MindyMoo

MM - I do go to the Farmer's Mkt regularly, but I haven't seen the chanterelles -- I'll keep an eye out. Your Tomato Basil Pie recipe sounds amazing, I plan on making it tonight! Thank the Lord I have an IGA supermarket not 2 minutes away (and that was ironic, since I live in rural St. Bernard Parish and the IGA store is the only market in a 20 mile radius). Thanks so much and I'll let you know how it turns out. ~MindyMoo

MM, do you happen to have a recipe for Tomato Basil Pie? It sounds faulous wih some Creoles and fresh basil from my garden! Thanks in advance, Mindy

OK, now this is my forte - if you want to stay in the Quarter, I like the Bourbon House. I am a regular there at the oyster bar, most of the shuckers are very cool, just let them know you're from out of town and they'll probably give you some good tourist tips. Brandon and Willy there are my favorite (they're both shuckers). OK, if you're willing to take a cab Uptown: Clancy's (on Annunciation and Webster) has a very classic, VERY New Orleans type of bar. It is old school New Orleans, very crowded, a place where the who's who of N.O. society goes to see and be seen. Oh, it is a restaurant, so most of the bar is waiting for a table, but its great to people watch. Don't go to sit at the bar on a Friday or Saturday night, unless you go early, though, because it gets SO crowded. Also Uptown is Monkey Hill, a very classy, hip bar with candles and couches and a very "beautiful people" crowd. This is just the beginning... some other choices are the Wine Loft, loa, the Monteleone, Whiskey Blue, Orleans Grapevine Wine Bar, The Delachaise... the list goes on and on!

Oh, and about the Junior League's River Road and River Road II cookbooks - I actually bought my copies at Wal-Mart in Chalmette, LA for a pretty good discount... I had to overcome my distaste of the Junior League, but the cookbook was worth it!

Hey Rhonda - cooked fried green tomatoes from my NOPSI cookbook last night - I'll tell you about it at SM!

We actually made BBQ shrimp Sunday at a friend's house, and if there is one cardinal rule to this dish, is that BBQ sauce shouldn't go anywhere near it. We add butter, italian dressing, Worcestershire sauce, beer, maybe a bay leaf, salt and pepper and a bit of liquid crab boil, then broil in the oven. Serve with warm, crusty French bread.

Just wanted to say how much I appreciate all the food detail and pictures in your posts! Even as a local, you definitely showing me how I should be more a tourist in my own hometown! I don't know if your vacation is over yet, but I hope you enjoy the rest of it, and a big THANK YOU! -Mindy

Thanks, MM. Next weekend, I want to try the BBQ Oyster po-boy, the Cochon de lait po-boy, and the SoftShell Crab po-boy. I may need another stomach, though.

Also, Plum St. Snowballs has a flavor called Nectar Cream (it was at the JazzFest, that's why I remember now). I'm sure your father would enjoy the snowball as well as the ice cream! Plum Street Snowball 1300 Burdette St New Orleans, LA 70118-4018 Phone:(504)866-7996

Hi everyone - I'm new to the board! But here's what I ate at the 'fest: Started with... Crawfish Bread - pretty good, very filling. Crawfish Sacks - my favorite - great tasting filling, crispy outside Crawfish beignets - hot and crusty with a kicking sauce (horseradish maybe?) Rosemint tea - very refreshing! Miller Lite - I think I had 11 the whole day Crawfish Monica -good, but WAY too heavy and hot, especially after the afore-mentioned food. Then... Shared 2 snowballs from Plum St. Snowballs: Nectar Cream w/Condensed Milk - yummy and sweet Coconut Cream w/Condensed Milk - yummier and sweeter Later that Day... Fried Eggplant with Crawfish cream sauce - At least 3 people stopped to ask what I had, I think this is a new dish. Very good and lots of food for the $$$. Crabmeat stuffed Shrimp - Very good and lots of crabmeat stuffing, but only 2 to a $4 order. Coconut Shrimp (from Redfish Grill) - I was most dissappointed with this dish. Seemed like a rip-off - 4 tiny fried shrimp with a small souffle' cup of sweet and sour sauce on the side, no coconut taste, for $4. They did rest the shrimp on a bed of shredded lettuce to make the dish seem more voluminous, though... sneaky Redfish Grill. Grilled Vegetables & Rice from Palmer's - so good, with a sauce that was tasty with a little kick. Nice to have something not fried, too! After Lenny Kravitz... Mango Freeze - wonderfully refreshing... Even though I'm a local, it was my first JazzFest and I had a blast. I am going back Thursday and Saturday. I'll be broke for a good while, but it was worth it! -MindyMoo