Jazz Fest 2010 - Food excursions - May 2nd

My last day of Jazz Fest on the last day of Jazz Fest. As predicted, rain was expected, but that wouldn't deter me. I still had my plastic poncho and packed myself down with plate caddy, plastic bags, tin foil, and my lawn chair. Hard to believe, but I didn't consider putting on sunscreen - why bother?

Now the grillades and grits were wonderful the previous weekend - love that roux gravy. My "traditional" breakfast at Royal Blend is a bacon, egg, and cheese biscuit. Biscuits are homemade and no cheap fast food dollar biscuit could touch it. A single cappuccino with skim milk and OJ complete the food chain. Normally I wouldn't have singled out such humble fare, but it all looked too photographable.

Royal Blend's bacon, egg, and cheese biscuit with cappuccino and orange juice

When I arrived at Marconi and waited under the tent at the shuttle area, it began to pour. I didn't need to wait to get on the Fairgrounds to don protective lamination. I mentally prepared myself for arrival and what I would need to do to avoid slipping in the mud or forgetting to buy something. Remember, what I wouldn't accomplish would have to wait until next year.

There was some wait at the gate and rain fluctuated from hard to light. Once I got in, it seemed like a deserted town.

T-shirt tents were closed temporarily to wait for the rain to subside. Trying to get around in a hard rain would be a problem, so my plan was to get my T-shirt, food, and then go to the Grandstand on the bleachers out of the rain.

One of the entrees I looked forward in getting was fried eggplant with crawfish sauce. I arrived at the food booth, but was asked to return in 20 minutes. Although they were supposed to be ready before the Fairgrounds opened in order to roll on time, they were ordered to shut off the burner that heats the oil to fry the eggplant. Can't have soggy eggplant, so I strolled around and set my cellphone alarm to ring in 20 minutes time. Once my phone alerted me, I ran back to the booth and received the first order of eggplant crawfish on the last day of Jazz Fest.

Fried eggplant with crawfish sauce - serving No. 1

I didn't eat it immediately, though I wanted to. Instead I took out tin foil and wrapped it up tight and placed in a large plastic bag with enclosure. Once my T-shirt was purchased, I went in search of an entree I read about in the newspaper. There was a booth selling pies and I felt the urge to try the sweet potato pie and the sweet potato turnover. I purchased them, wrapped them up, sealed them in the bag and finally purchased rose mint tea and crawfish strudel.

As I neared the Grandstand bleachers, I noticed how they were all wet, even the ones at the top. The overhang wasn't enough to spare them and the wind was strong enough to dampen them despite the overhang. I could have opened my chair, but realized rain would come and I'd get soaked. My favorite tree next to the pond on the Fairgrounds wouldn't offer much protection either. I knew the Lagniappe Stage would have protected seats, so I found a dry one under a tent across from the stage.

I didn't know who was performing and didn't have a program with me. There was a flamenco dancing group with a wonderful Spanish guitar. I took the opportunity to eat as I watched the performance in amazement.

"The" Fried Eggplant with Crawfish Sauce and Sweet Potato Pie

The eggplant was crispy with a light herbal flavor. The sauce was creamy with ample amounts of crawfish throughout. I knew what I was expecting and wasn't disappointed. The sweet potato pie was over the moon: flaky crust with the sweet potato filling that had such a wonderful mouth feel. I compare it to the richness of eating high quality ice cream.

After the flamenco dance group was Nova NOLA, a Brazilian jazz / New Orleans strut fusion music group. I could not have been luckier since the group was wonderful (Google them, seriously) and the rain had gone from a sprinkle to zero flat. In fact, the sun came out at one point. As the performance continued, I ate the last of my vittles.

Crawfish strudel and sweet potato turnover

As you have guessed, the crawfish strudel is one of my all-time favorites and would eat it every week if I could. The turnover had somewhat of a soggy crust, but that was my fault. I purchased it early and sealed it in a bag. Condensation from the steam caused it to be soggy. There was a sweet shortbread-like taste to it and the sweet potato filling was thick and rich like the pie. I'll definitely eat another one next year.

Once Nova NOLA finished their set, I finished my food and walked out of the Grandstand into a sea of people. I wondered if the crowd was different from my "wasteland" picture I took only two hours before. Check it out:

And on my way taking this picture, I "ran into" a second line of Mardi Gras Indians. Only at Jazz Fest. Only in New Orleans. Take care and travel light.

Mardi Gras Indians

Jazz Fest 2010 - Food excursions - April 30th

Julie, my long-time friend from high school, came into town on business and wanted to go to Jazz Fest on the second Friday. Problem was the possibility of rain, but I managed to find two clear rain ponchos. Last time we went to Jazz Fest was two years ago and all we had were small umbrellas when it poured on us. Tip umbrella forward - back gets wet. Tip umbrella back - lap gets wet. Wind blows rain - doesn't matter because you're soaked. We left before Billy Joel took the stage. The clap of thunder was our signal to leave. Julie brought up our mishaps when we talked about doing the fest again. I assured her that we would leave before the rain drenched us.



We arrived from the shuttle and onto the Fairgrounds about 11am. We stationed our collapsible chairs on the front line of the "chairs only" section in front of the Acura stage. We had gone to Royal Blend for breakfast at 8:30am, but once on the Fairgrounds, the smells of seafood cooking just reawakens your appetite. We took shifts in going for food and I made a dash to the Crawfish Monica booth.




Crawfish Monica (on a Plate Caddy) with Strawberry Lemonade

Crawfish Monica is a blend of crawfish cream sauce and fusilli pasta with a dash of spice and special magic that only that dish contains. It's definitely one of my fave dishes on the short "got to get it" list at Jazz Fest.

The "plate caddy" was an invention I came across during TV viewing several years ago. I usually don't pay attention to such devices, but it immediately struck me that it would be perfect for Jazz Fest. It's been a mainstay of my Jazz Fest ensemble ever since. I usually pack a few paper plates underneath and switch out after one or two uses. There are holes to transport plastic utensils and napkins. One major drawback: large plastic cups will not conform to the built-in cup holder. It's worth being able to balance a few items on the plate than try to juggle them in your arms or hands. I always have someone ask me where I got it. It's great for transporting and eating while seated in a chair.

Shrimp and grits; crawfish beignets

The shrimp and grits entree was a new offering at Jazz Fest. Unfortunately, it fell flat in my opinion. I looked forward to trying it and the portion given was ample. The grits were lumpy in the stew and the overall taste didn't have enough spice or cajun ambrosia I expected.

Crawfish beignets are another story. They are on my short list and are a combination of hot and cool. Beignets are small drops of dough containing crawfish which are deep fried. Then a cool remoulade sauce is lathered on top. Remoulade sauce recipes vary, so trying to pick out the ingredients used for this sauce would be a futile exercise. Unless the purveyors who create the entree publish the recipe, you'll never really know.

Most of the day was spent chatting with Julie, dancing to the Dixie Cups and Earth, Wind, and Fire, and trying to duck the raindrops, which we were most successful in doing.

Jazz Fest 2010 - Food excursions - April 25th

My first day of Jazz Fest was Sun, April 25th and preparation is always key, especially going by myself. It was the first time in the ten+ years I've been attending Jazz Fest where I wasn't packed down like a mule. In the early years I came with a beach towel and cash. Now I have a litany of items in my arsenal: collapsible chair in a cloth sheath with a handle, my Old Navy purse sling (with a nifty zippered compartment for my CD player!), a cloth bag to hold my "plate caddy", and cash. But on this day, I knew my order of business was to attend a few food demos (see previous blog) and to eat what my heart wanted most after a year of denial.

Again, preparation is key and the first order of business was early morning breakfast at Royal Blend on Metairie Road. It's my hangout before business during the work week, but it's base camp before City Park opens for shuttle parking. Usually I eat light, but I was in the mood for one of their Sunday specials I never had before:

Grillades and cheese grits with a homemade biscuit from Royal Blend (204 Metairie Road in Metairie)

Their version is very good. Basically beef debris cooked down with tomatoes, peppers, onions, etc., and ladled over grits. It gave me a good start to the day since I'd be in the grandstand for a few hours.

Once I arrived at City Park, the traditional parking mecca had been moved to the Rugby Field across from the new dog park, "City Bark". Once I parked, another part of my Jazz Fest tradition commenced: slathering myself in sunblock. I wait until that moment because I don't want to sit in my car with my legs covered in goo. I don't use SPF 4. I'm far too fair for that. I get the industrial strength SPF 50 and cover every patch of exposed skin. I use baby wipes or the equivalent to wipe off my hands and leave them in the car.

My arrival in the Fairgrounds and through the gate was around 11am. I knew the first food demo would be around 11:15am, so I made a dash to the Strawberry Lemonade stand and then to get my first taste of Jazz Fest since last year:

Crawfish strudel; white chocolate bread pudding; strawberry lemonade

The strudel is flaky phyllo dough with a filling of crawfish meat, onions, peppers and all in a stuffing-like consistency. They give you a spork, but I usually eat it like a hot dog. It is spicy, salty, and wonderful. White chocolate bread pudding has a great blend of soft French bread that has been baked with custard and vanilla and then bathed in a white chocolate sauce. I'm grateful that Jazz Fest is only two weekends out of the year or I'd have serious weight problems. The strawberry lemonade never disappoints, always refreshing, and helps with any energy zap from the heat.

Once the last food demo had concluded, I wasn't hungry. But Jazz Fest is, in my opinion, like dieter's heaven -- throw the rule book out the window for a day or a weekend. You never eat like this normally. This is the food that is only available at the fest and only for a limited time. Get your feed bag on! So I'm eating what I want whether I'm hungry or not, I decided. I went past the Grandstand past the blues and gospel tents to the food area behind the crafts area. It was there I found my final repast for the day:

Peach cobbler and rosemint herbal tea

Just what I was looking for. The cobbler has a hearty crust, fat peaches, and just enough balance of nutmeg, cinnamon, and sugar. The rosemint tea is a popular manufacturer's blend with a hint of mint. I always add lemon juice offered at the booths and use my personal favorite sugar substitute.

Now I haven't mentioned prices and don't plan to because "sticker shock" is not the reason for the season. This is my vacation every year and normally people spend more and eat more than they normally do. I buy beverages that are created, not bottled. I eat whatever I want without fear of counting calories or pennies. Life is too short to get stuck on trivialities and it's important to support the local culinary talent by tasting their wares.

So if you need permission to do what you normally wouldn't do, then I grant it with all my heart.

Jazz Fest 2010 - Food demonstrations

I go to the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival to eat -- each and every day I attend, every year I go. Doesn't matter the band line-ups or the weather forecast. Sometimes I'll get to experience some good musical acts (such as Nova Nola this year), but I always find my food favorites and try out a new dish or two.

This year I had the good fortune of attending the fest on Sunday, April 25th with three wonderful chefs who had excellent food demonstrations on the Zatarain's Food Heritage Stage. In order of appearance:

Red beans & rice grits with poached egg & Andouille by Lee Richardson, native New Orleanian and head chef at Ashley's at Capitol Hotel in Little Rock, Arkansas.

Lee was approached by Esquire magazine to do a recipe that is equivalent to eating "like a man". Because rice is prevalent in the bluegrass region, he had experimented with using long-grain rice in different ways. He ground up rice in a coffee mill and found that the taste and cooking times is consistent with regular grits. Because of the "red beans and rice" theme, he cooked his favorite red beans recipe with the rice grits. You can find the recipe on http://www.nola.com/ under "Food" section from March 18th. As far as the poached egg, the chef explained that there's no recipe for making a soft-boiled egg. In fact, the one he made is far more scientific than anything a novice cook could do at home. First, the eggs are farm fresh and smaller than one at the regular grocery store. And they are cooked in a tub of water (reminded me of an incubator) at a precise centigrade temperature for a specific amount of time. The result is a yolk that is the consistency of firm jelly (think of cranberry sauce out of the can in one piece). Absolutely wonderful.

Pecan Beignets with Louisiana Strawberries by Christy Phebus from Bayona (413 Dauphine St in New Orleans)

Technically, they aren't beignets. Beignet dough contains yeast and when fried (such as the best ones on the planet at the Original Cafe Du Monde in the Quarter) puff up, but aren't able to fill properly. This recipe is almost like a choux ("shoe") or profiterole pastry dough where once done and baked/fried, you could fill like an eclair. In this particular recipe, the dough was cooked and then eggs were added until it pulled away from the sides of the pan. Once it was this consistency, a commercial product of pecan paste was added. They were fried in canola oil and dredged in cinnamon sugar. Louisiana strawberries were cut up and were only allowed to macerate for a few minutes to have some "strawberry juice" to plate over the beignets. If you place sugar on berries for too long a time frame, you wind up with a mushed up product almost akin to pureed fruit. If you want the recipe, email Christy from the address on Bayona Restauant's website. Great dessert!

Smothered Andouille & Potato Gnocci by Donald Link, head chef and owner of Cochon Butcher & Restaurant (930 Tchoupitoulas St in New Orleans) and Herbsaint (701 St. Charles Ave in New Orleans)

Donald Link recently received the 2010 James Beard Award for his latest cookbook Real Cajun. I'm not sure if the recipe is in there, but it is a basic potato dumpling/gnocci starchy dough. Donald demonstrated that the dough should give a little when pulled after the dough has been formed. Then it is a matter of rolling it out by hand into a long tube. He said it is a great Sunday meal at home where he can make gnocci and toss them with sauce or, in this recipe, saute in oil and add spring onions (or known as green onions everywhere else) and andouille. At the restaurant, he has a gnocci board that will indent the dumplings by passing them over ridges in the board; however, home cooks can mark each dumpling with the tines of a fork. The ridges will catch and hold the sauce, so it is an important step to do.

Cochon is part deli and part butcher shop where you can purchase boudin and andouille that has been made on the premises. Donald said that his cousins still make boudin in different areas of the state, and each one tastes different from the other. They put the sausage in casings by hand whereas the cousins use hoppers and machines to make massive amounts of sausage at a time. One of the attendees lives in Hawaii and planned to bring back 16 pounds (yes, not a typo) of andouille to the island. He attends Jazz Fest every year and uses the sausage year round until he returns for the fest and another supply.