Celebrate National Happy Hour Day!

November 12th is National Happy Hour Day! Like I needed a reason to celebrate…..

Celebrating National Gumbo Day!

October 12th is National Gumbo Day! Originating in southern Louisiana during the 18th century, Gumbo typically consists of strongly-flavored stock with meat or shellfish, a thickener, and seasoned vegetables. The seasoned vegetables may include celery, bell peppers, and onions. In the Cajun cuisine, the trio is known as the “holy trinity. Most people serve Gumbo over rice. Gumbo is also usually categorized by one of the following types of thickener used: the African vegetable okra, the Choctaw spice filé powder (dried and ground sassafras leaves), or roux (the French base made of flour and fat). The word “Gumbo” arose from a West African word for okra, forever linking the name of the dish with the ingredient. Whatever recipe you use, enjoy some delicious gumbo today … and tomorrow …. and the day after that … and the day after that …

Photo: Amadscientist

Celebrate National Happy Hour Day!

November 12th is National Happy Hour Day! Like I needed a reason to celebrate…..

Beignet Fest at Their Place - July 24-26 at locations throughout New Orleans

Everybody loves beignets! And normally every first Saturday in October in City Park, you could attend Beignet Fest to celebrate this most iconic of New Orleans’s desserts. Unfortunately due to the pandemic, Beignet Fest is postponed until 2021. However, their charitable mission is far too critical not to find a way forward. Proceeds from Beignet Fest benefit the Tres Doux Foundation, which makes grants to nonprofits serving children with developmental delays. 

So, festival organizers pivoted and are hosting “Beignet Fest at Their Place” from July 24-26, at food vendor locations around New Orleans, Baton Rouge and on the Northshore. Organizers have worked closely with food vendors to offer a bonanza of beignet dishes all weekend long, from traditional sweet treats to savory delicacies that feature seafood, cheese and more. A full menu of beignet dishes offered by food vendors along with locations can be found at https://beignetfest.com/. In keeping with the competitive nature of the festival, patrons will have a chance to vote for their favorite sweet and savory beignet dishes at beignetfest.com. Winners will be announced following the event.

Since Beignet Fest is a fundraiser, all food vendors will have paper “beignet logo dolls” available for patrons who donate to write a special tribute. Logo dolls will be displayed at food vendor locations throughout the weekend. People can also donate on the Beignet Fest website when viewing the food vendor menu. So, if you’re in the New Orleans area, enjoy a delicious beignet from a participating vendor and donate to help a child in need. It doesn’t get much better than that!