A New Year's Eve in New Orleans

I haven't been posting as much lately. My academic work is writing-intensive so it's often difficult to find motivation to write in my off hours. Rest assured, however, I have content to add to this blog and will continue to do so as I find the time.

The Lovely Spouse and I joined some long-time friends in New Orleans, Louisiana this year. As happens to groups of friends over the years, we have all spread to far-flung corners of the globe with our professional and personal lives. However, this year we decided to meet up someplace awesome for a long weekend of catching up and generally enjoying each other's company. This year that place was New Orleans.

The weekend was the first cold spell to hit New Orleans of the season so it was chilly and grey the entire time. But as you see, the city, especially the French Quarter, is still lovely.

We managed to find a bar on Bourbon Street, full of Aggies, where we watched the Aggies face off against Louisville for the Music City Bowl. The Aggies did far better than expected given the troubles the team had this year. Gig 'em!

Yes, they have Absinthe! Several lovely varieties, albeit not available cheaply. They also had a tasty drink called a Sazerac. I recommend this one for bourbon or whiskey drinkers. [If you don't like whiskey, you'll hate it.]

We visited Pat O'Brien's. Evidently it is THE place for a Hurricane cocktail in New Orleans. I find them overly sweet so I enjoyed a beer from one of the local breweries: Abita.

The flaming fountain at Pat O'Brien's is considered a landmark and meeting place. 

We visited Pierre Maspero's for brunch. 

The Sugar Bowl was evidently in town at the same time. We saw MANY football fans in town. Evidently OSU fans have a chant that they like to whip out on random occasions. 

The Lovely Spouse enjoyed some eggs with andouille. He said it was delicious.

I very much enjoyed my Grand Galette. A pan-fried hash brown cake topped with 2 eggs over easy, grilled tomatoes, bacon, parmesan reggiano and toast points. The coffee was surprisingly good. I don't usually enjoy coffee with chicory but it hit the spot at Pierre Maspero's. 

We visited Marie Laveau's House of Voodoo. Evidently, this is another requirement to any visit to New Orleans. No photography indoors. According to the person who answered numerous calls on the subject while we were there: they don't perform magic or voodoo, they only provide supplies. They also have souvenirs, including coffee mugs,t-shirts, etc. 

We visited the St. Louis Cathedral. It's a major landmark and you can't miss it. 

It is well worth visiting inside the cathedral. It's quite beautiful. If you go, be respectful and quiet as people are praying in there. 

The personal Bible of St. Louis. 

The area around Jackson Square reminds me, in some ways, of the areas around the Piazza San Marco in Venice. Similar shops and areas for people-watching.

We had lunch one day at Pere Antoine's. 

The rice and beans were quite tasty. We got there very early and waited for our group at the bar. The bar staff were awesome and extremely personable. 

The restaurant is lovely, but, as it took us an hour to get our check AFTER we finished our meal, we likely won't return. 

Mule-drawn surreys leave from the river-side of Jackson Square throughout the day. 

A local friend of ours took us to his favorite watering hole.

A nice hole in the wall, off the beaten path place for a few drinks and hanging out with friends. 

An Absinthe, mid-prep. Step 1, pour a few onces of absinthe into the glass. Step 2 put a sugar cube on an absinthe spoon. Step 3 light the sugar on fire then pour a few onces of water over the top. Mix and serve. Absinthe has a black licorice or anise flavor. You want to mix absinthe with water because it has a high alcohol concentration that tastes like burning otherwise. The sugar is to attenuate the bitterness of the herbs in the drink. The fire is for show.

We had some quick snacks at the French Market. We ate upstairs and had some of the best boiled shrimp of our lives. We didn't have time in our trip, else we'd return to have a full meal here. 

Joan of Arc stands guard over the Place de France. 

St. Joan appears to be well-armed, but no match for Sugar Bowl traffic. It was easiest to get around on foot until the game started.

So where did we eat our dinners? The first was at GW Fins. I didn't photograph it for the blog. Was it pricey? Yes. Was it worth it? Absolutely. The Scalibut (halibut poached in lobster broth with scallops) lives up to the hype. Tender, succulent, and indulgent. If they ever post a recipe I'll be the first home cook to try it out. Stand-out appetizers included the pork belly and Firecracker Tuna Tacos. I could easily make a meal of those and be very, very happy. The chicken crackling crusted black drum was also fabulous. At any other restaurant, this would be a star dish. However the Scalibut overshadowed everything with its awesomeness.

Did we make it to Cafe du Monde? No. As much as I love anything involving fried dough, I have little tolerance for waiting in line for it.

We also had an amazing dinner at the Palace Cafe that I did photograph for the blog. It will be the subject for a later post.

Seeing what New Orleans looked like on New Years Eve I can see how it would be absolutely wild for Mardi Gras. We didn't stick around for the dropping of the Fleur de Lis or the fireworks on the river, but instead had a group celebration at the house where we were staying.

On the whole, New Orleans was a great place to spend New Years Eve with a group of friends. There's plenty to see and do. My group also included art collectors who did some shopping in some incredible galleries. There are many independent artists and musicians creating some fantastic art out there.

What to Do with Thanksgiving Leftovers?

Every year The Lovely Spouse and I make WAAAAAAY too much food for just one or 2 meals at Thanksgiving so we have lots and lots of leftovers. At some point you get tired of turkey sandwiches, and not everything freezes well [turkey does, so we recommend freezing it in ziploc freezer bags] so what else is there to do with the leftovers? Use them in other recipes, of course!

One of our favorites is this one for African Peanut Soup. The recipe as written doesn't quite work for leftovers so I made the following alterations:
1. Measure out 1 pound of turkey. Chop the meat into 1/4 inch cubes.
2. Measure out 2 pounds of candied sweet potatoes.
3. I substituted a medium-sized shallot for the onions. This is because I'm sensitive to onions. I also omitted the garlic.
4. Add slightly more cayenne. I added a full teaspoon of cayenne. If your sweet potatoes contain a lot of butter you may need to add more. Adjust according to your own taste.

Start the recipe  the same as originally written - add the oil to the pan with the curry powder. Add the onions (or shallots) and cook until translucent. Next add the stock, tomatoes, and sweet potatoes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. [If your ingredients are still cold from being stored in the fridge this will take longer than expected.]

Add the coconut milk, turkey, peanut butter (I recommend using chunky, "all natural" peanut butter), salt and pepper to taste, and cayenne. Bring the whole thing to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Simmer for 20 minutes. Serve with hot sauce on the side.

In our house this typically makes 4-6 servings. If you have LOTS of leftovers, double the recipe. This is a delicious way to transform your leftovers into something completely different.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Wishing you and yours the Happiest of Thanksgivings.

Image source. 

Here are a few of my go-to recipes for Thanksgiving:

1. Alton Brown's perfectly cooked Traditional Roast Turkey. The recipe is one of Food Network's top downloads for a reason. 

2. Brown Sugar Glazed Carrots from Betty Crocker. 

3. Candied Sweet Potatoes and Apples. They make a lovely pair. 

4. The Lovely Spouse's awesome Hatch Chile Mashed Potatoes. Spicy, creamy, delicious. 

5. Mimi Assad's Cardamom Apple Pie. Cardamom and apples are delicious together. Rose water adds a unique flavor for an unforgettably delicious apple pie. If making your own pie crust scares you, there's no shame in a pre-made grocery store one. 

6. Apple Chestnut Stuffing. I love the taste of chestnuts, apples, and fresh herbs together. 

7. Green Bean Amandine. An easy onion-free alternative to the famous green bean casserole. 

8. Orange Blossom and Cardamom Rice Crispie Treats. I like cardamom in All The Things. 

In case you're wondering what to pair with your turkey and sides, here are a few suggestions. If you don't drink alcohol, I suggest a good, strong non-alcoholic ginger beer, such as the one made by The Ginger People. 

Pairing with turkey: Fetzer Gewurztraminer. Super inexpensive (incredible value) and available everywhere. My group of friends and I have been happy with this pairing for a number of years. The wine complements the turkey without overpowering it. It also pairs well with most sides. Do not pair it with desserts. 

Pairing with sides: If you can't get your hands on New Republic Brewing's Windlass Sweet Potato Porter (it is awesome!) another porter or robust, full-bodied ale will fit the bill. If you don't have any good local ones, try Sam Smith's Taddy Porter or Nut Brown Ale. If you're not a beer drinker you might like the 337 cab sav. Inexpensive, jammy, and full-bodied. It will go well with sage and rosemary - the herbs typically used for a Thanksgiving meal. 

Pairing with desserts: this will depend on the dessert. I like porters, stouts, and dark ales with rich chocolate desserts. Amaretto also pairs exceptionally well with chocolate. With apple-based desserts I like ginger beer or spiced apple cider. Pecan and pumpkin pie pair well with nut brown ales and New Republic Brewing's Dammit Jim! (the name of the beer has the exclamation point). 

After dinner drinks: I love the Quad Winery Elysium for a dessert muscat. Great lychee flavors and full bodied finish. It's a bit pricey, but worth it for a celebration. If you're in Texas try the Haak Madeira. A surprising find for a Texas winery: full-bodied, complex, and satisfying. For the quality of the madeira, it's very reasonably priced. If you love lemons, limoncello is always a great after dinner drink. If whiskey is your thing, Rio Brazos makes a lovely, complex small batch one called Boxcar. Nice as a sipping drink and lovely in a Manhattan.


Disclaimer: Nothing in this post constitutes endorsement of any product. These are my opinions and I'm not paid or otherwise compensated to blog or endorse anything. If anyone ever sent me a promotional thing of any sort, I'd declare it as such.

Recipe: Madras Beef Chili

I got invited to participate in a chili cook-off. The top prize was bragging rights among a group of friends. I only made chili once before but have been making curries for a number of years so I wondered about combining the 2. A search of the internet yielded...not much. So I made my own recipe.

Did I win the chili cook-off? As things turned out, the group of friends had so much fun just hanging out they forgot to judge it. So everyone wins! Or not. It was fun regardless.

This chili combines the rich flavors of a Madras-style curry with satisfying comfort of a chili. The base recipe below is flavorful without destroying your palate with spice. Add more or less cayenne pepper to control the heat. The chili reheats very well.

Madras Beef Chili

4 tbsp ground coriander
2 tbsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 tsp chili powder
4 tsp freshly grated ginger
5 tbsp lemon juice
3 tbsp butter
2 shallots
2 lbs ground beef (80/20)
1 28 oz can diced tomatoes (unflavored)
3 cups beef stock (more or less depending on humidity and moisture content of other ingredients)
2 large white potatoes, peeled, 1 inch dice
4 medium carrots, peeled, 1/2 inch dice
2 tbsp tomato paste
2 tbsp curry powder
1 tbsp smoked paprika
cayenne pepper to taste (start with 1 tsp and work add more as needed)
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Combine coriander, cumin, turmeric, pepper, chili, ginger, and lemon juice. It should form a paste. Set aside. 
2. Stirring constantly, heat the butter in a dutch oven or soup pot over medium to high heat. Add the shallots and cook, stirring constantly, until they're translucent. Turn up the heat to high, add the beef and a few pinches of salt, and cook until browned.
3. Reduce the heat back to medium, add the spice paste from Step 1, mix well, and cook for 1-2 minutes. 
4. Add tomato paste, potatoes, tomatoes, carrots, and stock. Add more of the stock so that the vegetables are covered, if necessary. 
5. Add curry powder, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper to taste. Mix to combine. 
6. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat to a bare simmer. Simmer 1-2 hours, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes thicken the chili.  
7. Serve with bread, rice, corn chips, cheese, and/or Fritos. Serve with hot sauce on the side so that others can add more heat, if necessary.

Servings: 4-6 as a meal.

The 2015 Texas Renaissance Festival has Begun! Huzzah!

Yep, it's been awhile. I took a break from blogging due to academic duties getting in the way. Published a paper, wrote a grant, grant was funded (meaning it's now time to do the work), hosted an international conference, and all the normal day to day duties of administration, curriculum development, and mentoring research fellows. Blogging took a back seat to it all.

Not new for this year, but still my TRF breakfast of choice: a nutella, strawberry, and banana crepe. To find the vendor, when you enter the festival go to the left and walk along the left-most side of shops. You'll find them just before you get to the brewery. Also, the crepe pairs beautifully with the Brigadoon Brewery Black Plague Imperial Stout. Brewed on-site at the festival. If strong stouts aren't your thing, they have other beers, as well as exceptional craft beer from around Texas.

I've just now gotten caught up on almost All The Things and have a wee bit o' time to post on some of the things I've seen and done since June. Starting with the beginning of Texas Renaissance Festival season!  I've blogged before on the festival. It's a lot of fun. And this year I'm experiencing the ren fest with a playtron group (playtrons are ren fest fans). I'll blog on them only if they're okay with it. As of yet I haven't asked 'em.

Belly dancing might seem like a strange thing to have at a Renaissance festival, but it has become a modern tradition due to the inclusiveness of ren fests around the US and around the world to all kinds of artists. 

So what's new at TRF for 2015? The Greek area now has really nice concrete tables and chairs. You might also notice the baklava is now $7, but it's also supersized (sorry the picture didn't turn out). It's 3 times the size of previous years. I prefer mine with pistachios, but the ones at TRF this year were quite delicious.

New tables replace the wooden ones that were rotting.

New benches. 

Signs! Always helpful things to have.  And, yes, the biergarten remains.

There's a new area for retail that also includes a new pizzeria.  This is now the Florence Market and can be found where the mud pit used to be, near the wedding chapels and water gardens.

The Florence Market has tent-like structures. Most of the vendors are artists and craft-persons. 

Ogres toes.

Ask this person about the ogres toes. There's a story involved.

The new Florentine stage.

With so much amazing food elsewhere in the festival I wasn't in the mood for pizza. But there's a new pizzeria in the Florence Market if you get the hankerin'.

I noticed a new structure near the Florence Market. They sell magic wands.

Inside I was actually surprised at the really nice workmanship. Some of them even have compartments for "inner cores" of "phoenix feathers"and other items. No one tell my niece and nephew about this until after Christmas. :-) 

Not new, but awesome every year are the gardens. I suppose you could consider them new because many of the plants are the high-maintenance annual variety. And new planters and arrangements were added for this year. There are quiet spots throughout if you wish to get away from the crowds in a shade-filled area.

An orchid garden. I can't even keep orchids alive in my house. They must have some people with mad gardening skillz on staff.

Also not new is the Prince of Wales Pub. This is another place to cool off if it's hot out. They have air conditioning.

You can get food in addition to drinks at the Prince of Wales Pub, including the prime rib trencher, which is not available anywhere else at the festival. 

I tried a new to me beer. This was brewed in Germany and imported. It was alright. Not my favorite hefe or German beer. But it was refreshing.

No trip to TRF is complete without seeing at least one of Tartanic's shows. 

Do not wear wings if you intend on doing a lot of shopping. It's really hard to turn around without smacking people or knocking over displays. However they do look wicked cool.

Most ren fests have an evening Pub Sing. The one at TRF is at the Sea Devil Tavern and is presided over by the pirates. Yaaarrrrrr! Get your drink on and belt out some tunes before the fireworks start.

The 2015 Texas Renaissance Festival carries on the tradition of a great time out in Todd Mission, Texas. If you go, please check out my previously blogged pointers. Additionally:

1. Make sure you stay hydrated. That means for every alcoholic beverage you down, drink an entire bottle of water. If you don't want to pay $3.50 a bottle for water, bring a water bottle and fill it up at the drinking fountains outside each restroom.

2. This year kids 12 and under are admitted free on Sundays. There are many kid-friendly activities, including games and kid-friendly shows. There are also kid-friendly foods like pasta, pizza, fruit juice, etc.

3. The festival doesn't end until the final 3 booms of the fireworks show. It looks completely different after dark and most of the shops stay open until those final 3 booms.

4. If you drink, designate a driver and get home safely.