Dago

I have a problem with the cash only places. I'm a New Orleans native but now live in Tennessee. I make frequent business trips to New Orleans with coworkers that want a taste of real New Orleans food, and not so much the tourist hot spots. In order to do so, I take them to Mandina's and Liuzza's and the like, but of course many of my favorites are cash only. This does present a problem as people travelling on business rarely do so with the intention of using cash. Many have company credit cards, etc. It makes these cash only places more difficult. I do realize they have ATMs, but when you consider people having no other choice but to use company credit cards, then you can appreciate the frustration of not having the credit card option in these circumstances.

go visit Leidenheimer or Binder Bakeries. without the right bread, there would be no poboy!

I can only say from personal experience. Up here in Chattanooga, we have Michael Adams and his family who have relocated after the storm. He's a true blooded Creole, who formerly owned and operated Mo Gumbo catering in New Orleans. He has opened his Blue Orleans Creole Restaurant and is about to open a second one in the Fall 2007. It's been a hit so far, thank God. It's nice to have a good place to go instead of always having to cook yourself when you live away.

ahhh....crawfish purging. so....I hear two schools of thought on this. Some say you HAVE to purge them.....it's the only way to insure they have coughed up all of the non-desirables. others say that purging them is a totally useless step, that it doesn't actually do what people have thought all these years that it does. And that simply soaking them in plain water, and draining and repeating several times does just as much. I honestly don't have an opinion one way or the other. Personally i've never had crawfish that hadn't gone through the purging step. discussion??? (ducking)

Allow me to introduce you to Dago's shrimp and crabmeat gumbo. It obviously contains a roux, and okra...and because I like it that way I added a little smoked sausage to it as well. To all the gumbo snobs out there....I DON'T CARE!! It was a gude. Starting the long road to rouxness: beginning to turn: getting there: adding the veggies: Here's my homemade shrimp stock...simmering and ready to belly bust right into the gumbo pot: Okra getting in the mix: Gumbo base simmering: Seafood added: another shot: The first of 2 bowls of gumbo: Truth be told, I would've preferred the gumbo to be a bit darker, but the resulting roux seemed dark enough for my liking. Perhaps the stock lightened it up some. The important bit is that it tasted A-OK to this guy, and my hillbilly wife was impressed. Speaking of the wife....the fact that this new orleans native dago was able to find a beautiful mountain girl up here in TN who likes Louisiana cooking, that was an impressive feat. We don't go hungry too often at the house. Anyway....something new next time. Till then.....good eatin to ya!

I guess we never really got around to doing it, with Thanksgiving and all. I've done a lot of jambalaya recently so I may not be able to swing that. The wife did request that I do a seafood gumbo sometime this weekend so I'd be up to doing some comparisons there, if you're up to it....burns and all. If you'd like to wait till after Christmas (I'll be out of town for a little while) I will be up for trying something really different.

anyone wish to try another dish out of the encyclopedia? It's definitely gumbo weather up here in tennessee and I know for a fact that I'll be doing a chicken and andouille gumbo this weekend, but I prefer to use my own methods for that one. Anything you guys/gals want to try out? I've got the camera ready to roll if there's concensus, otherwise I'll just go it alone!

I'd say if it's already cooked and frozen, simply thaw completely and then finish on the grill or in the oven. I personally like boudin balls the best, deep fried of course.