nobody asked…

My favorite activity (with clothes on) is eating. My favorite city for eating has always been New Orleans, with the heart and soul of the city in the French Quarter (Vieux Carré — “Old Quarter” in French). The devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina and the subsequent breach of the levees has triggered a lot of reminiscing about my many trips to New Orleans, the restaurants I frequented, and the wonderfully unique cuisine of the area.

It is difficult to adequately describe the foods and flavors of New Orleans to someone who has not experienced it firsthand, so I turned to Wikipedia for this description of Louisiana Creole cuisine:

… a style of cooking originating in Louisiana (centered on the Greater New Orleans area) that blends French, Spanish, and American influences. It also bears hallmarks of Italian cuisine, as well as Caribbean and African touches. It is vaguely similar to Cajun cuisine in ingredients (such as the holy trinity), but the important distinction is that Cajun cuisine arose from the more rustic, provincial French cooking adapted by the Acadians to Louisiana ingredients, and Creole cooking tends more toward classical European styles adapted to local foodstuffs.

Popular Creole dishes include jambalaya, red beans and rice, crawfish bisque, shrimp Creole, turtle soup, Oysters Rockefeller, pompano en papilliote, oysters en brochette, bread pudding, begniets, etc.

Turning to Wikipedia again for information on Cajun cuisine we find that it:

… originates from the French-speaking Acadian or “Cajun” immigrants in Louisiana, USA. It is what could be called a rustic cuisine — locally available ingredients predominate, and preparation is simple. An authentic Cajun meal is usually a three-pot affair, with one pot dedicated to the main dish, one dedicated to steamed rice, skillet cornbread, or some other grain dish, and the third containing whatever vegetable is plentiful or available.

The aromatic vegetables bell-pepper, onion, and celery, called by some chefs the holy trinity of Cajun cuisine, are ubiquitous. Characteristic seasonings include parsley, bay leaf, “onion tops” or scallions, and cayenne pepper (the dried and powdered form or as one of the locally made pepper sauces such as Tabasco, but rarely fresh!) The overall feel of the cuisine is more Mediterranean than North American.

Cajun cuisine developed out of necessity. The Acadian refugees, farmers rendered destitute by the British expulsion, had to learn to live off the land and adapted their French rustic cuisine to local ingredients such as rice, crawfish, and sugar cane.

Whether Creole, Cajun, an amalgam of the two, or something else entirely different, eating in New Orleans has always meant fish, shrimp, oysters, crawfish, andouille sausage, rich sauces and remoulades, hearty stews and gumbos, vibrant flavors, and one of several sinful desserts, my favorite being Bananas Foster prepared and flambed tableside at Commander’s Palace. I could not find their recipe online, but found this one from Brennan’s, which was also excellent and memorable.

In New Oreleans dining was a passionate art form, with the many fine restaurants the galleries, and the chefs playing the roles of artists. Eating out, whether in style or at a neighborhood bar/cafe was not just a way to get nourishment - it had evolved into the fabric of society, a form of entertainment, and was passionately pursued by locals and touristas alike. Every good restaurant complemented your dining experience with live background jazz.

No help was needed in remembering the places, the ambiance, the aromas, and the cuisine. Having been a few years since my last trip to N’awlins, I did struggle with a couple of the restaurant names, so turned for help toNew Orleans Restaurants and Big Easy. Of course there were many new ones listed that have arrived on the scene since my days of regular visits, and some seem to have disappeared. Here are some of my more memorable dining experiences and impressions:

French Quarter
Arnaud’s — The best in Creole cuisine in19th century grandeur
Brennan’s — Especially breakfast
Broussard’s — Best remoulade anywhere
Antoine’s — A must for first time visitors
Court of Two Sisters — Late dinner in the courtyard
Galatoire’s — Another one for the tourist crowd
Anything Goes — Crazy, upstairs joint, years ago
Acme Oyster House — Afternoon delight, fresh oysters, cold beer
Cafe du Monde — Early morning beignets and chicory coffee

Garden District
Commander’s Palace — Bananas Foster prepared tableside

Historic Uptown
Pascal’s Manale — The original BBQ shrimp

Metarie/Kenner
Smiley’s — Lunch spot, blue collar crowd, best gumbo in town

My reminiscing and this list could go on until Bush becomes intelligent and trustworthy, but none of us will live that long. In recent days there has been some mildly encouraging news that at least a part of downtown New Orleans, including Jackson Square and the French Quarter might be restored and rebuilt. Certainly the decision to do so must be based on sound engineering, hydrological, and geological data and not at the spin and whim of local or national politicians. If it happens, either in the below-sea-level basin we call New Orleans, or in a new to-be-determined site, the sights and sounds and especially the tastes of a new New Orleans will once again overwhelm our senses and lure us in.