Food can tell you so much about a place, a culture, an history, a moment in time. Which is why one of my favorite ways to experience a new city is to do a food tour and what better place than the melting pot of New Orleans. We learned about Creole and Cajun food, and what differentiates them – sauces, alcohol and tomato – all pointers to the higher brow Creole cooking. We heard stories of how the different settlers of New Orleans and Louisiana – French, Germans, Italians, African, Irish and more – all brought something to the table, adding their own favors to the mix. We saw bread pudding with hard sauce being made, along with gumbo, jambalaya and sweetest of the sweet pecan pralines. New Orleans has been a feast for the senses.
Special delivery all the way from England for Baby Boy O. It talks with an English accent too
Breakfast nawlins style with eggs on cochon and biscuits
Exploring on foot
Q&A session
French quarter sightseeing
Looking to spice things up
Getting ready at the New Orleans cooking school
Biscuit starter with sweet molasses
Everyone got in on the action
Watching Michael bring it all come together – gumbo, jambalaya, bread pudding and pralines
Different shades of roux
Keeping himself entertained…for almost three hours
Delectable sweet buttery pecan pralines
Buskers on Royal St
Good to know it doesn’t come with any added extras
Next part of the foodie tour in the hallowed dining rooms of Antoine’s
Each Krewe with its Kings and Queens of Mardi Gras
Sandy taking us to try Remoulade shrimp, the German side of New Orleans
Fine dining in the back room
Party gal Germaine’s Mardi Gras ball gowns
Grandstanding
Strolling by St Louis Cathedral listening to the jazz
Someone held up very well, having been out all day
Last stop for beef brisket
And world famous grasshopper cocktails (yuck!)
Little rebel
Having a good hard look
We’ve taken a bite out of New Orleans, now New Orleans is taking a bite out of me!
Where’s my mummy?
Yesterday’s post: Planes, Trains and Automobiles
Tomorrow’s post: Snap Happy in the French Quater