Tag: New Orleans

Gumbo Weekend at Acadio Bistro

November 9, 2015February 11, 2017

Gumbo Weekend at Acadia Bistro | Serious Crust

I’m going to be honest with you. I used to not be a big fan of Cajun or Creole food, think gumbo or jambalaya. I can never remember eating it growing up, and things like okra and alligator? No thank you. Instead, I grew up eating things like sushi and Thai food. Seattle had a wealth of Asian food, but not much southern food that I can recall.

But when I started dating Jonah, I began to like southern food. You see, Jonah grew up playing in a Cajun band (one that still exists in Chicago today), and I started going to dances or concerts or festivals once a year or so, and I began to learn to like things like… well… gumbo.

These days, the cuisine has a soft spot in my heart, and I’m lucky to have found Acadia, a New Orleans bistro, serving elevated, light, and fun Cajun food only a few minutes from my house here in Portland. This weekend, Chef Seamus Foran is hosting Gumbo Weekend at Acadia, inspired by the Tremé Gumbo Festival that happens in New Orleans every year at this time. Between November 13-14, you can get yourself a gumbo flight (yes, that’s three kinds)! Last week I got a little preview and dang, is it good!

There are three gumbos: seafood made with a dark roux, perfect for the chilly weather, that comes with crawfish, shrimp and blue crab; cajun which is a tomato-based, more traditional gumbo with andouille sausage and chicken; and gumbo z’herbs, which is a greens heavy stew – think collard greens.

We also got to eat some Louisiana BBQ shrimp, which was served in the most delectable, finger-licking sauce, an arugula salad with apple, kohlrabi, and Portland Creamery goat cheese, and for dessert, vanilla bread pudding with whiskey caramel sauce and whipped cream. I highly recommend getting over to Acadia to experience this food!

Weekend Finds 3:16:14: Interesting Reads

March 16, 2014February 9, 2017

In this weekend finds, I want to share some interesting articles that I’ve come across in the past couple of weeks. If you’re interesting in reading more articles about food, food writing, etc. I recommend using resources like Bloglovin’, Klout, and also following David Lebovitz on Facebook (seriously, the guy posts some very interesting articles).

1. Culinary Medical School

Culinary Medical Program on Weekend Finds // Serious Crust by Annie Fassler — Culinary Medical Program at Tulane University

I remember when I wanted to be a doctor. And now, I want to be a professional foodie. There have been more and more experts connecting the diet and health, and for obvious reasons. But mostly those people seem to be nutritionists or homeopathic doctors. I think it’s great that this culinary medical program at Tulane University in New Orleans is connecting the health world and the food world, and incorporating nutrition and cooking into the medicual curriculum.

2. Most Useful Cookbooks

Best Useful Cookbooks on Weekend Finds // Serious Crust by Annie Fassler — Best useful Cookbooks

I like this article from HuffPost Taste about the best, most useful cookbooks to have on your shelf. Of course The Joy of Cooking and Mastering the Art of French Cooking make the list. But so does the Smitten Kitchen Cookbook. Also, I REALLY want the Flavor Thesaurus. But if you’re looking for some great basics to start building your kitchen literature collection, check out this article.

3. Ferran Adrià on his new projects

Ferran Adrià and Bullipedia on Weekend Finds // Serious Crust by Annie Fassler — Ferran Adrià and Bullipedia

This article summarizing a stop on Adrià’s book tour is pretty interesting. His answers to questions about defining cooking and restaurants and creativity are fascinating, but the part the piqued my interest the most? His upcoming culinary museum, the lab inside, and the culinary wiki, Bullipedia, that he’s creating. That is going to be the coolest resource ever. (Also, as I was telling Jonah about this article, the guy next to us at the coffee shop where we’re working, looked up and asked us if we’d seen the documentary about El Bulli. I have, but if you haven’t, you should. It’s on Netflix Instant Watch.)

4. Food Blaggers

Food Blaggers on Weekend Finds // Serious Crust by Annie Fassler — Food Blaggers

This article about the role food bloggers play in the restaurant review world is very interesting (I found it via David Lebovitz’s Facebook page). The thought of calling a restaurant and asking for a free meal in exchange for a positive review is mind boggling to me. That being said, I have received free meals and such, and there has never been and explicit request for a review in exchange. I always mention that I was invited, so on and so forth. But the line is certainly a little blurry. It’s something I’m working on clarifying for myself. Anyway, I find it all very interesting. Do you have any thoughts on the blogger/restaurant/PR company relationship?

NOLA Trip & Reviews

April 23, 2013February 5, 2017

At the end of March, Jonah and I went on vacation. A while back, Jonah’s cousin Dylan had asked us if we wanted to go to New Orleans (NOLA) with him. He has some lovely friends who live there and were willing to host all of us. How can you turn down an opportunity like that?

Upon our arrival, we learned that not only were these people amazingly friendly and funny, but that they, too, are foodies. Could I have been any happier? Probably not. Emily and Barry (whose house we were staying at) were a wealth of information of where to eat (and where not to eat) and Urooj was just as enthusiastic about eating delicious food as we were. And eat delicious food we did. Here are some pictures and brief statements on what (and where) we ate.

Let’s start with breakfast, shall we? Our first day we ate an amazing brunch at Ruby Slipper, which has two locations in the city, I believe. I had the delicious quiche you see below and Jonah had some amazing crawfish and grits. The shrimp and grits were also delicious, as were the pancakes, which had some combination of spiced rum and pecans, I believe.

Later on in the trip, after hearing Emily and her brother Josh rave about it for days, we went to Gracious Bakery. These pastries were lovely – my particular favorites were the strawberry danish and the cruffin of the day (croissant pastry baked in a muffin tin), which was full of artichoke and cheese. Emily picked up a boule at Gracious (a round loaf of simple bread) and it was perhaps the most wonderful dense, buttery bread I’ve had in a long time. If you’re hunting for pastries in NOLA, I definitely recommend this place.

Now onto snacks: Emily’s brother Josh and his partner Brett took us to Dat Dog, where there are all kinds of creative sausages and toppings, resulting in some delicious and gigantic hot dogs. Below you’ll see my guinness dog with catsup, mustard, and something else, which I can no longer remember…

After walking with the gang through the Garden District (do it, seriously – the place is beautifully breathtaking), we strolled down Magazine Street to a nice little bar called Bouligny Tavern. Sipping kir royales and munching on these gouda beignets and fried gnocchi with truffle oil was not a bad way to spend an afternoon. The decor in this place was very 1960s, and the little food I ate was really REALLY delicious. Next time I’m in NOLA, I hope to go back.

Earlier we had stopped for an afternoon sweet tooth snack at Sucré. Jonah and I kept it simple with 2 flavors of gelato: lemon curd and basil + coconut. Both were incredible and have inspired some ice cream flavor brainstorming for my summer. Emily and Dylan, however, went for it and got a salted caramel chocolate cupcake and a profiterole-type dessert, made with an eclair, 3 scoops of gelato, and as you can see, plenty of chocolate sauce.

Emily, our wonderful hostess, works at a little sweet shop called Brocato’s, so of course we had to visit. Almond macarons and custard gelato were the highlight here. As well as her co-worker Pam.

I won’t talk too much about drinking (I know, I know), but I will say that if you’re going to visit NOLA, I would highly recommend at least walking by Lafitte’s Blacksmith shop, if not going in and having a drink. Reputed as the oldest bar in the U.S. (built in 1730 or something like that…), the building is super cool. When Jonah and I went, we were lucky enough to happen upon a wonderful singer playing the piano in the back of the bar. She knew every cover the audience threw at her, and had this great raspy voice. And the piano was covered in candles, and surrounded by people on stools. The whole scene was pretty neat.

For our big meal out, we decided to go to Root, a new-ish restaurant in the warehouse district. Root’s menu felt like one you could find in Portland, except for very South-influenced. We started with face bacon (it’s exactly what it sounds like) and a ballotine, accompanied by mustards and house pickled onions, strawberries, etc. Next? Grilled duck heart salad, smoked scallops with cauliflower served in an old cigar box, and pork belly served with poached lobster. But my favorite part was probably dessert: The Yorkie. A housemade peppermint pattie and mint chocolate chip ice cream scooped on top of the most delicious homemade coco puffs, with mint infused milk poured over the whole thing. Just like eating cereal for dessert. But really fancy delicious cereal.

And of course, how could we go to NOLA and not go to Cafe Du Monde to eat some beignets (and some beignet mix for our roommate, who was kind enough to recreate the dessert for us about a week after we got back).