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.
![Dog toy for Baby Boy O Baby with dog toy](http://www.noplaceliketravel.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Dog_toy_for_Baby_Boy_O.jpg)
Special delivery all the way from England for Baby Boy O. It talks with an English accent too
![Breakfast at rubys slipper Sign for rubys slipper](http://www.noplaceliketravel.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Breakfast_at_rubys_slipper.jpg)
Breakfast nawlins style with eggs on cochon and biscuits
![Yah Yah pushing stroller in New Orleans Grandpa pushing stroller](http://www.noplaceliketravel.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Yah_Yah_pushing_stroller_in_New_Orleans.jpg)
Exploring on foot
![Beer sign Beer sign](http://www.noplaceliketravel.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Beer_sign.jpg)
Q&A session
![Street in the French quarter French quarter street](http://www.noplaceliketravel.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Street_in_the_French_quarter.jpg)
French quarter sightseeing
![Baby Boy O biting on hot sauce bottle Baby biting on hot sauce bottle](http://www.noplaceliketravel.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Baby_Boy_O_biting_on_hot_sauce_bottle.jpg)
Looking to spice things up
![Sitting at the table at New Orleans cooking school Sitting at the table at New Orleans cooking school](http://www.noplaceliketravel.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Sitting_at_the_table_at_New_Orleans_cooking_school.jpg)
Getting ready at the New Orleans cooking school
![Biscuits Hot biscuits](http://www.noplaceliketravel.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Biscuits.jpg)
Biscuit starter with sweet molasses
![Baby Boy O at cooking school eating biscuits Baby eating biscuits](http://www.noplaceliketravel.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Baby_Boy_O_at_cooking_school_eating_biscuits.jpg)
Everyone got in on the action
![Cooking school demonstration Cooking school demonstration](http://www.noplaceliketravel.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Cooking_school_demonstration.jpg)
Watching Michael bring it all come together – gumbo, jambalaya, bread pudding and pralines
![Spoons of roux Spoons of roux](http://www.noplaceliketravel.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Spoons_of_roux.jpg)
Different shades of roux
![Baby Boy O with cups on his hands Baby with plastic cups on his hands](http://www.noplaceliketravel.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Baby_Boy_O_with_cups_on_his_hands.jpg)
Keeping himself entertained…for almost three hours
![Pecan pralines Pecan pralines](http://www.noplaceliketravel.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Pecan_pralines.jpg)
Delectable sweet buttery pecan pralines
![Bluegrass buskers Bluegrass buskers](http://www.noplaceliketravel.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Bluegrass_buskers.jpg)
Buskers on Royal St
![Not haunted sign Not haunted sign](http://www.noplaceliketravel.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Not_haunted_sign.jpg)
Good to know it doesn’t come with any added extras
![Red wall of photos at Antoine's Red wall of photos](http://www.noplaceliketravel.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Red_wall_of_photos_at_Antoines.jpg)
Next part of the foodie tour in the hallowed dining rooms of Antoine’s
![Green dining room in Antoine's Green dining room](http://www.noplaceliketravel.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Green_dining_room_in_Antoines.jpg)
Each Krewe with its Kings and Queens of Mardi Gras
![Sandy with shrimp Remoulade Sandy with shrimp Remoulade](http://www.noplaceliketravel.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Sandy_with_shrimp_Remoulade.jpg)
Sandy taking us to try Remoulade shrimp, the German side of New Orleans
![Fine dining room Fine dining room](http://www.noplaceliketravel.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Fine_dining_room.jpg)
Fine dining in the back room
![Mardi Gras ball gowns Mardi Gras ball gowns](http://www.noplaceliketravel.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Mardi_Gras_ball_gowns.jpg)
Party gal Germaine’s Mardi Gras ball gowns
![Grandstand at Antoine's Grandstand at Antoine's](http://www.noplaceliketravel.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Grandstand_at_Antoines.jpg)
Grandstanding
![St. Louis cathedral St. Louis cathedral](http://www.noplaceliketravel.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/St_Louis_cathedral.jpg)
Strolling by St Louis Cathedral listening to the jazz
![Baby Boy O asleep in stroller in New Orleans Baby asleep in stroller](http://www.noplaceliketravel.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Baby_Boy_O_asleep_in_stroller_in_New_Orleans.jpg)
Someone held up very well, having been out all day
![Tujacques bar Tujacques bar](http://www.noplaceliketravel.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Tujacques_bar.jpg)
Last stop for beef brisket
![Pouring grasshopper cocktails Pouring grasshopper cocktails](http://www.noplaceliketravel.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Pouring_grasshopper_cocktails.jpg)
And world famous grasshopper cocktails (yuck!)
![Dad and Baby Boy O in bar for over 18 Dad and baby in over 18 bar](http://www.noplaceliketravel.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Dad_and_Baby_Boy_O_in_bar_for_over_18.jpg)
Little rebel
![Baby Boy O with mah mah and yah yah Baby with grandparents in pub](http://www.noplaceliketravel.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Baby_Boy_O_with_mah_mah_and_yah_yah.jpg)
Having a good hard look
![Putting my arm in an alligator Arm in the mouth of an alligator](http://www.noplaceliketravel.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Putting_my_arm_in_an_alligator.jpg)
We’ve taken a bite out of New Orleans, now New Orleans is taking a bite out of me!
![Baby Boy O looking in the mouth of an alligator Baby looking in the mouth of an alligator](http://www.noplaceliketravel.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Baby_Boy_O_looking_in_the_mouth_of_an_alligator.jpg)
Where’s my mummy?
Yesterday’s post: Planes, Trains and Automobiles
Tomorrow’s post: Snap Happy in the French Quater