Mayhaw Man

I have enjoyed the show over the years and have resisted buying one of the books mentioned above, but one question burns-Do the chefs have any advance notice of ingrediants and are they able to prepare mise en place ahead of time (I suppose that "mise en place ahead of time" is redundant, but forgive me and besides-you know what I mean )?

The current record for bivalves choked down in one sitting at the Acme Oyster House is 50 dozen (this was set at the Covington, LA location). Coincidentally I was in there having a meal (my birthday)as he was working on it. He was remarkably normal sized and it was remarkably disgusting, but fascinating (much like the old "watching a train wreck). For those of you who have a hard time believing this-call 'em up-985-898-0667 In New York money this feast would have cost him $1200.

You might want to think of changing the name of "The Dismal River" to something that is a little more inviting to travelers and would be tourists. Perhaps "Beautiful River" would be a nice change

Review of Tommy's by Picayune Critic Brett Anderson Tommy's on Tchop News from the Crescent City. I am going to the "Art Dinner mentioned in the Article. John Besh is a great guy, but this is pretty dicey as the facilities are a bit lacking where he is doing this dinner New Orleans Dining News 1/2/03 The Sooners are glad to be able to get a decent meal, but still insist on bringing their own (which is a good thing because we have generally terrible BBQ) Okies Can Cook But they've got nothing on us This is another excellent piece of work by Marcelle Bienvenue. A great food writer. Marcelle's New Year's Column Geaux Tigers!

$1.95 EACH for oyster shooters? Oy. Such a value! What kind of oysters are those? Everything else seemed reasonable for New York, but 2 bucks for an oyster is a bit out of hand. I hope that they were good

I have tried this little critter on a number of occasions, as our Dept. of Agriculture keeps trying to entice consumers into eating the rats that are eating our coastline. Sadly, it just doesn't hold a candle to pork or shrimp , but they keep trying. Several years ago there was a public cookoff with several of our better known chefs (Paul Prudhomme, Jamie Shannon, John Folse, Emeril Legasse, Susan Spicer, Frank Brigsten, etc.) and these people were charged with trying to make this foodstuff palatable. Failure abounded. No matter what kind of sauce you put on it "a rat by any other name still tastes like a rat". In fairness I will say that it does not taste bad. A bit like squirrel or wild swamp hare, but with all of the choices in the meat cooler, it is going to be a pretty hard sell to get people to buy this stuff.

I think that the perception that American's don't like fish is a bit overstated. I believe that it has more to do with where the American is from. In my part of America (I live on the Gulf Coast) we eat seafood and freshwater products as often as we eat beef or chicken. That would be true pretty much from Corpus Christi to Key West and on around to Baltimore on the Atlantic Coast. Many times these foods are less expensive than their meaty alternatives. Redfish, Speckeled Trout (spotted sea trout) blue crabs, oysters, shrimp (white and brown), flounder, and the ever present crawfish, etc. are readily available and are the center of many meals. Take a look at any local cookbook and you will see what I mean. OTOH, when meat is eaten in this same area, it is likely as not to be pork. Pork pretty much rules the Gulf SOuth and the SOuthern Atlantic Coastal States. As a matter of fact, we had loin chops for dinner last night, with clue crab clawmeat stuffed potatoes ($5.98 per lb., pretty good for this time of year), fresh local brussel sprouts (in hot bacon dressing, mmmmmm, wrong but delicious), and some bread I had made a couple of weeks ago and frozen. Thanks to both of you for your blogs this week. They have been fascinating. And I agree with Helen in the fact that Kristen's photos added much value to the whole enterprise. Edited to say that as far as raw fish goes-My oldest got his usual choice of anyplace he wanted to eat for his birthday this week and he chose, once again, an excellent Sushi Joint in New Orleans. And also to say that you might be suprised how much of the fish on the Tokyo Fish Market left the Louis Armstrong International Airport in New Orleans yesterday morning. Japan is one of our biggest seafood export partners.

Jason, Lucy has been on public television here for years. She cooks the same things over and over again ("First, you make roux and add onions, bell pepper, and celery, along with a little garlic-but don't put it in too early or you'll burn it" ) and you are right about her diction. THe odd thing is this, she speaks exactly like a female version of John Folse. There is this accent that exists on the West Side of the River just above and below Baton ROuge that is unlike any other around here. I suppose it has something to do with the addition of German immigrants on top of the usual mix of Creole, etc. But you are right about one thing, her show is pretty boring and not very remarkable. OTOH I'll pretty much bet that she could blow your socks off if you sat down for a meal at her table. So yes, you might like it alot.

I just replied. I am sorry, we have been traveling for the holidays and it has been very difficult to stay on line for anytime (phone modem coupled with a group of people who insist on snatching up the phone every 3 seconds). I told Kristen that I would be traveling this week and would not be able to do a decent job of it, but I would be interested in doing it either during the Jazz Fest or Mardi Gras, as we ("we" being the whole extended family and all of the many friends you find out you have when someone needs a free place to be during these holidays) have lots of company and pretty much don't do ANYTHING but eat and drink and cook and listen to music. So remember me the last week of February or last week of April, if you still want me to do it.

I am sure that what the seer eat affects how they taste. The deer that I am used to dealing with have pretty much only been eating acorns and pecans in the winter months and spend their summers messing up soy bean plots (you should see what a nice size herd of deer can do to soy bean plants that have had about two weeks to come up, it is much like the above ground version of Bugs Bunny going through the carrot plot) and eating immature rice shoots. Mid summer dining includes blackberries and maturing soybeans. After considering your question a little bit I would say that the venison that I have been eating all of my life does have a distinctive "nutty taste", but not overwhelming.

If you like Sam's friends, you may have an interest in my friend as well. I have had the diamond kit for many years and find it to be not only servicable, but idiot proof (this does not imply that I am an idiot, but it does imply that someone who is accused of being one uses it regularly with great success) as well. The cost varies with the type you order and frankly the stone system works almost as well (another idiot in my family has one) and is about half the cost.

Texans have such an interesting way of asking for information. First you express interest in the fabulous dish that I described above. Next you threaten to hang me. I am so confused The bacon was sauteed along with the onions for just a couple of minutes. It is important that the bacon not be completely cooked, as the pork fat is essential in keeping the meat moist, as venison tends to dry out pretty quickly (it is lean to begin with). The apples were pretty finely chopped and all of these items were mixed together and trussed into the backstrap. Coals were lit and I didn't wait very long to spread them out and start cooking. The meat was constantly basted and turned regularly (by regularly I mean almost constantly, I was not looking for charring here. Once again, this is very lean meat and does not do well when overcooked). After roughly twenty minutes of this I judged it to be done. The venison was allowed to rest under aluminum foil in a warm oven (app. 100 degrees F) and then sliced into medallions. I hope this helps. I am now heading for the hideout in order to avoid the neck tie party. p.s.- The okra in the cornbread complimented the venison nicely. Some of you who are resisting this delicious pod should perhaps leave your sheltered existances and eat up.

Joeie's mention of River Road in interesting in that it is a Junior League Book. There are many of these types of books in the US and I have found that a couple of them are superior. River Road being one of them and Southern Sideboards and the Cotton COuntry Collection being the other two. They are all great overviews of Southern Cooking at it's best. As far as the question the thread raises: Craig Claiborne's New York Times Cookbook The Silver Palate Cookbook Cotton Country Collection The Way to Cook-Julia Child Martha Stewart's Pies and Tarts (really, it is a great book, no kidding )

Real Beef. The kind that grew up wandering around in a field eating bahia grass and alfalfa hay. Once you get a hold of a regular supply, all others pale in comparison. Real Milk. Milk that has not been homogenized or de-fatted. I grew up drinking it and didn't realize how much I missed it until a local dairy started a new artisianl line of "Creamline" products. Mauthe's Dairy in Folsom, Louisiana is making wonderful things-creole cream cheese, whole and 2 % milk, awesome butter (only in two pound rolls or 5 pound blocks, and apparently will soon be churning out ice cream. The stuff is great. It is available in New Orleans at any decent grocery and also at the Farmer's Markets in Covington and New Orleans. Really Good Bacon, like this, will ruin you for any low quality grocery store brand in the world. The stuff is great. Lean, thick, and smoky.

I ended up with Bambi and Bambi's brother as Christmas gifts (thanks to my 14 year old, who will henceforth be known as Hawkeye, apologies to J.F. Cooper ). A large part of this is being processed into various things (sausage, tamales, etc.). but the backstraps, that is another matter. They were taken and split lengthwise and stuffed with bacon (Richard's Bacon, which I have sung the praises of many times), granny smith apples, and yellow onions (halved and sliced), and chopped porcini mushrooms. Each one was trussed with string and tightly tied, in order to keep in the stuffing while being turned on the grill. A basting sauce was made. The sauce consisted of 2 cups of red wine, 1/2 cup worcestershire, and a puree of garlic, green bellpepper, white onion, and apple. This was reduced by half in a saucepan. The meat was then grilled over a medium hot bed of hardwood charcoal until medium rare, basting constantly with the sauce. Meat was sliced into half inch medallions and laid on a serving platter. This was served with black eyed peas, stewed cabbage, yukon gold pots. that had been boiled and then riced into a casserole along with chopped onions, garlic, and a good quality parm. reggiano. This was served along with a slaw of cabbage with a very light, but fairly sweet, slaw type dressing (the dressing was not unlike regular poppyseed without the poppyseed). Two pans of homemade cornbread (one with OKRA and one without) came along with the bargain. Dessert consisted of a cake that I got of of the new Gourmet (the one with the cover everybody but me and hjshorter seems to hate ). I cannot remember the name of the cake, but it had fresh orange juice and sour cream in it. It was iced with a very sweet orangy icing. It was simple and very good. The venison was unbelievable. It was the single best venison dish that I have ever eaten. There was not so much as an onion left over. Every savory morsel was consumed and our New Year was started off in great fashion. Welcome to New Year's Day in the Louisiana Delta.

That Green Tea Ice Cream looks great. Thanks for the photos. Thomas the Tank Engine. My boys have out grown it now but for a while we were covered up in Thomas. Trains, pillows, lunchboxes, etc. etc. It was one of the few childrens series that I liked to watch. The animation was fun and Ringo Starr and George Carlin were great at reading the scripts. Nice to see that it is still popular with children (of all ages ).

Hey Man! You can make these and be glad you did. There is another recipe for these that is vegetarian that appeared in the January 2001 Gourmet that I can't pull up for some reason, but it is vegetarian and really good. THe bell pepper sauce that goes with them is awesome. I have made both of these recipes, however, and they are both good. DO NOT USE FRESH PEAS FOR THESE RECIPES> THEY MUST BE DRIED PEAS OR YOU WILL BE CURSING THE DAY YOU WERE BORN (Do you think I might have tried it? )

No longer a wish, but reality in the Mayhaw Kitchen. This thing rocks and looks cool to boot.

Joke! It was a Joke! Some of the nicest people I know are New Yorkers. Really. Come to think of it, some of the rudest most out of touch people that I know are my wife's group of old school friends known collectively at my house as the "New Orleans Uptown Lunch Ladies". They would be the ones with the giant strollers and duffel bag size baby bags in your way in the coffee shop and breaking in line at the grocery store (and then complaining that they can't understand why they can't write a check without ID). Now this may be a bit off topic, but I am trying to steer it back to children in Restaurants. Really I am. I think the real discussion here involves adults, as no children I know have the means or the motive to walk into the French Laundry and tuck into a big hunk of Fois Gras. There seems to have been a shift in the last twenty or so years towards general rudeness in public, based not so much on will but on unawareness. I truly believe that there are a growing number of people in this world who just don't care what anyone else thinks or how their actions affect those around them. This is the primary problem with the "kids in nice rest." discussion. We have guided this discussion ( in a very engaging manner) to a discussion of manners of the children, when I think that the real problem is not with the children, but with the adults themselves. Anyone with a modicum of good sense knows that, no matter what, you do not take a screaming kid into Citronelle or Commander's Palace (or Popeye's as far as I am concerned, but that's just me). The adults are the people that need to be corrected and reprimanded. The children are just doing what kids do. I find it interesting that no one has written in with a horror story involving their own children (including myself, but I didn't take them out to eat until they were able to behave well enough to do it). Does this mean that no one here has ever done this? I hope so, but I kind of doubt it. Manners and respect for others is the common issue here, not bad kids. All children behave differently, some better than others, but no child ever chosen to go mess up an evening at Citronelle. The adults took them there and they are the ones that need to be corrected. Incidentally, I love New York Edited because I can't type (even though I make my living doing it ) _

Are you sure that this is not just a "New York Thing". The rest of the world seems well mannered, genteel, and concerned with the welfare of others. Does Mrs. Manners appear in the Times, The Post, or Newsday? If not, perhaps a write in campaign would do the trick. She is very helpful in many of these situations and the rest of the world sees her as a guiding light in a sea of darkness. Mrs. Manners may be of some use to you guys in the Big City.

I am actively seeking out good deals on beef . At all times. Beef. It's what's for Dinner.

Good luck tonight with the children. I may not know a bunch about Japanese living but I know about life with children attached at the hip . I hope it works out. This thing has been fascinating so far. Whoever comes after you and Jackal has got some work cut out.

Well, same vodka-different guy. The Luxembourg guy bought it from a bunch of guys in the US and Mexico, who were led by The Cabo Group-a liquor distributor and importer of tequila (notably Tenoche, which is really, really good and not so notably the bulk tequila that eventually is bottled as Torado (the one with the tiny sombrero on the top)). I believe that the Cabo group is now defunct. I have had no contact with the principles in several years. It was kind of fun though. They had all of these little coffins made up in Puebla and they would ship them to the two bottling plants in El Norte. The bottles were packaged and sold in the little coffins. Very tasteful. The ATF took a run at the owners based on the label being against some of their stunningly arcane and seriously lacking in sense of humor regulations concerning alcohol labeling and the case ended up in the US Supreme Court (the government lost). I believe that the case was known as Cabo vs. The United States, but I could not pull it up as I do not have one of those fabulous lawyer data bases (although a large percentage of our fellow correspondents might ). They sold it to the Europeans in the late nineties (I think, I just read the trades and was not involved in any way).

Heather, I am going to compile a reasonable list and include some dates and stuff. A ouple of questions though.....will you have a car or do you want to avoid one? I can't spend any time on this tonight as I am cleaning my humble, but very large and tiresome to clean by myself, abode. Mrs. Mayhaw will be returning from her Mom's with my boys (and a couple of ice chests full of venison and a very few ducks) and in the interest of marital bliss I will need to have this place looking something like she left it. I will work on this Tuesday. At work. When I have plenty of time.

Tons to do with kids, but many of the reccomendations have to do with the time of year you are thinking about coming. Do you have a rough idea (or even better, a specific one)? Checkpoint is right around the corner from my wife's families place on Royal St. You can do your laundry and get all liquored up. Truly a great place. Actually, I don't know how long it has been since you have been around, but the whole area down Frenchman St. has really become a happening part of town in the last few years. Lots of good places to eat (Mona's, Santa Fe, Praline Connection, Neat new sushi place filled with the hipster crowd that I can never remember the name of, etc.) and lots of music joints. That Laundry and drinking thing used to be more common in New Orleans, now I can just think of a couple more besides Checkpoint Charlie's (Igor's on St Charles across from the Pontchatrain). I used to do my laundry at the Maple Leaf before they pulled out the machines. That, sadly for both me and thirsty people with dirty clothes, was a very long time ago.