Sip & Chew for 5-26-13 Is Up
It’s a New Orleans addition of Sip & Chew with Mike calling in from the New Orleans Wine & Food Extravaganza, guest host Chef Carl Tilly of Kitchen on George runs down his favorite Big Easy spots, author Peggy Sweeny-McDonald talks about her book “Meanwhile, Back At Cafe du Monde,” and Stu does a special N’Awlins Brunch Crunch.
Review: Meanwhile, Back At Café Du Monde
With Hurricane Isaac giving the Big Easy a thorough washing it seemed like a great time to talk about a new book that takes its name and its inspiration from this beautiful Southern city.
The South was settled by cultures who value their oral traditions, the Scots, the Irish, the vagabond French Creoles to name a few. Because of this Southerners have always been good story tellers. That has been demonstrated by the literary works of William Faulkner, Truman Capote, Harper Lee and others. It can also be seen in the story telling song lyrics by artists such as Hank Williams, Tom T. Hall and the like. Southerners can tell you what happened and do it in a way that keeps you enthralled.
If there is anything Southerners love more than spinning a good yarn it’s eating. In Meanwhile, Back At Café Du Monde our oral and culinary traditions walk hand-in-hand. It is a Sunday potluck supper in book form.
The beauty of Meanwhile, Back At Café DuMonde is that it captures that magic. Created and edited by Peggy Sweeney-McDonald with photography by Troy Kleinpeter, the book is a written record of several conversations (for lack of a better word). Based on the 2010 and 2011 live events also entitled “Meanwhile, Back At Café Du Monde”, which consisted of 67 foodie monologues that invoked people’s favorite comfort foods, recalled tasty memories of life, love, family and friends. It features fifty original essays by chefs, restaurant owners, business owners, waiters, and more and is accompanied by Kleinpeter’s fun photographs of monologue subjects, such as beloved restaurants, memorable pies, and food-loving family members. It all started with Café Du Monde, the place you always go for comfort food.
Each show featured a cast of chefs, food writers and foodies from all walks of life. The shows were held across the country in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Baton Rouge, Shreveport, Natchez and of course New Orleans. And check out this sampling of guest/story tellers: Chef Hoss Zare (Zare’s Flytrap Restaurant in San Francisco), Chef/blogger Jay Ducote , Lynn 
Boutin (owner of Boutins in Baton Rouge), Chef Alex Marsh (The Jetset Chef), John Gray (jazz artist), Kevin Cline (owner of the The Front Porch in San Francisco), Chef Susan Irby (host of Bikini Lifestyles), Chef Andrea Froncillo (Boboquivari’s The Steak in San Francisco), Zuzy Martin Lynch (Executive Producer and Co-Founder of Cooking for the Clueless), Lance Spellerberg (actor), Carrie McCully (host of Food Network’s Chef Hunter), Savannah Wise (Broadway star), Lisa Annitti (actress) and Lynne Curtin (star of Real Housewives of Orange County) to name a few.
Meanwhile, Back At Café DuMonde is a delightful romp through the memories and flavors of food lovers nationwide. You’ll laugh a little and maybe even tear up a time or two but one thing is for sure, you’ll get hungry. It is the perfect read to help pass the time while you’re waiting for the power to come back on after a tropical storm, too.
I’m not alone in my praise either. Check out this list of endorsements:
- “Good people, good food, good stories. This book is Louisiana!” -Jeffrey Marx, Pulitzer Prize winner and author of Season of Life
- “Tasty and amazing stories about our favorite subject, FOOD!” – Emeril & Alden Lagasse
- “What a charming book of food stories and history! I’m inspired to get in the kitchen or at least head to Café du Monde for a cup of coffee and plate of beignets.” – Erin Z. Bass, Owner/Publisher Deep South Magazine
- “…Page after page of so many wonderful experiences and recipes…I’m already salivating! “ – Doreen Fang, Chef/Host, Dining with Doreen and Resident Chef of the Vegas Morning Blend and Food Network Star finalist
Meanwhile, Back at Café Du Monde . . .: Life Stories about Food is published by Pelican Publishing Company and will be released on September 15, 2012 but you can pre-order now HERE.
Recipe: Shrimp Etoufee
For most people there is no difference between Cajun and Creole food. But there is a difference. Though it is subtle in taste it is quite evident in the kitchen. Cajun food is simple food – whatever is available all in one big pot (gumbos and jambalayas). Creole takes the same ingredients and adds them to the traditional techniques of French cooking (etoufees and bisques). While Cajun food is usually hot, Creole food isn’t nearly as spicy.
This recipe is rustic enough for a Mardi Gras picnic or tailgate party yet fancy enough to make for your Valentine. Enjoy!
| Shrimp Etoufee |
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1 yellow onion, finely diced
- 2 bell peppers, finely diced
- 3 stalks celery, finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 2 cups shrimp stock or chicken stock
- 2 pounds fresh shrimp
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 Bay leaf
- salt and white pepper to taste
- Combine butter and flour in a hot deep skillet over medium-high heat and stir frequently until you have a smooth peanut butter-colored roux, about 7-10 minutes.
- Add the onions, bell pepper and celery to the roux and cook roughly 5 minutes.
- Add the garlic and cook another 5 minutes.
- Slowly pour in the stock bring the liquid to a bowl and add the bay leaf. Lower to a simmer.
- Stir frequently and reduce to a thick consistency.
- Add the shrimp and season to taste with cayenne, salt and white pepper. Cook enough to cook the shrimp, about 5 minutes.
- Serve over hot rice.
Remember to remove the Bay leaf.
Substitute crawfish tails for shrimp to make crawfish etoufee.
I like to serve mine with a little cracklin’ cornbread but a loaf of crusty French bread is always welcome.
Rather than dicing the vegetables I sometimes like to pulverize them in the food processor.
Recipe: Spiked Eggnog Bread Pudding
OK, one more bread pudding but I swear that’s it.
A friend sent me a text the other day, “Can you make me some bread pudding to feed 15 people?”
My reply was, “What kind?”
Hers was, “Whatever you think.”
You never want to leave me with that kind of play.
| Spiked Eggnog Bread Pudding |
- Bread Pudding
- 2 cups demarerra sugar
- 5 large beaten eggs
- 2 eggnog
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 cups French bread, cubed and stale
- 1/2 pound white chocolate chips
Hard Sauce
- 1/2 cup (2 sticks) butter
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- Boubon to taste
- Bread Pudding
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees (American).
- Grease a 13 by 9 by 2-inch pan with butter.
- Whisk together the sugar, eggs and eggnog in a bowl then mix in the vanilla. Pour over cubed bread and set aside for about 10 minutes.
- Pour bread mixture into prepared pan. Sprinkle white chocolate, mix and bake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until set. Remove from oven.
Hard Sauce
- Mix together the sugar and butter in a saucepan over low heat.
- Stir together until well blended.
- Add the vanilla, stirring well then the bourbon.
- Pour over the top of the bread pudding.
