Mayhaw Man

I fall heavily into the tomato camp. No Okra though. That would be wrong

I don't think that the budget involved will allow George to work for us (but we are taking a lunch and seeing what flies ). Billy Bob is currently having a tattoo done with my name surrounded by renditions of shrimp, oysters, and pigs feet, so I think he will be in there. He is going to be the homeless guy who sits in the corner reading the paper and accosting patrons with harangues about Jesus.

Like a butter bell (link is just an example, there are other shapes and makes, of course)? I keep whole wheat flour in the fridge because it goes stale more quickly than I can use it. That's the thing. Thanks for the link. I believe mine came from France, but it is the same idea. Works great, the butter keeps very well and is always soft.

We have threads in the Louisiana Forum on Tasso, Gumbo, Turducken, Andouille, and many other forms of food that are (or used to be, anyway) fairly unique to the Bayou State. Right now there is a foodblog being penned by Ronnie Suburban that has some excellent photos of the mise en place involved in cooking Gumbo. One of the pm's that I recieve here at Louisiana Central is "Where do I get great Jambalaya when I am visiting your wonderful and exotic homeland" (in truth, no one has ever phrased it quite like that, but I am still waiting ). I would like to hear where you think the best is (both here in Louisiana and where you live) and if you would like to share a recipe or two, that would be great. My favorite is at Coop's Place. A dive of a bar and restaurant on Decatur St. in New Orleans. It is chock full of ham, shrimp, sausage, and comes in a nice but not too wet rice and tomato mix. I really love it. And the best part of this particular dish of Jambalaya is that being bar food, it is really cheap. My kids love this place ("Dad, that guy is wasted!") and it is the center of many of the more eccentric organized events in the French Quarter. Truly a local joint. I highly reccomend it. So let's hear it. Jambalaya For Everybody!!

All of thse people will be able to help you in your quest for Tasso, a fine ingredient (great on pizza, incidentally). I reccomend that you contact Richard's and see who their wholesaler is in the Houston area. You can then contact them to find out about individual stores that sell their products. When you find a store, make sure that you buy a pound of thier Hickory Smoked Bacon. You will not be sorry. It is the best American bacon that I have ever had (other than home smoked). Richard's Pork Paradise Poche's Pig Pickins Hebert's Hog Heaven Links to Links (of sausage) Hope this helps. Regards, Brooks

Two things, 1) All of my flour, corn meal, etc. is in the freezer. Here in the South, or anywhere warm and damp, flour and other meal left out will soon get a visit from little friends. I prefer my cake and cornbread without bugs, so into the freezer it goes. 2) I have one of those deals that is basically half a globe with a hole cut out of it that is suspended in a little water designed to perform an airlock. It is a butter container, it came from France, and it works great. The butter is always soft, and lasts a long time (at least long enough for us to go through it, and we eat a fair amount of it). Does anyone have any idea what I am talking about?

Apparently many of you have never taken a fascinating tour of a food packaging facility (don't start with a mayo factory, trust me ). Most of the things on your list and damn near anything that "pops" when you turn, twist, fold, spindle, or mutilate the lid has been packed HOT. Just like you can at home. The theory is exactly the same and that's why they do it. I think that things that are fairly high in acid content will "keep" for long periods. Pickles, ketchup, etc. are pretty bullet proff as far as how long they will keep, but they will change flavor pretty quickly and I think that this is where the refrigeration part comes in. But I could always be wrong

I am writing him in as the health inspector. Bayless will be the manager on duty when he shows up and there will be a problem involving a grease trap, a dead rat, and a couple of vials of crack. Interested investors can reach me by pm and I will give them my Cayman Banking info.

I believe that Roberto Duran covered it nicely after getting clobbered in the Superdome a few years back-"No Mas! No Mas!"

While I am at it, I should say that my budget posted above contains paper goods, dog, cat, fish, and coon food (the coons are just occasional guests on my back porch, but they really like cat food) and cleaning supplies as they are inseperable in Quicken (even for the bean counter I sleep next to). So not all of that is for food. Then again, I don't clean much

This is the kind of thing I live for. All they need to do is preface it with "follw the zany antics of Dweezil and Lisa as they travel America looking for something to fill thirty minutes of your time with" I miss Dweezil's dad, though. There, my friends, was a major league sense of humor. Actually, I agree with Tommy's comments concerning Food Network, but I think that they are pretty much reaching these days for content. I wonder why they don't seem to like straight, informational cooking shows. Are the ratings that bad for those kinds of programs? When they have them, it seems like mainly in the afternoon, never in prime time.

No. It is probably illegal all the way down the chain. Likely as not it was confiscated from illegal fishing to begin with. In Louisiana, the Wildlife guys have a list of charities that they normally donate this stuff to (game and fish both) so I guess they just used some of that. Incidentally, if you read my bio you will see that at one point in my storied life I was a seafood buyer for a very large (the largest at that point) place in BR. You would not believe how many people tried to sell us fish out of the back of their trucks (divers mostly, vending Lemon Fish (ling, cobia) and other hard to buy commercially fish. I never did it however, as there was no real reason too and the Wildlife guys would regularly check our stock.

Generally I agree with you on this matter, but differ in one area. A quarter head of Iceberg (cut into a 1/4, not torn up), some thinly sliced white onions, and some very strong blue cheese dressing (I am talking 10 on the stink factor, here) with lots of black pepper is a highly underrated eating experience. Charlie's Steakhouse in New Orleans (right around the corner from Pascal Manale's on Napoleon Ave.) serves this and I have been doing it at home for years. It really is good. Otherwise, no iceberg for me, generally.

If I wore a short dress EVERYBODY in the place would need a cardiologist and a quick whack of Procardia

I used to buy fish at Christina's all the time when they were still on Oak St (conveniently located next to the Maple Leaf Bar, a favorite dive). The old building is now part of Jacques Imo's and they have moved over to Carrollton Ave. The fish was always VERY FRESH Now I know why.

I suppose that I could live differently, but then again, why would I? We enjoy food the way that many families enjoy hobbies together and it is something that we all enjoy. It brings us all together at one time most days, as many days this is the only time that we all get together thanks to all of the diversions of the modern, kids must pack as much as possible into their lives and both parents work hard world. This is expendable income that many people choose to spend on cars, bigger houses than they need, etc. and outside of a rediculous tennis habit, it is what I do for enjoyment. I am very lucky in that my circumstances (both financially and culturally) allow for the acquisition of interesting things to cook and eat on a regular basis and I see no reason to live otherwise. I have been fortunate enough to become fairly well traveled in my life and enjoy more than gumbo and chicken sauce piquant on my table and am an able and willing cook. My point in my post was that I found this topic interesting enough to do a little research and figure out what we spent. I have to admit that I thought it would be a bit higher figure than we came up with. As I pointed out in my post I think that we could certainly do with less, but it would not be nearly as enjoyable and I think that I would get bored using the same basic ingrediants over and over again. And, if we are talking academic excercise here, I think that my family could exist on much less. I could easily FEED four people for 300 a month, but they would not be very happy people and I am of the opinion that one of the reasons I work the way I do and strive to be a success financially is so that I can not only provide the basics for my family, but also provide some extras that are not really needed, but certainly appreciated. I live in a very small town of mostly moderate circumstances and my children are very aware that they are lucky to be in the situation they are. I spent enough time in my life pretty close to broke that I make sure that they understand that work or a whole bunch of luck and good circumstances are needed to get ahead in the world as it stands today. To me cooking and eating is life, not surviving. Surviving is a whole 'nother matter.

what do you generally discuss? I was wondering about that myself I suppose that "Hey. Whatcha doing?" would not lead to very interesting conversation. I would think that the answer would be self evident

As an onld hand in the Turducken World, I have used wild ducks both times that I did one for myself (which falls highly into the doing it for the experience category, as I live in South LA and those things can be bought at any number of butcher shops). There is so much fat between the Turkey and the chicken that I think that it makes for a much better cooking experience, as wild ducks might as well be a different species from their farm raised cousins. Wild ducks are very, very, lean (at least here, in the winter, after they have flown down from the Upper Midwest and Canada). So I say, if you got one use it.

I love to cook. That being said I really hate making the basic ingrediants for salads. Tearing up lettuce, etc. is something that I consider to be a total pain. Those bagged salads mean that we eat more salad than we used to. I wonder how this has changed the sales of lettuce in the US? One would think that the repackaging costs the producers a bit more, but I kind of assume that their volume is up thanks to lazy people such as myself. Have you ever left a bag of shredded cabbage in the drawer and forgotten about it for a while? Woo hoo! Talk about a big, bad smell. Yikes. I have determined from doing this a couple of times that I would not make a very good employee for a Kim Chee manufacturer.

February! There's an R in there! "Feb-u-ary" is like taking a bleeping rake across a blackboard. I have spent time in France, but I am certain there are plenty -- nay, MANY -- French words I do not pronounce correctly. And I would be most appreciative of a well-intentioned lesson in pronounciation. What I don't need is someone who looks down on me, snorts, say's "of course" and walks away to talk about me behind my back, while all the while hoping to suck an extra buck out of my wallet. I rarely pay extra for condescension. The best menus are those which give the guest a choice. Difficult to do with wines, but easy with food. Beche-de-mer can be described as sea cucumber, soubise as a creamy onion sauce. Well then, let's not discuss Winter Months if we ever chance to meet. I just spent five minutes trying to pronounce it to your liking and I have failed miserably. I am afraid that it comes out feb-uh-wary every time. I do not however say Illuhnoise or Hiwayuh, so we can discuss states of the Union if you wish

Just to clear up a muddy point- The bizarre system of truck stop casinos (which I took great pleasure in explaining to the Perlow's as we passed about twenty of them on our little trip) is a little hard to understand. In order to have more than a certain number of video poker machines in one place (aka video crack) one must sell diesel fuel and have a certain number of pumps. It is a truly bizarre little part of an agreement that gave us Riverboat Casinos and the big one on Canal St. in New Orleans. Truck stops can only have video poker. Incidentally, John Besh, James Beard award winner and former chef at Artesia, Vicky Bailey's little restaurant in tiny, one stop light Abita Springs (I can walk there, which is nice) just opened a steakhouse inside Harrah's. I had dinner there a week or so ago and it was very good as far as steakhouses go, but still does not have the ambience or people watching entertainment value of the original Ruth's Chris on Broad St in New Orleans. It was very good however and I would do it again if invited (I don't gamble so am not likely to go unless invited).

Rick Flips Out Rick Bayless appearing as an out of work chef who is forced to take a job as an inner city Burger King shift manager. His boss is is an out of work english teacher who takes great pleasure in torturing him at every turn by calling him "Cookbook Boy", and reminding him of his past life as a big shot chef and leader of a group of forward thinking chefs who are out to change the world by enticing people to eat better and to think about what they are eating. The last scene in this exciting epic is Rick being led off in a straightjacket, still wearing the remains of his take out window headset and a cool Burger King ball cap, screaming, " No! Really! It is a good sandwich and tastes just like the one they serve at Burger King in Puebla! It's good for yoooouuuuu......". Fade to Credits- Which run as you see the looney wagon driving off- sirens screaming and lights blazing- into the urban sunset. Edited to say that this will be taken on by the Coen Brothers and that the part of Rick will be played by Steve Buscemi and Harvey Keitel will play the part of The Gneral Manager. John Goodman will appear (as he has to, it is a Coen Brothers movie) as a regular customer who complains about everything and particularly about having the ends cut off his baguette as he orders "The Sandwich".

Bilrus, I agree with your country club analogy, but that would leave the problem that most country club food is not really great. In fact, while I was pondering this, I came to the conclusion that Tony Bourdain's description of the Rainbow Room and his employment there would extend nicely to most about any Country Club I have ever spent any time in. The old guys, the reused food on the steam line, losts of "meat slicing stations", etc. Hopefully the food will be better. Does anyone have any idea what kind of food you will get to spill on your ascot and who is preparing it?

As a general rule, I love all Albert Brooks movies and I particularly liked that one. My favorite character in it was the brother. What a great part! I have read much Ruth Reichl over the years and have always enjoyed her work. While the social circumstances of my upbringing often bordered on surreal, the food was amazing. I have written a couple of essays for newspapers over the years on this subject and really enjoy thinking about it. My Mom can cook. I am grateful for it. My parents traveled and still do and she likes to cook what she eats elsewhere, so it was not always a diet of Southern Staples, but all manner of incredible foods. I was very lucky that way. My interest in food stems directly from what we ate as children.

I have hesitated posting any thing in this forum without first having the information concerning me. Now I have it thanks to the fact that my wife is a Quicken wiz and an anal retentive bookeeeper (and I mean this in the nicest, most complimentary way, because I am neither of those things). Mrs Mayhaw and I are both 42. We have children who are 14 and 11. The fourteen year old is 6'2" and the 11 year old is on the same growth track, apparently. So basically I am feeding 3 adults and one almost adult.. Over the last 12 months we have spent an average of $800 per month on food. This includes lunch items for the youngest, who prefers to take his lunch to school and lunch for my wife at work, who brown bags it as well (primarily because she is often in the Gallery by herself during business hours and can't leave, lest she miss some desparate art patron with 5 grand they need to blow during lunch). We eat well. Compared to many people we eat really well. Incidentally, I am not really pushy about it, but most nights we all sit down at the dinner table. If we don't, no big deal, but I like it and everyone else seems to like it well enough to not complain much. I do most of the shopping. I know what things should cost, what they might cost next week, etc. I am good at it and know how to find a good deal and work with what I have purchased. I do most of the cooking as well (Mrs Mayhaw is an excellent cook, but she is not fast and is very messy, so she prefers to cook only for occasions). My shopping habits are thus (and incidentally, I could cut the trips way down, but I actually like grocery shopping): Local Family (but Really great) grocery store - 5 days per week Wal Mart-Once every two weeks for a big staples trip Local Vegetable Stand- 3 or 4 times a weeks Meat Market- Twice a Week Sam's Wholesale Disc.- Once a month for cheese and some other staples Various seafood outlets and individual guys 3 times per month All of this seems to average out to about $800, and this would include a fair amount of seafood and fish that is actually rather cheap here in South Louisiana (while it is available, but the shrimp guys are going out of business right and left due to competition from Southeast Asia, but that is something for another forum). Our diet is also supplemented by game during the winter months (ducks mainly, along with at least one whole deer). I also buy fresh peas and butterbeans in the summer and freeze. I can some relishes and get all my jelly (guess what kind ) from my Mom, who makes the most stupendous Mayhaw jelly on the face of the earth. Virtually everything I cook is from scratch (although I will sing the praises of those frozen biscuits, Sister Schubert's Rolls, and Arrowhead Mills Basic Cornbread Mix)and generally I am only cooking for that meal only (with leftovers going to next days lunch), with the exception of soups and stews. We do make some things on Sunday (usually, if we feel like it ) that can be pulled out of the freezer later in the week -casseroles, etc. Could we do it on $500 a month? Probably. Would we be happy about it? Absolutely not. Could we eat a healthy diet at $500 per month? Yes. What this does not include is dining out. I need to add some for that, but I have not, as we don't do it as a group very often and when we do it kind of fits into another part of our budget (entertainment/travel for you quicken nuts).