Family Style

Where did the blog dude go?

2008-05-22T13:50:00.000-07:00

Yes, it's true. Overworked and underblogged is the story of my recent life. But fear not kin, I am making a comeback. I am re-firing up the front burners and ready to dive into to another chapter of exciting, family get togethers and tasty new recipes. So don't count me out, I just had to make some halftime adjustments. Happy Eating!

Wii had a great time!

2008-05-05T09:03:00.000-07:00

Wii are so glad that you all could make it to our treso de mayo celebration. Can't wait till next month.

Love,

Missy, Bradford and Wrigley

Festive Food

2008-04-14T09:38:00.000-07:00

As New Orleanians, it's no secret that eating is a way of life. I don't mean simply food as sustenance, but more of how it is part of the fabric of who we are. The food we eat here is symbolic of our culture. It's over the top, over indulgent, but darn hard to resist. New Orleans is a unique in the sense that one could identify this city purely on taste. In one day you could have beignets at Cafe du Monde, a shrimp poboy at Domilise's and dinner at Antoine's, and walk away saying that's what New Orleans tastes like. There's not many places you can do this, anywhere. Yesterday I was walking through all that is the French Quarter Festival with 400,000 of my fellow neighbors when I realized how great is it that you have an opportunity at $4-5 a pop to tastes so many aspects of New Orleans cuisine, while listening to the best music this city has to offer on 18 different stages. Now of course the hordes of people undoubtedly can slow things down considerably, but what you are waiting for is unlike anything else you could find. Certainly it is easy to get discouraged at all the lines and waiting, but the truly good news is that all these people want to come out and celebrate what's great about our city, and the more people that do that, the better off we will be. Look out Jazz Fest, you're little brother is growing up.

Treso de Mayo

2008-04-07T07:57:00.001-07:00

The April event has been moved to May 3rd.

For this family get together we will be celebrating the Mexican independence day a little early with a family style fiesta. There will be plenty of margaritas and fajitas and cheese dip to go around.

We will being early at 11:00 a.m., 317 Henry Clay.

Dyed or Dead Eggs?

2008-03-24T08:58:00.000-07:00

Is it ok to eat a blue, yellow, or multicolored, hard boiled eggs? This is always an interesting question the day after Easter because many ponder the safety of eating the prized easter decorations. The truth is, the dye won't hurt you and making green deviled eggs or pink egg salad could prove to be a good conversation piece. However, the enemy lies in the temperature and not the color. Hard boiled eggs should not sit out at room temperature for more than a couple of hours, they are supposed to be refrigerated until eaten. So, if your colorful dozen had been hanging out in the Easter basket since Saturday, its time for the trash.

I Dig Pig

2008-03-10T13:31:00.000-07:00

Ah, pork. The mere mention of the word and I can practically smell the bacon frying. By all accounts, pound for pound, pork has to be the most flavorful meat on the planet. In fact when I do a quick run in my head of my all time favorite foods, I believe pork is in every one. Pulled pork sandwich: yep that's a gimme. Chicken and andouille gumbo: yep, pork butchered and smoked to local tastes. Pasta carbonara: yep, panchetta because italian speaking pigs count too. I did say planet. Of course bacon, but that's another gimme. To quote Emeril Lagasse, "pork fat rules." In celebration of the pig and oh yeah, my birthday, this Friday we will be eating at Cochon in the warehouse district. Cochon is french for you know what, and having been here before, I am already thinking of all things pork. Sad I know, but that's just who I am. Chef Donald Link, who also owns Herbsaint, has put together a great menu that showcases the pig from trotter to tail and how traditionally it has become a part of the cajun/southern palate. There is everything from homemade boudin and cochon du lait, to pickled pig's tongue and crispy pig's ear salad to a fried oyster and bacon sandwich. Digest that for a second...a fried oyster and bacon sandwich. My heart hurts, but you have to admit that sounds pretty tasty.

Sucre is Sweet

2008-03-02T17:01:00.001-08:00

Actually, Sucre is a sweet boutique. French for the word "sugar," Sucre has brought something truly unique to Magazine St. and uptown New Orleans: High quality, artisanal chocolates and confections. But don't let the impressive display of bite-sized chocolates distract you from all this place has to offer. Where do I begin and where do I stop? Homemade ice cream, gelato and sorbet. French macaroons, parfaits and marshmallows. Croissants, foccacia and breakfast pastries. Did I mention all this is made fresh right there in the store's kitchen? I have to say it is easy to feel like a kid in a candy store because there are just so many things that you want to try. For Vivienne it was easy, for upon entering the front door, the beautiful display of colorful gelato and sorbets were directly in her line of sight (clever planning). "I want chocolate ice cream." Done deal. For Lauren and I, considerably more deliberation, then we finally decided to try out the lunch menu. Oh by the way, the also have a super lunch menu. We split a grilled portabella on foccacia with fresh mozarella and a just-made chicken salad on croissant, then of course a chocolate covered macaroon. By far what blew us away about Sucre was the freshness, quality and attention to every detail that is really hard to find in just about any restaurant, cafe or ice cream parlor. Throw in the friendly, helpful service we received and I'd say it was a top notch experience. Honestly, I could probably go on about this place for another hour, but I will stop here and leave you with this - one of the truly valuable aspects of Sucre is that it feels like you could be anywhere in the world. It's the kind of place that somehow suspends time and that right there should be treasured by all.

From Scratch

2008-02-24T19:54:00.001-08:00

Upon flipping through the latest issue of Saveur magazine, I became utterly and instantly inspired. There's a pun nestled in that statement, but I'll get to that in a minute. What I am here to preach this Sunday evening is that everything is better when you make it from scratch. I'm not just talking about better tasting, but better for you. There's no processing when you make something with your own hands. Depending on what you are making, there's usually an opportunity to use local ingredients, which in turn is better for your local food environment. Oh yeah, and you are always guaranteed it will taste fresh. And now for my utter, er...udder inspiration. Or should I say butter inspiration. We do not have a farm, nor a laboratory, but Lauren and I have been pretty experimental when it comes to making food from scratch. Although we have tossed the idea around of making our own cheese or butter for some time, it does take a time commitment and even beyond that, you have to know a cow that will supply you with fresh milk. Homemade cooking just got a little more difficult, but believe it or not this is manageable. One really just needs to find a local cow share to lock in the fresh milk needed on a regular basis and dedicate some time each week to the process of churning or aging cheese. So, do we take the leap unto this next level of fresh food...why the heck not? Now we just need to find someone to bake fresh, crusty bread.

My Favorite Meal

2008-02-18T09:11:00.000-08:00

Fresh coffee. Sizzling bacon. Eggs frying. Cinnamon rolls rising. Today's newspaper. Champagne waiting for a splash of OJ. Breakfast is a good meal, isn't it? Well, it can be if you take the time to enjoy it. As we all know, the first meal of the day is often skipped, or typically consists of a simple bowl of cereal or a granola bar. But when you make the time to enjoy it, breakfast can easily become the best meal of the day. I forget that sometimes, because by default, I always seem to think you need to rush through this meal to get on with rest of your day. However, when you set aside a few hours on a given Saturday to enjoy a nice, homemade breakfast with your family, nothing could be sweeter.

Breakfast Is Served

2008-02-11T08:46:00.000-08:00

Alright ya'll, we're having breakfast at our house this Saturday, Feb. 16th at 10:30. As usual, this get together promises to be a good ole time and if you like to sleep late on Saturday, its ok to show up in your pajamas. Hell, we might still be in our pjs. If you feel you must bring something, champagne is a good option. Nothing goes better with breakfast than mimosas in our book. Hope to see everyone there.

Love That Chicken

2008-02-04T07:48:00.000-08:00

What is it about fried chicken that locals crave so much on Carnival Day, that they are willing to wait in line at 6 a.m. to make sure they have a box to bring out to the parade route later in the day? I'd be curious to know where/how this tradition got started because Popeyes is undoubtedly synonymous with Mardi Gras, so much so that many would say it is the Fat Tuesday food of choice. But why? Can't be because of the way it leaves your hands greasy while you are trying to catch beads, cups, etc. Maybe it's because it comes in a self contained box and tastes great hot, cold or outdoor room temperature. Whatever the case may be, we gotta have it and simply eating a thigh "straight outta da box" is one of our favored, local past times. It certainly adds to the experience and provides a comfort that can't be matched by barbecue or pizza.

Who Is The King of Cakes?

2008-01-20T20:27:00.000-08:00

Every year, right about this time, I start really craving king cake. I try to fight it with everything I've got because after all I'm only two weeks out of the holiday season. But I'm a New Orleanian, and as a New Orleanian it is my birthright to move directly from christmas season into carnival season, no questions asked. Well, actually there is one question: Where do I find a really good king cake? Certainly there is no problem finding a king cake and I liken the seasonal treat to a bowl of gumbo. Everybody has it, but finding a truly enjoyable one can be a challenge. At it's worst king cake is dry but can be rectified by a good coating of icing and crunchy, colored sugar. However, at it's best king cake is moist, not too sweet and heated up in a toaster oven for a few minutes to give it that just out of the oven greatness. Every year I ask every other person where they get their king cakes from and I get the standard answers. Randazzo's, Haydel's, Gambino's, Dorignac's.......Whole Foods. Ok, quick sidenote, Whole Foods does plenty of things well, but king cakes are not one of them. Also, I'm going to throw stuffed or filled cakes out of the equation here because it's cheating. I'm looking for good king cake in it's true form. So far, for the last three years, my favorite has been the one I have bought from the small coffee shop called Coffee &. That's no misspelling, the place is called Coffee &. This endearing dive of a donut and coffee shop manages to make a pretty decent king cake that I would say ranks up there with my all-time favorite McKenzie version. But I long for more. No offense to the fine folks of Coffee &, but this place is more of a video poker destination than it is a bakery and I truly believe there is better out there that I just don't know about. So I ask you, where have all the good king cakes gone?

Pure Comfort

2008-01-13T14:21:00.000-08:00

If I did not know anyone in our family and Greg and Mary merely invited me over to join their family for dinner on Saturday, I would have left their home with one impression: Good, old-fashioned family dinners still exist. Maybe it had something to do with the informal formality of all of us sitting down at a nicely set table to share a meal together. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy the comfortable casualness of our monthly eat togethers; however, in this instance I took a particular pleasure in seeing our family sit down to a nice meal without it being a holiday. Memories of a time gone by, or at least my childhood came rushing back. And then there was the food. Sure, everyone wants food that is delicious and enjoyable, but good, down-home cooking creates an experience like no other. I can't choose a favorite dish here because each one for me was simply comfort food. It was like a comfort sampler and the more I ate the more I wanted more. Even beyond all of this, maybe what made everything feel warm and fuzzy (aside from the wine) is that we talk about what a fun time we had at the last get together and start immediately planning for what's on deck next month. Cheers to you Hollier Hills and I'd like another helpin'.

Happy New Year!

2008-01-01T22:57:00.000-08:00

We're back in the comforts of our own home today after a week and a half excursion to Taos, New Mexico. Although I did not make my weekly report last week (busy between skiing and recovering), there was a whole lot of cooking going on in our ski valley lodge. Being how we were with Lauren's father, his wife and her family, 5 of the 9 people staying in the house were Korean, which allowed us many opportunities to observe the preparation and sample the flavors of korean cooking. Spicy soup broth, pickled kimchee and bean cakes quickly became part of our daily diet. But my job was not to merely enjoy korean cuisine but to also offer a slice of my culture, a taste of New Orleans. Everyone wanted gumbo, so I gave them gumbo. Not just gumbo made with andouille sausage, but andouille sausage I transported from Jacob's smokehouse in LaPlace, where you will find the best andouille anywhere, seriously anywhere. The gumbo was a hit and served as a nice change up in our daily offerings of soup. Koreans eat soup everyday, which I must note is an added bonus on a cold, ski vacation. I hope everyone enjoyed the New Year's holiday and we look forward to seeing you next weekend at Hollier Hills.

You'll Never Guess What I Found

2007-12-23T19:07:00.000-08:00

I didn't even know this place existed until I literally walked into it. The only reason I walked into it is because I was walking in front of it, and couldn't believe my eyes when I did a double take and noticed what kind of shop I almost passed up. This is my kind of place, but I had no clue of its arrival. I went in of course, my curiousity was maxxed out. Right on cue, in this weekend before Christmas, I found something magical. The reason for my secrecy is due in large part to the fact that gifts were purchased at this unique boutique. Reply on the comment section to guess what I have discovered and I will leave you with this one hint...This is a food blog as you well know, so chances are good that my findings are indeed edible.

First You Make A Roux

2007-12-15T21:08:00.000-08:00

It's the most wonderful time of the year. No, I'm not talking about Christmas, I'm talking about gumbo. Cold weather is gumbo weather. Well, it's a little optimistic of me to say cold weather. It was cold this weekend so I took advantage of one of our random, wintery cold fronts and made some chicken and andouille gumbo. While I could go on and on about the freshness and great smoky flavor of Jacob's andouille sausage, I wanted this post to showcase the roux. As we all know, this is where a good gumbo starts. Although I could talk about making a roux, Lauren and I thought watching it being made would be more fun. Enjoy the cool weather and make yourself some of dat dere gumbo, cher.

Ode To Eggnog

2007-12-09T13:07:00.000-08:00

The first time I ever tasted eggnog I couldn't stand it. It was similar to what I call the "sushi experience". The first few times you try it you wonder why anyone would want to consume this. Soon after there is a breakthrough. You either realize you hate it, OR you wonder how did I live this long without it. I am definitely the latter and quite frankly I could not imagine the holiday season without it. I enjoy it so much that I wanted to write a tribute to this beloved beverage on the blog and I was even considering changing the name to the Nog Blog. However, I came to and felt like that would be a little weird, so I stole an ode from someone else. Hope you enjoy and have another glass of eggnog, because it's the holidays and we're all going to gain a couple of extra pounds anyway. Next month: Exercise tips!

Ode to Eggnog

Oh how I love thee,
My favorite holiday treat,
All thick and rich
And so syrupy sweet!

With a little rum or brandy,
And a pinch of nutmeg too,
I'll be full of Christmas cheer
To last the whole night through!

Everything seems more festive
With this beverage in my hand;
If you, my friend, have inlaws,
I'm sure you'll understand!

All the things that once annoyed
Have all been drowned out now,
'Cause I've had all the eggnog
That my bladder would allow...

Though I feel a little woozy,
Now that I have had my fill;
I hope that all this eggnog
Doesn't cause me to be ill!

Chocolate Espresso Pecan Pie

2007-11-25T18:41:00.000-08:00

Homemade Pie. Those two words alone have the ability to transport you to a different era. A different era because, let's face it, homemade pie is not part of our era. This may be due in part to the reality that people don't take the time to make their own pie crust anymore. Sure, you can make your own pie with a pre-made, frozen crust, but that's not homemade pie. That's homemade filling. Or maybe its because pie is now losing ground to the cheesecakes, bread puddings and creme brulees of our modern day tastes. But as good as the latter may be, they just don't seem to satisfy my craving for pure comfort like pie does. This thanksgiving Lauren took on the challenge of making her first pecan pie. She decided to take this to another level and make it a chocolate, espresso pecan pie. Boy was that a great idea. The light, flaky crust topped with the dense, rich concoction of roasted pecans and decadent chocolate was sensory overload for me and for all that managed to score a slice. Luckily, there were many takers of the pie, otherwise I'd have a few extra pounds to show from my holiday eating.

Rib Stickin', Finger Lickin' Good Thing Going Here

2007-11-18T06:31:00.000-08:00

The ribs were awesome. The pasta and salad equally delicious. The fact that everyone is pulling out all the stops to make every Eat Together a great time, leaves me at a loss for words. Are there more gourmet cooks in my family than I realized? Yes. But, what is being revealed on a monthly basis goes far beyond what's on the plate. Everyone is trying, and succeeding on all levels. There's been no wishy-washy commitments or second-guessing suppers. You are opening your doors, showing us a little more of who you are and sending us on our way stuffed like a turkey (thanksgiving pun.) For this is not merely an opportunity to show off your cooking skills, but in a much bigger picture you are in fact showing us your version of "passing a good time." No one will argue that as New Orleanians we like to eat and be merry. And as the old adage goes, where there's food, there's people. But aside from all the great menus we are putting together, we're creating comfort, memories and an experience. We're past all the small talk now, for just below the surface, there is a tradition brewing. Or maybe it's a ritual, or maybe it's just what we should have been doing all along. Whatever you want to call it, it seems to be working. In this week of giving thanks, I say thanks to all of you for making this such a great family.

Po Boy Festival...yeah you right!

2007-11-16T08:10:00.000-08:00

I wanted to help put the word out on this one. The definitive New Orleans food now has it's own one day festival. On Sunday, from noon-6:00 you can sample some of the finest poboys New Orleans has to offer. All the happenings will be taking place between the 8100-8300 blocks of Oak St. over in the riverbend. Oh, and most importantly they will have a big TV set up for the Saints game so all can watch while stuffing their face. See everyone tomorrow.

Spirit of Giving - Donors Choose Campaign

2007-11-12T13:36:00.000-08:00

In the spirit of the season I am challenging members of my family to donate to a worthy cause. There is plenty to read and learn about Donors Choose and please do so at www.donorschoose.org, but in a nutshell this is a non-profit organization that receives proposals from teachers all across the country and allows those who wish to contribute, to sign on to the proposal(s) of their choice and thus donate to or raise money for the project. It is a donation marketplace and the best part is that it will go directly from us to the school to fulfill the needs. You will see displayed on the blog a fundraising graphic which will monitor how much we have raised for the project. Click on the green tab below that reads "Donate To My Challenge" and this will bring you to the donation page where you are then able to click on the project to learn all the details of the teacher's proposal, including itemized costs, implementation of the donated materials and goals of the project. Among the many proposals to donate to, I have chosen this one because it is based on teaching low income, immigrant children all the benefits of cooking and eating meals together, and how cooking knowledge lends itself to a better understanding of math, reading and science. I am excited to take on this challenge and even more excited to get others involved. Please also feel free to involve extended family and friends that are not members of our blogging community. Happy Holidays!

The German Pretzel Project

2007-11-11T17:47:00.000-08:00

Making pretzels from scratch takes a while. In fact it takes just long enough to qualify as a project and not just a recipe. However, this is one project that rewards you for all of your hard work. Fresh, warm pretzels are as satisfying as a homemade bread or a pizza crust made just before you baked it. This process starts with making a yeast dough, kneading it for a bit then letting it rise for a while. Then kneading the dough again and rolling it out into seperate sticks and letting it rise or puff once again for a while. Then boiling the sticks for about thirty seconds and draining them to dry. Then egg-washing each stick and sprinkling vigorously with kosher salt before you slide them into the oven. The result about 10 minutes later are soft, moist, delicious, salty pretzels. Great on their own but even better dipped into german or yellow mustard.

Lunch, Love & LSU in Lakeview

2007-11-11T11:41:00.000-08:00

Now that we are "NUMBER 1" in all the land, we thought we'd have over the "NUMBER 1" family over for eats and drinks. Please join us this Saturday, November 17th at 2pm at 5907 Catina St in Lakeview, LA. If you need directions, look the LSU flags!!! We're looking forward to making new Hollier family memories!!!

Farmer's Soup

2007-11-05T07:01:00.000-08:00

Although it's not actually cold as of yet, the first sign of fall and I immediately want soup. Usually it's soup of the heartier kind - gumbo and french onion soup - because it's comforting and it's what I know how to make. However this weekend I thought I'd expand my horizons a little bit and make a soup as a farmer would. This actually turned out to be easier than I thought and just as comforting and nourishing. It's a pretty simple formula. Start with your favorite beans (baby lima, black, kidney, white, etc.), add to that a combination of a little bacon, shallots and leeks, then throw in the vegetables that are in season (I used turnips, celery root and carrots), add chicken stock and some fresh herb (I used thyme) and let all the flavors simmer down. Adjust the seasoning to your taste then done deal and delicious. I think I have often been intimidated with making soup on a regular basis because of the time commitment I was used to with making gumbo or onion soup. This is simple though and really focuses more on the freshness of the ingredients. Soup is good food!

Italian Family Style

2007-10-29T06:58:00.000-07:00

Once again we proved that the kitchen is the most popular room for the family dinners. Despite the rather large television in the den, we all gathered around the 8 inch in the kitchen to watch the Saints hand it to the 49ers. WHO DAT!

For dinner Joanne and Mike put together a wonderful red gravy pasta. It was a dish that would make even Tony Soprano proud. We continue with dessert - homemade peach cobbler and adorable fleur de lis cookies.

Watching the Saints wasn't the only form of entertainment at the Skertichs. Their was coloring, pumpkin decorating and a scarf wearing competition. Now that I think about it, I didn't
hear of a winner of that contest...

It was great spending time with everyone and we are all looking forward to "breakfast stuff" at Nicole and Ryan's on November 17th. Go Tigers!