the room that everyone wants to be in. Maybe its the sound of food sizzling on the stove top that peaks your curiousity. Or maybe it's because you follow your nose, and upon the first smell of something delicious you must find the source and do whatever it takes to sneak a taste. Whatever the reason may be, the kitchen always seems to be the place to be. This past Saturday, as all 11 of us are standing in my small, hot kitchen, I can remember initially thinking "there's too many people in the kitchen." Then I smiled. This is a good crowded. If my kids and your kids grow up remembering there was always too many people in the kitchen, then I think we will always have plenty of memories and stories to tell. Long live the over-crowded kitchen!

A Summertime Tradition

If there is one certainty about the long days of summer in New Orleans, it's going to be hot. Really hot. Among the numerous remedies locals have come up to battle this heat, I think there is no one more beloved than the snoball. Now, without a doubt there are snoball shops and stands located everywhere, from gas station parking lots to an unoccupied side of a shotgun double. There's no trouble finding one, but if you want a truly unique experience that goes beyond syrup on crushed ice, do yourself a favor and make the drive out to Hansen's. Hansen's is truly in a class of its own. Back in the late 1930's they created a machine that shaves the ice, which makes their snoballs fluffy and almost creamy. On top of that, they make all of their own flavors and you can really taste the difference. This place has been family owned and operated since they created that ice-shaving masterpiece, and from the minute you walk in that screen door you feel like you belong there. Now, you Old Metairie folks (not saying you're old, talking about this particular area of Metairie) may be saying Hansen's doesn't have anything on Sal's over on Metairie Rd. I think you may have a good argument because I remember having many a good snoball at Sal's, save the fact that those wooden spoons they put in the snoball give my mouth the heebie geebies. And they are family run and have old tree stumps to sit on, etc. But if you want to defend that one, I'll let you do so on your own post. Right now I'm savoring my mint lemonade creation from Hansen's. Happy Snoballing!

The Next Food Network Star?

Yes, this is the audition tape I have submitted to Food Network to enter the "Next Food Network Star" competition and ultimately receive my own cooking show. Yes, I have lost my mind, but it was a blast to make and I thought you may enjoy watching it. Keep your fingers crossed!

Food Memories

If you were to walk past my desk on any given work day and I was not engaged in some lengthy conversation about insurance, it is likely you would find my colleague Donna and I rambling on about something we recently cooked, ate or all the above. We like to talk about food and we can rattle off recipes and stories until we have half of the office gathering around and chiming in. This past Friday we decided to order po boys for lunch. We didn't order from just any sandwich shop, but from a place both Donna and I have known and loved for much of our lives. Donna has been going to Short Stop for years and continues to do so. For her there is no better roast beef po boy. For myself, I haven't ordered a sandwich there in probably close to 20 years or more; but before that most of my Saturdays included standing in line at the Short Stop with Big Joe. Sloppy, extra mayo, roast beef po boys were a way of life then and by no means could you have one without plenty of napkins, a bag of Fritos corn chips and a can of Barq's root beer. This past Friday I decided to relive that glorious combo meal of my youth and I got to tell you after the first bite I was 12 years old again. Even though they have completely remodeled, it's great to have places like Short Stop still around.

Pasta Carbonara

Pasta Carbonara is a classic italian dish that is simple, delicious and one of my favorite dishes to make. I consider it a great comfort food because it consists of four of my favorite ingredients - pasta, eggs, bacon and cheese! Hope to see you on August 4th - Joe 4