journey of life

Inclimate weather sucks too…even if it’s bright and sunny where you are!
Flying down to New Orleans was an ordeal with the ice and snow delaying departures AND crews. Fortunately, the airlines were able to muster up a crew for our connecting flight (albeit several hours late). Some people were going to have to stay overnight for a flight out.
Getting sick in the Big Easy sucks…especially when everybody gets sick.
We all suffered from one (or more) of the following ailments: head colds, bladder infections, teething, violent flu bugs (complete with unshakable chills) and TOMs. We were quite a sick “krewe”. If you are traveling to New Orleans, keep in mind that post-Katrina there aren’t any Urgent Care facilities, so if you need to see a doctor, you are going to the Emergency Room (at Mardi Gras, not something you want to do!), so beware. Fortunately, nobody needed to go to the ER, but we did get prescriptions called in to a local pharmacy.
Mardi Gras parades are out of this world.
If you’ve never been to New Orleans during Mardi Gras, here’s how I would set the scene for you. Think of the small town where you grew up. Now, in a two week period, the little league baseball team just won the world championships, the high school football team just won the state championships, there are several celebrities in town for the dedication of a national monument in town, and of course parades to celebrate each of these occasions, along with the St. Patrick’s Day parade, the Macy’s Day Christmas parade and the annual street festival…all within two week’s time. Now magnify that by a grand. That’s Mardi Gras in New Orleans.
We attended several parades, but my favorite by far was Muses (see video below). Each parade is run by a krewe, consisting of hundreds, or even thousands of participants, with elaborate floats, throws (trinkets, toys, beads, cups, balls, sunglasses, the sky is the limit here!), marching bands, dance groups, horses and much, much more. With illness, fatigue and scheduling conflicts we weren’t able to attend as many parades as we would have liked, but that’s something to strive for next time!
Speaking of next time…Endymion Extravaganza is a “must” next time.
Paul and Holly had the honor of attending their first Endymion Extravaganza and boy did it look like something everybody should experience. Here’s Holly’s first hand account.
You can’t help but fall in love with the Mardi Gras spirit in New Orleans.
The whole town comes together to celebrate, eat, dance and sing. Of course, on Bourbon Street things get raunchy (been there, done that for a bowl game or two), but we stayed in residential Uptown, where it’s a family atmosphere. We even marched in a REAL LIFE Mardi Gras parade with a REAL LIVE New Orleans Jazz band. Okay, so we didn’t ride elaborate floats, we pushed red Radio Flyer wagons and strollers, but still! Everywhere we went people stopped work to come out and wave to the kids. It was great fun!
New Orleans is still struggling post-Katrina.
The most noticeable area we went through was the Lakeview district where house after house is empty (we didn’t go see the Ninth Ward, due to Mardi Gras traffic). We all pondered over what the area would look like five to ten years from now. Would it remain a ghost town or rebuild? It’s anybody’s guess.
You can never get enough of New Orleans food.
And of course, we didn’t reach our fill! With all our obstacles (sickness, traffic restrictions and businesses being closed on Lundi Gras) we didn’t make it to as many eateries as we would have liked, but we did get quite a sampling, including going to lunch at the highly acclaimed Commander’s Palace for lunch, which was pretty spectacular. We also devoured our dishes at Franky and Johnny’s, and enjoyed some local flair at Cooter Brown’s Tavern, Grill & Oyster Bar. Needless to say, we HAVE to go back for some more food, especially when we are feeling better.
Paul, Holly and family were great!
Paul and Matt knew each other soon after graduating from college, and have been buddies ever since. It just so happens they both married gorgeous, smart (I could go on and on here!) women who have bonded over blogging and have oodles in common. So, it was wonderful to spend time with them and their kids. They were marvelous, gracious hosts throughout maddening circumstances.
Looking forward to Mardi Gras 2008!

Here’s a clip from the Muses Parade 2007.

Click on the image and print a buy one get one free at Coldstone Creamery!

basic to several recipes is odori, that gift at the frutta e verdura tucked into your shopping bag as you leave. With the odori, you make a trito, a mince of the vegetables, which are then sauteed in olive oil until softened.

Finely chop 2 carrots, 2 stalks celery, 1 onion, 2 cloves garlic, and a handful of parsley. Saute in 2 tablespoons olive oil until golden.

“Less is more” applies directly to this and other Tuscan recipes, which tend to have few ingredients. Vegetables and meats, especially, are served with total assurance that they speak very well for themselves.

Mayes, Frances. “Odori.” Recipe. In Tuscany. New York: Broadway, 2000. 188.

meat sauce for pasta

odori
1 pound ground beef
1 pound ground pork
4 Italian sausages
salt, pepper, and thyme, to taste
1 to 2 cups white wine
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 quarts tomato puree

Prepare the odori (Giusi omits the garlic for ragu) in a 4-quart heavy pot with a lid, then add the ground beef, ground pork, and sausages and saute until browned. Add salt, pepper, thyme, and a cup or two of white wine. After the wine has evaporated, add the tomato paste and tomato puree. Cover and simmer over a very low flame for 3 hours, stirring now and then. If necessary, add a glass of water. Ragu and striated penne, which holds on to the sauce, marry well. Serves 12 or more.

Mayes, Frances. “Giusi’s Pasta al Ragu.” Recipe. In Tuscany. New York: Broadway, 2000. 198.

guinea hen hunter style

1 whole guinea hen (or chicken), cut into pieces
1/4 cup olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste
odori
1 cup white wine
2 cups tomato sauce, preferably homemade

Prepare the odori and set aside. In a large skillet, saute the chicken in the oil for ten minutes. Add salt and pepper and lower the flame. Add the odori and saute until golden. Add the while wine and simmer until all the liquid has evaporated. Add the tomato sauce and cook over a low flame for 15 minutes. As with many tomato recipes, this is best the next day. Serves 4.

Mayes, Frances. “Giusi’s Faraone alla Cacciatora.” Recipe. In Tuscany. New York: Broadway, 2000. 198.

Galax, Virginia is known for the Old Fiddler’s Convention, but believe it or not, there’s another reason to make a side trip off the Blue Ridge Parkway…

The February 2007 Southern Living magazine said: “Banana Pudding: Almost every barbeque joint worth its sauce serves some version of this regional favorite, still we located a truly exceptional recipe at Galax Smokehouse ([276] 236-1000) in southwest Virginia. Co-owner Ron Passmore says he uses three ordinary yet nontraditional ingredients to make his creamy pudding.”

And for $2.99 you can’t beat that price!

1 (16-ounce) package Oreo cookies
1/2 gallon vanilla ice cream, softened
1 (12-ounce) tub of Cool Whip (or homemade whipped cream)
1/3 cup butter
1 (8-ounce) jar of hot fudge topping

Crush cookies, reserving approximately five tablespoons to the side for the topping. Melt butter and add to cookies. Place in bottom of 9 x 13 inch pan. On top of cookies layer in softened ice cream, hot fudge topping and Cool Whip. Sprinkle reserved cookies on top. Freeze overnight. Let thaw slightly before serving.

Recipe courtesy of Chuck.

…but not the Katrina kind, the Pat O’Brien kind. And, while you’re at it, I’d like a Po’boy, some beignets, parades, beads, throws and great friends!

Please.

I’m having a hard time waiting until next week!!!