List of Trash Seven Years After Katrina

Here is a list of rubbish in our backyard left from Katrina, 7 YEARS LATER.  Most of it was pushed up against the back of our fence, backing up to St. Bernard Ave.



After over a month of cleaning, the backyard stil looks destroyed - June 2012

• one leg to a  baby doll
• one way sign, including the sign post
• beer & liquor bottles and cans, almost five large trash bagss worth
• shoes, at least 8 different shoes, none of which match
• seven trashcans full of  glass shards
• mattress
• futon
• shells from Lake Pontchetrain
• carpet from at least a 12x20 ft. room
• more carpet in more colors
• 3 vhs tapes
• concrete
• oyster shells
• clothes
• bicycle wheels, rims, gaurds, & frames
• book binders
• some other street sign too destroyed to read
• bricks, two doghouses worth (some of these are now our fire pit)
• three garden hoses
• a room worth of floor tile
• another room worth of roof tile
• a cooler
• the head of a ceramic duck
• parts of a baby carrier
• cell phone and battery
• cell phone case
• 1 broken record (ha!)
• tube of toothpaste
• every part of a house possible to fall off
• insulation
• frisbee
• 6" piece of braided hair tied with twine (yes, this is incredibly creepy)
• deoderant 
• the tenant of my house during Katrina's wallet

I am continually adding to this list as we unearth more of the debris layer by layer....

June 2013 - Our backyard one year later.  We've doe a lot of work!

GW Fins

By:  Amy Thomas

My mom is visiting for a couple days, which means I not only get to see my mommy and have a familiar face around in this new town, but also we get to eat somewhere schmoozy that I could not otherwise afford.  We made reservations and Aaron, my mom and I hit the town for an impressive night out at GW Fins.  As nice as the restaurant is, the decor reminds me of one of those bland high end prohibition big band joints, sans the band and debaucherous jaunt of illegal mischief.  The ambiance was simple, tight, and extremely polite.  The service on every single level was outstanding, from the front of house manager, to the general manager, to the water top-offer, we met every single one, they were all immensely professional, helpful, observant, and well spoken.  

Blue Crab Potstickers with Pea Shoot Butter

I'm a chef, so the front of house is important but I'm about the back of the house-so lets get to the kitchen.  We started with the Blue Crab Potstickers with Pea Shoot Butter.  They were filled with blue crab, chanterelles, roe, country ham, and catfish, I'm really not sure how you can go wrong with this.  Give it a light pan fry and top it off with this earthy and delicate pea shoot butter and this melange of land and sea come together in this delicious appetizer.

Blackened Swordfish with Crispy Shrimp, Spinach, Mashed Potatoes, Roasted Corn Butter, & Chili Hollandaise

Next came the entrees, my mom and Aaron don't understand how to eat somewhere incredible and diversify their orders, and both ordered the Blackened Swordfish with crispy shrimp, spinach, mashed potatoes, roasted corn butter, and chili hollandaise.  Yum.  The Swordfish wasn't overcooked which is sometimes a concern of mine, it was juicy, meaty, with just the right amount of seasoning, and mating perfectly with the flavorful chili hollandaise and the sweet crunch of the roasted corn butter.  The mashed potatoes and spinach justly served themselves, reconciling the serious flavors in the dish.

Red Snapper, with Shrimp Etouffee, Louisiana Jasmine Rice, & Lobster Butter

I ordered the Red Snapper with shrimp etouffée, Louisiana Jasmine rice, and lobster butter.  The Snapper was perfectly seared with perfectly crisp flavorful skin. The etoufee was light and delicate, and the lobster butter savory.  I can only say that I would have liked some actual lobster meat in the butter, I either missed out on the ladle or it was an infused butter.  I was determined to finish my plate, almost to the brink of over-fill, avoiding the allowance of one scrap of food on my plate to be wasted on a trash can.

It was good, everything was cooked perfectly, everything was done right.  I guess I wanted a little more, it was stiff, unimaginative, and without the playful New Orleans culinary personality I expect everywhere I dine in this city.

New Orleans Ramblings...

Things around here are constantly changing, consistently evolving, whether for the good or the bad I cannot say.  The thing about a city with this much of a pulse, a writhing succubi fireworking a siren's song, is that it is next to impossible not to also transfigure (also whether for the good or bad, I cannot say).  That is the thing about New Orleans, you can't help but get involved.  I think it would be almost impossible to become a recluse here, barring some life shattering event.  There is too much life in New Orleans not to be alive.

Cafe Rose Nicaud

This will be the first of many posts about Frenchmen Street...

Frenchmen Street delivers a cozy Euro-Creole feel to the locals of New Orleans reminding elders of the French Quarter-minus the schnockered rapaciousness and crap gift shops. Walk along the street at night and be tantalized with a string of music clubs, bars, restaurants, tattoo shops, beautiful architecture, and b&bs.

My goal today is Cafe Rose Nicaud, a coffee shop named in memorandum of Rose Nicaud, the very first coffee vendor of New Orleans, as well as an African American slave.  She used what little she saved outside her master's tax to purchase her freedom and open her own coffee shop in the French Market.  She was known for having the best coffee in town.  Cafe Rose Nicaud is also owned by an African American family, one that holds Rose's entrepreneurial enterprise close to their heart.  Just a few short blocks walk and I land on Frenchmen off Dauphine and take in the beautiful Washington Park anchoring Faubourg (neighborhood) Marigny.  Enter Cafe Rose Nicaud and take a moment to relish the smell and the feel of the place, allow that robust aroma to arouse your intelligent senses, god I love coffee shops!  The staff at this place is awesome, they will help you find anything, and if you come in more than once it seems like they have already started remembering your specific drink.

What you get from Cafe Rose Nicaud that you don't get from every other coffee shop is the inviting feel of community.  You've got friends there.  I know that sounds kind of silly, but its very true.  It's the place where locals go, or, where people go to be a local.

Along with an excellent coffee shop they also offer an delicious small menu of breakfast and lunch, along with a varying aray of absolutely delicious tarts, soups, bread puddings, and quiches, that change every day.  There are also croissants, gluten free pies, handmade scones and muffins, biscuits, and bagels-including house-made jams that are to die for.  I had an orange strawberry jam that was delicious!  They also have wraps, sandwiches, and salads for lunch as well as a full breakfast menu all day with yummy rosemary mozzarella grits, and a the now famous Rose Benedict, a layering of grits, biscuits, portobellos, tomatoes, avocado, two sunny side up eggs, and shaved asiago cheese.  The food is quick and consistent and the staff is excellent, make sure you tip them and show your love!

Alligator and Andouille Sauce Piquante Recipe

5 lb Alligator meat
Cajun seasoning
1/4 c + 1 t. Olive Oil
1 1/4 lb diced smoked andouille sausage
5 tomatoes, crushed
1/3 c Margarine
1/3 c Dark Roux
1/4 c Chicken Base
4 c chopped Spanish Onion
1 c chopped Bell Pepper
1 c diced Celery
1 ts Cayenne Pepper
2 tb diced Jalapeno Pepper
1 ts Sugar
2 tb chopped Garlic
3 c fresh sliced mushrooms
2 qt Water
1/2 c sliced Green Onion Bottoms
1/2 c chopped Parsley
3 c cooked Rice
Mixture of cornstarch and water for thickening -- optional

Rub both sides of alligator meat with Cajun seasoning and cut into 1 inch by 1 inch pieces. If possible, allow to marinate overnight. Brown alligator in olive oil over high heat. Remove from pot. 

Sauté andouille in same oil for 5 minutes and remove from pot. Pour crushed tomatoes into pot with remaining oil. Stir sauce over high heat until it is very brown, burned. Keep stirring until a thick ball of paste forms. Add margarine, roux, chicken base, onions, bell pepper, celery, cayenne pepper, jalapeno peppers and sugar. Sauté until onions are clear. 

Return alligator and andouille to pot. Add garlic, mushrooms and 3 cups of water. Bring to a boil and then reduce to medium heat. Cook for 1 hour, adding water as needed. Once alligator is tender, add green onions and parsley. Cornstarch mixture may be added to thicken gravy. Serve over hot cooked rice. Chicken, squirrel, rabbit, turtle or duck may be substituted for the alligator. Regular smoked sausage may be substituted for the andouille.

Half Shaved Head: Hipster Quo

My poor friend and her hair

Seeing as New Orleans is Travel + Leisure's #4 hipster city in America, ranked only behind Seattle, Portland, and San Francisco, it is no surprise that it is the home to a lot of the infamous 'half-shaved' hair cuts.  Yes, this is a social commentary on 'half-shaved' haircuts, which I have now deemed a half Danzig.  So this is what I have to say:

A.) Your hair should only be shaved on the side if you got too drunk, passed out, and have horribly unfunny friends, head surgery, or something cool like a head tattoo.

B.)  It is not punk.  It wasn't punk when Cindi Lauper did it, it became pop when Rihanna did it, and then that dude Ke$ha did it, and now you might as well be in line for tickets to a Hannah Montana concert.

C.) If everyone is doing it, it is conformity!

D.)  You wish you were half as cool as Danzig

E.) I appreciate watching it grow back

Oyster Festival

Check back in a couple of days for my take on the 2012 New Orleans Oyster Festival and its celebration of this sensual Louisiana bivalve at Woldenburg Park Saturday and Sunday May 2 & 3

Saturday, June 2

1:00 – 2:15 — Treme Brass Band

2:30 – 3:15 — P&J Oyster Shucking Contest

3:30 – 5:00 — Rockin’ Dopsie

5:30 – 7:00 — Benjy Davis Project

7:30 – 9:00 — Wet Willie

Sunday, June 3

12:30 – 1:30 — Zion Harmonizers

1:45 – 3:00 — Acme Oyster House Oyster Eating Contest

3:15 – 4:30 — Kermit Ruffins

5:00 – 6:15 — Bonerama

6:45 – 8:00 — Irma Thomas