New Orleans Magazine May 2006

Recipes

RECIPE OF THE WEEK: Chef Alfredo Diaz of Azul expertly melds Cuban and Asian flavors

Appetizer Farm-raised sweet water prawns sautéd in sesame oil with badia seasoning topped with Spanish saffron sauce and white truffle oil Entrée Lechon-roasted pork (slow-roasted pig marinated overnight with bitter oranges, garlic and mojo sauce) served with Cuban black beans and jasmine rice Dessert Traditional Cuban flan with white chocolate shavings Farm-raised Sweet Water Prawns […]

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LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Redefining Hurricane Season

re: Errol Laborde’s Commentary in the May 29 E-mail Newsletter I am writing to commend Errol Laborde on his intelligent piece on the six month long hurricane season. The first hurricane I remember well was Audrey which I believe was in June,1957. Since then, I can’t remember any major hurricane in that month. But, his […]

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SPEAKING OUT: Gracias a los hispanos

ANYONE WHO THINKS THAT our recovery to date could have succeeded without the help of Hispanic laborers has been sniffing too much mold. Anyone who believes that an invasion of foreign workers to fill a need in the marketplace is unusual has no sense of history. Hispanic manpower was mostly responsible for the cleanup and […]

JULIA STREET: A monthly pursuit of answers to eternal questions

Dear Julia, After waiting so long to see either FEMA or a letter carrier, I’ve been wondering about St. Expedite. Did his name really come from a shipping label? Or was he a real Roman Catholic saint? I’m not Catholic, but the thought of someone being able to expedite anything these days is quite attractive, […]

MARKET MANIA: Great dishes with regional ingredients

Making a quiche is extremely easy. It is a custard baked in a pie shell with whatever ingredients you want to include. In this case, colorful vegetables make a delightful accent. Other choices are mushrooms, carrots, green onions and leeks. VEGETABLE QUICHE 1 9-inch deep-dish pie crust (homemade, frozen or refrigerated) 2 cups total thin […]

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ERROL LABORDE: The need to redefine hurricane season

Hurricane season, we are being reminded ad-nauseam, begins June 1. I am no meteorologist but I will make this prediction there will be no hurricane on the first of June nor is there likely to be much tropical activity during that month. What we collectively call the hurricane season treats all the weeks of the […]

HAPPENING THIS WEEK IN NEW ORLEANS

May 29 Memorial Day, Enjoy it! May 31 Wednesday at the Square presents Cowboy Mouth and Kipori Woods, Lafayette Square. For more information visit Click here. June 3 Freret Street Festival & Homeownership Fair, 11am to 7pm at Freret Street and Napoleon Avenue, for more information call 899-5900. Coming in future Weeks June 8 Panel […]

GLANCING BACK

Better to know now . . . Louisiana and the city of New Orleans got a feel for how local hurricane response might go the next time around as state and local officials did a dry run last week. A two-day series of drills focused on sheltering and evacuation procedures and emergency response by a […]

LOOKING AHEAD

Just when you thought it was safe . . . A new hurricane season officially begins this Thursday, even as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers scrambles to complete repairs and upgrades to levees and floodwalls throughout the New Orleans area. The National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration predicts four to six major hurricanes will form […]

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RECIPE OF THE WEEK: Goat cheese soufflé

This weeks recipe of the week comes from our sister publication St. Charles Avenue magazine. Chef Jens Jordan of Joel Catering and Event Planning serves up Savory Flavors combine with light cooking. ON THE MENU Appetizer Goat cheese soufflé Entrée Grilled salmon with saffron rice and a spicy jalapeño and olive sauce, served with fresh […]

STREETCAR: Ernest and Mary

When I first met Ernest and Mary Hansen in 1980, I was a freelancer researching a story for New Orleans Magazine. The topic was snowballs, and I thought I would be talking to a bunch of pimply teens operating stands for summer money. Snowballs as an industry seemed about as simple as splashing syrup on […]

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NEWS BEAT: En español

With the Hispanic population on the rise in the New Orleans area, a coalition including local government, schools, social services and business organizations have come together to create a new resource to help this community prosper. Called the Hispanic Business Resources and Technology Center and housed at Roosevelt Middle School in Kenner, the new center […]

NEWS BEAT: Giving a lift

A donation of heavy-duty shipyard equipment from a snowy port in Alaska is helping Louisiana fishermen ravaged by Hurricane Katrina get back to harvesting shrimp, oysters and other seafood from the warm Gulf Coast waters. The coastal city of Valdez, Alaska donated a Marine Travelift – a mobile boat hoist used by marinas and shipyards […]

NEWS BEAT: Digging the gigging

Jazz Fest is normally the busiest time of year for New Orleans music clubs, but at one of the city’s most famous venues, Tipitina’s, it’s shaping up as a tremendously active time for hurricane recovery as well. The charitable and economic development activities of the club’s nonprofit Tipitina’s Foundation have been in high gear since […]

RESTAURANT INSIDER

The beat goes on: May is hoppin’! This month, the prestigious James Beard Awards will be presented in New York (as of press time, chef nominees from New Orleans included Donald Link of Herbsaint and John Besh of Restaurant August for “Best Chef of the Southeast”). Closer to home, Jazz Fest and The New Orleans […]

ERROL LABORDE: Thoughts from the Election

OLIVER THOMAS IS NOW THE MAN One of the big winners Saturday did not have to campaign a lick. With the term-limited Ray Nagin re-elected, Council member at Large Oliver Thomas (who was re-elected in the primary last month) is the frontrunner, by far, to be the city’s next mayor. Thomas is popular, has across […]

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NEW ORLEANS’ VOICES: George Porter, Jr.

With the summer heat rising in New Orleans, this week Craig Kraemer of NewOrleansPodCasting.com talks to one of the hottest bass players in the country who is from right here in New Orleans, George Porter Jr. George shares with us his love for music and how he evolved into the musician he is today. Click […]

GLANCING BACK

Winners must hit the ground running At the end of the local elections, it was still unclear exactly when Mayor Ray Nagin will officially begin his second term, but a date likely will be set shortly. Because the elections were delayed by the impact of Hurricane Katrina, the early May inauguration date also had to […]

LOOKING AHEAD

It’s Nagin, again New Orleans voters on Saturday handed Mayor C. Ray Nagin a second round at the helm of the city. Ending a campaign that saw him running neck-and-neck with challenger Lt. Gov. Mitch Landrieu most of the way, the final tally showed the mayor with a 52-48 victory. Nagin’s win also continues the […]

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NEW ORLEANS’ VOICES: Rick Gratia & Taylor Hackford

With the New Orleans Wine & Food Experience kicking off this week NewOrleansPodCasting.com’s Craig Kraemer sat down with Rick Gratia of Muriel’s Restaurant, this year’s President of NOWFE. Listen as Rick tells us why he is more optimistic now than ever. The NOFWE lasts five days and benefits many local culinary related organizations and programs. […]

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RECIPE OF THE WEEK: Crawfish Cornbread & Creole Seasoning Mix

This weeks recipe comes to us from The Ritz Carlton New Orleans, FQB’s Chef de Cuisine Matthew Murphy. Look for both the Ritz Carlton and FQB to reopen this December. Ingredients: 2 eggs 10 oz. cornmeal 11 oz. flour 1 oz. baking powder 1 teaspoon of creole seasoning 18 oz. milk 6 oz. melted butter […]

JUDGING THE DEBATE

There’s a story about the original Kennedy/Nixon debate in 1960. Polls showed that those who saw the debate on television thought that Kennedy had won. Those who heard it on radio thought Nixon had won. It was a matter of perspective. The television viewers could see Nixon sweaty and looking nervous compared to the handsome […]

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LOOKING AHEAD

Who will lead? Few local residents need to be told that the most important election in New Orleans’ history is soon to be a wrap. The runoff opponents are lobbing nonstop volleys via TV and radio commercials, direct-mail pieces, street signs and e-mails, but all will come to an end with the final vote this […]

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LOOKING BACK

Come again? To a casual observer, Rev. Tom Watson’s endorsement of Mayor Ray Nagin in his run for re-election probably didn’t seem puzzling. Watson, who made his own run for the office but was knocked out of the race in the April primary, was a well-known African-American minister even before his latest campaign and might […]

LOCAL COLOR: Eddie Powers on stage

Two guys in the john at Mo’s Chalet dance emporium in Metairie are comparing their triple-bypass scars. One of the guys has a cigarette bobbing up and down between his lips and is advising the other as to how his doctor told him that “nahhhh, smokin‚ ain’t gonna botha you none.” Outside, the drink glasses […]

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TABLE TALK: Food in the Fauborg

FOR TWO WEEKENDS, JAZZ Fest crowds packed the restaurants around the racetrack. Before the festival, though, an empty table at the neighborhood favorites, such as Lola’s or Café Degas, was as easy to find as a new refrigerator in New Orleans. On a recent weekday, I visited Fair Grinds coffeehouse before lunch. There was no […]

PERSONA: Anais Patterson

Anaïs Patterson – model, opera singer, cabaret performer, and choir teacher of students at Holy Cross, De La Salle and St. George’s Episcopal schools – has a stage presence that is hard to forget. Whether Patterson is dressed in a costume, high fashion or slinky cabaret attire, she commands the stage. Raised in New Orleans […]

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NEW ORLEANS’ VOICES: Angela Hill

This week: Craig Kraemer, of NewOrleansPodCasting.com, brings you Channel 4 anchor and beloved optimist Angela Hill. Listen as Angela talks about the importance of being optimistic in New Orleans in this post Katrina time. Click here to listen. Next week: Join Craig as he goes in-depth with award winning director, producer and writer Taylor Hackford. […]

HAPPENING THIS WEEK IN NEW ORLEANS

May 16 Wally Pontiff, Jr. Baseball Classic, the Zephyrs will take on the Sacramento Rivercats at 12:00 PM followed by LSU and Rice playing in the third-annual Wally Pontiff, Jr. Baseball Classic, for more information log on to www.zephyrsbaseball.com. May 17 An Evening with Paul Soniat, Benefit for the New Orleans Botanical Garden, for more […]

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RECIPE OF THE WEEK: Eggplant medallions with crab meat béchamel

There is no better combination than fresh Louisiana produce and local seafood. In the following recipe, I paired my favorite vegetable with my almost-favorite shellfish (second only to oysters). EGGPLANT MEDALLIONS WITH CRAB MEAT BECHAMEL 1 large eggplant 1 cup flour plus 4 tablespoons 1 egg 1 tablespoon milk 1 1/2 cups Italian seasoned bread […]

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MUSIC: Harken to New Orleans – Fats Domino

Rick Coleman had no way of predicting that Antoine “Fats” Domino’s high-profile presence at this year’s Jazz and Heritage Festival would be a harbinger of hope. In today’s broken city, musicians are more important than ever; they are our muses. For a writer who toiled two decades on the newly released biography, Blue Monday, Coleman […]

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ERROL LABORDE: Endorsements with a twist

If ever there were any doubts about why democracy works, look at the latest endorsements in the mayoral runoff- a Republican backed the black candidate and a black minister endorsed the white candidate. Fourth-place finisher Rob Couhig’s endorsement of Ray Nagin and the Reverend Paul S. Morton’s selection of Mitch Landrieu could help both candidates […]

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CHRONICLES: Leidenheimer Baking Co.

When you’re running a hot, new restaurant in Washington, D.C., you have to be prepared for any and all emergencies if you want to keep your customers satisfied. Jeff Tunks, master chef presiding over the kitchen of the trendy Acadiana restaurant in the nation’s capital, had honed his skills at the Culinary Institute of America, […]

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MODINE’S NEW ORLEANS: Tight fit

The Gunches are double-wide and their FEMA trailers ain’t. That is getting to be a problem. Thank goodness my mother-in-law, Miss Larda, got one all to herself, but even so, she says the shower is a tight fit. She can’t get to all her necessary parts without bending over, and there ain’t no room to […]

THEY CALLED IT “CAL-LEE-OPE”

More than a housing project, this was a neighborhood. The buildings were festooned with dangling fire escapes, and dark holes threatened in spaces where windows used to be. Courtyards and driveways were strewn with rusted-out cars and broken sections of fencing. There was total silence. No children laughed raucously in the courtyards, running and jumping […]

MOM’S THE WORD

ADONICIA DAWSON AND FAITH DAWSON Adonicia Dawson (right), retired U.S. Post Office clerk, volunteer at the Audubon Aquarium of the Americas Similarities: In general, we think the same way about things. We’re both no-nonsense – except when Faith is being silly. We’re both straightforward. Differences: I have a hard time making decisions and often procrastinate. […]

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LOOKING AHEAD:

Dutch treat A group visiting New Orleans from The Netherlands this week will offer further evidence of the expertise the Dutch have amassed in dealing with the dangers of water. Hon. Karien van Gennip, The Netherlands Minister for Foreign Trade, and a delegation of 13 Dutch water sector companies are scheduled to make a presentation […]

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GLANCING BACK:

Mayoral jaw-dropper Ten days after his fourth-place finish in the mayoral primary, Rob Couhig probably had already slipped out of many voters’ consciousness. But not being to just fade away, the feisty attorney and Republican pulled one more trick out of his bag: He endorsed Mayor Ray Nagin in the May 20 runoff election against […]

TABLE TALK: Get Baked

After 9/11, the media reported that people were “cocooning” more than ever, satisfying a need for togetherness. Comfort food, cocooning, dining out as therapy, we all know the drill: to seek a bit of peace in a warm, clean environment, one with hearty, feel-good foods and where we can take respite from the recovery of […]

NEW ORLEANS’ VOICES

Listen as Craig Kraemer of NewOrleansPodCasting.com talks with the Director of the New Orleans Museum of Art, John Bullard. John discusses how the museum fared in Katrina and the plans for upcoming shows and the future of the museum. The Museum and the Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden are now open Fridays, Saturdays, and […]

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HAPPENING THIS WEEK IN NEW ORLEANS!

May 9 “Tech Tuesday,” The Army Corps of Engineers will present on the Technology used in the overall levee system. They will also present the shortfalls of the system and what technologies are ahead that will get the region to protection restored status. 1215 Prytania St. – 2nd Floor Assembly Room www.LTC-LA.org (504) 304-2911 May […]

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RECIPE OF THE WEEK: Strawberry custard pie

Strawberries – especially the small, sweet variety grown in Louisiana – make great pies. If you can only find large, less juicy and less sweet ones, they will have to be sliced and sweetened. This custard pie can be topped with either meringue or whipped cream. STRAWBERRY CUSTARD PIE 2 9-inch deep-dish pie-crust shells (homemade, […]