Mayhaw Man

Brett Anderson, food critic for the Picayune, compiled this list of all of his published reviews for the year. It is an interesting list (one I do not endorse wholeheartedly, but I am liking BA more and more and think that his understanding of what this place is all about is pretty good and getting great) and one that many of you travelers may find useful. Where they exist, you should also be able to link directly to the places website for phone info, etc. John Besh, formerly of Artesia in my bucolic little hometown, comes out on top with August. A really cool feeling place in the 300 block of Tchop with some pretty snappy food. This list uses beans instead of stars, in case you are not familiar with the system. 5 beans means that you are not likely to become a "has bean"

No family tonight as they have all headed North (well, let me rephrase that as North from here, just North Louisiana ) so I can feed myself what ever I want while I am making about a million pralines and the odd batch of brittle. Nice, grass fed, New York Strip (black iron skillet and broiler method, finish with cabernet/butter ala Ruth's Chris) Baked Potato Steamed Asparagus Broken pralines (there are plenty of them already) over vanilla ice cream Big steaming Community Dark Roast afterwards because no one is here to tell me not too

In my part of America the best way to see squirrels this time of year is to go to risu kouen (large suburban mall) sort of like a mini zoo but with just squirrels

We are thinking alike in this matter.

Man, that bread looks great! Is the tile on your backsplash the same as your floor tile? I have been giving that some thought as both a practical and attractive way to handle the backsplashes in my soon to be redone for the third time kitchen.

Then again, it may be the quality of the fried chicken available to the condemned.

And I thought that the Monty Python guys just made up those "killer rabbits" "Bring out the Holy Hand Grenade!" Your photos are great and add so much to the blog. I am really looking forward to each installment.

Added Dianne Kennedy's excellent new book yesterday while I was supposed to be buying Holiday gifts. I need to go into bookstores with some kind of collar on that will cause pain and suffering when I go near the food books. Too many, too much money, too little read. AUUUUGHHGHGHG STOP ME BEFORE I BUY AGAIN!

Brooks, you are obviously a man of taste and distinction. Chad Either that, or I am really cheap and have convinced myself that I like old stuff. I also have a 1967 Chrysler New Yorker with every electrical convenience known to man in 1967 and while it is hardly a classic, I have convinced myself that it is a great car, much like I have convinced myself that carbon Sabatiers are great knives. However, the car has never had to be rehoned.

My script for the current smackdown is still in flux. I could easily change the ending and have Bayless in the can. I will discuss with my partners (the Coen Brothers) and see if we can work Bayless in prison into our treatment. You guys will, of course, recieve any residuals due to you for this idea after accounting gets down with the books (don't plan on any big purchases, we have some great accountants)

Why, has she ever been to Mexico?

I like riding the bus in MX. Especially those motorcoaches. Comfortable and you meet a hell of a lot of nice people that way.

I would like to suggest, with all seriousness, that there is an opportunity for an egullet adventure here. I have never been for the holiday (although I have been to Oaxaca) but our old housemate (it's a New Orleans thing, next door neighbor in a camelback double) goes everyyear and has got the drill down pretty well. It is not an expensive trip and is very easy to put together. Something to think about.

Thanks. That's something Mrs. Varmint has never told me. She doesn't eat pork. Even with a digital thermometer attached? Ouch!

I have no idea how I missed that fascinating report. I certainly hope that he was able to find a physician to remove that glass from his nose. That can be very painful Great looking butt

That is a great looking cut of meat in that dish. Does not look at all like the huge, flap on, briskets seen typically here in the states. That cheese board and menu board in fromt of the farm shop are great. Is that bitter listed about halfway down the second column, or is it something else? Do they sell beer? I kind of doubt it, but stand ready to be corrected. It is kind of hard to read on this cheesy monitor.

Theabroma 10/23/03 This is from one of the best entries (IMO) in Theabroma's Travelogue. I have rarely read anything , anywhere, that I have enjoyed as much. Perhaps it is because I have had many experiences of a similar nature in Mexico, or maybe it is just because it is a diarist working from her heart (one that knows how to write), but either way it has been a pleasure to read and I will be sorry to see her return to El Norte (she probably feels the same way about her return).

Senor Varmint, Did you ever cook this South of the Border Feast?

Congratulations on your latest achievement. I would be really interested to know if there are general employee meals at El Bulli (or anywhere else you have been so far, for that matter) and if there are meals, what do they usuallyconsist of? My experience with this is that employee meals are generally "pot food" but often very good (and occasionally very, very bad). Although I have worked in places where it tended to be ethnic food (primarily latin american or Vietnamese) due to the majority of the staff being from those places.

What kind of beef? How thick was it cut?

I just sent an email to Burl Cain, warden at Angola, asking if he would like to participate in this discussion. Who knows? He is a pretty gregarious guy. He might do it.

I made light in the above comment about prison food in Louisiana, but perhaps I should not have. The prison that is referred to as often having good food is Angola State Penetentiary. A very large prison located on an old cane and cotton plantation in a very inaccesible are in Louisiana. There is one road in and out. 70% of the prisoners who go in are not coming out. Ever. The population is made up of a majority of lifers (big stripes in Angola Parlance) who are there until they die. The deal with the food is that the prison is a GIANT working farm. Everything grown at Angola is consumed there. Vegetables, cattle, pigs, etc. The food is obviously supplemented with food service type food, but the availability of prison grown does add quite a bit of quality to the meals. I have eaten in the main dining cafeteria a couple of times (as a visitor on official business, thank you very much) and can attest that the food I had was acceptable as decent and would probably put to shame some of the places in this country claiming to be soul food places. This is not to say that it is good, or anything that foodies should arrange to try to eat as an odd gourmet treat in an exotic locale. Angola is not a good place (in fact it is a very bad place) and they could have Austin Leslie and Charlie Trotter working the line side by side and it still would not be worth one night in that place. I believe that prisoners deserve a decent diet that is inexpensive to produce and not mind numbingly repetitive. I think that it should also reflect the local food that the average prisoner is used to seeing. Religious dietary requirements should be tolerated to the point where it begins to cause problems with other inmates (whatever that is?) I do not believe that they deserve anything beyond that. Sure, there are people who do not belong there, but most do and they got there by their own devices. I cannot see that serving delightful meals is going to help much in their rehabilitation, as part of the idea of prison-beyond rehabilitation- is a form of punishment that makes the prisoner not want to return. A couple of visits, even knowing I was driving out at the end of the day, were all I needed to know I didn't want to spend the night. A brief History of Angola

What did you expect? Bad Food? Actually, it probably has more to do with the number of former state and local officials we have locked up. I am sure, even in their incarcerated state, that they have enough pull to get a decent meal shipped in.

Well if it happens, feel free to tell anyone who asks after me that I took one for the team Happy Holidays to you and yours. =R= The whole thing is, when you get right down to it, all about teamwork. Peace on Earth

Friday Night-Going away dinner for MIL (who has actually been wonderful and a great help, as she always is) who is outta here tommorrow with the whole wretched family, leaving me to my own devices until Christmas Eve. Oyster Stew Green Salad with pecans and satsumas Grilled Catfish Steamed Aparagus w/lemon butter Onion and Garlic Risotto For Dessert an angel walked in during dinner and brought: White Chocolate Bread Pudding and White Chocolate Granache There was an entire, still warm bread pudding and enough of the sauce to float the Titanic. MMMMMMMMMMMM I love my friend Michelle. She is swell, by belle Michelle.