My Holiday At Home

I know I've written about my home state before but I feel like it deserves another shout out from a transplanted local. Here's my second nod to my hometown with an added family, holiday spin. (Forgive the awkward formatting, I was trying to fit lots of pictures in.)My recent trip home for Christmas this year was more than just a chance to slip in one of my few annual family visits. My cousin, Abdel, got married and almost all the family planned ahead and came in for his wedding -Dec. 23. It seemed like it had been so long since all 35+ of us all got together for a family affair.

We headed over to the Benachi House, where the outdoor wedding took place.

Considering temperatures the day before were in the 70's, we were a little surprised by the colder weather on this afternoon. But a little chill didn't stop us from having fun. We just lined up at the bar for our Kir Cocktails (Creme de Cassis and Champagne.)

Here are some pictures of us pre and post ceremony.

On Christmas Day, everyone packed up and headed to Baton Rouge for a mostly pot luck style celebration at Phil and Sophie's House (my aunt and uncle). On last count, we were about 60+ for Christmas with the new family and Guimont-second cousin crew- joining us .

We spend the morning with my dad and family at a more formal, intimate family gathering (max.6-8) at a proper dining table (with enough food to feed a small army) Duck Gumbo, Beef tenderloin, roasted veggies, mirliton dressing, potato salad, peas, cranberries, honey ham, cornish hen and stuffing and flourless chocolate cake . We always arrive later for my mom's family gathering, there's plenty of eating and drinking still going and a play and karaoke still to come. T

hough it's a massive group to feed, with a lot of advanced planning, we manage never to have two of the same dish, boring food or a food shortage. Among some of the amazing dishes served:

Cassoulet- Abdel

Beef Brisket-Uncle Michael

Gumbo-Mom

Shrimp Creole-Uncle Phil

Carrot Souffle-maybe grandma

Crawfish Pie-unknown

Creamy Spinach-a Guimont (I think) (second cousin-family name)

Brussel Sprout & Walnut Salad-Aunt Angie

Red Beans and Rice-grandma

Turkey and Stuffing-grandma

Macaroni and Cheese with Penne pasta-Jeremy (?)

Mayonnaise Cookies-chocolate cookies-you can't taste an ounce of mayo. -Aunt Carol

Lemon Bars-unkown

And there was much more....

There was something different about this year that made me so much more appreciative of the family time and beauty of Louisiana.

So I've sprinkled in some those things I often take for granted.

(The Pontalba Apts in Jackson Square)

Separate post to follow with video of family karaoke hour....

A Pastel Palette That's Delighting Me

My favorite macaroon for the longest reigned from a New Orleans bakery- McKenzie’s. They had the most simple looking and delicious chewy almond macaroon. Whenever we'd get a bag, typically holding about 10 macaroons, I could eat them all on the way home with no help from my dad or my sister. They were just that amazing!

Flash forward to an ordinary summer day as I was walking in Chelsea I past a little shop called La Maison du Macaron. The window had a certain charm and I could not stop myself from taking a look inside. Once I stepped inside, several cases full of assorted delicate macaroons were right in front of me. At this point it would have been okay for some to turn around and walk out but I thought that would be silly and would end up being a loss for me. So I stepped up to see the selection a little closer. Nothing was labeled so I just picked based on colors after confirming the flavors I wanted to try.

To this day I'm not sure exactly what I ordered but they tasted amazing! An initial crispy outside layer and the "cookie" took on a little bit of a chewy texture which is one quality I liked in my former favorite. The cream in the middle was rich with flavor- vanilla, chocolate, lavender and a champagne were the flavors I identified. Just a great little find that I can't wait to try again.

A Vacation Good for Your Health

Everyone needs a getaway once and a while and this summer a trip to Jamaica provided a really nice escape from the hustle and bustle of city life. I completely agree with the idea that you have to really be disconnected to actually have a real escape. I like the convenience of a cell phone as much as the next person, but there are times when I wish they were banned. For me, Jamaica meant a semi-voluntary ban on cell phones for 4 whole days. Aside from the lack of access to technology, the (off the beaten path) natural landscapes , hospitality and the cuisine all made this vacation. To focus on the food, there was only one indoor restaurant at our resort and that made eating a warm, not so comfortable experience but the decadent menu ( lobster night- to name one theme) and positive disposition of everyone made you question the slightest moment of crankiness that may sneak up on you. A little sampling of exotic fruits renew breakfast options!

Homemade and Hometown Mid-Summer Treats

When the weather gets hot, I normally look for a retreat from time in the kitchen. Turning to fruit, salad and lighter fare always seems like the right move. There are those occasions when you just have to fire it up. No, not the grill, just the stovetop. Potato salad and chicken salad were my latest homemade meals. So I did cheat a little since buying a pre-cooked whole chicken saves a lot of time! (I think this is a permanent change forme. I love shortcuts when the end result isn't compromised.) I was able to have everything ready in time for a late lunch. I did all the chopping, and endured the warming conditions in my apartment as the eggs and potatoes boiled for the potato salad. (Personally, I don't think potato salad photographs well but I posted this pic anyway.) I really enjoyed this version of it because there was a nice mix of celery and green onion and whipped potato. I added a little cayenne to bring some heat and a squeeze of lemon for a refreshing finish.

Once the cooking started, I couldn't stop! Next were the peach pops. Inspired by a recipe from a magazine that I slightly adjusted. It's a really pretty, delicious, refreshing summer combination. It's simply grape juice, chopped peaches (not uniform), prosecco (or champagne) lemon and lemon zest (to add more of a pretty, colorful accent. )

Since I like sweet things so much, I had to add in one more. This sweet always makes me think of my grandfather. In New Orleans we have snowballs which for most of the rest of the US can be closely compared to a sno-cone. Well, Plum Street makes some great flavors. Here's what's left from my nectar snoball. It's sweet and slightly creamy syrup and a playful peachy-pink color. Everyday during the summer my grandfather would ask for a pineapple snowball. When we took him there, he'd get the largest one and usually finish it before we got home. Sometimes eating it so fast caused him to shiver and he couldn't even talk from the chill.

A little heat can get you to a cool ending!

Something Nice and Some Drops of Spice

This past weekend was quite warm in NYC and the cumbersome vertical a/c unit in my apartment does not have enough of a cooling effect for this Southern girl. (I know it's ironic but I don't handle the heat very well.) So I wondered outside in search of a cafe where I could find Arctic temps, possibly wifi, and a chair and table -not too much to ask for. I went over to 5th Ave remembering there was an art sale at the National Museum gift shop and a cafe right next door. To my horror, the cafe was dark and cavernous inside but wasn't the least bit cold. A quick turn and I headed toward Madison Ave. and a long motorcycle parade. This was the very end of the parade and was not as impressive as the beginning. (Cabs and all other cars were forced to slow down and wait for them to pass as the light changed about 4 times before the waiting cars could pass.) After this showcase, I sat down at Yura on Madison. A nice cup of cool cucumber/dill soup and chive biscuit made for a nice lunch. The cucumber was nicely pureed and horseradish was added providing a little extra bite. The biscuit was not as flavorful but had a nice texture and along with almost all the other baked goods was 2 for the price of one. (I think they were all day old goods. There's no tricking me.) As I was sitting enjoying my delicious soup, I spotted a candy from the past-spice drops! Growing up my grandmother always had these on her front room table for visitors. Occasionally, I would eat them just because it was accessible candy, but they were not exactly my favorite. I preferred the rotation of plain gum drops or jelly beans.

I can even remember the crystal container she'd put them in which I think made me believe I would/should like these spice drops even more, since they were worthy of such fine china. When I encountered them again today, it brought a smile to my face, and a great memory back to life.

The Joys of Maine

Meredith and Erik's early summer wedding brought me back to Maine (for the first time in about eight years) and I rediscovered all the charm this area has to offer all over again. From cute little houses, spas and gift shops to a roadside clam shack and charming lighthouse. Though there was a busy schedule of wedding events and not much time to explore, everyone has to eat! Since it was a warm summer day, when I arrived, and I had a bridesmaid dress to fit into soon, I opted to have a fruit salad for lunch with a strawberry vinagrette dressing that was a nice sweet but tart accent with the goat cheese, blueberries, strawberries and slivered almonds that decorated the top. (This is an easy one to duplicate at home!)

A few hours later the rehearsal dinner started with a New England tradition-clam chowder. A little cup of creamy potato and clam heaven with salted, crispy oyster crackers really is a must-have. (Dress issue aside for this meal.)

Since the beginning and the ending are really the most memorable parts of any life event, the finishing dish was appropriate (and delightful.) There's no dessert that speaks summer tradition more than strawberries with their shortcake. It's the most consistently harmonious pairing I've ever seen.

Cheers to you, summer!

Across a bridge and beyond

A recent trip to Brooklyn to spend a little time with a good friend (Heather) and her son (Drake) set me on a path to discovery. While our intent was to start with tapas we were "sent" for a walk first. (After we peered through the front gate at La Mancha, for about 2 minutes, our bearded friend inside informed us that they were not yet open. Determined to wait for our tapas, a walk along Atlantic Avenue became our interim plan. A little window shopping discovering a few new shops that have popped up since my last visit to the area. There were many beautiful clothing distractions to help pass the time and before we knew it we made our way back to the restaurant with two prime seats in the front window awaiting our arrival. Appropriately on display, we enjoyed a few treats from the sea- including garlic shrimp that were perfectly, simply prepared and scallops in a cream sauce that was quite nice for bread dipping. (Croquetas filled with potatoes and a light white fish were the inspiration for the journey but were not captured on camera prior to consumption..oops!)

A little carafe of sangria to complete this meal and memories of the joy of trips abroad abound! My time in Spain (which was far too short) and Italy have always been on the top of my list of favorites but with those being memories from six years ago- it's time for a new journey and new memories. I’ve been bitten by a big travel bug! So, I've taken steps in researching my next journey to the land known for an esteemed boy pharaoh named Tutankamun.