Full show notes can be found at CatholicFoodie.com.

Full show notes can be found at CatholicFoodie.com.

Full show notes can be found at CatholicFoodie.com.

Full show notes can be found at CatholicFoodie.com.

Full show notes can be found at CatholicFoodie.com.

Full show notes can be found at CatholicFoodie.com.

Full show notes are available at CatholicFoodie.com.

See the full show notes at http://CatholicFoodie.com.

Full show notes can be found at http://CatholicFoodie.com.

Just before Christmas I wrote an article about the new Besh Box initiative that Chef John Besh launched in November. The Besh Box is essentially a subscription-based, hand-picked gourmet cooking kit. You can read all about the Besh Box by clicking here: Chef John Besh's New Besh Box.

But the Besh Box wasn't the only thing that John launched in November. He also released his third cookbook: Cooking from the Heart: My Favorite Lessons Learned Along the Way.

John Besh is a local New Orleans boy, born and raised just east of here, in Slidell, LA. He is a successful restauranteur, running 8 restaurants in New Orleans and 1 in San Antonio. He is a recipient of the James Beard Award, a philanthropist, an author, a TV personality, a good Catholic, and a husband and father. John Besh is dedicated to his faith, to his family, to New Orleans and its culture and cuisine, to real food, to seasonal ingredients and to the message of the importance of families eating together around the table as often as possible.

Full show notes are available at http://catholicfoodie.com.

Chef Micah Martello has been in the food business for over 20  years. He's been an executive chef, a food and beverage director, and a restaurant owner. He now owns and operates a Louisiana-themed food truck in Burlington, NC.

Originally from Baton Rouge (we graduated high school together!), Micah spent time in New Orleans where he owned a restaurant called Nautical. That restaurant was named in Bon Appetit Magazine's "Best of the Year" in 1999. Micah arrived in Burlington, NC by way of Chapel Hill.

Restaurant life can be grueling, especially on young families. In order to devote more time to his family, Micah left the restaurant business for about 5 years. Starting a food truck was something that he has thought about for a while. He loves being a chef, and he figured that a food truck would allow him to practice his craft without being tied down to a restaurant. He was right. In the fall of 2012, the King Creole Food Truck was born.

"The food truck allows me to practice my craft without being tied down to a restaurant, plus it gives me direct interaction with my customers, which I love."

The name "King Creole" actually comes from a movie starring Elvis Presley that was released in 1958. And, for Micah, the name represents "Louisiana food." [Incidentally, Elvis sang a song in that movie called "Crawfish." I love that song! You can listen to it below.]

I just wrote an article this morning that explains the difference between Cajun and Creole cuisines. For most people who are not from here, those two cuisines seem like they are one and the same, like it's all just "Louisiana food." They are both tantalizing, and they both say "home" to me, but there are some definite distinctions. You can read about the differences here: Louisiana Cooking: Cajun or Creole?

"Don’t know what Creole is? Allow us to drop some knowledge on you. Louisiana Creole blends African, French, Italian, Native American, Spanish AND Portuguese flavors with good ol’ Southern cookin’. Sounds amazing, right? It is. King Creole creates our dishes from scratch using only the freshest local ingredients. We aim to please and to fill your stomach with the tastiest, most flavorful authentic cookin’ you’ll find in the Greensboro and Burlington, North Carolina area."

FULL SHOW NOTES CAN BE FOUND AT CATHOLICFOODIE.COM.

We know what it is like to suffer. After eight years parts of our city are still recovering from Hurricane Katrina. Our suffering helps us to keep focused on what is most important in life, and it urges us to reach out with a helping hand to those who also suffer.

In response to the devastation wrought on the Philippines by Super Typhoon Haiyan, New Orleans chefs are banding together for an evening of food and fun, with all proceeds going directly to the Philippines where it is most needed.

Nina Camacho has assembled a fantastic team to help make this event a reality. Susan Ford, Publisher of Louisiana Kitchen & Culture Magazine,  Ewell Smith, former Executive Director of the Louisiana Seafood Promotion and Marketing Board, and Wendy Waren, VP Communications for the Louisiana Restaurant Association are working tirelessly to make this event a success.

In addition, the Executive Board of the American Culinary Federation of New Orleans (ACFNO), Philippine American United Council of Louisiana (PAUCLA), Filipino American Lions Club of LA, and Vice District Governor, 8-S, Lions Clubs International, Robert Romero and more will be volunteering their time, talent, and treasure for this event.

Ralph Brennan, Ralph Brennan Restaurant Group, GW Fins Executive Chef/Owner Tenney Flynn, and Brigtsen’s Executive Chef/Owner Frank Brigtsen will be Co-Chef Chairs and over 30 chefs from around the state will be participating, lending their talents and spins on popular Filipino dishes.

Entertainment and Music for the evening will be headlined by Jazz Trumpeter Duke Heitger and Friends.  A bit of Filipino culture will be included with cultural dance and costumes by all Filipinos present.

The Hilton New Orleans Riverside Hotel is a Platinum level sponsor and the event will be held in its Grand Ballrooms on December 16, 2013. Many have stepped up to donate food and spirits, and the event will have an extensive Silent Auction with something for everyone.

Tickets go on sale Tuesday, November 26 at http://NOLAChefsAid.com. Donations will be accepted there as well. Donations can also be made online to our partner http://NAFCONUSA.org.

Full show notes available at http://catholicfoodie.com.

Originally from Lafayette, LA, Chef Carolyn Shelton now reside in New Orleans. She is a cookbook author, a caterer, and an advocate for opportunity youth. In addition to cooking demos and motivational speaking, she also teaches manners and etiquette to the youth of New Orleans. She is a woman of faith who understands the importance of family and that food is something that really brings people together.

Chef Carolyn Shelton Joins Us on Around the Table

It was a pleasure to have Chef Carolyn Shelton join us on Around the Table, and I want to thank her for sharing her faith and her passion for families and youth with us.

Full show notes are available at http://catholicfoodie.com.

Just last week Rosemary Lane from Loyola Press joined us on the Around the Table Food Show to give us a taste of the of the new Food and Faith series.

Full show notes available at http://catholicfoodie.com.

You can find the full show notes at http://CatholicFoodie.com.

Full show notes are available at http://catholicfoodie.com

Full show notes can be found at http://catholicfoodie.com.

Think about that for a moment.

Food magazine. Photo shoot... There must be food, right?

Yes, indeed, there was!

To see photos, and to read the rest of the story, go to http://catholicfoodie.com

The last line of his bio on his website sums Chef Matt up well...

Today, the most important thing to this bona-fide family man and unofficial ambassador of New Orleans, is to live, laugh, cook and always give back.

Full show notes can be found at CatholicFoodie.com.

Full show notes can be found at http://catholicfoodie.com.

Full show notes can be found at http://catholicfoodie.com.

See full show notes at http://catholicfoodie.com.

Full show notes can be found at CatholicFoodie.com.

The Baking Steel revolutionized my home pizza-making. Nothing is the same now. And everything is so much better. If there is only one thing that you do to improve your home pizza-making, make it the Baking Steel. You won’t believe how much better your pizzas are when they are baked on the Baking Steel.

I’ll have more to say about the Baking Steel next week when our guest on Around The Table Food Show will be Andris Lagsdin, creator of the Baking Steel.

Full show notes are available at http://CatholicFoodie.com.

Chef Joey La Bella, executive chef on the Steamboat Natchez, and Lisa Hendey – founder of CatholicMom.com and CatholicTourist.com – join us on this edition of Around The Table Food Show, which originally aired on Friday, July 19, 2013.

The Steamboat Natchez Launches a Sunday Jazz Brunch

Following our recent conversation with Kitty Cleveland about New Orleans' brunch favorites and the local experience known as the Jazz Brunch, we invited Chef Joey La Bella to join us on the show to talk about the recent announcement of the new Sunday Jazz Brunch aboard the Steamboat Natchez, New Orleans' only steamboat.

"Welcome aboard the most unique blend of 'real New Orleans'. Combine a two hour cruise on the iconic Steamboat NATCHEZ with traditional live jazz by some of the most talented musicians of the genre- The Steamboat Stompers. For the crowning achievement, add a mouth-watering New Orleans Brunch. Brunch is a staple in New Orleans life – a time to enjoy food, music, and refreshing beverages with friends and family. Whether a visitor or local, you can 'pass a good time' at the Steamboat NATCHEZ Jazz Brunch." – from SteamboatNatchez.com

Listen to the show below to hear Chef Joey talk about the brunch menu, including their special Red Velvet Hot Cakes topped with clove-infused Steen's cane syrup.

Catholic Mom Lisa Hendey Launches CatholicTourist.com

Lisa Hendey is probably best recognized as the founder and editor of CatholicMom.com. She is also the author of The Handbook for Catholic Moms and A Book of Saints for Catholic Moms.

Just a few months ago, Lisa launched a new project called CatholicTourist.com. Here's what she says about this new project on the website:

"As a Catholic who loves her faith and a frequent adventurer who’s always up for a new journey, I thought it would be fun to combine my two passions into a new blog. I’m a wife and mom, a writer, a speaker and an impassioned traveler. I hope to use this space to share new places I discover, to offer tips for destinations and simplifying the journey, to meet fellow pilgrims and most especially to share my faith."

Listen to the show below to hear Lisa talk about the inspiration behind CatholicTourist.com and what she sees for the future of the project.

For complete show notes, go to http://catholicfoodie.com.

Born and raised in St. Martinville, in southwest Louisiana, Marcelle Bienvenu grew up "where good cooking was almost as large an article of faith as the Catholic religion." As a child her daily life was filled with good food... like "freshly baked sweet potatoes slathered with homemade butter and drizzled with locally-made pure cane syrup", dark and deliciously thick gumbos made with whatever was in season (from chicken and sausage to freshly-caught seafood from the local waters... to the occasional rabbit or wild duck). She also savored "spicy jambalaya that often contained shrimp, smoked sausage and chunks of tomatoes."

Full show notes are available at http://catholicfoodie.com.

New Orleans is known for its food. From gumbo to jambalaya to fresh seafood from the Gulf of Mexico expertly prepared in a myriad of ways, the food in New Orleans is world-famous.  New Orleans is also known as the birthplace of jazz. And these two elements – food and jazz – come together perfectly in what is traditionally called a Jazz Brunch.

“Brunch,” a combination of the words “breakfast” and “lunch,” is a leisurely meal that is historically enjoyed on Sundays. But here in New Orleans, you can enjoy brunch just about any day of the week. Brunch is not rushed. It is enjoyed leisurely. Starting off with a cocktail (or an aperitif) like a Bloody Mary, Mimosa or Mint Julep, brunch typically begins after after church on Sunday mornings and lasts for a few hours. Brunch provides an opportunity for family and friends to come together to celebrate family life and the culmination of another week… and to relax and prepare for the new week ahead.

Full show notes are available at http://catholicfoodie.com.

Fr. Leo is no stranger to any of us. A priest of the Archdiocese of Baltimore, Fr. Leo studied in Rome at the same time as Msgr. Christopher Nalty. They were classmates. Fr. Leo also did a fundraiser for Catholic Community Radio in Baton Rouge a couple of years ago. And I have been a fan, a follower, and a fellow foodie of Fr. Leo, promoting basically the same message as Grace Before Meals (with my own cooking style, of course) since October of 2008.

Listen to our conversation to get a sneak peek behind the scenes of Fr. Leo's famous "Throwdown" with Bobby Flay in 2009. Fr. Leo and Msgr. Nalty shared lots of great stories about that... and about their time together in Rome. Fr. Leo also shared with us the beginnings of the Grace Before Meals movement.

And for a special treat, Fr. Leo tells us about his upcoming (and third!) book. Find out about it here!

You can find the full show notes at http://catholicfoodie.com/fr-leo-patalinghug-and-grace-before-meals

A unique pilgrimage experience combining food and faith in the Holy Land is set for February 2014. Jeff Young, "The Catholic Foodie," will lead the trip to Israel together with spiritual director, Fr. Michael Werkhoven of the Diocese of Memphis. The dates for the pilgrimage are February 5-15, 2014.

Israel, referred to as the Holy Land, is the place where Jesus walked, talked, ate and drank with his companions over 2000 years ago. Pilgrims will get to walk in the footsteps of Jesus, visiting many of the significant locations of Jesus' life like Bethlehem, Nazareth, Jerusalem and Emmaus, celebrating Mass in most of those locations.

A Unique Holy Land Pilgrimage Experience Combining Food & Faith

Some of the traditional pilgrimage experiences will include:

• Renewal of marriage vows in Cana of Galilee, the site of Jesus’ first miracle where he turned water into wine
• Renewal of baptismal promises in the Jordan River
• Traveling to Nazareth to visit Mary’s Well and the Church of the Annunciation
• Celebrating Christmas Mass at the Church of the Nativity
• Traveling to the ancient city of Jericho to see the Mount of Temptation, and later going for a swim in the Dead Sea
• Visiting Jerusalem and praying the Stations of the Cross on the original Via Dolorosa, then celebrating Mass at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.
• Visiting the Mount of Olives, Mount Zion, the Garden of Gethsemane, and the Empty Tomb of the Virgin at the Church of the Assumption

In addition to the traditional pilgrimage experiences, pilgrims will also be treated to a deliciously “foodie” buffet of events that will include:

• Sailing on the Sea of Galilee before touring Kibbuz Kinnert, the famous shop with little dates (and date honey!) harvested on the kibbutz
• Visiting and touring the Bethlehem Winery, where pilgrims can sample the wine and also purchase bottles to bring home
• Learning about biblical foods and exploring the fascinating question, “What Would Jesus Eat?” with talks by Jeff Young, The Catholic Foodie
• Visiting a local family restaurant in Bethlehem where pilgrims will join The Catholic Foodie and local chefs in the preparation of the day’s meal 
• Sharing a celebratory meal in Bethlehem prepared by Chef Johnny Goric and Jeff Young, The Catholic Foodie, in an open kitchen, and learning about Chefs for Peace, an organization founded by Jewish, Muslim, and Christian chefs whose objective is peace through local cooperation, cooking and breaking bread together
• Shopping with local chefs in the most famous food market in Israel
• Attending cooking classes that will highlight Middle Eastern cooking styles
• Dining at a restaurant that reportedly has the best hummus in Israel (and pilgrims get a copy of the recipe!)
• Meeting local villagers from Taybeh, the only Catholic Village in the Holy Land, touring the local brewery and, later on, taking a cooking class with Jeff Young, The Catholic Foodie
• Journeying to Ein Kerem and Emmaus, where Jesus met the disciples on the road after his Resurrection, and enjoying a delicious farewell dinner with your fellow travelers

Organized by Select International Tours, this unique once-in-a-lifetime pilgrimage experience will put pilgrims in touch with the daily life of Jesus, as well as the locations associated with the main events of his life.

Who is Jeff Young, The Catholic Foodie?

A former seminarian and educator, Jeff Young is the founder of The Catholic Foodie, an apostolate to strengthen families through food and faith around the family table. Jeff firmly believes that God created us to seek communion – with himself and with others – and one of the primary ways we experience communion is around the table, both the table of the Eucharist at Mass and the family dinner table at home. Jeff notes that, from Genesis to Revelation, food plays an important role in God’s relationship with his people and in our relationship with each other. It’s all about communion.

Born and raised in south Louisiana, it is in Jeff's blood to be passionate about both food and faith. With his unique down-home style, he shares recipes, reviews, and culinary inspiration through The Catholic Foodie blog and podcast, and through the weekly Around The Table Food Show on Catholic Community Radio (690AM in New Orleans, and 1380AM in Baton Rouge). He is currently working on a book that celebrates food and faith "around the table." Jeff is also a conference speaker who has spoken on various topics ranging from "growing in faith around the table" to "using social media to reach inactive Catholics."

Who is Fr. Michael Werkhoven?

Fr. Mike Werkhoven is a priest for the Diocese of Memphis in Tennessee.  He is the pastor of the Church of the Holy Spirit in east Memphis, and has been a priest for 11 years.  Before entering the seminary in 1994, Fr. Mike was an art major in college and worked many years as a professional artist.  He finished up his undergraduate studies in philosophy at St. Joseph Seminary College in Covington, LA.  Fr. Mike studied for one year in Rome at the North American College before coming back home to finish his studies at Kenrick Seminary in St. Louis, MO.  Besides the Catholic Church, Fr. Mike's two main loves are art and food, and his hobbies are creating both and tying them both into the divine life we share with Christ and our universal call to holiness. Just as there is "sacred art", Fr. Mike believes there is "sacred food" and it all starts with the "holy trinity" of onions, peppers, and celery.  Besides being a pastor, Fr. Mike also serves as the spiritual director for the diocesan SEARCH youth retreat and is the chaplain for "Fishers of Men" of the Diocese of Memphis.

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Additional Resources:

http://catholicfoodie.com

http://catholicfoodie.com/holyland

http://www.selectinternationaltours.com

http://http://youtu.be/ZcZPVZEqNZY (promo video)

Images of Jeff Young and Fr. Michael Werkhoven can be found at http://catholicfoodie.com/journey-to-the-holy-land-with-the-catholic-foodie

Our guest yesterday on Around The Table Food Show was Isabel Laessig, also known as The Family Foodie. Isabel started an effort about 18 months ago to bring families back around the family table by using blogs and social media. From a small band of seven food bloggers the Sunday Supper Movement has grown to influence 1.5 to 2 million Twitter followers weekly, using the hashtag #SundaySupper. And that number doesn't count the folks who engage with Sunday Supper bloggers via Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram and through the blogs of the participating bloggers.

The New Orleans Oyster Festival

This weekend marks the Oyster Festival in New Orleans. Restaurants from all over town come together to celebrate the salty, briny goodness of oysters. On the show today Chef Ralph Pausina from Drago's Restaurantjoins us to talk oysters, the Oyster Festival, and Drago's famous char-grilled oysters.

Today's Recipe: Oysters!

Msgr. Nalty and I discuss char-grilling oysters... and other ways of preparing oysters. One of the recipes we discussed can be found here: Drago's Charbroiled Oysters and Hurricane Isaac.

Ginny Zissis, coordinator of the New Orleans Greek Fest.

Dave Emond, Development Director of Cafe Reconcile.

The Big 4-OPA! The Greek Fest New Orleans Celebrates 40 Years!

40 years of Spanakopita, Souvlaki, Baklava, Dolma and Gyros on Bayou St. John. Oh, and we can’t forget the Greek music and dancing… OPA! That’s right, it’s been 40 years of celebrating Greek culture and heritage (and shouting OPA!) on Bayou St. John.

More than a Church Fair… The Greek Fest Celebrates Faith and Hellenic Culture

As a Catholic living in south Louisiana, I am very familiar with church fairs. With such a large Catholic population in Louisiana, it’s easy to find church fairs peppered all across the state, from New Orleans to Lake Charles… and even “up north” in Shreveport. In essence, the Greek Fest is the “church fair” of Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral. But, it’s also more than that. Over the last 40 years it has become an cultural and culinary icon in New Orleans. From the live Greek music provided by Greek band Alpha Omega! out of Atlanta, to the Hellenic Dancers who perform various traditional Greek dances in traditional garb, the Greek Fest beckons you to join in the fun and shout OPA! Of course, one of the biggest draws to the Greek Fest is the food. What most folks don’t know is that all the food is prepared by the parishioners. Over 150 lambs are slow-roasted on spits over the course of the weekend. Over 20 different traditional Greek pastries are available… all made by hand by a small army of volunteers.

What’s on the Menu this Year at Greek Fest NOLA?

There is lots on the menu every year at the Greek Fest. But here are some of our must-have favorites: the Gyro Sandwich, Roasted Lamb (pictured above), Fried Calamari, Feta Fries, Greek Salad, Traditional Greek Dinner (which includes tiropita, spanakopita, pastitsio, meatballs, and a Greek salad with dolma… which are stuffed grape leaves), Goatburgers. Ouzo and Greek wines from Anastasi Estates are available by the glass or by the bottle. Abita Beer is served on tap. For a cooler treat, you can try the delicious Pomegranate Iced Tea, Snowball, and Daiquiri Drinks. The pomegranate has long been a Greek symbol of abundance and good luck, and it is featured in three refreshing drinks this year.

Cafe Reconcile: Feed Your Soul

Cafe Reconcile's mission is simple: Reconcile New Orleans.

Reconcile New Orleans

"We are a community of concerned people committed to addressing the system of generational poverty, violence and neglect in the New Orleans area. Our innovative life skills and job training program assists young people (ages 16–22) from severely at-risk communities who desire to make a positive change in their lives. Reconcile’s students arrive facing a vast array of challenges, from extreme poverty and high school attrition to homelessness, violence, and participation in the juvenile justice system. Nonetheless, these young people possess a deep desire to break the cycle and become productive, contributing members of society. "Our nonprofit restaurant, located in the severely distressed Central City neighborhood of New Orleans, serves as the primary training ground for students seeking to acquire skills in the food service industry. Featuring soul-filled local dishes and some of the city’s lowest prices, Café Reconcile is a destination lunch spot for a wide cross-section of New Orleanians as well as visitors from all across the country."

Cafe Reconcile's Mission Statement:

Reconcile New Orleans transforms the lives of young adults and the community through the ministry of reconciliation. We do this by:

• encouraging personal growth,
• providing workforce development and training,
• promoting entrepreneurship,
• working with businesses, nonprofits and people of faith to support this transformation.

Listen to show and go to CatholicFoodie.com to read more about Cafe Reconcile and the New Orleans Greek Fest.

Two special guests joined us for the Friday, May 17th edition of Around The Table Food Show.

Monsignor Christopher Nalty, a priest of the Archdiocese of New Orleans, is the pastor of Good Shepherd Parish, which was formed in October 2008 by merging together three parishes: St. Stephen, St. Henry and Our Lady of Good Counsel. Msgr. Nalty studied in Rome and spent about 10 years in Italy. He loves to cook, and he is really good at it. In 2009, when Fr. Leo Patalinghug was issued a "throwdown" by Bobby Flay, Msgr. Nalty worked together with Fr. Leo to prepare Fr. Leo's famous Steak Fajitas.

On this edition of Around The Table Food Show, Msgr. Nalty shares with us his recipe for Pasta with Garlic & Oil (Aglio e Olio). I include my version of this recipe below.

Chef John Besh is a local chef, restauranteur, cookbook author, husband, father, he has a TV cooking show... Oh, and he's Catholic. ;-)

Read more about Chef John Besh and Msgr. Christopher Nalty at CatholicFoodie.com.

On Friday, May 10th we interviewed Robin Davis, author of Recipe for Joy, recently published by Loyola Press. I recently wrote a review of the book (and posted a podcast interview with Robin over at CatholicFoodie.com).

We also welcomed Sherri Hansen on the show to talk about her work with Culinary Kids. I love what she has to say, and I just want to go hang out and have fun over at her place in Mandeville, LA. It sounds like so much fun!

I shared a recipe for fish tacos... Yes, the same recipe we promised to give you last week when we ran out of time. So, you can finally hear it on this show!

We had an exciting show on Friday, May 3 that included talk about Jazz Fest foods, Crawfish Bread, and Vaucresson Sausage. Our guests for the show were Jyl Benson, Editor-in-Chief of Louisiana Kitchen & Culture Magazine (and Crawfish Bread expert!), and Vance Vaucresson, owner of Vaucresson Sausage, which has been making sausage in New Orleans since 1899. Vaucresson Sausage also has the distinction of being one of the only vendors that has participated in all 44 Jazz Festivals in New Orleans.

I shared a recipe for fresh salsa since we were anticipating Cinco de Mayo on Sunday. I intended to share a recipe for fish tacos, but we ran out of time.

Many thanks to Jyl Benson for permission to post her recipe for Crawfish Bread here at CatholicFoodie.com. You can find many more delicious recipes published at Louisiana Kitchen & Culture Magazine.

To see the recipe for Jyl Benson's Stuffed Crawfish Bread, go to CatholicFoodie.com.

The recipe for today's show is Drago's Charbroiled Oysters. You can find it at CatholicFoodie.com.