Critical...

This is a project that I was very happy to be a part of.  It really sheds light on a very serious topic.

https://youtu.be/KAa3vlcRsRE

New Orleans (pt.2)

Initially I was going to chronicle the foods that I ate, day by day and the eateries that supplied them.  But...as I got to thinking; I wasn't lucky enough to have exceptional meals at every location, so I figured that I would just highlight the best of the best and leave the worst alone.  Seems positive and fair right?  Right!  Ready?  Here we go...

Hear me and hear me now...ARE YOU LISTENING?!?!  If you are ever in the area of New Orleans; and happen to be walking to the French Quarter, and you do not got to Ruby Slipper for breakfast, brunch or lunch...realize that you shortchanged yourself; turn right around and go!  Now!!!!  That is an order!  The restaurant is very open and unpretentious, the hostess, the bartenders, the servers and the managers are all very welcoming and extremely happy to be there, and the food was absolutely phenomenal!  Combine all of that aforementioned list and the end result is a fantastic dining experience!

I will set the scene:  Father's Day, at about 9:45 in the morning; and there was not only a line out the door to get bloody mary's and mimosas, but also a collective 50 or so people waiting to get in; all that were of age had drinks in hand, and were:  talking, waiting...commis-erating (of course in the tune of Blink 182's song)...that should tell you right there as to how good this place was.  As we put our name in for the table, we requested "first opening" (which gave us the choice of bar, inside or outside), and heard our unfortunate wait time...an hour to an hour and a half.  At that point we were pot committed and decided to hang around; all the while knowing that we would be there, just waiting (oh and sweating in the humidity) for the better part of that hour and a half.  Thankfully, I had a feeling; you know those feelings you get that you feel from your toes to your nose that a place or a situation is just going to go right?  I had that feeling and although my stomach lining was definitely eating itself...we would wait, and it would be worth it.

Finally the hostess bellowed, "Felterbusch; Dr. Felterbusch...party of two!"  Of course that isn't my name but it is fun watching people and their reactions when they finally figure out just what I did (thanks BD, you know who you are) and the all knowing smile lights up their face; all the while thinking that I am a huge jackass...but it makes it fun for me, so I don't care.  As I gave the crowd a real good "neener neener" just like any mature four year old would do, we followed the hostess into the restaurant where our seats were awaiting our butts. 

We sat at the bar, and I don't know if it is just the Southern hospitality in general or that I apparently like being called "hun"; it again hit me that this was going to be an experience.  After we gave our drink order to the 55 year old bartender (I feel the need to tell you that he was a dude with a beard and a pot belly that would make Peter Griffin jealous)...I began to ponder if I really do in fact like being called "hun" by the service staff.  More on that later...I need to eat!!!!  I perused the menu and the specials board and looked up, and wouldn't you know it, Peter Griffin's doppleganger had been replaced by a female that just so happened to look like a mix between Rod Stewart and Roseanne Barr...this place was something else.  Oh, and for the record, I liked being called "hun" again.  I asked Rod-anne what her favorite dish on the menu was.  Now, sometimes there is a pause (which is never good) and that let's me know that the server is just being polite and not wanting to say anything bad about the employer that pays their rent; which I completely understand and appreciate...but it still leaves me in a quandary as to what to order.  Thankfully, Ms. Stew-Barr did not even flinch.  She said, "the chicken St. Charles is a must; and if you are feeling something sweet, the banana's foster French toast is to die for."  Well fine, threaten me with a good time!  We may have gotten both, as well as the special of the day and banana, walnut pancakes.  Now before you think that once again we are gluttonous pigs...those meals were spread out over two days because we went back!  This place was amazing and I am smart enough to know, that when you find a good thing on vacation; go as many times as you can!

The special and the chicken St. Charles both had poached eggs and biscuits.  Now, I am not typically a fan of a poached egg because if it is done wrong it sucks; and if it is done right it is mediocre at best...but what the hell, I was going to give it a whirl just because I knew that if the egg was a disappointment, that the biscuit most certainly would not be!  The special also had alligator sausage which I was very interested to try.  Okay...ready?  Set...GO!  We dug in.  The alligator sausage was just what you would think it would taste like; a little gamey and like it came out of dirty water...which it did...nailed it!  The egg was exactly as I thought it would be, so at least I wasn't disappointed.  Now here is where things still amaze me...the biscuit!  What in the hell do they do down there in NOLA to create the best biscuit ever known to man?  I need to know!  Most people when they talk about the best biscuit ever respond with the cornerstone of the experience being attributed to the flakiness.  Now, I would not disagree with that, but the biscuits here, at Ruby Slipper, were not inherently flaky; but there was just an indescribable tenderness and texture to it.  As close to perfect as I have ever had for a biscuit...truly amazing!  Then you acccompany the aforementioned biscuit, with the crispiest batter ever on a fried chicken and it will make you want to eat until you pass out.  I am not kidding!  I ate mine and then the rest of Leasa's and then we still had the French toast to tackle.  Never being one to back down from a challenge, (and of course needing something sweet after the savory adventure; in record time we took the French toast down!  It was very, very good!  It could not hold a candle to the two other plates that we had; but it was amazing to say the least. 

I had every intention of eating like a complete, utter, pig when I was in New Orleans (as a matter of fact, I do that on every vacation).  If it is at all possible that I can work out or run to start the day, then I absolutely do so; so as to not gain five pounds every 24 hours while on holiday.  If I can get a quick three to five mile run in, as well as walk everywhere instead of taking a taxi or the bus; then I can at least have some solace, knowing that if nothing else, I am maintaining the physique that I came with.  It is a good way to approach eating in general really; work out to eat, run to eat, bicycle to eat, (seems to be a pattern here) etc...  That was absolutely the mantra in NOLA and I don't regret any one bit of it!  It was an amazing time and I strongly recommend that everyone go if and when they get the chance.  Life is far too short to not get out and see the world...and to experience a new culture via the food available is the way I choose to do it.

 

Other absolute mentionables for food exploration would be:  Cafe du Monde for their world famous beignets!  Winks for their buttermilk drops.  Felix's for the oysters (the oysters Beinville were my favorite) and the comedy side show; and always...always stop when you hear music.  Take a second to watch the locals put their blood, sweat and tears into their side show for your entertainment...they truly are awe inspiring!

Next and final stop in my NOLA experience is: The Butcher...and yes...I may have saved the best for last!  Until next time...be safe; spread kindness when you can; and for the love of everything...EAT!!!!

Evening #1 in New Orleans

As the plane landed, I began running through the myriad of things that I could expect to see in New Orleans. I knew it would be muggy and hot; (and damn do I ever hate muggy...come to think of it, I despise hot too; this should be a real kick in the pants) but what I didn't know, was whether to expect some sort of post apocalyptic setting out of a Stephen King novel due to the destruction left in Katrina's wake; or was that thought nothing but my ignorance getting the best of me? Thankfully it turned out to be the latter. New Orleans has the general appeal that most larger cities do: restaurants, shopping, decent public transportation, pan handlers, street performers and the overwhelming scent of dried urine, (with a touch of regret) that seems to be continuously reconstituted due to the inherent mugginess that forever lingers. Olfactory senses be damned; I wasn't going to let some ancillary smell(s) ruin my overall experience; and the true reason that I needed to visit NOLA...the food! It wasn't that I wanted to just try the food and get the feel for that Southern hospitality...I NEEDED to partake in it, and NEEDED to try to immerse myself into the culture the best that I could during my short tenure there; so that I could then try to replicate the experience when I got back home to Northern California. On my list of things to try were the cultural staples: red beans and rice, jambalaya, gumbo, oysters any way that I could get them, fried chicken, biscuits, bread pudding and any seafood that the mighty Mississippi river was willing to relinquish.

The first place that coincided with my wants and desires; (and of course that Yelp also agreed with) was: "The Original Pierre Maspero's", a few blocks from Bourbon Street, in the French Quarter. Walking in and getting sat was an inherently easier task than I had originally thought it would be, due to the amount of people milling about. Every table was full, save for a small two top, right next to a pillar (almost an afterthought really, as far as table placement goes) that suited my needs perfectly. I needed food and frankly I would have sat on the floor if it meant that I could shovel something in my face sooner rather than later. I was met by a gracious gentleman that brought menus and took the drink order...just water...BORING! As I perused the menu, I thought about the aforementioned list and found a few things that I could work with: a bowl of gumbo to start; then blackened jambalaya with chicken, andouille and shrimp, a seafood pot pie and bourbon bread pudding to bring up the rear.

Now don't sit there and judge me for being a gluttonous pig; (I know that there are kids starving in China) I had company and thankfully my wife was willing to share so I could try more things off the menu...it really was a shame she didn't get to try the bread pudding a la mode; she would have liked it...but I digress. As I was looking around, (and drinking water like I had just gotten back from a hike across the Sahara, our waiter returned numerous times to keep the glasses topped up which I use as the number one gauge on the tip that they will receive; huge bonus for him) I noticed, rather felt the energy in the restaurant. The customers were happy, eating and imbibing; the wait staff scurrying about, staying busy but not rushing the patrons....which is a feat in itself to keep turning tables and not make the customer feel rushed; bonus for the staff overall! Sorry...I digress yet again!

Okay, fast forward to two more glasses of water consumed and yet topped off again; and finally the food arrives! I'm not one for ostentatious food/plate presentation...it always seems to be a daunting task to be able to appropriately attack the meal with knife and fork, without ruining the quasi masterpiece that sits before me. Thankfully the restaurant, the staff and more importantly the food wasn't pretentious; so I was able to dive right in!

The myriad of flavors that danced about my taste buds was a full frontal assault; without negative connotation! It was amazing! The gumbo was delectable. It had okra and andouille and an amazing broth that made it so that eating a gallon of it was it entirely possible! Broth was thin but unctuous and you could taste the amount of time that was put into it. That is my kind of dish.

The blackening seasoning for the jambalaya was spicy and savory and perfect! Sometimes in restaurants, it is easy to have food envy...this wasn't one of those times. I was extremely excited, and proud that I had picked this dish and didn't want to share it; not even a little bit...what a jerk! (Don't worry, I did end up sharing a bite or two! Hey, stop yelling at me! If she wanted jambalaya, she should have ordered it!) Dammit, there I go with my tangential digression yet again. As I peer across the table at the seafood pot pie; it wasn't a traditional "pie" like I thought it would be. It was a thin white sauce, slathered over a regular biscuit. What the hell is this?!?! This isn't in a pot...or made to look like a pie. It is a damn biscuit. Food envy tonight? Not a chance!

I found it peculiar that the wife was making no comments, no sounds...wait, she wasn't even looking up from her food! What is this?!?! Is she trying to not share? Who would do such a thing?!?! What nerve! Don't worry, I caught onto what she was trying to pull and very precociously snuck my fork into her plate. I'm pretty sure that she didn't notice, or care...and as soon as the fork hit my mouth I knew why! For me to say that her food was good may be the understatement of the month...nay, year! It was phenomenal! The sauce was white and thin as I had said; and to this day I will never know how they were able to pack so much flavor into such and unassuming looking sauce. I could taste every layer, without it being disjointed and lacking cohesion. The crab, the shrimp, the scallions, the cream...all of it came together with a cacophony of flavor! It was amazing! I didn't even care that it seemed to be just dumped on a biscuit; because the aforementioned biscuit was hands down the best biscuit I have ever had! How did they do it? I have had biscuits before...I have even had Southern biscuits in Atlanta...this wasn't even close! It was buttery and flaky; and really a perfect pillow for the seafood and sauce to rest upon! Not to be redundant...but it truly was amazing! That is apparently what I get for getting cocky and saying that I didn't have food envy. Honestly, if there was a gun to my head I don't know that I would have picked the pot pie over my jambalaya if I went back, (and by the way, we did; we went back and ordered the exact same meal again three days later; it truly was that good) but it was the perfect accompaniment to what I was in the process of scarfing down. I tried to slow down so that I could enjoy the meal; and make it last...it was impossible!

I'm not typically a "sweets" guy; but my eyes were on the prize the entire time. I had yet to taste a better bread pudding than my Mama's; but I was willing to try. When it came to the table, the first thing(s) I smelled were bourbon and butter...I'd say they were off to a great start! There was a scoop of vanilla ice cream that sat atop the bread pudding; and as soon as that had been dethroned...I got to work. To this day, it was hands down the second best bread pudding I have had...and it lost more due to nostalgia than anything else. If you read this and it makes you want to go to NOLA; you would be doing yourself an extreme disservice by not partaking in the bread pudding; it was that good!

This was the first night that we were there; and if that is any sign for what is to come...I may never leave. Well of course that is an exaggeration because I did leave; buy all be damned if I didn't take back more than the memories of that food, that night...I have the proof on my waistline, but every bite was well worth it!

Stay tuned for breakfast on day two!

New Orleans, 2015

I know, I know...it has been forever! For that I apologize! It seems that all I have as excuses for my absence, are just that; excuses. I could bore you with details about how life always seems to get in the way; or this cool thing happened, or that...but when boiled down, the only thing I could come up with for not blogging was apathy (if I'm being honest). Not to say I didn't care about food still or cooking; but more that I couldn't see why anyone else would care about what I saw and what I did...especially what I ate!

That being said...my moment of apathy has past and I plan on relaying to you about all of the food I ate while in NOLA; most will have pictures accompanying them, and maybe you could have a chance to experience what I was fortunate enough to experience; without the cost of hotel and airfare.

I am a huge fan of Southern cuisine. To me, it is the ultimate comfort food. It is usually spicy, extremely fattening and there is always tons of it! That is the way I like to eat! I was very excited to get to come to New Orleans and experience Southern hospitality at its finest and eat: oysters and crawfish, jambalaya and etouffe, red beans & rice and beignets and more! If there was room in my belly, it would have been all of the aforementioned items on rotation from different eateries day after day. The fact that I need to keep my girlish figure really trampled on my dreams of just eating 24/7; so I stayed within my digestive means and made sure to walk everywhere (just so I could eat more), to ensure that I could try as much as I could try...all for the sake of science of course!

Please stay tuned for the culinary journey that was New Orleans. Pics and food to follow!!!!

The Cook and The College Kid

This is a project Jimmy Moylan (student at UC Davis) and I are working on. First episode has been edited and will be up shortly. Look for it on YouTube soon!

California State Fair 2014

Oscar and I will be competing at the State Fair again this year. If all goes right; we will be bringing home that Golden Bear! Stay tuned for the results, the secret ingredients and what we made for our dishes...

Almost Like Mama's

I would walk in the house after a long day at school. Mom would greet me with open arms and a big hug. She would ask me how my day was; and truly pay attention. I would shake my backpack off of my shoulders and on one side of my 11 year old brain, I would wonder how much play time I could squeeze in before Mom made me do my homework; and on the other side of my brain wonder when I could eat what I had smelled when I walked in. That smell was amazing and there was nothing like it...fresh baked bread! Are you kidding me right now? Who doesn't love bread in general?!?! But to then have it be warm, out of the oven...just waiting for that pat of butter and to be devoured. There was nothing like it!

This was my very first crack at home made bread. Although it isn't Mama's...it turned out very good. My favorite thing about it is that I can actually pronounce all of the ingredients...and there aren't 400 of them! None of the ingredients are banned in other countries or full of pesticides...and none of them are cancer causing. Yes..it did take a lot of time to mix the dough, let it proof...punch it down...let it rise...punch it down...form it...let it rise and then bake it. But...I will trade all of that prep time and wait, just to be satisfied in knowing that I am getting something healthy...and the family is getting something that I made with love.

I urge everyone out there to get back to basics and make your meals from the ground up...from scratch. Don't use ingredients you can't pronounce. There isn't a need for artificial flavors and colors and sweeteners. Just make it from natural and seasonal ingredients...make it from your heart; and I guarantee it will translate into the finished product. People will taste the difference. People will love it and you will be a star!!!!